For I came down from heaven, not to do Mine own will, but the will of Him that sent Me
The love of the Father
The amazing love of the Father appears
I. IN HIS SPARING THIS GUILTY WORLD, though He spared not the angels that sinned. His mercy is seen in man’s long day of grace, and in thy day of grace, sinner. Accept it ere the dawn of the day of judgment.
II. IN CHOOSING AND DRAWING GUILTY MEN TO BE SAVED. To give men liberty to be saved is love indeed; to provide a ransom is love higher still; but its loftiest height is seen in the drawing operations of Father, Son, and Spirit. But for this men would not come at all.
III. IN HIS GIVING CHRIST TO BE THE WAY OF SALVATION (chap. 3:16; Romans 8:32). Had He shot down a beam of heavenly light, or caused us to hear a heavenly note, this would have left us inexcusable; but He gave the best of His treasures. He resolved that all salvation should be found in the Son, and avoided leaving any details to us.
IV. IN HIS REVEALING HIMSELF TO US THROUGH CHRIST (chap. 14:9, 10). Not through an interpreter, but through One who shared His nature and was the perfect embodiment of His will.
V. IN APPOINTING THE ETERNAL REWARD FOR REDEEMED SINNERS THROUGH CHRIST (John 6:39-40). (A. A. Bonar)
The purpose of Christ’s coming
I. CHRIST CAME DOWN FROM HEAVEN.
1. How does it appear that He was originally in heaven? (John 6:33; John 6:51; John 6:62).
(1) He had a real existence before He was born (chap. 1:15; 8:58).
(2) He was before the world (Hebrews 1:8); for He made the world Hebrews 1:2; Hebrews 1:8, Hebrews 1:10; Colossians 1:14-16; John 1:1-2).
(3) The existence He had before was purely Divine (Philippians 2:6-7; Acts 20:28).
(4) The Divine nature was communicated to Him from the Father (chap. 5:26, 7:29, 16:15; Hebrews 1:3).
(5) Hence He is said to be in heaven by reason of His Divine essence, which He always had from and with the Father (John 6:62).
2. What are we to understand by His coming down from heaven? His assuming our human nature, and in it conversing upon earth (Jn 1 Timothy 3:16).
II. As Christ came from heaven, so HE CAME NOT TO DO HIS OWN WILL, BUT HIS THAT SENT HIM.
1. Christ’s will as He is God is no way different from the Father’s.
2. As man His will was distinct from the Father’s, but still subordinate to it Luke 22:42); and therefore though He had a will of His own as man, yet He came not to fulfil that.
3. But our Saviour speaks not here of Himself, either as God or man, but as God-man, Mediator, one sent from the Father to do His will.
From hence it follows
1. That God’s will only is the fountain of man’s happiness and salvation. For
(1) God made man upright and happy (Ecclesiastes 7:29).
(2) Man made himself sinful and miserable (Hosea 13:9).
(3) But he cannot make himself happy again (Jeremiah 10:23).
(4) And as man cannot, so none but God can. None else could find out a way, and none else effect it when found.
(5) God hath no other motive but His own will and pleasure to save Ephesians 1:5).
(a) Man himself could be no motive (Deuteronomy 7:7-8).
(b) Neither could the hope of glory be so, God receiving nothing thereby (Job 22:2-3; Psalms 16:2).
2. That Christ came to accomplish the will of God.
(1) By acquainting us with what is necessary to be known or done in order to be saved (John 14:2).
(2) By giving us, in His own person, a perfect example. (Matthew 11:30).
(3) By enabling us sincerely to perform whatsoever is enjoined us (chap. 15:5; Philippians 4:13).
(4) By dying for us (Matthew 20:28; 1Ti 2:16).
(5) By continuing to intercede for us (Hebrews 7:25; John 1:1-2).
III. USES.
1. Give God the glory of your salvation.
2. Bless Him for all the means of it.
(1) For sending His Son to die for us.
(2) For sending His Spirit to live within us.
(3) For vouchsafing to us the means of grace.
3. Trust Him only for the accomplishment of your salvation.
(1) By the pardon of your sins.
(2) The strengthening of your graces (Philippians 2:13).
(3) Power to persevere (Matthew 10:22).
4. Hence learn also of your Saviour
(1) To submit your wills to God’s (1 Samuel 3:18).
(2) To do the will of Him who sent you hither.
And it is His will
(1) That you repent (Acts 17:30).
(2) That you turn from your sins (Ezekiel 18:30; Ezekiel 33:11).
(3) That you love the Lord with all your hearts (Matthew 22:37).
(4) That you earnestly endeavour to work out your salvation Philippians 2:12). (Bp. Beveridge.)
Perfect obedience
In a daring inroad beyond the Tigris, Abu Taher advanced to the gates of the capital with no more than five hundred horse. By the special order of Moctador the bridges had been broken down, and the person or head of the rebel was expected every hour by the Commander of the Faithful. His lieutenant, from a motive of fear or pity, apprised Abu Taher of his danger, and recommended a speedy escape. “Your master,” said the intrepid Carmathian to the messenger, “is at the head of thirty thousand soldiers; three such men as these are wanting in his host.” At the same instant, turning to three of his companions, he commanded the first to plunge a dagger into his own breast, the second to leap into the Tigris, and the third to cast himself headlong down a precipice. They obeyed without a murmur. “Relate what you have seen,” continued the Imam. “Before the evening your general shall be chained among my dogs.” Before evening the camp was surprised and the menace executed. (Gibbon.)
To do the wilt of God is the true end of life
The end of life is not to do good, although many of us think so. It is not to win souls, although I once thought so. The end of life is to do the will of God whatever it may be. (Professor Drummond.)
This is the Father’s will … that of all which He hath given Me, I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day.
The Father’s will
I. THE DIVINE SIDE OF THE WORK OF SALVATION.
1. How sovereign its character. The Father’s will is independent, omnipotent, unchangeable, perfect, full of love.
2. The obedient servant of that will (John 6:38). Christ came not to do His own will, His own private purposes, but “the commandment of the Father” (Psalms 40:1-17.). To this end He took on Him the form of a servant (Isaiah 42:1-25.).
(1) This was needful as an example for us;
(2) and that we may know that Christ is no amateur Saviour. He has come willingly enough, but the reason was the Father’s will. So that when Christ forgives or receives it is the Father’s will.
3. God’s will was that His Son should have disciples, a flock, members, a bride, brethren.
4. These persons Jesus undertook to keep, and to raise them up at the last day.
II. THE HUMAN SIDE OF THE WORK OF SALVATION (John 6:40).
1. This is still based on the Divine will.
2. The same obedient servant is engaged in it.
3. The terms are “seeing and believing on the Son.” We cannot see Christ with our natural organs, but we can read and hear about Him. The eyes of our understanding discern Him; the sense of faith recognizes Him.
4. These terms are open to all. “Every one,” the man of great or of little faith, rich or poor, etc. None are excluded but those who exclude themselves.
5. Those who believe in Jesus are in a present state of safety. They have everlasting life.
Conclusion:
1. Never fear that there is anything in the secret purposes of God which can contradict His open promises. Never dream if you are a believer that any dark decree can shut you out from the benefits of grace.
2. Fear not that your believing will end in failure. (C. H. Spurgeon.)
Doing God’s will in our daily work
(text, and Mark 6:3):--Scripture speaks of Christ as the Servant of the Lord. But not till most of His brief history had passed did He begin to preach the gospel. For thirty years He was engaged in the everyday duties of life.
I. OUR DAILY WORK MAY BE TRUE SERVICE FOR GOD. Housework, the innumerable details of a mother’s lot, manual labour, a sufferer’s duties, commercial life, brain-toil--for these we may be as truly sent of God as an apostle or a prophet.
1. God’s providential appointment shows where He wants our work. That we have our particular gifts, that our training fits us for a special post, that circumstances uncontrolled by us have brought us to a certain position, that our position involves definite duties--what are these but God pointing to what He requires us to do.
2. It were unlikely that most of our life should be necessarily spent on what has no vital bearing on eternity. No small feature of the blessedness of heaven is that there they serve Him. Consecration to Christ involves that He be glorified by our entire being. He claims us wholly. It is said that there is a point in the upper air where the discordant sounds of earth blend in harmony, the noise of the streets cannot be distinguished from the murmur of the sea, nor the shout of the battle from the chime of bells, nor the mirthful song from the sufferer’s moan--there they are one; so the varied parts of our life may blend in a harmonious voice of praise ceaselessly rising to our exalted Lord, as by Himself the will of God was done as truly at the carpenter’s bench aa in the most solemn agony of the garden and the cross.
II. SOME OF THE DIRECTIONS IN WHICH THIS DIVINE SERVICE MAY BE RENDERED.
1. Our daily toil tends to the well-being of others. The domestic servant contributes to the comfort of the home, the mechanic serves many a real human need, the teacher by voice or pen spreads knowledge, the physician and the nurse heal the body, the artist trains some of the higher faculties of the mind, the merchant produces or makes earth’s productions available; there is no right calling which does not in some way benefit mankind.
2. And daily toil presents the best opportunity for manifesting the religion of Christ.
3. Daily toil is one of the great schools for training spiritual life.
III. THE POSSIBILITY OF THIS SERVICE SHOWS THE SACREDNESS OF OUR WORKDAY LIFE.
1. That all work may be Divine may well reconcile us to tasks that seem lowly.
2. This suggests a searching test of our belonging to Christ. For what is it to be Christ’s, but to share His life. If we are only Christians on Sundays we are not Christ’s.
3. This shows God’s way to larger service presently. Was it not because He did the will of Him that sent Him in that humble village home, that He learnt to say in trial more awful than man can know, “Father, not as I will, but as Thou wilt”? (C. New.)
The believer’s safety
I. CHRIST WILL LOSE NONE THAT ARE GIVEN TO HIM.
1. How doth God give us to Christ?
(1) By making us sensible of our sin and misery (Jeremiah 8:6;John 16:7-8).
(2) By making us humble (Isaiah 64:6; Matthew 5:3; Matthew 11:28).
(3) By inclining us to piety by His preventing grace (James 4:6).
(4) By convincing us that Christ was sent to be our Saviour.
2. How shall those not be lost? They shall have
(1) Their sins pardoned (1 John 2:1-2).
(2) Their hearts renewed (Ezekiel 36:25; Titus 3:5).
(3) God reconciled (Romans 5:10; 2 Corinthians 5:18).
(4) Their graces confirmed (Luke 22:32).
(5) And so their souls eternally saved.
(6) This Christ is able (Hebrews 7:25) and willing (Luke 13:34) to do.
II. CHRIST’S CARE OVER HIS PEOPLE REACHES TO THE DAY OF THEIR RESURRECTION.
1. God’s justice will raise the wicked
(1) To judge (Ecclesiastes 12:14; 2 Corinthians 5:10).
(2) To condemn.
(3) To punish (Matthew 25:46).
2. Christ will raise the saints to bless them
(1) With freedom from all evil (Revelation 21:4).
(2) With the confluence of all good (1 Corinthians 2:9).
III. USES.
1. Carefully attend those means which God gives to bring your souls to Christ.
2. Commit your souls only to Christ’s care (1 Peter 4:19).
3. Live as becomes Christians. (Bp. Beveridge.)
Christ our keeper
The next thing we learn here is that all these persons Jesus Christ undertook to keep. He should “lose nothing.” This is a very remarkable expression. The Lord Jesus Christ, therefore, has taken all those who were given of the Father to Him into His custody. He is the surety; He is responsible for them, and He keeps them. (C. H. Spurgeon.)
The last day.
I. EACH MAN HAS HIS LAST DAY. To each a sun rises of which he never sees the setting, or a sun sets of which he never sees the rising.
II. FAMILIES HAVE THEIR LAST DAY. Households part never to meet again. Ancient lines dating back beyond the Conquest, at last come to an end. The ancestral mansion is vacant, the title is extinct, the estates revert to the state. In almost every community “there is one alone, he hath neither child nor brother,” and his last day will be the last day of his name and race.
III. STATES ALSO HAVE THEIR LAST DAY. Where are the thrones of Carthage and Tyre, of Assyria and Egypt, of Macedon and Rome? One sun arose on them still breathing, the next found them only matters of history. In the interval they had passed from something to nothing. And other states occupied their places; not a few of whom, in their turn, have expired and been laid away in the cemeteries of history.
IV. THE WORLD WILL HAVE ITS LAST DAY. We have the best authority for saying that the time will come when the human race will disappear in a body from the earth, and the planet itself and all things therein be burned up. Exactly when this greatest of last days will come we are not informed. The month, the year, the century, the millennium even, in which it will occur, is not foretold. So little hint is given of its exact locality in history, that its actual advent will take the world by surprise. Up rolls the last sun from the east as brightly and steadily as usual. Men get them to their business, their pleasures, without a thought of change. (E. F. Burr.)
The resurrection of believers
When a farmer holds in his hand the first ripe sheaf of corn he has in possession an unassailable proof that he will have a harvest. More decisive and satisfactory evidence to that effect could not be desired by any reasonable man. Long before this time the precious seed had been east into the dark bosom of the earth, when no tokens were visible that nature possessed any power of life. But in due season the sun began to warm the sleeping world, the gentle rain from heaven fell upon the place beneath, and the winds of the south whispered of a coming revival. Soon there was first the blade, then the ear, and after that the full corn in the car, soon the first ripe sheaf telling of a harvest at hand. Christ is the first-fruits of them that slept, the infallible proof that we shall have a resurrection from the gloomy winter of death. (Archibald Craig.)
The resurrection of believers a certainty
Trees, in the winter time, appear to the view of all men as if they were withered and quite dead, yet when the springtime comes, they become alive again, and, as before, do bring forth their buds, blossoms, leaves, and fruit, The reason is because the body, grain, and arms of the tree are all joined and fastened to the root where the sap lies all the winter time, and from thence, by reason of so near conjunction, it is derived in the springtime to all parts of the tree. Even so the bodies of men have their winter also, and that is in death, in which time they are turned into dust, and so remain for a time. Yet in the springtime, that is, in the last day, at the resurrection of all flesh, by means of the mystical union with Christ, His Divine and quickening virtue shall stream from thence to all the bodies of His members, and cause them to Live again, and that to life eternal. (Strode.)