LOVE will often express itself by a gift, and the appreciation thereof will be according to the strength of the love reciprocated.
A glance at John 10 will enable us to see how this was exemplified by Jesus on the cross.
Verse 29 teaches us that the sheep were the Father’s gift to Jesus (“My Father... gave them me”), and He, receiving them as such from His Father’s hand, showed forth, in the perfection of His love, His deep appreciation of this gift, by laying down His life for the sheep (vs. 15, “I lay down my life for the sheep”); and this act of His we learn, from vs. 47 and 18, was associated with the further and highest display of the absolute devotion of His heart to God― “I lay it down of myself;” thus furnishing (as observed by others) fresh motives for the out flowings of the Father’s love towards Him― “Therefore doth MY FATHER LOVE ME, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again.”
He could say, “I do always those things that please” the Father (John 8:2929And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him. (John 8:29)); and at the close of many years’ unrecorded sojourn here, He received this testimony, “Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” (Mark 1:1111And there came a voice from heaven, saying, Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. (Mark 1:11)). The bright sunshine of the Father’s smile was ever His (Luke 9:3535And there came a voice out of the cloud, saying, This is my beloved Son: hear him. (Luke 9:35); John 12:2828Father, glorify thy name. Then came there a voice from heaven, saying, I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again. (John 12:28)); but the hour was coming when those on earth should know, as well as in heaven, that His sole. object was His Father’s will and His Father’s glory. Verse 17 of chapter 10 has already shown us that the Father knew it. A reference to chapter 18:11, makes it clear that the Disciples should have known it (... “the cup which the Father hath given me shall I not drink it?”) And, as regards the World, we read in John 14:31,31But that the world may know that I love the Father; and as the Father gave me commandment, even so I do. Arise, let us go hence. (John 14:31) “That the world may know that I LOVE THE FATHER; and as the Father gave me commandment, even so I do. Arise, let us go hence.”
What rest of heart it gives to the believer, and what a theme for his contemplation, is this aspect of the Divine love between the Father and the Son! To think that those who were so helpless and graceless in themselves, should have been chosen as that which could suitably serve as a factor in the medium for its display, and that too in such a character as a gift (the Father’s love-gift) to the Son, who, we read in Ephesians 5:2,2And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savor. (Ephesians 5:2) “also hath loved us, and hath given, himself FOR US an offering and a sacrifice TO GOD for a sweet smelling savor.”
Does my reader anxiously ask, Whereby may I know that I belong to Jesus?
Let me ask, Have you ever really come to Jesus? For He hath said, “All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out” (John 6:3737All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. (John 6:37)).
May the language of your heart be: ―
“Just as I am―without one plea
But that Thy blood was shed for me,
And that Thou bid’st me come to thee,
O Lamb of God, I come.
Just as I am―Thy love, I own,
Has broken every barrier down;
Now to be Thine, yea, Thine alone,
O Lamb of God, I come.”
L. N. N.