The Project Gutenberg EBook of Love to the Uttermost, by F. B. Meyer

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Title: Love to the Uttermost Expositions of John XIII.-XXI.

Author: F. B. Meyer

Release Date: August 23, 2007 [EBook #22376]

Language: English

*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK LOVE TO THE UTTERMOST ***

Produced by Al Haines

LOVE TO THE UTTERMOST

EXPOSITIONS OF JOHN XIII—XXI.

BY

F. B. MEYER, B. A.

Author of

  "The life and Light of Men: Expositions of John I.—XII.;"
  "Old Testament Heroes;"
  "The Shepherd Psalm;" etc.

NEW YORK —— CHICAGO —— TORONTO

Fleming H. Revell Company

Publishers of Evangelical Literature

Copyright, 1898-1899

by

Fleming H. Revell Company

THIS BOOK ON

THE UTTERMOST LOVE OF CHRIST

IS DEDICATED

TO MY DEAR WIFE,

WHOSE PATIENT CARE OF OUR HOME

HAS ENABLED ME

TO WRITE SO MUCH AND TRAVEL SO FAR

IN HIS SERVICE.

PREFACE

The former book on the first twelve chapters of this sublime Gospel was called, The Life and Light of Men. The title was naturally suggested by the subject-matter of those chapters. We had little difficulty in finding a title for the present book, which covers, however cursorily, the remainder of the Gospel. It lay open before us in the opening verses of the thirteenth chapter, as translated in the margin of the Revised Version. "Having loved His own which were in the world, He loved them to the uttermost."

It has been impossible, in the limited space at my disposal, to deal with these chapters as I would. Indeed, to do so, it would be necessary to know the length, and breadth, and depth, and height of the Love of God, which passeth knowledge. Time has been allowed to elapse, in the hope that the view would be clearer, and the expression more adequate, of the deep things to which the Lord gave expression. But it is useless to wait till one is satisfied of the adequacy of one's work, else life will have run its course before a beginning has been made. At the end of ten more years, the task would seem still more impracticable.

In the closing chapters I have woven together the narratives of the four evangelists, so as to give a succinct and connected account of the last hours of our Lord's life, and especially of His death. It has been a great delight thus to tread the Via Crucis, which is also the Via Lucis—the Way of the Cross, which is the Way of Life, and Light, and Love.

F. B. MEYER.

CONTENTS

I THE LAVER IN THE LIFE OF JESUS II THRICE BIDDEN TO LOVE III HEAVEN DELAYED, BUT GUARANTEED IV "MANY MANSIONS" V THE REALITY OF WHICH JACOB'S DREAM WAS THE SHADOW VI CHRIST REVEALING THE FATHER VII THE GREAT DEEDS OF FAITH VIII HOW TO SECURE MORE AND BETTER PRAYER IX THE OTHER PARACLETE X THE THREE DISPENSATIONS XI THREE PARADOXES XII MANY MANSIONS FOR GOD XIII CHRIST'S LEGACY AND GIFT OF PEACE XIV THE STORY OF THE VINE XV "ABIDE IN ME, AND I IN YOU" XVI PRAYER THAT PREVAILS XVII THE HATRED OF THE WORLD XVIII THE WORK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT ON THE WORLD XIX CHRIST'S RETICENCE SUPPLEMENTED BY THE SPIRIT'S ADVENT XX THE CONQUEROR OF THE WORLD XXI CONSECRATED TO CONSECRATE XXII THE LORD'S PRAYER FOR HIS PEOPLE'S ONENESS XXIII THE LOVE THAT BOUND CHRIST TO THE CROSS XXIV DRINKING THE CUP XXV THE HALL OF ANNAS XXVI HOW IT FARED WITH PETER XXVII THE TRIAL BFFORE CAIAPHAS XXVIII "JUDAS, WHICH BETRAYED HIM" XXIX THE FIRST TRIAL BEFORE PILATE XXX THE SECOND TRIAL BEFORE PILATE XXXI THE SEVEN SAYINGS OF THE CROSS XXXII CHRIST'S BURIAL XXXIII THE DAY OF RESURRECTION XXXIV THE LAKE OF GALILEE XXXV PETER'S LOVE AND WORK XXXVI THE LIFE-PLAN OF PETER AND JOHN XXXVII BACK TO THE FATHER

LOVE TO THE UTTERMOST

Expositions of John xiii.-xxi.

I

The Laver in the Life of Jesus

"He poureth water into a basin, and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with a towel wherewith He was girded."—JOHN xiii. 5.

In the court of the Temple there were two objects that arrested the eye of the entering worshipper—the Brazen Altar, and the Laver. The latter was kept always full of pure, fresh water, for the constant washings enjoined by the Levitical code. Before the priests were consecrated for their holy work, and attired in the robes of the sacred office, they washed there (Ex. xxix. 4). Before they entered the Holy Place in their ordinary ministry, and before Aaron, on the great Day of Atonement, proceeded to the Most Holy Place, with blood, not his own, it was needful to conform to the prescribed ablutions. "He shall bathe his flesh in water" (Lev. xvi. 4).

First, then, the Altar, and then the Laver; the order is irreversible, and the teaching of the types is as exact as mathematics. Hence, when the writer of the Epistle to the Hebrews invites us to draw near, and make our abode in the Most Holy Place, he carefully obeys the Divine order, and bids us "draw near, with a true heart, in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water."

In this scene (John xiii. 1-14), on the eve of our Lord's betrayal, we find the spiritual counterpart of the Laver, just as the Cross stands for the Brazen Altar.

I. THE CIRCUMSTANCE THAT LED TO THIS ACT OF LOVE.—In order fully to understand this touching incident, it is necessary to remember the circumstances out of which it sprang. On the way from Bethany to the upper room in which the Supper had been prepared, and on entering therein, our Lord must have been deeply absorbed in the momentous events in which He was to be the central figure; but He was not unmindful of a contention which had engaged His disciples, for they had been disputing one with another as to which of them should be the greatest. The proud spirit of the flesh, which so often cursed the little group, broke out in this awful hour with renewed energy, as though the prince of this world would inflict a parting blow on his great Antagonist, through those whom He loved best. It was as if he said, "See the results of Thy tears and teachings, of Thy prayers and pleadings; the love which Thou hast so often inculcated is but a passing sentiment, that has never rooted itself in the soil of these wayward hearts. It is a plant too rare and exotic for the climate of earth. Take it back with Thee to Thine own home if Thou wilt, but seek not to achieve the impossible." It was heartrending that this exhibition of pride should take place just at this juncture. These were the men who had