THEKING’SBUSINES
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his heart was steeled against him. He had concealed his real character so well that none of the others seem to have suspected him. The base blackness of his heart was no surprise to Christ. A self-centered Judas lies hidden in each of us. His same end awaits us unless we let Christ come within to save us and keep us true. God forbid that it should be true of any of us that it were better if we had never been born. When Judas knew that he was detected he left and went out into the night. Poor Judas! With the traitor removed Christ uncov ered His heart and talked frankly. This, Christ’s last message to His disciples, is one of the most wonderful portions of our Bible. Have your girls turn to it (John 13:31-17:26) while you give the gist. The lamb had been eaten. When they were about to partake of the bread and wine, what strange statement did Christ make? (vs. 22-24). In that moment the Old Covenant passed into the New. The celebration of deliverance from Egyptian bondage gave place to the celebration of deliverance from sin and death. Just as the bread was broken and the wine poured, so His body had to be broken and His blood poured,' for “without shedding of blood there is no remission of sin” (Heb. 9:22). All previous blood-sacrifices were but shadows of Christ washing us from our sins in His own blood. If we truly love Him and appreciate His death we will do the things that He asks, one of which is, “This, do in remembrance of me. For as oft as ye eat this bread and drink this cup ye do show the Lord’s death till He come” (1 Cor. 11:24-26). Illustrate the truth as Christ did with the vine and branches (John 15).
in place of a family. When they asked if they might prepare for Ihe passover, it meant finding a suitable room; the killing of a lamb in the temple before the priests; providing bread, a dish of herbs, and wine. The wine symbolized the blood sprinkled on the door-posts. . Christ’s directions were unusual and bewildering. Observe His super-human knowledge in knowing whom they would meet and what each would do (vs. 13-16). It was evening, Christ’s last night before His crucifixion. He with His disciples reclined round the holy table. The service usually opened and closed with a song of praise (Ps. 93, 94, 115, 118). All seemed to have gone as usual until Christ startled them by announcing, “Verily, one of you that eateth with me shall betray me/’ They had learned that Christ’s words came true. They loved Him, yet they knew too well their weaknesses. Each; grieved lest he might be the one, asks, “Is it I ?” They did not suspect the one next them but each distrusted his own self. Would that we always examined ourselves rather than sus pected our neighbor. How were they to know which one it would be? Recall that knives, forks and spoons were not in use. A cpmmon dish was placed in the center of the table. Into this all dipped as we would dip up gravy with bread. With orientals, eating together is a pledge of friendship to the last drop of blood, if need be. Many things were weighing heavily on Christ’s heart: His crucifixion on the mor row ; the hatred of His enemies; the mis understanding disciples; but perhaps Judas hurt most. Christ loved him. He had given him opportunity after opportunity to repent. I t was with heartache that Christ gave him up. Judas was living for greed, gold and self. Although much with Christ,
BEGINNERS AND PRIMARY
By Mabel L. Merrill. Jesus a n d H is D isciples M EMORY VERSE. “This do in up a glass pitcher with water in it). Did remembrance of Me.”||L uke 22:19. you know there was a story in the Bible Approach .—What is this, children? (Hold about a pitcher of water showing two men
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