13 - Epilogue

EPILOGUE Are we living proofs of His resurrection? Do we walk with the CONQUEROR of every bond, the VICTOR over every difficulty, the One who has overcome the world, the flesh, and the devil? Are we witnesses of the final victory of CHRIST? If we are not, we do not know Him in the power of His resurrection.

I know a humble mission worker who used to be weak, and frail, and lazy. Almost overnight he was transformed. He became like a flaming torch. Whereas formerly he would half-heartedly pray and ask CHRIST if He were really alive, to reveal Himself; now he spends hours with the UNSEEN, pleading in wholehearted earnestness for the salvation of the souls of the district where he has been appointed as worker. Where formerly even Hindus and Moslems would tell him that he ought to be ashamed to take missionary money and do so little in return, now he goes from house to house, irrespective of who the inhabitant may be, pleading with Hindu, Moslem, and Sikh to make peace with CHRIST, the risen, coming KING. Ask him why the difference. "Because I have met the risen CHRIST," will be his instant, convincing reply. He is a real witness of the resurrection. My Christian brothers and sisters, we have been placing the emphasis wrongly. CHRIST rose from the dead, with one supreme purpose, to make a company of victors, to bring life and immortality to light, to present to the world a church of overcomers as the indisputable evidence of His resurrection. The most significant fact of the universe is the Resurrection. From the invisible world in which we live, and move, and have our being, comes a living voice, "Behold My hands and My feet, that it is I, your Lord, the CONQUEROR of sin and death! And lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world." Let us walk with our risen KING, the Prince of life, until the truth and the power of His great victory swallows up all fear and bondage and sin. Does sin have dominion over you?

Behold the LAMB of GOD who has conquered the sin of the world. Does the fear of death and pain bring you into bondage? Behold His hands that have triumphed over pain and death, and have torn their fetters and bars away. The city of Richmond, Virginia, at one time grew very rapidly. Its fashionable and wealthy citizens began to build in a certain district. In the midst of this district was a church belonging to some poor but very enthusiastic Christians who loved to sing and pray. Their presence was very objectionable to the proper, prim, and fashionable. Accordingly, some of those in the neighborhood undertook to secure signatures to a petition that these enthusiastic worshipers be required to cease disturbing others. The committee in charge first waited upon an influential, wealthy Jewish man, who had been one of the first to come into the district. When they made their object known and requested his signature, he flatly refused, saying, "If I believed as these people do, that my MESSIAH had come, I would shout the news from the housetops and proclaim the tidings far and near; and none could stop me."

O thou that tellest good tidings to this sorrowing, crushed, and bleeding world, lift up thy voice. Be not afraid. Say unto the cities of India and of all the earth, Behold thy GOD! The VICTOR over the grave! Sin and sorrow have been overcome! Death and the grave have lost their sting! Evil has met its Waterloo! He is risen! Hallelujah! He upon whom all the hosts of sin launched their concentrated venom in Gethsemane’s bloody horror, was not crushed for long. He has risen triumphant over sin! Worthy is He to be Saviour! He who bared His heart to the most cruel blows of tragedy and death -- He is risen, more than victor! Were you there when they crucified my Lord? Did you not see that it was my sin, my curse, my sorrow, my pain, and my death that He bore? And because it was my grief, sorrow, sin, and pain that He bore, when He rose, I looked and saw, and behold, in His resurrection my death was swallowed up of life; my sorrow was turned into joy; my defeat was blotted out in the finality of His victory!

Lord JESUS, make me a living, incontrovertible proof of Thy resurrection! I stand with the hosts of the disciples of the ages, in the room where we have closed ourselves in for fear of the unbelieving, cruel world, and suddenly He stands in our midst, saying, "Peace be unto you!" He shows us His hands and His side. He breathes on us, saying, "Receive ye the Holy Spirit." You see My hands. They are conquering hands, conquerors of sin, death, and the cross. You see My side. From it flows the double cure. Henceforth these hands are with you. This side is ever present. You are witnesses of GOD’s cure for the curse. Tarry until ye receive power - the resurrection power - then go forth, witnesses unto Me, the living, victorious CHRIST, CONQUEROR of Gethsemane and Calvary and death."

~ end of book ~