Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1940-03-21

GOLDEN TEXT-But now il Christ
risen from the dead. and become the
firstfruits Of them that slept CORN.
thians 1870.
The inspiration and spiritual re.
newing Of Easter day comes to us
again. How thankful every Chris.
tan should be for this day Of re.
membrance of our Lords triumph
over death. How much we should
praise God that the day for us who
are His disciples is not one Of out.
ward display but of inward revival
In our series Of lessons in Matthew
we have followed our Lord in His
life and ministry on through Geth.
semane to Calvary. Today we find
loving hands giving themselves in
what they thought to be the final
act Of devotion to their Lord, and
we also see the hands Of wicked
men active In what they thought was
a final act Of hatred. Then sud.
denly the Lord Himself breaks
through in resurrection power.
I. Love Is Kind (27:57-61).
The women, whose devotion to
their Lord never wavered, were
joined in the final act Of taking the
body of Jesus from the cross and
burying It by two secret disciples
Of the Lord who now came out
into the open. Joseph Of Arimathea,
q member Of the Sanhedrin uuke
$3.50. SD. and Nicodemus (John
1899, 40. 1t was q courageous
act on their part and undoubtedly
the expression Of their great love
for Jesus.
The two Marys seemed to have
stayed to watch the grave even after
Joseph had gone to his home. The
death Of Jesus may have crushed
their hopes, for they apparently did
not recall His promise Of resurrec-
ton, but they still loved Him. After
all, is not that the ultimate and es-
sential mark Of a disciple, love for
our Lord? Faith may waver. hope
deferred may make the heart sick
with encouragement, but neverthe-
less we win follow the example Of
these disciples and never let our
love for Him grow cold. In due
season such faithfulness finds glo-
rious reward.
II. Hatred Il Relentless (27:62-
90. ~
The wicked men who had brought
about the crucifsion Of Jesus were
not content to let their hatred Of
Him die ut the grave. They lusted
after His life and they had taken
that, but even as He lay silent In
the grave, the priests and the Phari-
sees came to PLATE and called Him
''that deceiver' ". $50 and demand
ed a special guard. They feared
that His disciples would perpetrate
q fraud. and after stealing the body
declare that He was risen. Wicked
and deceitful hearts can imagine al
sorts Of treachery on the part Of
others.
The hatred Of unbelievers toward
Christ and toward His followers
knows no stopping place. In civil
hzed lands and among cultured peo-
pie It operates under 4 cloak Of
responsibility. but 1t Is none the
less bitter and relentless in its pur-
suit Of Him and Of His Church.
Observe that while the chief
priests and Pharisees acted in
hatred and unbelief. they unwilling
~ did the cause Of Christ q great
service by demanding the guard
over the tomb. They made it for.
ever impossible for any charge Of
fraud to be successfully made
against the truth Of the resurrec-
ton.
III. Christ Is Triumphant (28: 1-O.
Victory and praise should be the
keynote Of Christianity. Why should
we be doleful and sad? Our Lord
has come back victorious from the
gravel We may be glad and sing
even In the midst Of earth's sorrows
and distresses. Let praise be the
employ Of our lips constantly as we
worship Him and work for Him.
The picture that greeted the sur
prised eyes Of the two women as
they came to the grave as it began
to dawn on the first day Of the week
was one Respondent with the glory
and majesty of God. The earth
quaked as the lightning and white
angel Of the Lord broke through the
unbreakable seal of Rome and rolled
back the stone which was to have
permanently closed the door to the
tomb. This was done, not to release
Christ-for He had already gone, no
grave could hold Him-but that men
might see the empty grave and
know that He was risen. y
To the foes Of Christ represented
by the keepers. the coming Of the
angel and the revelation Of the
power Of God brought absolute dis
comfiture. That Is still true. Men
viii argue with theology. church
methods. even Christian profession,
until they see the power Of God re-
vealed, and then they can only be
"as dead men,"
To the friends of Christ the angel
brought comfort and assurance.
Their fears were assuaged by his
word of comfort, and then their faith
was revived by the assurance that
Christ was risen. The resurrection
declares that He is the Son Of God