Expositions of Holy Scripture: St. John Chaps. XV to XXIMaclaren, Alexander
Religion
Expositions of Holy Scripture: St. John Chaps. XV to XXI
Maclaren, Alexander
Bible. John -- Commentaries
see Him everywhere are blessed for evermore. And let no man here
torture himself, or limit the fullness of this message that we preach,
by questionings whether Christ loves Him or not. Are you a man? are you
sinful? have you broken God's law? do you need a Saviour? Then put away
all these questions, and believe that Christ's personal love is
streaming out for the whole world, and that there is a share for you if
you like to take it and be blessed!
There is one last thought arising from the whole subject before us,
that may be worth mention before I close. Did you ever notice how this
whole incident might be turned, by a symbolical application, to the
hour of death, and the vision which may meet us when we come thither?
It admits of the application, and perhaps was intended to receive the
application, of such a symbolic reference. The morning is dawning, the
grey of night going away, the lake is still; and yonder, standing on
the shore, in the uncertain light, there is one dim Figure, and one
disciple catches a sight of Him, and another casts himself into the
water, and they find 'a fire of coals, and fish laid thereon, and
bread,' and Christ gathers them around His table, and they all know
that 'It is the Lord!' It is what the death of the Christian man, who
has gone through life recognising Christ everywhere, may well
become:--the morning breaking, and the finished work, and the Figure
standing on the quiet beach, so that the last plunge into the cold
flood that yet separates us, will not be taken with trembling
reluctance; but, drawn to Him by the love beaming out of His face, and
upheld by the power of His beckoning presence, we shall struggle
through the latest wave that parts us, and scarcely feel its chill, nor
know that we _have_ crossed it; till falling blessed at His feet, we
see, by the nearer and clearer vision of His face, that this is indeed
heaven. And looking back upon 'the sea that brought us thither,' we
shall behold its waters flashing in the light of that everlasting
morning, and hear them breaking in music upon the eternal shore. And
then, brethren, when all the weary night-watchers on the stormy ocean
of life are gathered together around Him who watched with them from His
throne on the bordering mountains of eternity, where the day shines for
ever--then He will seat them at His table in His kingdom, and none will
need to ask, 'Who art Thou?' or 'Where am I?' for all shall know that
'It is the Lord!' and the full, perfect, unchangeable vision of His
blessed face will be heaven!
'LOVEST THOU ME?'
'Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou Me more
than these? He saith unto Him, Yea, Lord; Thou knowest that I love
Thee. He saith unto him, Feed My lambs.'--JOHN xxi. 15.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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