SEGHENG THIS SUNDAY WE BSGIN THE CELEBRATION OF THE
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THE LAST DAYS OF OUR LORD'S MINISTRY ON EARTH, HIS ENTRY ]
ee

LENTEN SEASON, COMMORATING

NTO JERUSALEM AND HIS DEATH.

—_

IT IS A PERIOD OF BOTH PREPARATION AND ANTICI PA TLON--WE ARE TO PREPARE OURSELVES

Fl

SPIRITUALLY FOR THE COMMEMORATION OF TIE DRAMA THAT OCCUR]

CALVARY, AND OF COIRSE WE ANTICIPATE THE GLORIOUS NEWS OF

LD IN JERUSALEM AND ON

KASTER MORNING. THE VENT

THAT LENT POINTS TO IS WITHOUT A DOUBT THE MOST SIGNIFICAST AND IMPORTANT SINGLE

HAPPENING IN THE HISTORY OF MAN KIND, EVEN NON CHRISTIANS

—__

RESURRECTION OF THE CHRIST HAVE PROFOUNDLY INFLUENCED HIS9
, nl

CIVILIZAT ON-#AND AS CHmLS (IANS WE LOOK TO THOSE EVENTS As

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OF Mobi INSTANCES WHEN Mii HAgSEEN OF FED eH |

yess, TAE ELTFT OF EVERCADTING Lire

ORY AND SSPECLALLY WESTERN

—_.

} THE MOST SACRED INSTANCE ©

ypesthue
HiSPLOVE OF GOD AND PERAEV- »

LENT IS AN IMPORTANT AND SERLOUS OCCASION BUT LIKE Abi. THE REST OF CHRIS TIANITI£S!
= —

SACRED CELEB

AS CHRISTMAS HAS BECOME THE VICTIM OF ADVERTISING AND MASS
—_—

MONEY SO EASTER AND THE LENTEN SEASON PROVIDE THE MADISON

~_—_—o —_——|

LEASH ON US ANOTHER HIGH POWERED ATTACK.

—_—_

THAT JESUS THE ¢

CRUCIFIED AND RO

—

SE AGAIN HAS BECOME INSIGNIFICANT BESIDE N

el

BUT OUT OF THE CHF

————————

PARADE AND OF COURSE THE EASTER BUNNY.

eile —_—_—_—+

COME A CUSTOM THAT NOW TOO, IN THE MAJORITY OF CASES ONLY

———$$—$<————

ONS ITS MEANING HAS BEEN HIDDEN BY A BARRAGE OF COMMERCLALISM. JIST

PERSUASION TO SPEND MORE
AVENUE MEN AN OPPBRTUNITY TO

HRIST, THE SON OF GOD WAS

nW HATS, FLOWERS, THE EASTER

WSTIAN CHURCH ITSELF HAS

DETRACTS FROM THE HOLINESS
ss...

26

OF THE et THAT IS THE CUSTOM OF GIVING UP SOMETHENG FOR LENT. / IT was THOUGHT

THAT BYMAKING A TRUE SACRIFICE A PERSON MIGHT EXPERIENCE

IN PART, THE SUFFERING OF

OUR wxo. fa WAS AND IS THOUGHT BY THE ROMAN CATHOLICS THAT DEPRIVING ONESELF OF

SOMETHING PLEASES GOD AND ENLARGES ONSS CHANCE OF A SPSEDT
——_—<——

ENTRY INTO HEAVEN. IN RECENT

YERRS SOME PROT STANT CHURCHES HAVE ENCOURAGED THSIR MEMBERS TO DO WITHOUT ONE MEAL

A DAY AND TO GIVE THE MONEY SAVED THEREIN TO SOME CHART TY

BUT FOR THE MOST PART THE

LENTEN SACRIFICE HAS BECOME THE MEANS FOR LOSING WEIGHT, GR FOR QUITTING SMOKING OR

cieinisrenthinacuainerGiaactmamna”

FOR SOME OTHER TRIVIAL ENDEAVOR. THAT THLS PRACTICE IS SAL

QUESTIONABLE INDEED. IF THES THINGS ARE NECESSARY AND J85

RL TUALLY HELPFUL IS

IRABLE, FINE, BUT LET'S

NOT FURTHER BURY THE SIGNIFICANCE OF LENT WITH OUR PER SONAL

WHIMS.
i ——

WE DO WELL TO SPEND THE LEVTEN SEASON IN SERIOUS CONTEMPLATION AND RENEWAL. SHAKING

IN OUR WORSHIP AND DAILY LIVES THE TENSE, DRAMA THAT OCCURED AS JESUS NEARED HIS
ew ° eee

oeam| BRINGING INTO PIMELY FOCUS THE UNSPEAKAELE GIFT; THE
— —

FACT THAT GOD HIMSELF

SAVED AND OF FERED ET-RNAL

HAS BORN THE PUNISHMENT FOR OUR arse / mi WH HAVE BE
teal. oe

LIFE. THIS TASK IS QUITH ENOUGH TO FULFILL IN LENT.

AND SO ON THE FIRST SUNDAY IN LENT I HAVE DECIDED TO DISCUSS THE STURY OF A MAN,

an
Ap fe mined wan

WHO LIKE US, WANTED TO ZARN HIS wAY INTO GOD'S GRACE AND DJ

IT WAS AN IMPOSSIBILITY.

a

SCOVERSD THAT HE COULD NOT, /
=

———————

Be

A V°RY WEALTHY YOUNG MAN HAD APPROACHED JESUS TO ASK WHAT HE MUST DO TO BE SAVED.

HE WAS A MIMBER OF THE SANHEDRIN,

THE HIGHEST OOURT IN TH

A MEMBER OF THAT BODY MEANT THAT ONE WAS VERY

—

DEVOUT, Obs

PERFECTION. BESIDES THIS HE MUST MWVE BEEN QUITE Ang IND}

TO HAVE APPROACHED JESUS, A PEASANT FROM NAZARETH, AND Aci

JGWISH NATION, AND BEING

FING THE JiwlsH LAW TO

PENDENT AND COURAGHD US P&RSON

HEM Wik Tee vo. een-

—

BUOERKMEATXEKPLYXKWRXMXMX THE MAN HAD FULFILLED THE LAW QF MOSES COMPLETELY BUT YET FELT

SOMEWHAT UNEASY.

<a

TO HIS QUEST ON JSSUS'S REPLY WAS BLUNT

7,
SELL ALL YOU HAVE AND GIVE TO THE POOR, (coxszoae THAT REPLY FOR A MINUTE,

a

HARSHNESS IS BEWILDERING. IF THAT REPLY CAME TO YOU COULJ

——

a
YOU SELL EVERYTHING YOU HAVE, MV ERY WORDLY POSS#S&I ON-~I i

COMMAND IS THES PREREQUISITE TO ETURNAL LIFE, WE AND THE MJ

——

IN A SORRY PLIGHT.

BUT J&SUS DID NOP STOP THERE CLOSING THE DOOR FOREVER

—

POSSESSIONS. HE OONTINUSD BY SAYING THAT IT WAS EasIm FY

EYE OF A NEEDLE THAN FOR A RICH MAN TO ENTER THE KINGDOM Q

ON'T ‘FEDNIK—So

qe

\
AND TO THE POINT--GO, AND

pes

YOU COMPLY WITH t?-LcouL.D

nos] 64 tow

iF THIS

LLIONS BEFORE US WOULD BE

. An
ON PEOPLE WITH ANY MATZRIAL

R A CAMEL TO GO THROUGH_T.E

F HEAVEN. THERE HAS BEEN

MUCH SPECULATION REGAR ING THIS STRANGE METAPHOR AND SC
—— ey,

ALTERNATIVES. THE ARAMAIC WORD FOR CAMEL I5 VARY SLMILAR
——————— .

—

HOUARS HAVE COME UP WITH TWO

ne

TO THE WORU ROPE, TiUSLY JESUS
——

Le
COULD HAVE BEEN SAYING IT IS MASISR TO THRSAD A ROPE THROU
fl RE

ON THE OTHER HAND ARCHEOLOGISTS H. VE DISCOVERED THAT THs
- - 9 Pees

{
IN THE OLD WALL OF JERUSALEN.,

CITY GATES HAD FEEN CLOSED FOR THE NIGHTS TM DO SO, HOWE
cet A oe
STRUGGLE, IT MSANT FORCING THE CAMEL TO EejecT AND PUSHIN

————— co

INTERPH-TATON OF THE MeTAPHOR WOULD HAVE REAL MBANING FOR

OE

HAD PROBABLY WATCHED THLS STRUGGLE, JIT COULD BE DONE = yj
L

GH THE EYE OF A NEEDLE.

WAS_A SMALL OPENING

pe OLE

"HROUGH WHICH CAMELS GOULD MAKE AN ENTRANCE AFTER THE

WER, ENTAILED QUITE A
Pos. rle€
AND PULLING IT RHOUGH.

rt
=

THIS

JESUS LIST NERS FOR THEY

|

\ _—— 4

uglier OF HIS LISTNERS OUT OF DESPAIR
——

THEN CAN BE SAVED. HERE IS TH CRUX OF THE WHOLE PASSAGE

THE LEN TEN seisin, [sas ANSWERED "WHAT I5 IMP¢

THE BE IS NOTHING MEN CAN DO TO EARN SALVATION, IT 15 AN UF

DOES NOT MEAN

w—_

XSSTRILITY TS A RE He OTF" Pr | RA STH
POSSIBILITY IS A REALITY IN THE GIFT OF CALVARY AND HASTER

‘ee

JULTE A poyocr

pig

vo 4 th wee

AND FOR THAT MATTER OF

CER IMPOSSIBILITY-G5uT THIS

E ARE ee IMPOSSIBILITY IS Al POSSIBILITY FOR GOD. THE

,] GOD, HAS DONE WHAT IS

IMPOSSIBLE FOR US TO DO ALONE.

—_———

JESUS KNEW THE RICH RULER WAS A GOOD MAN, AND HE ALSO

- es

THE QUESTION FOR HIM TO SELL
—_—*

ALL OF HIS POSSESSIONS.

a

THE

TO KNOW WHAT HE HAD 1 DO FURTHER TO WIN @D'S FAVOR. HE B
a —=——

-_—

KNEW THAT IT WAS OUT OF

{Ox Piso

PROBLEM WAS THAT HI}WANTED

BELIEVE) THAT BY HIMSELF

5

aM

HE COULD EAHN HIS WAY AND TO THIS CAME THE REPLY, THE THE

TEMS OF AN IMPOSSIBILITY

jORLO YOU CAN DO BY YOURSELF)

THE FACT THAT WHAT IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR MEN IS POSSIBLE

AS OUR LENTEN THEME, FOR IN IT IS THE WHOLE EASTER MESSAG]

CHRIST HAS DONE IT FOR US. = IS THE GUOD NEWS WE PREPARE FOR IN avn. |

THROUGHOUT J&SUS' MINISTRY ON HARTH HE CONTINUALLY Ri!
-

IN THE ATTMPT TO IMPRESS UPON THEM THE FACT THAT THEY GOU

—_—__

WIN SALVATION. SELL ALL HAVE IS ONE OF THESS IMPOSSIX5

——__

YO

——

re

EMF IMPOSSIBILITIES: GIVEN WOR THAT INTENT AND PURPOSE.

eT

FOR SOME REASON THIS IMPORTANT CHRISTIAN TRUTH TIME Al
Ramesses

AND MEN HAVE REVERTED TO A SET OF

el

FULES AS THEIR MEANS TO

ALVATL ON | WAS OBTAINED BY F

WERE JEWS AND FoR THEM sa

| yot ONLY
SLABORATE JEW SH LAW WAS) THE GUI

MOS TLY

CERTAIN

————

FLOODS, NOT ASSOCIATES WITH CERTAIN P
ee eee

DE TO LIV ~ maace ie ao

Twin cop's Favor.”

LTH GOD WOULD BE APPROPHIATE
ee —

Wi CANNOT DO IT ALONE,

|

4

S“NTED MEN WITH IMPOSSIBILITIES

eee

LO NOT, BY THELR OWN DOING,

WLITIAS, TAKE NO THOUGHT

TILL ANOTHER, THESE ARE

D TIME AGAIN HAS BEEN pacorma/
eel

SALVATION. JESUS LISTENERS -

RECLIELY THOSE MEANS. THE

tEeoRt WO MEAVCNW
HAD TO ABSTAIN FROM

KOPLE, PRAY.A GLVEN NUMBER OF TIM4S A DAY

AND SO ON. AND-TIME AND TIME AGAIN se. g8s0S GP LY TO HE SCRIBES AND PHARISEES ,

al —_

FaFS ENORCED PIETY DONS NO PLEASE GOD.

THEY HAD MASTERED THE LAW -
PHE POrnT.-~ THE sPikhiy §F HUW

MweHen THE 2A [BE CAE

ATs

vr KAD Yulsse 9
t £AD 2A) ITSELC~

6.

e

IT WAS NOT LONG APTER JESUS D<ATH HOWEVR, UNTIL CHRIJ

TO ENFORCED PIETY AND SARNING THEIR, OW! WAY TO HEAVEN, TH

ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH.

#6 OBEY THE HOLDERS OF THE KEYS 10 HEAVEN, ONLY THUSLY COU

—_——a+ ——

AS YEARS WENT BY THIS BECAME WORSE AND WORSE UN

-_--o -

TILTHE 16TH

DEVOUT AND DEDICATED PRIES'’

Re Doe AOLY/
PARISHNERS WSRE BUYI

———_———-

—

NG INDULGENCES AND MUSIY GALNING FORGE

TIAN MEN HAD AGAIN REVRTED

tS TIME UNUER THE STRUCTURE OF THE

RULES AVO RSGULAT_ONS INCR_ASED HAND OVER FOOT, MEN HAD TO

LD THEY GAIN ADMITTANCE.

CENTQRY REFORMATION. A

{ NAMED MARTIN LUTHER WAS BOTHERIED BY THE FACT THATS

VENESS OF THEIR SINS.

———<$<$<<—

WAS BELIEVED THAT JESUS AND THE SAINTS HAVE ACCUMULATED FAR MORE GRACE AND GOODNESS

A

GET

THAN WAS NEEDED TO

INTO HEAVEN AND THEME FORE THERE EXT
meer pac!

A “OLD OF SOME BY PURCHASLNG AN I
——= 7 viloe
CA Ne

WIILE ST. PETER'S WAS BEING BUILT A

GOODNESS. ONE COULD GET
BY THE POPE HIMSELF.

ONE COULD BE PARDONED OF ALL SINS, IN THE PAST AND ALL HE

—

BY BUYING ONE'OF THESE INDULGENCES.

—_——

MARTIN LUTHSG R
FOREIGN TO THE
=

GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST. IT WAST

PROTESTANT CHURCH.

TODAY THIS REMAL NS THE CHIEF G6STACLE BETWEEN THE TwO

/_——___.

THIS DAY CATHOLICS BELIEVE THEY CAN WIN GOD'S PAVOR AND EA

—_

IT WAS QUITE A BAGS N.

HIS RLALIZI

pTSO A RESERVOIR OF LEFT OVER

NDULGENCE FROM A PEDDLER APPOINTED
————— ————
BPECLAL SALE WAS COMLISSIONED ,
WOULD COMMIT IN THE FUTURE

IT WAS AT THIS POINT THAT
————

(ALIZED THAT ANY THHORY OF EARNING OR BUYING SALVATION wAS UTTERLY
SS

AKTION THAT RESULTD IN THE
ges ——

BRANCHES OF CHRISTIANITY. TO

RN SALVATION BY PERFORMING

——

7.
A MYRIAD OF OBLIGATIONS DESIGNATED BY THE CHUACH.

EXACT OPPOSITE, THAT WS CANNOT EARN GRACH: GOD HAS GLVEN I

=—___ _——_

UNDERSTAND AND ACCEPT.

WE, AS PROTESTANTS, BELIEVE THE

—————

P FREELY, jes MUST ONLY

WITHIN PROT“STANTISM, ALSO THERE IS THE CONSTANT TENDENCY TO GO BACK TO RULE BOOK
_ gs cs

—————

PSETY.

—_—_—_

I HAVE SPOKEN TO THIS PROBLEM IN THE PAST AND I Wi

I BELIEVE THAT ITS EXISTENCE 1S ONE @ THE SQiRY THIIGS Ai

/

IT IS PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT THAT WE AGAIN CONSIDER THLS

SEASON|WYERSIN WE CELEBRATE THE REALIZATION THAT WE CANNOT

IT FOR US.

CHRISTIANITY FOR MANY GROUPS AND FOR MANY INDIVIUUALS

Li, CONTINUE TU DO SO BECAUSE

UT CONT PORARY CHHL STIANITY.

NVENCY TSC EARM

4 AT THE ONSET OF THE

WIN SALVATION uae GOD HAS DONE

LS BOTTLED UP IN A SET OF

ULES, JUST LIKE CATHOLICISM AND THE INGALISTIC JUDAISM OF

JESUS' DAY. ONE MUST NOT

DRINK, SMOKE, GO TO MOVIS#S, PLAY BASKETBALL ON SUNDAYS AND

7 —<—

THE WORLD WULD BE A TETTER PLACE WITHOUT ALCHOHOL, AND TH
— ———

OF ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES HAS CRSATHE

—_——

H

}SO ON INFINITUM.

ADMIT TEDLY

es

i RESULTS OF OVER CONSUMPTION

SOCIAL PROBLEM THAT GERISTIANITY MUS? race, /Amarrapur

OF THE wofoan A MAN'S

MAN H ALTH WOULD BE SAFER WITHOUT TABACCO pox IN NO SENS

CHRISTIANITY PE MEASURED BY HIS INTAKE OF ALCHOHOL OR HIS

= —_ @@é~=+X¥' -0-0-~

USAGE OF TOBACCO.

CHRISTIANITY THAT IS BASED ON ANY SUCH SBT_OF RULES IS JUST AS FOREIGN TO THE GOSPEL
_ —_—$—$—$—_—_——————

OF JESUS CHRIST AS THE RICH YOUNG WWLE¥S ATTEMPT TO WIN SA

MUST KEEP THIS IN MIND AS WE BEGIN THE LN TEN SEASON.

LVATION FOR HIMSELF, WE

8.

WHAT MUST WE DO TO RE SAVED AXED JESUS! LISTENE sf WHAT MUST ne DO, WE ASK. AND
~THERE 1S NOTALMG | WOT Brod fs, A\ “
CAN 00 ~TV TS sm F088 1HLE nek me But
TO US COMES THE ANSWER, psu IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR MEN TS POSSTBLE FOR GOD./ THIS IS THs
WHOLE THRUST OF THE GOSPSL AND OF THE REFORMED FAITHJ AND A SERIOUS OBSERVIR OF LINT
—_—_— —____

————

WLLL KEEP IT OONSTANTLY IN MIND.

A

WE AS HUMAN BEINGS AR# SINNERS, THRs IS NO ESCAPING I

——_

THAN OFFEND GOD BY HIS INHERENT SELF CENTEREDNESS #m=D iL TI

AIONG
GOD WE FULLY RALIZE THAT WE AMBRE WITH EVERY OTHER HUMAN

—l

HABLINCURRED HIS WRATH AND DESERVE THE DUE PUNISHMENT. BU

EXERCLSE THE

SS

LOVING AND COMPAS 1 ONA TE, AS SUCH HE DOES NOT
ws

HAS PROVIVED ONE WHO HAS BORNE IT FOR US. THIS IS THE MAI

IT. MAN CAN DO NO OTHE

LVING THAT GOD IS A JUST

KING THAT EVER LIVED
ES ———

f GOD IS NOT ONLY JUST BUT

DUE PUNLSHMAN T ON US BUT

FING OF CALVARY, THIS 1S

WHAT WE PREPALE FOR IN LENT. WE CANNOT WIN HE CONCILIATION

WITH GOD, WE CANNOT BUY
@) HAS BEEN PROVIDED ON
ee

FOR US TO DO ALONE.

IT, OR EARN_LTUIN ANYTHING WE DO. OU RECONCILIATION WITH

——— SS ——————_—
‘

CALVARTES CROSS. GOD HAS DDNe HIMSSLF WIAT IS IMPOSSIBLE

—————— ae =
WHEN WE TRY TO EARN GOD'S GRACE IN ANY FASHION,

WE ARE WINNING DIVINE FAVOR BY GIVING UP SOMETHING FOR LENT WE DO
—<uiVue —_——— —

THES STORY OF THE RICH YOUNG RULER.

RULER FOVNO

The “Wee YONG

AM (MPOSS UBLL LTH VWAESN W

Ww y+ HH

AVA AG bE
Hs. WS. Woe

EES IMinrg

We EARN SALVATICN,-—

x,
—

x

ae LEW

CLALT ZE

FWFETTOAG TWA

WHEN WE FOOL OURSELVES INTO THINKING

ABELL TO REMEMBER
a

COW FROME PD

HL wsSe sé

ae N@v CED

Lo Ww

FuE sAwme A PRUVES

\ LIE, A ye

ed

uc Akt Not EAeNWC Cops| FAVOR Ry

yf SOWne Sh elke

b
| RATHE) Lhe Can om «|

Ql c flauce v4 Les ~~ Scud by

not Uru ‘ a

P-COLLLL 4%

Knpuring ‘ a Jf LU i nk (DGS Avut Heese ny

ple poke l( pl Wat ChOS5

tio Cawlp

Gr “hia
Y ti 3

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