20. EXAMPLE
by Henry Law
"Leaving us an Example, that you should follow His steps."—1 Peter 2:21What searching mind can probe the depth of the familiar verse, "to you, therefore, who believe, He is precious!" (1 Pet. 2:7) Precious indeed He is at every moment of time, in every circumstance of life. He is precious, when we traverse in thought redemption's glories, and gaze intently on the cross, and wash in the atoning blood, and realize that all pardon is thus obtained. He is precious, when we put on the garments of His righteousness, the fitting robe for heaven's courts; and when we meditate on the interceding voice, obtaining every blessing; and when we wait for the descending chariot, conveying Him to institute a glorious reign; and when we look onward to the final day, when the kingdom shall be surrendered to the Father, and God shall be all in all. He is precious in the hours passed in meditation on the work planned before time was, and continuing in its effects when time shall be no more. But His preciousness cannot be fully felt until grace ends in glory, and faith concludes in sight.
There is further blessedness to those who revel in the study of Christ. Attention is now invited to it. His work is not limited to redemption. In Him we have more than substitutionary atonement. His walk on earth supplies a model to be copied. His whole career marked a clear track for the believer's course. It is inestimable gain that we possess this wondrous pattern. It is indeed a helpful blessing.
We learn much when the various parts of some machine are viewed and explained. But intelligence expands when we see these parts in motion, and cooperating to produce the purposed end. Thus the precepts and directions of the Bible-page are most impressive lessons. They warn what paths to shun; they teach what mode of conduct to adopt. But immeasurable is the advance, when we behold the God-man in human form, exemplifying each lesson, and walking in the heavenward track.
Jesus presents Himself this blessed Example. Moses was instructed to "make all things according to the pattern shown to him in the Mount." (Heb. 8:5) So we are exhorted to live and move after the copy thus exhibited by Christ.
The Bible-page sparkles indeed with bright displays of brilliant excellence. In turn we see the shining of distinguished merit. Noble qualities illustriously appear. Abraham stands out in all the heroism of full-blown faith. He "was strong in faith, giving glory to God." "Against hope he believed in hope." (Rom. 4:20, 18) His faith scaled heaven's heights, clasping a promising God, and refusing to relax the grasp.
Behold Moses. He was preeminent in one lovely grace. Amid high honors from heaven, with much to kindle self-importance and to foster pride, vexed too with provocations keen with every sting of ingratitude, he moved with lowly spirit, the meekest of meek men. His garment was humility. His walk sought the seclusion of the valley.
We see the suffering Job. What afflictions could exceed his bitter agony! Bereft of the children of his love, stripped of his vast possessions, heart-broken and impoverished, he writhes in all the miseries of disease and pain. What weary nights! What days of anguish! But still in patience he possessed his soul; uncomplaining he endured; submissive he bowed beneath the crushing blows.
Behold David! Such grace was granted to him that he won the glorious title of "the man after God's own heart."
Let admiring gaze be fixed on the beloved John. Love seems to be the very element in which he breathed. It is the very channel in which flowed the utterance familiar to his lips. Other distinguished heroes of exalted life pass as examples over the Scripture-stage. But generally in these one grace outshines all others. All excellences sit not in harmonious union on one brow. All beauteous features concur not in one form. Sometimes too the transcendent grace sustains eclipse. The faithful Abraham yields to assaults of unbelief. The meek Moses in angry temper uses hasty words. The patient Job gives way to fretful murmurs. The loving David is tempted to desire fire from heaven to devour the adversaries. Thus in the most noble men we learn that the highest properties may falter, and cause shame to themselves, and call forth sneers in their malevolent observers.
If then fervent thanks are due for models which in their purity retain much dross and shine with flickering light, and exhibit only partial display, how much more thankful should we be for JESUS! His walk exceeds all other steps, as the sun outshines all lesser lights, and Deity transcends humanity. We look to Him and see heaven tabernacling upon earth. He beckons onward in a perfect path, which knows no twisting bend.
Sweet details attract enchanted notice. But first let a grand principle be established. In all His life on earth one mighty motive reigned supreme. His one absorbing rule was to subserve His Father's glory. "His food and drink was to do the will of Him who sent Him, and to finish His work." (John 4:34) He was ever intent to uphold the majesty of God's kingdom and the supremacy of His law. He lived to illustrate His righteousness, to magnify His grace, to maintain His truth, to assert His justice. He died to glorify His every attribute, and to fill heaven with adoring hallelujahs, sounding Jehovah's praise throughout eternity. This was His all-constraining impulse. Thus when His steps neared their final goal, He testifies, "I have glorified You on the earth." (John 17:4) His concluding utterance is the loud echo of His first recorded words, "Did you not know that I must be about my Father's business?" (Luke 2:49) How Godlike is this aim! To what elevation would it raise man's walk! Truly earth would assimilate to heaven, if every thought and word and work and step moved onward in the broad road of devotedness to God's glory.
Let advance be made to show how this grand principle was exemplified in distinct acts. His infancy and early manhood are veiled in much obscurity. He was content to dwell unnoticed in the retirement of a lowly village. He thus wrought the miracle of concealing His essential greatness, and abstaining from seeking admiration and applause. In His lowly home He inculcated lessons which large volumes would have been small to teach. No wayward temper soiled His early days. No petulant resistance of control, no outbreaks of rebellious passion, no fretting violence of self-will, showed hateful features. Meek submission, self-denying reverence, obedient love, was His early life. Thus He lived, "the holy child Jesus," the luster of a pious home, the model of all youth.
But when in nature's course He increased in stature, and put on the strength and energies of manhood, He wasted not vigor in indolence and sloth. The first Adam was bid to maintain a garden, and Jesus ennobled work by diligent employment. This truth breaks forth from the inspired Word, which designates Him as "the Carpenter." (Mark 6:3) It is thereby declared that His hands labored. But why is this record preserved? It implies not that need required thus to be supplied. His will could instantly command resource. The narrative commends all honest toil as dignity and duty.
To follow Christ is to adhere with all observance to appointed rites. We read that when twelve years were attained, with ready step He hastened to the Paschal Feast. And when the time came that public ministry should be discharged, He sought the Baptist's instituted ordinance. It must have been humiliation's depth to join the crowd of open sinners, and to profess repentance by ablution's rite. But He obeyed. The Baptist by heavenly instinct checked Him. He knew His supreme dignity, and meekly inquires, "Do You come to me?" Jesus replies—and it is His second recorded word—"Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness." (Matt. 3:15) This example is a strong warning. Away with the proud conceit, that we can live in disregard of enjoined service. What He, who is all wisdom, has appointed, it is our highest wisdom to observe.
Our Example gives weapons to resist temptation's darts. These darts fly on perpetual wing. While man lives on earth, he lives thus exposed to Satan's murderous assaults. In Eden's garden he approached pure innocence. He succeeded, and innocence no more was man's. In the dark horrors of the lonely desert, where wild beasts roamed, and all was cheerless loneliness, he daringly approached the Son of God. He plied the arts which never yet had failed. But they recoiled, as waves from the firm rock. The victory is our salvation and our lesson too. What weapons did the Savior use? He might have summoned resources which humanity could never touch. He might have used profundities too deep, and heights too high for our reach. But he plied only the armament of the Bible. He selected weapons open to us, even as they were to Him. He waved "the Spirit's sword, which is the Word of God." (Eph. 6:17) "It is written" is impregnable. It shields from every wound, and drives back every foe. Let us then store our minds with these all-victorious implements. Let the Word be hidden in our hearts, and it will be a fortress which the tempter cannot capture. (Psa. 119:11)
The example too in lovely colors shows that our path should always be compassion, tenderness, and love. These features are conspicuous in all His works. Doubtless, His miracles were designed to reveal Him as "a Teacher come from God." (John 3:2) But for this purpose He might have selected stupendous marvels, filling the mind with astonishment and awe. He might have shown omnipotence over nature in her every part. Judgment might thus have been convinced, and the crown of Deity have been thus assumed. But He chose rather to prove His commission by healing disease, wiping the weeping eye, calming the troubled breast, pouring balm into the throbbing wound. Thus proving that He was God, He proved too that God was love. Hence we learn that gentle pity should be our constant path.
Mark too His humility. The only mention of His heart declares, that He was "meek and lowly in heart." (Matt. 11:29) His mantle was humility. He gave notorious instance when He washed His disciples' feet, and told them that He thus stooped so that they might follow Him. Thus we are taught in lowliness of mind to esteem others better than ourselves.
Observe His patience. What provocations were like those which battered Him! But "when He was reviled, He reviled not again; when He suffered, He threatened not." (1 Pet. 2:23) "He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so He opened not His mouth." (Isa. 53:7) Sublimity of grandeur marks His patient sufferings.
Ponder His forgiving spirit. The tide of injuries swept ceaselessly over Him. But never did He "repay insult with insult, but with blessing." (1 Pet. 3:9) The first word on the Cross shows His pervading feeling: "Father, forgive them!" May this lesson sound not in vain. An unforgiving spirit is a graceless spirit, and therefore cannot enter heaven.
The question presses urgently: By what efforts can this likeness be secured? The Bible leaves no doubt. "We all with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord." (2 Cor. 3:18) As we gaze on Jesus His lineaments are formed in us. As we study the heavenly model, we are exalted to corresponding beauty. Let then each day attest our study of Christ our Example. The view will renovate the heart, and mold it into lovely conformity.
But let not the vain thought occur that the mere contemplation will achieve resemblance. Our rough materials need a mighty hand to mold, to frame, to shape. The Spirit is the converting Agent. To Him then let us raise our eyes—to Him direct our cry. On rapid wings He will descend, and working in our yielding hearts, will make them holy as our Lord is holy, pure as He is pure, perfect as He is perfect. Christ the bright Example will have bright imitators.