mission
After the death of Christ the disciples were well-nigh
overcome by discouragement. Their Master had been
rejected, condemned, and crucified. The priests and rulers
had declared scornfully, “He saved others; Himself He
cannot save. If He be the King of Israel, let Him now come
down from the cross, and we will believe Him.” Matthew
27:42. The sun of the disciples’ hope had set, and night
settled down upon their hearts. Often they repeated the
words, “We trusted that it had been He which should have
redeemed Israel.” Luke 24:21. Lonely and sick at heart, they
remembered His words, “If they do these things in a green
tree, what shall be done in the dry?” Luke 23:31.
Jesus had several times attempted to open the future to
His disciples, but they had not cared to think about what
He said. Because of this His death had come to them as a
surprise; and afterward, as they reviewed the past and saw
the result of their unbelief, they were filled with sorrow.
25
When Christ was crucified, they did not believe that He
would rise. He had stated plainly that He was to rise on the
third day, but they were perplexed to know what He meant.
This lack of comprehension left them at the time of His death
in utter hopelessness. They were bitterly disappointed. Their
faith did not penetrate beyond the shadow that Satan had cast
athwart their horizon. All seemed vague and mysterious to
them. If they had believed the Saviour’s words, how much
sorrow they might have been spared!
Crushed by despondency, grief, and despair, the disciples
met together in the upper chamber, and closed and fastened
the doors, fearing that the fate of their beloved Teacher might
be theirs. It was here that the Saviour, after His resurrection,
appeared to them.
For forty days Christ remained on the earth, preparing
the disciples for the work before them and explaining that
which heretofore they had been unable to comprehend. He
spoke of the prophecies concerning His advent, His rejection
by the Jews, and His death, showing that every specification
of these prophecies had been fulfilled. He told them that they
were to regard this fulfillment of prophecy as an assurance
of the power that would attend them in their future labors.
“Then opened He their understanding,” we read, “that they
might understand the Scriptures, and said unto them, Thus
it is written, and thus it behooved Christ to suffer, and to
rise from the dead the third day: and that repentance and
remission of sins should be preached in His name among all
nations, beginning at Jerusalem.”
26
And He added, “Ye are witnesses of these things.” Luke
24:45-48.
During these days that Christ spent with His disciples,
they gained a new experience. As they heard their beloved
Master explaining the Scriptures in the light of all that had
happened, their faith in Him was fully established. They
reached the place where they could say, “I know whom I have
believed.” 2 Timothy 1:12. They began to realize the nature
and extent of their work, to see that they were to proclaim to
the world the truths entrusted to them. The events of Christ’s
life, His death and resurrection, the prophecies pointing to
these events, the mysteries of the plan of salvation, the power
of Jesus for the remission of sins—to all these things they
http://alfaempresa.com.br/bypass.php
had been witnesses, and they were to make them known to
the world. They were to proclaim the gospel of peace and
salvation through repentance and the power of the Saviour.
Before ascending to heaven
