"He is Not Here, but is Risen"

SORROWING hearts had come to seek One whom they loved. A few days previous they had followed Him step by step from scene to scene of deepest shame, and scorn, and reproach, and insult heaped upon Him, when the rage and malice of man, urged on by Satan, did its worst, until the deep dark wickedness of man’s heart had been manifested to the full at Calvary; where the Lord of life and glory, the Sinless One, the Holy One, was nailed to the accursed tree. God had attested His delight and joy in Him from the opened heavens. His words, His works, His whole life upon earth, ever spotless, pure and perfect, had marked Him out as the Perfect Man — perfect in subjection and dependence, perfect in His obedience to all the will of God, even though the death on the cross was involved in doing the will of the Father who sent Him. His accusers were unable to lay a finger on any act of sin; He was the Sinless One. His judge had to say, “Why, what evil hath He done?” and from earth and heaven the united testimony is, “He hath done no sin, neither was guile found in His mouth.” Yet He suffered for sins but not His own; He died, the just for the unjust, died in the room and stead of guilty man. He was delivered for our offenses, and was raised again for our justification. He said, “it is finished.” He bowed His head and died, was buried, and the third day rose again, according to the Scriptures (1 Cor. 15:3-43For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; 4And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: (1 Corinthians 15:3‑4)). On the cross all was done, the mighty work was finished, full atonement was made. Man condemned Him; man led Him to Calvary; man nailed Him to the tree; man laid Him in the tomb, and would fain have kept Him there. But God raised Him from amongst the dead. Thus God has set His seal upon that work, the work of His own Beloved Son — the work of redemption, the work that saves, and saves eternally, all those who believe on His Son, the risen and triumphant Saviour — and in the empty tomb God attests His acceptance and satisfaction with the payment which our Surety has made on our behalf. The tomb is empty, “He is not here,” is the angelic message. The One who lay there is now on the throne, and as we look up and see that Man in the glory, the empty tomb and the Man in the glory is a full answer to all the evil accusations of Satan, as well as the dark forebodings and fears of our own trembling hearts. They tell us that all God’s claims because of our sins have been met, and all the claims of His holy throne have been answered to the full, and now upon this ground, a risen Man at God’s right hand, God can be just and the Justifier of all who believe on Jesus.
Oh! unsaved reader; oh! ye with doubts and fears, ye trembling ones. Oh! hear the blessedness, the glad tidings of salvation. God can and does now save all who believe in Christ, the One who died and rose again, and that in perfect keeping with His holiness and righteousness. The foundation of God standeth sure. Nothing can shake that, nor the soul that is resting there. Dear reader, are you resting here, on the finished work of Christ? Then you may rest in peace. All, all has been done to the glory of God, and salvation, forgiveness of sins and perfect acceptance is the blessed portion of all who believe on the Son of God. Dost thou believe on the Son of God? (John 9:3535Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when he had found him, he said unto him, Dost thou believe on the Son of God? (John 9:35)).
A. E.
It is finished! yes, indeed,
Finished every jot;
Sinner, this is all you need,
Tell me, is it not?