2 Corinthians 13:4 - Homilies By E. Hurndall

I. THE FORMER WAS THROUGH WEAKNESS .

1 . Christ assumed a nature which was capable of crucifixion. Who could crucify God? But the God-Man might walk in weariness and weakness to Golgotha. What a pathetic consideration that Christ voluntarily chose a nature which was subject to suffering and death!

2 . Christ repressed his innate power.

II. THE LATTER WAS IN POWER .

1 . A marvellous event. What a contrast between the first day and the third! How mighty men seem on the former! how unutterably impotent on the latter! How weak Christ seems on the one! how omnipotent on the other!

2 . Demanding Divine energy. This power was not of man. Man stands completely helpless at the grave. Here his boastings are silenced. But the Author of life can restore life. The Divine power manifested in our Lord's resurrection we find sometimes ascribed to God the Father ( Ephesians 1:20 ), sometimes to the Son ( Mark 14:58 ). "I and my Father are one" ( John 10:30 ).

3 . Complete.

III. THE DEATH AND RESURRECTION OF CHRIST , THOUGH IN CONTRAST , ARE IN CLOSE ASSOCIATION . They are in point of time. A few hours only separated the weakness of the cross from the power of the restoration. But there is real dependence also. In a certain sense the one was the natural result of the other. Without so perfect a crucifixion there could not have been so triumphant a resurrection. Christ was perfect alike when he was in weakness and when he was in power. Had there been any less "weakness" in the death, there had been less "power" in the resurrection. The humiliation was, in its order, as truly glorious as the exaltation. So with us—if we are abased with Christ here we shall be glorified with him hereafter. We have the cross— must have the cross—if we would have the crown.—H.

2 Corinthians 13:5 - Self-testing.

I. MANY ARE FOND OF TESTING OTHERS WHEN IT IS MORE NEEDFUL FOR THEM TO TEST THEMSELVES . "Beginning at Jerusalem" is beginning at the right place. "Know thyself" was a very wise exhortation. To ascertain the shortcomings of others is more pleasant, but not so profitable, as to ascertain our own. The matter of first importance to us is, not whether our neighbour's scales are true, but whether ours are. Men are singularly unselfish in some directions—in the directions of giving advice and passing condemnatory judgments.

II. THE TEST WHICH WE APPLY TO OTHERS WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO STAND OURSELVES . Paul was not what the Corinthians thought he ought to be, because they were not what they ought to have been. A blind man is a poor judge of colours. The beam must be taken out of our eyes before we shall be able to see clearly. An unclean man denouncing uncleanness is no very edifying spectacle. If we warn men against getting into the mire, they will expect us to come out of it. If we would be leaders, we must lead. "Come" is much more potent than "go."

III. THERE IS ONE POINT UPON WHICH WE SHOULD BE MOST DESIROUS OF TESTING OURSELVES . This is—whether we are "in the faith." Men test themselves frequently, but generally upon points of secondary importance. This is the question of questions.

1 . Do we truly repent of sin? Do we grieve over evil as that which has been done against God? Do we hate it, loathe it, desire to be freed from it?

2 . Have we a living faith in the Lord Jesus Christ? Do we gratefully receive him as our Redeemer, and believe that his blood cleanses us from all sin? Have we come to God by Christ and obtained his forgiveness?

3 . Is the vitality of our faith demonstrated by the fruits of holy living? If our faith is not accompanied by works, it is no faith—we are "reprobates" still, and hypocritical reprobates into the bargain. If we are "in the faith," we shall be subject to God, striving daily to do his will, living and labouring to please him and to extend his glory in the earth. We may still be very imperfect, but, having been "born again," we shall walk in "newness of life."

IV. HOW WE MAY TEST OURSELVES UPON THIS VITAL POINT .

1 . By prayerful self-examination. Prayer must come into this examination of ourselves because God must come. We need Divine help to aid us in knowing ourselves.

2 . By comparing head, heart, and life with God ' s Word. In the Scriptures we have declared what those "in the faith" believe, feel, do.

3 . By pressing home the question—Is Christ in me? "If any man hath not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his" ( Romans 8:9 ). We are in the faith if the Lord of the faith is in us.

How earnestly should we examine ourselves! How restless should we be until we enter into the rest which comes from knowing that we are truly in the faith!—H.

2 Corinthians 13:11 , 2 Corinthians 13:12 - A beautiful farewell.

I. RECOGNITION OF BROTHERHOOD . In his letter the writer had been compelled to insist much upon his apostleship, but he now wisely and graciously stands upon common ground. He was compelled to magnify his office, but he was too good and too great to magnify himself. Amongst men there is a natural craving for equality; we resent a fellow creature attempting to lord it over us. And in the realm of religion we have ever need to remember "all ye are brethren." What a poor fool a great man seems when he swells and struts in his miserable is pomposity and conceit! he is not great—no one can persuade us that he is great—be extremely little. How much greater our great men would be if they would not be so great! One might imagine, sometimes, that our Lord had commanded those who would be chief to imitate turkey cocks; but he said they must become as little children.

II. GOOD WISHES . "Farewell," or "Rejoice." All joy to you, all prosperity, all happy and profitable experience. Not a few of them had ill wishes for him; he had nothing but good wishes for friends and foes. This was a very real farewell. Upon our lips it often means too little—in fact, it has become but the barest signal for separation; but coming from Paul's heart it was full of earnest meaning. Possibly in his thought it took the form of "Rejoice in the Lord," as in Philippians 3:1 . Everything of value in the eyes of Paul was "in the Lord." And there is no real faring well unless we are in Christ.

III. LOFTY AND GRACIOUS DESIRES .

1 . For spiritual growth. "Be perfected." Correct the evils which I have painted out. Reform yourselves. Seek to become more like your Lord. Strive to get rid of the "old things," and to become new in Christ. Rest not as long as any sin abides within you. This was desiring for them the very highest good. This was a practical suggestion of the way in which they might "fare well."

2 . For comfort. "Be comforted." Paul's heart was tender towards them. They had caused him great, discomfort; he desires their consolation. He had, indeed, wounded them himself in administering stern but necessary rebuke—but faithful were the wounds of such a friend; and now he desires that these wounds may be healed, trusting that the lancet has done its work. Note: he does not say, "Be comforted, be perfected," but "Be perfected, be comforted;" true comfort comes only as we strive for true holiness. The quickest way to bring comfort to men is to seek to make them better. To comfort men in sin is devil like; to comfort men by bringing them out of sin is God-like.

3 . For unity. "Be of the same mind." Disunited, they would be miserable and weak; united, they would be happy and strong. When we are drawn nearer to Christ we shall be drawn nearer to the brethren; if we quarrel with the members we shall soon quarrel with the Head. The Church has to fight united foes; union should not be the monopoly of the servants of the devil.

4 . For peace. "Live in peace." Let peace be continuous, uninterrupted. Disunion will lead to civil war, and how can Christians fight the devil if they are fighting one another? If we have peace with God we should live in peace with his children, and be at war only with Satan and sin.

5 . For love. Conveyed by the exhortation to "salute one another with a holy kiss." Union is not enough; peace is not enough; there must be heartfelt affection between the people of God. This is the only true basis of union and peace. An armed truce is sometimes worse than open battle. We must not "tolerate" the brethren—we must love them. A "Toleration Act" is a blasphemy against Christ.

IV. A STRENGTHENING PROMISE . "The God of love and peace shall be with you." What Wesley said in death is true for all life, "The best of all is—God is with us." "If thy presence go not with me, carry me not up hence" ( Exodus 33:15 ). If we have God with us, what can we lack? Perhaps we may regard this promise as conditional. If you sincerely strive to be holy, united, loving, God will abide with you; otherwise, he will depart. Like Israel of old, you may become desolate through carnality and hardness of heart. But if you desire to live in love and peace, the God of love and peace will presence himself with you. You must be workers together with him; from him you get desires for love and peace; but you must cultivate these, and be true and earnest in your religious life. It has been well said, "God's presence produces love and peace, and we must have love and peace in order to have his presence; God gives what he commands; God gives, but we must cherish his gifts."—H.

2 Corinthians 13:14 - The benediction.

These words have become the universal sanctuary utterance of the Christian Church. As Paul wrote them, how real and full of meaning they were! Now, alas! they have too much degenerated into a mere signal for terminating public worship, anxiously anticipated by the weary—an empty appendage, for which might adequately be substituted a bare announcement, "The meeting is over." Yet how beautiful is this benediction! how suggestive! how full of teaching! It is a summary of Christianity, a revelation of the Trinity and of the great threefold Divine work for human redemption and exaltation.

I. THE MATTER OF THE BENEDICTION .

1 . "The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ. "

2 . " The love of God. " The apostle has just spoken of God as the God of love ( 2 Corinthians 13:11 ); now he desires for the Corinthians the love of this God of love. The riches of Divine love are the Christian's portion. Here is specially referred to the love of God as our Father. It was through the Father's love that the Saviour was given, but it is through the Saviour's work, and our participation in it, that we enter into the enjoyment of the love of God as the love of our Father. This is the covenanted love of God; his special fatherly affection for those who have become, through Christ, his sons and daughters. Thus "the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ" is made to precede "the love of God."

3 . " The communion of the Holy Ghost. " The participation in the Holy Ghost. This we enjoy through Christ ( Galatians 3:13 , Galatians 3:14 ). Who can estimate the value of this? The great work of sanctification, the constant effective teaching of the truth, preservation in times of spiritual peril, comfort in sorrow, ability to carry on Christian work,—all these depend upon our participating in the Holy Ghost. "Quench not the Spirit" ( 1 Thessalonians 5:19 ). If in aught we hinder the Divine Spirit's working within us, in that measure we become spiritual suicides.

II. THE EXTENT OF THE BENEDICTION . It is for all Christians; it is not for any special order or class, but forevery individual. Some privileges were associated with the apostleship, some with certain of mark and power in the early Church, but the privileges which are of supreme value have ever been the common heritage of God's people. Some smaller favours may be for the few, the greatest are for the many.

III. HOW MAY WE COME UNDER THIS BENEDICTION ? A very important question. To be beyond its reach must be to be in peril and misery. As it is for all the people of the Lord, those must become the people of the Lord who would share in its blessings. If we are willing to be blessed, God is willing to let this benediction rest upon us. By the way of repentance and faith and sincere striving to do the Divine will we pass from under the curse and abide under the benediction.—H.