the desire of ages-第132节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


His　mission。　〃We　would　see　Jesus；〃　they　said。　Their　desire　was　granted。　When　the　request　was　brought　to　Jesus；　He　was　in　that　part　of　the　temple　from　which　all　except　Jews　were　excluded；　but　He　went　out　to　the　Greeks　in　the　outer　court；　and　had　a　personal　interview　with　them。

The　hour　of　Christ's　glorification　had　come。　He　was　standing　in　the　shadow　of　the　cross；　and　the　inquiry　of　the　Greeks　showed　Him　that　the　sacrifice　He　was　about　to　make　would　bring　many　sons　and　daughters　to　God。　He　knew　that　the　Greeks　would　soon　see　Him　in　a　position　they　did　not　then　dream　of。　They　would　see　Him　placed　beside　Barabbas；　a　robber　and　murderer；　who　would　be　chosen　for　release　before　the　Son　of　God。　They　would　hear　the　people；　inspired　by　the　priests　and　rulers；　making　their　choice。　And　to　the　question；　〃What　shall　I　do　then　with　Jesus　which　is　called　Christ？〃　the　answer　would　be　given；　〃Let　Him　be　crucified。〃　Matt。　27：22。　By　making　this　propitiation　for　the　sins　of　men；　Christ　knew　that　His　kingdom　would　be　perfected；　and　would　extend　throughout　the　world。　He　would　work　as　the　Restorer；　and　His　Spirit　would　prevail。　For　a　moment　He　looked　into　futurity；　and　heard　the　voices　proclaiming　in　all　parts　of　the　earth；　〃Behold　the　Lamb　of　God；　which　taketh　away　the　sin　of　the　world。〃　John　1：29。　In　these　strangers　He　saw　the　pledge　of　a　great　harvest；　when　the　partition　wall　between　Jew　and　Gentile　should　be　broken　down；　and　all　nations；　tongues；　and　peoples　should　hear　the　message　of　salvation。　The　anticipation　of　this；　the　consummation　of　His　hopes；　is　expressed　in　the　words；　〃The　hour　is　come；　that　the　Son　of　man　should　be　glorified。〃　But　the　way　in　which　this　glorification　must　take　place　was　never　absent　from　Christ's　mind。　The　gathering　in　of　the　Gentiles　was　to　follow　His　approaching　death。　Only　by　His　death　could　the　world　be　saved。　Like　a　grain　of　wheat；　the

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　623

Son　of　man　must　be　cast　into　the　ground　and　die；　and　be　buried　out　of　sight；　but　He　was　to　live　again。

Christ　presented　His　future；　illustrating　it　by　the　things　of　nature；　that　the　disciples　might　understand。　The　true　result　of　His　mission　was　to　be　reached　by　His　death。　〃Verily；　verily；　I　say　unto　you；〃　He　said；　〃Except　a　corn　of　wheat　fall　into　the　ground　and　die；　it　abideth　alone：　but　if　it　die；　it　bringeth　forth　much　fruit。〃　When　the　grain　of　wheat　falls　into　the　ground　and　dies；　it　springs　up；　and　bears　fruit。　So　the　death　of　Christ　would　result　in　fruit　for　the　kingdom　of　God。　In　accordance　with　the　law　of　the　vegetable　kingdom；　life　was　to　be　the　result　of　His　death。

Those　who　till　the　soil　have　the　illustration　ever　before　them。　Year　by　year　man　preserves　his　supply　of　grain　by　apparently　throwing　away　the　choicest　part。　For　a　time　it　must　be　hidden　under　the　furrow；　to　be　watched　over　by　the　Lord。　Then　appears　the　blade；　then　the　ear；　and　then　the　corn　in　the　ear。　But　this　development　cannot　take　place　unless　the　grain　is　buried　out　of　sight；　hidden；　and　to　all　appearance；　lost。

The　seed　buried　in　the　ground　produces　fruit；　and　in　turn　this　is　planted。　Thus　the　harvest　is　multiplied。　So　the　death　of　Christ　on　the　cross　of　Calvary　will　bear　fruit　unto　eternal　life。　The　contemplation　of　this　sacrifice　will　be　the　glory　of　those　who；　as　the　fruit　of　it；　will　live　through　the　eternal　ages。

The　grain　of　wheat　that　preserves　its　own　life　can　produce　no　fruit。　It　abides　alone。　Christ　could；　if　He　chose；　save　Himself　from　death。　But　should　He　do　this；　He　must　abide　alone。　He　could　bring　no　sons　and　daughters　to　God。　Only　by　yielding　up　His　life　could　He　impart　life　to　humanity。　Only　by　falling　into　the　ground　to　die　could　He　become　the　seed　of　that　vast　harvest；the　great　multitude　that　out　of　every　nation；　and　kindred；　and　tongue；　and　people；　are　redeemed　to　God。

With　this　truth　Christ　connects　the　lesson　of　self…sacrifice　that　all　should　learn：　〃He　that　loveth　his　life　shall　lose　it；　and　he　that　hateth　his　life　in　this　world　shall　keep　it　unto　life　eternal。〃　All　who　would　bring　forth　fruit　as　workers　together　with　Christ　must　first　fall　into　the　ground　and　die。　The　life　must　be　cast　into　the　furrow　of　the　world's　need。　Self…love；　self…interest；　must　perish。　And　the　law　of　self…sacrifice　is　the　law　of　self…preservation。　The　husbandman　preserves　his　grain　by　casting　it　away。　So　in　human　life。　To　give　is　to　live。　The　life　that　will　be　preserved　is　the　life　that　is　freely　given　in　service　to　God　and　man。　Those　who　for

624

Christ's　sake　sacrifice　their　life　in　this　world　will　keep　it　unto　life　eternal。

The　life　spent　on　self　is　like　the　grain　that　is　eaten。　It　disappears；　but　there　is　no　increase。　A　man　may　gather　all　he　can　for　self；　he　may　live　and　think　and　plan　for　self；　but　his　life　passes　away；　and　he　has　nothing。　The　law　of　self…serving　is　the　law　of　self…destruction。

〃If　any　man　serve　Me；〃　said　Jesus；　〃let　him　follow　Me；　and　where　I　am；　there　shall　also　My　servant　be：　if　any　man　serve　Me；　him　will　My　Father　honor。〃　All　who　have　borne　with　Jesus　the　cross　of　sacrifice　will　be　sharers　with　Him　of　His　glory。　It　was　the　joy　of　Christ　in　His　humiliation　and　pain　that　His　disciples　should　be　glorified　with　Him。　They　are　the　fruit　of　His　self…sacrifice。　The　outworking　in　them　of　His　own　character　and　spirit　is　His　reward；　and　will　be　His　joy　throughout　eternity。　This　joy　they　share　with　Him　as　the　fruit　of　their　labor　and　sacrifice　is　seen　in　other　hearts　and　lives。　They　are　workers　together　with　Christ；　and　the　Father　will　honor　them　as　He　honors　His　Son。

The　message　of　the　Greeks；　foreshadowing　as　it　did　the　gathering　in　of　the　Gentiles；　brought　to　the　mind　of　Jesus　His　entire　mission。　The　work　of　redemption　passed　before　Him；　from　the　time　when　in　heaven　the　plan　was　laid；　to　the　death　that　was　now　so　near　at　hand。　A　mysterious　cloud　seemed　to　enshroud　the　Son　of　God。　Its　gloom　was　felt　by　those　near　Him。　He　sat　rapt　in　thought。　At　last　the　silence　was　broken　by　His　mournful　voice；　〃Now　is　My　soul　troubled；　and　what　shall　I　say？　Father；　save　Me　from　this　hour？〃　In　anticipation　Christ　was　already　drinking　the　cup　of　bitterness。　His　humanity　shrank　from　the　hour　of　abandonment；　when　to　all　appearance　He　would　be　deserted　even　by　God；　when　all　would　see　Him　stricken；　smitten　of　God；　and　afflicted。　He　shrank　from　public　exposure；　from　being　treated　as　the　worst　of　criminals；　from　a　shameful　and　dishonored　death。　A　foreboding　of　His　conflict　with　the　powers　of　darkness；　a　sense　of　the　awful　burden　of　human　transgression；　and　the　Father's　wrath　because　of　sin　caused　the　spirit　of　Jesus　to　faint；　and　the　pallor　of　death　to　overspread　His　countenance。

Then　came　divine　submission　to　His　Father's　will。　〃For　this　cause；〃　He　said；　〃came　I　unto　this　hour。　Father；　glorify　Thy　name。〃　Only　through　the　death　of　Christ　could　Satan's　kingdom　be　overthrown。　Only　thus　could　man　be　redeemed；　and　God　be　glorified。　Jesus　consented　to　the　agony；　He　accepted　the　sacrifice。　The　Majesty　of　heaven　consented　to　suffer　as　the　Sin　Bearer。　〃Father；　glorify　Thy　name；〃　He　said。　As

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　625

Christ　spoke　these　words；　a　response　came　from　the　cloud　which　hovered　above　His　head：　〃I　have　both　glorified　it；　and　will　glorify　it　again。〃　Christ's　whole　life；　from　the　manger　to　the　time　when　these　words　were　spoken；　had　glorified　God；　and　in　the　coming　trial　His　divine…human　sufferings　would　indeed　glorify　His　Father's　name。

As　the　voice　was　heard；　a　light　darted　from　the　cloud；　and　encircled　Christ；　as　if　the　arms　of　Infinite　Power　were　thrown　about　Him　like　a　wall　of　fire。　The　people　beheld　this　scene　with　terror　and　amazement。　No　one　dared　to　speak。　With　silent　lips　and　bated　breath　all　stood　with　eyes　fixed　upon　Jesus。　The　testimony　of　the　Father　having　been　given；　the　cloud　lifted；　and　scattered　in　the　heavens。　For　the　time　the　visible　communion　between　the　Father　and　the　Son　was　ended。

〃The　people　therefore；　that　stood　by；　and　heard　it；　said　that　it　thundered：　others　said；　An　angel　spake　to　Him。〃　But　the　inquiring　Greeks　saw　the　cloud；　heard　the　voice；　comprehended　its　meaning；　and　discerned　Christ　indeed；　to　them　He　was　revealed　as　the　Sent　of　God。

The　voice　of　God　had　been　heard　at　the　baptism　of　Jesus　at　the　beginning　of　His　ministry；　and　again　at　His　transfiguration　on　the　mount。　Now　at　the　close　of　His　ministry　it　was　heard　for　the　third　time；　by　a　larger　number　of　persons；　and　under　peculiar　circumstances。　Jesus　had　just　spoken　the　most　solemn　truth　regarding　the　condition　of　the　Jews。　He　had　made　His　last　appeal；　and　pronounced　their　doom。　Now　God　again　set　His　seal　to　the　mission　of　His　Son。　He　recognized　the　One　whom　Israel　had　rejected。　〃This　voice　came　not　because　of　Me；〃　said　Jesus；　〃but　for　your　sakes。〃　It　was　the　crowning　evidence　of　His　Messiahship；　the　signal　from　the　Father　that　Jesus　had　spoken　the　truth；　and　was　the　Son　of　God。

〃Now　is　the　judgment　of　this　world；〃　Christ　continued；　〃now　shall　the　prince　of　this　world　be　cast　out。　And　I；　if　I　be　lifted　up　from　the　earth；　will　draw　all　unto　Me。　This　He　said；　signifying　what　death　He　should　die。〃　This　is　the　crisis　of　the　world。　If　I　become　the　propitiation　for　the　sins