146. All Hail!

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. (10) Then said Jesus unto them, Be not afraid; go tell my brethren that they go into Galilee, and there shall they see me. - Matthew 28:9-10.

ALL that concerns our Lord after his resurrection is calm and happy. A French writer calls the forty days on earth, "the life of Jesus Christ in glory": truly it was glory as full as earth could then bear. His tomb was empty, and consequently the disciples' grieves would have been over had they fully understood what that vacant grave meant.

Then was their choicest time for living fellowship with their risen Lord, and he did not fail to grant them the privilege on many memorable occasions. Since our Lord is risen, we also may have happy communion with him. These are days in which we may expect him to manifest himself to us spiritually, as he did for forty days to the disciples corporeally.

Let us not be satisfied unless it is often said of us, "Jesus met them."

I. IN THE WAY OF SERVICE JESUS MEETS US. "As they went to tell his disciples, behold, Jesus met them."

1. He may come at other times, as he did to those who visited the sepulcher, to those walking out to Emmaus, to others fishing, and to the eleven assembled for mutual consolation. >2. He is likeliest to come when we are doing his work, since—

· We are then most awake, and most able to see him.

· We are then in special need of him.

· We are then most in accord with him.

3. But come when Jesus may, it will be a blessed visitation, worthy to be prefaced by a "Behold!" Oh, that he would come now!

II. WHEN JESUS MEETS US, HE HAS EVER A GOOD WORD FOR US.

The fittest motto for resurrection fellowship is "All hail!"

1. A word of salutation. He is not ashamed to call us brethren, and welcome us with "All hail!"

2. A word of benediction. He wishes us well, and expresses his hearty, sacred desire by the words "All hail!"

3. A word of congratulation. He was glad to see these women, he gave them glad tidings, he bade them be glad, he made them glad, he was glad with them, saying, "All hail!"4. A word of pacification. He afterwards said, "Be not afraid"; but this was virtually contained in his "All hail!" His presence can never mean us harm; it ever works us health.

III. WHEN JESUS MEETS US, IT BECOMES US TO AROUSE OURSELVES.

We ought at such times to be like the disciples, who were—

1. All alive with hopeful energy. "They came. " In eager haste they drew near to him. What life it would put into preachers and hearers if the Lord Jesus would manifestly appear unto them! Dullness flees when Jesus is seen.

2. All aglow with happy excitement. They held him by the feet, —hardly knowing what they did, but enraptured with the sight of him.

3. All ardent with reverent love. They "worshipped him." What heartiness they threw into that lowly adoration!

4. All amazed at his glory. They were prostrate, and began to fear.

5. All afraid lest they should lose their bliss. They grasped him, and held him by the feet.

IV. FROM SUCH A MEETING WE SHOULD GO ON A FURTHER ERRAND.

1. We must not plead spiritual absorption as an excuse for inactivity, but we must "go" at our Lord's bidding.

2. We must seek the good of others because of their relation to our Lord. He says, "tell my brethren."

3. We must communicate what our Lord has imparted — "go tell."

4. We must encourage our brethren by the assurance that joy similar to ours awaits them —"there shall they see me." Thus shall we best realize and retain the choice benefits of intercourse with the Lord. Not only for ourselves, but mainly for the benefit of others, are we to behold our Lord.

Let us go to holy work hoping to meet Jesus as we go.

Let us go to more holy work when we have met him.

Let us labor to "abide in him," looking for his promised appearing and exhorting others to do the same.