[Sept. 16th, 1855.]
It is not easy to put ourselves in the place of the apostles. As Jews their knowledge of a future state was imperfect. Their conceptions of Christ’s kingdom, earthly. Their hopes bounded very much to what was to be expected from the Messiah in this world. His death disappointed and confounded them, etc. His resurrection introduced a new era.
-
It proved the fact of a heavenly future state, and far more clearly than Scripture or reason had before revealed it.
-
It revealed the nature of that state, or of Christ’s kingdom. It proved that it was not of this world. That it was not to consist of earthly advantages. It was future—in the unseen world. It was discovered to be an inheritance incorruptible, uudefiled, that faded not away, and one reserved in heaven.
-
It not only revealed the nature of that heavenly state, but it produced the hope of attaining it. It imparted the assurance that it was reserved in heaven for us.
It did this, a. Because it was a tangible, palpable proof of its existence.
b. Because it proved Christ to be the Son of God, and authenticated all his claims and all his teachings.
c. Because it was the public acknowledgment, on the part of God, that his mediatorial work was accepted; that his sacrifice was sufficient, and therefore that God was reconciled. Our debt was paid, our ransom was accepted. The price of the inheritance was paid.
The apostles could not doubt the fact of the resurrection, and therefore they could not doubt what the resurrection proved to be true.
-
They could not doubt the resurrection, because they had seen, felt, looked upon and handled the Son of God after he had risen from the dead. They had seen him repeatedly and under circumstances which forbade the idea of delusion.
-
Because he had himself foretold his resurrection, as they now came to see, or,
-
Because the resurrection explained what they before could not understand.
-
Because God bore continual testimony to the fact by the gift and influences of his Spirit; by signs and wonders and divers miracles, which they themselves were enabled to work.
The hope of heaven, therefore, founded on the resurrection, was a lively hope, , a living hope. This means:
-
An animating vigorous, active hope; not a dull, lifeless, lethargic dubious expectation—such as was begot by reason, or even by the obscurer revelations of the Old Testament, and,
-
An abiding hope, as opposed to a fitful hope, interchanging with doubt and fear; and what the resurrection was to the apostles, it is to us.
-
The evidence in proof of its occurrence has not diminished, but rather increased. It is as certain to us as it was to them.
-
Secondly, what it proved to them it proves also to us.
-
And, therefore, the hope it begot in them, it should also beget in us.
The effect which this hope should produce is:
-
A patient endurance of all present trials; a contented, happy spirit.
-
An earnest desire and longing for the coming of Christ, when this salvation shall be revealed, and,
-
Heavenly-mindedness—negatively freedom from worldlymindedness—and positively a pure, elevated, spiritual frame, arising from the expectation of such an inheritance.
← 102. Dying unto Sin, and Living unto Righteousness · Contents · 104. Now abideth Faith, Hope, Charity; but the greatest of these is Charity. 1 Cor. 13: 12 →