April 18
Not Even a Bed
“And Jesus said to him, ‘Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head’”
Matthew 8: 20.
Now . . . heaven he forsook for our sakes—
“He came into the world to save sinners” (1 Timothy 1: 15).
[1.] He was made lower than the angels for the suffering of death (Hebrews 2: 9). When he was born, he made himself as he said, a worm, or one of no reputation. He became the reproach and byword of the people. He was born in a stable, laid in a manger, earned his bread with his labor, being by trade a carpenter (Psalm 22: 6; Philippians 2: 7; Luke 2: 7; Mark 6: 3). When he betook [proceeded] himself to his ministry, he lived upon the charity of the people. When other men went to their own houses! Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. Hark! what he said . . . [concerning] this— “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.” He denied himself this world’s good (Luke 8: 2-3; 9: 58; John 7: 35; 8: 1).
[2.] Again, as he was Prince of life, he for our sakes laid down that also. For so . . . [strong was] the matter that he or we must die. But the grace that was in his heart wrought with him to lay down his life: “He gave his life a ransom for many.” He laid down his life that we might have life. He gave his flesh and blood for the life of the world. He laid down his life for his sheep.
[3.] Again, he was Prince of Peace but he forsook his peace also. He laid aside peace with the world and chose upon that account to be a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. Therefore, was persecuted from his cradle to his cross, by kings, [by] rulers.