Love To The Uttermost - free ebook by F. B. (Frederick Brotherton) Meyer

LOVE TO THE UTTERMOST

Author of "The life and Light of Men: Expositions of John I.—XII.;" "Old Testament Heroes;" "The Shepherd Psalm;" etc....

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NEW YORK —— CHICAGO —— TORONTO

Fleming H. Revell Company Publishers of Evangelical Literature Copyright, 1898-1899 by Fleming H. Revell Company...

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PREFACE

The former book on the first twelve chapters of this sublime Gospel was called, The Life and Light of Men . The title was naturally suggested by the subject-matter of those chapters. We had little difficulty in finding a title for the present book, which covers, however cursorily, the remainder of the Gospel. It lay open before us in the opening verses of the thirteenth chapter, as translated in the margin of the Revised Version. "Having loved His own which were in the world, He loved them to th

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I THE LAVER IN THE LIFE OF JESUS II THRICE BIDDEN TO LOVE III HEAVEN DELAYED, BUT GUARANTEED IV "MANY MANSIONS" V THE REALITY OF WHICH JACOB'S DREAM WAS THE SHADOW VI CHRIST REVEALING THE FATHER VII THE GREAT DEEDS OF FAITH VIII HOW TO SECURE MORE AND BETTER PRAYER IX THE OTHER PARACLETE X THE THREE DISPENSATIONS XI THREE PARADOXES XII MANY MANSIONS FOR GOD XIII CHRIST'S LEGACY AND GIFT OF PEACE XIV THE STORY OF THE VINE XV "ABIDE IN ME, AND I IN YOU" XVI PRAYER THAT PREVAILS XVII THE HATRED OF THE WORLD XVIII THE WORK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT ON THE WORLD XIX CHRIST'S RETICENCE SUPPLEMENTED BY THE SPIRIT'S ADVENT XX THE CONQUEROR OF THE WORLD XXI CONSECRATED TO CONSECRATE XXII THE LORD'S PRAYER FOR HIS PEOPLE'S ONENESS XXIII THE LOVE THAT BOUND CHRIST TO THE CROSS XXIV DRINKING THE CUP XXV THE HALL OF ANNAS XXVI HOW IT FARED WITH PETER XXVII THE TRIAL BFFORE CAIAPHAS XXVIII "JUDAS, WHICH BETRAYED HIM" XXIX THE FIRST TRIAL BEFORE PILATE XXX THE SECOND TRIAL BEFORE PILATE XXXI THE SEVEN SAYINGS OF THE CROSS XXXII CHRIST'S BURIAL XXXIII THE DAY OF RESURRECTION XXXIV THE LAKE OF GALILEE XXXV PETER'S LOVE AND WORK XXXVI THE LIFE-PLAN OF PETER AND JOHN XXXVII BACK TO THE FATHER

Expositions of John xiii.-xxi....

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I

The Laver in the Life of Jesus "He poureth water into a basin, and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with a towel wherewith He was girded."—JOHN xiii. 5. In the court of the Temple there were two objects that arrested the eye of the entering worshipper—the Brazen Altar, and the Laver. The latter was kept always full of pure, fresh water, for the constant washings enjoined by the Levitical code. Before the priests were consecrated for their holy work, and attired in the robes of

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II

Thrice Bidden to Love "A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another."—JOHN xiii. 34. Anacreon complains that when they asked him to sing of heroic deeds, he could only sing of love. But the love with which he fills his sonnets will bear as much comparison with that of which Jesus spoke in His last discourse, as the flaring oil of a country fair with the burning of the heavenly constellations. Even the love that binds young hearts

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III

Heaven Delayed, but Guaranteed "Simon Peter said unto Him, Lord, whither goest Thou? Jesus answered him. Whither I go, thou canst not follow Me now; but thou shalt follow Me afterward."—JOHN xiii. 36. These chapters are holy ground. The last words of our dearest, spoken in the seclusion of the death-chamber to the tear-stained group gathered around, are not for all the world, and are recorded only to those whose love makes them able to appreciate. And what are these words that now begin to flow

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IV

"Many Mansions" "I go to prepare a place for you."—JOHN xiv. 2. The cure for heart-trouble, when the future is full of dread, is faith—faith directed to Jesus; and just such faith as we give God, for He is God. He has shown Himself well worthy of that trust; all His paths toward us have been mercy and truth; and we may therefore safely rest upon His disclosures of that blessed life, of which the present is the vestibule. "Let not your heart be troubled," He says, "ye believe in God, believe also

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V

The Reality of which Jacob's Dream was the Shadow "Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life; no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me."—JOHN xiv. 6. We all know more truth than we give ourselves credit for. A moment before the Lord had said, "Whither I go ye know, and the way ye know." Thomas, the pessimist—always inclined to look at the dark side of things—directly contradicted Him, saying, "Master, we are absolutely ignorant of the goal to which Thy steps are bending; it is

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VI

Christ Revealing the Father "Philip saith unto Him, Lord, shew us the Father and it sufficeth us. Jesus saith unto him, He that hath seen Me hath seen the Father."—JOHN xiv. 8, 9. The longing of the universal heart of man was voiced by Philip, when he broke in, rather abruptly, on our Lord's discourse with the challenge that He should answer all questions, dissipate all doubt, by showing them the Father. Is there a God? how can I be sure that He is? what does He feel toward us?—these are questio

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VII

The Great Deeds of Prayer "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on Me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto My Father."—JOHN xiv. 12. Whenever our Lord was about to say something usually important, He introduced it by the significant expression, " Verily, verily "; or, as it is in the original, "Amen, amen, I say unto you." The words well become His lips, who in the Book of Revelation is called "the Amen, the Faithful and

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VIII

How to Secure More and Better Prayer "And I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter, that He may abide with you forever."—JOHN xiv. 16. The great lack of our life is that we do not pray more. And there is no failure so disastrous or criminal as this. It is very difficult to account for it. If in all times of discouragement and vicissitude we could have access to one of the wisest and noblest of our fellow creatures, or to some venerated departed saint, or to the guardian an

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IX

The Other Paraclete "He shall give you another Comforter."—JOHN xiv. 16. There was no doubt in our Lord's mind that His asking would be at once followed by the Father's giving. Indeed, the two actions seemed, in His judgment, indissolubly connected—"I will ask, and He shall give." From which we learn that prayer is a necessary link in the order of the Divine government. Though we are assured that what we ask is in God's purpose to communicate—that it lies in the heart of a promise, or in the lin

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X

The Three Dispensations "The Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth Him not, neither knoweth Him: but ye know Him; for He dwelleth with you, and shall be in you."—JOHN xiv. 17. They are lofty themes which we have been discussing in the foregoing pages; and just because they touch the highest matters of the spiritual life, they involve us in profound responsibility. It was because Capernaum had been exalted to heaven in privilege, that she could be cast down to hell. Of

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XI

Three Paradoxes "I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you." "The world seeth Me no more; but ye see Me." "Because I live, ye shall live also."—JOHN xiv. 18, 19. The Bible and Christian life are full of paradoxes. Paul loved to enumerate them; they abound also in the discourses of our Lord. Here are three. The Master had declared His purpose of leaving His apostles and friends and returning to His Father: but in the same breath He says, "I will not leave you desolate; I come to you."

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XII

Many Mansions for God "If a man love Me, he will keep My words: and My Father will love him; and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him."—JOHN xiv. 23. The Immanence of God! That God should be willing to make His home with man is much; but that He should be willing to come in—to indwell, occupy, and possess our nature—this is incomprehensible to the intellect, though it may be received and rejoiced in by the heart. This is no subject for light and thoughtless speech. We touch on the

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XIII

Christ's Legacy and Gift of Peace "Peace I leave with you, My peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid."—JOHN xiv. 27. It seems a little anomalous to talk of peace at a time when the war-clouds are being swiftly blown up from the horizon, the sea roaring, and men's hearts failing them for fear: and yet, in the deepest aspects, this is of all times the most suitable. It is when the storm rattles on the window-panes th

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XIV

The Story of the Vine "I am the true Vine, and My Father is the Husbandman."—JOHN xv. I. We have now a story to tell which, in the eye of heaven, will make our world forever memorable and wonderful among her sister spheres. It is the story of the Vine, and how it was the Divine purpose our earth should be its fruitful soil, and our race intimately associated with its growth and history. "I am the true Vine," said our Lord. Not improbably, as He was passing forth with His disciples into the moonl

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XV

"Abide in Me, and I in you" "Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in Me."—JOHN xv. 4. These words are so familiar by constant repetition, that their power to awaken the soul is greatly lessened. They go and come through ear and mind, as a lodger who has gone and come with exactly the same appearance and at precisely the same hours for years, and no one notices him now, because there is nothing novel abo

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THREE CONCLUDING THOUGHTS REMAIN.

First . It is clear that our prayers depend very largely on our inner life. Where that is vigorous and healthy, they will be the same. But let deterioration and failure set in there, and the effect will be instantly apparent in our prayers. They act and react. Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks; and when the mouth is opened in prayer and supplication, the heart speaks. Second . Bespeak the Spirit's indwelling. He is the bond of communion and fellowship between the Father and the

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XVII

The hatred of the World "They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service. And these things they will do unto you, because they have not known the Father, nor Me."—JOHN xvi. 2, 3. How near love and hate dwell in these words of Jesus! He had been urging His disciples to cultivate perfect love, the love of God; He now turns to describe the inevitable hatred with which they would be assailed in the world that knew neithe

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XVIII

The Work of the Holy Spirit on the World "He will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment."—JOHN xvi. 8. Three facts forced themselves home on the apostles during the Lord's parting words. First , that they were to be bereaved of their Master's presence (ver. 5). Second , that they were to be left alone, amid the world's hatred—"Whosoever killeth you" (ver. 2). Third , that their mission would be witness-bearing to the unseen Lord (xv. 27). And as they fully realized all

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XIX

Christ's Reticence Supplemented by the Spirit's Advent "I have yet many things to say unto you; but ye cannot bear them now."—JOHN xvi. 12-15. How confidently our Lord speaks of the Spirit's advent; not more so did the prophets foretell His own. Repeatedly He returns to the phrase, When He is come . The advent of the Spirit to the heart of the Church on the Day of Pentecost, was as distinct and marked an event as the advent of the Son of God Himself to the manger-bed of Bethlehem. Let every read

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XX

The Conqueror of the World "In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world."—JOHN xvi. 33. It was the road between Jerusalem and the Gate of the Garden. Behind, lay the city bathed in slumber; before, the Mount of Olives with its terraced gardens; above, the Passover moon, pouring down floods of silver light that dropped to the ground through the waving branches of the trees. The Lord was on His way to betrayal and death, along that path flecked by checke

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XXI

Consecrated to Consecrate "For their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they themselves also may be sanctified in truth."—JOHN xvii. 19. "The most precious fragment of the past," is the unstinted eulogium which a thoughtful man has passed on this transcendent prayer; transcending in its scope of view, its expressions, its tender pathos, all other prayers of which we have record. Its primary characteristic is timelessness . Though uttered within a few hours of Calvary, it contains thoughts and express

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XXII

The Lord's Prayer for His People's Oneness "That they may all be one. . . . One in us. . . . That they may be one, even as we are one. . . . Perfect in one."—JOHN xvii. 21-23. Thus our High Priest pleaded, and thus He pleads. In all the power of His endless life, He ever liveth to bear this great petition on His heart: and as the weight of the jewelled breast-plate lay heavy on the heart of the high priests of old, so does it press on Him, as the ages slowly pass by in their never-ceasing progre

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XXIII

The Love that Bound Christ to the Cross "Jesus, therefore, knowing all things that should come upon Him, went forth, and said unto them, Whom seek ye?"—JOHN xviii. 4. The Cedron was never more than a mountain brook, and it is now dry. Its stony bed alone shows where it used to flow through the valley that separated Mount Zion from the Mount of Olives. The main road which led from the city gate, over the Mount of Olives to Bethany and Jericho, crossed it by an ancient bridge, from which, on this

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XXIV

Drinking the Cup "The cup which My Father hath given Me, shall I not drink it?"—JOHN xviii. 1-14. In our Master's arrest the one feature which stands out in unique splendor is its voluntariness. He went into the garden "knowing all things that should come upon Him." Even at the last moment He might have evaded the kiss of the traitor, and the binding thong with which Malchus sought to manacle His gracious hands. The spell of His intrinsic nobleness and glory, which had flung His captors to the g

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XXV

The Hall of Annas "They led Him away to Annas first, for he was father-in-law to Caiaphas, which was the high priest that same year."—JOHN xviii. 13. The band that had arrested Jesus led Him back across the Kedron bridge, up the steep ascent, and through the ancient gateway, which at this season of the year stood always open, even at night. The passage of the armed men through the quiet streets must have aroused from their slumbers many sleepers, who hurried to the windows to see them pass below

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XXVI

How it fared with Peter "Peter stood at the door without. Then went out that other disciple, which was known unto the high priest, and spake unto her that kept the door, and brought in Peter."—John xviii. 16. Remember that this very circumstantial account was given by one who was an eyewitness of the whole scene; and who, withal, was then and in after years the warm friend and companion of Peter. But his love did not lead him to conceal his brother's sins. Peter himself would not have wished him

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XXVII

The Trial before Caiaphas "Annas had sent Him bound unto Caiaphas the high priest."—JOHN xviii. 24. It was as yet but two or three o'clock in the morning. Jerusalem was still asleep, and well it was for the foes of Jesus that no suspicion of what was on foot had breathed into the minds of the crowds of pilgrims; for, had the Galileans only known what was being done to their favorite prophet, they would have risen, and the plot must have miscarried before Jesus was handed over to the Romans. But,

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XXVIII

"Judas, which Betrayed Him" "Judas, which betrayed Him."—JOHN xviii. 2. On the Wednesday evening before our Lord died, He supped with His disciples in Bethany at the House of Simon. Lazarus was there, and his sisters—Martha, who served, and Mary, who anointed Him beforehand for His burying. The Master's reception of this act of love, and His rebuke of the parsimony which sought to check all such manifestations of devotion, exasperated Judas beyond all bounds; so, after supper, when Jesus and the

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XXIX

The First Trial before Pilate "Then led they Jesus from Caiaphas unto the hall of judgment: and it was early; and they themselves went not into the judgment hall, lest they should be denied; but that they might eat the Passover."—JOHN xviii. 28. There is no doubt that had Pilate been absent from Jerusalem at the time of our Lord's trial before the Sanhedrim, they would have rushed Him to death, as afterward Stephen, and have risked the anger of the Governor. But they dared not attempt such a thi

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XXX

The Second Trial before Pilate "Ye have a custom, that I should release unto you one at the passover: will ye therefore that I release unto you the King of the Jews?"—JOHN xviii. 39. Pilate must have felt mortified when he heard that Herod had sent Jesus back to his tribunal. He had hoped that the Jewish monarch would so settle the matter that there would be no need for him to choose between his conscience and his fear of the Jewish leaders. But it was not to be. It was decreed that he should pr

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XXXI

The Seven Sayings of the Cross "Then delivered he Him therefore unto them to be crucified. And they took Jesus and led Him away."—JOHN xix. 16. Driven from one position after another by the Jewish notables and rabble, Pilate at last, much against his will, gave directions for the Lord's crucifixion. The purple robe flung over His shoulders was replaced by His own simple clothes, though the crown of thorns was not improbably left upon His head. Two others were led out to suffer with Him—highwayme

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XXXII

Christ's Burial "Then took they the body of Jesus, and wound it in linen clothes with the spices, as the manner of the Jews is to bury."—JOHN xix. 40. "Against the day of My burying hath she kept this!" so had Jesus spoken when Mary anointed His feet with the very precious spikenard. I do not suppose that any in the room save herself and her Lord understood His reference; not one of them believed that He would really die, and His body be carried to the tomb; but Mary knew better. She had sat at

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XXXIII

The Day of Resurrection "The first day of the week."—JOHN xx. 1. It may be helpful if we tabulate in a brief and concise form the various appearances of our Lord on the great day, when He was declared to be the Son of God with power by the resurrection from the dead. Mary of Magdala—a squalid Arab village on the south of the plain of Gennesaret still bears that name—with another Mary had remained beside the tomb, till the trumpet of the Passover Sabbath and the gathering darkness had warned them

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XXXIV

The Lake of Galilee "Jesus showed Himself again to the disciples at the Sea of Tiberias."—JOHN xxi. 1. "All ye shall be offended because of Me this night; for it is written, I will smite the Shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered. But after that I am risen, I will go before you into Galilee ." So had the Chief Shepherd spoken to His sad and anxious followers on the night of His betrayal. They little understood His meaning, and would perhaps have even forgotten the appointment of the rendezvo

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XXXV

Peter's Love and Work "Thou knowest that I love Thee. . . . Feed my lambs."—JOHN xxi. 15. That miraculous catch of fish on which we have dwelt was a parable to the disciples of the kind of work in which they were thenceforward to be engaged. They were to catch men. But there was one amongst them who must have wondered much how he would fare, and what part he would take when that work was recommenced. Might he have a share in it? He would seem to have forfeited all right. With oaths and curses he

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XXXVI

The Life-Plan of Peter and John "What is that to thee? follow thou Me."—JOHN xxi. 22. We are standing on the eastern shore of the Lake of Galilee. The morning breeze blows fresh in our faces; the tiny wavelets run up with a silvery ripple, and die on the white sand; across the expanse of water the white buildings of Tiberias and Capernaum gleam forth. With gunwale all wet and slippery a fishing smack is drawn up on the deserted shore; near it the nets unbroken, although they had been heavy with

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XXXVII

Back to the Father "And there are also many other things which Jesus did."—JOHN xxi. 25. Once more, as we learn both from the Gospel according to Matthew and the First Epistle to Corinthians, our Lord met the eleven Apostles, together with some five hundred brethren beside, on a mountain in Galilee, chosen partly for retirement and seclusion, and partly that all might see Him. The majority of these were alive when Paul wrote. "And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto M

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