Farewell Words

While he was still among them, Christ sought to give to his disciples all the encouragement possible; for they were to be sorely tried. «Let not your heart be troubled,» he said, «ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. . . . Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father. And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the son. If ye shall ask anything in my name, I will do it. If ye love me, keep my commandments. And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever; even the Spirit of truth; whom the world can not receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him; but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.»

Christ himself was the truth. The world would not listen to his pleadings. They would not accept him as their guide; therefore they could not discern unseen things; spiritual things were unknown to them. But his disciples had discerned in him the Way, the Truth, and the Life, and his promise to them was that they should have his abiding presence. They should have an experimental knowledge of the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom he hath sent. He who had begun a good work in them would perform it unto the day of Jesus Christ.

The thought that their Teacher was going to leave them filled the disciples with sorrow; but Christ comforted them with the assurance that he was coming again to take them to the place he would prepare for them. He assured them that if he went not away, he could not provide them with an advocate; that if they only knew of the blessings that were to come because of his departure, they would not mourn; they would rejoice in the presence of the Holy Spirit, who was to be with them always. He told them that if he went not away, they could not do a greater work; but that, deprived of his personal presence, by faith they would see and know him, and by continuance in his love, by showing their appreciation of the truth in revealing to others what the truth is, by obeying his commandments and bearing a living, vital testimony, by doing his work that he would leave in their hands, carrying it forward to completion, they would become representatives of himself.

«I will not leave you comfortless,» Christ continued; «I will come to you. Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye seem me; because I live, ye shall live also. At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you. He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me; and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.»

Importance of Obedience.

Christ attaches a weight of importance to the obedience of his people to the commandments of God. They are to have an intelligent knowledge of them, and bring them into their daily life. But man can keep the commandments of God only as he is in Christ, and Christ in him. And while he is in Christ, having light on his commandments, it is not possible for him to disregard the least of them. None will keep the law of God unless they love Him who is the only-begotten of the Father. And, none the less surely, if they love him, will they express that love by steadfast, willing obedience. And all who love Christ will be loved of the Father, and he will manifest himself to them. In all their emergencies and perplexities they will have a helper in God.

But it was difficult even for the disciples to understand the words of Christ. That Christ should manifest himself to them, and yet be invisible to the world, was a mystery to them. They could not understand the words of Christ in spiritual sense. They were thinking of the outward, visible manifestation. They could not take in the fact that they could have the presence of Christ with them, and yet he be unseen by the world. They had yet to learn that the inward spiritual life, all fragrant with the obedience of love, would give them the spiritual power they needed.

«Lord, how is it,» questioned one of the disciples, «that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world? Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words; and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings; and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father’s which sent me. These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you. But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.»

Enlightenment by the Spirit.

Christ had sought to make the lessons which they did not understand as clear as possible to their befogged minds. But they had failed to understand them. Now he declared that the time was not far distant when every word which they could not grasp would be clearly comprehended as living truth. No more, he says, will you say, I can not comprehend. No longer will you see through a glass darkly. You shall comprehend with all saints what is the length and breadth and depth and height of the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge. Your Teacher, ascended to heaven, will advocate the cause of all who believe in him. He will plead that spiritual power may be given to you, that in the strength of One mightier than all the enemies of God and man, you may be able to overcome your spiritual foes. He asks you to trust in him, and commit yourself into his keeping.

The promise of the Comforter presented a rich truth to the disciples. It assured them that they should not lose their faith under the most trying circumstances. The Holy Spirit, sent in the name of Christ, was to be their Guide, teaching them all things, and bringing all things to their remembrance. This comforter was to be the representative of Christ their Advocate, who is constantly pleading in behalf of the fallen race.

He who knows the end from the beginning had provided for the attack of Satanic agencies; and he will fulfill his Word to the faithful in every age. That Word is sure and steadfast; not one jot or tittle of it can fail. The Holy Spirit is constantly at work, teaching, reminding, testifying, coming to the soul as a divine comforter, and convincing of sin as an appointed judge and guide. If men will keep under the protection of God, he will be to them as an impregnable fortress. He will give evidence that his Word can never fail. He will prove a light that shineth in a dark place until the day dawn; as the Sun of Righteousness he will arise with healing in his beams. Mrs. E. G. White. —

In the East, in Christ’s day, the customary greeting when one visited the house of a friend was, «Peace be to this house;» and in leaving it he used the same words. But how different in character is Christ’s farewell! «Peace I leave with you,» he says; «my peace I give unto you; not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.»

The world in its busy activity will try to give us peace. Its cry is, «Peace and safety;» but no dependence is to be placed on its alluring representations. But the peace that Christ leaves as his legacy, he gives not as the world giveth. His gift is of higher value than can be computed; it is eternal.

Of Christ the prophet Isaiah had written, «For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder; and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.»

Christ bears the title of «Prince of Peace,» yet he says of himself, «Think not that I am come to send peace on earth; I am not come to send peace on earth, but a sword.» In explanation of this apparent contradiction, he declared, «In the world ye shall have tribulation; but in me shall have peace.» Christ warned his disciples that the time would come when they should be hated of all men for his sake; that they would be brought before kings and rulers; and that to destroy their lives would be deemed a service done to God. The peace which he bequeathed to his followers was not a peace which would prevent all divisions; it was a peace given and enjoyed in the midst of divisions.

Christ brought this peace with him to the world; he carried it with him throughout his earthly life. And now the time had come when he must give his life in order that that peace might ever abide in the heart by faith. As then he left his peace with his disciples, so now he is implanting and maintaining it in the hearts of all who will welcome its presence. From him alone can come that peace which the world can neither give nor take away. His peace was the consciousness of having done the will of his Father; and that peace in his follower is the consciousness that he is doing the will of God, and reflecting his character in good works.

«If ye loved me,» said Christ, «ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father; for my Father is greater than I. And now I have told you before it come to pass, that, when it is come to pass, ye might believe. Hereafter I will not talk much with you; for the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me. But that the world may know that I love the Father; and as the Father gave me commandment, even so I do. Arise, let us go hence.»

The time had come for Satan’s last attempt to overcome Christ. But Christ declared, He had nothing in me, no sin that brings me in his power. He can find nothing in me that responds to his Satanic suggestions. No other being could say this but the One who was offering up his life as a sinless sacrifice for a sinful race.

«For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh; how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? And for this cause he is the mediator of the New Testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.» «And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin.» «For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.»

But why this severe conflict with the prince of the world, when Jesus, through his childhood, youth, and manhood, had lived the law of God? By a word Christ could have a mastered the powers of Satan, but he came into the world and took humanity that he might endure every test, every provocation that it is possible for man to bear, and yet not be provoked, or retaliate in word, in spirit, or in action. For the honor and glory of God he was to offer himself a living, spotless sacrifice to the Father. He must bear, under fierce temptations, the test that Adam failed to endure. He suffered, being tempted; but there was no yielding to the temptations of Satan. He did as the Father had given him commandment.

Christ was a spectacle to the world, to angels, and to men. The worlds unfallen, the heavenly intelligences, and the fallen race were watching every movement made by the representative of the Father and the representative of perfect humanity. And in his mouth was found no guile; his character was without a flaw.

All the humiliation which Christ endured was in behalf of the fallen race, that man might have the mind of Christ. Christ revealed to the world the love of God for fallen man and the perfect love which he bore his Father. And in humanity this same love is to be revealed. In the fallen race the very image of God is to be reflected. The cold heart is to be quickened and glow with divine love. It is to beat in unison with the heart of the Redeemer. The honor of Christ must stand complete in the perfection of the character of his chosen people. He desires that they shall represent his character to the world. In the work of redemption, in the sufferings which Christ was called upon to endure, you are to co-operate with him, that you may be complete in him. In being united to him by faith, believing and receiving him, you become part of himself. Your character is his glory revealed in you. Then, when you shall appear in his presence, you will find the benediction awaiting you, «Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things; I will make thee ruler over the many things; enter thou into the joy of thy Lord.» Mrs. E. G. White. —