Daily Devotionals

The Poor Man's Morning and Evening Portions

Devotional: March 14th

March 14—Morning—John 17:19

"And for their sakes I sanctify myself."—John 17:19.

Let thy morning thoughts, my soul, be directed to this sweet view of thy Saviour. Behold thy Jesus presenting himself as the surety of his people before God and the Father. Having now received the call and authority of God the Father, and being fitted with a body suited to the service of a Redeemer, here see him entering upon the vast work; and in those blessed words, declaring the cause of it - "I sanctify myself." Did Jesus mean that he made himself more holy for the purpose? No, surely: for that was impossible. But by Jesus sanctifying himself, must be understood (as the Nazarite from the womb, consecrated, set apart, dedicated to the service to which the Father had called him), a voluntary offering-an holy unblemished sacrifice. And observe for whom: "for their sakes;" not for himself; for he needed it not. The priests under the law made their offerings, first for themselves, and then for the people. "But such an High Priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens; and who needed not daily, as those high priests, so to offer. For the law maketh men high priests which have infirmity; but the Son is consecrated for evermore. "My soul, pause over this view of thy Jesus; and when thou hast duly pondered it, go to the mercy-seat, under the Spirit’s leadings and influences, and there, by faith, behold thy Jesus, in his vesture dipped in blood, there sanctified, and there appearing in the presence of God for thee. There plead the dedication of Jesus; for it is of the Father’s own appointment. There tell thy God and Father, (for it is the Father’s glory, when a poor sinner glorifies his dear Son in him) that He, that Holy One, whom the Father consecrated, and with an oath confirmed in his high priestly office for ever, appeareth there for thee. Tell God that thy High Priest’s holiness and sacrifice was altogether holy, pure, without a spot; and both his Person, and his nature, and offering, clean as God’s own righteous law. Tell, my soul, tell thy God and Father these sacred, solemn truths. And while thou art thus coming to the mercy-seat, under the leadings of the Spirit, and wholly in the name and office-work of thy God and Saviour, look unto Jesus, and call to mind those sweet words, for whose sake that Holy One sanctified himself; and then drop a petition more before thou comest from the heavenly court: beg, and pray, and wrestle with the bountiful Lord for suited strength and grace, that as, for thy sake, among the other poor sinners of his redemption-love, Jesus sanctified himself, so thou mayest be able to be separated from every thing but Jesus; and as thy happiness was Christ’s end, so his glory may be thy first and greatest object. Yes, dearest Jesus, methinks I hear thee say, - Thou shalt be for me, and not for another: so will I be for thee. Oh! thou condescending, loving God, "make me thine; that whether I live, I may live unto the Lord; or whether I die, I may die unto the Lord; so that living or dying, I may be thine."

March 14—Evening—2 Thessalonians 1:10

"He shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe."—2 Thessalonians 1:10.

Among a thousand wonders that will be unfolded before the astonished world, at the great day of God, to call up the unceasing praises of the church of Christ to all eternity, there are two very blessed events which will take place, and which this scripture records; the one is, how Jesus will be glorified in his own sacred person, in the view of his redeemed, when all his beauties are then displayed; and the other is, how Jesus will be glorified in them, from the saving change which his grace hath wrought in them. Let thine evening meditation, my soul, be upon both. And first, think how Jesus, thy Jesus, will then appear. He hath indeed been always known to thee, since he was first revealed to thee by grace, as wonderful; and every act of his towards thee, hath fully answered to this name. For in all his perfections, offices, characters, and relations; in all things concerning and relating to him, every view of him is wonderful. But He that is now known by faith, will then become the object of sight; and think, my soul, what an object of sight will it be! Never, but in the person of Jesus, can there be any thing presented to the view of men, or of angels, of equal glory! God and man in one person, can only be found in Christ. And God dwelling in flesh, is only rendered capable by that union, and through that medium, of being seen. And think, if it be possible, how glorious, how unspeakably glorious, the human nature of Christ must be, and is, from its union with the Godhead: such as no excellency of angels can at all, even in the most distant degree, resemble. Pause over this contemplation; for such is thy Jesus! and such will he appear, when he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and mired in all that believe. When thou hast fully feasted thyself, (as far as thy poor unripe faculties can take in the blessedness of it,) by dwelling upon the contemplation of Jesus, as he is, and as he will then appear, in his own glorious person; go on, and consider that glory that shall be revealed of Jesus, in the saving change which he hath wrought in his people, whereby he will be admired in all them that believe. Oh! what a flood of glory will pour in upon the soul, and what endless praises will go forth to the great Author of the unspeakable mercy, when the vast volume comes to be opened and explained, of what Jesus hath wrought in them; what he hath communicated to them; what everlasting blessings he hath procured for them; and what glory, as their great Mediator he will have by them, through all the incalculable periods of the eternal world, in their living upon him and to him, and from him deriving all the accessions of light and life, and glory and joy, for ever and ever! My soul! never, never lose sight of these blessed views: but add to that glorious account, that sweet testimony of Jesus, concerning this great day of God to his people: "At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you." - John 14:20.