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If the thought of sin, death, and judgment be so terrible, as in truth they are to every soul of man, on what shall we stay ourselves when our time is at hand?

I. UPON THE LOVE OF GOD, IN GIVING HIS SON TO DIE FOR US (John 3:16; 1 John 4:10; Romans 5:8). Whatever be doubtful, this is sure. Light does not pour forth from the sun, with a fuller and directer ray than does perfect and eternal love overflow from the bosom of God upon all the works that He has made. The love of God is the sphere in which the world is sustained, every living soul is encompassed by that love, as stars by the firmament of heaven. And from this blessed truth flows all manner of consolation. Not only does God hate sin, but He hates death; not only does He abhor evil, but the peril and perdition of so much as one living soul — of one, even the least of all things He has made. The Lord hath sworn by Himself, saying (Ezekiel 18:32). What do we further need to assure us that He desires our salvation? Does a child bind his father by promises to give him bread, or a mother to foster him in sickness? Surely the character of God is enough. "God is love." What more do we ask! What more would we receive? "He cannot deny Himself." And therefore when He was "willing more abundantly to show unto the heirs of promise the immutability of His counsel," He "confirmed it by an oath." But for us God has done still more: He has, beside His promise, found a pledge to give us. He has given us "His only begotten Son." He most abhors; and He gave Him to be ours in so full a right, that we might offer Him as our own in sacrifice for our sins.

II. THE LOVE OF THE SON IS GIVING HIMSELF FOR US. When we remember who He is that gave Himself, and for whom, and to die what death, we cannot find capacity of heart to receive it. If He had saved us by a new exertion of His creative will, it would have been a miracle of lovingkindness. If He had spoken once more the first words of power, and creating us again in light, it would have been a mystery of sovereign grace. If He had redeemed us by the lowliness of the Incarnation, still revealing Himself in majesty, though as a man, and lightening the earth with His glory, as Saviour, God, and King, it would have seemed to us a perfect exhibition of the Divine compassion to a sinful world. How much more when He came to suffer shame and sorrow, all that flesh and blood can endure, to sink, as it were, into the lowest depths of creation, that He might uplift it from its farthest fall? If He so loved us as to die for us, what will He not grant or do? If He gave His whole self, will He keep back any partial gift? Will He not save us, who Himself died for us? If He loved us when we loved Him not, will He not love us now that we desire to love Him again?

III. Christ's death upon the cross is not only a revelation of Divine love to us; it is also a DIVINE ATONEMENT FOR OUR SIN. How it is so, we may not eagerly search to know. That by death He has destroyed "Him that had the power of death," and taken away "the sin of the world," is enough. In that death were united the oblation of a Divine person and the sanctity of a sinless man; the perfection of a holy will and the fulfilment of a spotless life; the willing sacrifice of the sinless for the sinful, of the shepherd for the sheep that was lost, of life for the dead. How this wrought atonement for the sin of the world we cannot say further than is revealed. God "made Him to be sin for us." "He bore our sins in His own body on the tree." "By His stripes we are healed." "He hath tasted death for every man." "There is now no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus."

(Archdeacon Manning.)

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KJV: Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

WEB: Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.