HE JESUS CHRIST HIMSELF
DELIVERED
ON LORD’S-DAY MORNING,
DECEMBER
9TH, 1877,
BY
C. H. SPURGEON,
AT THE METROPOLITAN TABERNACLE,
“Jesus
Christ himself.”-Ephesians 2:20.
“Jesus Christ himself” is to occupy all our thoughts this
morning. What an
ocean opens up before me! Here is sea-room for the largest barque! In
which direction shall I turn your thoughts? I am embarrassed
with riches. I
know not where to begin: and when I once begin where shall I end?
Assuredly we need not go abroad for joys this morning, for
we have a feast
at
home. The words are few, but the meaning vast- “Jesus Christ himself.”
Beloved, the religion of our Lord Jesus Christ contains in
it nothing so
wonderful as himself. It is a mass of marvels, but he is THE miracle
of it;
the
wonder of wonders is “The Wonderful” himself. If proof be asked of
the
truth which he proclaimed, we point men to Jesus Christ himself. His
character is unique. We defy unbelievers to imagine another like
him. He is
God and yet man, and we challenge them to compose a
narrative in which
the
two apparently incongruous characters shall be so harmoniously
blended, - in which the human and divine shall he so marvelously
apparent,
without the one overshadowing the other. They question the
authenticity of
the
four Gospels; will they try and write a fifth? Will they even attempt to
add
a few incidents to the life which shall be worthy of the sacred
biography, and congruous with those facts which are already
described? If
it
he all a forgery, will they be so good as to show us how it is done? Will
they find a novelist who will write another biography of a man of any
century they choose, of any nationality, or of any degree of
experience, or
any
rank or station, and let us see if they can describe in that imaginary life
a
devotion, a self-sacrifice, a truthfulness, a completeness of character at all
comparable to that of Jesus Christ himself? Can they invent another perfect
character even if the divine element be left out? They must of
necessity fail,
for
there is none like unto Jesus himself.
The character of Jesus has commanded respect even from
those who have
abhorred his teaching. It has been a stumbling-stone to all
objectors who
have preserved a shade of candour. Jesus’ doctrine
they could refute, they
say;
his precepts they could improve, so they boast; his system is narrow
and
outworn, so they assert: but himself-what can they do with him? They
must admire him even if they will not adore him; and having done so they
have admired a personage who must be divine, or else he wilfully
left his
disciples to believe a lie. How they surmount this difficulty? They
cannot
do
so by railing at him, for they have no material for accusation. Jesus
Christ himself silences their cavillings.
This is a file at which these asps do
bite, but break their teeth. Beyond all argument or miracle, Jesus Christ
himself is the proof of his own gospel.
And as he is the proof of it, so, beloved, he is the marrow
and essence of it.
When the apostle Paul meant that the gospel was preached he
said, “Christ
is
preached,” for the gospel is Christ himself. If you want to know what
Jesus taught, know himself. He is
the incarnation of that truth which by
him
and in him is revealed to the sons of men. Did he not himself say, “I am
the
way, the truth, and the life”? You have not to take down innumerable
tomes, nor to pore over mysterious sentences of double meaning
in order
to
know what our great teacher has revealed, you have but to turn and
gaze upon his countenance, behold his actions, and note his spirit, and you
know his teaching. He lived what he taught. If we wish to know him, we
may
hear his gentle voice saying “Come and see.” Study his wounds, and
you
understand his innermost philosophy. “To know him and the power of
his
resurrection” is the highest degree of spiritual learning. He is the end of
the
law and the soul of the gospel, and when we have preached his word to
the
full, we may close by saying, “Now, of the things which we have
spoken this is the sum,-we have an high priest who is set on the
right hand
of
the throne of the majesty in the heavens.”
Nor is he alone the proof of his gospel and the substance
of it, but he is the
power and force by which it spreads. When a heart is truly
broken for sin,
it
is by him that it is bound up. If a man is converted, it is by Christ, the
power of God. If we enter into peace and salvation it is by the
gracious
manifestation of Jesus himself. If men have enthusiastically loved
Christianity, it is because first of all they loved Christ
for him apostles
labored, and for him confessors were brave; for him saints have
suffered
the
loss of all things, and for him martyrs have died. The power which
creates heroic consecration is “Jesus Christ himself.” The
memories stirred
by
his name have more influence over men s hearts than all things else in
earth or heaven. The enthusiasm which is the very life of our
holy cause
conies from himself. They who know not Jesus know not the life of
truth,
but
those who dwell in him are filled with power, and overflow so that out
of
the midst of them streams forth living water. Nor is it only so, beloved;
for
the power which propagates the gospel is Jesus himself. In heaven he
pleads, and therefore does his kingdom come. “The pleasure of the
Lord
shall prosper in his hand.” It is from heaven that he rules all
things so as to
promote the advance of the truth. All power is given unto him in
heaven
and
in earth, and therefore are we to proclaim his life-giving word with fall
assurance of success. He causes the wheel of providence to revolve
in such
a
manner as to help his cause; he abridges the power of tyrants, overrules
the
scourge of war, establishes liberty in nations, opens the mysteries of
continents long unknown, breaks down systems of error, and guides the
current of human thought. He works by a thousand means, preparing
the
way
of the Lord. It is from heaven that he shall shortly come, and when he
cometh, when Christ himself shall put forth all his might then
shall the
wilderness rejoice and the solitary place be glad. The reserve force
of the
gospel is Christ Jesus himself. The latent power which shall at
last break
every bond, and win universal dominion, is the energy, the life,
the
omnipotence of Jesus himself. He sleeps in the vessel now, but when he
arises and chides the storm there will he a deep calm. He now for
awhile
concealeth himself in the ivory palaces of glory, but when he is
manifested
in
that day his chariot wheels shall bring victory to his church militant.
If these things be so, I have a theme before me which I
cannot compass. I
forbear the impossible task, and I shall but briefly note some few
apparent
matters which lie upon the surface of the subject.
Brethren, “Jesus Christ himself” should always be the
prominent thought of
our
minds as Christians. Our theology should be framed upon the fact that
he
is the Centre and Head of all. We must remember that
“in him are hid all
the
treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” Some of our brethren arc mainly
taken up with the doctrines of the gospel, and are somewhat
bitter in their
narrow orthodoxy. We are to love every word of our Lord Jesus and
his
apostles, and are to contend earnestly for the faith once delivered
unto the
saints, but yet it is well always to hold truth in connection
with Jesus and
not
as in itself alone the sum of all things. Truth isolated from the person of
Jesus grows hard and cold. We know some in whom the
slightest variation
from their system arouses their indignation, even though they admit that
the
brother is full of the Spirit of Christ. It is with them doctrine, doctrine,
doctrine: with us, I trust, it is Christ himself. True doctrine is
to us
priceless as a throne for our living Lord, but our chief delight is
not in the
vacant throne, but in the King’s presence thereon. Give me not
his
garments, though I prize every thread, but the blessed wearer whose
sacred
energy made even the hem thereof to heal with a touch.
There are others of our brethren who delight above measure
in what they
call experimental preaching, which sets forth the inner life of the
believer,
both the rage of depravity and the triumph of grace: this is well in due
proportion, according to the analogy of faith: but still Jesus
himself should
be
more conspicuous than our frames and feelings, doubts and fears,
struggles and victories. We may get to study the action of our own
hearts
so
much that we fall into despondency and despair. “Looking unto Jesus”
is
better than looking unto our own progress: self-examination has its
necessary uses, but to have done with self and live by faith in
Jesus Christ
himself is the best course for a Christian.
Then, there are others who rightly admire the precepts of
the gospel, and
are
never so happy as when they are hearing them enforced, as, indeed,
they ought to be; but after all the commands of our Lord are not our Lord
himself, and they derive their value to us and their power over
our
obedience from the fact that they are his words, and that he said,
“If ye
love me, keep my commandments.” We know the truth of his declaration,
“If a man love me he will keep my sayings,” but there must
he the personal
love to begin with. Brethren, all the benefits of these three schools will he
ours if we live upon Jesus himself. They gather each a flower, but our
divine “plant of renown” has all the beauty, and all the
fragrance, of all that
they can gather; and without the thorns which are so apt to grow on their
peculiar roses. Jesus Christ himself is to us precept, for he is
the way he is
to
us doctrine, for he is the truth: he is to us experience, for he is the life.
Let us make him the pole star of our religious life in all
things. Let. him be
first, last, and midst; yea, let us say, “He is all my salvation
and all my
desire.” And yet do not, I beseech you, disdain the doctrine,
lest marring
the
doctrine you should he guilty of insult to Jesus himself. To trifle with
truth is to despise Jesus as our Prophet. Do not for a moment
underrate
experience, lest in neglecting the inner self you also despise your
Lord
himself as your cleansing Priest; and never for a moment forget
his
commandments lest if ye break them ye transgress against Jesus himself
as
your King. All things which touch upon his kingdom are to be treated
reverently by us for the sake of himself: his book, his day, his
church, his
ordinances, must all be precious to us, because they have to do with
him;
but
in the front of all must ever stand “Jesus Christ himself,” the personal,
living, loving Jesus; Christ in us the hope of glory, Christ for
us our full
redemption, Christ with us our guide and our solace, and Christ above
us
pleading and preparing our place in heaven. Jesus Christ himself is
our
captain, our armor, our strength, and our victory. We inscribe his
name
upon our banner, for it is hell’s terror) heaven’s delight, and earth’s
hope.
We bear this upon our hearts in the heat of the conflict,
for this is our
breastplate and coat of mail.
I shall not endeavor to say anything this morning which
will strike you as
beautiful in language, for to endeavor to decorate the altogether
Lovely
One would be blasphemy. To hang flowers upon the cross is
ridiculous,
and
to endeavor to adorn him whose head is as the most fine gold, and
whose person is as bright ivory overlaid with sapphires, would
be profane.
I shall but tell you simple things in simple language: yet
are these the most
precious and soul-satisfying of the truths of revelation.
I. With
Jesus Christ himself we begin by saying, first, that Jesus himself is
THE ESSENCE OF HIS OWN WORK, and therefore how readily we ought to
trust him. Jesus himself is the soul of his own salvation. How
does the
apostle describe it? “He loved me, and gave himself for me.” He
gave his
crown, his throne, and his joys in heaven for us, but that was
not all-he
gave himself. He gave his life on earth, and renounced all the comforts of
existence, and bore all its woes; he gave his body, he gave his
agony, he
gave his heart’s blood: but the summary of it is, he gave himself for me.
“Christ loved the church and gave himself for it.” “Who his. own self bare
our
sins in his own body on the tree.” No proxy service here! No sacrifice
which runs as far as his own person and there stops! There was
no limit to
the
grief of Jesus like that set upon the suffering of’ Job,- “Only on himself
lay
not thine hand,” or “Only spare his life.” No, every
reserve was taken
down, for he gave himself. “He saved others; himself he could not save,”
because he himself was the very essence of his own sacrifice on
our behalf.
It is because he is what he is that he was able to redeem
us: the dignity of
his
person imparted efficacy to his atonement. He is divine, God over all,
blessed for ever, and therefore infinite virtue is found in him;
he is human,
and
perfect in that humanity, and therefore capable of obedience and
suffering in man’s place and stead. He is able to save us because he
is
Imumanuel- “God with us.” If it were conceivable that an angel could
have
suffered the same agonies, and have performed the same labors, as
our
Lord, yet it is not conceivable that the same result would
have followed.
The pre-eminence of his person imparted weight to his work.
Always think
then when you view the atonement, that it is Jesus himself who is the soul
of
it. Indeed the efficacy of his sacrifice lies there; hence the apostle in the
Hebrews speaks of him as having “by himself
purged our sins.” This
purging was wrought by his sacrifice, but the sacrifice was
himself. Paul
says, “he offered up himself.” He stood as a priest at the altar offering a
bloody sacrifice, but the offering was neither bullock, nor ram,
nor turtle
dove; it was himself. “Once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put
away sin by the sacrifice of himself.” The sole reason why we are well-pleasing
with God is because of him, for he is our sweet savor-offering;
and
the only cause for the putting away of our sin is found in him because
he
is our sin-offering. The cleansing by the blood, and the washing by the
water, are the result, not of the blood and the water in and of
themselves
and
separate from him, but because they were the essentials of himself.
You see this, I am persuaded, without my enlarging upon it.
Now, because of this, the Lord Jesus Christ himself is the
object of our
faith. Is he not always so described in Scripture? “Look unto
me, and be ye
saved, all ye ends of the earth,”-not “look to my cross,” nor
“look to my
life,” nor “to my death,” much less “to my sacraments or to my servants,”
but
“look unto me.” From his own lips the words sound
forth, “Come unto
me
all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” In fact, it
is
the Christian’s life motto, “Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of
our
faith.” May I not go farther and say, how very simple and how very
easy and natural ought faith to be henceforth? I might be puzzled with
various theories of the atonement, but I can believe in Jesus
himself: I
might be staggered by the divers mysteries which concern
theology, and
overpower even masterminds, but I can confide in Jesus himself. He
is one
whom it is difficult to distrust: his goodness, gentleness, and truth
command our confidence. We can and do trust in Jesus himself. If
he be
proposed to me as my Savior, and if faith in him be that which
saves me,
then at his dear feet I cast myself unreservedly, and feel myself secure
while
he
looks down on me. He who bled that sinners might be saved cannot be
doubted any more: “Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.” Now
you
who
have been looking to your faith, I want you to look to Jesus himself
rather than at your poor feeble faith. Now you who have been
studying the
results of faith in yourselves and are dissatisfied, I beseech you
turn your
eyes away from yourselves and look to Jesus himself. Now you who
cannot understand this and cannot understand that, give up
wanting to
understand for the while, and come and look at Jesus Christ himself,
“that
the
God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you
the
spirit of wisdom and revelation in the
knowledge of him.” The Lord
grant us grace to view Jesus Christ himself in the matter of our salvation
as
all in all, so that we may have personal dealings with him, and no more
think of him as a mere idea, or as an historical personage, but
as a personal
Savior standing in the I midst of
us, and bidding us enter into peace
through him.
II. “Jesus
Christ himself” is as we have said THE SUBSTANCE OF THE
GOSPEL, and therefore how closely should we study him. While he
was
here he taught his disciples, and the object of his teaching was that they
might know himself, and through him might know the Father. They
did not
learn very fast, but you see what he meant them to learn by the
observation
he
made to Philip, “Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou
not
known me, Philip?” He meant them to know himself; and when he had
risen from the dead the same object was still before him. As he
walked with
the
two disciples to Emmaus they had wide choice of subjects for
conversation, but he chose the old theme, and “beginning at Moses and
all
the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the Scriptures the things
concerning himself.” No topic was one half so important or
profitable. No
mere man may come to teach himself,
but this divine One can have
nothing better to reveal, for he himself, the incarnate God, is
the chief of
all
truth. Hence our Lord was concerned to be known to his people, and
therefore again and again we read that “Jesus showed himself unto
his
disciples.” Whatever else they may be ignorant of, it is essential
to
disciples that they know their Lord, His nature, his character, his
mind,
his
spirit, his object, his power, we must know in a word, we must know
Jesus himself.
This also, beloved, is the work of the Holy Spirit. “He
shall glorify me: for
he
shall receive of mine, and shall show it unto you.” The Holy Ghost
reveals Christ to us and in us. Whatsoever things Christ hath
spoken while
he
was here, the Holy Ghost opens to the mind and to the understandiug,
and
thus by speaking of Christ within us he carries on the work which our
Lord began when here below. The Comforter is the instructor
and Jesus is
the
lesson. I dare say you long to know a thousand things, but the main
point of knowledge to be
desired is Jesus himself. This was his
teaching,
and
this is the Holy Spirit’s teaching, and this is the end and object of the
Bible. Moses, Esaias, and all the prophets spake of him, and the
things
which are recorded in this book were written up that ye might
believe that
Jesus is the Christ, and that believing ye might have life
through his name.
Precious is this book, but its main preciousness lies in
its revealing Jesus
himself, it is the field which contains the pearl of great price,
the casket
which encloses heaven’s brightest jewel.
We have missed our way in the Bible if its silken clue has
not led us to the
central chamber where we see Jesus himself. We have never been
truly
taught of the Holy Ghost, and we have missed the teaching of the
life of
Christ, unless we have come to abide in Jesus himself. To
know him is our
beginning of wisdom and our crown of wisdom. To know him is our
first
lesson on repentance and our last attainment as we enter heaven.
Our
ambition is that we may know the love of Christ by which passeth
knowledge. Here is our life study, and we have good
in it, for these things
the
angels desire to look into. May the Lord grant that the eyes of your
understanding may be enlightened, that we may know what is the hope of
his
calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints.
Beloved, because Jesus is the sum of the gospel he must be
our constant
theme. “God forbid that I should glory save in the cross of our
Lord Jesus
Christ.” “I determined not to know anything among you save
Jesus Christ
and
him crucified.” So spake men of old, and so say we.
When we have
done preaching Christ we had better have done preaching; when you have
done teaching in your classes Jesus Christ himself, give up Sunday school
work, for nothing else is worthy of your pains. Put out the sun, and light
is
gone, life is gone, all is gone. When Jesus is pushed into the background or
left out of a minister’s teaching, the darkness is darkness that might be
felt,
and
the people escape from it into gospel light as soon as they can. A
sermon without Jesus in it is savourless,
and worthless to God’s tried,
saints, and they soon seek other food. The more of Christ in our
testimony
the
more of light and life and power to save. Some preachers are guilty of
the
most wearisome tautology, but this is not laid to their charge when their
theme is Jesus, I have heard hearers declare that their minister
appeared to
have bought a barrel organ on which he could grind five or six tunes and
no
more, and these he ground out for ever and ever, amen. They have been
weary, very weary, of such vain repetitions; but to this day I
never heard of
anybody against whom the complaint was urged that he preached
Christ
too
munch, too often, too earnestly, or too joyfully. I never recollect seeing
a
single Christian man coming out of a congregation with a sorrowful face
saying, “He extolled the Redeemer too highly: he grossly
exaggerated the
praises of our Savior.” I do not remember ever meeting with a case
in
which the sick upon the bed of languishing have complained that
thoughts
of
Jesus were burdensome to them. I never recollect that a single book has
been denounced by earnest Christian men because it spoke too highly of
the
Lord, and made him too prominent. No, my brethren, he who is the
study of the saints must be the daily theme of ministers if they
would feed
the
flock of God. No theme so moves the heart, so arouses the conscience,
so
satisfies the desires, and so calms the fears. God forbid we should ever
fail to preach Jesus himself. There is no fear of exhausting the subject,
nor
of
our driving away our hearers, for his words are still true, “I, if I be lifted
up,
will draw all men unto me.”
III. Jesus
Christ himself is THE OBJECT OF OUR LOVE, and how dear he
should be. We can all of us who are really saved declare that “We
love him
because he first loved us.” We have an intense affection for his
blessed
person as well gratitude for his salvation. The personality of
Christ is a fact
always to he kept prominently in our thoughts. The love of a
truth is all
very well, but the love of a person has far more power in it. We have heard
of
men dying for an idea, but it is infinitely more easy to awaken
enthusiasm for a person. When an idea becomes embodied in a man it
has a
force which in its, abstract form it never wielded. Jesus Christ
is loved by
us
as the embodiment of everything that is lovely, and true, and pure, and
of
good report. HE HIMSELF IS INCARNATE PERFECTION inspired by love.
We love his offices, we love the types which describe him,
we love the
ordinances by which he is set forth, but we love himself best of all.
He
himself is our beloved; our heart rests only in him.
Because we love him we love his people, and through him we
enter into
union with them. Our text is taken from a verse which says,
“Jesus Christ
himself being the chief corner stone.” He is the binder at the
corner, joining
Jew and Gentile in one temple. In Jesus those ancient differences cease, for
he
“hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition
between us; to make in himself of twain one new man, so making
peace.”
We are at one with every man who is at one with Christ.
Only let our Lord
say,
“I love that man,” and we love him at once; let us only hope that our
friend can say, “I love Jesus,” and we hasten to respond, “And I
love you
for
Jesus’ sake.” So warm is the fire of our love to Jesus that all his friends
may
sit at it, and welcome. Our circle of affection comprehends all who in
any
shape or way have truly to do with Jesus himself.
Because we love himself we delight
to render service to him. Whatever
service we do for his church, and for his truth, we do for his
sake, even if
we
can only render it to the least of his brethren we do it unto him. The
woman with the alabaster box of precious ointment is a type
which we
greatly prize, for she would only break the precious box for him,
and every
drop of its delicious contents must be poured only upon his head. The
bystanders complained of waste, but there can be no waste in anything that
is done for Jesus. If the whole world, and the heavens, and the heaven of
heavens were all one great alabaster box, and if all the sweets
which can be
conceived were hived within it, we would wish to see the whole
broken,
that every drop of the sweetness might be poured out for Jesus Christ
himself.
“Jesus
is worthy to receive
Honor
and power divine;
And
blessings more than we can give,
Be Lord,
for ever thine.”
Oh our Beloved, if we can do anything for thee, we are
charmed at
possessing such a privilege. If we are allowed to wash thy disciples’
feet,
or
to care for the poorest of thy poor, or the least lamb of thy flock, we
accept the office as a high honor, for we love thee with all our
hearts. Our
love to Jesus should be as much a matter of fact as our affection. for our
husband, wife, or child, and it should be far more influential
upon our lives.
Love to our Lord is, I trust, moving all of you to personal
service. You
might have paid a subscription and allowed others to work, but
you cannot
do
it when you see that Jesus gave himself for you. Jesus Himself demands
that I myself should
he consecrated to His praise. Personal service is due to
a
personal Christ, who personally loved and personally died for us. When
nothing moves us to zeal, the jaded spirit cannot follow up its
industries,
let
but Jesus himself appear, and straightway our passions are all in a blaze,
and
the fiery spirit compels the flesh to warm to its work. We even glory in
infirmity when Jesus is near, and venture upon works which else had
seemed impossible. We can do anything and everything for “Jesus
Christ
himself.” (“I
can do all things through Christ who strenthens me.”
Philippians 4:13 – CY – 2019)
IV. Fourthly,
our Lord Jesus Christ himself is THE SOURCE OF ALL OUR
joy,
we ought to rejoice when we have such a springing well of
blessedness. In times of sorrow our solace is Jesus himself. It is no
small
ground of comfort to a mourner that. Jesus himself is a man. How
cheering
to
read, “Forasmuch as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he
also himself took part of the same.” The humanity of Christ has a charm
about it which the quietly sorrowful alone discover, I have
known what it
is
to gaze upon the incarnation with calm repose of heart when my brain
has
seemed to be on fire with anguish. If Jesus be indeed my brother man,
there is hope at all times. This is better balm than that of
took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses”; “For in that he himself hath
suffered, being tempted, he is able also to succor them that are
tempted.”
Pain, hunger, thirst, desertion, scorn, and agony Jesus
himself has borne.
Tempted in all like as we are though without sin, he has
become the
Comforter of the sorrowful. Many and many a sufferer in the lone watches
of
the night has thought of him and felt his strength renewed. Our patience
revives when we see the Man of Sorrows silent before his accusers.
Who
can
refuse to drink of his cup and to be baptized with his baptism?
“His
way was much rougher and darker than mine:
Did
Christ, my Lord, suffer, and shall I repine?”
The darkness of
the
passion even unto death has made the dying sing for joy of heart. Jesus
himself is the solace of our soul in sorrow, and when we emerge
from the
storm of distress into the deep calm of peace, as we often do,
blessed be
his
name, he is our peace. Peace he left us by legacy, and
peace he creates
in
person. We never know deep peace of heart until we know the Lord
Jesus himself. You remember that sweet word when the disciples were met
together, the doors being shut for fear of the Jews, “Jesus himself
stood in
the
midst of them, and said, Peace be unto you.” Jesus himself you see
brought the message; for nothing but his presence could make it
effectual.
When we see him our spirit smells a sweet savor of rest.
Where can an
aching head find such another pillow as his bosom?
On high days and holidays our spirits soar beyond rest: we
ascend into the
heaven of joy and exultation; but then it is our Lord’s joy which
is in us
making our joy full. “Then were the disciples glad when they saw
the
Lord,” and then are we glad also. By faith we see Jesus
himself enthroned,
and
this has filled us with delight, for his glorification is our satisfaction.
“Him also hath God highly exalted,
and given him a name which is above
every name.” I care not what becomes of me so long as he is
glorified. The
soldier dies happy when the shout of victory salutes his ear, and
his failing
sight beholds his prince triumphant. What a joy to think that
Jesus is risen, risen
to
die no more: the joy of resurrection is superlative. What bliss to
know that he has ascended, leading captivity captive, that he sitteth now
enthroned in happy state, and that he will come in all the glory of
the
Father to break his enemies in pieces as
with a rod of iron. Here lies the
grandest joy of his expectant church. She has in reserve a mighty
thunder
of
hosannahs for that auspicious day.
If there is any joy to be had, O Christian, that is both safe and sweet, a joy
of
which none can know too much, it is to be found in him whom as yet
you
see not, but in whom believing you rejoice with joy unspeakable and
full of glory.
We must tear ourselves away from that thought to turn to
another, but
assuredly it is rich in happy memories and in blessed expectations.
V. Fifthly,
JESUS CHRIST HIMSELF IS THE MODEL OF OUR LIFE, and
therefore how blessed it is to be like him. As to our rule for life,
we are like
the
disciples on the mount of transfiguration when Moses and Elias had
vanished, for we see “no man save Jesus only.” Every virtue found
in other
men
we find in him in greater perfection; we admire the grace of God in
them, but Jesus himself is our pattern. It was once said of Henry VIII., by
a
severe critic, that if the characteristics of all the tyrants
that had ever lived
had
been forgotten, they might all have been seen to the life in that one
king: we may more truly say of Jesus, if all graces, and virtues, and
sweetnesses which have ever been seen in good men could all be
forgotten,
you
might find them all in him: for in him dwells all that is good and great.
We, therefore, desire to copy his character and put our
feet into his
footprints. Be it ours to follow the Lamb whithersoever He goeth. What
saith our Lord himself? “Follow me,” and again, “Take my yoke
upon you
and
learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, and ye shall find rest
unto your souls.” Not Christ’s apostle, but Christ himself, is our guide; we
may
not take a secondary model, but must imitate Jesus himself. By the
indwelling of the Holy
Spirit and his gracious operations we are developing
into the image of
Christ till Christ be formed in us (Galatians
4:19); and we thus
develop because the heavenly life in us is his own life. “I in
them,” said he, and
again, “I am the life.” For “we
are dead, and our life is hid with Christ in
God.” “He that bath the Son hath life, and he that hath not the
Son hath
not life.” It is not passing through baptism, nor bearing the name of
Christ,
it
is having Jesus himself in our hearts that makes us Christians, and in
proportion as he is formed in us and the new life grows we become
more
and
more like him. And this is our prospect for eternity, that we are to he
with him and like him, for “when he shall appear, we shall he like him, for
we
shall see him as he is.” Think of him, you that mourn your
imperfectness, to-day-think of Jesus Christ himself, and then be assured
that
you
are to be like him. What a picture! Come, artist, bring your best skill
here. What can you do? All pencils fail to depict him. It needs a poet’s eye
as
well as an artist’s hand to picture the Lovely One. But what can the poet
do?
Ah, you also fail; you cannot sing him any more than your friend can
paint him. Fruitful conception and soaring imagination may come
to your
aid,
but they cannot prevent your failure. He is too beautiful
to be
described-HE MUST BE SEEN! Yet here comes the marvel- “We shall be like
him “- like Jesus
Christ Himself. O saint, when thou art risen from the
dead
how
lovely thou wilt be! Wilt thou know thyself? To-day thou art wrinkled
with old age, scarred with the marks of disease and pain, and perhaps
deformed by accident, or blanched with consumption, but none of these
shall blemish thee THEN! Thou wilt be without
spot or wrinkle, faultless
before the throne.
“O
glorious hour! O blest abode!
I shall
be near and like my God.’
And not in bodily form alone shall we be like unto him
whose eyes are as
the
eyes of doves, and whose cheeks are as beds of spices; but in spirit and
in soul
shall we be PERFECTLY CONFORMED TO THE WELL-BELOVED! .
We shall be holy even as He is holy, and happy as He is
happy. We shall
enter into the joy of our Lord-the joy of Jesus Himself. I say
not that we
can
be divine-that cannot be; but still, brothers to him that is the Son of
God, we shall be very near the throne. O what rapture to know that my
next of kin liveth, and when He shall stand in the latter day upon the
earth I
shall not only see God in this my flesh, but I shall be like Him,
for I SHALL
SEE HIM AS HE IS! (Job 19:25-27; I John 3:2) Christ Himself then becomes
to
us unspeakably precious, as:
·
the model of our present life and
·
the image of the perfection towards which the
Holy Ghost is working in us.
VI. Lastly,
He IS
THE LORD OF
OUR SOUL. How sweet it will be to be with
him.
We find to-day that his beloved company makes us move pleasantly
whether we run in the way of his commands, or the valley of the
shadow of
death. Saints have lain in dungeons, and yet they have walked at
liberty
when he has been there; they have been stretched on the rack, and even
called it a bed of roses when he has stood by. One lay on a
gridiron, with
the
hot fires beneath him; but amidst the flames he challenged his
tormentors to do their worst, and laughed them to scorn, for his Lord
was
there. Martyrs have been seen to clap their hands when every
finger burned
like a lighted candle, and they have been heard to cry,” Christ is all,”
“Christ is all.” When the Fourth, like unto the Son of God,
walks in the
furnace, all the fire can do is but to snap their bonds and set
the sufferers
free. Oh, brethren. I am sure your only happiness that has been worth
having has been found in knowing that he loved you and was near
you. If
you
have ever rejoiced in the abundance of your corn and wine and oil, it
has
been a sorry joy; it has soon palled upon your taste, it never touched
the
great deeps of your spirit; and anon it has gone and left you sore
wearied in heart. If you have rejoiced in your children, and your
kinsfolk,
and
your bodily health, how readily has God sent a blight upon them all.
But when you have rejoiced in Jesus you have heard a voice
bidding you
proceed to further delights. That voice has cried, “Drink, O
friends, yea,
drink abundantly, O beloved;” for to be inebriated with such joy
as this is
to
come to the best condition of mind, and to fix the soul where it should
be.
We are never right till we come out of ourselves and into Jesus; but
when the ecstatic state comes, and we stand right out of self, and stand in
him,
so that whether in the body or out of the body we can scarcely tell,
God knoweth (II Corinthians 12:2);
then are we getting back to where God
meant man to have been when he walked with him in
where God means we shall be when we shall see him face to face. Brethren,
what must the unveiled vision be! If the sight of him here be so sweet,
what must
it
be to see
him hereafter! It may be we shall not live till he
cometh, for the Master
may
tarry; but if he doth not come, and we therefore are called to pass
through the gate of death, we need not fear. I should not wonder
if when
we
pass under the veil and come out in the disembodied state, one of our
astonishments will he to find Jesus himself there waiting to receive us.
The soul hoped that a convoy of ministering angels would he
near the bed
and
would escort it across the stream and up the mountains to the Celestial
City; but no: instead thereof the spirit will be saluted by
the Lord himself.
Will it be amazed and cry: “It is he, e’en
he, my best Beloved, Jesus
himself; he has come to meet me. Heaven might have been too great
a
surprise; even my disembodied spirit might have swooned away, but
it is
he,
the man Christ Jesus whom I trusted down below, and who was the
dear companion of my dying hours, I have changed my place and state, but
I have not changed my Friend nor changed my joy, for here
he is!” (“And it
shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God, we have waited
for Him, and
He will save us:
this is the Lord; we have waited for Him, we will be glad
and
rejoice in His salvation!” (Isaiah 25:9 – CY – 2019) What a
glance of love will that be which he will give to us and which we
shall
return to him. Shall we ever take our eyes away from him? Shall
we ever
wish to do so? Will not the poet’s words he true,
“Millions
of years my wondering eyes,
Shall
o’er thy beauties rove;
And
endless ages I’ll adore
The glories of thy love.”
Within a week it may be that our meeting with Jesus himself
may take place;
perhaps within an hour. A poor girl lying in the hospital was told
by the doctor
or
the nurse that she could only live another hour; she waited patiently, and
when there remained only one quarter of an hour more, she exclaimed:
“One more quarter of an hour, and then “she could not say
what, neither can I;
only Jesus himself hath said, “Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast
given
me,
be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory.” And as He has
prayed, so shall it be, and so let it be. Amen and Amen.