"All Hail!"

“Then said Jesus unto them, Be not afraid: go tell my brethren that they go into Galilee, and there shall they see me.”

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’ griefs 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 blessing. 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 “worshiped 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 fellowship 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.

Illustrative

It is said that a venturesome diplomatist once asked the Emperor Nicholas who was the most distinguished of His Majesty’s subjects. According to report, the Czar replied that the most distinguished Russian was he whoever the Emperor honored by speaking to him. Royal vanity dictated that reply, but we speak “words of truth and soberness” when we say that the most distinguished of men is he whom the Lord of hosts honors by admitting to communion with himself. “Speak, Lord; for your servant hears.”

In vain you strugglest to get free, I never will unloose my hold;

Are you the Man that died for me?

The secret of Your love unfold.

Wrestling, I will not let you go,

Until I Your name, Your nature know.

—Charles Wesley.

There is a striking legend illustrating the blessedness of performing our duty at whatever cost to our own inclination. A monk had seen a beautiful vision of our Savior, and in silent bliss he was gazing upon it. The hour arrived at which it was his duty to feed the poor at the convent gate. He would gladly have lingered in his cell to enjoy the vision; but, under a sense of duty, he tore himself away from it to perform his humble service. When he returned, he found the blessed vision still waiting for him, and heard a voice, saying, “Had you stayed, I would have gone. As you have gone, I have remained.”

It is a blessed thing to go forth with the Master’s message after having seen him; it is delightful to meet him on the way when we are going to tell his disciples; and it is inexpressibly pleasant to find him in the assembly bearing witness with us. To go from the Lord, for the Lord, with the Lord, is such an agreeable combination that it cannot be described, but must be personally experienced. The Lord Jesus is by no means niggardly in his converse with his people: he meets us as often as we are fit to be met, and oftener; and he uses such familiarities as could never have been expected had they not been already enjoyed. Who would have dreamed of his saying “All hail!” if he had not himself selected the term?—C. H. S.

A good theme might be found in the words of the message recorded in our text. Jesus prepares his messengers by saying “Be not afraid.” Those who bear tidings for him should be calm and happy. He calls his disciples by a sweet name “my brethren”; invites them to meet him; appoints a well-known trysting-place; and promises to be there. Whatever else they had begun to do, they must make this their chief business, to be at Galilee to commune with him, to put themselves at his disposal, and to receive his commission.—C. H. S.