Alive After His Passion
INTRODUCTORY WORDS
After the last cry which Christ uttered upon the Cross, and the commending of His Spirit unto the Father, the body of our Lord was laid in the tomb of Joseph of Arimathaea. After the burial was over the sepulcher was made sure by the sealing of the stone and the setting of a watch.
Three dark days followed days filled with doubts and despair. In the end of the Sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to the sepulcher, while it was yet dark, and found the stone rolled away from the sepulcher.
The first effect of the empty tomb was that of disappointment. The women thought that some one had taken away their Lord, and they knew not where they had laid Him.
To us one of the most beautiful statements of the Bible is found in the third verse of the first chapter of Acts.
"To whom also He showed Himself alive after His passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the Kingdom of God."
Those forty days were momentous and memorable. They established the fact of the resurrection on the one hand; and they imparted to the disciples much, by way of needed instruction, on the other hand.
It was not only that the Lord was raised, but that He showed Himself alive that grips our attention. It is the purpose of this study to endeavor, step by step, to enter in to those hallowed appearances and fellowships which followed the resurrection, as time by time, the Lord manifested Himself to His people.
Let it be remembered, as we proceed, that never to the world did the Lord show Himself. He reserved the glory of His presence and the effulgence of His Person to those who knew and loved Him.
Many of the messages of Christ's public teachings during His earth life are given us in part or in full in the Gospels, but little, however, is told us of the words which He spoke unto them after His resurrection.
May our hearts burn within us by the way as we seek to enter in to those wondrous hours of personal privilege and fellowship which the Lord granted to His own.
I. HE APPEARED FIRST UNTO MARY MAGDALENE (Mark 16:9)
Mary Magdalene had gone to the tomb, along with Mary the mother of James and Salome, to carry sweet spices that they might anoint their beloved Lord. They came in the morning of that memorable first day of the week, arriving at the sepulcher at the rising of the sun.
They had been inquiring among themselves, "Who shall roll us away the stone?" When they looked, however, they saw the stone rolled away and a young man sitting on the right side thereof. This angelic personage quieted their fears by announcing that Jesus was risen.
Mary Magdalene turned back, weeping, and she saw Jesus standing; but knew not that it was Jesus, "Jesus saith unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest thou?"
Mary, supposing Christ to be the gardener, said unto him, "Sir, if Thou have borne Him hence, tell me where Thou hast laid Him, and I will take Him away." "Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto Him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master. Jesus saith unto her, Touch Me not; for I am not yet ascended to My Father: but go to My brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto My Father, and your Father; and to My God, and your God."
It will be impossible to emphasize all which is now before us. Let us therefore consider the significance of Christ's words to Mary.
1. "Woman, why weepest thou?" The Lord Jesus asked her this in view of His empty, and not His occupied tomb. The words carry much weight. We would like to ask every one why they should weep at any tomb when God, in Christ, has given us both the Resurrection and the Life.
2. "Whom seekest thou?" Mary was seeking a dead Man, not a living Master. We wonder why so many still linger around the tomb of some loved one, when that loved one is with the Lord. We know the body was endeared, and yet that body is destined to be changed into His resurrection likeness. One thing we know that we need no longer to seek Christ in the lone and far distant tomb near Jerusalem. Our Lord was dead, but is alive forevermore.
3. "Mary." Just one word did Jesus now speak, and yet a word so full of significance. The Risen Lord still knoweth His "sheep," and He calleth them by name. The Risen Lord is still speaking unto us with tenderest solicitude. The Risen Lord is still thinking of us, and is ever ready to manifest Himself unto those who are His very own.
4. "Touch Me not; for I am not yet ascended to My Father." It may be that, between this moment and the few moments later, when Christ spoke to the women who had been with Mary, He did ascend to the Father presenting the Blood of a perfect offering.
5. "Go to My brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto My Father, and your Father; and to My God, and your God."
These words were in fulfilment of the twenty-second Psalm, where the sobs and sighs of Calvary that had run through twenty-one verses, changed suddenly to this resurrection pledge, "I will declare Thy Name unto My brethren." It is by virtue of Christ's death and resurrection that we hold toward Him the relationship of "brethren"; and with Him, toward God, the relationship of "sons."
II. HE APPEARED ALSO TO THE OTHER WOMEN (Matthew 28:9)
We may be surprised that the first two appearances of our Lord were to women. However, we must remember that it was the women who loved Him, and not the men who had walked with Him, who were last at the Cross and first at the tomb. Christ thus honored the faithfulness of the few who had first sought His grave.
The women had come "while it was yet dark" to the sepulcher; they had found the stone rolled back from the door. The women had seen the angels sitting, the one at the head, and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain.
It was as these women, in obedience to the command of the angels, were hastening to tell the disciples that Christ was risen from the dead, that Jesus met them. Let us now read our key verse: "And as they went to tell His disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, All hail."
The first spoken words to the women, were but two: "All Hail," that is, "All Joy." Indeed it was joy a joy unspeakable and full of glory that Christ was risen indeed.
The angel, at the birth of Christ, announced to the shepherds, "Behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy." The Lord Himself, following His resurrection, said to the women, "All [joy]." The message of the angels was joy to all people; the message of Christ was all joy, to a special people.
The resurrection of Christ, to the saint, is radiant with glory and full of joy it is a resurrection which speaks to them of their own resurrection unto life.
The resurrection of Christ to the wicked is a resurrection of condemnation it speaks to them of the resurrection of their own bodies unto damnation.
Permit us to sum up the three statements of Christ in this first appearance:
1. "All [joy]."
2. "Be not afraid."
3. "Go tell My brethren * * there shall they see Me."
III. HE APPEARED UNTO TWO DISCIPLES ON THE EMMAUS ROAD (Luke 24:13-17. Compare Mark 16:12)
Three days after the crucifixion, two disciples were en route to Emmaus. As they went along the way they were sad. A seeming Stranger approached and journeyed with them. He asked them what manner of communications they had one with another, as they walked, and were sad. The two answered Him with astonishment, saying, "Art Thou only a stranger in Jerusalem, and hast not known the things which are come to pass there in these days?" Jesus said unto them, "What things?" They replied, "Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, which was a Prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people." Then they told their newly arrived Companion, who to them appeared a stranger, how Christ had been condemned to death, and had been crucified, and how they had thought that it would have been. He who would have redeemed Israel. They even told Him that certain women had astonished them by saying that Christ was alive.
As they walked along the way Christ said unto them, "O fools, and slow of heart to believe ail that the Prophets have spoken: ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into His glory?" Then, beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded unto them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself.
As they approached the village Christ made as though He would have gone further; but they constrained Him, and He went in to tarry with them. As they sat at meat, He took the bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them; even as He doubtless had done when He established the Lord's Supper. Immediately their eyes were opened, and they knew Him; and He vanished out of their sight.
Then said the disciples, "Did not our heart burn within us, while He talked with us by the way, and while He opened to us the Scriptures?"
IV. HE APPEARED UNTO THE ELEVEN (Mark 16:14. Compare Luke 24:36-45)
When Christ had disappeared from the group in Emmaus, "They rose up the same hour, and returned to Jerusalem." There they found the Eleven gathered together, and them that were with them. As they entered, the Jerusalem group were speaking of the marvelous events of the day, particularly of the fact that the Risen Lord had appeared to Simon.
The newcomers broke in with their wonderful tale, telling what had happened on the road to Emmaus, and how Christ had made Himself known unto them in the breaking of bread. As they marveled with joy unspeakable, suddenly, "Jesus Himself stood in the midst of them, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you." This was more than their strained nerves could stand, and they were terrified and affrighted, supposing that they had seen a spirit.
The Lord Jesus quieted their troubled thoughts, and said, "Behold My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself: handle Me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see Me have." Christ then showed them His hands and His feet.
The disciples could scarce believe for joy, and for wondering. Then Christ said, "Have ye here any meat? And they gave Him a piece of a broiled fish, and of an honeycomb. And He took it, and did eat before them."
Christ opened their understanding that they might understand the Scriptures. He said, "Thus it behooved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day." Their minds, which had been beclouded, were now illumined. Hearts which had been grief-stricken, were now filled with joy.
V. HE APPEARED UNTO THOMAS (John 20:26-28)
When Christ first appeared to the Eleven, we read, "But Thomas, * * was not with them when Jesus came." The disciples, however, told him that they had seen the Lord. Then said Thomas, "Except I shall see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails,, and thrust my hand into His side, I will not believe."
For eight days Thomas wandered in needless doubt and despair. He might have known, but he did not know. What a warning is given herein to each of us. After eight days, however, we read, "Then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in their midst, and said, Peace be unto you."
Having thus announced His presence and granted His peace, He turned to Thomas, saying, "Reach hither thy finger, and behold My hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into My side: and be not faithless, but believing."
No longer can we class Thomas as the "doubting disciple," for immediately he cried, "My Lord and my God."
AN ILLUSTRATION
How blessed and favored are we to have a living Christ who is "managing our affairs," and is a present help in time of trouble!
"Weary with toil, and care, I sat one evening musing until surrounding objects faded away, and other forms and scenes filled their place. There came one to me who gently bade me follow him. Together we moved on until we came to a long and narrow valley. In this valley were many travelers, each bearing a burden.
"'What place is this?' I asked of my guide.
"'It is the Valley of Burdens,' he said.
"We descended into the valley, and drew near to some of these travelers. I soon observed a great difference in the way these pilgrims bore their burdens. Some sighed and groaned at almost every step; others bore themselves manfully, or at least uncomplainingly. At last my eyes fell upon a burden of unusual size.
"'That man must have a hard time of it,' I said.
"'Draw nearer,' said my guide.
"I obeyed; and found that he was treading the ground with a firm and even elastic step, much as if he had no burden. He was singing a cheerful song; and his face was radiant with a tender, subdued, chastened joy. I expressed my surprise.
"'Draw nearer still,' said my guide.
"I did so, and saw that there was One, before invisible, who was walking by his side, and while the burden seemed to rest on the pilgrim's back, it was in reality borne by the strong hand of the One who was walking with him.
"'Speak to him,' said my guide.
"I went up to him, and said, 'My friend, I thought you the most heavily burdened of all; but now I see that you do not carry the burden. How is it that you are so favored?'
"'All might be equally favored if they would,' he said. 'When my burden was smaller I tried to carry it myself, and a sad time I had of it, Then the Friend who walks by my side, instead of making it lighter, added to its size and weight until I could bear it no longer, and gave it up to Him. It was in mercy and love that He made it so heavy, He would carry every burden in this valley, if those who bear them would only let Him do it.'
"After we left this man, I asked my guide if this was the gracious design of every burden.
"'It is,' he said; 'but many resist this gracious purpose. See that man yonder with a similar burden. He has fallen under it, bruised, crushed, nigh unto death.'
"'Has this man a friend by his side who is willing to take his burden?' I asked.
"'Yes; but the man will not give it up.'
'"What folly!' I exclaimed.
"My guide turned and gave me a glance which, somehow, reminded me of the words of the Prophet to David, 'Thou art the man!'
"Soon we saw another man with a very heavy burden. He seemed to be pleading with some one to bear it for him.
"'Is not that man asking his Friend to take his burden? I inquired.
"'He is.'
"'I understand you to say that He took every burden He was asked to take.'
"'Every lawful burden; but this man has no right to his burden. Nearly all of it has been gathered up where he has no right to go. It is made up of borrowed trouble, while the Lord of the valley has said, "Take no thought for the morrow."'