Hebrews 13:8
“Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.”
Let me read to you the verse that comes before our text. It is a good habit
always to look at texts in their connection. It is wrong, I think, to lay hold
of small portions of God's Word, and take them out of their connection as
you might pluck feathers from a bird; it is an injury to the Word; and,
sometimes, a passage of Scripture loses much of its beauty, its true
teaching, and its real meaning, by being taken from the context. Nobody
would think of mutilating Milton's poems so, taking a few lines out of
Paradise Lost, and then imagining that he could really get at the heart of
the poet's power. So, always look at texts in the connection in which they
stand. The verse before our text is this, "Remember them which have the
rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God: whose faith
follow, considering the end of their conversation: Jesus Christ the same
yesterday, and to day, and for ever."
Observe, then, that God's people are a thoughtful people. If they are what
they ought to be, they do a great deal of remembering and considering; that
is the gist of this verse. If they are to remember and to consider their
earthly leaders, much more are they to recollect that great Leader, the Lord
Jesus, and all those matchless truths which fell from his blessed lips. I
wish, in these days, that professing Christians did remember and did
consider a great deal more; but we live in such a flurry, and hurry, and
worry, that we do not get time for thought. Our noble forefathers of the
Puritanic sort were men with backbone, men of solid tread, independent
and self-contained men, who could hold their own in the day of conflict;
and the reason was because they took time to meditate, time to keep a diary
of their daily experiences, time to commune with God in secret. Take the
hint, and try and do a little more thinking; in this busy London, and in
these trying days, remember and consider.
My next remark is, that God's people are an imitative people, for we are
told here that they are to remember them who are their leaders, those who
have spoken to them the Word of God, "whose faith follow, considering the
end of their conversation." There is an itching, nowadays, after originality,
striking out a path for yourself. When sheep do that, they are bad sheep.
Sheep follow the shepherd; and, in a measure, they follow one another
when they are all together following the shepherd. Our Great Master never
aimed at originality; he said that he did not even speak his own words, but
the words that he had heard of his Father. He was docile and teachable; as
the Son of God, and the servant of God, his ear was open to hear the
instructions of the Father, and he could say, "I do always those things that
please him." Now, that is the true path for a Christian to take, to follow
Jesus, and, in consequence, to follow all such true saints as may be worthy
of being followed, imitating the godly so far as they imitate Christ. The
apostle puts it, "whose faith follow." Many young Christians, if they were
to pretend to strike out a path for themselves, must infallibly fall into many
sorrows, whereas by taking some note of the way in which more
experienced and more instructed Christians have gone, they will keep by
the way of the footsteps of the flock, and they will also follow the
footprints of the Shepherd. God's people are a thoughtful people, and they
are an imitative and humble people, willing to be instructed, and willing
to follow holy and godly examples.
One good reason, however, for imitating saints is given in our text; it is
because our Lord and his faith are always the same: "Jesus Christ the same
yesterday, and to day, and for ever." You see, if the old foundation shifted,
if our faith was always changing, then we could not follow any of the saints
who have gone before us. If we have a religion specially for the nineteenth
century, it is ridiculous for us to imitate the men of the first century, and
Paul and the apostles are just old fogies who are left behind in the far-
distant ages. If we are to go on improving from century to century, I cannot
point you to any of the reformers, or the confessors, or the saints in the
brave days of old, and say to you, "Learn from their example," because, if
religion has altogether changed and improved, it is a curious thing to say,
but we ought to set an example to our ancestors. Of course, they cannot
follow it because they have gone from the earth; but as we know so much
better than our fathers, we cannot think of learning anything from them.
As we have left the apostles all behind, and gone in for something quite
new, it is a pity that we should not forget what they did, and what they
suffered, and think that they were just a set of simpletons who acted up to
their own light, but then they had not the light we have in this wonderful
nineteenth century! O beloved, it almost makes my lips blister to talk after
the present evil fashion, for grosser falsehood never could be uttered than
the insinuation that we have shifted the everlasting foundations of our
faith. Verily, if these foundations were removed, we might ask in many
sense, "What shall the righteous do? Whom shall they copy? Whom shall
they follow? The landmarks having gone, what remains to us of the holy
treasury of example with which the Lord enriches those who follow
Christ?"
I. Coming to our text, "Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for
ever," my first observation is, that JESUS CHRIST HIMSELF IS ALWAYS THE
SAME.
He is, was, and will be always the same.
Changes of position and of circumstances there have been in our Lord, but
he is always the same in his great love to his people, whom he loved or
ever the earth was. Before the first star was kindled, before the first living
creature began to sing the praise of its Creator, he loved his Church with
an everlasting love. He spied her in the glass of predestination, pictured
her by his divine foreknowledge, and loved her with all his heart; and it
was for this cause that he left his Father, and became one with her, that he
might redeem her. It was for this cause that he went with her through all
this vale of tears, discharged her debts, and bore her sins in his own body
on the tree. For her sake he slept in the tomb, and with the same love that
brought him down he has gone up again, and with the same heart beating
true to the same blessed betrothment he has gone into the glory, waiting for
the marriage-day when he shall come again, to receive his perfected
spouse, who shall have made herself ready by his grace. Never for a
moment, whether as God over all, blessed for ever, or as God and man in
one divine person, or as dead and buried, or as risen and ascended, never
has he changed in the love he bears to his chosen. He is "Jesus Christ the
same yesterday, and to day, and for ever."
Therefore, beloved brethren, he has never changed in his divine purpose
towards his beloved Church. He resolved in eternity to become one with
her, that she might become one with him; and, having determined upon
this, when the fulness of time had come, he was born of a woman, made
under the law, he took upon him the likeness of sinful flesh, "and being
found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto
death, even the death of the cross." Yet he never abandoned his purpose, he
set his face like a flint to go up to Jerusalem; even when the bitter cup was
put to his lips, and he seemed to stagger for a moment, he returned to it
with a strong resolve, saying to his Father, "If it be possible, let this cup
pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt." That purpose is
strong upon him now; for Zion's sake he will not hold his peace, and for
Jerusalem's sake he will not rest, until her righteousness goeth forth as
brightness, and her salvation as a lamp that burneth. Jesus is still pressing
on with his great work, and he will not fail nor be discouraged in it. He
will never be content till all whom he has bought with blood shall become
also glorified by his power. He will gather all his sheep in the heavenly
fold, and they shall pass again under the hand of him that telleth them,
every one of them being brought there by the great Shepherd who laid
down his life for them. Beloved, he cannot turn from his purpose; it is not
according to his nature that he should, for he is "Jesus Christ the same
yesterday, and to day, and for ever."
He is also "the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever," in the holding of
his offices for the carrying out of his purpose, and giving effect to his
love. He is a Prophet still. Men try to set him on one side. Science,
falsely so-called, comes forward, and bids him hold his tongue; but "the
sheep follow him, for they know his voice; and a stranger will they not
follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers."
The teachings of the New Testament are as sound and true to-day as they
were eighteen hundred years ago; they have lost none of their value, none
of their absolute certainty; they stand fast like the everlasting hills.
Jesus Christ was a Prophet, and he is "the same yesterday, and to day, and
for ever."
He is the same, too, as a Priest. Some now sneer at his precious blood; alas,
that it should be so! But, to his elect, his blood is still their purchase-
price, by this they overcome, through the blood of the Lamb they win the
victory; and they know that they shall praise it in heaven, when they have
washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. They
never turn away from this great Priest of theirs, and his wondrous
sacrifice, once offered for the sins of men, and perpetually efficacious
for all the blood-bought race; they glory in his everlasting priesthood
before the Father's throne. In this we do rejoice, yea, and will rejoice,
that Jesus Christ is our Priest, "the same yesterday, and to day, and for
ever."
And as King he is ever the same. He is supreme in the Church. Before
thee, O Jesus, all thy loyal subjects bow! All the sheaves make obeisance to
thy sheaf; the sun and moon and all the stars obey and serve thee, thou
King of kings, and Lord of lords. Thou art Head over all things to thy
Church, which is thy body. Beloved, if there be any other office which our
Lord has assumed for the accomplishment of his divine purposes, we may
say of him, concerning every position, that he is "the same yesterday, and
to day, and for ever."
So also, once more, he is the same in his relationship to all his people. I
like to think that, as Jesus was the Husband of his Church ages ago, he is
her Husband still, for he hateth putting away. As he was the Brother born
for adversity to his first disciples, he is our faithful Brother still. As
he was a Friend that sticketh closer than a brother to those who were
sorely tried in the medieval times, he is equally a Friend to us upon whom
the ends of the earth have come. There is no difference whatever in the
relationship of the Lord Jesus Christ to his people at any time. He is just
as ready to comfort us to-night as he was to comfort those with whom he
dwelt when here below. Sister Mary, he is as willing to come down to your
Bethany, and help you in your sorrow about Lazarus, as he was when he came
to Martha and Mary whom he loved. Jesus Christ is just as ready to wash
your feet, my brother, after another day's weary travel through the foul
ways of this world; he is as willing to take the basin, and the pitcher, and
the towel, and to give us a loving cleansing, as he was when he washed his
disciples' feet. Just what he was to them he is to us. Happy is it if you
and I can truly say, "What he was to Peter, what he was to John, what he
was to the Magdalen, that is Jesus Christ to me, 'the same yesterday, and
to day, and for ever.'"
Beloved, I have seen men change; oh, how they change! A little frost turns
the green forest to bronze, and every leaf forsakes its hold, and yields to
the winter's blast. So fade our friends, and the most attached adherents
drop away from us in the time of trial; but Jesus is to us what he always
was. When we get old and grey-headed, and others shut the door on men who
have lost their former strength, and can serve their turn no longer, then
will he say, "Even to hoar hairs will I carry you: I have made, and I will
bear; even I will carry, and will deliver you," for he is "Jesus Christ, the
same yesterday, and to day, and for ever." Thus much, beloved, with regard
to Jesus himself; he is ever the same.
II. Now let us go a step farther. JESUS CHRIST IS ALWAYS THE SAME IN HIS
DOCTRINE.
This text must refer to the doctrine of Christ, since it is connected with
imitating the saints' faith: "Whose faith follow, considering the end of their
conversation: Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever. Be
not carried about with divers and strange doctrines. For it is a good thing
that the heart be established with grace." From the connection it is evident
that our text refers to the teaching of Christ, who is "the same yesterday,
and to day, and for ever." This is not according to the "development" folly.
Theology, like every other science, is to grow, watered by the splendid
wisdom of this enlightened age, fostered by the superlative ability of the
gentlemen of light and leading of the present time, so much superior to all
who came before them!
We think not so, brethren; for the Lord Jesus Christ was the perfect
revelation of God. He was the express image of the Father's person, and the
brightness of his glory. In previous ages, God had spoken to us by his
prophets but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son. Now as to
that which was a complete revelation, it is blasphemous to suppose that
there can be any more revealed than has been made known in the person
and work of Jesus Christ the Son of God. He is God's ultimatum; last of all,
he sends his Son. If you can conceive a brighter display of God than is to
be seen in the Only-begotten, I thank God that I am unable to follow you in
any such imagination. To me, he is the last, the highest, the grandest
revelation of God; and as he shuts up the Book that contains the written
revelation, he bids you never dare to take from it, lest he should take your
name out of the Book of life, and never dare to add to it, lest he should add
unto you the plagues that are written in this Book.
At this time, the salvation of our Lord Jesus Christ is the same as it was in
all ages. Jesus Christ still saves sinners from the guilt, the power, the
punishment, and the defilement of sin. Still, "there is none other name
under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved." Jesus Christ
still makes all things new; he creates new hearts and right spirits in the
sons of men, and engraves his law upon the tablets which once were stone,
but which he has turned into flesh. There is no new salvation; some may
talk as if there were, but there is not. Salvation means to you to-day just
what it meant to Saul of Tarsus on the way to Damascus; if you think it has
another meaning, you have missed it altogether.
And, again, salvation by Jesus Christ comes to men in the same way as
ever it did. They have to receive it now by faith; in Paul's day, men were
saved by faith, and they are not now saved by works. They began in the
Spirit in the apostolic age, and we are not now to begin in the flesh. There
is no indication in the Book, and there is no indication in the experiences
of God's children, that there is ever to be any alteration as to the way in
which we receive Christ, and live by him. "By grace are ye saved, through
faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God," the gift of God to-
day as much as ever it was, for Jesus Christ "is the same yesterday, and to
day, and for ever."
Once more, this salvation is just the same as to the persons to whom it is
sent. It is to be preached now, as ever, to every creature under heaven; but
it appeals with a peculiar power to those who are guilty, and who confess
their guilt, to hearts that are broken, to men who are weary and heavy
laden. It is to these that the gospel comes with great sweetness. I have
quoted to you before those strange words of Joseph Hart,--
"A sinner is a sacred thing,
The Holy Ghost hath made him so."
He is; the Saviour is only for sinners. He did not come to save the
righteous, he came to seek and to save the lost, and still "to you is the word
of this salvation sent;" and this declaration still stands true, "This man
receiveth sinners, and eateth with them." There is no change in this
statement, "the poor have the gospel preached to them," and it comes to
those who are farthest off from God and hope, and inspires them with
divine power and energy.
Beloved, I can bear witness that the gospel is the same in its effects upon
the hearts of men. Still it breaks, and still it makes whole; still it wounds,
and still it heals; still it kills, and still it quickens; still it seems
to hurl men down to hell in their terrible experience of the evil of sin,
but still it lifts them up into an ecstatic joy, till they are exalted
almost to heaven when they lay hold upon it, and feel its power in their
souls. The gospel that was a gospel of births and deaths, of killing and
making alive, in the days of John Bunyan, has just the same effect upon our
hearts to this day, when it comes with the power that God has put into it
by his Spirit. It produces the same results, and has the same sanctifying
influence as it ever had.
Looking beyond the narrow stream of death, we can say that the eternal
results produced by the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ are the same as they
ever were. The promise is this day fulfilled to those who receive him as
much as to any who went before; life eternal is their inheritance, they shall
sit with him upon his throne; and, on the other hand, the threatening is
equally sure of fulfilment: "These shall go away into everlasting
punishment." "He that believeth not shall be damned." Christ has made no
change in his words of promise or of threatening, nor will his followers
dare to do so, for his doctrine is "the same yesterday, and to day, and for
ever."
If you were to try to think over this matter, and imagine for a minute that
the gospel really did shift and change with the times, it would be very
extraordinary. See, here is the gospel for the first century; make a mark,
and note how far it goes. Then there is a gospel for the second century;
make another mark, but then remember that you must change the colour to
another shade. Either these people must have altered, or else a very
different effect must have been produced in the same kind of minds. In
eternity, when they all get to heaven by these nineteen gospels, in the
nineteen centuries, there will be nineteen sets of people, and they will sing
nineteen different songs, depend upon it, and their music will not blend.
Some will sing of "free grace and dying love", while others will sing of
"evolution." What a discord it would be, and what a heaven it would be,
too! I should decline to be a candidate for such a place. No, let me go
where they praise Jesus Christ and him alone, singing, "Unto him that
loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, to him be glory
and dominion for ever and ever. Amen." That is what the first-century
saints sing; ay, and it is what the saints of every century will sing, without
any exception; and there will be no change in this song for ever. The same
results will flow from the same gospel till heaven and earth shall pass
away, for Jesus Christ is "the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever."
III. We may sound the same note again, for a moment, because JESUS CHRIST
IS THE SAME AS TO HIS MODES OF WORKING: "Jesus Christ the same yesterday,
and to day, and for ever."
How did Jesus Christ save souls in the olden time? "It pleased God by the
foolishness of preaching to save them that believe;" and if you will look
down through church history, you will find that, wherever there has been a
great revival of religion, it has been linked with the preaching of the
gospel. When the Methodists began to do so much good, what did they call
the men who made such a stir? "Methodist preachers", did they not say?
That was always the name, "Here comes a Methodist preacher." Ah, my
dear friends, the world will never be saved by Methodist doctors, or by
Baptist doctors, or anything of the sort; but multitudes will be saved, by
God's grace, through preachers. It is the preacher to whom God has
entrusted this great work. Jesus said, "Preach the gospel to every creature."
But men are getting tired of the divine plan; they are going to be saved by
the priest, going to be saved by the music, going to be saved by theatricals,
and nobody knows what! Well, they may try these things as long as ever
they like; but nothing can ever come of the whole thing but utter
disappointment and confusion, God dishonoured, the gospel travestied,
hypocrites manufactured by thousands, and the church dragged down to
the level of the world. Stand to your guns, brethren, and go on preaching
and teaching nothing but the Word of God, for it pleases God still, by the
foolishness of preaching, to save them that believe; and this text still
stands true, "Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever."
But remember that there must always be the prayers of the saints with the
preaching of the gospel. You must have often noticed that passage in the
Acts concerning the new converts on the Day of Pentecost, "They
continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine": they thought a great deal
about doctrine in those days. "And fellowship": they thought a good deal of
being in church-fellowship in those days. "And in breaking of bread": they
did not neglect the blessed ordinance of the Lord's supper in those days:
"In breaking of bread." And then what follows? "And in prayers." Some
say nowadays, that prayer-meetings are religious expedients pretty well
worn out. Ah, dear me! What a religious expedient that was that brought
about Pentecost, when they were assembled with one accord in one place,
and when the whole church prayed, and suddenly the place was shaken,
and they heard the sound as of a rushing mighty wind, that betokened the
presence of the Holy Ghost! Well, you may try to do without prayer-
meetings if you like; but my solemn conviction is that, as these decline, the
Spirit of God will depart from you, and the preaching of the gospel will be
of small account. The Lord will have the prayers of His people to go with
the proclamation of his gospel if it is to be the power of God unto salvation,
and there is no change in this matter since Paul's day, Jesus Christ is "the
same yesterday, and to day, and for ever." God is still to be enquired of by
the house of Israel to do it for them, and he still grants blessings in answer
to believing prayer.
Remember, too, that the Lord Jesus Christ has always been inclined to
work by the spiritual power of his servants. Nothing comes out of a man
that is not first in him. You will not find God's servants doing great things
for him, unless God works mightily in them, as well as by them. You must
first yourself be endued with power from on high, or else the power will
not manifest itself in what you do. Beloved, we want our church members
to be better men and better women; we want baby-Christians to become
men-Christians; and we want the men-Christians among us to be "strong
in the Lord, and in the power of his might." God will work by his servants
when they are adapted to his service; and he will make his instruments fit
for his work. It is not in themselves that they have any strength; their
weakness becomes the reason why his strength is seen in them. Still, there
is an adaptation, there is a fitness for his service, there is a cleanness
that God puts upon his instruments before he works mighty things by them;
and Jesus Christ is "the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever," in this
matter, too.
All the good that is ever done in the world is wrought by the Holy Ghost;
and as the Holy Spirit honours Jesus Christ, so he puts great honour upon
the Holy Spirit. If you and I try, either as a church or as individuals, to do
without the Holy Spirit, God will soon do without us. Unless we reverently
worship him, and believingly trust in him, we shall find that we shall be
like Samson when his locks were shorn. He shook himself as he had done
aforetime; but when the Philistines were upon him, he could do nothing
against them. Our prayer must ever be, "Holy Spirit, dwell with me! Holy
Spirit, dwell with thy servants!" We know that we are utterly dependent
upon him. Such is the teaching of our Master, and Jesus Christ is "the
same yesterday, and to day, and for ever."
IV. I do not want to weary you, my dear brethren; but may I be helped, just
for a few moments, to speak on a fourth point! JESUS CHRIST HAS EVER THE
SAME RESOURCES, for he is "the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever."
I will repeat what I said, Jesus Christ has ever the same resources. We sit
down, sometimes, very sorrowful, and we say, "The times are very dark." I
do not think that we can very well exaggerate their darkness; and they are
full of threatening omens, and I do not think that any of us can really
exaggerate those omens, they are so terrible. But still is it true, "The Lord
liveth, and blessed be my rock."
Does the Church feel her need of faithful men? The Lord can send us as
many as ever. When the Pope ruled everywhere, nobody thought, I should
imagine, that the first man to speak out for the old faith would be a monk;
they thought they had taken stock of all the men that God had at his
command, and they certainly did not think that he had one of the leaders of
the Reformation in a monastery; but there was Martin Luther, "the monk
that shook the world," and though men dreamed not what he would do,
God knew all about him. There was Calvin, also, writing that famous book
of his Institutes. He was a man full of disease, I think he had sixty diseases
at once in his body, and he suffered greatly. Look at his portrait, pale and
wan; and as a young man he was very timid. He went to Geneva, and he
thought he was called to write books; but Farel said to him, "You are called
to lead us in preaching the gospel here in Geneva." "No," said Calvin, for
he shrank from the task; but Farel said, "The blast of the Almighty God
will rest upon you unless you come out, and take your proper place."
Beneath the threat of that brave old man, John Calvin took his place,
prompt and sincere in the work of God, in life and in death never faltering.
Then there was Zwingle over there at Zurich, he had come out, too, and
Oecolampadius, and Melancthon, and their fellows,- -who ever expected
them to do what they did? Nobody. "The Lord gave the word, great was the
company of them that published it." And so, to-day, he has only to give the
word, and you shall see starting up all over the world earnest preachers of
the everlasting gospel, for he has the same resources as ever. He is "Jesus
Christ, the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever."
He has also the same resources of grace. The Holy Spirit is quite as able to
convert men, to quicken, enlighten, sanctify, and instruct. There is nothing
which he has done which he cannot do again; the treasures of God are as
full and as running over now as they were in the beginning of the Christian
age. If we do not see such great things, where lies the restraining force? It
is in our unbelief. "If thou believest, all things are possible to him that
believeth." Ere this year has gone, God can make a wave of revival break
over England, Scotland, and Ireland, from one end to the other, ay, and he
can deluge the whole world with the gospel if we will but cry to him for it,
and he wills to do it, for he is "the same yesterday, and to day, and for
ever," in the resources of his grace.
V. So I close my sermon with this fifth head, on which I will be very short
indeed, JESUS CHRIST IS EVER THE SAME TO ME: "yesterday, and to day, and
for ever."
I will not talk about myself except to help you to think about yourselves.
How long have you known the Lord Jesus Christ? Perhaps, only a short time;
possibly, many years. Do you remember when you first knew him? Can you
point out the spot of ground where Jesus met you? Now, what was he to you
at first? I will tell you what he was to me.
Jesus was to me at first my only trust. I leaned on him very hard then, for I
had such a load to carry. I laid myself and my load down at his feet; he was
all in all to me. I had not a shred of hope outside of him, nor any trust
beyond himself, crucified and risen for me. Now, dear brothers and sisters,
have you got any further than that? I hope not; I know that I have not. I
have not a shadow of a shade of confidence anywhere but in Christ's blood
and righteousness. I leaned on him very hard at the first; but I lean harder
now. Sometimes, I faint away into his arms; I have died into his life; I am
lost in his fulness, he is all my salvation and all my desire. I am speaking
for myself; but I think that I am speaking for many of you, too, when I say
that Jesus Christ is to me "the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever."
His cross, before my failing eyes, shall be my dying comfort as it is my
living strength.
What was Jesus Christ to me at the first? He was the object of my warmest
love; was it not so with you also? Was he not chief among ten thousand,
and altogether lovely? What charms, what beauties, were there in that dear
face of his! And what a freshness, what a novelty, what a delight, which set
all our passions on a flame! It was so in those early days when we went
after him into the wilderness. Though all the world around was barren, he
was all in all to us. Very well, what is he to-day? He is fairer to us now
than ever he was. He is the one gem that we possess; our other jewels have
all turned out to be but glass, and we have flung them from the casket, but
he is the Koh-i-noor that our souls delights in; all perfections joined
together to make one absolute perfection; all the graces adorning him, and
overflowing to us. Is not that what we say of him? "Jesus Christ the same
yesterday, and to day, and for ever."
What was Jesus Christ to me at the first? Well, he was my highest joy. In
my young days, how my heart did dance at the sound of his name! Was it
not so with many of you? We may be huskier in voice, and heavier in body,
and slower in moving our limbs, but his name has as much charm for us as
ever it had. There was a trumpet that nobody could blow but one who was
the true heir, and there is nobody who can ever fetch the true music out of
us but our Lord to whom we belong. When he sets me to his lips, you
would think that I was one of the trumpets of the seven angels; but there is
no one else who can make me sound like that. I cannot produce such music
as that by myself; and there is no theme that can ravish my heart, there is
no subject that can stir my soul, until I get to him. I think it is with me
as it was with Rutherford, when the Duke of Argyle called out, as he began
to preach about Christ, "Now, man, you are on the right string, keep to
that." The Lord Jesus Christ knows every key in our souls, and he can wake
up our whole being to harmonies of music which shall set the world ringing
with his praises. Yes, he is our joy, our everything, "the same yesterday,
and to day, and for ever."
Let us go forward, then, to the unchanging Saviour, through the changing
things of time and sense; and we shall meet him soon in the glory, and he
will be unchanged even there, as compassionate and loving to us when we
shall get home to him, and see him in his splendour, as he was to his poor
disciples when he himself had not where to lay his head, and was a sufferer
amongst them.
Oh, do you know him? Do you know him? Do you know him? If not, may he this
night reveal himself to you, for his sweet mercy's sake! Amen.
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