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- To Make Men Glad
To Make Men Glad
- By Robert M McCheyne
- Published 09/21/2007
- Sermons , Topical Studies
II. What it was that made the disciples glad.
It was the sense they had got that his work was finished. When they saw his hands and his side, they saw his work was all completed. They saw the holy Lamb standing before them - he who had been so lately pierced - with the mark of the spear still in his side. They saw the meaning of that passage in Isa 53:5, 'But he was wounded for our transgressions; he was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon him: and with his stripes we are healed.' When Peter looked upon him, he understood those words he afterwards wrote down - 'Who his own self, bare our sins in his own body on the tree' (1Pe 2:24). They saw that all the wrath due to them was poured out on Jesus; their debt was paid to the uttermost farthing, and no wonder, then, they were glad. Christ had finished the work the Father had given him to do. That prophecy in Daniel was fulfilled: 'The Messiah shall be cut off, but not for himself' (Da 9:26); 'To finish transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness' (Da 9:24).
Ah, brethren! it was this that made the disciples glad; they saw that all they ought to suffer was suffered for them: 'They entered into peace.' 'Then were the disciples glad when they saw the Lord.' They were to be sad no more. Ah! do not many of you look to yourselves? You do not belong to Christ. You are only glad when you look to your own righteousness. But the disciples were glad when they saw Jesus as the Lord their righteousness. It was then, and only then, that they were glad. Oh when will you be glad? When will you have true joy? O sinner! look to Jesus. It is only when we see that he has suffered all, and done all we had to do, that we are glad - that our joy will be full.
The disciples were glad, for they saw Jesus was their living Head. 'Because I live, ye shall live also' (Joh 14:19). 'In the world ye shall have tribulation; but, be of good cheer, I have overcome the world' (Joh 16:33). The disciples were no doubt sad - they felt a load of guilt; but now they would rejoice, for they had got a sight of him as an ever-living Saviour. Now, Peter would know how to get his proud heart subdued. Jesus was living - and he would reign till all his enemies were put under his feet. Ah! beloved! if we had a sight of a crucified, living, reigning Jesus, we would get all our enemies subdued. Oh look, sinner! Look, all of you! Oh! then you will have true joy. For my own part, I never knew what joy was till I felt that Jesus had died for me - that he lived for me and reigned for me. The world can give you a little joy; but here is fulness of joy. 'We which have believed do enter into rest' (Heb 4:3).
It was the sense they had got that his work was finished. When they saw his hands and his side, they saw his work was all completed. They saw the holy Lamb standing before them - he who had been so lately pierced - with the mark of the spear still in his side. They saw the meaning of that passage in Isa 53:5, 'But he was wounded for our transgressions; he was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon him: and with his stripes we are healed.' When Peter looked upon him, he understood those words he afterwards wrote down - 'Who his own self, bare our sins in his own body on the tree' (1Pe 2:24). They saw that all the wrath due to them was poured out on Jesus; their debt was paid to the uttermost farthing, and no wonder, then, they were glad. Christ had finished the work the Father had given him to do. That prophecy in Daniel was fulfilled: 'The Messiah shall be cut off, but not for himself' (Da 9:26); 'To finish transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness' (Da 9:24).
Ah, brethren! it was this that made the disciples glad; they saw that all they ought to suffer was suffered for them: 'They entered into peace.' 'Then were the disciples glad when they saw the Lord.' They were to be sad no more. Ah! do not many of you look to yourselves? You do not belong to Christ. You are only glad when you look to your own righteousness. But the disciples were glad when they saw Jesus as the Lord their righteousness. It was then, and only then, that they were glad. Oh when will you be glad? When will you have true joy? O sinner! look to Jesus. It is only when we see that he has suffered all, and done all we had to do, that we are glad - that our joy will be full.
The disciples were glad, for they saw Jesus was their living Head. 'Because I live, ye shall live also' (Joh 14:19). 'In the world ye shall have tribulation; but, be of good cheer, I have overcome the world' (Joh 16:33). The disciples were no doubt sad - they felt a load of guilt; but now they would rejoice, for they had got a sight of him as an ever-living Saviour. Now, Peter would know how to get his proud heart subdued. Jesus was living - and he would reign till all his enemies were put under his feet. Ah! beloved! if we had a sight of a crucified, living, reigning Jesus, we would get all our enemies subdued. Oh look, sinner! Look, all of you! Oh! then you will have true joy. For my own part, I never knew what joy was till I felt that Jesus had died for me - that he lived for me and reigned for me. The world can give you a little joy; but here is fulness of joy. 'We which have believed do enter into rest' (Heb 4:3).
