The Pulpit Commentary — Luke — Volume 1 — Section 259

II. THE 0AnE wmoH OoD TAS:F:B OF me OWN IN THJr.11\ TIME OF 8PECTAL NEED. Whrit was the purpose of this won<lerful sceue? It I ras to prepare the disciples (an<l perhaps the Mn8ter) for the Inst scenes of all. Those two celestial visitants spake of "the dec8888 which he should accomplish," etc. A terrible ordeal was that through which he and they would pass. Therefore it seemed well to the Father to give to him and to them the most imposing, the most impressive, the most convincing proof that he was well pleased with hi~ Bon, and t~at he wae, indeed, the Messiah of their hopes. We know from Peter's Epistle (2 Pet. 1. 16, 17) how strong a confirmation of their faith it was and continued to be. Thus God care<l for bis own, and thus be still care~. Our lives glide on like peaceful riven; but most human lives prove to he rivers with cataracts in their course. Times of grave trial and peril come, when there is a great strain on our faith and patience; when we have to draw on our last resources; critical trial-hours they are, like those which came to the Master and to his faithful band. How shall we be as8ured of calmness, fortitude, fidelity, when we pass through them? If we are loyal to our Lord in the days of sunshine and prosperity, if we "abide in him" now, he will not fail ns then. As our day his grace will he. He will prepare us for the trial-hour; he will be with us in its darkest moments; he will lead us out into the sunshine on the other side.-C. Ver. 35.-The wisdom of hearing Ohri.f. Three things are clear to us, preliminarily. 1. Jesus Ohrist i.3 addressing us. From his home and throne on high our Saviour stoops to call us, to instruct us, to bleRs us. He is saying to us, " Come unto me; " •• Abide in me;" "Follow me." 2. We 11eed not hear him if we choose not to do so. As in a room where many groups of people are couversing, we only hear the voice of that company to which we join ourselves and listen, so in the large room of this world there are many voices speaking and it rests with each of us to determine which we will regard. Shall it be the voice of ambition? or that of appetite? or that of human learn- ing 't or that of Christ? 3. Our heavenl,y Father urges us to give our best attention to Jesus Ohrist. "This is my beloved Son : hear him." We shall see, if we consider, how and why God presses on us this act of hearing. L BECAUSE OF OUR UROENT NEED OF A VOICE THAT IS DIVINE. There are two t.hings we urgently require, but which, apart from Jesus Christ, we cannot have. 1. One is a knowledge of what is true. We are " strangers on the earth," and know but very little. Like the little bird (of the ancient atory) that flew from the darkness into the dimly lighted room and out into the darkness on the other side, so from the darkness of the past we enter and stay for a brief time in the dimly lighted present, and forth we pass into the darkness of the future. 2. The other is the power to do what we know to be right. Truly pathetic is the Roman's confession," I see the better course,and approve; 1 follow the worse." What men everywhere have wanted is the inspiration and the power to be and to do that which they perceive to be good and right. Whence shall we gain this? Only from a Divine Saviour, from One who has lived and died for us, to whom.we offer our hearts and our lives, the love of whom will constra.iu us toward all that is good and pure, and restrain us from all that is bad and wrong. II. BECAUSE OF HIS INTIMATE RELATION TO HIS DIVINE FATHER. "This is my beloved Son," therefore should we "hear him." For one of the deepest and most prac- tical questions we can ask is-What is God's thought, feeling, purpose, toward us? If there were any human being who sustained toward us a relation which at all approached in intimacy and importance that which God sustains to us, we should he eager indeed to know what was his feeling and intention concerning us. How eagerly, then, should we inquire of him" in whom we live,and move, and have our being,"" with whom we han everything to do," on whose will we are absolutely dependent for our future here and hereafter I What does God think about us? On what conditions will he receive and bless us ? Christ, " the beloved Son,'' who came forth from God, and who knowit his mind as none other can (Matt. xi. 27), can answer this supreme question for us. III. BECAUSE OF BIB 0LOBE AND INTIMATE RELATION TO OURSELVES. We wa.n\ some one to speak to us who knows us well, who understands us altogether; one about whom we can feel that this is true. To whom, then, should we listen, if not to the Son of God, our Maker; to the Son of man, our Brother? "He knew what was in man," as the evangelist testified, and 8.iain and again he showed that he knew his disciples  TUE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. LUKE. [en. 1x. 1-82.