The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1873-10-15
Christ's Desire for his Peoples Presence in
Heaven

1t is touching thought, and expressed
by the Master over and over again with ex-
quisite tenderness. 81 60 to prepare
place-and 1 will come again and receive
you unto myself; that where l am, ye may
be also." Again 81 will, that those whom
Thou hast given me be with me where am. "
1t is personal wish, implied in the address
to His Father, and enforced by an appeal to
that Fathers antecedent and eternal love
for Him: "for Thou lovedst me before the
foundation of the world" Let US dwell
upon it little.
l. 1t as the spontaneous outfOwing Of His
divine goodness. It's the property of good
ness to communicate itself. In God, this
rises into an infinite perfection. 1t is at the
foundation of all creative activity. The
universe is built and stamped with the traces
Of wisdom, power and goodness, and angels
and men are created, to admire and to love
and to receive perpetually from His infinite
fulness. Christ "haviug loved His own,
loved them to the end ;" and when He took
His departure into heaven, the same love
longed to communicate itself in the larger
measures which could only be distributed in
the pure world of joy above.
2 As man, Christ desires human fellOw-
ship IN AiS state of glory. There is modern
style of thought somewhat akin to the ancient
Docetism. 1t does not indeed deny the
reality of Christ's body; but it fails to real
ize, in his assumption of human nature, the
complete furniture Of human instincts, SYM
pathies and affections. Ali that is essential
to humanity, Christ possessed: Sin all things
it behooved him to be made like unto his
brethren" Now there is no instinct of the
soul stronger than the longing for fellowship.
1t must be remembered, too, that Christ
went up into heaven in his perfect human
nature, and wears it still, with all its quail
ties and attributes, upon his throne of maj
esty. Hence the peculiar nearness to Christ,
of the Redeemed in heaven. His human
heart longs for the society of those whom
He is not ashamed to call His brethren.
"Though now ascended up on high;
He bends on earth brothers eye."
His personal wish is Or their presence
that they may be where He is: and wher
there, He gathers them in a nearer circle
around His throne, that they may give the
key note of the "new song" which the angels
cdn only take up in the chorus, and thus
with responsive praises fill the heavenly TEN
pie with the story of Redemption.
3. He longs for HIS redeemed, as the trO
phies Of HIS passion and death. We value
most, what costs us most-whether Of toi
or pain. The author loves the book, whicl
is the child of his brain and the inventor
the machine which embodies his conceptions
Upon this principle of our nature, how dea
to Christ must be those for whom he mad
his soul an offering, and became obedien
unto death.
4. He desires, IN His people, His portion
and revard. How thrilling is the condescen
sion, which says "the Lords portion is hi
people! !' The adorable Redeemer accepts a
his portion those whom he has saved, an,
binds them to him as his crown forever; sine
it ga8 by his work in redeeming these, h
acquired universal headship and became tn
Lord of angels. Christ longs for US, AM
. waits for our coming. Do we not long, too
| to lay our heads upon his dear bosom? AM
shall we not allow our dead to 60 up and b
where he is? And may we not thank Co.
E for the holy privilege of death, that we ma.
q be forever with the Lord?-South- Westerl
Presbyterian