which lay before Him, His eye kindled, and His heart swelled (so that 'His disciples feared to speak to 'Him'), and He saw the figure of the new harvest of the world-of many sects and of many nations that was to be gathered in with the fall of the old religion of times and places, and the new spiritual worship, which was to fulfill and embrace the old. God 'is a Spirit.' Everywhere, at Jerusalem or Gerizim, in Palestine, in England, in church or in chapel, in house or in tent, He accepts the service of His faithful worshippers. And what is that worship? He expresses it in two words, 'Spirit' and 'Truth.' 'Spirit'- We must offer our service, be it short or long, small or great, with a feeling of what we are about with a sense of the meaning, of the seriousness, of the awfulness of what we are saying. We must pray with energy, with understanding, with spirit. If we have this feeling, then our words, our postures, our acts will become reverential. If not, we shall be still far away from God, however near to Him we may be by His ordinances, by His Church, by outward appearance. Truth'- This is the new grace which Christ has consecrated. 'Love 'of truth, sincerity '-that our words in prayer shall express what we really want to have granted that our lives shall follow in some degree upon our prayers that when we call ourselves servants of God and of Christ, we shall be thinking of doing what is pleasing in His sight, instead of pleasing only our own fancies, or inclinations, or appetites, or ease: this is the true worship which He needs. We are met together to-day at the beginning of Passion week. We shall be travelling almost every day of it. It is for us to make this week, though travelling, not an unfit celebration of that holy season. The common duties of life, innocent and playful mirth, the act of moving to and fro amongst these beautiful and sacred scenes, these things, I humbly trust, are not inconsistent with the remembrance of Christ's most blessed life and death, if, at the same time (and oh, may God grant that it be so!), our hearts rise to Him in thankfulness, in devotion, ' in spirit and in truth,' at all such moments as we have to ourselves, in solitary ride or walk, in quiet morning or evening — to Him, for whom prophet, and warrior, and ruler, and priest of old times all prepared the way, to whom every innocent pleasure, every noble recollection, every lofty wish or thought, is the best offering we can make. เ Christ, our Passover, is sacrificed for us,' not with the sacrifice and blood of struggling sheep', and the wild recitations of an ancient ritual, but with that only Sacrifice which is really pleasing to God the Sacrifice of a perfect Life and perfect Death. There'fore let us keep the feast,' not with the unleavened cakes or bitter herbs of the Old Dispensation, but 'with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth,' transparent, open, conscientious sincerity, and serious, honest, courageous truthfulness, as in the sight of God, who sees our inmost thoughts. 1 The Samaritan Passover had been thus celebrated on the previous day. 43 SERMON VI. JESUS OF NAZARETH. PREACHED ON GOOD FRIDAY, APRIL 18, IN THE ENCAMPMENT BY THE SPRING OF NAZARETH. JOHN xix. 19. Pilate wrote a title, and put it on the cross. And the writing was, 'Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.' W HAT are the lessons of Good Friday? especially of Good Friday in Palestine and in this place? In the words of the text, in the title written on the Cross, the name of Jesus Christ is at that supreme moment of His Last Passion brought together with the recollection of His early years at Nazareth. What are the lessons which they both teach in common? I. Everywhere the event of Good Friday speaks to us of the universal love of God to His creatures. That is why it is so truly called Good Friday. It has its good news as much as Christmas Day or Easter day. It tells us not only that God is Love, but that He bears love to every one on this earth, however far they may seem to be removed from Him. It was for this that He sent His Son into the world |