Third Appearance

Third appearance (Luke 24: 33-35; 1 Cor. 15: 5)

Next the Lord Jesus Christ appeared to Simon Peter on the day of His resurrection as we read in Luke 24: 34: "The Lord is risen indeed and hath appeared to Simon." We can imagine why Simon Peter ran to the empty sepulcher after Mary and other women told him that the sepulcher was empty, the angels having told them that He was risen from the dead. In Luke 24: 12 we read, "Then arose Peter, and ran unto the sepulcher; and stooping down, he beheld the linen clothes laid by themselves, and departed, wondering in himself at that which was come to pass." Perhaps while he was returning from the sepulcher the Lord Jesus Christ met Peter, thus giving him opportunity to ask forgiveness for denying Him three times. What a great joy the apostle Peter must have experienced when he tasted the abundant grace and forgiveness of the Lord Jesus Christ.

The more we humble ourselves at the Lord's feet and continue in His presence with a broken heart and a contrite spirit the more we enjoy His power of resurrection. We find the same Peter writing in his first epistle chapter 5 verse 6, to all believers, "Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time." He also says in verse 5, "Be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble." We also read in Matt. 23: 12, "And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted." The Lord Jesus Christ Himself washed the feet of the disciples before He was crucified giving us an example how to love and serve one another with a real sense of humility and brokenness. Our holy and mighty God lives only in two places according to Isa. 57: 15: "For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones." It is only in these two places the almighty God lives. He does not live in places made by man's hands, Also our Lord said in Matt. 11: 29, "…Learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart." We have to learn this life-long lesson to be kept humble in His presence. It is very easy for us to be proud and puffed up whenever we see God working mightily in us and through us. May the Lord keep us humble and save us from the great temptations of robbing God of His glory.