_The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene … unto the sepulchre_ THE SEPULCHRE There were more common and more noble sepulchres. The common were in public burying places without the city. And through that place no current of water was to be made, cattle were not to feed there, nor wood to be... [ Continue Reading ]
_Then went in also that other disciple_ I. ZEALOUS PURSUIT. II. ENLARGED KNOWLEGE III. INCREASED FAITH. (_S. S. Times_.) UNCONSCIOUS INFLUENCE: In this slight turn of history we see that men are ever touching unconsciously the springs of motion in each other. Little does Peter think, as he goe... [ Continue Reading ]
_But Mary stood without at the sepulchre weeping_ LESSONS 1_._ Christians are often sorrowful, when, if they had clearer knowledge and stronger faith, they would rejoice. 2. Angels sympathize with Christians in their sorrow. If they shed no tears they are not indifferent to ours. 3. The thought... [ Continue Reading ]
_Two angels … say unto her, Woman, why weepest thou?_ THE WEEPING ONE TO WEEPING WOMANHOOD 1_._ Christians are often sorrowful when, if they had clearer knowledge and stronger faith, they would rejoice. “Mary stood without at the sepulchre weeping.” She wept because she thought He was dead. But th... [ Continue Reading ]
_And when she had thus said, she turned herself back._ Why? Simply because she had now no care about glimpses of a mere heaven--felt no interest in the discourse of mere angels, but only longed to have her grief out uninterruptedly? Perhaps. But some of the earliest teachers of the Church thought t... [ Continue Reading ]
_Jesus saith unto her, Woman, why weepest thou?_ THE RISEN CHRIST AND THE MAGDALENE I. HOW JESUS WAS HIDDEN FROM MARY. There are times when friends are unrecognized because of mental absorption or because of our belief that they are elsewhere, or because of a supposed moral impossibility that they... [ Continue Reading ]
_Jesus saith unto her, Mary_ CHRIST’S SALUTATION TO THE CHRISTIAN No one ever used human language so eloquently as Jesus. Men have spoken with such arguments, rhetoric and passion, as to convince and move multitudes. But no one save Jesus could by simply saying, “Follow Me,” draw any one from his... [ Continue Reading ]
_Jesus saith unto her, Touch Me not_ TOUCH NOT What a strange thing that both the old world and the new should have began with the same prohibition. (_Dean Burgon_.) NOLI ME TANGERE: The lesson is to a soul brought into the conscious presence of the Lord. Oh, to be in that condition! Mary Magda... [ Continue Reading ]
_Then the same day at evening_ THE FIRST LORD’S DAY EVENING I. THE ANXIOUS COMPANY. The twelve, with the exception of Judas and Thomas, were gathered and kept together by a community of interest in Christ. They betook themselves to retirement from lack of sympathy from without, and from fear of th... [ Continue Reading ]
_When He had so said, He shewed them His hands and His side_ THE WOUNDS OF THE RISEN CHRIST I want to point out the significance of Christ’s action in showing to these men His hands and His feet; and what we learn from it is this. I. CHRIST’S DESIRE THAT HIS DISCIPLES’ BELIEF IN HIS RESURRECTION S... [ Continue Reading ]
_Then saith Jesus unto them … as My Father hath sent Me, even so send I you_ THE CORRESPONDENCE BETWEEN THE TWO MISSIONS Christ is the Arch-Missionary and the Arch-Apostle (Hebrews 3:1), at once both the Author and the first Bearer of the office; and the apostles are His successors. Christ came in... [ Continue Reading ]
_But Thomas, called Didymus … was not with them when Jesus came_ ST. Thomas Mark I. HOW MUCH CHRISTIANS MAY LOSE BY NOT REGULARLY ATTENDING THE ASSEMBLIES OF GOD’S PEOPLE. 1. Thomas was absent when Jesus appeared, and consequently missed a blessing. He was kept in suspense and unbelief a whole... [ Continue Reading ]
_The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord_ A SIGHT OF THE LORD--WHAT IT PRODUCES I. AN EVER DEEPENING SENSE OF SIN. See Isaiah (Isaiah 6:5); Job Job 42:5); Peter (Luke 5:8). II. AN EVER ENLARGING MEASURE OF JOY. See David (Psalms 4:6; Psalms 16:11; Psalms 21:6), the disci... [ Continue Reading ]
_Then after eight days again His disciples were within_ THE CHRISTIAN SABBATH Jesus rose the first day of the week, and appeared to His disciples. Then He appeared not again till the eighth day after, nor do we read of the disciples meeting meanwhile. The day is thus mentioned for some special en... [ Continue Reading ]
_Then said He to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger._ SIGNS AND EVIDENCES 1. How struck must Thomas have been when his Lord addressed to him the very words which he had himself used (John 20:25)! Jesus knows how to send the word home to us. 2. In the church of to-day we have many a Thomas,--slow, su... [ Continue Reading ]
_And Thomas answered and said unto Him, My Lord and my God_ MY LORD AND MY GOD Let us consider I. THE EXCLAMATION OF THOMAS. It is as much as a man could say if he wished to assert dogmatically that Jesus is God and Lord (Psalms 35:23). To escape from the force of this confession some have charge... [ Continue Reading ]
_Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen Me thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen yet have believed_ WHO IS BLESSED? Thomas’s conduct was strange but honest. How much better to be doubting Thomas than the believing priests! They believed the resurrection, or they wou... [ Continue Reading ]
_And many other signs truly did Jesus_ THE EVANGELIC RECORD I. ITS PARTIALNESS (John 20:30). 1. Christ was a worker. He had a wonderful mission to discharge within a brief time. Every day was crowded with deeds. 2. These deeds were signs (1) Of His preternatural might. (2) Of His matchless phi... [ Continue Reading ]