“Let Not Your Heart Be Troubled”
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are to despair of nothing, and to hope for everything. With the golden
chain of His matchless love Christ has bound them to the throne of
God. It is His purpose that the highest influence in the universe, ema-
nating from the source of all power, shall be theirs. They are to have
power to resist evil, power that neither earth, nor death, nor hell can
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master, power that will enable them to overcome as Christ overcame.
Christ designs that heaven’s order, heaven’s plan of government,
heaven’s divine harmony, shall be represented in His church on earth.
Thus in His people He is glorified. Through them the Sun of Righ-
teousness will shine in undimmed luster to the world. Christ has given
to His church ample facilities, that He may receive a large revenue
of glory from His redeemed, purchased possession. He has bestowed
upon His people capabilities and blessings that they may represent
His own sufficiency. The church, endowed with the righteousness of
Christ, is His depositary, in which the riches of His mercy, His grace,
and His love, are to appear in full and final display. Christ looks upon
His people in their purity and perfection, as the reward of His humilia-
tion, and the supplement of His glory,—Christ, the great Center, from
whom radiates all glory.
With strong, hopeful words the Saviour ended His instruction.
Then He poured out the burden of His soul in prayer for His disciples.
Lifting His eyes to heaven, He said, “Father, the hour is come; glorify
Thy Son, that Thy Son also may glorify Thee: as Thou hast given Him
power over all flesh, that He should give eternal life to as many as
Thou hast given Him. And this is life eternal, that they might know
Thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom Thou hast sent.”
Christ had finished the work that was given Him to do. He had
glorified God on the earth. He had manifested the Father’s name. He
had gathered out those who were to continue His work among men.
And He said, “I am glorified in them. And now I am no more in the
world, but these are in the world, and I come to Thee. Holy Father,
keep through Thine own name those whom Thou hast given Me, that
they may be one, as We are.” “Neither pray I for these alone, but for
them also which shall believe on Me through their word; that they all
may be one; ... I in them, and Thou in Me, that they may be made
perfect in one; and that the world may know that Thou hast sent Me,
and hast loved them, as Thou hast loved Me.”