____________________________________________________ THE GOSPEL OBSERVER ____________________________________________________ "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations...teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age" (Matthew 28:19,20). ____________________________________________________ December 11, 2005 ____________________________________________________ Contents: 1) Clinging to the Master (Irvin Himmel) 2) "According to the Scriptures" (Paul Smithson) 3) News & Notes ____________________________________________________ -1- Clinging to the Master by Irvin Himmel Mary Magdalene was the first to see Jesus after his resurrection (Mk. 16:9). When he spoke to her, she supposed that he was the gardener. It was not until he called her by name that Mary turned and said to him, "Rabboni," which means Master. Jesus said to Mary, "Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God" (Jn. 20:17). Why did Jesus forbid Mary Magdalene to touch him? This question is puzzling especially in view of the Master's having said to others following his resurrection, "Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me, have" (Lk. 24:39). Also, it was after his resurrection and before he ascended to the Father that Jesus said to Thomas, "Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing" (Jn. 20:27). For what reason would some be invited to handle his body while Mary was forbidden to touch him? Shortly after the appearance to Mary, Jesus met certain women as they went to tell his disciples about the empty tomb, "And they came and held him by the feet, and worshiped him" (Matt. 28:10). Why were they allowed to hold him by the feet but Mary was prohibited from touching him? The key to this puzzle seems to be in the meaning of the word "touch" as it is used in John 20:17. It denotes much more than reaching forth with the hands to make contact. It signifies "to cling to, lay hold of" (Vine). The New King James Version renders it, "Do not cling to Me." The New International Version translates it, "Do not hold on to me." Mary longed for unbroken fellowship with her Master. She wanted to cling to him. Jesus told her not to hold on to him, for he had not yet ascended to the Father. The constant communion which she desired must wait until after his return to heaven. Jesus would not resume his daily visible association with his followers. He would soon leave this physical realm to be with the Father on high. The fellowship which we now have with Christ is far richer and need not be interrupted. Now that Jesus Christ has ascended to the Father and is seated at his right hand in the heavens, we should cling to him and hold to him. (1) We have fellowship with Christ. Through submission to the gospel we are brought into a shared relationship with our Savior. And truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ" (1 Jn. 1:3). This divine and precious communion is sustained by our walking in the light, confessing our sins, keeping his commandments, loving one another, abiding in him, believing in him, and overcoming the world. (2) The Spirit of Christ dwells in our hearts by faith. "And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying 'Abba, Father'" (Gal. 4:6). Paul prayed for his brethren that they might "be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith" (Eph. 3:16,17). "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom" (Col. 3:16). (3) We are to hold on to our profession of him. "Seeking then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession" (Heb. 4:14). One who confesses that Jesus is Lord should stick to that acknowledgment. "Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering" (Heb. 10:23). (4) We are to cling to the Lord. The converts to Christ at Antioch of Syria were exhorted by Barnabas, "that with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the Lord" (Acts 11:23). The true disciple continues with the Master, abides in him, and refuses to turn loose. To Mary Magdalene the crucifixion of Jesus was a horrible experience. Perhaps her hopes were shattered. To see the Master alive brought joy indescribable. She yearned for his abiding presence, but Jesus was not long to remain in the visible flesh and bone body. She must not hold on to him. Soon he would ascend to the Father. After the ascension and the sending of the Spirit to guide the apostles, uninterrupted fellowship began to be offered through the gospel. No longer does the Master forbid clinging to him. Through the message of the apostles he encourages us to come to him, to abide in him, and to hold constantly to him. I will cling to my Savior and never depart, I will joyfully journey each day, With a song on my lips and a song in my heart, That my sins have been taken away. -- Via Guardian of Truth XXXIII: 8, p. 244, April 20, 1989 ____________________________________________________ -2- "According to the Scriptures" by Paul Smithson The fact that Jesus died, was buried, and resurrected is the very foundation of salvation from sin. We can believe in these events even though we were not there to see them happen because of creditable, eyewitness testimony of those who did -- men who gave their lives telling the story because they knew it to be the truth. Our assurance is made even stronger when we realize all of the astounding details concerning these events took place according to the divine predictions of God in the Scriptures. As the apostle declared, "For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures" (1 Cor. 15:3-4). The divine predictions given centuries before concerning what would take place were frequently referred to by the apostles when they preached the gospel. These references have been divinely recorded for our assurance and conviction. Let us consider some of the astonishing prophecies of the Messiah's death, burial, and resurrection. Matthew tells us how Jesus was stripped, beaten, and mistreated (Mt. 27:27-ff). God foretold this over 700 years prior through the prophet Isaiah. "I gave My back to those who strike Me, and My cheeks to those who pluck out the beard; I did not cover My face from humiliation and spitting" (Isa. 50:6). The scourging of Jesus, recorded by John (Jn. 19:1), was foretold in the Psalms. "The plowers plowed upon my back: they lengthened their furrow" (Ps. 129:3). Crucifixion, the cruel type of death Jesus faced, involved the nailing of the hands and feet to a wooden cross. John tells of this crucifixion and how Jesus was mocked and stripped, lots cast for His garments, sour wine given to Him in His thirst, etc. (Jn. 19). Centuries before Jesus' crucifixion, David by inspiration uttered these Messianic words, "My God, my God, why hast Thou forsaken me?...All who see me sneer at me; They separate with the lip, they wag the head, saying, 'Commit yourself to the Lord; let Him deliver him; Let Him rescue him, because He delights in him'...I am poured out like water, And all my bones are out of joint; My heart is like wax; It is melted within me. My strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue cleaves to my jaws...They pierced my hands and my feet. I can count all my bones. They look, they stare at me; They divide my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots" (Ps. 22:1-16; cf. Ps. 69:20-21; Zach. 12:10). The fact that Jesus was crucified as a criminal along with thieves was no accident. The prophet Isaiah foretold how the Messiah would be "numbered with the transgressors" (Isa. 53:12). While on the cross the legs of the criminals were broken to hasten their death. The legs of Jesus, however, were not broken as predicted in the Psalms. "He keeps all his bones; Not one of them is broken" (Ps. 34:20; cf. Jn. 19:33). Jesus was crucified as a criminal, yet, as God had predicted through the prophet He was buried in a rich man's tomb. "His grave was assigned to be with wicked men, yet with a rich man in His death..." (Isa. 53:9; cf. Jn. 19:38-42). The Messiah was also resurrected according to what had been predicted centuries before. The apostle Peter made several references to this fact in his sermon on Pentecost. "Brethren, I may confidently say to you regarding the patriarch David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. And so, because he was a prophet, and knew that God had sworn to him with an oath to seat one of His descendants upon his throne, he looked ahead and spoke of the resurrection of the Christ, that He was neither abandoned to Hades, nor did His flesh suffer decay" (Ac. 2:29; cf. Ps. 16:8-10). Peter continued to also explain how David long ago in the Psalms spoke of how the Christ was to ascend to the right hand of God, quoting from Psalm 110:1, "The Lord said to My Lord, sit at My right hand until I make Thine enemies a footstool for Thy feet" (Ac. 2:34-35). The fact that we not only have credible, eyewitness testimony concerning Jesus' death, burial, and resurrection, but also have these and many more amazing detailed prophecies concerning these events leaves no excuse for disbelief (Mk. 16:16). -- Via The Bulletin of the Church of Christ at New Georgia, August 14, 2005 ____________________________________________________ -3- News & Notes We extend our condolences to the family and friends of Darren Bennett (from Denham Springs) who was killed in a motorcycle accident December 6. He was 23 years old. Our sympathies and prayers also go out for the loved ones of Sylvania Murphy (of eastern Kentucky) who also passed away recently. A prayer request has been made for Joyce Jones (also from eastern Kentucky) who recently had both legs broken in a car accident. Kevin Cowart had made some major improvement several days ago that seemed to have occurred almost over night, which was marvelous news. Last Friday (12/9), surgery was performed on his six broken ribs, which had been interfering with his lungs. Various blood clots were also discovered and removed from the lung area. The surgery went well; and in several days, he will be transferred to a clinic in New Orleans to begin rehab. ____________________________________________________ MYRTLE STREET CHURCH OF CHRIST 1022 Myrtle Street Denham Springs, LA 70726 (225) 664-8208 Sunday: 9:15 AM, 10:00 AM, 4:00 PM Wednesday: 7:00 PM evangelist/editor: Tom Edwards (225) 667-4520 e-mail: tedwards@onemain.com web site: http://home.onemain.com/~tedwards/go ____________________________________________________