Obrázky na stránke
PDF
ePub

such men as Herod, Belshazzar, and Pharoah, but all who neglected to seek His favour, all who opposed Him. Yea, the Saviour hath said, "He that is not for me, is against me; and he who gathereth not with me, scattereth abroad." When we consider His greatness and goodness combined, and reflect upon what He has done and suffered, upon what He is now doing and ready to do, is it not surprising that we should not love Him more and serve Him better than we do? How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation? "If any man love not our Lord Jesus Christ, let him be anathema maranatha." And no doubt greater condemnation will be experienced from the rejection of the Gospel, than from the transgression of the law."

Then, thirdly, Here is encouragement for all. In coming to God we need a mediator, but not in coming to Christ; we may come immediately to Him. If you were required to render yourself more worthy previously to coming to Him, this might well discourage you. But you must come as a sinner, as guilty, and as unworthy of His notice. Come, as polluted, to the fountain opened for sin and uncleanness, to Him who can cleanse your spotted souls from crimes of deepest dye. Come ye who are exposed to the wrath of God, and shelter yourselves in Him, and then rejoice in the declaration, "There is no condemnation to them who are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the spirit."

Lastly, "Be ye followers of Christ as dear children." "Condescend to men of low estate; rejoice with those who do rejoice, and weep with those that weep." Like Him, be the friend of sinners. Sinners are the greatest subjects of your compassion. May you hate their sins, but love their souls! Pray for them. Do not treat them as the Pharisees of old did, with contempt, and insolence, who said, Come not near me, I am holier than thou. Do not avoid intercourse with them, if duty or kindness call you, for otherwise you only run into danger, and you are to watch and pray that you enter not into temptation. You are always to remember that there is a difference between the Saviour and you in this respect. He had nothing inflammable in Him, but as you have so much tinder, the neighbourhood of sparks will always be dangerous to you. But if duty and kindness call you, stand not aloof, employ what influence you can for their good; follow His bright example who went about doing good, and know that "he who converteth a sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins."

116

XV.

THE FATHER'S LOVE FOR THE SON.

(Preached on Sunday Evening, June 28th, 1846.)

The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into His hand.— JOHN iii 35.

THESE are the words of John; not the Apostle, but John the forerunner of the Messiah. John was a very distinguished character; he was prophesied of five hundred years before he was born. After a long seclusion from the world, and a holy training, he appeared in the wilderness of Judæa, crying out "Repent ye, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." He not only announced the coming of Christ, but had the honour of introducing Him personally to the people, saying, “Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sins of the world." He had also the honour of baptizing Him. But John was good as he was great. We can hardly find an instance of humility, of self-denial, and of pure zeal that would exceed his. The disciples of John, seeing the Saviour rise into respectability and popularity, grew jealous of Him, and therefore with long faces came and said unto Him, "Rabbi, he that was with thee beyond Jordan, to whom thou barest witness, behold, the same baptizeth, and all men come to him." But what was a source of grief to them, was a source of pure joy to him." "I am glad of it," John answered; "A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven. He must increase, but I must decrease." And then, not only speaking of grandeur, but whence it is derived, he says, "He that cometh from above, is above all... and what He hath seen and heard, that He testifieth, and no man receiveth His testimony. He that receiveth this testimony hath set to his seal that God is true. For He whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the Spirit by measure

"The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all

unto Him."
things into His hand."

Two things, therefore, appear to come before us. The love of the Father, this is the first: "The Father loveth the Son." And secondly, the riches of the Son: "and hath given all things into His hand."

I. We consider THE LOVE OF THE FATHER.

I think it may be necessary to observe four things with regard to this love.

First, its object. "God is good to all, and His tender mercies are over all His works." "The eyes of all wait upon Him, He openeth His hand and satisfieth the desire of every living thing." Thus He regards all men, and provides for their support. There is also in God a love of benevolence; this regards man as a fallen creature, at once "miserable and blind and naked." The love of God appears in His redemption, pardon, and sanctification. There is in God also a love of complacency; thus He regards man as a changed and renewed creature, "for what fellowship hath light with darkness? And how can two walk together except they be agreed." But God loves regenerate men, and beholds them with approbation and delight; "He takes pleasure in them that fear Him, in those that hope in His mercy." He loves angels as holy beings that never offended, who always "do His will, hearkening to the voice of His word." Thus He loves the Son, only in a higher and infinitely greater degree; for it is impossible for words to express, or imagination to conceive, the satisfaction He takes in the Son of His love.

Observe, secondly, the grounds of this love. One of these is likeness. There is a degree of resemblance in every Christian; therefore Christians are said to be partakers of the divine nature, and to "be renewed in the image of Him that created them, in righteousness and true holiness." But how much

depravity is there in the holiest man upon earth! This is indeed their burden; this makes them moan and groan, saying' "O wretched man that I am!" But in the Son there is nothing of this. The prince of this world came, but found nothing in Him. If you would know what God is, go and behold Him in the person of His Son, "who is the brightness of the Father's glory, and the express image of His person."

Another of these grounds is obedience to His will. Hence in the eighth chapter of this Gospel, He says, "He that sent me

is with me; the Father hath not left me alone, for I do always those things which please Him." Yea, this obedience was cheerful. He could say, "My meat is to do the will of my Father which is in heaven, and to finish. His work." He could say, "I delight to do Thy will, O God; yea, thy law is within my heart." This obedience was invariably exercised, even when it required Him to be "a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief," to bear "the contradiction of sinners against Himself;" to agonize in the garden, and to bleed upon the cross. "Arise," said He, "let us go hence," that is, to suffer and to die. 66 Father," said He, "if it be possible, let this cup pass from me nevertheless not my will, but Thine be done." He could therefore say as He approached the end of life, with regard to every moment of His existence, with regard to every word, action, thought, or imagination of heart, "Father I have glorified Thee on the earth; I have finished the work which Thou gavest me to do."

Another ground of His love was the sacrifice He made of Himself for sinners. He therefore says, "Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life for the sheep." Does the Father love the Son because of this? How, then does the Father Himself love sinners, when He loved the Saviour for dying for them! There are some who seem to think the Father had no love towards a guilty world till the Saviour produced and procured it, not considering that "all things are of God," who hath reconciled the world unto Himself by the death of His Son; that "He hath made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him;" that He hath called us with an holy calling; that "He justifies us freely by His grace; through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus." God takes pleasure in those of you who feed the hungry, who clothe the naked, who relieve the distressed, and who teach the ignorant, and He has told us that those "who turn many to righteousness shall shine as the stars for ever and ever." What, then, must be His love for His Son, the Ransomer of the world! What must be His love to Him, for all the millions He has redeemed and justified, sanctified, and saved!

"The Father loveth the Son." Consider, thirdly, the evidence of this love. The evidence of it turns upon His expressions; we often lay no stress upon these, as used by many, for they are not always to be depended upon. Judas, when he betrayed the Saviour, said, "Hail, Master; and kissed Him."

David said, "their words are smoother than oil, yet are they drawn swords." But God's language is true and righteous altogether. Therefore says He, "Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delightest." At His baptism there was a voice saying, "This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased," and in the Transfiguration again there was a voice saying the same thing. Paul speaks of our "being delivered from the power of darkness, and translated into the kingdom of His dear Son." "Who was the only-begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth."

The evidence turns upon His reference to Him in all the arrangements He made previous to His birth. Was there a succession of prophets raised up from the first? "To Him gave all the prophets witness," and the testimony of Jesus was the spirit of prophecy. Were millions of sacrifices instituted? It was to prefigure Him. There was not a slaughtered bullock, nor a slain lamb, nor a loaf of shewbread, nor a particle of manna, nor a drop of water from the rock, but was intended to hold Him forth. Were there civil or sacred revolutions in states and churches? It was all for Him. "I will overturn, overturn, overturn, till He shall come whose right it is." "I will shake the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and the dry land; and I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations shall come; and I will fill His house with glory." Therefore the period of His incarnation is called "the fulness of time."

The evidence turns upon the personal honours that were shown Him when He was upon earth. God made a star in the east to go before the eastern Magi, till it went and stood over where the young child was. The angel of God appeared to the shepherds, and said, "Behold, I bring you good tidings which shall be to all people," "and the multitude of the heavenly host praised God, saying, Glory to God in the Highest, peace on earth and good-will to men." He dies, the heavens seem clothed in sackcloth; the sun hid his face; the earth shook and trembled; the rocks rent; the graves opened, and many of those who were dead appeared. He rises, and behold a God. "There was a great earthquake," the angel of the Lord again appeared, terrified the Roman guard, and said unto the women, "Fear not ye; for I know that ye seek Jesus which was crucified. He is not here: for He is risen, as He said. Come see the place where the Lord lay."

The evidence turns upon the exaltation to which He was advanced after death. You read, not only of the sufferings of

« PredošláPokračovať »