This Same Jesus…

Of such a time as this, a Scottish poet said “The holy spirit of the Spring is working silently.” And, to this Tennyson added: “Once more the Heavenly Power makes all things new, . . .”

Goethe said it in these sentences, “So then the year is repeating its old story again. We are come once more, thank God! to its most charming chapter. The violets and the . . . flowers are as its inscriptions or vignettes. It always makes a pleasant impression on us, when we open again at these pages of the book of life.”

Opening again at the pages of the book of life is a theme of exceeding significance since, some nineteen centuries ago, Jesus the Christ walked among men and proclaimed the eternal precepts of life everlasting. His coming was foretold by prophets whose words are witnessed in the written record. His ministry, His message, His miracles, were witnessed by a multitude of men as also was the reality of His resurrection, as He appeared to his apostles and to many others also, “being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God: . . . And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, 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.”

His divinity, the literal reality of His resurrection, and His coming again on earth are the very foundation of Christian faith, and the assurance unto all men of everlasting life. And this day we would witness of the certainty of such assurance the assurance that personality is perpetuated, and truth and intelligence, and that, for all of us, everlasting life with our loved ones is the very essence and intent of heaven and the hereafter the prime motive of our Father’s plan and purpose.

“The holy spirit of the Spring is working silently.” “We open again at these pages of the book of life.” “Once more the Heavenly Power makes all things new, . . .”