# The Lutheran Pioneer_St. Louis_1902_S9 # Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration) The Lutheran Pioneer. A MISSIONARY MONTHLY. PUBLISHED BY THE EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN SynopIcAL ConFERENCE oF Nortn AMERICA. The Sacrifice. O Christ, what burdens bowed Thy head! Our load was laid on Thee; Thou stoodest in the sinner’s stead — To bear all ill for me. A Victim led, Thy blood was shed: Now there’s no load for me. Death and the curse were in our cup— O Christ, twas full for Thee! But Thou hast drained the last dark drop! ‘Tis empty now for me. That bitter cup—love drank it up; Left but the love for me. — - oo Our Suffering Saviour. The season embracing the forty days before Easter is known as Lent. Ever since the early days of the Christian Church, this portion of the year has been set apart for special medi- tations on the sufferings and death of Jesus. And « Christian never grows weary of this story. The account of Christ's Passion ever stirs his soul to its deepest depths. But why do we take such an interest in a man who suffered a criminal’s death? Why? He was innocent of the charges brought against Him. The Jewish council failed to make out eyen the semblance of a case against Him. Pontius Pilate, that vacillating wretch, sen- tenced Jesus to death in spite of the repeated declaration: ‘‘I find no fault in Him,’”’ John 19,4.6. The penitent thief and the centurion under the cross also testified to Christ’s inno- R. A. BISCHOFF, Editor. ‘St. Louis, Mo. March, 1902. cence. Nor was Jesus innocent only of the crimes with which the Jews charged Him. He was entirely without sin, perfectly pure in heart, thoughts, words, and deeds. The Bible says: ‘‘He did no sin, neither was guile found in His mouth,”? 1 Pet. 2,22. ‘He was holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners,’’ Hebr. 7,26. ‘‘A Lamb without blemish and without spot,” 1 Pet.1,19. More thana sin- less man, Christ is the eternal Son of God. At the Baptism as well as at the Transfigura- tion of Jesus, the Father declared: ‘‘This is my beloved Son,’’ Matt. 3,17; 17,1. Scrip- ture testifies: ‘‘God spared not His own Son,”’ Rom. 8,32. ‘‘He gave His only begotten Son,” John 3, 16. And what makes the suffering of Jesus, the innocent and divine person, of still greater concern to us is the fact that He is our Saviour. Out of boundless love and mercy Christ of- fered to atone for our guilt. He assumed our debt as if it were Hisown. He suffered as our Substitute. Taking all our sins upon Himself, He was burdened with the curse which we had deserved. The apostle says: ‘‘He was made a curse for us,”’ Gal. 8, 18. ‘‘He bore our sins,”’ 1Pet.2,24. ‘‘He gave Himself for our sins,’? Gal. 1, 4. And did Christ accomplish the work He had undertaken to perform for us? Without adoubt! His own dying testimony was: ‘‘It is finished,’’ John 19, 30. In body and soul He suffered the agonies of a multi-millionfold curse. ‘hus the fire of God’s wrath was quenched. The claims ‘of God’s eternal jus- tice were satisfied. All sins of every sinner have been fully atoned for. All sins! We read: ‘‘The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin,”’ 1 John1,7. ‘‘By Him all that believe are justified from all things,?’ Acts 13, 39. Even so Jesus re- deemed every sinner. It is written: ‘‘Christ died for all,’’ 2 Cor. 5,15. ‘He gave Him- self a ransom for all,’? 1 Tim. 2, 6. Now note well how the Saviour and His par- don became ours. He offers Himself and His grace freely to all men by the Gospel. All that is necessary to enjoy the gift is to accept it. That is done by faith, by trusting the Gospel promises. Let no one tell you that it is meces- \ Entered at the Post Office at St. Louis, Mo., as second-class matter. sary to wander hither and thither in search of Christ’s pardoning mercy, or that it is neces- sary to soar either upward or downward in the spirit to obtain it. God’s infallible Word says: “Through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: and by Him all that believe in Him sre justified,’’ Acts 13, 38. 39. But what, if one who is troubled on ac- count of his sins, do not feel that the burden is lifted off his soul? Trust the Word, never- theless. Think of the grief-oppressed disci- ples on their way to Emmaus who, supposing Christ was still dead, felt as if they had no Saviour. Do you remember what Christ said to them? ‘O fools and slow of heart to be- lieve all that the prophets have spoken,’’ Luke 24,25. Thus He refers us to the Scripture, and wants us to cling to that. Relying on the Scripture word, our assurance of salvation rests on a rock which will stand unshaken in the fiercest storms of affliction, and with thankful hearts we will praise Christ and Him crucified in word and deed all the days of our life. A. B. —»—-e