The toiling Christ.
Among the many loftier characteristics belonging to Christ's life and work, there is a very homely one which is often lost sight of; and that is, the amount of hard physical exertion, prolonged even to fatigue and exhaustion, which He endured. "They took Him even as He was into the ship." And many expositors suppose that in the very form of that phrase there is suggested the extreme of weariness and exhaustion which He suffered, after the hard day's toil. Whether that be so or not, the swiftness of the move to the little boat, and His going on board without a moment's preparation, leaving the crowd on the beach, seems most naturally accounted for by supposing that He had come to the last point of physical endurance, and that his frame, worn out by the hard day's work, needed one thing rest.
I. First, let me point out some of the significant hints which the Gospel records give us of the toilsomeness of Christ's service. We are chiefly indebted for these to the Gospel of Mark. Note (1) how distinctly this Gospel gives the impression of swift, strenuous work. The narrative is brief and condensed. There is one word which is reiterated over and over again in the earlier Chapter s, remarkably conveying this impression of haste and strenuous work. Mark's favourite word is "straightway," "immediately," "forthwith," "anon," which are all translations of one expression. The story seems as it were to pant with haste, to keep up with Him as He moves among men, swift as the sunbeam and continuous in the outflow of His love as these unceasing rays. (2) Again, we see in Christ's service, toil prolonged to the point of actual physical exhaustion. (3) We see in Christ toil that puts aside the claims of physical wants. (4) We see in Christ's service a love which is at every man's beck and call, a toil cheerfully rendered at the unreasonable and unseasonable times.
II. Notice how we get from our Lord's own words a glimpse into the springs of this wonderful activity. There are three points which distinctly come out in various places of the Gospels as His motives for such unresting sedulousness and continuance of toil. (1) The first is conveyed in such words as these, "I must work the works of Him that sent Me." "Wist ye not that I must be about My Father's business?" "My meat is to do the will of Him that sent Me, and to finish His work." All these express one thought. Christ lived and toiled and bore weariness and exhaustion, because wherever He went, and whatsoever He set His hand to, He had the one consciousness of a great task laid upon Him by a loving Father, whom He loved, and whom, therefore, it was His joy and His blessedness to serve. (2) And still further, another of the secret springs that move His unwearied activity, His heroism of toil, is the thought expressed in such words as these, "While I am in the world, I am the light of the world." "The night cometh when no man can work." He recognised the brief hour of sunny life as being an hour that must be filled with service, and recognised the fact that there was a task that He could only do when He lived the life of a man upon earth. (3) And there was a final motive which I need barely touch. He was impelled to His sedulous service by the motive expressed in such words as these, in which this Gospel is remarkably rich, "Jesus, moved with compassion,put forth His hand and touched him."
III. So much for the motive; and now a word finally as to the worth of this toil for us. What do we learn from His example? (1) Task all your capacity, and use every minute in doing the thing that is plainly set before you to do. (2) We may bring the greatest principles to bear on the smallest duties. (3) We learn the possible harmony of communion and service.
A. Maclaren, Sermons preached in Manchester,3rd series, p. 273.