The Love of Christ
Robert Murray M’Cheyne (1813-43) was one of the most godly, faithful, and able young pastors of his day. He sought to conform every area of his life to the holy example of Christ. M’Cheyne studied under Thomas Chalmers at Edinburgh University. He became a pastor in Dundee, Scotland by the age of twenty-three, where he served faithfully until his death at twenty-nine.
In the following excerpt from a sermon on Romans 8:35–37, M’Cheyne speaks warmly and worshipfully of the love of Christ.
You can learn more about the life of Robert Murray M’Cheyne in Behold Your God: Rethinking God Biblically.
Christ's love to us is as old as the Father's love to the Son.
I would speak of the love of Christ.
1. When did it begin?—In the past eternity: "Then I was by him as one brought up with him: and I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him; rejoicing in the habitable part of the earth; and my delights were with the sons of men." (Prov. 8:30,31.) This river of love began to flow before the world was—from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was. Christ's love to us is as old as the Father's love to the Son. This river of light began to stream from Jesus toward us before the beams poured from the sun—before the rivers flowed to the ocean—before angel loved angel, or man loved man. Before creatures were, Christ loved us. This is a great deep—who can fathom it? This love passeth knowledge.
2. Who was it that loved? It was Jesus, the Son of God, the second person of the blessed Godhead. His name is, "Wonderful, Counsellor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace," "King of kings and Lord of lords," Immanuel, Jesus the Saviour, the only begotten of his Father. His beauty is perfect: he is the brightness of his Father's glory, and the express image of his person. All the purity, majesty, and love of Jehovah dwell fully in him. He is the bright and morning Star: he is the Sun of righteousness and the Light of the world: he is the Rose of Sharon and the Lilly of the valleys—fairer than the children of men. His riches are infinite: he could say, "All that the Father hath is mine." He is Lord of all. All the crowns in heaven were cast at his feet—all angels and seraphs were his servants—all worlds his domain. His doings were infinitely glorious. By him were all things created that are in heaven and that are in earth, visible and invisible. He called the things that are not as though they were—worlds started into being at his word. Yet he loved us. It is much to be loved by one greater in rank than ourselves—to be loved by an angel; but, O, to be loved by the Son of God!—this is wonderful—it passeth knowledge.
when he looked on us—we were hell-worthy, under his Father's wrath and curse—and yet he loved us, and said: I will die for them.
3. Whom did he love? He loved us! He came into the world "to save sinners, of whom I am the chief." Had he loved one as glorious as himself, we would not have wondered. Had he loved the holy angels, that reflected his pure, bright image, we would not have wondered. Had he loved the lovely among the sons of men—the amiable, the gentle, the kind, the rich, the great, the noble—it would not have been so great a wonder. But, ah! he loved sinners—the vilest sinners—the poorest, meanest, guiltiest wretches that crawl upon the ground. Manasseh, who murdered his own children, was one whom he loved; Zaccheus, the grey-haired swindler, was another; blaspheming Paul was a third; the wanton of Samaria was another; the dying thief was another; and the lascivious Corinthians were more. "And such were some of you." We were black as hell when he looked on us—we were hell-worthy, under his Father's wrath and curse—and yet he loved us, and said: I will die for them. "Thou hast loved me out of the pit of corruption," each saved one can say. Oh, brethren! this is strange love: he that was so great, and lovely, and pure, chose us, who were mean and filthy with sin, that he might wash and purify, and present us to himself. This love passeth knowledge!
love nailed him to the cross—love bowed his head beneath the amazing load of his Father's anger.
4. What did this love cost him? "When Jacob loved Rachel, he served seven years for her—he bore the summer's heat and winter's cold. But Jesus bore the hot wrath of God, and the winter blast of his Father's anger, for those he loved. Jonathan loved David with more than the love of women, and for his sake he bore the cruel anger of his father, Saul. But Jesus, out of love to us, bore the wrath of his Father poured out without mixture. It was the love of Christ that made him leave the love of his Father, the adoration of angels, and the throne of glory. It was love that made him not despise the Virgin's womb—it was love that brought him to the manger at Bethlehem—it was love that drove him into the wilderness; love made him a man of sorrows—love made him hungry, and thirsty, and weary—love made him hasten to Jerusalem—love led him to gloomy, dark Gethsemane—love bound and dragged him to the judgment hall—love nailed him to the cross—love bowed his head beneath the amazing load of his Father's anger. "Greater love hath no man than this." "I am the good Shepherd; the good Shepherd giveth his life for the sheep."
Sinners were sinking beneath the red-hot flames of hell; he plunged in and swam through the awful surge, and gathered his own into his bosom. The sword of justice was bare and glittering, ready to destroy us; He, the man that was God's fellow, opened his bosom and let the stroke fall on him. We were set up as a mark for God's arrows of vengeance; Jesus came between, and they pierced him through and through—every arrow that should have pierced our souls stuck fast in him. He, his own self, bare our sins in his own body on the tree. As far as east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us. This is the love of Christ that passeth knowledge. This is what is set before you today in the broken bread and poured-out wine. This is what we shall see on the throne—a Lamb as it had been slain. This will be the matter of our song through eternity: "Worthy is the Lamb!"