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The Great Memorial Day of the
Gospel |
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Author: H. M. Riggle |
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The two greatest events that ever occurred on
earth we have in the gospel. They are the death and the
resurrection of Jesus Christ. The salvation of all mankind
centers in Christ's death and resurrection. All other events
fade into mere insignificance when compared with these. Two
monuments have been erected in the Christian age to commemorate
these events. They are the "Lord's Supper" and the ''Lord's
Day.'' The first is in ''remembrance'' of His death; the last
commemorates His resurrection. The Lord's Supper is to show His
death "till he come''; the Lord's Day is a day of holy
convocation, a day of rejoicing and spiritual devotion, because
"he is risen.''
There is nothing in the events of Saturday-the seventh day-to
inspire a Christian under the gospel. Christ was in the tomb. A
guard of Roman soldiers were carefully watching the place. A
sable gloom hung over the scene, and the pall of death cast its
dark shadow. Yes, the world's Saviour lay under the power of
death. His body rested in the sepulcher and His soul was in
Hades. It was a restless and disheartening day to the
disconsolate disciples. When their Lord was buried their hopes
died with Him. (Luke 24:17-21). It was a day of mourning and
sadness. The disciples were weeping, Mary the mother was
heart-broken, and if ever angels wept, it was on that day. If
ever hell rejoiced and demons shouted it was on that Saturday.
The remembrance of that day would always be a grievous one to
the Church. It would recall the agonies of death, the cross, the
bitter cries, the expiring groan, the mournful sepulcher. It
would ever after create a feeling of sorrow. Yes, the events of
that day-that Jewish Sabbath Day-have forever spoiled it to the
Christian heart. Think of it, the wicked Jews were rejoicing and
Satan triumphing! If ever the Devil had hope, it was while Jesus
was dead, during the Sabbath Day.
But as the first day of the week-Sunday-begins to dawn, a mighty
angel like lightning descends, the earth quakes, the guards fall
like dead men, the stone rolls away, the tomb opens, and Christ
arises a conqueror over death, hell, and the grave. (Matt.
28:1-4). Satan's last hope is gone; the wicked Jews are
dismayed; the holy women are glad; the hope of the disciples is
revived; angels rejoice; the salvation of a world is secured;
the sufferings and humiliation of the Son of God are ended, and
He walks forth the Almighty Saviour, the Lord of all. This is
the Resurrection Day. No wonder it became the memorial day of
the Church.
It was the resurrection day on which everything turned. Jesus
might have lived the pure life He did, might have wrought all
the miracles He did, might have died on the cross as He did,
might have been buried as He was, yet all this would not have
saved a soul if He had not risen from the dead. ''If Christ be
not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins. Then
they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished.'' (I
Cor. 15:17-18). The resurrection completed the work which made
Jesus both Saviour and Lord. Jesus Himself, when asked for the
evidence of His authority, pointed to His resurrection on the
third day as the proof of it. (John 2:18-21; Matt. 12:28-40;
16:21). Paul says that Jesus was "declared to be the Son of God
with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the
resurrection from the dead.'' (Rom. 1:4). It was this that
proved His Divinity. It was this that converted His own brethren
in the flesh. Prior to the resurrection "His brethren believed
not on Him.'' That there will be a final day of judgment, God
''hath given assurance unto all men, in that He hath raised Him
from the dead.'' (Acts 17:31).
Christ only is our hope and salvation. Him the Jews rejected and
put to death. To the third day He lay in the tomb, and the
sorrowful disciples said, "We trusted that it had been He which
would have redeemed Israel.'' (Luke 24:21). With His death, all
their hopes seem to have expired. All was lost. But on the third
day after the crucifixion they heard of His resurrection. Mary
saw the Lord and told the rest. Though their faith was weak,
hope began to revive. In the evening they were drawn together in
assembly. Behold, He appeared in their midst. So it is true the
Lord has risen! His resurrection confounds the Jews who rejected
and crucified Him. The stone they had rejected suddenly triumphs
and becomes the head of the corner. He in whom they had hoped
and trusted for redemption has actually now "become their
salvation.'' The great day of triumph, when Jesus arose from the
dead, is ''the day which the Lord hath made''; hence John
rightly terms it the ''Lord's Day.'' (Rev. 1:10). A day when all
the Christian world from the resurrection to this time have been
led to set apart for the assembling together in prayer and
praise to God. ''In it we will rejoice and be glad,'' said the
prophet. ''We celebrate Sunday as a joyful day,'' said
Tertullian, one of the primitive Church fathers. And so say the
redeemed of the Lord generally.
We keep days because of what occurred on them. Two of the
mightiest events in the history of Christianity and the Church
occurred upon the first day of the week-Christ's resurrection,
and Pentecost. The great outpouring of the Holy Spirit as
recorded in Acts 2, the dedication of the new covenant
sanctuary-Church-its complete organization as a distinct body,
the marvelous conversion of 3000 souls, all took place on this
day. Jesus has said that "repentance and remission of sins
should be preached in His name among all nations, beginning at
Jerusalem." This great and ever-widening stream of salvation
work destined to become "a great mountain and fill the whole
earth," and finally "cover the earth as the waters cover the
sea," had its "beginning at Jerusalem." Pentecost was on the
first day of the week. We humbly ask: How could it be otherwise
that the day should become a memorial day to the Christian
Church? The resurrection, Pentecost, and the first day of the
week are always associated together in the Christian's mind.
It is not the day but the events that occurred on that day that
we Christians celebrate. One day is not a whit better than
another. One day is no more holy than another. It is not Sunday,
because it is Sunday, that we keep-it is the resurrection day,
the Pentecostal day, and this occurred upon "the first day of
the week"-Sunday.
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Printed By: Faith Publishing House,
P.O. Box 518, Guthrie, OK 73044 |
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