1552. The Happy Meeting

The Happy Meeting

"And as they went to tell His disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, All hail. And they came and held Him by the feet, and worshipped Him" (Mat_28:9).

The Lord Jesus had His eye upon the dear women who had been so faithful to Him. They had been the last at the Cross, and the first, on this morning of the third day, at the tomb. They had gone in loving remembrance and with broken hearts. They had received the announcement of the angel, and with great joy they had run to bring the disciples word.

Then, suddenly, as they went, the Lord met them. Let us look into that happy meeting.

1. Jesus said, "All hail!"–that is, "All joy!" Is not the resurrection the center, the basis of ail joy? If Christ had remained in the tomb, there had been nothing but gloom. Every hope which had centered in His life and in His death, would have been lost. Every promise which had centered in His Word would have been annulled.

With Christ in the tomb, saints would be of all men the most miserable. Their faith would be futile; their witness would be wicked; they would be yet in their sins.

With Christ raised from the dead, it is all joy. Sorrow and sighing flees away, tears give place to triumph, sadness is turned to singing, gloom is changed to glory.

2. "They came and held Him by the feet." The resurrection of our Lord Jesus was real; it was no phantom who appeared that day.

The women were not swept along in the ecstasy of a vain delusion. The Christ with whom they spoke, was a real Christ. It was the same Jesus who had been laid in the tomb, the same body, glorified.

"They held Him by the feet." How could they refrain? The Lord Jesus had feet, and face, and hands. They saw a real Christ. The glory of the resurrection is taken away from us, if the body which is raised is not a literal body.

The idea that in the resurrection, individuality and personality is all lost, is wholly abortive. The saints will come from the east, and from the west, from the north, and from the south, and sit down with Abraham, and Isaac and Jacob in the Kingdom of God.

Job will be there. Although ages ago worms destroyed his body, yet in his flesh shall he see God, whom he shall see for himself, and not another.

Paul will be there; he is anticipating the resurrection as the time when the saints at Thessalonica will become his joy and his crown. John will be there; he who leaned upon the Master's breast will once more sit by His side, as the Lord eats again of the supper in the Kingdom of God.

The resurrection presents a literal Christ and literal saints.

3. "They worshipped Him." It is the risen Christ, and not the Christ entombed, whom we worship.

Stephen saw Christ, standing at the Father's right hand, and he worshiped Him.

Paul, as he journeyed on the Damascus road, saw the risen Christ and heard His voice, and he worshiped Him.

John, from the Isle of Patmos, saw Christ, the Living One; he heard Him say, "I was dead; and, behold, I am alive forever more" (Rev_1:18, \1911 Bible). And John worshiped Him.

Christians to-day need to have the risen, living Lord always before their face. They need to know Him, as the One who is walking in the midst of His churches. They need to know Him, not only as Alpha, but as Omega; not only as the One who was, but as the One who is–the Coming One; not only as the First, but as the Last.

Autor: R.E. NEIGHBOUR