^ I was once talking with a friend about a man who had achieved great distinction, but who had somehow missed the love of his fellowmen, and my friend said : •' The trouble with that man is that he cannot bow himself." He had achieved integrity, rectitude, self-respect, but he had not attained that final grace of character which made him able to stoop and serve.^
Love bade me welcome ; yet my soul drew back,
Guilty of dust and sin. But quick-ey'd Love, observing me grow slack
From my first entrance in. Drew nearer to me, sweetly questioning
If I lack'd any thing.
"A guest," I answer'd, "worthy to be here"
Love said, "You shall be he." " I, the unkind, ungrateful ? Ah, my dear,
I cannot look on Thee." Love took my hand, and smiling did reply,
" Who made the eyes but II"
" Truth, Lord ; but I have marr'd them : let my shame
Go where it doth deserve." " And know you not," says Love, " who bore the blame ? "
"My dear, then I will serve." " You must sit down," says Love, " and taste My meat."
So I did sit and eat.^
2. Its Effect. — It was in the Upper Room that Jesus bound the hearts of His disciples to Himself for ever. This section of
' F. G. Peabody, Momingt in the College Chapel, 2n(l Ser., 49. ' G. Herbert.
ST. JOHN XIII. I 7
St. John's Gospel has been described as "the development of faith in the disciples." The narrative takes a new departure, retiring within the little company of the Twelve. The close is as clearly marked as the beginning. The precious scene which is here spread before us becomes more striking from the lurid background which it finds in the temple and the streets of Jerusalem. The growth of faith within — what a contrast to the growth of unbelief without ! Here are the Eleven with Jesus — there are the scribes, the priests, the Pharisees. Outside, events are leading to the cross ; inside, they are preparing for Pentecost and the salvation of the world. The last word the disciples spoke in that room shows how their faith had grown since they sat down with Jesus to the Paschal Feast : " Now know we that thou knowest all things, and needest not that any man should ask thee ; by this we believe that thou earnest forth from God." Every fear and doubt has been driven olit. Christ is all and in all to the disciples. After such a voluntary tribute, there was nothing left for Jesus save to bow with them at the feet of God. The world outside lies heavy on His heart; but its unbelief adds a new touch of gratitude and thanksgiving for the spirit of those who are with Him in the Upper Eoom. " 0 righteous Father, the world knew thee not, but I knew thee ; and these knew that thou didst send me."
^ If we want to kill our pride we must burn it in the consuming fire of shame. The pride of these twelve men melted away in the fierce heat of their own shame. Let a man know that Jesus is stooping at his feet with the basin, and the fire of shame will be kindled. For that is always the attitude of our Master towards us. "He loved me and gave himself for me." And we may alter the tense of that great sentence, turning it from the past into the present, and it is equally and unutterably true, "He loves me, and gives himself for me." It is when a man realizes that supreme sacrifice of our Lord that all his petty pride and vanity shrivel away. It was when St. Paul felt the Master at his feet that there came from his bursting heart the great and zealous ambition, " I count all things but loss that I may win Christ." Christ changes our ideas of sovereignty; He takes the dispositions we had resented, and henceforth they are crowns. The servile virtues are lifted into heavenly places in Christ. Humility, obedience, service — all shine with the radiant distinction of the Lord. "The Son of man came not to be
8 THE LOVE OF JESUS FOR HIS OWN
ministered unto, but to minister." The washing of weary feet is a ministry ever needed in the dust^' ways of human life ; and if that ministry is to become a ready and spontaneous affection we need the fulness of the Holy Ghost.^
They thought to heal me, when they cast
Eeproving glances towards me; As if their proud contempt could shrive me Of my sin, or scorn could drive me
E'er to mend my ways, —
Liefer end my days !
They thought to lift me, when they held
A pattern pure above me; As if to gaze on cold perfection Ever could give new direction
To my wrecked desires ;
Or awake "new fires!
Then came a voice of cadence sweet, And winning tones that touched me,
"I love thee, friend" — and, deeply welling
In my soul, and all-compelling, Love leapt at the sound ; Life and Heaven I found ! '
II.
Love for His Own.
1. In regard to the love of Christ, the one distinction to be recognized here is that between His love to the world and His love to His own which are in the world. The love of Christ to the world is love to men as such : He being the head of the creation, which through Him came into being, and of the race of whose reason and conscience. He, as the Eternal Word, is the author, and with which, in taking flesh. He has assumed a natural and universal kindred. It is a love of compassion and benevolence and Divine desire, in which He gives Himself for all, and dies for all, and provides reconciliation, and preaches peace, and seeks the lost, and waits to be gracious, and would