Ver. 61.-Tlie look of our Lo1·d. "And the Lord turned, and looked upon Peter." 'What was there then, and what is there now, in the glance of Jesus Christ? I. Rrs LOOK OF PEKETRATION, ,ve read of one of the earliest disciples beine1 con- ,·inced by our Lord's discernment of him under the thick foliage of the ficr tr;e • he was then told to look for greater things than that (John i. 60). And sur~ly o~e of those greater things was found in that penetration which saw through the thicker co-ering of the human flesh and of human speech and demeanour to the very thought of the mind, to the very desire of the heart, to the inmost secrets of the soul. He knew what was t'.n man. It was his knowledge of men that directed him in his vary- ing treatment of them; it is his penetrating insight into men now that determines his Jealiug with us all. II. His LOOK OF OOMPASSION. What did the sick and the suffering, the fevered and the paralyzed and the leprous, the men o.nd women who had left afflicted ones behind 'them at their homes-what depths of tender compassion did these sons and daughters of Israel see in the eyes of Jesus Christ? And what inexhaustible fulness of pity, what unbounded sympathy, ruay not the stricken and the sorrowing souls who are badly bruised and wounded un life's highway still find in" the face of Jesus Christ" I III. Ilis LOOK OF SAD REPROACH. Sometimes there was that in the glance of Jesus Christ from which the guilty shrank. When" he looked round about on them with anger," we may be sure that his baffled enemies quailed before his glance. And when "the Lord turned, and looked upon Peter," what keen sorrowful reproach was then apparent in the face of Jesus Christ! how that look gathered up all possible words and tones of solemn expostulation, of saJ. disappointment, of bitter sorrow I It was a look which wrought great things in the apostle's soul, the remembrance of which, we may be sure, he carried with him to the eud. Christ has all too many occasions now to tum toward us that reproachful glance. 1. When we fail to keep the promises we made him at the time uf our self-surrender. 2. ,vhen we fail to pay the vows we made him in some hour of discipline. 3. When we fall seriously short of the allegiance which all bis disciples owe to him-in reverence, in obedience, in submission. Let us, who are professing to follo\V him, ask ourselves what we should see in his countenance if we stood face to face with him to-day. Would it be the benign look of Divine com- mendation? or would it be the pained look of sorrowful reproach? 'l'o those who are inquiring their way to life it is a source of blessed encouragement that they will see, if they regard their Lord- IV. His LOOK OF TENDER INTEnEST, When the rich young man came and made his earnest inquiry of the !!Teat Teacher, he was not yet in the kingdom, and was not yet fully prepared to enter it; but be was a sincere and earnest seeker after God, and "Jesus, b~holding him, lov€d him" (Mark x. 21). With such tender regard, with such lovina interest, does he look down on every true suppliant who looks up to him with the ;J,tal question on his lips," Good Master, what shall I do that 1 may inherit eternal life ?"-C. Vers. 63, 64.-7'7,e patience of Christ. In these touching words, which we cannot read without a sentiment of shame as members of the human race, we have- I. A PICTURE OF SUPREME EKDUilAKCE. How much our Lord was called upon to endure, we shall be best able to realize when we consider: 1. 'l'he greatness of which he was conscious (see ver. 70). He knew and felt that he had a right to the most reverent homage of the best and highest, and was thus treated by the worst and lowest. 2. The power which he knew he wielded: with what perfect ease could he have extricat~cl himsdf from these cruel insults I 3. 'l'he character of the men who were maltreating him-the lowest amongst the low. 4. 'l'he nature of the indigniLies to which they subjected him ; these went from bad to worse-from binding him to beating him, from beating him to spitting upon him, from this most shameful indignity to the yet more crud sneer at bis holy mission," Prophesy unto us," etc. 'l'hey vented UJ on him the ,ery last extremes of human contumely and sham~. cm. nn. 1-71.) THE GOSPEL ACCOilDING TO ST. LUKE. 229
II. A PlCTUnE OF BUDT,TME PATmNcE. He bore it all with pcrrect calmness. Hera ehone forth in its full lustre" tho meekness of Jesus Christ." "When he was revilc<l, he reviled not ll!(llin; when be suffered, he threatened not;" "As a sheep before he1· shearers," etc. And wherein sbnll we find the source and explanation of this sublimo patience? 1. Ho was bent on bearing, to the full and to the end, his Father's will. 2. He was determined to complete the work he bad undertaken, and of that work those sufferings were a part. Be was then "wounded for our trangressions," then was be "bl'uised for our iniquities," and by tho~e "stripes were we healed." APPLIOATION. 1. Like our Divine Master, we are called up,n to endure. In doing those things we believe to be right of which others do not feel the obligation, also in abstaining from those things we feel to be wrong, which other people allow, we come into conflict, we excite displeasure, we incur odium, we Huffer censure, opposition, ridicule; we" bear his reproach." '!'borough loyalty to our Lord and to our own con- victions means exposure to the assaults and indignities of the world. 2. \Ve have the highest incentives to endure. (1) As with our Master, it is the Father's will that we should sufTer. (2) As with Christ, it is an important part of the testimony we are to bear and the work we are to do in this world. (3) Only thus can we completely follow our ~eat Leader; he who does not go with Christ into the valley of humiliation does not follow him all the way he trod. (1) So doing, we are building up a strong Chl'istian character, and are thus prepariog for fuller and higher service. (5) 'l'hen are we especially pleaijing our Maijter, and "gl'eat is our reward in heaven" (Matt. v. 10-12).-C.