Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit · Sermon No. 2323
“And they departed quickly from the sepulcher with fear and great joy; and did run to bringHis disciples word. 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. Then said Jesus unto them, Be not afraid: go tell My brethren to go into Galilee, and there shall they see Me.” Matthew 28:8-10.
THESE holy women, these consecrated Maries, shall be our instructors tonight. They were highly-favored to be the first witnesses for our risen Lord! Do you wonder why He chose them? Was it because their hearts were tender and they were very sad at His death, more sad than the men? And is He not known to come, first, to those who need Him most and to pour in oil and wine where the wound gapes widest? It may be so. Was it because they had been the more faithful of the two and, while some men had denied Him and all had forsaken Him, the women were last at Golgotha, as they were now, first, at the sepulcher? Did their Lord reward them by dealing with them as they had dealt with Him? That is but His pattern. “If you will walk contrary unto Me, then will I also walk contrary unto you,” said the Lord to Israel. And He also said, “I love them that love Me; and those that seek Me early shall find Me.” These holy women did seek their Lord early on the morning of His Resurrection and they found Him to a certainty before all others! Was this because Jesus had found the women more spiritual than the Apostles? Certainly, I think that was the case. They had attained the very climax of love, washing His feet with their tears. They had reached the very center of discipleship—one of them had chosen the good part, and sat at His feet. Sometimes, where there is less power of understanding, Jesus does give keener powers of perception, and though Mary Magdalene and the other Mary would never have become Pauls, yet they were of quick eye, like John, and were, therefore, the most fit to see the Savior in the dawning of the morning—and so they were permitted to have the first glimpse of Him.
First, I ask you to look at these women in the way of obedience active. They ran to bring the disciples word. Secondly, look at them in the way of obedience rewarded, for, as they went to tell His disciples, Jesus met them. And then, thirdly, we will go back to the point where we started and see these women in the way of obedience refreshed, for, after they had seen the Lord, they persevered in their heavenly errand and still went to tell His disciples that He would go before them into Galilee—and that there they should see Him.
I. First, then, notice these women IN THE WAY OF ODEDIENCE ACTIVE.
They had gone to the sepulcher to see and also to embalm the body of Christ, but while they were there, an angel appeared to them and committed to them this charge, “Go quickly, and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead.”
And they went upon their errand with most commendable alacrity. Now, you and I, dear Friends, must try to imitate them. What you have seen, you must tell! What you have been taught, you must teach! To you, Believer, has been committed the Oracle of God. See that you keep it! Hold it fast and hold it forth. You have not this Light of God for yourself, alone, but that it may shine before men. See to this. Perhaps these women may help you in so doing.
Observe first, then, that they went about their errand not doubting the Revelation. The angel said to them, “Tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead and, behold, He goes before you into Galilee.” They did not stop to ask any question, to make any objections, to utter any critical doubts—they believed. Now, it is to be thus with you—you cannot be a messenger from God unless you believe. If you do not believe the Gospel, do not pretend to preach it! Go home, my dear Friends, and bury your head in your doubts, twist your brains about, tie them up into knots and amuse yourself as you like—but do not pretend to go and tell that of which you are not, yourself, sure! Otherwise, you will lack the accent of confidence and, consequently, you will lack the power of persuasion. He that is not firm, himself, cannot move others. If there is no fulcrum for your lever, where is your power? “I believed; therefore have I spoken,” said the Psalmist, and he did well, for there must first be the believing and then the speaking. Leave the message to another if you are not sure of it—let another who is sure of it tell it until you, too, are sure of it—then may you also run with good tidings from your Lord! These godly women leaped at once into the full conviction that Christ was risen and, therefore, they hastened to tell the tidings to the disciples.
And, again, they obeyed, not discussing their authority to go and proclaim this news. What use is it if I believe the Truth of God and yet am not empowered to teach it? According to some, I can only be authorized by some special cere-mony—I must undergo certain processes before I may be permitted to preach. But the angel said to these women, “Go and tell,” and they went to tell. They did not hesitate. They asked no question about Apostolic succession, or Episcopal ordination, or anything of the kind! They were told to go and they went. Have you heard Jesus speak to you? Do you know His love? Have you an inward persuasion that you have to tell your friends what great things He has done for you? Then go in this, your might! If you have any hesitancy about your right to labor for your Lord. If you doubt that passage, “Let him that hears say, Come,” then do not go, for, if you do not believe that you have a right to go, your going will be with an inward weakness—and you will be taken up rather with yourself than with your message—and with the heart of Him to whom you carry it.