Keeping the Eye on Jesus.
By Dr. Cuyler
ONE of the peculiar glories of Christianity is that it presents to us—what no other religion furnishes—a perfect model for our daily conduct. No other religion can produce a Lord Jesus Christ. And Christ is Christianity. It is not the gospel system that saves us. It is the gospel's Redeemer. That preaching is the most effective which most clearly and persuasively presents Jesus as the divine Saviour, Substitute, and Surety; that life is the most symmetrical and holy which is the most closely copied after him as the divine model.149There is not a more beautiful episode in the life of our Lord than that one which occurred at the beginning of his last supper with his disciples. Jesus, "knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, that he was come from God and was going to God," rose from the table and laid off his upper garment. Girding himself with a towel, he takes a copper basin, and does what none but a slave was accustomed to do—he washes his disciples' feet! Having performed this wonderful act of humility and unselfishness, he says to them: "I have given you an example that ye should do as I have done to you." Again, the enthusiastic Peter, in his first epistle, tells us that "Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example that ye should follow his steps." The Greek word signifies a writing-copy, such as is set for children in a school and to be closely imitated in every stroke of the pen. Paul has the same idea in his mind when he bids us to "look at Jesus, the author and the perfecter of our faith." And, if I were asked to give a simple golden counsel to a young convert, which could be easily remembered and which would be available for every emergency in life, it would be this: Keep your eye on Jesus. The godly Charles Simeon, of Cambridge, kept a portrait of the heroic missionary, Henry Martyn, hanging on the wall of his room. Looking up toward it he would often say: "There! See that blessed man! What an expression of countenance! No one looks at me as he does. He seems always to be saying to me: 'Be serious; be in earnest; don't trifle.'" Then, bowing towards the benign, thoughtful face of Martyn, Simeon would add: "No, I won't, I won't trifle." If there were an inspiration to earnestness always to be caught from looking at a noble and Christ-like man, how much more from looking at Christ himself. The divine Spirit has presented in the New Testament a matchless picture, and has hung it up, as it were, before our eyes. It is the infinitely beautiful countenance of my Lord and Master. It is "marred more than any other of the sons of men" by the traces of the struggle in Gethsemane and the agony on the cross. The most serene patience sits on that countenance, as when he "answered not a word" to Pilate, and as when he prayed "Father, forgive them. They know not what they do." Every lineament of that face is love. Holiness spreads an ineffable grandeur over it, which no Raffaelle or Da Vinci can reproduce. Even at this moment a large painting of the majestic face of my Saviour hangs before me on my study-wall. But that is a mere pigment. Ten thousand fold more real, more inspiring, more soul-rousing is the image to my eye of him who ever says: "Look at me; learn of ME." Yes, and how earnestly he says to all of us: Live for me! That face meets all of us who profess to be his followers, in all the multiplied places, scenes, and emergencies of our brief lives. Sometimes we recoil from a disagreeable duty or a painful load. How promptly those lips of our Lord seem to be speaking to us: "Whosoever will not take up his cross and come after me is not worthy of me." At another time we are cast down with disappointment; perhaps a chill of despair is settling over our hearts. Just then the dear divine face draws very close to us, and we hear the warm words: "Let not your heart be troubled; neither let it be afraid. Lo! I am with you always. My grace is sufficient for thee." When we are tempted to a resentful word or a dishonest deed, the countenance rebukes us with the admonition: "Wound me not in the house of my friends." As Peter's tears were started by a single look of his grieved Master, so ours may well be stirred by every act of disloyalty to him. And when we have come back, ashamed and disgraced, from a cowardly desertion of the right in an hour of sharp trial, oh! how that face upbraids us, as Jesus seems to say: "Could ye not watch with me one hour?" Evermore is that divine Monitor and Model before our eyes teaching, rebuking, inspiring, encouraging, comforting, and guiding us. Let me fasten my gaze on him! Let me open my ears to him! Let me be ever clinging to his garments and treading in his footsteps, that wherever he is I may be also! Certain choice spirits of the human race have shone in some peculiar virtue, as Joseph in chastity, Daniel in integrity, Luther in courage, Wilberforce and Elizabeth Fry in philanthropy. But these were only imperfect copies of the divine ideal of life set before them. Let us keep our eyes steadfastly upon One who embraced in himself all virtues and excellences in full perfection, and who in every possible point is an example for us. Our daily and hourly conflict is with sin. But Jesus did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth. Temptations came to him as really as they come to us, for he was a man tempted just as we are. His conflicts on the mountain, in the temple, and in the garden were no sham encounters or mere symbolic exhibitions. Jesus conquered temptations by never presumptuously running into danger; by resisting first suggestions to evil and by using that sword of the Spirit which is the word of God. On the mountain he met Satan with the weapon of Holy Writ. Christ is our model too in consecration to the Father's will. His meat was to perform that will. His untiring motto was: "My Father worketh hitherto, and I work." Between the activities of the Father in Heaven and of the incarnate Son there was no discord and no jar. When I can lay down my daily plans of life upon God's revealed Word and find them fit, then what satisfaction does the humblest act bring to me! Ever, too, let us observe how utterly unselfish Jesus was; what journeyings, to reach single cases of suffering; what braving of popular scorn, to befriend the publican and the outcast; what endless expenditure of sympathy; what tireless going about doing good! When that gentle spirit of his was aroused by the sight of hypocrisy and falsehood, how he could scathe and scorch the Pharisee with his righteous indignation! Those overflowings of indignation were the surcharge of his holiness. When I behold my Master anathematizing the "whited sepulchers" of sin, and yet pronouncing pardon on a penitent harlot, I learn just how I should keep in proper poise my hatred for iniquity, and yet my pitying love for those who "are overtaken in a fault." And so let every day of my life be spent before my great Teacher's face and my eyes never wander from that wonderful form! As soon let the drowning man forget the plank which sustains him in the sea as for me to forget the Saviour who upholds me with his omnipotent arm. As soon let the home-bound mariner lose sight of the light-house which guides him to his haven as for you and me to lose sight of Him who is the way, the truth, and the life. Reynolds used to say: "I only look at the best pictures. A bad one spoils my eye." In like manner shall we find that the study of our King in his beauty shall purify our vision; and the more we look at Jesus the more shall we look like Jesus.—Dr. Cuyler.