Evening Republican, Volume 18, Number 97, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 23 April 1914 — The Evangel of Easter [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

The Evangel of Easter

Br Rev. PARLEY E. ZARTMANN. D. D.

StoekQrcl Esteadon Department -«* Moody BiMt Chicago

TEXT—-Bat they constrained him, saying, Abide with ns; for it is toward evening, and tbe day is far spent. And be went in to tarry with them, Luke 24:2ft.

What a great and gracious gospel is proclaimed and made possible by the central! fact of Easter;* for without the resurrection o f Jesus Christ from the dead there is no evangel for the minister to preach and no gospel to save those who might believe no salvajjton from, sin, no sun to drive away dark-

ness and despair, no hope of heaven. Paul lays great emphasis upon these vital things in I Corinthians 15:12-19. i It Is significant that after his resurrection, Jesus appeared only to his disciples; and of these, first to those who needed him most. There is deep meaning in the very order of the recorded appearances after his resurrection. First, to Mary, probably the most heart-broken of all the little band; then to Peter, who had denied him, and since then had been weeping bitter tears of repentance; then to the two sad and weary ones on the way to Emmaus who were saying, “We trusted it had been he who should have redeemed IsraeL” On the Emmaus Road. Let us consider this story of the first Easter Sunday evening. There is a peculiar charm in it, and the very, simplicity wins our hearts. How realistic it is, how true to life, how pathetic in its exhibition of mutual sorrow and the concern of a friend who knows all about us, though we may not know who hp is; how encouraging to hearts despondent and sad. One can picture the scene, without difficulty. It had been a day of great excitement in Jerusalem; there were many conflicting reports about Jesus, whe had been away in the totm>, a few days before; some gave account of strange things they had seen and heard, but grave doubt still possessed many of the disciples; and now these two are on their homeward way, sorrowful as they go, under the shadow of a great perplexing mystery. Perhaps light and comfort will come In the quiet and rest of home. As they journeyed a stranger joined them, inquiring the cause of their sorrow, and learning what he knew, their perplexity, about what had happened that day. It was not strange that they did not know him. To Abraham he came as a wayfaring man, to Joshua as £ soldier, to Jacob as a wrestler, to Mary as a gardener; besides their eyes were holden. But, meeting their perplexity and doubt, with a precious unfolding of the Scriptures, “beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.’' Four blessings came to these sorrowing travelers from their unknown companion—their minds were opened, their hearts burned within them, their eyes were opened, and he revealed hlmßelf as set forth in all the Scrip-. tures. , , The Gracious Revelation. . “And he made as though he would have gone further. But they constrained him . . . and he went in to tarry with them." That is one of the sweetest touches in the story. But what a calamity if they had let this unknown companion go on his way—no gracious revelation*of the very Christ on whom their hopes had been set And your calamity will be great If you do not constrain the tarrying Jesus to came in and abide with you. Oh, bid the dear. Savior come in. Can burning hearts keep back the message? These disciples were filled with joy. Possibly they did not wait to finish the meal, for they rose up that same hour, hastening to Jerusalem the glad story about the risen Lord who had considered It worth while to take time on the first day of hiß resurrection to walk seven miles into the country with two sor-row-stricken disciples. And this Christ with the tender heart is with us yet. The evangel of Eaßter is the glad news of a Savior, who by his resurrection from dead, has power to raise our souls from death. Ab you accept Christ, the very omnipotence of God will work within you, and your faith will secure for you in your daily life a share In the resurrection of Christ. (Eph. 1119, 20). May this beautiful Easter story repeat Itself In your life. May you have Christ as your companion, your teacher, your friend, your guest; and all that, and more, he will be after he has become your Savior. Sorrowing sinning soul, he may be meeting you on the way just now; perhaps just aft the parting of the ways; do not let him go on, but do say;

"I need thy presence every passing hourj Wbat put thy grace can foil the tempter's pow’r? Who like thyself my guide and stay can be? Through cloud and sunshine, O abide with me.’’ i