ven on earth. There is nothing in this life higher or beyond it. In the answer of Philip to the Chancellor's question, "Of whom speaketh the prophet this?" we have the key to the Old Testament. That Book is empty and meaningless without Christ. He fits into its types and prophecies like an indenture. Its interpretation as a whole is briefly comprehended in the words which furnished the postulate of Paul's preaching, "This Jesus is the Christ." And this interpretation is verified in the teaching of Christ himself. To the woman of Samaria, who expressed a pathetic longing for the coming of Messiah, he said plainly, "I that speak unto thee am he." All through his ministry he emphasized that claim; and after his resurrection, as he journeyed to Emmaus with two of his disciples, whose "eyes were holden that they should not know him," he, "beginning at Moses and all the prophets, expounded unto them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself;" that is, he showed them how he himself was the long-looked-for Messiah who was to bear the world's sin. This interpretation is borne out also in the passion of Jesus. In the Garden of Gethsemane he bowed his shoulders to the burden, "sweating as it were great drops of blood," yet acquiescing in the vicarious plan of salvation in the words "Father, thy will be done." On Via Dolorosa he staggered under his burden, sin upon sin, like Ossa piled on Pelion; as it is written, "He hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin." On the cross he groaned three mortal hours under that same burden until his great heart broke beneath it. Thus "he bore our griefs and carried our sorrows;" thus he "was wounded for our transgressions and bruised for our iniquities;" thus "the chastisement of our peace was upon him;" and all to the end that whosoever believeth on him shall not perish but have eternal life. This interpretation is further verified in the personal experience of a great multitude whom no man can number, some translated to the heavens and uniting in the hymn, "Worthy is the Lamb that was slain," others on earth singing as they journey, "Love so amazing, so divine, demands my soul, my life, my all!" In the Pilgrim's Progress it is written: "I saw in my dream that burdened Christian did run with great difficulty because of the load on his back. But at length he came at a place somewhat ascending; and upon that place stood a cross, and a little below, in the bottom, a sepulchre. So I saw in my dream, that just as Christian came up with the cross, his burden loosed from off his shoulders, and fell from off his back, and began to tumble, and so continued to do till it came to the mouth of the sepulchre, where it fell in, and I saw it no more. Then was Christian glad and lightsome, and said with a merry heart, 'He hath given me rest by his sorrow, and life by his death.' Then he stood still a while, to look and wonder; for it was very sur prising to him that the sight of the cross should thus ease him of his burden. He looked, therefore, and looked again, even till the springs that were in his head sent the waters down his cheeks. Then he gave three leaps for joy, and went on singing, "Thus far did I come laden with my sin, The benefit of the vicarious work of Jesus is not forced upon us. In the nature of the case that is impossible, since we are endowed with sovereign wills. But it is offered freely to all who are willing to receive it. Faith is appropriation. "I will!" is the shibboleth of life. It is for every man to say for himself whether he will bear his own burden under the law or lay it upon Christ, his willing substitute, and thus be saved by grace. There are those who say of this Burden-Bearer, "He was stricken, smitten of God and afflicted" (Isaiah 53:4); that is, his sufferings were such as come in the course of providence to every man. This is the most calamitous of heresies, because it makes Christ die for himself alone and leaves the burden of our sins upon us; whereas "he bare our griefs and carried our sorrows," so that "the chastisement of our peace was upon him." Happy is the man who perceives this truth; and thrice blessed is he who by faith appropriates it. His burden of sin is loosed from his shoulders; wherefore let him, like the Pilgrim, "give three leaps for joy and go on singing," singing to the gates of heaven and then forevermore singing to the praise of him who has borne away our sorrows and crowned us with eternal life. 8. PRAYER O Christ, my Saviour, who didst bear the burden of my sins until thy great heart was broken under it, break my cold heart by giving me a clear vision of thy love. Love so amazing, so divine, demands my soul, my life, my all. Here, Lord, I give myself to thee, 'tis all that I can do. Take me, use me, glorify thyself in and through me, for thy Name's sake. Amen. 9. HYMN: "Jesus, lover of my soul." 10. BENEDICTION Now may God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, shine in your hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. Amen. SEVENTH SERVICE The Bosom Friend of Jesus I. INVOCATION BLESSED LORD, enable me to worship thee in the beauty of holiness. Let the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable in thy sight. Open thy Word before me; help me to read, mark, learn and inwardly digest it. And manifest thy presence unto me for thy Name's sake. Amen. 2. HYMN: "Come, thou Fount of every blessing." 3. SCRIPTURE LESSON Psalm 23. 4. PRAYER O thou who didst bow the heavens and come down to manifest God, enable me to know thee. For to know thee is to know God; and to know God is life eternal. Take me, to-day, into the secret place of thy Tabernacle and commune with me. I do not ask to know about thee, but to know thee, face to face; to become acquainted with thee as one friend. |