the desire of ages-第171节

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heir　souls　hungered　to　hear　more　from　Him。　〃Abide　with　us；〃　they　said。　He　did　not　seem　to　accept　the　invitation；　but　they　pressed　it　upon　Him；　urging；　〃It　is　toward　evening；　and　the　day　is　far　spent。〃　Christ　yielded　to　this　entreaty　and　〃went　in　to　tarry　with　them。〃

Had　the　disciples　failed　to　press　their　invitation；　they　would　not　have　known　that　their　traveling　companion　was　the　risen　Lord。　Christ　never　forces　His　company　upon　anyone。　He　interests　Himself　in　those　who　need　Him。　Gladly　will　He　enter　the　humblest　home；　and　cheer　the　lowliest　heart。　But　if　men　are　too　indifferent　to　think　of　the　heavenly　Guest；　or　ask　Him　to　abide　with　them；　He　passes　on。　Thus　many　meet　with　great　loss。　They　do　not　know　Christ　any　more　than　did　the　disciples　as　He　walked　with　them　by　the　way。

The　simple　evening　meal　of　bread　is　soon　prepared。　It　is　placed　before　the　guest；　who　has　taken　His　seat　at　the　head　of　the　table。　Now　He　puts　forth　His　hands　to　bless　the　food。　The　disciples　start　back　in　astonishment。　Their　companion　spreads　forth　His　hands　in　exactly　the　same　way　as　their　Master　used　to　do。　They　look　again；　and　lo；　they　see　in　His　hands　the　print　of　nails。　Both　exclaim　at　once；　It　is　the　Lord　Jesus！　He　has　risen　from　the　dead！

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They　rise　to　cast　themselves　at　His　feet　and　worship　Him；　but　He　has　vanished　out　of　their　sight。　They　look　at　the　place　which　had　been　occupied　by　One　whose　body　had　lately　lain　in　the　grave；　and　say　to　each　other；　〃Did　not　our　heart　burn　within　us；　while　He　talked　with　us　by　the　way；　and　while　He　opened　to　us　the　Scriptures？〃

But　with　this　great　news　to　communicate　they　cannot　sit　and　talk。　Their　weariness　and　hunger　are　gone。　They　leave　their　meal　untasted；　and　full　of　joy　immediately　set　out　again　on　the　same　path　by　which　they　came；　hurrying　to　tell　the　tidings　to　the　disciples　in　the　city。　In　some　parts　the　road　is　not　safe；　but　they　climb　over　the　steep　places；　slipping　on　the　smooth　rocks。　They　do　not　see；　they　do　not　know；　that　they　have　the　protection　of　Him　who　has　traveled　the　road　with　them。　With　their　pilgrim　staff　in　hand；　they　press　on；　desiring　to　go　faster　than　they　dare。　They　lose　their　track；　but　find　it　again。　Sometimes　running；　sometimes　stumbling；　they　press　forward；　their　unseen　Companion　close　beside　them　all　the　way。

The　night　is　dark；　but　the　Sun　of　Righteousness　is　shining　upon　them。　Their　hearts　leap　for　joy。　They　seem　to　be　in　a　new　world。　Christ　is　a　living　Saviour。　They　no　longer　mourn　over　Him　as　dead。　Christ　is　risenover　and　over　again　they　repeat　it。　This　is　the　message　they　are　carrying　to　the　sorrowing　ones。　They　must　tell　them　the　wonderful　story　of　the　walk　to　Emmaus。　They　must　tell　who　joined　them　by　the　way。　They　carry　the　greatest　message　ever　given　to　the　world；　a　message　of　glad　tidings　upon　which　the　hopes　of　the　human　family　for　time　and　for　eternity　depend。




（802）

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Chapter　84

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Peace　Be　Unto　You〃


On　reaching　Jerusalem　the　two　disciples　enter　at　the　eastern　gate；　which　is　open　at　night　on　festal　occasions。　The　houses　are　dark　and　silent；　but　the　travelers　make　their　way　through　the　narrow　streets　by　the　light　of　the　rising　moon。　They　go　to　the　upper　chamber　where　Jesus　spent　the　hours　of　the　last　evening　before　His　death。　Here　they　know　that　their　brethren　are　to　be　found。　Late　as　it　is；　they　know　that　the　disciples　will　not　sleep　till　they　learn　for　a　certainty　what　has　become　of　the　body　of　their　Lord。　They　find　the　door　of　the　chamber　securely　barred。　They　knock　for　admission；　but　no　answer　comes。　All　is　still。　Then　they　give　their　names。　The　door　is　carefully　unbarred；　they　enter；　and　Another；　unseen；　enters　with　them。　Then　the　door　is　again　fastened；　to　keep　out　spies。

The　travelers　find　all　in　surprised　excitement。　The　voices　of　those　in　the　room　break　out　into　thanksgiving　and　praise；　saying；　〃The　Lord　is　risen　indeed；　and　hath　appeared　to　Simon。〃　Then　the　two　travelers；　panting　with　the　haste　with　which　they　have　made　their　journey；　tell　the　wondrous　story　of　how　Jesus　has　appeared　to　them。　They　have　just　ended；　and　some　are　saying　that　they　cannot　believe　it；　for　it　is　too　good　to　be　true；　when　behold；　another　Person　stands　before　them。　Every　eye　is　fastened　upon　the　stranger。　No　one　has　knocked　for　entrance。　No

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footstep　has　been　heard。　The　disciples　are　startled；　and　wonder　what　it　means。　Then　they　hear　a　voice　which　is　no　other　than　the　voice　of　their　Master。　Clear　and　distinct　the　words　fall　from　His　lips；　〃Peace　be　unto　you。〃

〃But　they　were　terrified　and　affrighted；　and　supposed　that　they　had　seen　a　spirit。　And　He　said　unto　them；　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　showed　them　His　hands　and　His　feet。〃

They　beheld　the　hands　and　feet　marred　by　the　cruel　nails。　They　recognized　His　voice；　like　no　other　they　had　ever　heard。　〃And　while　they　yet　believed　not　for　joy；　and　wondered；　He　said　unto　them；　Have　ye　here　any　meat？　And　they　gave　Him　a　piece　of　a　broiled　fish；　and　of　an　honeycomb。　And　He　took　it；　and　did　eat　before　them。〃　〃Then　were　the　disciples　glad；　when　they　saw　the　Lord。〃　Faith　and　joy　took　the　place　of　unbelief；　and　with　feelings　which　no　words　could　express　they　acknowledged　their　risen　Saviour。

At　the　birth　of　Jesus　the　angel　announced；　Peace　on　earth；　and　good　will　to　men。　And　now　at　His　first　appearance　to　the　disciples　after　His　resurrection；　the　Saviour　addressed　them　with　the　blessed　words；　〃Peace

804

be　unto　you。〃　Jesus　is　ever　ready　to　speak　peace　to　souls　that　are　burdened　with　doubts　and　fears。　He　waits　for　us　to　open　the　door　of　the　heart　to　Him；　and　say；　Abide　with　us。　He　says；　〃Behold；　I　stand　at　the　door；　and　knock：　if　any　man　hear　My　voice；　and　open　the　door；　I　will　come　in　to　him；　and　will　sup　with　him；　and　he　with　Me。〃　Rev。　3：20。

The　resurrection　of　Jesus　was　a　type　of　the　final　resurrection　of　all　who　sleep　in　Him。　The　countenance　of　the　risen　Saviour；　His　manner；　His　speech；　were　all　familiar　to　His　disciples。　As　Jesus　arose　from　the　dead；　so　those　who　sleep　in　Him　are　to　rise　again。　We　shall　know　our　friends；　even　as　the　disciples　knew　Jesus。　They　may　have　been　deformed；　diseased；　or　disfigured；　in　this　mortal　life；　and　they　rise　in　perfect　health　and　symmetry；　yet　in　the　glorified　body　their　identity　will　be　perfectly　preserved。　Then　shall　we　know　even　as　also　we　are　known。　1　Cor。　13：12。　In　the　face　radiant　with　the　light　shining　from　the　face　of　Jesus；　we　shall　recognize　the　lineaments　of　those　we　love。

When　Jesus　met　with　His　disciples；　He　reminded　them　of　the　words　He　had　spoken　to　them　before　His　death；　that　all　things　must　be　fulfilled　which　were　written　in　the　law　of　Moses；　and　in　the　prophets；　and　in　the　Psalms　concerning　Him。　〃Then　opened　He　their　understanding；　that　they　might　understand　the　Scriptures；　and　said　unto　them；　Thus　it　is

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written；　and　thus　it　behooved　Christ　to　suffer；　and　to　rise　from　the　dead　the　third　day：　and　that　repentance　and　remission　of　sins　should　be　preached　in　His　name　among　all　nations；　beginning　at　Jerusalem。　And　ye　are　witnesses　of　these　things。〃

The　disciples　began　to　realize　the　nature　and　extent　of　their　work。　They　were　to　proclaim　to　the　world　the　wonderful　truths　which　Christ　had　entrusted　to　them。　The　events　of　His　life；　His　death　and　resurrection；　the　prophecies　that　pointed　to　these　events；　the　sacredness　of　the　law　of　God；　the　mysteries　of　the　plan　of　salvation；　the　power　of　Jesus　for　the　remission　of　sins；to　all　these　things　they　were　witnesses；　and　they　were　to　make　them　known　to　the　world。　They　were　to　proclaim　the　gospel　of　peace　and　salvation　through　repentance　and　the　power　of　the　Saviour。

〃And　when　He　had　said　this；　He　breathed　on　them；　and　saith　unto　them；　Receive　ye　the　Holy　Ghost：　Whosesoever　sins　ye　remit；　they　are　remitted　unto　them；　and　whosesoever　sins　ye　retain；　they　are　retained。〃　The　Holy　Spirit　was　not　yet　fully　manifested；　for　Christ　had　not　yet　been　glorified。　The　more　abundant　impartation　of　the　Spirit　did　not　take　place　till　after　Christ's　ascension。　Not　until　this　was　received　could　the　disciples　fulfill　the　commission　to　preach　the　gospel　to　the　world。　But　the　Spirit　was　now　given　for　a　special　purpose。　Before　the　disciples　could　fulfill　their　official　duties　in　connection　with　the　church；　Christ　breathed　His　Spirit　upon　them。　He　was　committing　to　them　a　most　sacred　trust；　and　He　desired　to　impress　them　with　the　fact　that　without　the　Holy　Spirit　this　work　could　not　be　accomplished。

The　Holy　Spirit　is　the　breath　of　spiritual　life　in　the　soul。　The　impartation　of　the　Spirit　is　the　impartation　of　the　life　of　Christ。　It　imbues　the　receiver　with　the　attributes　of　Christ。　Only　those　who　are　thus　taught　of　God；　those　who　possess　the　inward　working　of　the　Spirit；　and　in　whose　life　the　Christ…life　is　manifested；　are　to　stand　as　representative