Milo

13 JULY (VERSE 32 PREACHED 13 JULY 1777)

Lifted up to die

‘And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me. This he said, signifying what death he should die.’ John 12:32–33
SUGGESTED FURTHER READING: John 12:20–36

When our Lord spoke these words, the season of his passion was approaching. His holy soul was troubled at the prospect of that woeful hour in which, for sins not his own, he was to sustain the curse of the law in all its horrors. But his purpose was fixed, his love was unalterable. In another view he rejoiced, he saw of the travail of his soul and was satisfied. The thought of the salvation of innumerable sinners made him willingly obedient to the death of the cross. The phrase lifted up may be applied to his suffering upon the cross, to his exaltation in his kingdom, to his being set forth in the preaching of the gospel. The former sense is particularly intended here, as is plain by his own words, though the others are not to be excluded—for the Spirit is given in consequence of his ascension, and if he was not preached he could not be known. He was lifted up—that is crucified—as the brazen serpent in the wilderness. This death was to the last degree painful; it was ignominious, being only the punishment of slaves and the vilest malefactors. And in the eye of the law it was an accursed death (Galatians 3:13 [Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree]).
FOR MEDITATION:
‘Father, forgive (the Saviour said)
We knew not the desert of sin,
They know not what they do’:
Nor whom we thus defied;
His heart was moved when thus he prayed
Nor where our guilty souls had been,
For me, my friends, and you.
If JESUS had not died.

He saw, that as the Jews abused
But JESUS all our guilt foresaw,
And crucified his flesh;
And shed his precious blood
So he, by us, would be refused,
To satisfy the holy law,
And crucified afresh.
And make our peace with GOD.

Through love of sin, we long were prone
My sin, dear Saviour, made thee bleed,
To act as Satan bid;
Yet didst thou pray for me!
But now, with grief and shame we own,
I knew not what I did, indeed,
We knew not what we did.
When ignorant of thee.

SERMON: JOHN 12:32–33 [1/2]

July 12th

The spiritual society

Till we all come … unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ. Eph. 4:13.

Rehabilitation means the putting back of the whole human race into the relationship God designed it to be in, and this is what Jesus Christ did in Redemption. The Church ceases to be a spiritual society when it is on the look-out for the development of its own organization. The rehabilitation of the human race on Jesus Christ’s plan means the realization of Jesus Christ in corporate life as well as in individual life. Jesus Christ sent apostles and teachers for this purpose—that the corporate Personality might be realized. We are not here to develop a spiritual life of our own, or to enjoy spiritual retirement; we are here so to realize Jesus Christ that the Body of Christ may be built up.
Am I building up the Body of Christ, or am I looking for my own personal development only? The essential thing is my personal relationship to Jesus Christ—“That I may know Him. “To fulfil God’s design means entire abandonment to him. Whenever I want things for myself, the relationship is distorted. It will be a big humiliation to realize that I have not been concerned about realizing Jesus Christ, but only about realizing what He has done for me.

‘My goal is God Himself, not joy nor peace,
Nor even blessing, but Himself, my God.’

Am I measuring my life by this standard or by anything less?

July 12

“He hath acquainted himself with my beaten path. When he hath searched me out, I shall come out shining.” (Job 23:10, free translation.)

FAITH grows amid storms”—just four words, but oh, how full of import to the soul who has been in the storms!
Faith is that God-given faculty which, when exercised, brings the unseen into plain view, and by which the impossible things are made possible. It deals with supernaturals.
But it “grows amid storms”; that is, where there are disturbances in the spiritual atmosphere. Storms are caused by the conflicts of elements; and the storms of the spiritual world are conflicts with hostile elements.
In such an atmosphere faith finds its most productive soil; in such an element it comes more quickly to full fruition.
The staunchest tree is not found in the shelter of the forest, but out in the open where the winds from every quarter beat upon it, and bend and twist it until it becomes a giant in stature—this is the tree which the mechanic wants his tools made of, and the wagon-maker seeks.
So in the spiritual world, when you see a giant, remember the road you must travel to come up to his side is not along the sunny lane where wild flowers ever bloom; but a steep, rocky, narrow pathway where the blasts of hell will almost blow you off your feet; where the sharp rocks cut the flesh, where the projecting thorns scratch the brow, and the venomous beasts hiss on every side.
It is a pathway of sorrow and joy, of suffering and healing balm, of tears and smiles, of trials and victories, of conflicts and triumphs, of hardships and perils and buffetings, of persecutions and misunderstandings, of troubles and distress; through all of which we are made more than conquerors through Him who loves us.
“Amid storms.” Right in the midst where it is fiercest. You may shrink back from the ordeal of a fierce storm of trial … but go in! God is there to meet you in the center of all your trials, and to whisper His secrets which will make you come forth with a shining face and an indomitable faith that all the demons of hell shall never afterwards cause to waver.
—E. A. Kilbourne.

12 JULY (PREACHED THURSDAY 11 JULY 1776)

With a single eye

‘And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect.’ Genesis 17:1
SUGGESTED FURTHER READING: 1 Peter 1:13–25

His people’s duty and aim, in consequence of his all-sufficiency, is:
(i) to walk before him; that is, as in his sight, importing acting from a principle of love and reverence, with a view to his glory, and in a spirit of dependence. O the honour, the comfort, the excellence of such a walk.
(ii) to be perfect. This means not a sinless perfection, but sincerity. This includes a single eye, in opposition to all mean and selfish views, and a universal respect to all his commandments.
The knowledge of God as all-sufficient will influence us to such a walk and it is impracticable upon any other principle. Whatever is short of this is but a poor pretence, a lifeless shadow of religion.

FOR MEDITATION: How shall I speak with that reverence which becomes an ambassador of God, with that earnestness which is suitable to the case of perishing souls, with that faithfulness as to deliver my own soul and be pure from the blood of all men, with that wisdom as to avoid unnecessary offences and not lay obstacles in my own way, with that steadiness as not to be disconcerted by smiles or frowns, by temptations or afflictions, by men or devils? The servant of God will not be deterred by these considerations, because he knows the Lord whom he serves is able to deliver and support him, but it seems impossible he should be unaffected with them.
Miscellaneous Thoughts, Thursday 29 June 1758

Oh, may it please thee, that now in the evening of life, I may not dishonour my profession, or lose the testimony of a good conscience. But that my sun may set without a cloud, and that I may be a testimony to thy goodness for the encouragement of those around me, with my latest breath or so long as I am able to speak. Amen.
Diary, 21 March 1794

SERMON SERIES: GENESIS, NO. 35 [2/2], GENESIS 17:1

July 11th

The spiritual saint

That I may know Him. Phil. 3:10.

The initiative of the saint is not towards self-realization, but towards knowing Jesus Christ. The spiritual saint never believes circumstances to be haphazard, or thinks of his life as secular and sacred; he sees everything he is dumped down in as the means of securing the knowledge of Jesus Christ. There is a reckless abandonment about him. The Holy Spirit is determined that we shall realize Jesus Christ in every domain of life, and He will bring us back to the same point again and again until we do. Self-realization leads to the enthronement of work; whereas the saint enthrones Jesus Christ in his work. Whether it be eating or drinking or washing disciples’ feet, whatever it is, we have to take the initiative of realizing Jesus Christ in it. Every phase of our actual life has its counterpart in the life of Jesus. Our Lord realized His relationship to the Father even in the most menial work. “Jesus knowing … that He was come from God, and went to God; … took a towel, … and began to wash the disciples feet.”
The aim of the spiritual saint is “that I may know Him.” Do I know Him where I am to-day? If not, I am failing Him. I am here not to realize myself, but to know Jesus. In Christian work the initiative is too often the realization that something has to be done and I must do it. That is never the attitude of the spiritual saint, his aim is to secure the realization of Jesus Christ in every set of circumstances he is in.