_SETTING JESUS AT NOUGHT_ ‘And Herod with his men of war set Him at nought.’ Luke 23:11 I. WHO IS THE MOST LIKELY PERSON TO SET OUR LORD AT NOUGHT? (_a_) _ A man who has once heard the Word of God and does violence to his conscience_. (_b_) _ A man who yields to sinful companions and commits a... [ Continue Reading ]
_SPIRITUAL IMPULSES_ ‘But they cried, saying, Crucify Him, crucify Him.’ Luke 23:21 Every one must have felt that it is a strange and touching and instructive fact, that the Sunday which immediately precedes Good Friday should be the Sunday of the Palm. Among the voices which cried ‘Hosanna!’ th... [ Continue Reading ]
_BEARING THE CROSS AFTER JESUS_ ‘And as they led Him away, they laid hold upon one Simon, a Cyrenian, coming out of the country, and on him they laid the cross, that he might bear it after Jesus.’ Luke 23:26 It is very difficult to define what our ‘cross’ is; what a ‘cross’ means. The word, as we... [ Continue Reading ]
_TRUE PATRIOTISM_ ‘Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for Me, but weep for yourselves, and for your children.’ Luke 23:28 He came to His own full of griefs, full of love, of purpose, and lofty inspiration. His own received Him not, and, by rejecting Him, prepared their fall. What lessons should we... [ Continue Reading ]
_THE GREEN HILL FAR AWAY_ ‘There they crucified Him.’ Luke 23:33 ‘There is a green hill far away, Without a city wall.’ Yes; such a spot there is, at a little distance from the northern wall of Jerusalem. It is a hill, low and broad, but with a steep face towards the city, and conspicuous by its... [ Continue Reading ]
_THE FIRST OF THE SEVEN WORDS_ ‘Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.’ Luke 23:34 The greatest fact in the whole world is sin; the greatest need in the whole world is forgiveness. But Christ needed not to pray for forgiveness for Himself; so He prays for our very greatest need—for... [ Continue Reading ]
_RECOGNISED AT LAST_ ‘Lord, remember me when Thou comest into Thy kingdom.’ Luke 23:42 At last Christ is recognised. The secret is out. The mystery is solved. He was a King; and yet what a strange moment to make the discovery! No one but the poor thief on the cross could see it. I. NOT PILATE,... [ Continue Reading ]
_THE SECOND WORD FROM THE CROSS_ ‘Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with Me in Paradise.’ Luke 23:43 The dying thief desired to be near the Lord. I. HIS IS NO FRAGMENT OF REPENTANCE; IT IS THE FULL CONVERSION OF THE WHOLE MAN TO GOD.—The last act of a man’s life is not more momentous... [ Continue Reading ]
_THE LAST WORD FROM THE CROSS_ ‘Father, into Thy hands I commend My spirit.’ Luke 23:46 Do those we have lost still live? The last word of Jesus gives us the answer, an answer which we cannot mistake. Yes; the soul lives. ‘Father, into Thy hands I commend My spirit.’ I think our Saviour helps us... [ Continue Reading ]
_LESSONS FROM THE CROSS_ ‘And all the people that came together to that sight, beholding the things which were done, smote their breasts, and returned.’ Luke 23:48 We, too, have come together this day to the sight and contemplation of the Cross, and Him Who hangs thereon. We, too, have smote upon... [ Continue Reading ]
_SABBATH REST_ ‘And rested the Sabbath day according to the commandment.’ Luke 23:56 In such simple and beautiful words does the evangelist record the action of the devout woman. He tells you how these faithful followers of Christ had come—after that awful Friday evening when His body was taken f... [ Continue Reading ]