The Parting Blessing
J.R. Miller's sermon emphasizes the importance of Christ's parting blessing and the call to balance our heavenly hopes with earthly responsibilities.
J.R. Miller reflects on the poignant farewell of Jesus to His disciples, emphasizing the significance of His parting words and the blessing He bestowed upon them as He ascended into heaven. He highlights the comfort and love in Christ's final moments with His followers, reminding us that while Jesus is no longer visible, He continues to intercede for us from heaven. Miller encourages believers to keep their hearts set on heavenly things while remaining diligent in their earthly responsibilities, as the call to service does not cease in times of sorrow. The sermon reassures us that our Master awaits us in heaven, and our love for Him should inspire us to fulfill our duties on earth. Ultimately, it is a call to balance our heavenly hopes with our earthly tasks.
Text
The last walk was along a familiar way. The Master and His disciples had often gone over it before, and every foot of it had its sacred associations for them. He talked with them as they walked. What would we not give, to have the words He spoke to them! They must have been words of deep revealing, full of love. Their hearts were strangely comforted by what He said. They never forgot those farewell words!
We like to remember the way a friend looked the last time we saw him, what he was doing, especially if it was some kindness to us. We like to recall the love that was on his face and in his eyes, as he talked to us before he went away. It is interesting to think of the last glimpse of Christ which His people had, before the cloud enfolded Him and hid Him forever from their view. He was in the act of blessing His disciples. It was while His hands were lifted up, and words of love and grace were falling from His lips, that He began to rise. It is no fantasy to believe that this is the constant attitude of Christ toward His people inside the gates of heaven.
This earth is not the only world. Jesus went away into heaven--but His life was not ended when He vanished from human sight. We do not see Him--but He sees us! He is making intercession for us before the Father. It makes heaven very real to us, to think of Christ there. The first face we shall see when we reach our eternal home--will be a face like our own, the Face of our Master.
If we truly love Christ--Heaven draws our hearts upward. We are exhorted to seek the things that are above, where Christ is seated on the right hand of God. This does not mean that we are to neglect our earthly duties, spending our time in spiritual raptures while our work is left undone. The angels called the disciples from their heavenward gazing, and turned their thoughts to the duties that were waiting.
Pensive gazing is not pleasing to God--working and witnessing are far better. When our friends are taken from us, we are not forbidden to sorrow--but we are forbidden to sorrow in a way that would keep us from duty and service. Our Master wants us to go back to our tasks again after a bereavement, thoughtful and serious, yet earnest and faithful, inspired by heavenly hopes--but ready ever for earthly duties!
Sermon Outline
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I
- The significance of the last walk with Christ
- The comfort of Christ's farewell words
- The lasting impact of those words
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II
- The image of Christ blessing His disciples
- The continuity of Christ's presence in heaven
- Christ's intercession for us
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III
- The reality of heaven and our hope
- The call to seek heavenly things
- Balancing spiritual aspirations with earthly duties
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IV
- The importance of action over idle gazing
- Responding to loss with service
- Finding strength in heavenly hopes
Key Quotes
“Their hearts were strangely comforted by what He said.” — J.R. Miller
“It is no fantasy to believe that this is the constant attitude of Christ toward His people inside the gates of heaven.” — J.R. Miller
“Pensive gazing is not pleasing to God--working and witnessing are far better.” — J.R. Miller
Application Points
- Reflect on the comfort found in Christ's words during times of loss.
- Engage actively in your earthly duties while keeping your heart set on heavenly things.
- Find strength in the knowledge that Christ is interceding for you in heaven.