BEHOLD CHRIST JESUS

"Behold My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself." -Luke 24:39 [KJV]

One Amintos had performed some valiant acts, and lost part of his arm in the field of battle for his country’s good. His brother Aechylus was about to be condemned to die. Amintos came into court, spake not a word, but only lifted up the stump of his arm without a hand: as though he had said, See what I have lost in my country’s cause! His silent oratory prevailed, and saved his brother’s life. 

What a much more affecting sight does our dear Lord now present to His disciples! He called upon them, He calls upon us to behold: they, by the eye of sense; we, by the eye of faith. Consider, the reasons for this; 

(1st.) To compose and comfort their minds. They were terrified and affrighted. They took Him for a spirit. Christ is touched with a feeling of our infirmities. He sympathizes with us in all our troubles. One cause of them is misapprehension of the nature of Christ: we too often forget that He was a perfect man, like unto us in all things, except “Behold My hands and My feet, with the nail prints in them: it is I Myself.” The very same man, with the same flesh and blood, Who lately hung upon the cross. Handle Me: feel Me. 

(2d.) It was to confirm their faith, in His dying for their sins, and rising again for their justification. He died as a weak man. He rose as the almighty God. As God-man, He atoned for sin, conquered death and hell for us. The faith of this is the source of all hope, and the spring of all peace to our souls. 

(3d.) He says, Behold, etc. to quicken our love. O soul! can you behold by faith, and think of the love and sufferings of Jesus for your salvation, and not love Him? His pierced body, hands, and feet, are the marks of His great love and agony of sufferings for you. O! love, rejoice, and adore. Does He not deserve the whole love of our heart, and the entire affections of our soul? 

Behold, (4th.) that all your hope may be in Him. Beware of that cursed notion of pride, which some advance, they pretend to believe in Christ for the pardon of sin, but, for their final justification, hope in their own works. No, my Lord: the sin-atoning, law-fulfilling, soul-justifying work is Thine, and Thine alone. I will hope in no other. My soul, I charge thee, fix, constantly fix all thy attention, all thy hope, upon thy once pierced Lord. My conscience, I charge thee, when base intruders would rival His glory, banish them. Cry with abhorrence, get ye hence. “What have I to do any more with idols?” -Hosea 14:8

 

Behold, my soul, the scars and wounds 

Which Jesus in His body wore: 

See, how His precious love abounds! 

Think of thy sins—‘twas them He bore. 

Say, faith, what answer dost thou give? 

Pardon and peace unto my heart; 

That to Christ’s glory I should live, 

And never from His love depart.

 

-preacher Wm. Mason (1724-1797 A.D.)

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