Glad When They Saw Jesus

“Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord” (John 20:20).

A look at “glad”

Glad.

It’s not a word we hear that often today.

But why would we be surprised?

We’re not.

We have the worst president in the history of the United States who sees it as his “duty” to oversee the destruction of America. To say nothing of the destruction of morality. And he has no apologies to offer, not even a shred the width of a mosquito’s leg.

No need in saying more. Except that a lot of folks seem okay with a hijacker pretending he is the pilot, or a man who robs the bank showing up as the new bank president.

Back to glad. . .

John 20:20 says, “the disciples were glad.” But why were they glad?

Glad you asked. That is the key question. It’s a simple question. And it has a simple answer. We’ll cross that bridge shortly.

Suffice it to say, for now, at least: they were glad for the same reason you and I are glad. If we are Christians.

Trail riding

My wife Kathy and I usually ride our horses together on mountain trails.

One day she was asked by a friend to join her on a trail ride. So I and the horse I ride stayed home. My horse was taking her horseshoes for a spin around our pasture and whinnying for her lost companion: freaked out, you might say, at times, as though she had lost her friend forever, yet finding the time, of course, to stop for a mouth full of grass. But then, I missed Kathy, as well.

Though our situation was completely different. That is. My horse and I. It was, perhaps, in some way, similar to what Jesus’ disciples experienced.

But they had lost everything! The One they walked with for three years and had grown to love, had died on a cross and was buried in a tomb. They were alone now. And they had lost all hope.

But when Jesus walked into the room where they were hiding in fear of the authorities who nailed Him to the cross, the disciples were glad! This comes as no surprise. In fact. They were so glad when they saw Him! And amazed! But you know what? We would have been too. He had risen from the grave!

Are you glad?

What about you?

Are you glad when you see Jesus? We do, you know, in a very real way, see Him too, by faith (I Pet. 1:8; Heb. 11:27; 12:2; Ps. 123; Col. 3:1-4). He is the hope for America and Australia and Canada and China. And for you and me. He is the Light of the world. As for those who lay their heads in places like North Korea and Nigeria, He is a present help in time of need. He is their hope. And He is their peace.

As He is ours, as well.

Looking for His appearing

So. Seeing as how He is our hope, let us look, my brothers and sisters, for His return.

On that glorious day, He will remove all the phonies, the cheats, and cons in America (and across the globe): the empty suits and clogged brains circling like buzzards in a sky filled with jet streams (II Thess. 1:3-10; Ps. 37). Are we tired of hearing them flap overhead, or what? Yes. We are tired of it. But until Jesus comes back, we are glad when we remember Him (Heb. 12:3) and know He is the reason we live and have hope. We are glad we can lay our heads on His lap. And we long for the day when He will hold us in His arms, and we will hold Him in ours, for the first time! We will see Him as He is, with perfect vision. Without a single Pan Optix IOL!

The Greek word for “glad” in John 20:20 is “rejoiced.” Now we know why. The disciples rejoiced “when they saw the Lord!” Paul, using this same word, draws the same parallel for us. He tells us to “rejoice in the Lord” (Phil. 3:1; 4:4).

We love you, Lord Jesus, and are glad You are our Shepherd (Ps. 23)!

Turn your eyes upon Jesus,

Look full in His wonderful face;

And the things of earth will grow strangely dim

In the light of His glory and grace.

Finding our way

Have you ever been lost? In a crowd of strangers?

And then, suddenly, you see the face of a friend!

It is quite a relief, isn’t it?

Likewise. We, my brothers and sisters, are pressing through a crowd of strangers. Not only are they strangers to us. But you and I are also a stranger to them (Heb. 11:13; I Pet. 1:1; 2:11; 4:4). But then, one day, we will see His face in the crowd! And then. The world and all those around us will fade and disappear. And we will be at peace with Him.

And we will have no desire to ever return to the crowd of strangers.

He will be our journey’s end.

Glad? Yes. We will be glad when we see Jesus! Whether it is when we die or He returns.

We will be. . .

Forever glad.

Glad When They Saw Jesus

A look at “glad”

Trail riding