The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1938-06-16

LESSON TEXT-Mark 15:22-39.
GOLDEN TEXT-For even the Son OF
man came not to be ministered unto, but to
minister, and to give his life ransom
for many. Mark 10:45.
PRIMARY TOPIC-God's Wonderful Love-
JUNIOR TOPIC-On Calvary.
INTERMEDIATE AND SENIOR TOPIC
Self-Sacrifice for Others.
YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULT TOPIC
Loves Supreme Sacrifice.
ga Christianity without dying
Christ is a dying Christianity. His
tory shows us that the expansive
ness and elevating power of the
Gospel depend upon the promi-
nence given to the sacrifice of the
Cross. An old fable says that the
only thing that melts adamant is
the blood of a lamb. The Gospel
reveals the precious blood of Jesus
Christ, his death for us as a ran
som, as the one power that subdues
hostility and binds hearts to Him.
'(Alexander Maclaren).
We consider today that darkest
of all days in the history of the
world-when wicked men with cruel
hearts and hands crucifed the low
ing Son of God. But, thanks be to
God, it was also the day when bright
hope shone forth for sinful human
ity, for in His death Christ bore our
sins upon the tree, the veil was
rent, the old sacrifices we're set
aside, and the new and living way
was opened into the "holiest by the
blood of Jesus" (Heb. 1920.
1. Crucifed-That We Might Live
wv. 22-28).
The details of and circumstances
surrounding the crucifxion are OF
deep interest to every Christian. We
stand with Luther and weep as we
see Christ's unspeakable agony, not
only of body but of spirit, and we cry
as did Luther, "For me, for me!'
How can any believer contemplate
the cross and withhold self, sub
stance, or service from Christ?
Equally earnest and heart-search-
ing is the message of the cross to
the unbeliever. He knows he is q
sinner (Rom. 1928, he knows that
"the wages of sin is DEATH (Rom,
6:23), and he knows that neither
is there salvation in any other, for
there is none other name under
heaven given among men whereby
we must be saved" (Acts 4:12),
Here at the cross he meets that
one 'who his own self bare ou1
sins in his own body on the tree.
that we, being dead to sins, should
live unto righteousness: by whose
stripes we were healed Il Pet. 2:
24). There were two malefactors
who were crucified with Him, anc
one rallied at Him. The other said
Lord, remember me when thou
contest into thy kingdom; anc
Jesus said to him, To-day thol
shalt be with me in Paradise" duke
23:39-43). Unbeliever, who reads
these lines, will you not just nov
take the eternal life which Jesus
died to make possible for you?
ii. Forsaken-That We Might b
Accepted wv. 1886.
The railing, head wagging, anc
other abuse that men heaped upol
Jesus as He hung on the cross
must have been a grevious thing TO,
His tender loving heart to bear
But it was as nothing compared
with that hour when, covered will
all the sin and curse of the world
He who knew no sin twas mad
sin for US" II Cor. 5:2D, and Coz
turned away from Him.
We cannot fathom the full mean
ing of that hour, we dare not at
tempt to explain it, we can onl.
accept it and thank God that be
cause He did become sin for us w
may be made the righteousness Q
God in him" (IT Cor. SID.
III. A Veil Rent-That We Nigh
Enter wv. 37-39).
The death of Jesus was not tn
pitiful weakening of human MAJ
tyr. Here was the Son of God, cry
ing with a loud voice ". 37), givin
up His spirit to the Father (Luk
27;46), declaring that the work c
redemption was finished.
AS visible Indication of that par
and as a declaration that the oil
dispensation of law had given plac
to the dispensation of grace, Go
tore the temple veil in twain. Onl
He could have done it. No ma
could have torn this sixty-toot long
twenty-foot wide, and inch-thic
curtain from top to bottom. 1t ha
hung in the temple to keep all bl
the High Priest out of the Holy {
Holes, and he entered with fear an
trembling but once year as til
representative of the people. No
all this is changed. We have nov
brethren, boldness to enter I'M
the hottest by the blood of Jesu
by new and living way, which /
hath consecrated for us, through tt
veil" Therefore, let US dra
near with true heart and full a
c,,ropca of faith'' (Heh 10.1Q COY