The Incarnation: III.—The Cross* By REV. A. C. DIXON, D.D. W E COME this morning to the third of the series of studies on the Incarnation. Today we en
And the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was rent in the midst. And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, He said, Father, into Thy hands I commend My spirit; and having said thus, He gave up ttie ghost.” Three Scriptures serve as the key- texts of our study. The first is in the 23rd chapter of Luke, verses 33-35: “They crucified Him . . . and the peo ple stood beholding.” The second is in 1 Corinthians 11:2: “I determined not to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ, and Him crucified.” The third is in Galatians 6:14: “God for bid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.” The tragedy of the crucifixion is one thing: the deeper meaning of the Cross is quite another. In its tragedy it is repulsive; in its deeper meaning it is the most attractive thing in all •God’s universe. We may learn some thing from the tragedy. As we stand under the Cross, and listen and look, we may love and live. As we listen we really hear the voice of the Cross speaking toward God, what the Cross has to say to Heaven. It is the voice of prayer: “Father, forgive them; for they know" not what they do.” The Cross of Christ is a prayer to Heaven for the forgiveness of a lost world, even for those who killed Him. If we bear any unforgiving spirit toward anybody, let us bring it into the light and heat of this prayer of our Master | and never refuse to forgive until some body treats us worse than they treated Jesus, if we would be like Him. As we listen, we hear again the voice of promise, “Today shalt thou be with Me in Paradise.” The'only door to Paradise, here and hereafter, is the
ter the Holy of Holies of our Christian faith. We will read from the 23rd chapter of the Gospel of Luke, begin ning with the 33rd verse: “And when they were come to the place which is called Calvary, there they crucified Him, and the malefac tors, one on the right hand, and the other on the left. Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them: for they know not what they do. And they parted His raiment, and cast lots. And the people stood beholding. And the rul ers also with them derided Him, say ing, He saved others; let Him save Himself, if He he Christ, the chosen of God. And the soldiers also mocked Him, coming to Him and of fering Him vinegar, and saying, If Thou be the King of the Jews, save Thyself. And a superscription also was written over Him in letters of Greek, and Latin, and Hebrew, This is the King of the Jews. And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on Him, saying, If Thou be Christ, save Thyself and us. But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost thou not fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? And we indeed justly; for we receive the reward for our deeds: but this man ha*b done nothing amiss. And He said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when Thou comest into Thy kingdom. And Tesus said unto Him, verily I s- unto thee, Today shalt thou be with Me in Paradise. And it was about the sixth hour, and there was a darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour. •An address delivered a t the Montrose Bible Conference, August, 1914.
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