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Humble Hero
‘I am ascending to My Father and your Father, and to My God and
your God.’” Mary went on her way with the joyful message.
Jesus refused the homage of His people until He ascended to
the heavenly courts and heard the assurance from God Himself that
His atonement for our sins had been ample, that through His blood
all could have eternal life. The Father ratified the covenant made
with Christ, that He would receive repentant and obedient men and
women and would love them even as He loves His Son. All power in
heaven and on earth was given to the Prince of life, and He returned
to His followers in a world of sin, so that He could give to them of
His power and glory.
While the Savior was in God’s presence, receiving gifts for His
church, the disciples mourned and wept. The day of rejoicing for
all heaven was a day of confusion and perplexity to them. Their
unbelief in the testimony of the women shows how low their faith
had sunk. They could not believe the news. It was too good to
be true, they thought. They had heard so much of the so-called
scientific theories of the Sadducees that they scarcely knew what the
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resurrection from the dead could mean.
“Go,” the angels had said to the women, “tell His disciples—and
Peter—that He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see
Him, as He said to you.” The message of these angels to the disciples
should have convinced them that it was true. Such words could have
come only from the messengers of their risen Lord.
Since the death of Christ, Peter had been bowed down with
remorse. His shameful denial of the Lord was always on his mind.
Of all the disciples, he had suffered most bitterly. The angels’
message gave him the assurance that his repentance was accepted.
They had mentioned him by name.
When Mary Magdalene had told the disciples that she had seen
the Lord, she repeated the call to meet Him in Galilee. And even a
third time the message was sent to them. After He had ascended to
the Father, Jesus appeared to the other women, saying, “Go and tell
My brethren to go to Galilee, and there they will see Me.”
Christ’s first work after His resurrection was to convince His
disciples of His undiminished love and tender regard for them. He
wanted to draw the bonds of love still closer around them. “Go tell
My brethren,” He said, “that they are to meet Me in Galilee.”