I helped to crucify Jesus

Rembrandt, the famous Dutch artist, painted a picture of the crucifixion. Vividly he portrayed Christ writhing in nameless agony on the cruel cross. Vividly he depicted the various attitudes of those about the cross toward the suffering Savior by their facial expressions. Apart from the Savior’s death, the most significant thing about the painting is the artists’s painting of himself, standing in the shadows on the edge of the onlookers. This was Rembrandt’s way of saying, “I was there, too! I helped crucify Jesus!” We, too, were there, standing with Rembrandt in the shadows! –W. B. Knight

     Not the world’s sin, but mine, yours!

A saintly African Christian told a congregation that, as he was climbing the hill to the meeting, he heard steps behind him. He turned and saw a man carrying a very heavy load up the hill on his back. He was full of sympathy for the Man and spoke to Him. Then he noticed that His hands were scarred, and he realized that it was Jesus! He said to Him, “Lord, are You carrying the world’s sins up the hill!” “No,” said the Lord Jesus, “not the world’s sins, just yours!” As the African told simply the vision God had given him, the hearts of the listeners and the narrator were broken because they saw their sins on Jesus at the Cross! –W. B. Knight

     The way of the cross

 The geographical heart of London is Charing Cross. This spot is referred to simply as “the cross.” A lost child was one day picked up by a London “bobby.” The child was unable to tell where he lived. Finally, in response to the repeated questions of the bobby, and amid his sobs and tears, the little fellow said, “If you will take me to the cross I think I can find my way from there.” The Cross is the point where men become reconciled to God. If we find our way to God and home we must first come to the Cross. –Jessie Brown Pounds

     “Died in substitute”

 During the Civil War the government drafted men into service. A man in Mercer County, Pennsylvania, was drawn. Because of sickness at home he felt he could not leave. The administration permitted him to secure someone to take his place. The substitute enlisted and went out in place of the man who was drafted. In a short time he was killed and buried, and the government made a record of it. But by some oversight, the name of the man who was excused was placed in another draft and he was drawn a second time. He went before the authorities and said to them. “You cannot draft me, I am a dead man.” “What do you mean?” came the reply. “Look up the records. You will see I enlisted. I fought, I died in the person of my substitute.” In the eyes of the law that man was dead. The substitute fought and died in his place, and the government could not touch him. The Lord Jesus Christ is the sinner’s substitute. Christ took the sinner’s place and paid the penalty at the cross for his sin, so that the law of death can no longer claim him.

–Senior Teacher, S. B. C