DECEMBER
20.
"What think ye, that he will not come to the feast?" Joys 11:56.
This was the language of many of the Jews who had ascended
from the country to Jerusalem to purify themselves against the Passover. It
is not easy, or perhaps possible, to determine the principle from which the
words were uttered. Perhaps malice uttered them, and they came from persons
who wished to discover and apprehend him; for "both the chief priests and
the Pharisees had given a commandment, that, if any man knew where he were,
lie should show it, that they might take him." Perhaps curiosity uttered
them, and they came from persons who were anxious to see whether he had
courage enough to appear in public after the threatening of the rulers.
Besides this, he was a very extraordinary character, the fame of whose
miracles and preaching had spread far and wide, and they naturally desired
to see a personage of whom they had heard so much. Perhaps affection uttered
them. For though He was generally despised and rejected of men, there were
some who knew his value, and believed him to be the only begotten of the
Father, full of grace and truth. They therefore longed for the pleasure and
honor and advantage of an interview with him at the approaching solemnity.
And this is the principle from which, if partakers of divine grace, we are
seeking for Jesus. " For Christ our passover," says the apostle, "is
sacrificed for us. Let us therefore keep the feast." And it is in reference
to the communion of his body and blood, to which we are going to repair,
that we issue the inquiry, "What think ye, that he will not come to the
feast?"
This is above every thing desirable. Ordinances are not
beneficial necessarily and of themselves. They derive all their excellency
and influence from him. A truth we learn not only from Scripture, but
experience. What a difference, as to light and life and joy, do we feel in
the same ordinance when he is absent or present. This is nothing to a
formalist. He is satisfied with the outward signs and the service itself;
but as to the Christian, intercourse with Christ is the one thing needful.
He feels it pleasing to hold communion with the saints, but what he
principally wants is fellowship with the Saviour. He alone can fill them
all, and without him they would have nothing for each other or for
themselves.
But the inquiry implies doubt. Doubt has two aspects and
bearings, the unlikely and the probable; the one exciting fear, and the
other encouraging hope. Let us look at each.
What is there then to awaken our suspicion and fear that
he will not be at the feast? And is there not much every way? Without going
back to our unconverted days, how have we lived since we have made a
profession of his name ? Have we walked as those who are not of the world?
Have we borne his corrections without murmuring? Have we been grateful under
his mercies? Has lie lived in our warmest thoughts ? Has He been the chief
theme of our conversation? Have we not frequently been ashamed of his cause?
Have we recommended him earnestly to others? After all this, how can we
expect that he will honor us with his company ? Should we thus honor any
fellow-creature who had treated us as we have treated him? But the cause of
alarm is increased when we consider not only our conduct at large, but our
behavior towards him with regard to this very feast itself. Have we not
suffered trifling excuses to keep us away when he has been there waiting for
us, but waiting in vain? Have we not approached it with the indifference of
custom and formality, though angels were there, intensely desiring to look
into these things? Have we not passed through the divine memorials,
mystically eating the flesh and drinking the blood of the Son of God, with
the exercise of no more faith in his death, or love to our brethren, than in
an ordinary meal? We need not go on. 0 blessed Jesus, when we consider all
this, and this only, we may well question whether thou wilt ever meet with
us again.
But let us look at the other side. Let us see not only
what there is to excite fear, but to encourage hope. Now, to induce us to
conclude that he will be at the feast, we have his character, his
disposition. "His heart is made of tenderness ; his bowels melt with love."
" A bruised reed shall He not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench,
till he send forth judgment unto victory." We have his past dealings with
us. He has tried us, but not forsaken us. We have been often cast down, but
never cast off. We have his promise, " Where two or three are gathered
together in my name, there am I in the midst of them." In a word, we are
sure of the blessing if we seek it : " Whatsoever ye shall ask in my name,
that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son."
But is it possible to ascertain when he is with us at the
feast? It is. As He is not there corporeally, we cannot apprehend him with
our bodily senses ; but as He is there spiritually, we may apprehend him
spiritually. They who are new creatures have new senses, which are exercised
to discern both good and evil. They have ears to hear his voice; they have
eyes to see his glory; they have a holy taste, and holy feelings. Thus his
people can be sensible of his arrival. Indeed, He says, "I am come." He is
not inactive when there. " While the King sitteth at his table, my spikenard
sendeth forth the smell thereof." There are impressions and effects which
cannot be mistaken, owing to their holy, humbling, heavenly influence. The
assurance he has of communion with the Lord in his ordinances, is not
evidence for others ; but to the believer himself it affords satisfaction,
and he is neither to be ridiculed nor reasoned out of the conviction. He has
the witness in himself.
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