The Newtown bee., 1899-05-26

statement that Is found In our text; "Ht
that sent me is with me-" 1t is q state
ment which occurs in substance in almos
earth. 1t is the one and only fact which
stays his soul and holds him to his work
Let US observe that Jesus did not &c
to the oracles which we consult, but thai
he inquired of his Father in every ex
tremity. His communion was not q
theory but daily practice. His environ
ment did not interfere with this spiritual
relation. He borrowed nothing from the
secular aims of his day as we borrow
from society. His inspirations were not
derived from the schools. Nazareth and
it's carpenters shop did not produce him.
Neither the priests of religion nor the
functionaries OF the state threw motive
in his way. His daily toll, as his service
of home and community, could have re-
fected only the trite lessons that come
TO US all. And yet he mounts the su-
preme pathway of one who walks with
God. What ne was he was by the high
er inspiration. His life ia Ineligible
only as we see him moving by the divine
communion he has instituted.
The vernal brightness is awakening
life in every meadow and upland and
calls forth as by mighty voice every
sleeping bud and tend il the same sun
shine will give the rich color and the vel
vet touch to every leaf and will shortly
create fragrance and beauty in every
flower. So the touch of some heavenly
shining ex plains the awakening of that
life, -the development Of the spirit and
ministration of Jesus, his grace and
charm of words, his beauty of deeds, as
he served his fellow being unto the CROSS
God was with him in his humanity, and
if with him, He must be with all who
live in His love and by His Word.
II. The words before US give reason
for
THE SPIRITUAL UPLIFT AND COMMUNION
OF JESUS.
He said, the Father was with him be-
cause he pleased the Father. For 1 do
always those things that please him."
Shall we look for other reasons than the
one he himself gives to explain his inter-
course with God? We hear bis testimony
on many occasions: II seek the will of
my Father" "Not my will but thine be
done" 81 have kept my Fathers COM
mandments." Not because Jesus came
out from God upon marvellous mission :;
not because miracles attended his birth
and heavenly song was heard upon
Christmas night; not because his coming
and his sacrifice was the burden of glow.
ing prophecy; not because he was the
eaTth's one magnetic leader and peerless
teacher; not because he healed sick men
pleased His Father. 1t fs more to do the
will of God and come into sympathy with
heaven than to touch leper with bless
ing or stand at the tomb of Lazarus. We
are more inclined to urge the demonstra-
tive events, or the startling episodes of
Jesus life, as indicating his holy char
acter. His miracles we're signs attestinQ
his mission and power, but they were
signs only. His words of truth and his
loving welcome to those who would come
unto him, mean more to US than all the
wonders recorded OF him. But it is the
spirit and obedience of his life,-it ia his
daily conduct and abiding communion,
which gnites him with our experiences,
and which becomes an unquestioned real
ity. This we can no more dispute than
we can dispute the morning sunshine.
No infidel philosophy can impeacb it as
fact. Men may hold what views they
have touching those things which are
mysterious or incomprehensible In the
record; his inner spirit, his fidelity to
God, are comprehensive. We feel his
passion of love which first went out
toward the Father. AS He loved God so
he loved US. The mother recognizes the
little life which is gift to her bosom
and her infant attaches itself to her life
as the first fact OF its consciousness.
The communion of Jesus both in it's out
ward and in its inward movement estab-
nifty. Jesus pleased the Great Coed spir-
it that broods over all our lives, and that
Spirit sustained him In every crisis even
the crisis OF the cross. Because he lives
unto God he can live unto the world.
He can die for the world. He saves the
world because he had saved himself from
sin by pleasing the Father.
The splendor of his mission as One
sent from God 10 authenticated Ia the
spiritual power Of His life and this life
communicates itself to us in wonderful
appeal. 1t comes to every man in bis
limitation and Sin. Itpledges something
real and positive which we may know
and feel. In unbelief we see only an i'm
passible gulf between ourselves and in
terc1urse with God. The titles and
names, assigning Jesus to supernatural
flee, do not help US. In aim we would
discover love and communion set in
human terms and real in human dispo-i-
ton. When Jesus introduces himself to
men as the Son OF Man he becomes the
personal factor of their faith and they
call him, from their own experience, the
| Son of God. This was Peters exper'.
ence and the saints of the ages meet him
| in his faith.
We are apt to think OF Jesus as living
under the constraint of bis own divine
character. Was he not under compul
sion because he was the Only Begotten'
Must he not be holyP Yet all that he did
was voluntary. There was plan to hii
life but conditioned upon his personal
obedience. Duty and privilege moved
before him as before US all and ht
acc omplished his work that He might
4 nlnaan his Father