Pilgrim's Progress, cont.

Lesson 8

Pilgrim traveled on his way from Interpreter's house as quickly as he could, but the burden on his back was very heavy!  Then, he saw the CROSS!

Immediately the burden fell from Pilgrim's back.  Oh, what a relief!  The terrible load which he had carried so long had disappeared!  With delight he saw it go rolling down the hill until it came to an open grave; then it fell into the grave and was never seen again.  How happy Christian was!  Now he was really a Christian and had a right to the name.

Are you wondering what caused Pilgrim's load of sins to fall off at the Cross after he had tried so hard to get rid of them himself?  It was what the Cross represented.  It meant that the Lord Jesus Christ had come from heaven and upon the Cross of Calvary had taken Christian's judgment and punishment because of his sin.

On the third day after Jesus died, His friends came, early in the morning, to the grave to care for His body, as was the custom in that country, and they found the grave empty.  His body no longer lay where they had left it.  It  wasn't in the grave.  It was gone!  While they were wondering what had happened, angels came and told them, 'He is not here:  for He is risen." 

After that they saw the Lord Himself!  Alive!  They knew then that He had RISEN!

That is why Christian lost his burden at the Cross and saw it roll into the empty grave to bother him no more!

As Christian thought how much the Lord Jesus loved him to take all his sins and be punished for them, tears ran down his cheeks.  Then three angels came to him, clothed in shining garments and said, "Peace be unto you."

The first aid to him, "Your sins are forgiven."  Then Christian knew that he would never have to carry that awful burden again.

The second angel took away his dirty, ragged, patched clothes and gave him new garments, whole and clean.  Now he could go before the King Himself and could say as the prophet of God said long ago, "He hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness."  

The third angel did two things for Christian.  First he put a mark upon him so that everyone would know he was now a real Christian; and he also gave Christian a book, or roll, to read as he went on his way and to present at the gate of the Celestial City to show his right to enter.

Christian was so happy that he felt like singing and leaping for joy.  How different he looks now!  When we first saw him he was bent beneath the heavy burden of sins he carried; his clothes were ragged and dirty; he was running in terror from the judgment that was coming.  Now his burden is gone and he can stand straight.  His clothes are not only clean and shining, but they are of the very best.  His heart now is filled joy and peace instead of fear.

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