Christmas Evans Part 23

They proceed from the "carnal mind," which "is enmity against G.o.d," which "is not subject to the law of G.o.d, neither indeed can be." How can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit, or a corrupt fountain send forth pure water?

But "the blood of Christ" is intended to "purge the conscience from dead works." The apostle says-"Ye are not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver, and gold, from your vain conversation, received by tradition from your fathers; but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a Lamb without blemish, and without spot." The Jews were in a state of bondage to the ceremonial law, toiling at the "dead works," the vain, and empty forms, which could never take away sin; and unjustified, and unregenerate men are still captives of Satan, slaves of sin, and death, tyrannized over by various evil habits, and propensities, which are invincible to all things but "the blood of Christ." He died to redeem, both from the burdens of the Mosaic ritual, and from the despotism of moral evil-to purge the conscience of both Jew, and Gentile "from dead works to serve the living G.o.d."

2. We cannot "serve the living G.o.d" without this preparatory purification of conscience. If our guilt is uncancelled-if the love of sin is not dethroned-the service of the knee, and the lip is nothing but hypocrisy. "If we regard iniquity in our hearts, the Lord will not hear us." Cherishing what He hates, all our offerings are an abomination to Him; and we can no more stand in His holy presence than the dry stubble can stand before a flaming fire. He who has an evil conscience flees from the face of G.o.d, as did Adam in the garden. Nothing but "the blood of Christ," applied by the Holy Spirit, can remove the sinner's guilty fear, and enable him to draw nigh to G.o.d, in the humble confidence of acceptance through the Beloved.

The service of the living G.o.d must flow from a new principle of life in the soul. The Divine word must be the rule of our actions. The Divine will must be consulted and obeyed. We must remember that G.o.d is holy, and jealous of His honour. The consideration that He is everywhere, and sees everything, and will bring every work into judgment, must fill us with reverence and G.o.dly fear. An ardent love for His law, and His character must supplant the love of sin, and prompt to a cheerful and impartial obedience.

And let us remember that he is "the _living_ G.o.d." Pharaoh is dead, Herod is dead, Nero is dead; but Jehovah is "the living G.o.d." And it is a fearful thing to have Him for an enemy. Death cannot deliver from His hand. Time, and even eternity, cannot limit His holy anger. He has manifested, in a thousand instances, His hatred of sin: in the destruction of the old world, the burning of Sodom, and Gomorrah, the drowning of Pharaoh and his host in the sea; and I tell thee, sinner, except thou repent, thou shalt likewise perish! Oh, think what punishment "the living G.o.d" can inflict upon His adversaries-the loss of all good-the endurance of all evil-the undying worm-the unquenchable fire-the blackness of darkness for ever!

The G.o.ds of the heathen have no life in them, and they that worship them are like unto them. But our G.o.d is "the living G.o.d," and "the G.o.d of the living." If you are united to Him by faith in "the blood of Christ,"

your souls are "quickened together with Him," and "the power which raised Him from the dead shall also quicken your mortal body."

May the Lord awaken those who are dead in trespa.s.ses, and sins, and revive His work in the midst of the years, and strengthen the feeble graces of His people, and bless abundantly the labours of His servants, so that many consciences may be purged from dead works to serve the living G.o.d!

"There is a fountain filled with blood, Drawn from Emmanuel's veins, And sinners, plunged beneath that flood, Lose all their guilty stains.

"The dying thief rejoiced to see That fountain in his day; And there may I, as vile as he, Wash all my sins away.

"Dear dying Lamb! Thy precious blood Shall never lose its power, Till all the ransomed sons of G.o.d Are saved, to sin no more."

SERMON III.

FINISHED REDEMPTION.

"_It is finished_."-JOHN xix. 30.

This exclamation derives all its importance from the magnitude of the work alluded to, and the glorious character of the Agent. The work is the redemption of the world; the Agent is G.o.d, manifested in the flesh.

He who finished the creation of the heavens, and the earth in six days, is laying the foundation of a new creation on Calvary. Four thousand years He has been giving notice of His intention to mankind; more than thirty years He has been personally upon earth, preparing the material; and now He lays the chief corner-stone in Zion, exclaiming-"It is finished."

We will consider the special import of the exclamation, and then offer a few remarks of a more general character.

I. "It is finished." This saying of the Son of G.o.d is a very striking one; and, uttered, as it was, while He hung in dying agonies on the cross, cannot fail to make a strong impression upon the mind. It is natural for us to inquire-"What does it mean? To what does the glorious Victim refer?" A complete answer to the question would develope the whole scheme of redemption. We can only glance at a few leading ideas.

The sufferings of Christ are ended. Never again shall He be persecuted from city to city, as an impostor, and servant of Satan. Never again shall He say, "My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death." Never again shall He agonize in Gethsemane, and sweat great drops of blood.

Never again shall He be derided by the rabble, and insulted by men in power. Never again shall He be crowned with thorns, lacerated by the scourge, and nailed to the accursed tree. Never again shall He cry out, in the anguish of His soul, and the baptism of blood-"My G.o.d! my G.o.d! why hast Thou forsaken me!"

The predictions of His death are fulfilled. The prophets had spoken of His crucifixion many hundred years before His birth. They foresaw the Governor who was to come forth from Bethlehem. They knew the Babe in the manger, as He whose goings forth are of old, even from everlasting. They drew an accurate chart of His travels, from the manger to the cross, and from the cross to the throne. All these things must be fulfilled. Jesus knew the necessity, and seemed anxious that every jot, and t.i.ttle should receive an exact accomplishment. His whole life was a fulfilment of prophecy. On every path He walked, on every house He entered, on every city He visited, and especially on the mysterious phenomena which accompanied His crucifixion, it was written-"that the Scriptures might be fulfilled."

The great sacrifice for sin is accomplished. For this purpose Christ came into the world. He is our appointed High Priest, the elect of the Father, and the desire of the nations. He alone was in the bosom of the Father, and could offer a sacrifice of sufficient merit to atone for human transgression. But it was necessary also that He should have somewhat to offer. Therefore a body was prepared for Him. He a.s.sumed the seed of Abraham, and suffered in the flesh. This was a sacrifice of infinite value, being sanctified by the altar of Divinity on which it was offered. All the ceremonial sacrifices could not obtain the bond from the hand of the creditor. They were only acknowledgment of the debt.

But Jesus, by one offering, paid the whole, took up the bond, the hand-writing that was against us, and nailed it to the cross; and when driving the last nail, He cried-"It is finished!"

The satisfaction of Divine justice is completed. The violated law must be vindicated; the deserved penalty must be endured; if not by the sinner himself, yet by the sinner's Subst.i.tute. This was the great undertaking of the Son of G.o.d. He "bore our sins"-that is, the punishment of our sins-"in His own body on the tree." He was "made a curse for us, that we might be made the righteousness of G.o.d in him." There was no other way by which the honour of G.o.d and the dignity of His law could be sustained, and therefore "the Lord laid upon Him the iniquities of us all." He "died unto sin once;" not merely for sin, enduring its punishment in our stead; but also "unto sin," abolishing its power, and putting it away.

Therefore it is said, He "made an end of sin"-destroyed its condemning, and tormenting power on behalf of all them that believe His sufferings were equal to the claims of justice; and His dying cry was the voice of Justice Himself proclaiming the satisfaction. Here, then, may the dying thief, and the persecutor of the holy, lay down their load of guilt, and woe at the foot of the cross.

The new, and living way to G.o.d is consecrated. A veil has. .h.i.therto concealed the holy of holies. None but the High Priest has seen the ark of the covenant, and the glory of G.o.d resting upon the Mercy-seat between the cherubim. He alone might enter, and he but once a year, and then with fear, and trembling, and the sprinkling of atoning blood, after the most careful purification, and sacrifice for himself. He has filled His hands with His own blood, and entered into heaven itself, there to appear in the presence of G.o.d for us. The sweet incense which He offers fills the temple, and the merit of His sacrifice remains the same through all time, superseding all other offerings for ever. Therefore we are exhorted to come boldly to the throne of grace. The tunnel under the Thames could not be completed on account of an accident which greatly damaged the work, without a new subscription for raising money; but Jesus found infinite riches in Himself, sufficient for the completion of a new way to the Father-a living way through the valley of the shadow of death to "the city of the Great King."

The conquest of the powers of darkness is achieved. When their hour was come, the prince and his host were on the alert to accomplish the destruction of the Son of G.o.d. They hailed Him with peculiar temptations, and levelled against Him their heaviest artillery. They instigated one disciple to betray Him and another to deny Him. They fired the rage of the mult.i.tude against Him, so that the same tongues that lately sang, "Hosanna to the Son of David!" now shouted, "Crucify Him! crucify Him!" They filled the priests, and scribes with envy, that they might accuse Him without a cause; and inspired Pilate with an accursed ambition, that he might condemn him without a fault. They seared the conscience of the false witnesses, that they might charge the Just One with the most flagrant crimes; and cauterized the hearts of the Roman soldiers, that they might mock Him in His sufferings, and nail Him to the cross. Having succeeded so far in their h.e.l.lish plot, they doubtless deemed their victory certain. I see them crowding around the cross, waiting impatiently to witness his last breath, ready to shout with infernal triumph to the depths of h.e.l.l, till the brazen walls should send back their echoes to the gates of the heavenly city. But hark! the dying Saviour exclaims-"It is finished!" and the great dragon and his host retreat, howling, from the cross. The Prince of our Salvation turned back all their artillery upon themselves, and their own stratagems became their ruin. The old serpent seized Messiah's heel, but Messiah stamped upon the serpent's head. The dying cry of Jesus shook the dominions of death, so that the bodies of many that slept arose; and rang through all the depths of h.e.l.l the knell of its departed power. Thus the Prince of this world was foiled in His schemes, and disappointed in his hopes, like the men of Gaza, when they locked up Samson at night, thinking to kill him in the morning: but awoke to find that he was gone, with the gates of the city upon his shoulders. When the Philistines caught Samson, and brought him to their Temple, to make sport for them, they never dreamed of the disaster in which it would result-never dreamed that their triumph over the poor blind captive would be the occasion of their destruction. "Suffer me," said he, "to lean on the two pillars."

Then he bowed himself, and died with his enemies. So Christ on Calvary, while the powers of darkness exulted over their victim, seized the main pillars of sin, and death, and brought down the temple of Satan upon its occupants; but on the morning of the third day, He left them all in the ruins, where they shall remain for ever, and commenced His journey home to His Father's house.

II. So much concerning the import of our Saviour's exclamation. Such was the work He finished upon the cross. We add a few remarks of a more general character.

The sufferings of Christ were vicarious. He died, not for His own sins, but for ours. He humbled Himself, that we might be exalted. He became poor, that we might be made rich. He was wounded, that we might be healed. He drained the cup of wrath, that we might drink the waters of salvation. He died the shameful and excruciating death of the cross, that we might live and reign with Him for ever.

"Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to have entered into His glory?" This "ought" is the ought of mercy, and of covenant engagement. He must discharge the obligation which He had voluntarily a.s.sumed. He must finish the work which He had graciously begun. There was no other Saviour-no other being in the universe willing to undertake the work; or, if any willing to undertake, none able to accomplish it.

The salvation of one human soul would have been too mighty an achievement for Gabriel-for all the angels in heaven. Had not "the only-begotten of the Father" become our Surety, we must have lain for ever under the wrath of G.o.d, amid "weeping, and wailing, and gnashing of teeth." None but the Lion of the tribe of Judah could break the seals of that mysterious book.

None but "G.o.d manifest in the flesh" could deliver us from the second death.

The dying cry of Jesus indicates the dignity of His nature, and the power of life that was in Him to the last. All men die of weakness-of inability to resist death-die because they can live no longer. But this was not the case with the Son of G.o.d. He speaks of laying down His life as His own voluntary act;-"No man taketh it from He, but I lie it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again."

"He poured out His soul unto death"-did not wait for it to be torn from Him-did not hang languishing upon the cross, till life "ebbed out by slow degrees;" but poured it out freely, suddenly, and unexpectedly. As soon as the work was done for which He came into the world, He cried-"It is finished!" "bowed His head, and gave up the ghost." Then the sun was darkened, the earth quaked, the rocks rent, the graves opened, and the centurion said-"Truly, this Man was the Son of G.o.d!" He cried with a loud voice, to show that He was still unconquered by pain, mighty even upon the cross. He bowed His head that death might seize Him. He was naturally far above the reach of death, His Divine nature being self-existent and eternal, and His human nature ent.i.tled to immortality by its immaculate holiness; yet "He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross"-"He bowed His head, and gave up the ghost."

We may regard this last exclamation, also, as an expression of His joy at having accomplished the great "travail of his soul," in the work of our redemption. It was the work which the Father had given Him, and which He had covenanted to do. It lay heavy upon His heart, and oh, how was He straitened till it was accomplished! His "soul was exceedingly sorrowful, even unto death;" "and His sweat, as it were, great drops of blood, falling down to the ground." But upon the cross, He saw of the travail of His soul, and was satisfied. He saw that His sacrifice was accepted, and the object of His agony secured-that death would not be able to detain Him in the grave, nor h.e.l.l to defeat the purpose of His grace; that the gates of the eternal city would soon open to receive Him as a conqueror, and myriads of exultant angels shout Him to His throne; whither He would be followed by His redeemed, with songs of everlasting joy. He saw, and He was satisfied; and, not waiting for the morning of the third day, but already confident of victory, He uttered this note of triumph, and died.

And if we may suppose them to have understood its import, what a source of consolation it must have been to His sorrowing disciples! The sword had pierced through Mary's heart, according to the prediction of old Simeon over the infant Jesus. Her affections had bled at the agony of her supernatural Son, and her wounded faith had well-nigh perished at His cross. And how must all His followers have felt, standing afar off, and beholding their supposed Redeemer suffering as a malefactor! How must all their hopes have died within them, as they gazed on the accursed tree! The tragedy was mysterious, and they deemed their enemies victorious. Jesus is treading the winepress in Bozrah, and the earth is shaking, and the rocks are rending, and the luminaries of heaven are expiring, and all the powers of nature are fainting, in sympathy with His mighty agony. Now he is lost in the fire, and smoke of battle, and the dread artillery of justice is heard thundering through the thick darkness, and shouts of victory rise from the troops of h.e.l.l, and who shall foretell the issue of the combat, or the fate of the Champion? But lo! He cometh forth from the cloud of battle, with blood upon His garments! He is wounded, but He hath the tread, and the aspect of a conqueror. He waves His crimsoned sword, and cries-"It is finished!"

Courage, ye weepers at the cross! Courage, ye tremblers afar off! The Prince of your salvation is victor, and this bulletin of the war shall cheer myriads of believers in the house of their pilgrimage, and the achievement which it announces shall const.i.tute an everlasting theme of praise.

"It is finished!" The word smote on the walls of the celestial city, and thrilled the hosts of heaven with ecstasy unspeakable. How must "the spirits of just men made perfect" have leaped for joy, to hear that the Captain of their salvation was victorious over all His enemies, and that the work He had engaged to do for them, and their brethren was completed!

And with what wonder, and delight must the holy angels have witnessed the triumph of Him, whom they were commanded to worship, over the powers of darkness! It was the commencement of a new era in heaven, and never before had its happy denizens seen so much of G.o.d.

"It is finished!" Go, ye heralds of salvation, into all the world, and proclaim the joyful tidings! Cry aloud, and spare not; lift up your voice like a trumpet, and publish, to all men, that the work of the cross is finished-that the Great Mediator, "made perfect through sufferings,"

has become "the author of eternal salvation to all them that obey Him"-"is of G.o.d made unto us, wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption!" Go, teach the degraded pagan, the deluded Mohammedan, and the superst.i.tious Papist, that the finished work of Jesus is the only way of acceptance with G.o.d. Go, tell the polished scholar, the profound philosopher, and the vaunting moralist, that the doctrine of Christ crucified is the only knowledge that can save the soul! Go,-say to the proud sceptic, the bold blasphemer, and the polluted libertine, "Behold the Lamb of G.o.d that taketh away the sin of the world." Preach it to the gasping sinner upon the death-bed, and the sullen murderer in his cell! Let it ring in every human ear, and thrill in every human heart, till the gladness of earth shall be the counterpart of heaven!

SERMON IV.

THE FATHER AND SON GLORIFIED.

"_Howbeit_, _when He_, _the Spirit of Truth_, _is come_, _He will guide you into all truth_; _for He shall not speak of Himself_; _but whatsoever He shall hear_, _that shall He speak_; _and He will show you things to come_. _He shall glorify me_: _for He shall receive of mine_, _and shall show it unto you_. _All things that the Father hath are mine_; _therefore_, _said I_, _that He shall take of mine_, _and shall show it unto you_."-JOHN xvi. 1315.

The wonderful Providence, which brought the children of Israel out of the house of bondage, was a chain of many links, not one of which could be omitted without destroying the beauty, and defeating the end of the Divine economy. The family of Jacob came to Egypt in the time of famine-they multiply-they are oppressed-their cries reach to heaven-G.o.d manifests Himself in the burning bush-Moses is sent to Egypt-miracles are wrought by his hand-Pharaoh's heart is hardened-the firstborn are slain-the pa.s.sover is eaten-the people depart, led by the pillar of G.o.d-the sea is divided-and, with many signs, and wonders, the thousands of Israel are conducted through the wilderness to the Promised Land. Had one of these links been wanting, the chain of deliverance had been defective.

So, in the salvation of sinners by Jesus Christ, all the conditions, and preparatives were essential to the completeness, and glory of the scheme.

The Son of G.o.d must consent to undertake our cause, and become our subst.i.tute-the promise must be given to Adam, and frequently repeated to the patriarchs-b.l.o.o.d.y sacrifices must be inst.i.tuted, to typify the vicarious sufferings of Messiah-a long line of prophets must foretell His advent, and the glory of His kingdom-He must be born in Bethlehem, crucified on Calvary, and buried in Joseph's new tomb-must rise from the dead, ascend to the right hand of the Father, and send down the Holy Spirit to guide and sanctify His Church. Without all these circ.u.mstances, the economy of redemption would have been incomplete and inefficient.

The last link in the chain is the mission and work of the Holy Spirit.

This is quite as important as any of the rest. Our Saviour's heart seems to have been much set upon it, during all His ministry, and especially during the last few days, before His crucifixion. He spoke of it, frequently, to His disciples, and told them that He would not leave them comfortless, but would send them "another Comforter," who should abide with them for ever; and that His own departure was necessary, to prepare the way for the coming of the heavenly Paraclete. In our text, He describes the office of the Holy Spirit, and the specific relation which He sustains to the work of Salvation:-"Howbeit, when He, the Spirit of Truth, is come, He will guide you into all truth; for He shall not speak of Himself; but whatsoever He shall hear, that shall He speak; and He will show you things to come. He shall glorify me: for He shall receive of mine, and shall show it unto you. All things that the Father hath are mine; therefore said I, that He shall take of mine, and shall show it unto you."

These words teach us two important truths-_first_, that the Son is equal with the Father; and, _secondly_, that the Father, and the Son are alike glorified in the economy of salvation.

I. The Son claims equality with the Father. "All things that the Father hath are mine."

This sentence is very comprehensive, and sublime-an unquestionable affirmation of the Messiah's "eternal power, and G.o.dhead." The same doctrine is taught us, in many other recorded sayings of Christ, and sustained by all the prophets, and apostles; and when I consider this declaration, in connection with the general strain of the inspired writers on the subject, I seem to hear the Saviour Himself addressing the world in the following manner:-

"All things that the Father hath are mine. His _names_ are mine. I am Jehovah-the mighty G.o.d, and the everlasting Father-the Lord of Hosts-the Living G.o.d-the True G.o.d, and Eternal Life.

"His _works_ are mine. All things were made by me, and I uphold all things by the word of my power. My Father worketh hitherto, and I work; for as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them, even so the Son quickeneth whom He will. I am the Author of universal being, and my hand moveth all the machinery of Providence.