June 10

"He came unto his own, and his own received him not." — John 1. 11.

"God manifest in the flesh," is the mystery of mysteries. Surely at his coming, all mankind ought to have paid him homage, and welcomed his approach; while the whole creation re-echoed with the sound of harmony, love, and praise, "Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift." But no— "He came unto his own, and his own received him not." Observe here

A DISINTERESTED ACT. "He came unto his own." Consider

Whence he came. From heaven, where he received the praises and acclamations of countless myriads of shining hosts. How dignified his character! How exalted his honors!

Where he came. Into this world; a distant spot in his dominions; "unto his own." His own territories, or his own people, the Jews; those who were his in a peculiar manner, as his covenant-professing people, his kindred according to the flesh.

How he came. He appeared in human form; the splendor of his divinity was veiled in the cloud of his humanity. Jesus tabernacled among us, clothed in a body like our own. He came in a lowly condition, yet willingly.

Why he came. He came to repair the ruins of the fall, to reveal to us the glories of immortality, and open up a new and living way to the holiest of all, that sinners might once more approach the offended Majesty of heaven, and receive those blessings that alone can save the soul.

AN AWFUL CRIME. "His own received him not." Observe, with respect to this sin of rejecting the Saviour, four things:

Its nature. The Jews believed not his Divine mission, treated him as an impostor, and at last crucified him. But is not Christ rejected now? Are there not many who disown him as their Redeemer, slight his offers of mercy, crucify him afresh, and put him to an open shame?

Its cause. Whence is it that Christ is not received? He comes to us in the preaching of the Gospel, and entreats us to embrace him. It arises from ignorance, enmity, prejudice, love of the world, self-righteousness, insensibility, and carnal indifference.

Its aggravation. Can we imagine a greater crime? Such individuals sin in spite of God's goodness, dash away from them the cup of salvation; and while with one hand they receive his benefits, with the other they bid him defiance.

Its danger. Those who reject Christ expose themselves to the awful tempest of Jehovah's wrath, and have no cloak for their sins. O my soul! receive him, and make him thy Portion, Redeemer, Friend, Saviour, and thy all.