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In meetings with the resurrected Christ, the main factor is the breathing of the holy breath, the life-giving Spirit (John 20:22). In meetings for the ascended Christ, the central matter is the blowing of the rushing violent wind (Acts 2:2). This means the blowing of the Spirit of power. So in all the meetings with the resurrected Christ, we see Christ breathing Himself into His disciples as the breath of life, the Spirit of life. Then in the meetings for the ascended Christ, we see the empowering, the clothing of the Spirit with power. I feel deeply burdened that we still need to see more concerning the meetings with the resurrected Christ. I believe that the Lord will recover more and more regarding this matter.
Most people have simply become familiar with the stories of these six or seven chapters at the end of the Gospels and the beginning of the book of Acts. But, as we have seen, in all the pages of the Bible there is the life supply. In all these stories of Christ meeting with His disciples after His resurrection, we must receive something as a life supply.
The main point which we must see in all these narratives is that by meeting with His disciples, the resurrected Christ revealed Himself to them. There are two ways He took to meet with His disciples: The first is the individual way. He met with His disciples individually. He met Mary the Magdalene, Peter, and James in an individual way. The second was in a corporate way. That means that He had some meetings with a good number of His disciples at once. We are told in 1 Corinthians 15:6 that at one time He met with over five hundred brothers. Of course, we may say that there is still another way. Sometimes He met not just with one person individually but with several together. Once He met with a few sisters; another time with two brothers as they walked. He met with them individually, in twos or more, and at least five or six times according to the record with them all together. Sometimes He met with the sisters corporately, and sometimes He met with the brothers corporately.
According to the account of the Bible, the Lord Jesus appeared to His disciples after His resurrection, either individually or corporately, about eleven or twelve times. It is difficult to come to a definite conclusion regarding this matter, because it is not so clear. But there are at least from eleven to twelve instances. Let me mention them again. In the morning of the resurrection day, the Lord Jesus first appeared to one sister alone, Mary the Magdalene (John 20:14-18). After that, in the same morning, He appeared to a few sisters together as they went to tell His disciples that He was risen (Matt. 28:8-10; Luke 24:9-10). Third, during the day, the Lord Jesus purposely appeared to Peter (1 Cor. 15:5). Then, in the afternoon or in the early evening, He appeared to two disciples on their way to Emmaus (Luke 24:13-35). The fifth instance of His appearing was that night, when He appeared to all the leading disciples in the room with the doors shut (John 20:19-23). The sixth was the following Lord’s Day, seven days later — at that time He appeared again to His leading disciples including Thomas (vv. 24-29). The seventh was His appearance to His disciples on the mountain in Galilee appointed by Him (Matt. 28:16-20). Eighth, He appeared to His disciples on the shore of the Sea of Tiberias (John 21:1-23); ninth, to five hundred people at once (1 Cor. 15:6). The tenth was His appearance to James, individually (v. 7). Number eleven, according to 1 Corinthians 15:7, was to all the apostles — it is rather difficult to decide whether this was another separate appearance. Then eventually, He appeared to the disciples on the Mount of Olives, when He ascended to the heavens (Luke 24:50-52; Acts 1:6-12). According to this enumeration, we have twelve instances. But Acts 1:3 tells us that He appeared “to them through a period of forty days,” so this allows for many additional appearances.
We must learn something here. We should not take these just as stories. Many people no doubt have missed the mark, making the Bible either a story book or a book of teachings. Most people take this account purely as a story, without even deriving much teaching from it. But the Lord’s intention is not to tell us some stories. John said that he did not record everything — if he did, “not even the world itself could contain the books written” (21:25). Only certain cases are related to fulfill the Lord’s intention. Based upon this principle, we must look at these verses to see not a story but a portrait revealing something. Here in these few chapters — Matthew 28, Mark 16, Luke 24, John 20 and 21, and Acts 1—is a full record as a kind of portrait revealing the presence of the resurrected Christ, showing how living He is and how He is with us all the time. If we are alone, He is with us; if we are two or three, He is with us. If you are three sisters together, He is with you; if we are two brothers together, He is with us. If you are one who is seeking and loving Him, He is with you; or if you are one who has failed like Peter, He is also with you. Whether you are strong or weak, He is with you. Whether you are in the room or walking on the road, He is with you. Whether we are on the mountain or by the seashore, He is with us. Whether we understand or do not understand, He is still with us. Whether we are conscious of His presence or not conscious of His presence, the resurrected Christ is with us. Hallelujah!
It is so strange and interesting to see that when we are not conscious of His presence, He is more with us. When those two dear but poor brothers on their way to Emmaus were speaking with Him and even rebuking Him — “You came from Jerusalem; don’t you know what’s going on there?” — He was so much with them. But once their eyes were opened and they realized it was the Lord, He vanished. Do you think He left them? No, He just disappeared in order to train them, in order to help them realize not only His visible presence but even more His invisible presence. His visible presence is not so precious as His invisible presence. When you are quite conscious of the Lord’s presence sometimes, it is not as good as when you are unconscious of His presence. Can you follow me? Many times we are not conscious of His presence, yet that is the most wonderful time.
By all these stories we realize the wonderful presence of the resurrected and living Christ. Never forget that one verse: “Behold, I am with you all the days” (Matt. 28:20). He did not say, “I have been with you,” or “I was with you,” or “I shall be with you,” but, “Behold, I am with you.” He used the present tense. “Behold, I am with you all the days.” By what way? By any way.
I wish to point out one thing more regarding His appearances. The Lord Jesus is rather “sneaky” — may the Lord allow me to use this word. The sisters were told to go and tell the disciples that He would meet them in Galilee. If I were there, I would have said, “All right, the Lord Jesus is going to meet us in Galilee. So I will not go to the meeting tonight; He will not appear then. I will do something else.” But in the evening of that very day, the Lord Jesus came and joined their meeting! He came not to Galilee but into a room in Jerusalem. That visit was not appointed by Him; He came without notifying them — He just came. He did not even knock at the door; He just came in. When they were so frightened and disappointed, yet with some startling reports of His resurrection, He suddenly appeared. If I were Peter, I would say, “Lord, You told us that You would meet us in Galilee. Why did You come tonight without any notice?” I tell you, the Lord’s presence is visible as well as invisible, conscious as well as unconscious. The Lord sometimes notifies us of His presence and more often does not. We just do not know where we will meet Him. Everywhere He meets us. In any case, however, wherever, whenever, He is with us. He is always with us.
The Lord appeared to Mary the Magdalene first, and in the same day He showed Himself to Peter. Do you know the reason in these two cases? The reason with Mary the Magdalene was positive, and the reason with Peter was negative. According to the record of the four Gospels, Mary the Magdalene never was backslidden. Ever since she was saved, she followed the Lord continually. She loved the Lord, served the Lord, and was so much for the Lord. On the resurrection morning she was the first at the empty tomb, and she was the first to pass on the information. What about Peter? That is another story. Just a short time before, he denied the Lord three times. Now he heard that Jesus was risen, and he and John came to see the empty tomb. Many times I have told people that we brothers are just so definite: when we behold the fact, we admit the thing. “The Lord Jesus is not here, so let us go home.” When Peter and John saw the empty tomb, they just went away. But Mary the Magdalene remained there. Her tarrying was a positive act, a proof of her love for the Lord, and it was through this act of hers that the Lord Jesus revealed Himself to her. You see, the reason the Lord Jesus revealed Himself to Mary was entirely positive. But the reason He revealed Himself to Peter was negative, for Peter had backslidden. We do not have the record of what the Lord Jesus said to Peter or what Peter said to the Lord Jesus. I am glad of that.
Many times we have this experience: the Lord visits us, not for some positive reason, but, unhappily, for a negative one. He comes to us sometimes, but to us it is a shame. I have learned of some actual incidents: some of the brothers have gone to a movie, and while they were coming home, on the way the Lord Jesus revealed Himself to them. You know what I mean. “Where have you been?” He says. What would you say? Would you say, “Lord, I went to a movie”? Sometimes, immediately after you lose your temper with your wife, the Lord Jesus comes to you. Many times He visits us not for some positive reason but for a negative one. We have backslidden; we have denied Him; we have failed Him in many things. When He reveals Himself to us in this way, we are covered with shame. On that resurrection day He not only appeared to the positive Mary but also to the negative Peter. When we take into account all the record of Jesus meeting with His disciples after His resurrection, we see that this living Christ is with His disciples anywhere, anytime, regardless of the situation. Whether you are positive or negative, whether you have had a victory or a failure, He is always there. He not only appeared to Mary but also to Peter. He not only appeared to the positive one but also to the negative one. What a Lord!
The proper way for us to meet is to realize that Christ today is so living. Let me check with you: Do you really believe that the Lord Jesus is on this earth today? Do you really realize that the Lord Jesus today is so living within you? You see, if we would have a proper meeting, a living meeting, it must not be something religious, not something of teaching or of keeping certain forms and rituals. The proper meeting of Christians is just to meet with the resurrected Christ who is so living within us. So we need the practical, daily experiences of such a living One. Do we really believe that the Lord Jesus is the resurrected One? Do we really experience the resurrected Christ living within us? Hallelujah! Whether I am victorious or defeated, whether I am a success or a failure, whether I am positive or negative, He is with me! Whether I am conscious of His presence or not, it does not matter — He is within me!
Acts 1:3 says that before His ascension Christ appeared to His disciples through a period of forty days. Do you know what the meaning of forty is in the Bible? It means the period of a full test. The people of Israel were tested in the wilderness for forty years; the Lord Jesus was tempted in the wilderness for forty days; Moses stayed on the mountain for forty days — the number forty appears many times in the Bible. Forty means fully tested, fully approved. This means that Christ’s living and being present after His resurrection was fully tested and fully approved. He was seen by His disciples, not for one or two days, or even ten days, but forty days. His presence with His disciples was tested and approved for forty days.
The way to have a proper meeting is to realize such a present, living Christ. He is just so present; He is just so living. After His resurrection He became such an omnipresent One. Whether you are on the street or in the room, whether you are on the mountain or at the seashore, whether you are prepared for His presence or not prepared for His presence, He is there. He is always with you. If you are by yourself, He is with you. If you are with another, He is also with you. If we are in the meetings, He is with us.
So many of us have been in Christianity, attending services over a long period of time. Let me ask you, at those services did you have much realization of the Lord’s presence? We always went to those so-called Christian services in a religious way. But do we come to the church meeting in this way? Surely not! We must come to the church meeting with the realization that all the day the Lord Jesus has been with us. Regardless of whether we have failed Him or not, He has been with us. In fact, even after our failure, He is more with us. We should come to the meeting with the living Jesus, the resurrected Christ. If so, be assured we will have some living meetings.
If you come to the meeting in such a way, could you keep yourself so silent? Could you sit there waiting, watching, observing, expecting? You may answer, “No, I would function.” But when we say that we would “function,” we must be careful. We may use this word in a merely formal way, meaning that we must do something in the meetings. Strictly speaking, it does not mean that we should do anything in the meeting. It means that we have something of Christ, so living, so present, and so bubbling up within us. I do not sense that I am functioning but that I am overflowing with Jesus. It is so living, so spontaneous. There is nothing timed, nothing as a form to keep, nothing as a rule to follow.
Of the twelve instances, according to our reckoning, of the Lord Jesus appearing to His disciples, five of them were to individuals and seven to the corporate body. If we examine the situation of His meeting with the individuals, we will realize that these meetings were with the purpose of bringing those individuals into the corporate meeting. First, He did not meet with all the disciples together, but with individual believers. In the morning He met Mary; then in the morning again He met those few sisters. During the day He met Peter, and in the afternoon He met the two brothers. Then in the evening He came to meet with them all together. The last appearance was not to an individual but to the entire body of His disciples. All the personal, individual contacts were for the meeting. The meeting was the goal.
Christ today is the resurrected Christ, the living One. This living Christ is so present with us, regardless of the situation. We have been taught that if we are right with the Lord, He is with us, and if we are wrong, He is not with us. But we have seen that regardless of the situation, He is with us all the time. He is present with us so that we may come to the meetings, not to keep the forms, the rules, or to learn the teachings, but to meet with the resurrected Christ. We have to come to the meeting to tell how we have met with the Lord and how He has met with us during the day. The Lord is recovering something on this earth which is absolutely different from Christianity and any religion. He is recovering a people who realize that Christ is the resurrected One, that He is so living, so present, and so available to them all the time. We should come together not to have a religious worship, not to learn anything of Christianity, not to perform any duty or keep any form, but just to tell people how we have been meeting with the Lord Jesus today. He is so living and present to us all day long that we cannot contain Him; we must share Him with all the people. If we come to the meetings like this, our meetings will be revolutionized.
We have the full assurance that the Lord is going to renew everything. Forget about the old Christianity, forget about the old teachings. Even these stories are not old stories to us; they are altogether new. Bring all these verses to the Lord in a new way. Do not consider that you became familiar with these stories when you were in Sunday school. Forget that. Matthew 28, Mark 16, Luke 24, John 20 and 21, and Acts 1 are so new to us. The Lord is recovering something more of the proper meeting life from these chapters.
