Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1908-04-29


since, with no prospect of day" A
few preliminary words, including the
new commandment xiii. 34), spe
cial word to Peter, and then He enters
upon this great discourse. from which
we have but two lessons. The new
commandment just referred to Is
found again In XIV. II, THAT We love
one another as have loved you" and
there it Is prefaced in verse 8 by, GAS
the Father hath loved Me, so have
loved you; continue We In My love. "
The love Of God is the most wonderful
topic in all Scripture, but unless we
are in some measure loving others as
He loves US we have not grasped 1t,
nor has it grasped US.
Within a few hours Of Gethsemane
and Calvary, which meant the greatest
agony ever endured by mortal on
this earth, making atonement for the
sins of the whole world, He was able
to seemingly lose sight of His own
prospective sufferings in order to com.
fort this little band Of disciples.
If any one but He had said, LET not
your heart be troubled" (verses /, %. or
as in Matt. xiv. 6, "See that We be
not troubled" how idle the words
would seem! But He could truly say.
II and My Father are one" II am in
the Father and the Father in Me"
(verses 10, IL; chap. K, 30), and there
fore He adds, Eye believe in God, be-
lieve also in Me-" At another time He
said, Have faith In God" Mark xi,
22), or as some render 1t. Have con-
fidence In God" Even though the days
be as dark as they were to Martha
and Mary, remember His word, "Said
not unto thee that If thou wouldst
believe thou shouldst see the glory Of
God" He who knows all that is be-
fore us gives us this word for our
comfort, and 1t is a word from the
heart of the Father of mercies and
the God Of all comfort Oh Cor. /. 81.
He spoke Of going home to His Fa-
theirs house. He spoke with the con-
fdence of one who knew. not as one
who was thinking out possibility.
He could say. I'VE speak that we do
know and testify that which we have
seen" Chapter iii. III. In chapter II,
16, He spoke Of the temple. with its
courts and rooms and chambers. as
"My Fathers house" That very
evening Peter and John had been sent
to prepare place where this Passover
might be kept. but now He says, 81
am going. like q servant sent before,
to prepare for your coming. and | will
come again and receive you" This
coming again must be understood in
the light of Thess. ". 1918; Acts
|, II, as literal, personal and real
q coming as was His ascension from
Olivet. coming in two stages. FIRST to
receive us to Himself and then to
bring us with Him to His glory to
reign with Him. The word mansion"
Is only used in one other place in the
whole New Testament. and that is in
verse % of this chapter. where He
the Father and Himself will
make us. believers, Their abode or
home or mansion. His statement
that they knew where He was going
md also the way drew forth q remark
md question from Thomas. to which |
Jesus replied. II am the way, and the |
ruth. and the life" We can point out
The way to this place or that. but for |
any one to say II am the way thither"
would mark him as one beside himself |
In chapter He said. II am the
ioor," and in chapter XIV He says. II
lm the vine." while In chapter vi He
said. Il am the true bread" We can.
not but recall His great name ny
which Moses was commanded to make
Him know" to Israel-"Say am hath
'ent me un,o you" CEx. lii. AZ.
Philip then has question. or. rather,
request, to which Jesus answers.
He that hath seen Me hath seen the
Father Verse o.. but adds. Have |
'een so long time with you and yet
last thou not known Me. Philip" He
Ices so long to have us know Him
md trust Him that others may learn
o know Him through us. but we are
10 unbelieving and so distant, while
III the time He is saying, Come near
o Me-" He wants us to be one with
Him. as He was one with the Father.
hat He may live His life in US and
work His works through US, that the
world may believe and know His great
owe and many be drawn to Him out
Il the world oversees 9-12; chapter xvii,
i, 23). Neither His words nor His
works were His own. but the Father
lways told Him what to say and
wrought all the works, and He will
10 the same for us If only we are fully
ne with Him oversees 1912; chapter
ii, 40; Matt. K, 20, Phil. II, 49,. Then
ee in verses 13. A. our authority to
raw on Him for all that is needed in
lis service. Compare XIV. z; xvi. %.
A. lisa. xiv, II, !. c. TO ask in His
anne must mean to ask only that
which is truly for the interest Of His
ingdOm. Then we can truly appro-
riate His "If We shall ask, s"s ] will
O."