DELIVERED ON LORD'S-DAY MORNING, DECEMBER 30TH, 1877, BY C. H. SPURGEON,
AT THE METROPOLITAN TABERNACLE, NEWINGTON.
"Father, glorify thy name."-John xii. 28.
In the first part of my discourse this morning I shall strictly keep to my text, as the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and endeavour to show what it teaches us with regard to him. These are his own words, and it would be robbery to borrow them until first we have seen what they meant as they fell from his lips. Their most golden meaning must be seen in the light of his sacred countenance. Then, in the second part of my sermon, I shall try to point out how the petition before us may be used by ourselves, and I pray that divine grace may be given us that it may be engraven upon our hearts, and that each one of us may be taught by the Holy Spirit daily to say for himself, "Father, glorify thy name." I would suggest that these words should be to all the Lord's people in this church their motto for another year, and, indeed, their prayer throughout life. It will as well beseem the beginner in grace as the ripe believer; it will be proper both at the wicket-gate of faith, and at the portals of glory. Like a lovely rainbow let the prayer, "Father, glorify thy name," over-arch the whole period of our life on earth. I cannot suggest a better petition for the present moment, nor indeed for any moment of our pilgrimage. Let us close the old year with it, and open the door of the new to the same note. As for the past, "Father, glorify thy name;" in the present fulfil this desire unto thy servants, and in the future do it yet more abundantly.
I. Let us look, then, at the words, first of all, IN RESPECT TO OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST. They occur in the following connection. He had wrought a notable miracle in the raising of Lazarus from the dead. The fame of the miracle had attracted many to hear him; enthusiastic crowds had gathered, and he had become so extremely popular that the Pharisees said, "the world hath gone after him." The people were willing to have made him a king, and a great concourse met him with branches of palm trees and cried, "Hosanna; blessed is the King of Israel that cometh in the name of the Lord." Our Lord passed in royal but humble pomp No. 1,391.