Risen Saviour
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He secured eternal life to men, while He exalted the law, and made it
honorable.
Christ was invested with the right to give immortality. The life
which He had laid down in humanity, He again took up and gave to
humanity. “I am come,” He says, “that they might have life, and that
they might have it more abundantly” (
John 10:10
). “Whoso eateth my
flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up
at the last day” (
John 6:54
). “Whosoever drinketh of the water that
I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him
shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life” (
John
4:14
).
All who are one with Christ through faith in Him gain an experience
which is life unto eternal life. “As the living Father hath sent me, and
I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me”
(
John 6:57
). He “dwelleth in me, and I in him” (
John 6:56
). “I will
raise him up at the last day” (
John 6:54
). “Because I live, ye shall live
also” (
John 14:19
).
Christ became one with humanity, that humanity might become
one in spirit and life with Him. By virtue of this union in obedience to
the Word of God, His life becomes their life. He says to the penitent,
“I am the resurrection, and the life” (
John 11:25
). Death is looked
upon by Christ as sleep—silence, darkness, sleep. He speaks of it as
if it were of little moment. “Whosoever liveth and believeth in me,”
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He says, “shall never die” (
John 11:26
). “If a man keep my saying,
he shall never taste of death” (
John 8:52
). “He shall never see death”
(
John 8:51
). And to the believing one, death is but a small matter.
With him to die is but to sleep. “Them also which sleep in Jesus will
God bring with him” (
1 Thessalonians 4:14
).
While the women were making known their message as witnesses
of the risen Saviour, and while Jesus was preparing to reveal Himself
to a large number of His followers, another scene was taking place.
The Roman guard had been enabled to view the mighty angel who
sang the song of triumph at the birth of Christ, and hear the angels
who now sang the song of redeeming love. At the wonderful scene
which they were permitted to behold, they had fainted and become
as dead men. When the heavenly train was hidden from their sight,
they arose to their feet, and made their way to the gate of the garden
as quickly as their tottering limbs would carry them. Staggering like