THE KING'S BUSINESS
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learned to pillow our heads upon His bosom and know "the peace of God that passeth all understanding" ? If not, why not test it for ourselves ? ( 3) WELCOMING AND WITNESS– ING, vs. 15-18 "Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She * * * saith un– to Him, Rabboni." Can you really sense the joy that came to her when He spoke the word, Mary? His own presence, His own voice, calling her by h er own name. In one instant doubt and sorrow is dis– pelled and unutterable joy fills her soul. Every cloud has disappeared and the sun shines. He, Himself, is there. Her cup is full. (S of S 2:8). But how about His great heart? Is it not comforted and r efreshed? Does not our Lord covet what we can give to Him? Are we mistaken in our attitude in only thinking of what we can secure from Him? Praying always for our– selves-selfish prayers- and failing to respond to the call of His heart for fel– lowship? Can we not walk the way to Emmaus with Him with open eyes, holding His hand, t elling Him how we love Him, and giving to the Man Christ Jesus what angels cannot give to Him– the touch of human fellowship? "Touch me not. I am not yet as– cended." As the High Priest, He is on His way to the Holy of holies with the blood offering to present it to His Fa– ther and her Father, to His God and her God. He lifts her to a new and heavenly relationship. No longer after the flesh, a spiritual relationship, high and holy, which can never be broken. "Go-tell." "You are my witness. You have seen, Me, and I have spoken the Word." "Go and witness." That is the call of the Lord to His followers. Only those who know a resurrected Lord and possess a resurrection life can bear the testimony. (Luke 24:46-48)
"Anfl sahl unto then1, Thus It is Written nnd thus it hc_-hoove'l Christ to suffer and to rise fron1 the den•l the third day: An«l thnt re1lentnnce nnd remission ot sin"" li!lhonld be urenche'l in his name :unonµ: nll nations, beginning nt Jerusa.. len1. An•l ye are n ·i tnesses of these things." Topics for Study ( 1) How do you account for the fear of the disciples and the t fearlessness of the women? ( 2) Is there any proof of the verity r
of the Scriptures in the fact io that descriptions of the char- , acter of P eter are always uni· form? h How do you account for the de- votion of Mary? t What do th e Scriptures teach l about angels? l Does J esus have the same body h now tha t He had when Mary N saw Him? Will we have bodies like His glorified body? h t
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SUGGESTIVE COMMENT Selected from "Expositions of Holy Sct"ipture"-Dr. Alexander Maclaren. The two main incidents in this pas· sage-the visit of Peter and John to the tomb, and the appearance of our Lord to Ma ry-give the dawning of faith before sight, and the r apturous faith born of sight. In the remainder of the cha pter a re two more inst an ces of faith following vision, and the teaching or the whole is summed up in Christ's words to the doubter, "Because thOU hast seen Me, thou hast believed ; bless· ed are t hey that have not seen, and ye h ave believed." The act of resurrection took plaC before sunrise. It was fitting that !I who was to scatter the darkness of th grave should rise while darkness coV
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