Read John 12, 13, 14.
1. Love in Its Devotedness Even to Death
WITH the twelfth chapter of the Gospel by John before us, we can but feel that to a spectator on the highway to Jerusalem everything outwardly betokened the brightest moment in the Lord's history. Hosannas filled the air; the multitude owned Him; the world had gone after Him. The Greeks also, representatives of the Gentile nations, desired to see Him: "Sir, we would see Jesus." Everyone seemed ready to welcome His entrance in the glory of the kingdom to His rightful honors as David's Son on David's throne. Even His enemies owned that they prevailed nothing.
The desire of the Gentiles thus expressed—"Sir, we would see Jesus," brings out a hidden purpose that had long occupied His heart, filled His bosom, and was now about to be announced. Jesus turns from the rays of brightness and glory which shone around His pathway, and contemplates the sufferings of Calvary; and as He gazes into the depths of the cold, silent grave we hear Him say, "Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone.”
He had no desire to abide alone! A company united to Him on the new ground of resurrection engages His thoughts; but knowing that before He could associate that company with Himself, He must first enter the cold, silent grave, He says, "But if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.”
He had counted the cost. Devoted in His love, He became obedient unto death, even to the death of the cross. He knew that our eternal blessings and the Father's will could be accomplished only through the baptism of death, and the setting aside, for the moment, of His rights to the kingdom which, as David's Son, is His— so He shrank not from the cross.
Gaze upon Jesus, contemplating His sufferings; adore and worship, as you behold Him who loved not His life even unto death! Let us raise the glad note, beloved, and celebrate the praises of Him of whom each believer can say, "He loved me, and gave Himself for me.”
2. Love in Its Untiring Patience
As we read chap. 13., another quality of "love divine all praise excelling" is discovered to us, as, with His outer garment laid aside, Jesus girds Himself to minister to the necessities of His people.
“Having loved His own which were in the world, He loved them unto the end." Nothing tests the character of love like patient endurance with its object. Surely in Christ "charity suffereth long." Every day, every hour, as the redeemed of the Lord travel onward to their rest, their wilfulness or their waywardness tests this love.
Let us take a retrospect of our walk. Is there not much in our ways that would have weaned another's affections from us? Jesus is "the same yesterday, and to-day, and forever." "Yesterday" He proved His love by dying for us; "to-day" He assures us of the reality of that love, whilst living for us; and "forever" we shall enjoy His blessed presence, for "He loves to the end.”
Did you ever quietly ponder over the undistracted service of that precious One in the glory? "If any man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous." He cannot allow a stain to soil the pure garment for a moment. Is the saint in weakness, "He is touched with the feeling of our infirmities." His love enters into all the details of our sorrows, and if He feels them as the man Christ Jesus He knows how to succor us as the Son of God.
3. Love Delighting to Dispense Its Blessings
Chapter 14. opens with the "eternal lover" about to be separated for a while from those He holds most dear, and skews us Himself, Who had loved unto death (chap. 12.), and Who loves still as the risen One (chap. 13.), about to confer with lavish hands priceless treasures on those He is leaving behind. Nothing delights love so much as bestowing favors on its objects. Nothing less will satisfy Him, Who said, “As My Father hath loved Me, so have I loved you," than that His own should consciously possess and enjoy the privileges He bestows.
He sweetly shows how we can pass through a troubled scene with an untroubled heart. He desires that His disciples may believe on Him, and thus confide their future to the care of His skillful hand, assuring them that He is leaving them for a little moment, to prepare an eternal home with Himself for them in His Father's house.
Jesus next tells them that His walk and ways on this earth were a faithful reflex of the Father's heart, and during his absence confides them to the care of that Father Who Himself loved them.
He then places the whole power of His "Name" at their disposal, and that according to its unspeakable value in the Father's eyes. "If ye shall ask anything in My Name, I will do it.”
His heart enters into their disconsolate condition during His absence, and provides for it by the gift of an abiding Comforter; so that they should not be left orphans, but that all things He had said should be graciously preserved for them. These very Scriptures prove the fulfillment of this promise, for are we not privileged to listen even now to the words of Jesus which then fell from His blessed lips?
Again He opens that bounteous hand and bestows another gift of grace. His own peace is conferred upon them as their present portion. In quality, if not in measure, that which He enjoyed as a stranger here is to be ours.
What more could this faithful lover of our souls have done for us? Has He not given us all that love could give? In response to His "I am coming again to receive you unto Myself, that where I am there ye may be also," do not we say, "Even so, come, Lord Jesus"?
H. N.