Part 9 (1/2)
But their eyes were holden that they should not know Hi circuone Their fondly cherished expectations were blasted, apparently
The whole scene was overcast by the dark shadow of death, and their poor hearts were sad
But e falls upon their drooping spirits! ”And He said unto them, What manner of communications are these that ye have one to another, as ye walk, and are sad?”
Surely this was a reasonable and weighty question for those dear disciples--a question eminently calculated to recall them, as we say, to their senses It was precisely what they wanted at the moment, occupied as they ith circu in the eternal and ih had they only hearkened to its voice But instead of listening only to the distinct testimony of the eternal Spirit in the Word they had allowed their hly down under the action and influences of outward circu with fir rock of divine revelation, they were struggling amid the billows of life's stormy ocean In a word, they had for a moment fallen under the power of death so far as their minds were concerned, and no loomy
And, beloved reader, does it not soet down under the power of things seen and tes unseen and eternal?
Yes, even ho profess to know and believe in a risen Saviour--who believe that we are dead and risen with Hi in us, do not we at times sink and cower? And do we not at such e? Has not that precious, loving Saviour ofttimes occasion to put the question to our hearts, ”What manner of communications are these that ye have one to another?” Does it not often happen that e coether or alk by the way our ”coht to be? Itcircumstances which surround us--the weather--the prospects of the country--the state of trade--our poor health--the difficulty of , in short, but the right thing
Yes, and so occupied do we becos that our spiritual eyes are holden, and we do not take knowledge of the blessed One who in His tender faithful love is at our side, and He has to challenge our vagrant hearts with His pointed and powerful question, ”What manner of communications are these that ye have?”
Let us think of this It really demands our consideration We are all far too apt to allow our minds to fall under the power and pressure of circuet occupied with our surroundings instead of dwelling upon ”things above”--those bright and blessed realities which are ours in Christ
And what is the result? Do we better our circu over theree What then? We simply ; and, worst of all, we bring dishonor on the cause of Christ
Christians forget how much is involved in their teet that the Lord's glory is intimately bound up with our daily deporte of the character of the head of a household by e see of his children and servants If we observed the children looking miserable and downcast, we should be disposed to pronounce their father morose, severe and arbitrary If we see the servants crushed and overwrought, we consider theIn short, as a rule, you can form a tolerably fair estimate of the head of a house by the tone, spirit, style and manner of the members of his household
How earnestly, then, should we seek, as ht impression of what He is by our temper, spirit, style and manner! If men of the world--those e come in contact from day to day in the practical details of life--if they see us looking sour,utterance to doleful complaints about this, that and the other--if they see us occupied about our own things--grasping, griping and driving as hard bargains as others--if they see us grinding our servants with heavy work, loages and poor fare--what estimate can they form of Him e call our Father and our Master in heaven?
Christian reader, let us not despise and turn away from such homely words Depend upon it there is need of such in this day of much profession There is a vast amount of intellectual traffic in truth which leaves the conscience unreached, the heart untouched, the life unaffected We knoe are dead and risen; but when anything occurs to touch _us_, either in our persons, in our relations, or in our interests, we speedily she little power that precious truth has upon us
May the Lord give us grace to apply our hearts very seriously and earnestly to these things, so that there enuine Christianity--such an exhibition as shall glorify our own racious God and Father, and our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ--and such, too, as shall afford to those who coion really is in its action upon the entire course and character
May we all realize more a risen Saviour's presence, and find therein a triuestions of the enes of our own hearts, and the deadening influence of surrounding circurant it, for Jesus' sake
It is i section of inspiration (Luke xxiv) and not be struck epower of a risen Saviour's voice and presence We see the dear disciples scattered hither and thither in doubt and perplexity, fear and despondency--so to Eether at Jerusalem, in various states and conditions
But the voice and realized presence of Jesus rallied, reassured and encouraged theether around His own blessed Person in worshi+p, love and praise There was an indescribable power in His presence to meet every condition of heart and mind Thus it was; thus it is; thus it ever must be, blessed and praised be His precious name! There is power in the presence of a risen Saviour to solve our difficulties, remove our perplexities, calm our fears, ease our burdens, dry our tears, meet our every need, tranquillize ourof our hearts
”Jesus! Thou art enough, The mind and heart to fill; Thy life--to calm the anxious soul Thy love--its fear dispel”
The two disciples going to Ee fro words to one another ”Did not our heart burn within us, while He talked with us by the way, and while He opened to us the Scriptures?” Yes, here lay the deep and precious secret: ”_He_ talked with us”--and ”_He_ opened to us the Scriptures!”
What seraphictheir hearts by His hty exposition of the Scriptures
What was the effect--what the necessary result? The two travellers instantly returned to Jerusalem to seek their brethren It could not be otherwise If we lose sight of a risen Saviour we are sure to get away fros; to pursue our oay--to get into coldness, deadness, darkness and selfishness But, on the other hand, the et really into the presence of Christ, e hear His voice and feel the sweetness and power of His love, when our hearts are brought under theministry, then we are led out in true affection and interest after all our brethren and in earnest desire to find our place in their midst in order that weour own souls We may lay it down as a fixed principle--a spiritual axiom--that it is utterly impossible to breathe the atmosphere of a risen Saviour's presence and rementary condition The necessary effect of His dear presence is to melt the heart and cause it to flow out in strea to Him
But let us pursue our chapter
”And they rose up the sa they had but little business at Emmaus, or how paramount was the blessed object now before theathered together, and the, The Lord is risen indeed, and hath appeared to Sis were done in the way, and hoas known of the of bread And as they thus spake, Jesus Himself stood in the midst of them, and saith unto thehted, and supposed that they had seen a spirit”
They, too, needed a risen Saviour's challenge to bring them to their senses--to cal spirits They needed to realize the power of His presence as the risen One They had just declared to their two brethren from Emmaus that ”The Lord is risen indeed;” but yet when their risen Lord appeared to thee their hearts with His stirring words, ”Why are ye troubled? and why do thoughts arise in your hearts?
Behold My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself: handle Me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see Me have And when He had thus spoken, He shewed them His hands and His feet And while they yet believed not for joy, and wondered, He said unto theave Him a piece of a broiled fish, and of an honeycomb And He took it, and did eat before theracious condescension to their weakness and need! What cos, spite of their folly and unbelief! Gracious Saviour! Who would not love Thee?
Who would not trust Thee? May the whole heart be absorbed with Thee!