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T HE K I N G ’S B U S I N E S S
DECEMBER 21, 1919
A T TH E EM PTY TOM B AND W ITH T H E RISEN LORD Golden T ext: “He is risen, as he said.” Mat. 28:6.
I j ESSON TEXT Jno. 20:1-10; 21:15-19. (R ead Jno. 20:1— 2 1 :2 5 ).
(20:1) The first day of th e week com eth M ary Magdalene early, when it w as yet dark, unto the sepulchre, and seeth th e stone taken aw ay from th e sepulchre. (2) Then she runneth and cometh to Simon P eter, and to th e other disciple, whom Jesu s loved, and saith unto them , T hey have taken aw ay th e L ord out of th e sepulchre, and we know not where they have laid him. (3) P e ter th e re fore w ent forth, and th a t other dis ciple, and cam e to the sepulchre. (4) So th ey ra n both together: and the J other disciple did outrun P eter, and came first to the sepulchre. (5) And he stooping down, and looking in, saw th e linen clothes lying; yet w ent he not in. (6) T hen com eth Simon P eter following him, and w ent into the sepulchre, and seeth th e linen clothes lie, (7) And th e napkin, th a t was about his head, not lying w ith the linen clothes, but w rapped together in a place by itself. (8) Then w ent in also th a t other disciple which cam e first to th e sepulchre and he saw, and believed. (9) F or as yet they knew not the scripture, th a t he m ust rise again from the dead. (10) Then the disciples w ent aw ay again unto Outline. (1 ) Proof of th e Resurrection, vs. 1-10. (2 ) P robing P e te r’s H eart, vs. 15-17. (3 ) P redicting P ete r's death, vs. 18-19. (4 ) P rerogative of Christ, vs. 20-22. The background of th e lesson is as black as th e m idnight gloom. There was a m idnight pall upon th e Passover F east of th e Jews. An aw ful day for P ilate w ith h i s IdESSON guilty conscience. A EXPOSITION terrib le day for the T. C. H orton priests to whom th e Passover b rough t no joy. A sad day for th e disciples,— the first day of separation from Him who was th e ir Head— now scattered and dis consolate. W h at a dark , dismal day would have been le ft for a sin-sick world had He not broken th e b ars of death and illum-
th eir own home. (21:15) So when they had dined Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more th an these? He said unto him, Tea, Lord; thou knowest th a t I love thee. He said unto him, Feed my lambs. (16) He saith to him again th e second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Tea, Lord; thou know est th a t I love thee. \ He saith unto him. Feed my sheep. ' (17) He saith unto him the th ird tim e, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? P e ter w as grieved because he said unto him th e th ird tim e, Lov e st thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou know est all things; thou know est th a t I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep. (18) V er ily, verily, I say unto thee, W hen thou w ast young, thou girdest th y self, and w alkedst w hither thou wouldest: bu t when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stre tc h forth th y hands and another shall gird thee, and carry thee w hither thou wouldest not. (19) T his spake he, signifying by w hat death he should glorify God. And when he had spoken this, he saith unto him. Follow me. ined th e . tomb w ith the glory of His rising! But it is always d ark est before daylight, and we contemplate th e dawn ing of a day which has clothed the word “ grave” w ith th e garm en t of glad ness for all who believe in th e risen Son of God; which gave a new meaning to th e S cripture which says: “Weeping may endure for a night, bu t joy cometh in th e morning.” (1 ) P roof o f th e Resurrection, vs. 1-10. The division of subjects in the text of Scripture given us makes it difficult to do justice to eith er in th e lim ited space available. There is a b eau tifu l lesson connected w ith one of th e women— Mary Magda lene— th e first to seek the tomb— who lingered n ear in th e dawn of th e com ing day, close to th e door,— watching th ere, w aiting there, w itnessing to the
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