John 10:17-18 - Homilies By B. Thomas

The death of Christ.

I. IT INVOLVES THE GREATEST SACRIFICE .

1. It was a sacrifice of life . "I lay down my life." It was his own life, and not that of another. Thousands of lives are sacrificed during war by the existing government; but these are the lives of others, and not their own. But the death of Christ involved the sacrifice of his own life. It was personal.

2. It was a sacrifice of the most precious life . Every life is very precious—that of the flower or that of the animal; but human life is more precious still. Personally considered, every human life is equally precious; but relatively, some lives are more precious than others. The life of the general is thus more precious than that of the common soldier. But of all the lives that have graced this world, the life of Christ was the most precious and valuable.

3. It was a sacrifice involving the greatest sufferings .

II. HIS DEATH WAS PURELY SELF - SACRIFICING . To prove and illustrate this, consider the following things.

1. His life was absolutely his own . "My life." No other man can absolutely call his life his own. With the exception of Christ's, every man's life is borrowed; he is a tenant at will, and not from year to year, but from breath to breath. But Christ's life was absolutely his own.

2. He had an absolute control over it . Not merely it was his own, but he could dispose of it as he wished. "No one taketh it from me."

3. His death was purely voluntary .

4. His death wets purely vicarious . Every-man must die for himself. It is the debt of nature. But Christ had no debt of his own to pay. He came under the law of death to pay the debts of others, and. redeem them from the curse.

III. HIS DEATH CALLED FORTH THE SPECIAL COMMENDATION OF THE FATHER . "Therefore doth," etc. For this:

1. As it was for the noblest purposes . "That I might take it again." These purposes were:

2. As it was the fulfillment of Divine will .

3. As it was a special act of obedience to the Divine will .

4. Jesus throughout was ever conscious of his Father ' s approbation . This was felt:

LESSONS . We have here:

1. The highest example of pastoral fidelity and devotion .

2. The highest example of a noble and self-sacrificing life .

3. The highest example , of filial obedience .

4. The royal road to God ' s special approbation . Follow the footsteps of Christ, in his self-sacrificing life, in his loving obedience; and this will result in our Father's special commendation and love.—B.T.