plan."2
IV.
The Example of Jesus.
We began by studying the example of St. Paul, let us end with a higher example. If you would see this saying exemplified in its perfection, you must go to his Master — to the utterer of the saying. Even St. Paul was behind Him who " was rich, and for our sakes became poor, that we through his poverty might be rich ! " — behind Him who " was in the form of God, and thought it not robbery to be equal with God, but made himself of no reputation, and took on him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men, and being found in fashion as a man, humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross ! " St. Paul was behind Him who, in uttering the saying without reference to Himself, might yet have written in it the motto of His life, from Bethlehem to Calvary and the grave — " It is more blessed to give than to receive ! "
f You have seen church windows painted with scenes from our Lord's life, and, although they may be but imperfectly executed, they enable you to realize those divine facts better than a sermon could do. Let us stand in imagination before such a window now, and look with reverence and attention at some of the acts of the Incarnate Life, as a commentary upon the text.
(1) There, then, first is Bethlehem. Pound the manger cradle only His mother and foster-father Joseph are standing, with the
1 R. H. D. Barham, The Life and Letters of the Rev. Richard Harris Barham, 207.
2 Dora Greenwell.
i82 THE BEATITUDE OF THE GIVER
shepherds and the cattle, where " he made himself of no reputa- tion and took upon him the form of a servant." Look at the Child lying therein who is yet the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Where are the robes of majesty, His sceptre and His crown ? where the Divine Glory which He had with the Father before the world was ? where the legions of angels, warders, and ministers of the palace where Jehovah dwells ? All for the time laid aside, left behind Him, given up. In the Heaven of Heavens the seven lamps are glowing, as for evermore the Throne is exalted, and before it are worshipping those who do, without swerving, the will of God perfectly; the Presence Chamber is ringing with the Hymn of the Seraphim and the strains of harps of gold; while the King of the Palace has come down from Heaven, has emptied Himself of His glory — "is made Man."
(2) We pass on to the next subject, the Central Light of the windows. What does Calvary say to us, Calvary with its Cross and Him that hangs thereon ? What do we read in the Eyes so full of anguish yet of infinite love, in the Hands stretched out, the Body racked and pierced, in the purple stream of Life-blood, in the surrendered Spirit ? What but this — while we were yet sinners Christ died for us, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have eternal life. And this life He surrenders as a voluntary gift. " I have power to lay down my life, and I have power to take it again, no man taketh it from me."
(3) Our third and last picture, bright with a triumphant light, carries us forth in spirit to the Mount of Olives. From the green slopes of the hillside Christ has gone up, and the little knot of men to whom He has been more than Master, Teacher, and Brother, stand gazing wistfully up into Heaven. Do they behold the radiance gleaming from the outermost rank of the heavenly host, and catch the welcoming smile on angel faces as they receive their returning and victorious King? Do they hear the last echoes wafted down the waves of space, echoes of that mighty chorus of the ten thousand times ten thousand joyful spirits, " Lift up your heads, O ye gates " ? And if they did, and if their sad hearts followed Jesus yet as He passes onward to the Throne, must it not have seemed as if a great gulf had opened between them and their Lord, and that a bereaved and weary and im- poverished life alone remained with them ? And what is the reassuring message sent down to them ? " The same Jesus shall so come " — the same Jesus who taught, healed, and died for you, shall come. And meanwhile, as He is seated above, God of God, Light of Light, He is not unmindful of His own. Why did He
ACTS xx. 35 183
ascend up, why again receive His glory, but that He might prepare a place for us, that He might send the Comforter to us, that He might " receive gifts " for us, that in a word He might write above the Great White Throne itself, " It is more blessed to give than to receive "I1
1 E. C. Paget.
The Lash of the Law.
i*i
Literature.
Banks (L. A.), Paul and his Friends, 121. Burrell (D. J.), A Quiver of Arrows, 172. Church (R. W.), Village Sermons, 1st Ser., 231. Forbes (A. P.), Are you being Converted ? 69. Fraser (J.), University Sermons, 118. Goodwin (H.), Parish Sermons, 2nd Ser., 179. Hobhouse (W.), The Spiritual Standard, 130. Little (W. J. Knox), The Journey of Life, 64.