Melchizedek

"Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!"

  

Melchizedek

He was the Priest of the Most High God. - Genesis 14:18

Out of the mist of ages comes, unknown,

His crown'd and mitred mien,

Who evermore, a Priest upon His throne,

Shall live and reign serene:

The King of righteousness His sceptre shews,

While palms and olives near the Prince of Peace

disclose.

And Father Abraham bends and bows before

One greater far than He;

Forth come the Bread and Wine, prefiguring

more

Than feeble sense may see:

The offer'd tithes His sacrifice proclaim,

And His High-priesthood own of everlasting

Name.

Thus Abraham saw Christ's day. The man of

woes

Is Salem's mystic king;

The King of Righteousness whose names disclose

Of Peace the Prince and spring:

The wine-press, for our thirst, who comes to

tread,

And for our hungering souls to break the Living

Bread.

The Ascension of Christ

       He last interview he had with them was in Jerusalem; and he took the little band of believers out of the city, down through the Eastern Gate, down through the valley of Jehosaphat, over the brook Kedron, past that garden where he sweated drops of blood, past Calvary, over the brow of the hill, and went out past Bethany, where Martha and Mary and Lazarus (the resurrected man) lived; and perhaps right there, under a cluster of little olive trees, he met his disciples for the last time to bid them farewell, and gave them his parting message. Now He says: "I go home; I go back to the throne; (He had been out of the grave forty days); now I ascend to God." And while he was blessing them - for you know he came blessing, the first thing he said on that memorable mountain when he preached that wonderful sermon (there were nine blessings right out of his heart, he could not go on until he got them out): "Blessed are the poor;" "Blessed are the peacemakers;" Blessed, blessed; and he recited those wondrous things and blessed them. And while he was blessing them he began to ascend; and he rose higher and higher; and his voice grew fainter and fainter, and at last it died away in the clouds; and the clouds received him out of their sight.

"We love because He first loved us."
1 John 4:19. Free clip art here.

       I can imagine up in the clouds there was a chariot from the throne, to take him back home; his work was finished; he rides like Elijah in that golden chariot, and sweeps away through the heavens to the throne. Look at Him on his way to that world where all honor him, and all love him! And as he went sweeping upon his way home, he did not forget his little church; he could see them, but they could not see him; and I can see Peter and John looking up, in hopes that there will be a break in the clouds so that they may see him once more. And while they stand there, gazing up into heaven, you can see tears trickling down their cheeks, their hearts have almost gone out of their body; and he looks back and sees them; and he says to two of the angels who were conveying him home, "Go back, and tell those men that I will come back again." I don't know but they were the two, Mary saw in the sepulchre; and they said:

       "Ye men of Gallilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven." Thank God he is coming back! It is only a question of time. And in such a day and hour as we think not, he will rend the heavens and come back. Lift up your hearts, for the time of your redemption draweth near. "We don't worship a dead Savior! He has passed through the heavens, gone up on high, led captivity captive and taken his seat at the right hand of God.

       Paul saw him, and Stephen saw him, standing at the right hand of God. He is there, my friends. Thanks be to God, he is not here. They laid him in Joseph's sepulchre; he is risen and up yonder. D. L. Moody

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Of gold, and gems, and jewels rare,

Earth hides a countless store,

If we may trust the sages

Deep read in nature's lore;

And many a pearl lies buried

In ocean's shining caves,

But sacred treasures sleep within

Our pleasant hill of graves.

The Resurrection Illustrated

His Is Risen!
He Is Risen Indeed!

       So it is that out of these elementary particles human bodies are built, and out of nature's storehouse God will in some way reinvest the spirit with a material organism. We can well believe that this is possible in the light of what chemistry can do. There are many things which the chemist can do which we would not believe to be possible did we not know them to be facts. I think it is Dr. Brown who quotes from Mr. Hallet the story of a gentleman who was something of a chemist, who had given a faithful servant a silver cup. The servant dropped the cup in a vessel of what he supposed to be pure water, but which in reality was aqua fortis. He let it lie there, not thinking it could receive any harm, but, returning some time after, saw the cup gradually dissolving. He was loudly bewailing his loss when he was told that his master could restore the cup for him. He could not believe it. "Do you not see," he said' "that it is dissolving before our sight?" But at last the master was brought to the spot. He called for some salt water, which he poured into the vessel, and told the servant to watch. By and by the silver cup began to gather as a white powder at the bottom. When the deposit was complete the master said to the servant, "Pour off the liquid, gather up this dust, have it melted and run together, then take it to the workman and let him hammer the cup again." You may take gold; you may file it down to a powder, mix it with other metals, throw it into the fire, do what you will with it, and the chemist will bring back with certainty the exact gold.
       Thus our bodies are built up by fruits from the tropics, by grain from the prairies. The flesh that roamed the plains as cattle has become part of us. If God can build up human bodies here, can He not find and convert the dust that we put away in the grave, and bring it back to forms of life? In my judgment, God is able to preserve even the particles of the human body and restore them. So far as the power is concerned, it can be done, and will be done, as God may think best. H. W. Thomas, D. D.

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In the third watch, alert and brave;

O, joy, the King to see;

To mark His anxious, scanning look,

Light up, beholding me!

The long watch past; the sobbing fight

Ended; the victory won;

And, O, for me, His words of praise;

"Servant of God, well done!"

The Eternal Life Indescribable

       I have often thought if I could only tell or picture eternal life I would have but one sermon and I would tell it out. I would go to civilized nations and I would go to heathen nations and I would tell it out But I can't do it. I have tried many a time to describe what it is, but I don't know somehow or another it seems as if my tongue was tied; it seems to me if I could only picture what the gift of God, what eternal life is, that the people would come to God this morning - that men, women and children would flock into the kingdom by hundreds, if I could only picture what it is. There is nothing we value in this world as we do life. A man will go around the world to lengthen out his life a few years. If he has got wealth he will give money by thousands if he can get medical aid. But this is a world that is filled with sorrow and separation. As I look over this audience I see the emblems of mourning all through the congregation. Not a circle that has not been broken - and many a dear circle has been broken since I stood on this platform last. Death is constantly coming in and taking away this one and that one, and in many you see here and there the natural force is becoming abated and they are tending towards the grave. In a little while they know they must go down to the grave. And so we think life is very sweet here; but just think of the life in the world where there is no stooping form, no gray hair, where the natural force never becomes abated, where the eye never grows dim, where the step is firm and moves on and on through the palaces of the King, where perpetual youth stands on your brow forever, a city where death never enters and sin never comes, a city where all is bright and joyful, a city without a night in it a city without pain, without sorrow, and without death. Think of it! Not only that, but a city where we shall be with the King himself, and be in His presence. Yea, better still, where these vile bodies shall be found like His own glorious body and shall reign with Him forever! That is eternal life. Why, what are your bonds and stocks when you get to looking at eternal life ? Why do you want to go on the Board of Trade and make a few thousands or a few millions? "What is that? Think of life forever; a life that is as pure as God's life, that floats on and on unceasingly through joys that last forever. The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life. You may have it this morning. Come, friends, will you seek him? If you will take my advice you will not go out of this house this morning without seeking eternal life - without making up your mind that you will seek it. - D. L. Moody

Lincoln Brewster sings "God Of The Impossible"

Let me grow by sun and shower,

Every moment water me;

Make me really hour by hour

More and more conformed to Thee,

That Thy loving eye may trace,

Day by day, my growth in grace. 

H. R. Havergal.

Easter by A. Irvine Innes

The Lord Over All...

 Easter by A. Irvine Innes

That Jesus lived, that Jesus died,
The ancient stories tell;
With words of wisdom, love, and truth,
That he could speak so well;
And all so great his work for man,
I hail him, brave and free.
The highest of heroic souls
Who lived and died for me.

That Jesus rose, that Jesus reigns.
The hearts that love him know;
They feel Him guide and strengthen them.
As on through life they go.
Rejoicing in His leadership,
The heavenward way I see,
And shall not stray if I can say.
He rose and reigns in me.

Easter

Purple Passion Cross.

 

Easter by Richard Watson Gilder

The Lord is risen indeed,
He is here for your love, for your need
Not in the grave, nor the sky,
But here where men live and die;
And true the word that was said:
''Why seek ye the living among the dead?"

Wherever are tears and sighs,
Wherever are children's eyes.
Where man calls man his brother.
And loves as himself another,
Christ lives ! The angels said :
"Why seek ye the living among the dead?"