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Love In Action
A
PREPARATION FOR CHRIST’S COMING
NOTES OF BIBLE TEACHING
GIVEN BY PASTOR O. STOCKMAYER, AT DOVER, APRIL, 1895.
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V
Grace which bringeth Salvation
Titus 2:11-14
Let us
consider further that grace of God, of which Jesus said to His tried
Apostle, “My grace is sufficient for thee.” We shall see how grace
satisfies every true longing of the heart; and this will be a
foundation for us to see another thing, how, having been ourselves
satisfied, we may satisfy Him who died for us. When fully satisfied
we shall altogether lose sight of our needs, and at last come
up to the standard of our Lord’s prayer, which begins by caring for
the interest’s of God: Thy name, Thy kingdom, Thy will be done. This
is our only true, divine satisfaction.
It is most precious to preach a Gospel which can meet everyone in
the very place where he is. Jesus went through the Holy Land in the
days of His flesh with a word of help for all; for the blind, the
deaf, the lame, the poor, the dead, the publican, the harlot—for
everyone, even for the Pharisee. For example, there was one man who
had to be saved from a very strange thing; he had to be helped from
his riches; I mean Zacchaeus, He had heard of this wonderful Man,
Jesus, and he also was miserable and needy, and had many a struggle
in his heart. As you read the very short story in Luke 19:1-10, you
see that many things must have gone through the heart of Zacchaeus.
Again and again, under the burden of an accusing conscience, knowing
that all was not right about his riches and his good position in
Jericho, he had tried to get rid of his riches, but without success.
One day his conscience would be dissatisfied because he was
unwilling to give away all that he had to give; another day his
heart would be dissatisfied; he could not go so far. But when he
heard what Jesus Christ was doing, the thought may have arisen in
his heart: “This Man might help even me in my conflict.” He found a
place where he could, at least, observe Jesus. Persons sometimes
come into a meeting only to observe, but, maybe, in that hour there
comes to them a change for time and eternity; and so it was with
Zacchaeus.
At the very moment when he was rejoicing that he had succeeded in
seeing at leisure the Man who was passing by,—that very moment Jesus
stood still. His Father showed Him that, hidden behind the leaves of
this tree, was a soul which should be given Him in reward of the
sufferings which He was about to accomplish in Jerusalem (Luke
9:31). It was the last time He should go through Jericho, but
nothing could distract or preoccupy Him; His heart was open for the
least sign from His heavenly Father. The Father told Him the man’s
name, and He called to him, “Zacchaeus, make haste and come down;
for today I must abide at thy house.” He took him by surprise; there
was no preparation made at home, nothing ready; and suddenly the
Lord said He must come to his house! But behind all, there was a
true heart, recognizing in the Lord Jesus the One he needed; he
felt, “That Man can help me!” and he desired to be helped. If anyone
had said, “Zacchaeus, thou knowest not whom thou receivest; take
care, if thou receive this Man into thy house, thou wilt no longer
be master in it; He will be thy Master.” “That is what I need,” he
would have replied; “someone to take my house and business
altogether into his hands.” And he was right.
The very moment Jesus enters a house through the front door sin must
flee through the back door: Jesus and sin cannot both reside under
one roof. In one moment, through the very presence of Jesus, the
chains of Zacchaeus fell from him for ever, and his accounts were
closed; all was settled in a royal way. He was freed, not from
leprosy, nor blindness, nor deafness, but from a much more grievous
evil—from his love of money. He was made free from riches which had
been wrongfully acquired; free to serve his God. Do you see how
grace brings salvation and deliverance, light and freedom to all
men, whatever may be their situation? It brings fresh air into any
household, and changes the life of every man of business, even thine,
my brother, who art hidden in some corner of this room, as Zacchaeus
was hidden among the leaves of the tree.
We read further in Titus 2:12, “Teaching us” (A.V.) or “instructing
us” (R.V.). Neither word quite reproduces the Greek, which in Heb.
12, is translated “chasten.” Luther uses the word “discipline.” A
father educates his son, but education cannot be carried on without
discipline. Grace educates us, if need be, through chastisement.
There is a double discipline in grace; the inward work of the Holy
Ghost, and the outward discipline through God’s providence,
correcting us by afflictions and humiliations. In these various
ways, God in His wisdom and love trains us for heaven. Grace, having
subdued all things in our life, takes the reins of government, and
conquers, corrects, disciplines all which has not yet come into
obedience to Christ, practically proclaiming Him King and Lord over
all.
How often some have tried to discipline their own imaginations,
thoughts and remembrances; they could not sleep at night because
they could not forget the grievous occurrences of the day. They
fought against these memories, but they were too strong for them,
and they became feverish through loss of sleep. What a revelation
when we find our Lord’s chastening accomplishes what has mocked all
our efforts!
“Teaching us:” To what intent? “To the intent that, denying
ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly and
righteously and godly.” In heaven after death? No, in this present
world as it is, full of corruption and infection! The very air we
breathe, the things we see as we go through the streets—all is full
of infection and temptation in this evil world. To live walking as
Enoch did, without being entangled by human influence, never
intoxicated by success, never discouraged by failure, —a sober life.
“Righteously” maintaining an upright way in a wicked, perverted
world; not with the righteousness of the Pharisees, but righteously
in God’s eyes—oh, that is a miracle of grace! When we are at the
very end of our own possibilities, God’s grace raises its standard,
developing its might on the ruin of our efforts. Be not astonished;
my God would not be God if He were not able to do things far beyond
anything I can ask or think.
When the Holy Ghost raises new longings in your heart and you are
not satisfied, have the courage to believe that the grace of God
will succeed in triumphing over all obstacles, and will lead you,
even you, through the world in the path of soberness, righteousness,
and purity.
But first there must be a “denying ungodliness and worldly lusts.
You cannot go on without denying—either you deny Jesus Christ and
His grace, or you deny your own lusts and wickedness. Grace looses
us from the shameful bonds by which we have been bound, and enables
us to deny ourselves, so that we can say of ourselves “I do not know
that man who speaks,” or “that man who sits there.” Grace triumphs
so fully over fallen nature that the very same sinner who could not
help denying Jesus Christ, is now able to deny himself and to know
Jesus and the power of His resurrection. This was the highest, most
glorious prospect in Paul’s horizon, long years after his
conversion. He sought it not for Himself, but that he might enter
more deeply into the fellowship of Christ’s sufferings, and be
conformed to His death. A man who has such aspirations is loosed
from himself; he has learned to deny, to know nothing more of
himself. Another Man has appeared on his horizon before whom his own
glory and beauty die. In presence of the beauty of Jesus Christ you
see your own shame, but God has covered it with the righteousness of
Jesus. Separated from your own past, and one with Him, entering
every day into deeper union with Jesus Christ your other and true
Self, the Man in whom all mankind finds the true meaning of
existence, —you are “quickened together with Him.” True grace and
true glory are inseparable,
Even here below there is glory. We are transformed into His image
from glory to glory. Can you trust Jesus to bring this about? Can
you trust Him to enable you to deny your lusts, remembrances, human
hopes and horizons, that the other hope, the Coming of Christ, may
take their place?
Do you remember the last word in John 16? “These things have I
spoken unto you, that in Me ye may have peace. In the world ye have
tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” And
again (1 John 5:3-4), “For this is the love of God, that we keep His
commandments: and His commandments are not grievous. For whatsoever
is begotten of God overcometh the world; and this is the victory
that hath overcome the world, even our faith.” Our Lord went
through death and resurrection, and left behind Him a conquered
world; and if, through faith, I am united to Christ and loosed from
self, I stand before a world conquered by Him. Faith is nothing else
than seeing the world in the very place where Jesus Christ has put
it,—under His feet.
If you ask, “How shall I this day live soberly, righteously and
godly in my world and circumstances, with my family duties and
business?” then remember, O child of grace, that the Lord has left
behind Him a conquered world. Instead of crying for grace, as Moses
cried at the Red Sea, go forward; the Lord makes no mistakes, and He
bestows fresh grace, each day, for the difficulties of the day. In
His royal power He makes a pathway for you and me, so far as we look
steadfastly to Him. You say: It is all up with me. “Well, My child,
let Me have thee, and thou shalt see the glory of thy Lord who has
conquered all.” The holy women who went to the sepulcher and asked:
“Who shall roll us away the stone?” found the stone was already
rolled away. Our Mighty Shepherd is able to roll away all stones.
Faith transplants mountains and goes right on, leaning on Him.
You may have tribulation in the world; it will have one result, to
loose you more fully from the last bit of self-life that keeps you
connected with the world. Be no more of the world, but belong wholly
to Jesus; and then this very world, which looks so unconquerable,
will bring you new opportunities to glorify God, and to show the
reality of His grace, by the very difficulties and pressure it
brings. To secure this victory you must lean on your Lord, and
depend on Him for every step of your walk from morning to evening;
and so He gets the threads of your life more fully into His hands,
till it becomes impossible to take one step without Him! Thus we
learn in a practical way the old lessons: “Without Me, ye can do
nothing;” and, “I can do all things through Christ which
strengtheneth me.”
One word more. Of course such a life as is here described by Paul
means consecration. Then comes temptation. You know the story of
Naaman, the Syrian, who came to meet the prophet Elisha, the servant
of Jehovah. There is just one point I desire to mention. He
understood, the moment after he was healed, what many Christians
have not yet understood, that he could not be washed without
consecrating himself fully to the Lord. The moment he recognized
himself cleansed and healed through the waters of Jordan, he
declared: “Thy servant will henceforth offer neither burnt offering
nor sacrifice unto other gods, but unto the Lord Jehovah” (2 Kings
5:17). His conversion was an act of consecration, and the devil
laughed it to scorn: “Wilt thou take this stand? Just think; if thou
wilt henceforth bow down only before Jehovah, what a fool thou wilt
be! I will show thee how it will be when thou comest home. Hast thou
forgotten that thou art the first officer of the king of Syria; that
thou hast to go with him to the house of Rimmon; and when thy lord
bows himself down to the floor of the temple, wilt thou stand
upright and immovable? Impossible!”
In that very same way, when Satan sees a Christian or a sinner,
consecrating himself in reality, he brings a picture of his daily
life before him, and says: “Not just now; later on; when thou art in
other circumstances and surroundings do it, but not now.” The devil
hinders no one from consecrating himself to God tomorrow,
only let it not be today! Naaman asked that the Lord Jehovah would
pardon him, when he came home: “When my lord falls down before his
idol, I must fall down with him, I cannot do otherwise!”
If the prophet had entered into an explanation with him of God’s
demands, the devil would have raised other impossibilities before
the mind of Naaman. Elisha’s answer was only this: “Go in peace.”
That is neither “Yes,” nor “No,” only, “The Lord will provide; be
sure the difficulty will be settled in an unexpected way.” The
difficulty, the impossibility of living a truly consecrated, godly
life, exists only in your imagination. The very moment yon are
consecrated without any compromise, new possibilities will arise in
your horizon. God will provide for all contingencies, and what
appears the most difficult way will become the most easy, if you are
willing and have the courage to set your face steadfastly towards
uncompromising obedience.
If you cannot serve God faithfully in the place where you are, He
can find another place for you. But do not be in a great hurry to
abandon your post. Perhaps the Lord will have you remain where you
are, to show forth in you His mighty power; to show that a merchant
can lead a godly life in his business, which is apparently such an
impossible place. God’s power reaches further than our conceptions
and imaginations. Only leave everything with God: He may sustain you
in a way you never dreamt of. Let your daily life and walk be under
grace; and when all is dark, “In the mount of the Lord it shall be
provided” (Gen. 22:14). The Lord has new grace and fresh grace world
without end. Amen. |