The midland journal., 1943-04-23

know 1t. / shall preacn ABOUT ~
again and again until they believe
as do" So exclaimed DR.. Dale OF
London when the glory of Christ's
resurrection laid hold of him as
never before. There began that day
the custom of singing an Easter
hymn in his church every Sunday
morning.
Easter has come again, and 1t
ought to make us glad to recall the
resurrection power of Christianity
in the midst of the worlds awful
sorrow and death. Easter should
mean more to us than ever this
year, If we believe in Christ. If we
do not, why not rid ourselves OF the
dark garments of unbelief, and put
on the bright and beautiful garment
of faith in a living Christ. Let us
be clad in His righteousness.
The first Easter Sunday had scarce
ly dawned when the faithful Mary
came to the tomb. Finding the stone
rolled away from its entrance she
ran to find Peter and John. What
they came and saw, and what--or
rather who-she remained and saw,
make up our interesting lesson.
I. Peter and John Saw the Empty
Tomb wv. 1-10).
Peter, though he had denied his
Lord, was not sent away by his
brethren. They knew his true heart,
and evidently the gentle and loving
John had taken him to his home.
Mary knew where to find him. What
a tender Incidental indication of the
Christian spirit of the brethren of
Peter.
John and Peter ran to the tomb.
The unusual news so stirred them
that John the younger did not think
to await the slower steps of Peter.
He came first, but when he did he
only looked in. Peter had no hesi-
tation, but went right in. What he
found there was most significant.
Here was twofold evidence that
the body of our Lord had not been
stolen. The burial clothes were
there. They had not been carried off
by a thief. Nor had they been
/ snatched- aside by deceiver. They
lay in order. There off to one side,
carefully folded, was the head COW
ering. Jesus was gone, but He had
! left in all the dignity and majesty of
a triumphant Lord. s-o,4ea
What they saw caused John to be-
lieve. 1t appears ". 81 that they
had not yet understood the clear
teachings of the Old Testament re-
garding the death and resurrection
of Christ. They were slow to be-
tlieve. Let not any in our day, with
its greater light, fail to believe.
Peter and John came and saw
and then "they went away again
unto their own home." And SO they
missed seeing Christ Himself.
II. Mary Met the Risen Christ
wv. HID.
The tears Of Mary were the genu-
Inc expression Of devoted heart,
but they were nevertheless mistaken
tears. The question of the angel re-
'veals that fact. Why weep because
His body was gone. when that was
the very thing which should give her
ioy? Why weep over dead Christ
when He was alive? rs. ~
How often our discernment is
dimmed by tears and our judgment
warped by sorrow. We look on the
wrong side Of our circumstances and
see only tangle of threads and
blurred colors. On the other side
God is weaving q pattern OF beauty
and blessing winch Will De our JOY
tnrougn All eternlty. why not re-
member that now! ~"
blinoed with tears ana troubled IN
neart' Mary ala not even recognize
the Loro wnen he spoke TO ner. but
our LORD looking into her soul ana
knowing tnat IL was ner very love
for HIM winch MADE u nard 1or her
70 tnnk OF anytning put his deaths
gave. TO TINS true-nearted woman the
privilege OF first seeing Him after
his resurrection.
AS He poke her name, she knew
Him. Ye recall that Jesus Him
eo1f I1fX cold tho Ho xxyoe %hn CooS