Chapter 1. The FAREWELLS
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"Surely, I am with you always — even unto the end of the world!" Matthew 28:20
There were two farewells of our Lord on earth, and they formed two of the most touching and instructive epochs of His history. As the sun, setting amid a flood of liquid gold, invests the whole heavens with variegated tints of beauty long after the majestic orb has run its race, so there clustered around the two earthly sunsets of Christ — the most divine assurances, the most preciouspromises, the most brilliant hopes that ever shed their light and glory upon the pathway of the Christian Church; and which will linger upon its spiritual sky in deathless splendor until He comes again in His glory to set no more forever.
The first farewell of Christ, was when He parted from His disciples on His return to heaven. To them, it was a time of inexpressible grief. To part with Christ was to part with their all. Yet He would not leave them comfortless; nor will He, beloved, ever so leave you. Blended with His departure was the most precious promise and the most costly gift Heaven could bestow or the Church receive — the promise and gift of the Holy Spirit, as the Comforter, Teacher, and Indweller of the Church: "If I depart — I will send the Comforter." What an hour of blessing was this! What a glorious setting of the Sun of righteousness! What spiritual benedictions, what resplendent hopes gather, like a glowing halo, around the sinking of this Divine Orb!
And still the glow lingers. And still the setting rays tinge with unfading light and glory, the gloomy clouds which often drape in woe earth's pilgrimage. We have abiding with, and dwelling in, us the Holy Spirit the Comforter, sent of Christ — to lead us to Christ, totestify of Christ, to assimilate us to Christ, and to sanctify us to dwell with Christ forever! Oh, could the personal departure of our Lord have been blessed and graced with an assurance more transcendently great, precious, and glorious than this?
Our Lord's second farewell was when He closed the sacred canon of Scripture, fencing it with the most solemn warning, and sealing it with the most illustrious promise. And, as the threatening of woe to those who should either take from, or add to, the perfect Word of God, resounded solemnly on the ear, it was succeeded and softened by words which will live and linger in the sweetest cadence until the promise they contain shall be fulfilled: "Behold, I come quickly!"
Then all that is dark in providence and grace, shall be lucid; and all that is discrepant, shall be harmonized; the bliss of the saints will be complete, the mystery of God will be finished, and God will be all in all. O believer in Jesus! long for that day that shall bring the Beloved of your soul arrayed in all His Father's and His own glory. He will come quickly, suddenly, unexpectedly — His advent surprising both the Church and the world — the one slumbering in the light, and the other in the dark. But let us who are of the day be sober, watchful, hastening unto His coming, prepared as a bride for her husband — loving and desiring Him with a single, ardent, wakeful affection. "Come, Lord, Jesus, come quickly!"
But it was in connection with His first farewell that Christ spoke the memorable and precious words, "Surely, I am with you always!"It is not to a future — but to an ever-present Christ with His saints, that these pages will direct your thoughts.
What the Lord has laid up for us, by what road He will lead us, what lessons He will teach us, by what discipline of trial He will mature us for present service and prepare us for future rest — we will not be too curious to search out. It is enough, that it is all in the covenant, and in His hands who administers the covenant.
And whatever new lights and shadows may be penciled upon life's picture, though our song is of both mercy and of judgment — we will patiently wait and calmly trust its gradual and timely unfolding, assured that all our trials will be shrouded blessings, and all those blessings will be bright stepping-stones, aiding our progress in the divine life, our nearness to God, and our fitness for heaven.
Embarking upon a new stage of your pilgrimage, I propose placing the pilgrim's true Staff in your hands, upon which, if you lean in childlike faith, you will be firmly upheld, safely led, securely kept, divinely strengthened, cheered, and comforted every step of your journey. It was left by our Lord for the use of His whole Church when He exchanged the scene of His humiliation, for the throne of His glory. He Himself placed it in the hands of His apostles, who, now that their pilgrimage is closed, have transmitted it to us. In the name of Christ, I now put this divine Staff in your hand, and bid you firmly grasp it and set out anew for heaven. "Surely, I am with you always — even unto the end of the world!"
Let me for a moment concentrate your thoughts upon Him whose promise is thus pledged: "I am with you." Were you assured of the personal presence, ever attending, ever clinging, ever abiding — of a beloved friend selected from a wide and choice circle; and were that one friend the most wise, the most powerful, the most true, the most loving, confiding, and sympathizing — would you not be content to dwell with him through all your future lot — to make him the confidant of your bosom, the partaker of your every joy, the sharer of your every sorrow?
That Friend is Christ! He occupies the preeminent position of being ever near to His people! Everywhere, and at the same moment — His presence is . . .
the atmosphere that enfolds them,
the shield that encircles them,
the sun that guides and cheers their path to the celestial city, where His glorified presence fills . . .
each soul with ineffable happiness,
heaven with its sweetest song, and
eternity with its transcendent splendor!
When Jesus left our earth, He entwined the personal interests of His people around His heart, and bore them with Him to heaven; leaving the gracious promise, that, though personally and visibly withdrawn from the scene of their journeyings, trials, and conflicts — His spiritual presence should ever and everywhere encircle them, until like Himself, they should exchange earth for heaven.
"Lo! Mark! Behold! I the Incarnate God, I who opened my bleeding heart for your redemption on Calvary, I who am your dearest Friend, your Elder Brother — I am with you always, in all places, and at all times, unto the end of the world!"
Saint of God! This is the promise of promises, the richest pearl of all the promises, exceeding in its mightiness and preciousness; while it is the substance, sweetness, and pledge of all the rest! Christ is ever with you, and were this the one and only assurance of the Word of God upon which He had caused your soul to hope, you may gratefully and truthfully exclaim, "Lord! it is enough! with this Staff I will travel onward; and if through fire and through water, You are leading me. Upheld by Your power, and soothed by Your sympathy — I will press forward until You shall bring me into a wealthy place!"
Christ's presence with His people was once, though not now, physical. He was bodily in the midst of His Church. Oh, it is a marvelous truth, the belief of which imparts a conviction of verity to the whole Gospel, that, eighteen hundred years ago, the incarnate God actually tabernacled upon this earth, trod its soil, sailed upon its lakes, drank of its springs, admired its flowers, bedewed it with tears, and consecrated it with blood. That babe of Bethlehem smiling in its mother's arms — that carpenter of Nazareth shoving the plane and plying the saw — that young man, pale and thoughtful, standing at Pilate's bar — that victim of woe impaled upon the central cross — listen, O heavens, and be astonished, O earth — was "the fullness of the Godhead bodily!"
It is written by the pen of the Holy Spirit, and let no profane hand dare attempt its erasure, "The Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us." Yes! your flesh, O believer! laden with infirmity, sorrow, and woe. And He wears it still in a spiritual and glorified form, and is with you in suffering and weakness and infirmity — ever sympathizing, ever sustaining. Try your spirit, whether it be Christ-taught, Christ-loving, Christ-trustful — by its firm, realizing faith in this cardinal and precious truth, for, "every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God."
In addition to this, there is Christ's representative presence with His people in the embassy, fullness, and preaching of the Gospel. The Gospel is glad tidings of Christ, it is the message of His grace, the proclamation of His love to lost sinners. The Gospel is Christ first, Christ last, Christ midst, Christ without end.
Christ is the prophet of the Gospel — teaching His people His doctrines.
Christ is the priest of the Gospel — bearing and making atonement for their sins.
Christ is the king of the Gospel — reigning in the hearts of loyal and loving disciples.
Thus, Christ is present wherever and whenever the good tidings of that Gospel are preached, to "bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captive, to give beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness, to comfort all that mourn." Remember, O you neglectful, unbelieving hearer of Christ's Gospel, that it is not the ministeryou slight nor the message you scorn — it is Christ Himself. "We beseech you In Christ's stead" — as though Christ Himself were pleading with tears and blood, "be reconciled to God." O blessed, yet solemn thought, that, whenever my ears are saluted with the joyful sound, infinitely sweeter than angels' chimes — it is Christ's voice I hear, it is Christ's presence I feel, it is Christ's love that thrills and warms my soul, it is Christ's invitation to my weary spirit, Christ's words of sympathy to my sorrowful heart, Christ'spromises of grace and strength and hope to my depressed and desponding mind. Oh, welcome, you divine and precious Gospel! bringing with you Christ's presence with a realizing power so personal, so conscious, and so soothing to the soul. We can bid farewell to things most near and dear to us, for the sake of Christ.
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