that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the Gospel, and believe"-such was Peter's story of the conversion of Gentiles. We are going to walk in this light, we are going to work to this end, throughout this series of meetings. "Hear, and your soul shall live "-here is the beginning of duty, and here is the fullness of blessing. What comes in between, whatever is said, known, felt, done, everything must point and lead straight from the duty to the blessing. There must be no asides, no delays, no interruptions, no time taken up in "indeterminate acts," nothing that will not urge the love of God as it makes the sinner responsible to accept immediately a salvation of grace. Certainly while we preach, and while you are exhorted to hear, we shall pray. Oh! yes, this is the work of God. We are co-workers with Him. We depend on Him for strength, guidance, consecration. We shall pray-pray often, pray fervently, for all for you, and for ourselves. shall not make prayer an obstruction. We shall not, we dare not, pray that God will save you by a miracle, apart from the Gospel, before you hear it and without your hearing it. We shall pray for His providences, for every grace door that the Gospel may win your ear and convert your heart. We shall sing for your salvationsing the Gospel, that its light and love may be music in your soul, persuading you to come to the Saviour without delay. We shall be ready to help you in any special manner-if you have any special inquiries to make concerning the Way, if there are particular doubts that need to be dissolved, if there are trials in your life that call for instruction and prayer. But, mark it! any and But we needed to open a all of these various methods must agree and work with the prime standard, the Gospel preached, heard, believed, obeyed. In the Gospel is the power of God; in the Gospel is the sword of the Spirit. Prayer, song, inquiry, hearing, counsel, study, guidance-all of them are under the Gospel of the grace of God, as it is preached to guilty sinners, as they are responsible for hearing it and accepting it, to their salvation. All of this is plain, is it not? Is it not the truth? Is it not at once scriptural and reasonable? Is it not as beautiful as it is reasonable, this Way of salvation opening clearly before our eyes? Behold, then, your responsibility, just as clear and reasonable. It is twofold. "Take heed what ye hear"-"Take heed therefore how ye hear. What you hear-how you hear. You want to hear the Word; not the traditions of the schools, but the truth; not the doctrines and commandments of men, but the Gospel. You want to hear "the word of the truth of the Gospel," as Paul summarily describes it. It is a Gospel of light-"I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in the darkness, but shall have the light of life." It is a Gospel of love-"God commendeth his own. love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." It is a Gospel of grace-"Justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus." It is a Gospel of truth-"These [signs] are written that ye may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God." It is a Gospel of facts"For I delivered unto you first of all that which also I received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; and that he was buried; and that he hath been raised again the third day according to the scriptures." It is a Gospel of universality-"Go ye into all the world, and preach the Gospel to the whole creation." It is a Gospel of precepts-"He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved." It is a Gospel of promises-"Repent ye, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ unto the remission of your sins; and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." It is a Gospel of character-"Let your manner of life be worthy of the Gospel of Christ." This is the Gospel to be heard and preached during this meeting. It is what every sinner ought to hear in every evangelistic service. It is what you have a right to hear, and what you ought to see that you do hear -a clear Gospel, not clouded; a definite Gospel, not vague; a complete Gospel, not emasculated; a Gospel of life, not of frigid dogma or rigid system. As you hear, you can think and judge for yourself, responsible to God alone. The Gospel of His glory, it is for the the good of man. Coming from Him, it is a Gospel of love and grace; and just as surely, meant for you and me, it is a Gospel of facts, precepts, promises-facts for us to believe, precepts for us to obey, promises for us to enjoy. And would we have a Scripture, a clear, broad, beautiful Scripture, in whose depths this Gospel of glory shines, its light and beauty unshaded by a single cloud, undisturbed by a single ripple, here it is: "For the grace of God hath appeared, bringing salvation to all men, instructing us, to the intent that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly and righteously and godly in this present world, looking for the blessed hope and appearing of the glory of our great God and Saviour Jesus Christ; who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a people for his own possession, zealous of good works." "Take heed what ye hear," but just as duly "Take heed how ye hear." You are to listen and learn while you hear. Hearing the Gospel is no thoughtless, irresponsible impression of catch-words and sepulchral tones. Salvation does not seize upon a man unknowingly, to his own surprise. I repeat, you are to listen and learn while you hear. Attention, judgment, knowledge, be sure, are involved in one's salvation. The influence of God, too-indeed, indeed so; let let us not forget it once in this meeting. "No man can come to me, except the Father which sent me draw him' it is Christ's own word. Those drawings of God, sweet, gentle, ceaseless-how blessed to know and feel them! And hear how he draws us! "It is written in the prophets, And they shall all be taught of God. Every one that hath heard from the Father, and hath learned, cometh unto me. Hearing, listening-hearing so attentively that you intelligently learn the Way-then are you taking heed how you hear as well as what you hear. Keep on hearing, I beg you. Do not listen just once, and then go your way, not to return. Do not hear, as the Holy Spirit strives with you, and guiltily resist His strivings. Keep on hearing. Learn truth after truth. See light after light. Receive the inflow of God's love in your heart. Yield, turn, follow wherever your Saviour leads. So hearing, your soul shall live. |