Rightly Dividing the Word of Truth. 13. Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts, and let him return unto the Lord, and He will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon.---Isaiah lv., 7. 14. Verily, I say unto you, except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of Heaven.-Matthew xviii., 3. 15. Seek ye the Lord while He may be found: call ye upon Him while He is near.-Isaiah lv., 6. 16. Pray without ceasing.-1 Thessal., v., 17. 17. Behold, Now is the accepted time: behold Now is the day of salvation.-2 Corinth., vi., 2. 18. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved.—Acts xvi., 31. 19. The blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all sin.-1 John, i., 7. 20. Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. -I Timothy, i., 15. 21. Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they were red like crimson, they shall be as wool.-Isaiah i., 18. 22. Having, therefore, these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.-2 Corinth., vii., I. 23. God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ. -Romans ii., 16. 24. And when the Son of man shall come in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then shall He sit upon the throne of His glory: and before Him shall be gathered all nations.-Matthew xxv., 31, 32. 25. Then shall the King say unto them on His right hand,-"Come, ye blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world." -Matthew xxv., 34. 26. Then shall He say also unto them on the left hand, -"Depart from Me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels.-Matthew xxv., 41. 27. These shall go into everlasting punishment; but the righteous into life eternal.-Matthew xxv., 46. “RIGHTLY DIVIDING THE WORD OF TRUTH.”—2_Timothy, ii., 15. Thou lovest O God, the Creator and Governor of all things! righteousness, and hatest wickedness. We thank Thee for the revelation of Thy Truth, and the knowledge of Thy will. Thou hast told us, on the one hand, that the wicked shall be turned into Hell, and all the people that forget God: but Thou hast comforted us, on the other hand, with the assurance, that THE BLOOD OF JESUS CHRIST CLEANSETH FROM ALL SIN; and that, BY HIM ALL THAT BELIEVE ARE JUSTIFIED FROM ALL THINGS. Nay, to make assurance doubly sure, Thou hast recorded Thy gracious promise that, if we believe on THE LORD JESUS CHRIST, we shall be saved. We thank Thee, Heavenly Father, that, although Thou canst not accept us for ourselves, or for any righteousness of ours, yet that Thou wilt accept us, wholly and entirely, on the ground of the Atonement of Thy blessed Son. Jesus! Our Redeemer! Our Judge! We cast ourselves before Thee: we come unto Thee as we are; and we know that Thou will not cast us out. AMEN. CHAPTER XI. THE SUFFERINGS OF OUR BLESSED REDEEMER WHO DIED,— "THE JUST FOR THE UNJUST, THAT HE MIGHT BRING US TO GOD." I Peter, iii., 18. I. Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane, and saith unto the disciples, Sit ye here, while I go and pray yonder.-Matthew xxvi., 36. 2. And He was withdrawn from them about a stone's cast, and kneeled down and prayed, saying, Father, if Thou be willing, remove this cup from Me: nevertheless, not My will, but Thine be done... ..... 3. And, being in an agony, He prayed more earnestly; and His sweat was, as it were, great drops of blood falling down to the ground.-Luke xxii., 41, 42, 44. 4. Then came they, and laid hands on Jesus and took Him.-Matthew xxvi., 50. 5. Then all the disciples forsook Him, and fled. 6. And they that had laid hold on Jesus led Him away to Caiaphas, the high priest, where the scribes and elders were assembled.-Matthew xxvi., 56, 57. 7. And the high priest arose and said unto Him..... I adjure Thee, by the living God that Thou tell us whether Thou be The Christ, The Son of God.-Matthew xxvi., 62, 63. 8. And Jesus said, I AM: and ye shall see the Son of Man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of Heaven.-Mark xiv., 62. 9. Then did they spit in His face, and buffeted Him ; and others smote Him with the palms of their hands, saying, Prophecy unto us, O Christ, who is he that smote Thee.-Matthew xxvi., 67, 68. 10. And the whole multitude of them arose, and led Him unto Pilate; and they began to accuse Him.-Luke xxiii., I, 2. 12. 11. Then Pilate took Jesus and scourged Him.......... And the soldiers platted a crown of thorns, and put it on His head; and they put on Him a purple robe, The Sufferings of our Blessed Redeemer. and said, Hail! King of the Jews! And they smote Him with their hands.-John xix., I, 2, 3. 13. And they smote Him on the head with a reed, and did spit upon Him; and, bowing their heads, worshipped Him.-Mark xv., 19. 14. Then came Jesus forth, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. And Pilate saith unto them,-Behold the man! 15. When the chief priests, therefore, and officers saw Him, they cried out, saying,-Crucify Him! Crucify Him! -John xix., 5, 6. 16. And Pilate gave sentence that it should be as they required.-Luke xxiii., 24. 17. And when they had mocked Him, they took off the purple from Him, and put His own clothes on Him, and led Him out to crucify Him. 18. And they bring Him unto the place, Golgotha, which is, being interpreted, the place of a skull.-Mark xv., 20, 22. 19. Where they crucified Him, on either side one, and Jesus in the midst.-John xix., 18. 20. Then said Jesus,-Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do! And they parted His raiment, and cast lots.-Luke xxiii., 34. 21. And they that passed by reviled Him, wagging their heads. Matthew xxvii., 39. 22. It was about the sixth hour; and there was darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour.-Luke xxiii., 44. 23. And, about the ninth hour, Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying,-Eli, Eli, Lama Sabacthani?- that is to say, My God! My God! why hast Thou forsaken Me? Matthew xxvii., 46. 24. 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 the Ghost.-Luke xxiii., 46. 25. And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain, from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent; and the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints, which slept, arose, and came out of the graves, after His resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.-Matthew xxvii., 51, 52, 53. The Sufferings of our Blessed Redeemer. 26. TRULY THIS WAS THE SON OF GOD!-Matthew xxvii., 54. "Who is this?-Behold Him raining THE SUFFERINGS OF OUR BLESSED REDEEMER WHO DIED "THE JUST FOR THE UNJUST, THAT HE MIGHT BRING US TO GOD."-1 Peter, iii., 18. Jesus! our blessed and adorable Redeemer! Thou who didst die, the just for the unjust, that Thou might'st bring us to God, it was our sins that caused Thy sufferings. It was Thy kindness and love that led Thee to such depths as these. Thou, the great God above, didst clothe Thyself in human form. Thou didst suffer Thyself to be arraigned as a malefactor. They mocked Thee; they buffeted Thee; they spat upon Thee; they forced a wreath of thorns roughly on Thy tender brow. They nailed Thee to the tree! They drove spikes of iron through the tendons of Thy hands and of Thy feet: yet, notwithstanding all this, while hanging in that cruel and painful posture; while undergoing pain and agony of mind and body indescribable, words of peace and pardon came from Thy lips,-" Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do!' Jesus, our crucified, and now exalted Redeemer ! we plead Thy sufferings in the Garden of Gethsemane ! Lord! remember us when Thou comest into Thy Kingdom. AMEN. |