One Aspect of Christs Death

Scripture: John 15:13
“Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his
friends.” — John 15:13.
I FELT, today, after a very weary, and, in some respects, a very
sorrowful week, as if I could not preach tonight; or that, if I did stand up
to speak, it must be upon some very easy and simple theme, and, at the
same time, it must be some great subject which would give me plenty of
sea-room. I think the text I have read to you fulfills both these
conditions, and that, although I shall not attempt to sail across it, or to
fathom it, for that would be impossible; yet, at any rate, there will be no
fear that I shall run aground, or need to exercise great skill in threading
my way through a tortuous channel, where, perhaps, one might be on the
rock or the sandbank before he was aware of his danger. If there is
anything about which Christians are sure, and concerning which they
can speak with confidence, surety it is the love of Christ; and though
that is one of the simplest things in the world, yet it is also the very
sweetest. Whenever you spread the table for any meal, you are pretty
sure to put bread and salt upon it; and whenever we preach, if we preach
as we should, we are sure to have something of the savor of the love of
Christ in our preaching. I have heard that, in a certain country, the way
in which a stranger is welcomed is by giving him just bread and salt, and
nothing more. That is what I am about to do. We will have bread and
salt on the table; — the essential things, the common things; — but,
blessed be God, with a fullness of nourishment and a savor of
tastefulness in them which those who are taught of God will be able to
relish.
The death of Jesus Christ may be viewed in many aspects; but we,
brethren, have learned to see very clearly the substitutionary character of
it. It is our delight to believe that Christ laid down his life for the sake of
his friends, thereby rendering complete satisfaction to offended justice,
presenting himself as a vicarious sacrifice in their room, and place, and
stead, that see they might be reconciled to God, and might be “accepted
in the Beloved.” We are quite sure about this truth. We do not gather it
from this particular verse which I have selected for my text, but from the
whole run and tenor of Scripture, and especially from such a passage as
this, “Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible
things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by
tradition from your father’s; but with the precious blood of Christ, as of
a lamb without blemish and without spot.” This doctrine of redemption
tallies with the types of the old Jewish dispensation, and corresponds
with the prophetic descriptions of the promised Messiah, especially
those wonderful chapters in Isaiah and Ezekiel in which his character is
so accurately foretold. This view of Christ dying as the great
substitutionary sacrifice for sinners cannot be dispensed with for a single
moment; it seems to us to be the very essence of the gospel. Cloudiness
with regard to this great central truth involves mistiness concerning
everything else; and the poet was quite right when he wrote, —
“You cannot be right in the rest
Unless you think rightly of him.”
If you have, any question about that great truth, you will have your brain
more or less muddled concerning every other doctrine in the Word of
God; and I would take this doctrine, just as I would the doctrine of
justification by faith, as being the test of a standing or falling church,
and of a God-sent ministry.
Yet, brethren, there are other aspects of the death of Christ beside the
one I have mentioned, and a Christian man’s eyes should seem both the
greater objects and the smaller ones also. I am always glad that a painter
does not merely give us the foreground of his picture, but gives us the
background too; and even when his painting is a portrait, and he desires
to have all our attention fixed upon the portrait, yet he does not neglect
the little accessories of the picture. They may be unimportant; but if they
are properly painted, they will not distract attention from the main
subject of the picture, but will rather help to point to it. Now, the death
of Christ was the greatest possible display of the love, of God to men.
Never forget, that it was not merely infinite, justice that blazed forth
from the cross, but also infinite affection too. Indeed, the cross displayed
all the attributes of God, and they can still be plainly perceived by those
whose eyes have been divinely opened. God revealed himself there,
through the dying Savior, in a very wonderful way. If I may use such an
image, — and I think I may, — through the smoked glass of the
humanity of Christ, the Deity of God in all its fullness can be better seen
by us than if we could, with our naked eye,
gaze upon the excessive brightness of that glory. Indeed, blindness must,
follow upon a vision of absolute Deity, if such a vision were even
possible. To dwell long upon the doctrine of the Trinity, and to vex your
mind with the various theories of that mysterious subject which men
have imagined, is the sure road to Socinianism or some other heresy;
but, to see God veiled in human flesh, and especially to see him revealed
in the person of the dying Mediator, is to see God in the only way in
which he can to seen by mortal men. We do, not, therefore, for a
moment forget that, Christ’s death was the greatest possible display of
God’s love to men.
It was, doubtless, also needful to complete the perfect example of our
Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. He would have set before us a grand
example of self-denial and disinterested love, even if he had not died for
us, for it was no little thing that he, should make himself of no
reputation, and take upon himself the form of a servant, and be made in
the likeness of men, and humble himself, as he did. Still, becoming
“obedient unto death, even the death of the cross,” was the crown of his
life. It was because he endured the cross, despising the shame, that Paul
wrote to the Hebrews, “Consider him that endured such contradiction of
sinners against himself, lest, ye, be wearied and faint, in your minds.”
We also may remember that we “have not yet resisted unto blood,
striving against sin;” but Christ, has done this, and more than this; he
knows what it is to be made perfect through sufferings. I have no doubt,
that they speak the truth who say that the death of Christ was the climax
of his example, but I am going to call your attention to another aspect of
his death, namely, as a display of his own love to his own people:
“Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his
friends.” This is, I believe, what Christ meant, that his love to his friends
was to be most clearly made manifest by his dying for them!
There is no need, with such a subject as this, for the use of grand periods
and eloquent language, even if I ever indulged in that kind of thing; but I
shall just give utterance, to a few simple truths which you already know,
trying to stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance. And, first, let
us contemplate the love of Christ resplendent in the act of death, laying
down his life for his friends. Secondly, let us see that love enhanced by a
consideration of the friends for whom he laid down his life; and then,
thirdly, let us see the love of Christ reflected and reproduced by his
friends. This, however, will have to be done outside this place; I can
only make the rough outline of the picture which is to be drawn by all of
you who are the friends of Christ. My text reminds us of one of the
strongest reasons why we should love one another even as Christ hats
loved us: “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his
life for his friends.”
I. Let us, then, first SEE CHRIST’S LOVE RESPLENDENT IN THE
LAYING DOWN OF HIS LIFE FOR HIS PEOPLE.
When he says, “Greater love hath no man than this,” he seems to me to
imply that there are manifestations of his love which are note so great as
this. The love of the Lord Jesus Christ to his people is always great. I
may truly say that it is always greater than any other love; I might even
say that it is always in the superlative degree, — the greatest love there
ever was, or is, or can be. Yet there are displays of that love which can
be rightly described as great, greater, greatest. Our Lord had already
displayed his love to his people in the great and the greater forms of it;
now he was about to display it in the highest and greatest of all ways.
It was great love that made him come to this earth, and be incarnate
here. Have you ever thought of the greatness of the love of Christ in
being a child, a youth, a man, and of his love in being willing to live in
obscurity and retirement as the Son of Mary for thirty years? Wondrous
love was there in that arrangement by which he was able, from his own
experience, to sympathize with retiring Christians, and with young
believers whose duties do not cause them to be conspicuous in the
world. The thought of God in the carpenter’s shop at Nazareth is to me
very wonderful. As Moses put off his shoes from his feet at the sight of
God in the burning bush, we may well manifest our awe and reverence
as we see the Son of God, the express image of His Father’s person, in
the midst of the implements used by the village carpenter. That was truly
great love.
Then, when the time arrived for him to come forth from his obscurity, he
showed great love to his friends in calling them to him one by one. His
mind was altogether unique; he had the tenderness of a woman, yet he
was to the highest degree manly; indeed, all the attributes of a perfect
man and a perfect woman appear to have been blessedly blessed in his
perfect humanity. We might have opposed that he would have looked
out companions somewhat like himself, though I know not where he
could have found them; but he seems to me to have looked for those
whom, in a wondrous way, he could make to be like himself, rather than
for those who were already like himself. So he finds some fishermen, —
well, rough fellows to be associated with the gentle Jesus. He finds a
tax-gatherer, commercial, grasping, — a strange companion for him
who cared not one farthing for gold or silver. The apostles, as a whole,
were a motley crew. Speaking after the manner of men, one could
almost account for Jesus choosing John, and there are some points in
Peter that are very lovable; yet, as a band of men called to such
exceptional service, they were rough and coarse! We might have thought
that Christ would have looked for more refinement in those who were to
be his daily companions for three years; and had he been thinking only
of himself, he might have sought others than he did seek. Certainly,
brethren, in my own case, I have often felt that I could adopt the
language of Faber, which we sang just now,—
“How many hearts thou might’st have had
More innocent than mine!
How many souls more worthy far
Of that pure touch of thine!

“Ah, Grace! into unlikeliest heart

It is thy boast to come;
The glory of thy light to find
In darkest spots a home.”
So Jesus Christ showed his love to his friends in the very act, of calling
them to be his friends; and he also showed his love in fitting them for
the position to which he had called them. He laid himself out to teach
them, to train them, to build up their characters upon a firm foundation,
and to infuse into their minds right principles and noble sentiments, so
that they should be fully qualified to be the servants of the churches, and
the glory of Christ; — vessels to be used no longer for merely worldly
purposes, but to be meet for the Master’s use. With what singular
wisdom he trained them! With what patience he bore with them! Had
they had any other master, they would, many a time, have been liable to
be discharged for their stupidity, but he simply said, “Have I been so
long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me Philip?”
This was a proof of great love on his part, yet he seems to me to have
shown even greater love when, towards the end of his life, he bade these
friends of his sit and eat and drink with him at his table, and expressed
his desire that his friends should continue, in all after ages, thus to
remember him. Then, after the supper, he rose from the table, laid aside
his outer garment, took a towel, and girded himself, poured water into a
basin, and washed his disciples’ feet. Oh, this was great love indeed!
Still, our text talks about a greater display of Christ’s love than this; so
we conclude that, while to choose and call, to instruct and edify, to
entertain and refresh was proof of very great love.
Christ’s part; to die for his friends was evidence of still greater love.
There are, in this world, many persons who will lay themselves out to
help their fellow-creatures to resist temptation, and to struggle out of the
ways of vice into the path of virtue, and who would, with heroic self-
denial, bring themselves well-nigh to the grave’s mouth to accomplish
these ends, but they will not lay down their lives for their fellows. If
they did, it would be the greatest thing they could possibly do for them,
for the text is true, “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay
down his life for his friends.”
But our Lord was willing to die for his friends. Some people might lay
down their lives for their friends, but it would be quite unwillingly that
they would do so. They might make the supreme sacrifice, under the
force of some strong compelling passion, yet they would escape if they
could. But look at our blessed Lord and Master. When the time came for
him to go out of this world unto his Father, he did not make the slightest
effort to escape from death. Judas knew the place where he was wont to
go for private meditation and prayer, and to that very place our Master
went, as he had often gone before, although he knew that he would meet
the traitor there. When the officers and men from the chief priests and
Pharisees came thither with lanterns and torches and weapons, a word
from him made them fall to the ground. He could, therefore, in an
instant, have driven them all out of the garden, and have escaped from
them; but he did not do so. He could never have been delivered up to be
put to death, either by Jews or by Romans, if he had not been perfectly
willing to die. From the time when they took him to Annas to the
moment when they nailed him to the cross, one solitary wish on his part
would have scattered all his foes, and he could have gone wherever he
pleased, but he would not express such a wish, or even cherish it.
Admire the wonderful reticence of Christ. That he did not speak in his
own defense, was marvellous; but, that he did not even wish to escape,
or think of escaping, is more wonderful still; for a thought would have
been sufficient to have procured his release. How wonderfully
omnipotence held in omnipotence! How majestic doth that almighty
attribute appear when it proved its power over itself by not using the
power which it manifestly possesses!
More than that, remember that our Lord Jesus Christ was under no sort
of necessity to die. When a man lays down his life for his friend, — and
how seldom has that been done! — he only anticipates the debt of nature
which, in any case, he has to pay before long. If you were to die for me,
or I were to die for you, tomorrow, we should, either of us, only do a
little earlier what we must both ultimately do. Death will, ere long, claim
every one of us, and to the sepulcher we must all descend unless our
Lord should speedily come. But, he possessed inherent immortality. No
sentence of death was written across his brow, he could live on for ever,
even when he was in the grave, corruption could have no dominion over
him. He could say, with an emphasis that the psalmist could not use,
“Thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy
One to see corruption.” So Jesus Christ’s laying down of his life for his
friends was beyond anything that could even happen in any other man’s
life, a voluntary act, and, consequently, a more wonderful display of
love than could ever be given in any other case. “Greater love hath no
man than this.”
We must remember also, that our Lord Jesus Christ had been
accustomed, for many years, to contemplate the laying low of his life
before he actually did so. Nay, I must not speak of years; doubtless,
from eternity he had foreseen that terrible time when he would have to
do battle, on his people’s behalf, with all the powers of darkness. He had
looked forward to that hour with the strong glance of the eyes that could
weep for sorrow, but could not, grow dim with fear. And, often, when he
was here below, he seemed to long for the time when he could maim the
master-sacrifice of his life. He said, “I have a baptism to be baptized
with; and how am I straitened till it be accomplished! “His face was set,
not merely once, but in very deed always, steadfastly to go unto
Jerusalem, knowing well all that would befall him there. Now, what man
is there who could look death in the face, for the sake of his friend, year
after year, and even contemplate it with ardent desire? We might, in an
outburst of strong affection, in a moment of unusual excitement, be
willing to leap into the gulf of death in order to rescue a sinking friend;
but as for the quiet resolution that could calmly think it all over, and
weigh every circumstance, and ponder over every detail, and then
deliberately give oneself up to death, — where could you find such a
spirit as that it is only to be seek in him who has given the grandest
display of love that was ever manifested on earth or even in heaven, and
whose death was the grandest manifestation of that love.
Let me also further remind you that our Lord Jesus Christ did actually
die for his friends. He was not merely willing to do so, and long
contemplated dying, but he did really die, and he died under
circumstances that rendered the laying down of his life for his friends
the more remarkable. He died for them, yet they had all forsaken him in
the hour of his greatest need, after having fallen asleep, and left him to
endure in utter loneliness the agony of bloody sweat. When he was
arraigned before his enemies, Peter, the boldest man in his little band of
disciples, was so cowed with fear that he denied, with oaths and curses,
that he even knew him. These “friends” of his were quite unworthy of
his love, yet he died for them. Do men generally die for such “friends”
as they proved themselves to be? No; but they have often cried, with
Job, “Miserable comforters are ye all.” Yet Christ died for his friends
though they forsook him when he most needed their sympathy and
support.
And he had to die for them under a criminal charge. I believe that there
are many of us who would not be nearly as much startled by death itself
as by a criminal accusation. When I have seen some good man, whom I
have, highly esteemed, charged falsely, as I think, with high
misdemeanors, I have felt that I would sooner die than be guilty of the
crime of which he has been accused. But here is our gracious Lord and
Master willingly giving himself up to death although he is innocent of
the crime’s laid to his charge, — sedition against the State, and
blasphemy against God. It is a felons death that he must die:–not merely
a death like that of a felon, but the death of a felon, for the verdict of one
tribunal after another is that he is worthy of death; and the popular voice
applauds the verdict, and cries, “Let him be crucified.” O thou blessed
Son of God, wast thou thus numbered with the transgressors? Yes, he
was; and this way the greatest manifestation of even his love.
Let us not, forget, too, that Christ’s death was attended by cruelties of
the grossest sort. I will not harrow up your feelings with any description
of that terrible flagellation which he received at the hands of the Roman
lictors. Yes, Christ did suffer intensely in many ways, as the prophet,
Isaiah had foretold that he would: “He was wounded for our
transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our
peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.” All the
sufferings of Christ’s physical, mental, and spiritual which were
attendant, upon his death, are to be regarded by us with awestruck and
grateful emotions, for they help to make up the perfection of his
wondrous work of laying down his life for his friends.
Remember, too, dear brethren and sisters in Christ, as I have already
reminded you, that Christ, although he was absolutely innocent, did die
as the Substitute for sinners. Paul wrote to the Corinthians, “For he (that
is, God) hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might
be made the righteousness of God in him;” and to the Galatians he
wrote, “Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a
curse for us; for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree.”
To a, pure mind, contact with sin, in any form is truly horrible. I can
imagine the Savior being willing to suffer, and being willing even to die;
but his holy nature must have revolted at the thought that he must stand
in the sinner’s place, that he must be reckoned as the sinner, that against
him the sword of divine justice must be drawn, and that in his heart it
must find a sheath. The great terror of Christ’s death upon the cross
must have been that it was the penalty for sin, the execution of the
righteous judgment of God against unrighteousness and iniquity. None
of us can even guess- perhaps the lost souls in hell cannot tell — what it,
must have been for Christ to have come thus under the wrath of God
because of the sins of his people. When we have been deeply convinced
of sin, we may have had some slight conception of what it was; but our
most vivid imagination must have been dim and feeble compared with
the terrible reality.
Above all else, let us remember that our Savior died forsaken of his
God. Even the martyrs were not obliged to do that; they stood at the
stake, and clapped their hands; they even sang songs of triumph amidst
the fury of the flames; but Jesus had to cry, “My God, my God, why hast
thou forsaken me?” That is the pitiful wail of a broken heart and a
sinking spirit. It does not surprise us that “the earth did quake, and the
rocks rent;” it would have been a greater wonder if they had not been
stirred at the sound of such grief as his. O beloved, greater love hath no
man than this, that he will even dare to die forsaken of his God! I thank
God that we are not asked to do this; but Jesus did it for us, his friends.
Oh, what amazing love is his! There is much more that might be said
upon this stupendous theme, but I must ask the Holy Spirit to lead you
into the mystery of those unknown deeps of suffering by which Christ
manifested his love to his friends.
II. Now, secondly, I want to show you that THE LOVE OF CHRIST, IN
LAYING DOWN HIS LIFE, WAS GREATLY ENHANCED BY THE
CHARACTER OF THOSE FOR WHOM HE LAID DOWN HIS LIFE,
namely, “his friends.”
Let it never be forgotten by us that this sacred title is one which our
Lord himself gave to his disciples: “I have called you friends.” If we are
his disciples, we also are his friends. Our original title would have been
enemies, for that is what we were; but he has transformed us into his
friends; for “when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the
death of his Son.” The text would not be true if you were to put the
emphasis in the wrong place: “Greater love hath no man than this, that a
man lay down his life for his friends,” for Christ manifested greater love
than that in laying down his life for his enemies it is indeed surprising
that he should have laid down his life for those who were his enemies,
and who are only his friends because he has made them so. You scorned
him, you despised him, you crucified him, your sins were the nails and
the spear that pierced his hands, and feet, and side; yet he died for you!
He was the sandalwood tree, and yours was the hand that held the axe
that wounded him, yet he perfumed the axe, and also the hand that
wielded it, and healed that hand of all its leprosies; yea, healed your
whole being of whatsoever disease it had. Thank God for love like that.
Then, putting aside the fact that we were once his enemies, think of the
greatness of his love is laying down his life for such insignificant people
as we are. I have heard the argument used by unbelievers that it is not
feasible — considering the immense size of the universe, and the
inconceivable number of starry worlds in it, that this little inconsiderable
speck of a globe, which, in proportion to the rest of the universe, is as a
single atom of dust to the entire chain of the Alps, — to think that Christ
should come to redeem the inhabitants of such a poor little world as this
is, and that, if he came to the earth at all, many of the poorest and
meanest of the people should be the peculiar objects of his choice. Well,
it is marvellous! It is a marvellous instance of the condescension of
Christ; and while it may stagger the faith of some, it, certainly inflames
the love of others. We feel that, if he condescends to choose us, our love
shall rise to the utmost heights that it can reach, and we will bless and
magnify the name of the Lord in that, while he took not up angels, he
took up the seed of Abraham; while he left the fallen angels to perish
without hope, he has come to save us, the fallen sons of Adam, and has
laid down His life for us.
There is, however, a truth that, is even more significant, and instructive
than that. It is not merely true that we were once Christ’s enemies, and
that we were also utterly insignificant, and unworthy of his notice, but it
is wonderful that he should lay down His life for such unworthy friends,
even as friends, as we are. There are some professing Christians who
can speak of themselves in terms of admiration; but, from my inmost
heart, I loathe such speeches more and more every day that I live. Those
who talk in, such boastful fashion must be constituted very differently
from me. While they are congratulating themselves all upon the good
things that they find within themselves, I have to lie humbly at the foot
of Christ’s cross, and marvel that I am saved at all, for I know that, I am
saved. I have to wonder that I do not believe Christ more, and equally
wonder that I am privileged to believe in him at all to wonder that I do
not love him more, and equally to wonder that I love him at all; — to
wonder that I am not holier, and
equally to wonder that I have any desire to be holy at all considering
what a polluted, debased, depraved nature I find still within my soul
notwithstanding all that divine grace has done in me. If God were ever
to allow the fountains of the great deeps of depravity to break up in the
best man that lives, he would make as bad a devil as the devil himself is.
I care nothing for what these boasters say concerning their own
perfections; I feel sure that they do not know themselves, or they could
not talk as they often do. There is tinder enough in the saint who is
nearest to heaven to kindle another hell if God should but, permit a
spark to fall upon it. In the very best of men, there is an infernal and
well-nigh infinite depth of depravity. Some Christians never seem to
find this out. I almost wish that they might not do so, for it is a painful
discovery for anyone to make; but it has the beneficial effect of making
us cease from trusting in ourselves and causing us to glory only in the
Lord.
Why should Christ ever have loved us? Why should he ever have loved
us? When at his table, we often have wandering thoughts; even in our
faith, we often find a mixture of unbelief; even when we love him, we
grieve that we do not love him more; even when we are closest to him in
communion, we have to smite upon our breast, and mourn that we do
not enjoy the nearness we might have, and ought to have; for, after being
so greatly loved by Christ, we ought to be sinless; under such
obligations to Christ as we are, we ought to be wholly sanctified, spirit,
soul, and body, and never have a wandering thought, or one unholy
desire. But that we are not what we ought to be is very clear; and the
wonder is that Jesus Christ, should ever have laid down his life for such
miserable “friends” as we have proved ourselves to be. Beauty you
know, will often win affection against a man’s better judgment, for there
is something about it which is so attractive that it overcomes him; but
Christ’s love to us was not won by any beauty that he saw in us. When
he says to us as the Bridegroom in the Song of Solomon says to his
bride, “Turn away thine eyes from me, for they have overcome me,” and
when he says, “Thou art all fair, my love; there is no spot in there.” I
think he must see himself mirrored in us, and that this is why he loves
us; for, certainly, there is nothing lovable in us but, what he has
bestowed upon us by his grace. I do not know what you, beloved, say
concerning this theme upon which I have been speaking, but I think you
will agree with me when I say that, to me, the superlative point of the
love of Christ is that he laid down his life for me, unworthy as I have
been, even since I have been his friend, of such a stupendous sacrifice.
III. I must speak very briefly upon the last point, which is, that THIS
GREAT LOVE OF CHRIST IS TO BE REFLECTED AND
REPRODUCED BY OUR FRIENDS.
Christ is the sun in our heavens, and his Church is the moon. Why does
the sun shine upon the moon? For the moon’s sake? Yes, in part, but
also for the sake of the earth, which would be dark at night, if the moon
did not reflect the light it receives from the sun. Brother, sister, the light
of Christ’s love has fallen upon you, not only that it may benefit you,
but also that you may reflect it.
First, reflect it upon Christ. He has loved you, so love him in return. It is
a blessed thing, sometimes, to do nothing but love Christ for a while. It
is well, at least now and then, for us not to think so much of what we are
going to do for Christ as of what he did for us, and what he is to us. If I
ever try to secure a quiet half-hour’s meditation upon his love to me,
somebody is pretty sure to come and knock at the door; but if I can keep
the door-knocker still, and get alone with my Lord, and only think about
his love to me, — not trying to elaborate any theories, or to understand
any doctrines, but just sitting down with the view of loving him who
gave himself for me, — I tell you, sirs, that this thought is positively
inebriating to the soul. It not merely refreshes, quickens, consoles, but it
absolutely overcomes us with intense delight till we feel as though we
could only fall upon our face, and worship the Lamb who was slain for
us. At such times, we have to make our expressive silence mean his
praise, for our soul is so full of his love that we cannot possibly express
it. That is the first thing for Christians to do; as Christ is shining upon
you with his love, shine back upon him with your love.
Then, next, he said to his disciples, “This is my commandment, That ye
love one another, as I loved you.” As you have received the light of
Christ’s love, pass it on to your fellow-Christians. Do you want to know
where to find Christ? He is dwelling in his people, and especially in his
poor people, in his suffering people, in his tried people; so, when your
heart is full of love to your Lord, let some of the light of it shine upon
them. Perhaps this is a dark time with them, and a kind word from you,
or a kind action, will be like the light of the moon to them in the middle
of the night, and will cause them great gladness. The moon cannot shine
as brightly as the sun does, and you cannot love as much as Christ does;
but you can be like the moon, and shine with borrowed light; you can
reflect upon others the light of the love which Christ has shed upon your
own soul.
And when you have done that, remember that your light will be even
more needed in the dark world of the ungodly. “Christ died for the
ungodly,” and that is what you were once. O beloved, I pray you, love
the sons of men! Somebody has asked, “How are we to convert sinners”
“That is not our work; it is only the Spirit of God who can do that; but
what we can do is this, we can love sinners to Christ. That is the way in
which God says that he worked: “I drew them with words of a man, with
bands of love.” I will give you this message as a text for you to preach
upon practically all your life, — Love sinners to Christ. Love the enmity
out of them if they hate the gospel. Love the prejudice out of them if
they cannot bear to hear it preached. Love them out of their vices, love
them up from their degradation, for love is of God, and God is love, and
God dwells in love. That which is in him, and comes from him, is the
best thing in the world to draw people to him. So use no other cords but
the cords of a man, and no bands but the bands of love. When you really
love souls, it is wonderful how wise you will be in dealing with them. I
have never heard that anybody has opened a school for teaching young
mothers how to manage their first babies; but, somehow or other, when
love is in the mother’s heart, she finds out the proper way to care for her
baby; and better than any College training for the home or the foreign
field of service for the Savior is it to get your heart full of love to your
Lord. Then you will know how to do his work; it will come to you by a
sort of sacred instinct. You will know when you are to tell them of the
terrors of the law, and when to speak of the loveliness of Christ, and just
how to deal with them under all manner of circumstances. The love of
Christ will teach you how to do this if it be shed abroad in your heart by
the Holy Ghost which is given unto you.
Oh, that all men knew, by happy personal experience, what the love of
Jesus is! I have not said much to you unconverted people who are
present, but I have often thought that, when we are preaching about
Christ, even if we do not say much directly to you, the subject itself
speaks to you. It is like spreading a dinner where there are hungry
people near. You have only to say to such persons, “You are welcome to
all there is on the table, “and there is no need of a sermon, or any
eloquence. Their mouths begin to water while you are laying the cloth,
and the sight of the provisions makes them begin to eat as soon as you
say, “Come along;” what big slices they take! Well, poor starving souls,
here is the great gospel feast; may your mouths water for a taste of it!
All I have to say is, —
“Come and welcome, sinner, come.”
Come and taste the great love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
May His gracious Spirit bring you, for Jesus Christ’s sake! Amen.