Bible Heaven/Bible Heaven.iso/online/mhcc03/v03700

Text File | 1994-03-02 | 11KB | 186 lines

03700
 #19-30 Here are some remarkable circumstances of Jesus' death,
 more fully related than before. Pilate would not gratify the
 chief priests by allowing the writing to be altered; which was
 doubtless owing to a secret power of God upon his heart, that
 this statement of our Lord's character and authority might
 continue. Many things done by the Roman soldiers were
 fulfilments of the prophecies of the Old Testament. All things
 therein written shall be fulfilled. Christ tenderly provided for
 his mother at his death. Sometimes, when God removes one comfort
 from us, he raises up another for us, where we looked not for
 it. Christ's example teaches all men to honour their parents in
 life and death; to provide for their wants, and to promote their
 comfort by every means in their power. Especially observe the
 dying word wherewith Jesus breathed out his soul. It is
 finished; that is, the counsels of the Father concerning his
 sufferings were now fulfilled. It is finished; all the types and
 prophecies of the Old Testament, which pointed at the sufferings
 of the Messiah, were accomplished. It is finished; the
 ceremonial law is abolished; the substance is now come, and all
 the shadows are done away. It is finished; an end is made of
 transgression by bringing in an everlasting righteousness. His
 sufferings were now finished, both those of his soul, and those
 of his body. It is finished; the work of man's redemption and
 salvation is now completed. His life was not taken from him by
 force, but freely given up.

03712
 #31-37 A trial was made whether Jesus was dead. He died in less
 time than persons crucified commonly did. It showed that he had
 laid down his life of himself. The spear broke up the very
 fountains of life; no human body could survive such a wound. But
 its being so solemnly attested, shows there was something
 peculiar in it. The blood and water that flowed out, signified
 those two great benefits which all believers partake of through
 Christ, justification and sanctification; blood for atonement,
 water for purification. They both flow from the pierced side of
 our Redeemer. To Christ crucified we owe merit for our
 justification, and Spirit and grace for our sanctification. Let
 this silence the fears of weak Christians, and encourage their
 hopes; there came both water and blood out of Jesus' pierced
 side, both to justify and sanctify them. The Scripture was
 fulfilled, in Pilate's not allowing his legs to be broken, #Ps
 34:20|. There was a type of this in the paschal lamb, #Ex
 12:46|. May we ever look to Him, whom, by our sins, we have
 ignorantly and heedlessly pierced, nay, sometimes against
 convictions and mercies; and who shed from his wounded side both
 water and blood, that we might be justified and sanctified in
 his name.

03719
 #38-42 Joseph of Arimathea was a disciple of Christ in secret.
 Disciples should openly own themselves; yet some, who in lesser
 trials have been fearful, in greater have been courageous. When
 God has work to do, he can find out such as are proper to do it.
 The embalming was done by Nicodemus, a secret friend to Christ,
 though not his constant follower. That grace which at first is
 like a bruised reed, may afterward resemble a strong cedar.
 Hereby these two rich men showed the value they had for Christ's
 person and doctrine, and that it was not lessened by the
 reproach of the cross. We must do our duty as the present day
 and opportunity are, and leave it to God to fulfil his promises
 in his own way and his own time. The grave of Jesus was
 appointed with the wicked, as was the case of those who suffered
 as criminals; but he was with the rich in his death, as
 prophesied, #Isa 53:9|; these two circumstances it was very
 unlikely should ever be united in the same person. He was buried
 in a new sepulchre; therefore it could not be said that it was
 not he, but some other that rose. We also are here taught not to
 be particular as to the place of our burial. He was buried in
 the sepulchre next at hand. Here is the Sun of Righteousness set
 for a while, to rise again in greater glory, and then to set no
 more.
03724
 * The sepulchre found to be empty. (1-10) Christ appears to
 Mary. (11-18) He appears to the disciples. (19-25) The unbelief
 of Thomas. (26-29) Conclusion. (30,31)

 #1-10 If Christ gave his life a ransom, and had not taken it
 again, it would not have appeared that his giving it was
 accepted as satisfaction. It was a great trial to Mary, that the
 body was gone. Weak believers often make that the matter of
 complaint, which is really just ground of hope, and matter of
 joy. It is well when those more honoured than others with the
 privileges of disciples, are more active than others in the duty
 of disciples; more willing to take pains, and run hazards, in a
 good work. We must do our best, and neither envy those who can
 do better, nor despise those who do as well as they can, though
 they come behind. The disciple whom Jesus loved in a special
 manner, and who therefore in a special manner loved Jesus, was
 foremost. The love of Christ will make us to abound in every
 duty more than any thing else. He that was behind was Peter, who
 had denied Christ. A sense of guilt hinders us in the service of
 God. As yet the disciples knew not the Scripture; they Christ
 must rise again from the dead.

03734
 #11-18 We are likely to seek and find, when we seek with
 affection, and seek in tears. But many believers complain of the
 clouds and darkness they are under, which are methods of grace
 for humbling their souls, mortifying their sins, and endearing
 Christ to them. A sight of angels and their smiles, will not
 suffice, without a sight of Jesus, and God's smiles in him. None
 know, but those who have tasted it, the sorrows of a deserted
 soul, which has had comfortable evidences of the love of God in
 Christ, and hopes of heaven, but has now lost them, and walks in
 darkness; such a wounded spirit who can bear? Christ, in
 manifesting himself to those that seek him, often outdoes their
 expectations. See how Mary's heart was in earnest to find Jesus.
 Christ's way of making himself known to his people is by his
 word; his word applied to their souls, speaking to them in
 particular. It might be read, Is it my Master? See with what
 pleasure those who love Jesus speak of his authority over them.
 He forbids her to expect that his bodily presence look further,
 than the present state of things. Observe the relation to God,
 from union with Christ. We, partaking of a Divine nature,
 Christ's Father is our Father; and he, partaking of the human
 nature, our God is his God. Christ's ascension into heaven,
 there to plead for us, is likewise an unspeakable comfort. Let
 them not think this earth is to be their home and rest; their
 eye and aim, and earnest desires, must be upon another world,
 and this ever upon their hearts, I ascend, therefore I must seek
 the things which are above. And let those who know the word of
 Christ, endeavour that others should get good from their
 knowledge.

03742
 #19-25 This was the first day of the week, and this day is
 afterwards often mentioned by the sacred writers; for it was
 evidently set apart as the Christian sabbath, in remembrance of
 Christ's resurrection. The disciples had shut the doors for fear
 of the Jews; and when they had no such expectation, Jesus
 himself came and stood in the midst of them, having
 miraculously, though silently, opened the doors. It is a comfort
 to Christ's disciples, when their assemblies can only be held in
 private, that no doors can shut out Christ's presence. When He
 manifests his love to believers by the comforts of his Spirit,
 he assures them that because he lives, they shall live also. A
 sight of Christ will gladden the heart of a disciple at any
 time; and the more we see of Jesus, the more we shall rejoice.
 He said, Receive ye the Holy Ghost, thus showing that their
 spiritual life, as well as all their ability for their work,
 would be derived from him, and depended upon him. Every word of
 Christ which is received in the heart by faith, comes
 accompanied by this Divine breathing; and without this there is
 neither light nor life. Nothing is seen, known, discerned, or
 felt of God, but through this. After this, Christ directed the
 apostles to declare the only method by which sin would be
 forgiven. This power did not exist at all in the apostles as a
 power to give judgment, but only as a power to declare the
 character of those whom God would accept or reject in the day of
 judgment. They have clearly laid down the marks whereby a child
 of God may be discerned and be distinguished from a false
 professor; and according to what they have declared shall every
 case be decided in the day of judgment. When we assemble in
 Christ's name, especially on his holy day, he will meet with us,
 and speak peace to us. The disciples of Christ should endeavour
 to build up one another in their most holy faith, both by
 repeating what they have heard to those that were absent, and by
 making known what they have experienced. Thomas limited the Holy
 One of Israel, when he would be convinced by his own method or
 not at all. He might justly have been left in his unbelief,
 after rejecting such abundant proofs. The fears and sorrows of
 the disciples are often lengthened, to punish their negligence.

03749
 #26-29 That one day in seven should be religiously observed, was
 an appointment from the beginning. And that, in the kingdom of
 the Messiah, the first day of the week should be that solemn
 day, was pointed out, in that Christ on that day once and again
 met his disciples in a religious assembly. The religious
 observance of that day has come down to us through every age of
 the church. There is not an unbelieving word in our tongues, nor
 thought in our minds, but it is known to the Lord Jesus; and he
 was pleased to accommodate himself even to Thomas, rather than
 leave him in his unbelief. We ought thus to bear with the weak,
 #Ro 15:1,2|. This warning is given to all. If we are faithless,
 we are Christless and graceless, hopeless and joyless. Thomas
 was ashamed of his unbelief, and cried out, My Lord and my God.
 He spoke with affection, as one that took hold of Christ with
 all his might; "My Lord and my God." Sound and sincere
 believers, though slow and weak, shall be graciously accepted of
 the Lord Jesus. It is the duty of those who read and hear the
 gospel, to believe, to embrace the doctrine of Christ, and that
 record concerning him, #1Jo 5:11|.