Why They Leave Us

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John 17:24

Father, I will that they also, whom you have given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which you have given me…

1. The prayer of the Saviour rises as it proceeds. He asked for His people that they might be preserved from the world, then that they might be sanctified, and then that they might be made manifestly one; and now He reaches His crowning point — that they may be with Him where He is, and behold His glory. That prayer is most after the Divine pattern which, like a ladder, rises round by round, until it loses itself in heaven.

2. This last step of our Lord's prayer is not only above all the rest, but it is a longer step than any of the others. He here ascends, not from one blessing which may be enjoyed on earth, to higher, but mounts right away from all that is to that which is reserved for the eternal future.

3. Not only does it rise as to its subject, but it even ascends as to the place which the Intercessor appears to occupy. Has it not been so with yourselves in prayer, that you might have cried with Paul, "Whether in the body or out of the body, I cannot tell."

4. Still the prayer rises, not only as to its matter and place, but in a higher style. Before, our Lord had asked and pleaded; but now He says, "Father, I will." It is well not only to groan out of the dust as suppliant sinners, but to seek unto our Father in the spirit of adoption with the confidence of children, and then, with the promise of God in our hand, lay hold upon the covenant angel, and cry, "I will not let thee go, except thou bless me." Importunity is a humble approach to this Divine "I will."

I. Let us begin as our text begins with THE HOME-WORD — "Father." Is it not the centre of living unity? If there is to be a family gathering and reunion, where should it be but in the father's house?

1. What can be more right than that children should go home to their Father? From Him they came, to Him they owe their life, and should not this be the goal of their being, that they should at last dwell in His presence?

2. "Father!" why, it is a bell that rings us home. He who hath the Spirit of adoption feels that the Father draws him home, and he would fain run after Him. How intensely did Jesus turn to the Father!

3. This is the consummation which the First-born looks for, and to which all of us who are like Him are aspiring also, namely, that God may be all in all. Our Brother is gone; but we ask, "Where is He gone?" and when the answer comes, "He is gone to the Father," all notion of complaint is over. To whom else should He go? A child may be happy at school, but he longs for the holidays. Is it merely to escape his lessons? Ask him, and he will tell you, "I want to go home to see my father."

II. THE HOME IMPETUS. How shall the chosen get home to the Father. "I will," said Jesus, "that they be with Me"; and with Him they must be. Examine the energy of this "I will," and you will see that it hath the force of —

1. An intercessory prayer. I cannot imagine our Lord's interceding in vain. If He asks that we may be with Him where He is, He must assuredly have His request. You cannot hold your dying babe, &c.; for Jesus asks for it to be with Him. Will you come into competition with your Lord?

2. A testamentary bequest and appointment. No man who makes his will likes to have it frustrated. Our Saviour's testament will assuredly be carried out in every jot and tittle.

3. Desire, resolve, and purpose. If Jesus saith, "I will," then it is yours to say, "Not as I will, but as Thou wilt."

III. THE HOME CHARACTER. "They also, whom Thou hast given Me." The Greek is somewhat difficult to translate. There is here a something in the singular as well as persons in the plural. "Father, I will concerning that which thou hast given Me, that they may be with Me where I am."

1. Our Lord looked upon those whom the Father gave Him as one — one body, one Church, one bride: He willed that as a whole the Church should be with Him where He is.

2. Then He looked again and saw each of the many individuals of whom the one Church is composed, and He prayed that each, that all of these, might be with Him and behold His glory. Jesus never so prays for the whole Church as to forget a single member; neither does He so pray for the members individually as to overlook the corporate capacity of the whole.

3. I feel glad that there is no sort of personal character mentioned here, but only — "Those whom Thou hast given Me." It seems as if the Lord in His last moments was not so much looking at the fruit of grace as at grace itself; He did not so much note either the perfections or the imperfections of His people, but only the fact that they were His by the eternal gift of the Father. The Father gave them as a love-token and a means of His Son's glorification. If I possess a love-token that some dear one has given me I may rightly desire to have it with me. Nobody can have such a right to your wedding-ring, good sister, as you have yourself, and are not Christ's saints, as it were, a signet upon His finger, a token which His Father gave Him of His good pleasure in Him? Should they not be with Jesus where He is, since they are His crown jewels and His glory?

IV. THE HOME COMPANIONSHIP.

1. The nearness of the saints to Christ in glory — "that they may be with Me." In heaven the saints will be nearer to Christ than the apostles were when they sat at the table with Him, or heard Him pray. "For ever with the Lord" — this is heaven.

2. They must occupy a place: that place will be where Jesus is. We are to be, not metaphorically and fancifully, but really, truly, literally with Jesus.

3. Notice the occupation of those who are with Jesus: "That they may behold My glory." Love always pines for a partner in its joys. When I have been specially charmed with glorious scenery, I have felt myself saying, "How I wish that my dear wife could be here!" How unselfish it is on our Lord's part to think Himself not fully glorified till we behold His glory! How unselfish He will make us also, since it will be our glory to see His glory! Who would keep a brother out of it an hour?

4. Observe the fellowship which exists in the glory land. "That they may behold My glory, which Thou hast given Me." So when the Lord brings His people home, we shall be one with Him, and He one with the Father, and we also in Him one with the Father, so that we shall then find boundless glory in beholding the glory of our Lord and God.

V. THE HOME ATMOSPHERE. Love: "Thou lovedst Me before the foundation of the world." Can you follow me in a great flight? There was a day before all days, when there was no day but the Ancient of Days. Oh the intensity of the Divine love of the Father to the Son! There was no universe, but God alone; and the whole of God's omnipotence flowed forth in a stream of love to the Son, while the Son's whole being remained eternally one with the Father by a mysterious essential union. Love is both the source and the channel, and the end of the Divine acting. Because the Father loved the Son He gave us to Him, and ordained that we should be with Him. Let our saintly ones go home if that is the design of their going. Since all comes of Divine love, and all sets forth Divine love, let them go to Him who loves them. Hold your friends lovingly, but be ready to yield them to Jesus.

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