Less Than Half the Story
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This article has been excerpted from Morning & Evening by Charles H. Spurgeon.
“The power of his resurrection.”
– Philippians 3:10
“I bid you aspire to see Christ Jesus by the eye of faith, and though, like Mary Magdalene, you may not “touch” Him, yet may you be privileged to converse with Him, and to know that He is risen: you yourselves being risen in Him to newness of life.”
– Charles H. Spurgeon
The Doctrine of a Risen Saviour is exceedingly precious.
The resurrection is the corner-stone of the entire building of Christianity. It is the key-stone of the arch of our salvation. It would take a volume to set forth all the streams of living water which flow from this one sacred source, the resurrection of our dear Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ; but to know that He has risen, and to have fellowship with Him as such—communing with the risen Saviour by possessing a risen life—seeing Him leave the tomb by leaving the tomb of worldliness ourselves, this is even still more precious.
The doctrine is the basis of the experience, but as the flower is more lovely than the root, so is the experience of fellowship with the risen Saviour more lovely than the doctrine itself. I would have you believe that Christ rose from the dead so as to sing of it, and derive all the consolation which it is possible for you to extract from this well-ascertained and well-witnessed fact, but I beseech you, rest not contented even there. Though you cannot, like the disciples, see Him visibly, yet I bid you aspire to see Christ Jesus by the eye of faith, and though, like Mary Magdalene, you may not “touch” Him, yet may you be privileged to converse with Him, and to know that He is risen: you yourselves being risen in Him to newness of life.
“As the flower is more lovely than the root, so is the experience of fellowship with the risen Saviour more lovely than the doctrine [of the resurrection] itself.”
To know a crucified Saviour as having crucified all my sins, is a high degree of knowledge, but to know a risen Saviour as having justified me, and to realize that He has bestowed upon me new life, having given me to be a new creature through His own newness of life, this is a noble style of experience: short of it, none ought to rest satisfied. May you both “know him, and the power of his resurrection.” Why should souls who are quickened with Jesus wear the grave-clothes of worldliness and unbelief? Rise, for the Lord is risen.
"Come, my soul, sit at Jesus's feet and learn of him all this day."
In our busy, cluttered world, it's far too easy to ignore these longings, to forget that the deepest desires of our hearts are met in the person of Jesus Christ. But what if we could actually, daily, shift our attention towards him and, in doing so, find ourselves fulfilled, whole, and absolutely loved?
This daily morning and evening devotional will guide you to the feet of Jesus, where you will begin your days by fixing your gaze on Him and finish your days by basking in His endless love.
“Why should souls who are quickened with Jesus wear the grave-clothes of worldliness and unbelief? Rise, for the Lord is risen.”
