Christianity is distinguished and dominated by the ideal of the life
and character of Jesus of Nazareth; it is a philosophy and a system of
individual and social ethics under the inspiration of a glowing ideal.
No matter how greatly its people may differ on other points, all are
agreed in recognizing in Jesus the fairest of the sons of men.
There never was a time when the thought of this life was more potent
than it is to-day. Men think of Him as a fellow being, one who went
about doing good, who looked out on life with the windows of His soul
unsullied and who lived out ever the holiest and highest that came to
Him.
The thought of such a one has become so real to men that they do not
stop to argue about His existence, as once they did. If it was
possible indisputably to disprove the historic Christ men still would
cherish, as highly as ever, the ideal, the vision of such a life, and
in their hearts would know that such a picture could only have been
born of such a person.
This goodly, glorious man no longer is one who now sits on the throne
of heaven. Men are not particularly concerned as to whether He is
artistically glorified and perpetuated by some divine decree. He has
crowned Himself in the glory of a pure and beneficent character; He has
perpetuated Himself in human loves and admiration.
Because He once showed Himself as the friend of all, the pure, high
souled friend of the down-trodden and the outcast, the strong,
invigorating friend of the rich and successful, He to-day walks by many
a man as His unseen friend, and in busy mart or office men feel the
presence of a heavenly guest.
Once men made that life the centre of dispute; they sought to prove His
divinity by His unlikeness to ordinary humanity. But the facts
defeated them. This man whom men so learned to love that they became
willing to die for Him was in all respects a man. His life is worth so
much to us because He was so much like us.
It has come as a new revelation to the world that the supreme religious
soul of the ages should be so tenderly, naturally human. We cry
"Father!" with a new sense of relationship and fellowship when we see
the likeness of the father in the face of such a son.
We are coming to believe that just what the great friend of mankind was
so is the great father of us all to us all, that just as the Son of the
most high moved amongst men seeking to help, cheering, comforting,
loving, so is the eternal spirit moving in our world, going about doing
good.
Once every effort of the theologian was bent to setting this majestic
figure apart from mankind to secure Him sovereignty over us by
separation from us. How different is that from the simple pictures
drawn of Him, from the naturalness of His life, from the love which He
had for homes and human friendships, from the life which earned the
illuminating rebuke of being called a friend of sinners.
It is a good thing for us all often to remember that there has been
such a life, that one born in poverty and unknown, far removed from
centres of culture and wealth, living the hard life of a peasant,
knowing all our temptations and weaknesses, yet should open His life so
fully and completely to spiritual influences as to become to all the
ages the greatest of all spiritual leaders.
What one has done another may do. What He has been we may be. He but
shows the possibility of any life. He had no advantage over us; we
know no disadvantages against which He did not have to strive. The
divine heights have been scaled by human feet; His footprints beckon us
on.