of St. John. How different it is from all the others! John’s love for
Jesus seemed to bring him nearer to his great heart of love than the
rest of the brethren. We are not surprised, therefore, to see that
love speaking out more clearly and fully in his writings than it does
anywhere else. It is only John who gives us that wondrous statement, that
glorious, golden epitome of the gospel which is found in the sixteenth
verse of his third chapter—“God so loved the world that he gave his only
begotten Son; that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have
everlasting life.” And then think of the marvellous discourses of our
Saviour found in the fourteenth, fifteenth, and sixteenth chapters of
this gospel; and of that most sublime and wonderful prayer of Jesus, for
all his people, found in the seventeenth chapter. O, no one can tell what
an unspeakable loss the Church of Christ would have sustained if this
loving apostle had not written his precious gospel!
And then how useful he has been in his epistles, too, as well as in his
gospel! Love is the golden thread that runs through them all. Look at the
opening words of the third chapter of his first epistle. How the very
heart of the loving disciple seems to be speaking out when he exclaims:
“Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we
should be called the sons of God!” It is remarkable that the two shortest
verses in the whole Bible, and yet two among those that most melt, and
stir our hearts, were written by this apostle. One of these is in his
gospel and contains only two words—“_Jesus wept._” The other is in one
of his epistles and contains only three words—“_God is love._” If he had
never written anything else than these two verses, how well it might be
said that he was useful in his writings!
And then think of that marvellous book with which the Bible closes. We
call it “The Revelation of St. John the Divine.” For, although it is
true that there is much in this book that we cannot understand, yet its
opening and closing chapters have been an unspeakable blessing to the
Church in all ages. When St. John closes the Bible with those last two
chapters of the Revelations, it seems as if he had been permitted to
leave the gates of heaven ajar on purpose that we might gaze through them
in wondering awe. Those jewelled walls; those pearly gates; those golden
streets; that river of the water of life, clear as crystal; and all the
sparkling imagery employed by this loving apostle in what he here tells
us about heaven, how can we sufficiently thank God for permitting his
servant John to write such glorious things for us? Truly we may say that
his love made him useful in his life and useful in his writings!
I know not how better to close this brief sketch of the life of St. John
the Evangelist than by quoting here the words of that beautiful Collect
which our Church uses on the day with which his memory is connected:
“Merciful Lord, we beseech thee to cast thy bright beams of light upon
thy church, that it, being instructed by the doctrine of thy blessed
Apostle and Evangelist, St. John, may so walk in the light of thy truth,
that it may at length attain to everlasting life, through Jesus Christ
our Lord. Amen.”
“Praise, for the loved disciple, exile on Patmos’ shore;
Praise for the faithful record he to thy Godhead bore;
Praise for the mystic vision, through him to us revealed;
May we, in patience waiting, with thine elect be sealed.”
THE APOSTLE PAUL.
It would require a large volume to consider fully and properly the
character and work of this apostle. We have only space to take a hasty
glance at the subject. But even this, it is hoped, may prove useful to
those who read it.
St. Paul spoke of himself as “the least of all the apostles.” I. Cor. xv:
9. It was natural and proper enough for him to think lowly of himself.
But he stands alone in this opinion. Nobody agrees with him here. We all
love to think and speak of him as—“the _great_ apostle of the Gentiles.”
When first converted, he began his ministry by preaching to his own
countrymen, the Jews. But finding their prejudices against “Jesus of
Nazareth,” were so strong that they would not listen to him, he changed
his course and turned to the Gentiles. And well he may be called—“the
great apostle.” He was great in every view we can take of him. Let us
notice now, as briefly as we can, some of the elements of greatness about
this apostle.
In the first place, he was _great in the natural talents_ that it
pleased God to give him. He had a stronger, clearer mind than any other
of the apostles. He could take hold of the greatest subjects brought
before him and handle them and master them with wonderful power. He
had great reasoning powers. He could argue and reason about anything
in the grandest way. And then he had great powers as a speaker. He was
marvellously eloquent. See what an illustration we have of this in his
famous speech on the top of Mar’s Hill, in the city of Athens, as we
read it in Acts xvii: 16-32. We have another illustration of this in his
speech before Agrippa, in Acts, twenty-sixth chapter. I would gladly give
anything I have in the world to have enjoyed the privilege of hearing
Paul deliver that speech. When Agrippa interrupted him by saying, “Almost
thou persuadest me to be a Christian;” only think how touching it must
have been to see Paul lift up his chained hands towards heaven and say
with the tenderest feeling—“I would to God, that not only _thou_, but
also all that hear me this day, were both almost, and altogether such as
I am; except these bonds!”
[Illustration: The Church of Jesus Christ
For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in
the midst of them.—Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have
commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, _even_ unto the end of the
world. Amen.—_St. Matt. xviii: 20; xxviii: 20._
_NOTE BY THE ARTIST_
_Yet this is not the close of the Great Story, and the painter’s work
is incomplete unless he endeavors to visualise the Truth, that, as the
Master has promised, his presence and his blessing are with his faithful
worshipers even unto the end of the world. The picture represents no
special people or period, and the Byzantine architecture most fitly
symbolizes One, Universal Church, of which Jesus Christ is the Founder
and the Head._
80]
He was great in _his early opportunities_. He was born at Tarsus, and
had a better education than any of the other apostles. His family were
well off. It is no argument against this to say that he was a tent-maker
by trade. For it was customary among the Jews, even with the richest
families, to teach their sons some useful trade. Paul went through the
best schools that were to be had then. He had studied all about history,
and philosophy, and poetry. And he was learned also in all matters
concerning the religion of the Jews. He tells us himself that he was
“brought up at the feet of Gamaliel”—who was, at that time, the most
famous of all their teachers.
He was _great_ in his _prejudices_. He was a real Jew in this respect.
They all had very strong prejudices against people who differed from them
in their religion. But Paul was stronger in his prejudices than even his
countrymen were. We see this in the first mention that is made of him
in the New Testament. This was at the death of the first martyr, St.
Stephen. The wicked men who stoned him, we are told, “laid down their
clothes at the feet of a young man whose name was Saul.” And then we
see the strength of his prejudice in the fierceness of the persecution
which he carried on against the followers of Jesus. He “breathed out
threatenings and slaughter” against them. He was “exceeding mad against
them.” Not content with imprisoning and putting to death those who lived
in Jerusalem, he “persecuted them even unto strange cities.” Furnished
with letters from the chief priests, he went as far as Damascus, that he
might seize and bring bound to Jerusalem any of the followers of Jesus
found there. How unlikely it seemed that one who was so very strong in
his prejudices should ever, himself, become a follower and an apostle of
Jesus!
But he was _great in his conversion_. It was impossible for him to be
converted as other men were. It is hearing about Jesus which leads to
the conversion of men. But Paul would not listen to the preaching of the
gospel. He would allow no one to speak to him about Jesus of Nazareth.
He believed that he was a wicked impostor, and he hated him most
bitterly. And so it pleased God to work a miracle for his conversion.
He had gone on his journey, till he had nearly reached Damascus, when
a marvellous scene occurred. Suddenly the heavens seemed to open above
him. A light shone around him above the brightness of the sun. A strange
voice was heard speaking to him. It came from heaven. The words it spoke
were—“Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me!” He gave one look at the
opening heavens and then fell overpowered to the earth. “Who art thou,
Lord!” was his astonished inquiry. And the answer, more astonishing
still, was—“I am _Jesus_ whom thou persecutest!” What a revelation
that was to him! How overwhelming was his amazement! No wonder that he
was converted by that vision. It was indeed a great conversion. He was
baptized by Ananias at Damascus, and began at once to preach that gospel
which he had gone there hoping to destroy. Such was the commencement of
Paul’s life as a Christian and his labors as an apostle. Everything about
it was great.
And then he was _great in his privileges_. He saw the risen and ascended
Lord amidst the glories of the heavenly world. What a privilege this
was! It was a privilege which none of the other apostles enjoyed except
St. John. We have an account of his vision of the glorious Saviour in
the first chapter of the Revelation, verses 10-20. And then afterwards,
St. Paul was taken up into the third heavens, or into Paradise, and
saw and heard things of which it is not lawful or possible to speak.
He had broader and fuller and clearer views of the great doctrines of
our holy religion than any of the apostles. And this is one of the
greatest privileges we can have in this world. We see the proof of Paul’s
privileges in this respect in all the blessed teachings he has given us
in his epistles about Christ and his salvation.
He was _great in his labors_. When he found out the great mistake he had
made respecting Christ, and learned to know and love him as the one, only
glorious Saviour of lost sinners, the love for Christ kindled in his soul
by this discovery constrained him to give himself a living sacrifice to
him. And the burning zeal with which he began to work for his Saviour
never grew cold. The apostles were all earnest in their labors for Jesus;
but Paul was the most earnest and the most untiring of them all. In his
case, it was indeed true, that the last became first. No one city or
country was large enough to be the field of his labors. He went from city
to city, and from country to country, till he had gone all over the world
as it was then known. And when he had gone all over the earth once,
preaching the gospel, he was not satisfied. When one missionary journey
was ended, he began another; and then another, and so on to the end of
his days. Then he sealed his life’s labors with his blood, and died a
martyr’s death at Rome by order of the cruel emperor Nero. The tradition
is that he was beheaded outside of the walls of that great city. And
on the spot which is said to be the place of his death, there stands a
beautiful church, called after him, and which is a monument to his memory.
How well it may be said of him that he was great in his labors. And yet
the Saviour, whom he served so faithfully, had done nothing for him which
he has not done for you and me. He bore the same cross, and shed the
same precious blood for us, that he did for Paul. Then, in our labors
for Jesus, let us try to follow Paul, as he followed Christ. If we try
to catch Paul’s spirit, whoever we are, or wherever we may be, we shall
find it easy and pleasant to work for our blessed Master. Here is an
illustration of what I mean. We may call it:
“Paul’s Spirit in a Child.” A little girl had great dislike for sewing.
She had commenced making a bed-quilt, but was not likely to finish it
soon. One day she came home from Sabbath-school. They had been having
a missionary-meeting there, and she was full of zeal in the missionary
cause. “Mamma,” she asked, “can’t I do some work to earn money for our
missionary box?”
“Well, Lizzie, darling,” said her mother, “if you will finish one block
for the quilt, every other day, I will gladly pay you for it, and you can
give this as your own offering to the missionary cause.”
Poor Lizzie’s face grew sad on hearing this; for she disliked this kind
of work very much. It seemed as if her missionary spirit was likely to
die out at once. But, after thinking over it a little while, her face
brightened up and she said, “Well, mamma, I’ll piece blocks, or do
anything else you wish me to do, for Jesus’ sake. Amen.” That quilt was
soon finished, and there is now an earnest, active little worker for
missions in that home. This was Paul’s spirit in a child. And if we get
that spirit, it will make us all, like Paul, great in our labors for
Christ.
But Paul was _great in his sufferings_, too, as well as in his labors.
Before he became a Christian he had the prospect of rising to a position
of great honor and great profit in connection with the Jewish church.
But he gave this all up at the time of his conversion. He tells us that,
“what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea,
doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the
knowledge of Christ Jesus, my Lord.” Phil. iii: 7, 8. There is something
very touching in the record which this great apostle has left us of his
sufferings for Christ. He speaks of himself as having been—“In labors
more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in
deaths oft. Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one.
Thrice I was beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered
shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep. In journeyings
often, in perils of water, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own
countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils
in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren.
In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst,
in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.” II. Cor. xi: 23-28. What a
marvellous record of sufferings we have here! There is perhaps nothing
like it to be found in the whole history of the Church of Christ. And
yet the apostle never had a word of complaint to make. The spirit in
which he bore his sufferings for Christ is beautifully illustrated in
the glimpse we have of him in the prison at Philippi. His back had been
torn with cruel scourges. His feet were made fast in the stocks. We might
have expected that he would spend that night in sighing and crying.
But, instead of this, we read that—“At midnight, Paul and Silas,”—his
companion in labor and suffering—“prayed, and sang praises to God.” Acts
xvi: 25. Surely this should make us ashamed of complaining on account
of any trifling suffering we may have to bear in the cause of our great
Master. And Paul had no relief from these sufferings. He went on bearing
them cheerfully to the very close of his life. How was he able to do
this? There is only one answer to give to this question. It was his love
for Jesus that made him so willing to labor and to suffer for him. And if
we love Jesus, we should be willing to suffer for him, too.
Here is a striking illustration of the way in which real love will make
one willing to suffer even for a friend or fellow-creature. We may call
it:
“Love Triumphing Over Suffering.” Some years ago a fine church was
built in one of the towns in Belgium. It was all finished at last,
except the fastening of the weather-vane on the top of the steeple. The
scaffolding was not high enough to reach it. There was no way in which
the work could be done, but for one workman to stand on the highest part
of the scaffolding and let the other workman stand on his shoulders,
while he put the vane on the steeple, and soldered it in its place. A
brave-hearted, broad-shouldered workman agreed to stand there for this
purpose. He took his position, holding on to a piece of scaffolding. His
companion climbed up and stood on his shoulders. The vane and vessel
of melted lead were handed up to him. It was a perilous thing to do. A
crowd of spectators below watched the operation almost breathless with
anxiety. The moments seem like hours, as the work goes on. At last it is
done. The men come down amidst the shouts of the multitude. But, when the
brave man who had borne his friend on his shoulders reached the bottom of
the ladder, he fell exhausted to the earth, and had to be carried home.
Then it was found that the poor fellow’s back was in a dreadful state.
While the man was doing his work on the vane, some of the melted lead had
dropped down on the friend who was supporting him. But he stood bravely
still. He would not move an inch, for that would have caused the death of
his companion. Here was love triumphing over suffering. And if that brave
man was willing to bear all this for his earthly friend, what should we
not be willing to bear for Christ, “the friend who sticketh closer than a
brother?”
In the next place the apostle Paul was _great in his influence_. Suppose
we could have a history written of all the persons who were converted by
the preaching of this apostle during his life; and then of all who were
converted by them, and so on, from one generation to another, down to
our own times, what a wonderfully interesting history that would be! Or
suppose we could trace out, in the same way, all the good that has been
done by the writings of this apostle; the persons who have been brought
to Jesus by reading the truths found in those writings, or who have
been instructed, or guided, or comforted, encouraged, and helped by the
same—how surprising it would be! Then we should see, indeed, how great
this influence has been!
There are twenty-one epistles in the New Testament. Of these the apostle
Paul wrote fourteen. They form a large part of the New Testament. Now,
suppose we could take these epistles of St. Paul, chapter by chapter, and
follow every verse in each chapter as it has gone round the world from
age to age, and find out every case where good has been done to any soul,
what a history we should have! No one could write such a history now.
But I suppose we shall have such a history set before us when we get to
heaven. Then, we shall understand better than we can do now how great the
apostle Paul was, in the influence for good which he exerted. But, though
none of us can be compared at all with this great man, yet, if we are
trying, like him, to love and serve the blessed Saviour, we may all, even
to the youngest, be exerting influence for good that will last forever.
Here is an illustration of what I mean. We may call it:
“A Child’s Influence for Good.” Bessie was a sweet little girl who was
trying to love the Saviour. The nursery in which she slept was on the
first floor of the house adjoining the street. It was summer time when
the incident here referred to took place. Her mother was sitting near
the open window one evening, when Bessie knelt down by her side to say
her evening prayer. She first repeated, after her mother, the words that
she taught her to use in prayer. After this she was in the habit of
offering up little prayers of her own for anything she wished to ask from
her Father in heaven. She did so on this occasion; and these were the
last words she had to offer: “God help everybody to love Jesus. Amen.”
While Bessie was saying her prayers that evening her mother heard the
steps of some one passing. He lingered a moment under the window and
listened to the words of the dear child. It happened that this was a
neighbor of theirs, an infidel, whose name was Jones. The closing words
of Bessie’s prayer made a deep impression on his mind. After this he
manifested the greatest interest in her, though he always said that what
she prayed for never could take place; for he was certain that _he_, for
one, never could be a Christian.
Not long after this Mr. Jones was taken sick. He had a long and severe
spell of illness. As he was living in a boarding house, and had no family
of his own, Bessie’s mother used to send the dear child in every day to
inquire how he was and to take him little things that he might need.
He would allow no one to speak to him on the subject of religion; but
Bessie’s father and mother hoped that her gentle ways and simple loving
words might do him good.
A week or two had passed away, and one night, as Bessie’s mother was
putting her to bed—she said: “Mamma, Mr. Jones loves Jesus now.”
A few days after this they heard that their sick neighbor was near his
end. Taking her little one by the hand the kind mother went in to see
him. They found that he was dying. As Bessie sat on her mother’s lap, by
the side of his bed, the sick man died; but just before his spirit passed
away, these were the last words heard from his lips: “God, help everybody
to love Jesus—_everybody_.”
And so dear Bessie’s words were the means which God employed to save
a soul from death. And if a little child can exert such an influence
as this, then we see how, by loving and serving Jesus, we may all make
ourselves useful. We may so live that every act and word may be a good
seed sown that will yield fruit unto everlasting life.
“Not ourselves, but the truths that in life we have spoken,
Not ourselves, but the seed that in life we have sown,
May pass on for ages—all about us forgotten,
Save the truth we have spoken, the things we have done.
“So let our living be—so be our dying;
So let our names lie, unblazoned, unknown;
Unpraised, and unmissed, we shall yet be remembered;
But only remembered by what we have done.”
The apostle Paul was great in his influence.
And then, as the only other point to speak of, he was _great in his
reward_.
This is true of all God’s people who serve him faithfully. David, when
speaking of God’s words, or commandments, tells us that “in keeping of
them there is _great reward_.” Ps. xix: 11. When St. Paul had reached the
close of his life, he paused to look back upon the past, and then forward
to the future; and as he did so, these are the words that he used: “I am
now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have
fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith;
henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the
Lord, the righteous judge, will give me at that day; and not to me only,
but unto all them also that love his appearing.” II. Tim. iv: 6-9. We
learn from this passage that there is a crown in heaven prepared for
every follower of Jesus. These crowns are procured or purchased by what
Jesus did and suffered for us. But they will be very different in the
number and character of the jewels that are to sparkle in them. And how
many jewels, and what kind of jewels your crown, or my crown, will have
must depend upon how much we do for Jesus. I suppose the apostle Paul
will have the most beautiful crown that any of the servants of Jesus
will wear. He was greater in his labors, in his sufferings, and in his
influence for good than others—and his reward will be greater. He will
have more jewels in his crown than will be found in any other; and they
will sparkle with more brightness and beauty. But none will envy him. We
shall all feel that he is worthy of it, and we shall rejoice to see him
wear it.
But let us remember that every work we do for Jesus, and every sacrifice
we make for him, will put another jewel in our crown. Then let us try
to serve him faithfully with all our hearts, and we may be sure that we
shall receive a great reward. I close with just one little incident, to
show how we may add jewels to our crowns. We may call it:
“A Star in the Crown.” A young lady was standing before a large mirror,
preparing to go to a ball. She had just placed a light crown on her head,
ornamented with silver stars. While she stood there, looking at herself
in the glass, her little sister, about five years old, climbed upon a
chair, and putting out her tiny fingers, tried to touch the beautiful
crown. “What are you doing, Nellie, darling? You mustn’t touch my crown,”
said her sister.