The Christian's Motto

worlddic.com

John 8:28-29

Then said Jesus to them, When you have lifted up the Son of man, then shall you know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself…

Observe Christ as —

I. THE MEDIATOR. Our text is true of our Lord every way.

1. Of His incarnation we read, "Lo, I come...I delight to do Thy will." He did the thing which pleased the Father during His obscure life as the carpenter's Son. He was "The holy child Jesus." At the end of His retirement the Father set His seal upon His beloved Son in whom He was well pleased at His baptism, when He fulfilled all righteousness, a type of the perfect obedience He intended to render. His temptation and victory were well pleasing to God, the token whereof was the ministration of angels. Throughout His life He fulfilled Isaiah 42:21. He magnified the ceremonial law by coming under it and observing it until the time when it passed away; and the moral law by such obedience as enabled Him to say, "Which of you convinceth him of sin." Hence the same attestation at the Transfiguration as at the Baptism, and the answer to His prayer, "Father, glorify Thy name." The miracles were tokens of the Father's pleasure (Acts 2:22). In His death "it pleased the Father to bruise Him." It pleased God that He should ascend, for "He received gifts for men." God is pleased with His intercession, for it is all prevalent. It will please that He should come again; for all judgment is committed to His hands.

2. The saving works of Jesus are lovely in the Father's eyes. "The pleasure of the Lord shall prosper," etc. "I have no pleasure in the death," etc.

3. The benefits which Christ confers on the saints please the Father; "for it pleased the Father that in Him should all fulness dwell," and it pleases Him when of His fulness we receive grace for grace.

II. THE MODEL. In taking Christ as our example —

1. It implied that we ourselves are rendered pleasing to God. As long as a man is obnoxious to God, all he does is obnoxious. "They that are in the flesh cannot please God."

2. Included in this is the avoiding all things that displease Him.

(1)  Pride, whether of talent, self-righteousness, wealth, dress, rank. "The Lord resisted the proud."

(2)  Sloth — which God couples with wickedness.

(3)  Unwatchfulness, carelessness, indifference, neglect.

(4)  Anger, oppression, craftiness, covetousness, worldliness.

(5)  Unbelief — doubts of His power and faithfulness.

(6)  Murmuring.

3. It should be our intent and earnest design to please God. We shall not do this by accident; we must give our whole souls to it.

4. The text is positive and practical. "Do."

(1)  Christ was prayerful, and it cannot please the Father for His child not to speak to Him.

(2)  Christ loved God and man.

(3)  Christ pleased not Himself, and to please God we must deny ourselves.

(4)  Christ was separate from sinners, and we must not be conformed to the world.

(5)  To please God note Psalm 69:30, and Hebrews 13:16, and learn to cultivate a thankful spirit; note — 1 John 3:22, and Hebrews 11:5, 6. and believe; note Colossians 1:10, and learn that resignation is pleasing to God.

5. These things must be actually done. "I do." It will not suffice to talk or pray about them or to be charmed with them.

6. "Always." At home as husband or wife, etc.; at business as master or servant. There must not be at any moment anything that we should not like God to see, nor be where we should not like Christ to find us.

7. By doing the things that please God.

(1)  We shall enjoy and retain the presence of the Father, not otherwise.

(2)  We shall be girded with strength; otherwise we shall be impotent.

(3)  The Lord will be with us in our work.Conclusion:

1. Is this too high a model? Would you prefer an example that would let you be contented with a measure of sin? Do you think it an impossible ideal? But what about the promised help of the Spirit?

2. Have you failed? Then grieve over it, and try again.

worlddic.com