| Christ Is All in All By D. L. Moody |
Colossians 3:11- Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor
uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and
in all.
CHRIST is all in all to every one who has truly found Him. He is our Savior,
Redeemer, Deliverer, Shepherd, Teacher, and also sustains toward us many
more offices, to which I desire to call your attention.
1. If we turn to Luke 2:10, 11, we find Christ is there announced as our
SAVIOR: "Behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to
all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is
Christ the Lord."
We learn to know Christ as our Savior, to meet Him on Mount Calvary, to
look on Him as the bleeding Lamb of God, before we know Him as our
Redeemer, Deliverer, and Shepherd. Now, looking round upon this vast
assembly, I, who do not know the hearts of the people, cannot know whether
you can say that Christ is your Savior. There are many, I trust, who can say
this, and who rejoice in His salvation; while, without being uncharitable, I am
afraid there are many who know nothing personally of Jesus as their Savior.
He is offered to every one of you today as a Savior; "God gave Him up
freely for us all," that we all through Him might be saved. If you are
belonging to this world, I can prove that you have a Savior. If you belonged to
some other planet, such as the moon or any of the stars, then I could not say a
Savior was offered to you; for it is not revealed whether the people of these
distant worlds, even if they are inhabited, require salvation or not. But this I
know, that every man on this globe has a Savior offered him.
SALVATION FREE TO ALL
I have no sympathy with those men who try to limit God's salvation to a
certain few. I believe that Christ died for all who will come. I have received
many letters finding fault with me, and saying I surely don't believe the doctrine
of election. I do believe in election; but I have no business to preach that
doctrine to the world at large. The world has nothing to do with election; it has
only to do with the invitation, "Whosoever will, let him take the water of life
freely." That is the message for the sinner. I am sent to preach the gospel to
all.
After you have received salvation, we can talk about election. It's a doctrine
for Christians, for the Church, not for the unconverted world. Our message is
"good tidings, which shall be to all people; for unto you is born this day
a Savior, which is Christ the Lord." All people, this Savior is proffered to
you. Accept Him, and God will accept you; reject Him, and God will reject
you. Your eternal destiny depends on your refusal or otherwise to accept the
proffered Savior. The case is simply one of giving and taking. God gives; I
receive. We must, then, first of all know Christ as our Savior.
2. But He is still more: He is our REDEEMER.
Supposing I saw a man tumble into a river, and I were to jump in and rescue
him, I should be a savior to him - I should have saved him. But when I brought
the man ashore, I should probably leave him, and do nothing further.
But the Lord does more. He not only saves us, but He redeems us - that is,
buys us back. He ransoms us from the power of sin, as if I should promise
to watch over that rescued man for ever, and see that he did not again fall into
the water. The Lord not only saves us from spiritual death, but He redeems us
for ever that death can never touch us.
LIBERTY TO THE CAPTIVES
When I was at Richmond, U.S., the colored people were going to have a
meeting. It was the first day of their freedom. I went to the African church,
and never before or since heard such bursts of native eloquence.
"Mother," said one, "rejoice today. Your little child has been sold from you
for the last time; your posterity are for ever free. Glory to God in the highest!
Young men, you have heard the driver's whip for the last time; you are free
today! Young maidens, you have been put up on the auction- block for the
last time!" They spoke right out, they shouted for joy; their prayers had been
answered, it was the gospel to them. In like manner Jesus Christ proclaims
liberty to the captives. Some have accepted it; some, like the poor negroes,
scarcely believe the good tidings; but it is none the less true. Christ has come
to redeem us from the slavery of sin.
Now, who will accept of that redemption? There was one colored woman, a
servant in an inn in the Southern States, who could not believe she was free.
"Be's I free, or be I not?" she asked of a visitor. Her master told her she was
not, her colored brethren told her she was. For two years she had been free
without knowing it. She represents a great many in the Church of God
today. They can have liberty, and yet they don't know it.
3. Again, Christ is our DELIVERER.
The children of Israel were not only saved and redeemed from the bondage of
the Egyptians, but they were also delivered, that they should not be led back
again into bondage. Many are afraid; they think they are not able to hold on,
and therefore shrink from making a profession. But Christ is able to keep
you from falling; He is able to deliver you in the dark hour of trial and
temptation, from every evil device of Satan, and from the snare of the
fowler.
In Isaiah 49:24, we read: "Shall the prey be taken from the mighty, or the
lawful captive delivered? But thus saith the Lord, Even the captives of the
mighty shall be taken away, and the prey of the terrible shall be delivered:
for I will contend with him that contendeth with thee, and I will save thy
children." I will save him; I will deliver him. The children of Israel were saved
from the cruel bondage of Egypt, they were led out of the land of Goshen; but
still they were not fully delivered. The great host of the Egyptians was
thundering behind them. It was not till they had passed safely through the Red
Sea, which closing behind, them, swallowed up the host of the enemy - it was
not till then that they were free, that they were delivered. And similarly in our
times of danger we shall find it to be true of Christ, "He delivered my soul";
and again in Job 33:24, "Then He is gracious unto him, and saith, Deliver
him from going down to the pit: I have found a ransom. His flesh shall
be fresher than a child's: he shall return to the days of his youth: he shall
pray unto God, and He will be favorable unto him: and he shall see His
face with joy: for He will render unto man His righteousness. He will
deliver his soul from going into the pit, and his life shall see the light."
Here we have the saving, the redeeming, the deliverance from the pit. Man is
fallen into the deep pit, he is kept there a lawful captive by one who is mighty.
If he is to be brought back from the darkness of the pit to see the light, then
we must have a ransom. Here God comes forward, and says, "I have found a
ransom." Christ is the ransom, and He will deliver us. Sound out the cry,
"Christ is our deliverer." He is mighty to save, He is able to deliver.
A LEADER
4. But now we need something more. Look back again to the children of Israel;
when they had marched gloriously through the Red Sea, they had been saved,
redeemed, and delivered; but was that all they required? No; they had been
brought into the wilderness. What now do they need? They must have a way
to go in the pathless desert. They required a leader. Then Christ is the way
and the leader. Are we in difficulties, in doubt, or in perplexity? Christ is our
way. "I am the way, the truth, and the life" (John 14:6).
I have heard some say, "Well, if I am converted, and become religious, I don't
know what church I would go to. There are so many different churches and
denominations. I really don't know which is the right one." Hence some people
are bewildered, and do not know which is the true way. Well, I would say to
such, Look only to Him who says, "I AM THE WAY." He is the only true
way, and if you want to reach the kingdom you have only to follow Him. We
may be in darkness, but He is able to lead us in the right path. He is the
Shepherd of His flock. He will go before us and lead us. He is calling upon us
to arise and follow Him, and He will lead us by a way we know not; He will
guide us to the green pastures if we only look to Him.
THE PILLAR OF CLOUD
All that the children of Israel had to do was to follow the cloud. If the cloud
rested, they rested; if the cloud moved forward, then they moved. I can
imagine that the first thing Moses did, when the gray dawn of morning broke,
was to look up and see if the cloud was still over the camp. By night it was a
pillar of fire, lighting up the camp, and filling them with a sense of God's
protecting care; by day it was a cloud shielding them from the fierce heat
of the sun's rays, and sheltering them from the sight of their enemies.
Israel's Shepherd could lead them through the pathless desert. Why? Because
He made it. He knew every grain of sand in it. They could not have a better
leader through the wilderness than its Creator.
And, sinner, can you, in all your difficulties or doubts and fears, have a better
leader than Jehovah? Oh, I do like that good old hymn: "Guide me, O Thou
great Jehovah, Pilgrim through this barren land; I am weak, but Thou art
mighty, Hold me with Thy powerful hand. Bread of heaven, Feed me till I
want no more." Yes, that is the true prayer of the bewildered sinner. God is
able, and still more, He is willing, to lead us, and to feed us.
"Thou gavest them bread from heaven for their hunger, and broughtest
forth water for them out of the rock for their thirst" (Nehemiah 9:15).
He is still as able to lead any of us as He was four thousand years ago to lead
the children of Israel, "For I am the Lord; I change not." To every one of
us He says, "Fear not, I will lead thee; I will help thee." Wonderful thing, is it
not, to have God to help us on our way? In our Western countries, when men
go out hunting into the dense backwoods, where there are no roads or paths of
any kind, they take their hatchet and cut a little chip out of the bark of the trees
as they go along, and then they easily find their way by these "blazes." They
call it "blazing the way." And so, if you will allow me the expression, Christ has
"blazed the way." He has traveled the road Himself, and knowing the way,
He tells us to follow Him, and He will lead us safe on high.
5. Now we have seen Christ is our Savior, Redeemer, Deliverer, Leader, or
Way. But He is more than all that; HE IS OUR LIGHT.
"I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in
darkness, but shall have the light of life." He shall have the very "light of
life." Yes, it is the privilege of every Christian to walk in an unclouded sky.
But do we walk thus in an unclouded sky? No, most Christians are often in
darkness. If I were to ask this congregation if they were all walking in the light,
I believe there is scarcely one, if he spoke the true feeling of his heart, but
would reply, "No, I am often in darkness." Why is that? It is because we are
not following Christ, and keeping close to Him. We are much in darkness
when we might be in the light.
Suppose the windows of this building were all closed, and we were complaining
of the darkness, what would any one say to us? Why, they would say, "Admit
the light; open the windows all round, and you'll soon have plenty of light."
Similarly we must let in Christ, who is the light, and open our minds to receive
Him, and we shall soon walk in light. There is a great deal of darkness at the
present time, even in the hearts of God's own people. But follow Him, and
then you will have plenty of light. Then Christ will show to each of us that
He is "The Light"; and He will do more, He will set us on fire with His
light, that we also may shine as lights in this dark world.
May God help His own people to SHINE BRIGHTLY, to flash out of
darkness, that men may take knowledge of us that we have been with Jesus.
But remember, the world hates the light. Christ was the light of the world, and
the world sought to extinguish it at Calvary. Now He has left His people to
shine. "Ye are the light of the world." He has left us here to shine. He means
us to be "living epistles, known and read of all men." The world is certain to
watch, and to read you and me. If we are inconsistent, then you may be sure
the world will take occasion to stumble at us.
The world finds plenty of difficulties on the way; let us see that we Christians
do not add more stumbling-blocks by our un-Christlike walk.
God help us to keep our lights burning clear and brilliant! Out West a friend of
mine was walking along one of the streets one dark night, and saw approaching
him a man with a lantern. As he came up close to him he noticed by the bright
light that the man had got no eyes. He went past, but the thought struck him,
"Surely that man is blind." He turned round, and said, "My friend, are you not
blind?" "Yes." "Then what have you got the lantern for?" "I carry the lantern
that people may not stumble over me, of course," said the blind man. Let us
take a lesson from that blind man, and hold up our light, burning with the clear
radiance of heaven, that men may not stumble over us.
6. Objectors have said that it's all moonshine about Christ's people being lights
on the way. Well, that's just what we believe; we reflect the light of Christ.
REFLECTED LIGHT
Just like the moonshine, our light is borrowed light. When we are living in the
light of our Savior we shine with His light: somewhat like the face of Moses,
which shone after he had been in the mount with God. Let us live in an
atmosphere of heaven, and we cannot help shining. But whenever we get
downcast and weak in faith, then we are sure to lose our light.
I remember during the American war I was in a prayer meeting. We were all
very dark and gloomy. Things had been going against us for some time.
At last an old man got up, and said, "What is the matter with us, that we are
downhearted and sad? It is simply our lack of faith. Moses, Joshua, and David
were men strong in faith. They believed, and therefore God honored them.
Whence comes our want of faith? God is not dead. He is as powerful, as
willing, to help today as ever He was. Why, then, are we not full of faith in
Him? It is God-dishonoring to forget that He still has power, although our
armies are defeated, and all seems dark and gloomy."
GET ABOVE THE CLOUDS
I will tell you what happened to me some time ago when I was out West. I
wanted to reach the summit of one of the Western mountains. I had been told
that sunrise was very beautiful when seen from the summit. We got up to the
half-way house one afternoon, where we were to rest till midnight, and then set
out for the top. Soon a little party of us started with a good guide. Before a
great while it began to rain, and then it became a regular storm of thunder and
lightning. I thought there was little use in going on, and said to the guide,
"Guess we'd better turn back; we won't see anything this morning, with all
these clouds." "Oh," said the guide, "I expect we'll soon get through these
clouds, and get above them, and then we'll have a glorious view." So we went
on, whilst the thunders were rumbling right about our ears. But soon we began
to get above the thunder-cloud; the air was quite clear, and when the sun rose
we had a splendid view of his rays as they tinged the hilltops; and then, as the
glorious sunshine began to break on where we stood, we could see the dark
cloud far beneath our mountain height. That's what God's people want - to
get into the clear air above the stormy clouds, and to CLIMB HIGHER
away up to the mountain peak. There you'll catch the first rays from the
Sun of Righteousness far above the clouds and mists. Some of you may be
in great darkness and gloom; but fear not, climb higher, get nearer to the
Master, and soon you'll catch His bright rays on your own soul, and they will
sprinkle back upon others.
KEEP THE LOWER LIGHTS BURNING
We must live as children of the light, not as children of the darkness. If we are
dark and sorrowful, how is the world to know that we are children of peace,
and joy, and gladness? Our determination must be to keep our lights burning. A
few years ago, at the mouth of Cleveland harbor there were two lights, one at
each side of the bay, called the upper and lower lights; and, to enter the harbor
safely by night, vessels must sight both of these lights.
These Western lakes are more dangerous sometimes than the great ocean.
One wild, stormy night a steamer was trying to make her way into the harbor.
The captain and the pilot were anxiously watching for the lights.
By and by the pilot was heard to say, "Do you see the lower lights?" "No," was
the reply; "but I fear we have passed them." "Ah, there are the lights," said the
pilot; "and they must be, from the bluff on which they stand, the upper lights.
We have passed the lower lights, and have lost our chance of getting into the
harbor." What was to be done? They looked back, and saw the dim outline of
the lower lighthouse against the sky. The lights had gone out. "Can't you turn
her head round?" "No; the night is too wild for that. She won't answer her
helm." The storm was so fearful that they could do nothing. They tried again to
make for the harbor, but they went crash against the rocks, and sank to the
bottom. Very few escaped; the great majority found a watery grave. Why?
Simply because the lower lights had gone out.
And with us the upper lights are all right. Christ Himself is the upper light, and
we are the lower lights, and the cry to us is, keep the lower lights burning, that
is what we have to do. In the place God has put us He expects us to shine, to
be living witnesses, to be a bright and shining light.
While we are here our work is to shine for Him, and He will lead us safe to
the sunlit shore of Canaan, where there is no more night.
7. But Christ is more than our Light on the way; for He is OUR TEACHER.
What a wonderful thing to have a teacher sent from heaven. "If any man lack
wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth
not; and it shall be given him" (James 1:5).
"If any lack wisdom": I am afraid there are a great many of us who lack
wisdom, and even the best of us at times will be in perplexity. There are
moments in the life of us all when we seem in a fix; we just stand still, and say,
"What shall I do? I don't know what is the best way." Oh, leave it with God,
He will Himself be our teacher! "Come unto me, all ye that labor and are
heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn
of me." Here is a wonderful teacher. He has had a school for many thousand
years; He has had the best men in His school; but still there's room for another
scholar there. His college is not too full yet, and the teacher is the One sent
from heaven.
Any one, every one in this assembly may join this school. Jesus will welcome
you there. Are you in doubt about anything? Ask Jesus; He will tell you.
Anxious sinner, seek the good teacher, as Nicodemus did: "Master, we know
thou art a teacher sent from God." If you seek Him thus He will direct you.
He will keep you, and lead you into green pastures and by the still waters.
I met a woman the other day who was full of infidel doubts and fancies. She
could not believe. Reading for some time infidel works had thrown a dark and
gloomy pall over her mind. It made me sad to see her in such a case. Some of
you may be like her. I wish you would take Christ as your teacher, and then all
darkness would flee away.
Christ is able to teach us. See how He taught the disciples. He never wearied of
their learning from Him. So He will teach us if we will only listen to Him.
THE OLD JUDGE CONVERTED
I remember, as I was coming out of the daily prayer meeting in one of our
American cities a few years ago, a lady said she wished to speak to me; her
voice trembled with emotion, and I saw at once that she was heavily burdened
by something or other. She said she had long been praying for her husband,
and she wanted to know if I would go to see him; she thought it might do him
some good. What is his name? "Judge__ ," and she mentioned one of the most
eminent politicians in the State. "I have heard of him," I said; "I am afraid I
need not go, he is a booked infidel; I cannot argue with him." "That is not what
he wants," said the lady. "He has had too much argument already. Go and
speak to him about his soul." I said I would, although I was not very hopeful. I
went to his house, was admitted to his room, and introduced myself as having
come to speak to him about salvation. "Then you have come on a very foolish
errand," said he; "there's no use in attacking me, I tell you that. I am proof
against all these things, I don't believe in them." Well, I saw it was no use
arguing with him; so I said, "I'll pray for you, and I want you to promise me
that when you are converted you'll let me know." "Oh, yes, I'll let you know,"
he said in a tone of sarcasm. "Oh, yes, I'll let you know when I'm converted!"
I left him, but I continued to pray for him. Some time subsequently I heard that
the old judge was converted. I was again preaching in that city a while after
that, and when I had done talking the judge himself came to me, and said: "I
promised I'd let you know when I was converted; I have come to tell you of it.
Have you not heard of it?" "Yes; but I would like to hear from you how it
happened." "Well," said the judge, "one night, some time after you called on
me, my wife had gone to the meeting; there was no one in the house but the
servants. I sat by the drawing-room fire, and I began to think: Suppose my wife
is right, that there is a heaven and a hell; and suppose she is on the right way to
heaven, where am I going? I just dismissed the thought. But a second thought
came: Surely He who created me is able to teach me. Yes, I thought, that is so.
Then why not ask Him? I struggled against it, but at last, though I was too
proud to get down on my knees, I just said, 'Father, all is dark; Thou who
created me canst teach me.' "Somehow, the more I prayed the worse I felt. I
was very sad. I did not wish my wife to come home and find me thus, so I
slipped away to bed, and when she came into the room I pretended to be
asleep. She got down on her knees and prayed. I knew she was praying for
me, and that for many long years she had been doing so. I felt as if I could
have jumped up and knelt beside her; but no, my proud heart would not let
me, so I lay still, pretending to be asleep. But I didn't sleep that night. I soon
changed my prayer; it was now, 'O God, save me; take away this terrible
burden.' "I didn't believe in Christ even yet. I thought I'd go right straight to
the Father Himself. But the more I prayed I only became the more miserable;
my burden grew heavier. The next morning I did not wish to see my wife, so I
said 'I was not well, and wouldn't wait for breakfast.' I went to the office, and
when the boy came I sent him home for a holiday. When the clerks came I told
them they might go for the day. I closed the office doors: I wanted to be alone
with God. I was almost frantic in my agony of heart. I cried to God to take
away this load of sin. At last I fell on my knees, and cried, 'For Jesus Christ's
sake take away this load of sin.' At length I went to my wife's pastor, who had
been praying with her for my conversion for years, and the same minister who
had prayed with my mother before she died. As I walked down the street the
verse that my mother had taught me came into my mind, 'Whatsoever things
ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.'
Well, I thought, I have asked God, and here I am going to ask a man. I won't
go.
I believe I am a Christian. I turned and went home. I met my wife in the hall as
I entered. I caught her hand, and said, 'I am a Christian now.' She turned quite
pale; she had been praying for twenty-one years for me, and yet she could not
believe the answer had come. We went into our room, and knelt down by the
very bedside where she had so often knelt to pray for her husband. There we
erected our family altar; and for the first time our voices mingled in prayer.
And I can only say that the last three months have been the happiest months
ever I spent in my life." Since then that judge has lived a consistent Christian
life; and all because he came to God, asking for guidance.
If there is one here today whose mind is filled with such infidel thoughts, go
honestly to God, and He will teach you the right way through the dark
wilderness of infidelity. He won't leave you in darkness or doubt. It is the
devil's own work to lead men into such doubts; well he knows if he once gets
them there he has them pretty safe.
It is Satan's work to keep you in ignorance or doubt. It is God's work to
teach you. The teacher is Christ; He is appointed by God for this work.
God help us all to accept Him as our teacher.
8. Now we have seen Christ as our Savior, Redeemer, Deliverer, Leader,
Light, and Teacher. But He is still more; He is also OUR SHEPHERD.
A very sweet thought it is to me, "The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want."
There is not one here, except the very babes, who does not understand the
work of a shepherd. He watches over his flock, protects them from danger,
feeds them, leads them into the best pastures. In fact, the 23rd Psalm is just a
statement of the duties of a good shepherd: "The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall
not want," etc.
You want to be fed; are you going to wander about seeking something to
satisfy the cravings of your soul? Then, I tell you, you never will find anything
to satisfy the longings of your heart. The world cannot, and never could,
satisfy a hungry soul. The Lord Jesus can - He is the true Shepherd. He is
seeking to restore your soul, to lead you back to the paths of righteousness.
Even to death will He lead you, and safely through its shadow guide you to a
better
land. Mother, father, will you claim Him as your Shepherd? Young man,
young woman, will you have Him as your Shepherd? My little child, will you
have Jesus as your Shepherd? He will lead safely and softly.
You can, all of you, if you will. For "God gave Him up freely for us all," that
He might have us for His flock. He will lead us through life, down to the banks
of the Jordan; He will lead us across the dark river into His kingdom. He is a
tender, loving Shepherd.
I sometimes meet people in the anxious inquiry-room who are nourishing
hard, bitter feelings against God, generally because they have been afflicted. A
mother said to me the other day, "Ah, Mr. Moody, God has been unjust to me;
He has come and taken away my child." Dear afflicted mothers, has God not
removed your children to a pure and happy life? You may not understand it
now, but you will by and by. He wants to lead you up there.
THE EASTERN SHEPHERD.
A friend of mine, who had been in eastern lands, told me he saw a shepherd
who wanted his flock to cross a river. He went into the water himself and
called them; but no, they would not follow him into the water.
What did he do? Why, he girded up his loins and lifted a little lamb under each
arm, and plunged right into the stream, and crossed it without even looking
back. Whenever he lifted the lambs, the old sheep looked up into his face and
began to bleat for them; but when he plunged into the water the dams plunged
after him, and then the whole flock followed. When they got to the other side
he put down the lambs, and they were quickly joined by their mothers, and
there was a happy meeting.
My friend says he noticed the pastures on the other side were much better and
the fields greener; and on this account the shepherd was leading them across.
Our great Palestine Shepherd does that. That child which He has taken from
the earth is but removed to green pastures of Canaan, and the Shepherd means
to draw your hearts after it, to teach you to "set your affections on things
above." When He has taken your little Mary, Edith, or Julia, accept it as a call
to look upward and beyond. You, mother, are you weeping bitter tears for your
little one? Do not weep! Your child has gone to the place where there is neither
weeping nor sorrow. Would you have it return? Surely never.
Christ is our Shepherd - faithful and loving. Though sickness, or trouble, or
even death itself, should come to our house, and claim our dearest ones, still
they are not lost, but only gone before. God help each one of us to have
Him as our Shepherd.
If time permitted, I should like to take up the subject of Christ as our
Justification, our Wisdom, our Righteousness, the Friend that sticketh closer
than a brother; but it would take a whole eternity to tell what Christ is to His
people, and what He does for them.
I remember when I was preaching on this subject in Scotland, after I had done,
I said to a man that "I was sorry I could not finish the subject for want of
time." "Finish the subject," said the Scotchman, "why, that would require all
eternity, and even then it would not be complete; it will be the occupation of
heaven."
9. Once more, let us look at Christ as OUR BURDEN-BEARER.
Oh, I love to think of Him as the bearer of our burdens as well as our
sin-bearer.
He carries our sins, although they are more numerous than the hairs of our
heads. Great and terrible as these burdens are, God has laid them all on Jesus.
"O Christ, what burdens bowed Thy head! Our load was laid on Thee." That
aspect of His burden-bearing we have already looked at in His work as Savior
and Redeemer. I wish now to take up the sweet thought, which has been a
great comfort to me.
"Surely He hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows." Glorious, is it not,
to know we have such a Savior? Can you feel that He has lifted your burden
off your shoulders on to His own shoulder? Then you will feel light in heart.
A LIGHT HEART
On one occasion, after I had been talking this way, a woman came forward,
and said, "Oh, Mr. Moody, it's all very well for you to talk like that, about a
light heart. But you are a young man, and if you had a heavy burden like me
you would talk differently. I could not talk in that way, my burden is too
great." I replied, "But it's not too great for Jesus." "Oh," she said, "I cannot cast
it on Him." "Why not? surely it is not too great for Him. It is not that He is
feeble. But it is because you will not leave it to Him. You're like many others.
They will not leave it with Him. They go about hugging their burden, and yet
crying out against it. What the Lord wants is, you to leave it with Him, to let
Him
carry it for you. Then you will have a light heart, sorrow will flee away, and
there will be no more sighing. What is your burden, my friend, that you cannot
leave with Christ?" She replied, "I have a son who is a wanderer on the face of
the earth. None but God knows where he is." "Cannot Christ find him, and
bring him back?" "I suppose He can." "Then go and tell Jesus, and ask Him to
forgive you for doubting His power and willingness; you have no right to
mistrust Him." She went away much comforted, and I believe she ultimately
had her wandering boy restored to her!
A MOTHER'S PRAYER ANSWERED
This circumstance reminds me of a faithful father and mother in our country,
whose eldest son had gone to Chicago to a situation. A neighbor of theirs was
in the city on some business, and he met the young man reeling along the
streets drunk. He thought, "How am I to tell his parents?" When he returned to
his village, he went and called out the father, and told him. It was a terrible
blow to that father, but he said nothing to the mother till the little ones had all
gone to rest; the servants had retired, and all was quiet in that little farm on the
Western prairies. They drew up their chairs to the little drawing-room table,
and then he told her the sad news. "Our boy has been seen drunk on the streets
of Chicago - drunk." Ah, that mother was sorely hurt; they did not sleep much
that night, but spent the hours in fervent prayers for their boy. About daybreak
the mother felt an inward conviction that all would be well. She told the father
"she had cast it on the Lord, had left her son with Jesus, and she felt He would
save him."
One week from that time the young man left Chicago, took a journey of three
hundred miles into the country; and when he reached his home, he walked in,
and said, "Mother, I've come home to ask you to pray for me." Ah, her prayer
had reached heaven; she had cast her burden on Jesus, and He had borne it for
her. He took the burden, presented her prayer sprinkled with the atoning blood,
and got it answered. In two days that young man returned to Chicago rejoicing
in the Savior. What a wonderful thing it is to have Christ as our burden-bearer!
How easy, how light do our cares become when cast upon Him!
Do you say Christ is nothing to you? If so, it is only because you won't have
Him. He is to all who will accept Him a Savior from death, a Redeemer
from the power of sin, a Deliverer from our enemies, a Leader through
the wilderness; He is the way Himself, He is Light in the darkness, He is a
Teacher to His people, He is the Shepherd of His flock, our Justification,
Wisdom, Righteousness, Elder Brother, Burden-bearer.
He is in fact "Our all in all." Then come to Christ; oh, come today, The Father,
Son, and Spirit say, The Bride repeats the call, For He will cleanse your guilty
stains, His love will soothe your weary pains, For Christ is All in All.
FURTHER READING:
THE FIRST STEP TO BLESSING
CONSIDER WHO THE LORD IS
CHRIST JESUS IN THE BOAT
THE BIBLE CURE FOR DOUBT- For when doubts come your way
PSALM 39:7...WHAT WAIT I FOR?
JESUS THE GREAT "I AM" - Jesus Is God!
HAVING THE JOY OF THE LORD
TRUST IN GOD, HOPE IN GOD- Bible Answers To Worry
uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and
in all.
CHRIST is all in all to every one who has truly found Him. He is our Savior,
Redeemer, Deliverer, Shepherd, Teacher, and also sustains toward us many
more offices, to which I desire to call your attention.
1. If we turn to Luke 2:10, 11, we find Christ is there announced as our
SAVIOR: "Behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to
all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is
Christ the Lord."
We learn to know Christ as our Savior, to meet Him on Mount Calvary, to
look on Him as the bleeding Lamb of God, before we know Him as our
Redeemer, Deliverer, and Shepherd. Now, looking round upon this vast
assembly, I, who do not know the hearts of the people, cannot know whether
you can say that Christ is your Savior. There are many, I trust, who can say
this, and who rejoice in His salvation; while, without being uncharitable, I am
afraid there are many who know nothing personally of Jesus as their Savior.
He is offered to every one of you today as a Savior; "God gave Him up
freely for us all," that we all through Him might be saved. If you are
belonging to this world, I can prove that you have a Savior. If you belonged to
some other planet, such as the moon or any of the stars, then I could not say a
Savior was offered to you; for it is not revealed whether the people of these
distant worlds, even if they are inhabited, require salvation or not. But this I
know, that every man on this globe has a Savior offered him.
SALVATION FREE TO ALL
I have no sympathy with those men who try to limit God's salvation to a
certain few. I believe that Christ died for all who will come. I have received
many letters finding fault with me, and saying I surely don't believe the doctrine
of election. I do believe in election; but I have no business to preach that
doctrine to the world at large. The world has nothing to do with election; it has
only to do with the invitation, "Whosoever will, let him take the water of life
freely." That is the message for the sinner. I am sent to preach the gospel to
all.
After you have received salvation, we can talk about election. It's a doctrine
for Christians, for the Church, not for the unconverted world. Our message is
"good tidings, which shall be to all people; for unto you is born this day
a Savior, which is Christ the Lord." All people, this Savior is proffered to
you. Accept Him, and God will accept you; reject Him, and God will reject
you. Your eternal destiny depends on your refusal or otherwise to accept the
proffered Savior. The case is simply one of giving and taking. God gives; I
receive. We must, then, first of all know Christ as our Savior.
2. But He is still more: He is our REDEEMER.
Supposing I saw a man tumble into a river, and I were to jump in and rescue
him, I should be a savior to him - I should have saved him. But when I brought
the man ashore, I should probably leave him, and do nothing further.
But the Lord does more. He not only saves us, but He redeems us - that is,
buys us back. He ransoms us from the power of sin, as if I should promise
to watch over that rescued man for ever, and see that he did not again fall into
the water. The Lord not only saves us from spiritual death, but He redeems us
for ever that death can never touch us.
LIBERTY TO THE CAPTIVES
When I was at Richmond, U.S., the colored people were going to have a
meeting. It was the first day of their freedom. I went to the African church,
and never before or since heard such bursts of native eloquence.
"Mother," said one, "rejoice today. Your little child has been sold from you
for the last time; your posterity are for ever free. Glory to God in the highest!
Young men, you have heard the driver's whip for the last time; you are free
today! Young maidens, you have been put up on the auction- block for the
last time!" They spoke right out, they shouted for joy; their prayers had been
answered, it was the gospel to them. In like manner Jesus Christ proclaims
liberty to the captives. Some have accepted it; some, like the poor negroes,
scarcely believe the good tidings; but it is none the less true. Christ has come
to redeem us from the slavery of sin.
Now, who will accept of that redemption? There was one colored woman, a
servant in an inn in the Southern States, who could not believe she was free.
"Be's I free, or be I not?" she asked of a visitor. Her master told her she was
not, her colored brethren told her she was. For two years she had been free
without knowing it. She represents a great many in the Church of God
today. They can have liberty, and yet they don't know it.
3. Again, Christ is our DELIVERER.
The children of Israel were not only saved and redeemed from the bondage of
the Egyptians, but they were also delivered, that they should not be led back
again into bondage. Many are afraid; they think they are not able to hold on,
and therefore shrink from making a profession. But Christ is able to keep
you from falling; He is able to deliver you in the dark hour of trial and
temptation, from every evil device of Satan, and from the snare of the
fowler.
In Isaiah 49:24, we read: "Shall the prey be taken from the mighty, or the
lawful captive delivered? But thus saith the Lord, Even the captives of the
mighty shall be taken away, and the prey of the terrible shall be delivered:
for I will contend with him that contendeth with thee, and I will save thy
children." I will save him; I will deliver him. The children of Israel were saved
from the cruel bondage of Egypt, they were led out of the land of Goshen; but
still they were not fully delivered. The great host of the Egyptians was
thundering behind them. It was not till they had passed safely through the Red
Sea, which closing behind, them, swallowed up the host of the enemy - it was
not till then that they were free, that they were delivered. And similarly in our
times of danger we shall find it to be true of Christ, "He delivered my soul";
and again in Job 33:24, "Then He is gracious unto him, and saith, Deliver
him from going down to the pit: I have found a ransom. His flesh shall
be fresher than a child's: he shall return to the days of his youth: he shall
pray unto God, and He will be favorable unto him: and he shall see His
face with joy: for He will render unto man His righteousness. He will
deliver his soul from going into the pit, and his life shall see the light."
Here we have the saving, the redeeming, the deliverance from the pit. Man is
fallen into the deep pit, he is kept there a lawful captive by one who is mighty.
If he is to be brought back from the darkness of the pit to see the light, then
we must have a ransom. Here God comes forward, and says, "I have found a
ransom." Christ is the ransom, and He will deliver us. Sound out the cry,
"Christ is our deliverer." He is mighty to save, He is able to deliver.
A LEADER
4. But now we need something more. Look back again to the children of Israel;
when they had marched gloriously through the Red Sea, they had been saved,
redeemed, and delivered; but was that all they required? No; they had been
brought into the wilderness. What now do they need? They must have a way
to go in the pathless desert. They required a leader. Then Christ is the way
and the leader. Are we in difficulties, in doubt, or in perplexity? Christ is our
way. "I am the way, the truth, and the life" (John 14:6).
I have heard some say, "Well, if I am converted, and become religious, I don't
know what church I would go to. There are so many different churches and
denominations. I really don't know which is the right one." Hence some people
are bewildered, and do not know which is the true way. Well, I would say to
such, Look only to Him who says, "I AM THE WAY." He is the only true
way, and if you want to reach the kingdom you have only to follow Him. We
may be in darkness, but He is able to lead us in the right path. He is the
Shepherd of His flock. He will go before us and lead us. He is calling upon us
to arise and follow Him, and He will lead us by a way we know not; He will
guide us to the green pastures if we only look to Him.
THE PILLAR OF CLOUD
All that the children of Israel had to do was to follow the cloud. If the cloud
rested, they rested; if the cloud moved forward, then they moved. I can
imagine that the first thing Moses did, when the gray dawn of morning broke,
was to look up and see if the cloud was still over the camp. By night it was a
pillar of fire, lighting up the camp, and filling them with a sense of God's
protecting care; by day it was a cloud shielding them from the fierce heat
of the sun's rays, and sheltering them from the sight of their enemies.
Israel's Shepherd could lead them through the pathless desert. Why? Because
He made it. He knew every grain of sand in it. They could not have a better
leader through the wilderness than its Creator.
And, sinner, can you, in all your difficulties or doubts and fears, have a better
leader than Jehovah? Oh, I do like that good old hymn: "Guide me, O Thou
great Jehovah, Pilgrim through this barren land; I am weak, but Thou art
mighty, Hold me with Thy powerful hand. Bread of heaven, Feed me till I
want no more." Yes, that is the true prayer of the bewildered sinner. God is
able, and still more, He is willing, to lead us, and to feed us.
"Thou gavest them bread from heaven for their hunger, and broughtest
forth water for them out of the rock for their thirst" (Nehemiah 9:15).
He is still as able to lead any of us as He was four thousand years ago to lead
the children of Israel, "For I am the Lord; I change not." To every one of
us He says, "Fear not, I will lead thee; I will help thee." Wonderful thing, is it
not, to have God to help us on our way? In our Western countries, when men
go out hunting into the dense backwoods, where there are no roads or paths of
any kind, they take their hatchet and cut a little chip out of the bark of the trees
as they go along, and then they easily find their way by these "blazes." They
call it "blazing the way." And so, if you will allow me the expression, Christ has
"blazed the way." He has traveled the road Himself, and knowing the way,
He tells us to follow Him, and He will lead us safe on high.
5. Now we have seen Christ is our Savior, Redeemer, Deliverer, Leader, or
Way. But He is more than all that; HE IS OUR LIGHT.
"I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in
darkness, but shall have the light of life." He shall have the very "light of
life." Yes, it is the privilege of every Christian to walk in an unclouded sky.
But do we walk thus in an unclouded sky? No, most Christians are often in
darkness. If I were to ask this congregation if they were all walking in the light,
I believe there is scarcely one, if he spoke the true feeling of his heart, but
would reply, "No, I am often in darkness." Why is that? It is because we are
not following Christ, and keeping close to Him. We are much in darkness
when we might be in the light.
Suppose the windows of this building were all closed, and we were complaining
of the darkness, what would any one say to us? Why, they would say, "Admit
the light; open the windows all round, and you'll soon have plenty of light."
Similarly we must let in Christ, who is the light, and open our minds to receive
Him, and we shall soon walk in light. There is a great deal of darkness at the
present time, even in the hearts of God's own people. But follow Him, and
then you will have plenty of light. Then Christ will show to each of us that
He is "The Light"; and He will do more, He will set us on fire with His
light, that we also may shine as lights in this dark world.
May God help His own people to SHINE BRIGHTLY, to flash out of
darkness, that men may take knowledge of us that we have been with Jesus.
But remember, the world hates the light. Christ was the light of the world, and
the world sought to extinguish it at Calvary. Now He has left His people to
shine. "Ye are the light of the world." He has left us here to shine. He means
us to be "living epistles, known and read of all men." The world is certain to
watch, and to read you and me. If we are inconsistent, then you may be sure
the world will take occasion to stumble at us.
The world finds plenty of difficulties on the way; let us see that we Christians
do not add more stumbling-blocks by our un-Christlike walk.
God help us to keep our lights burning clear and brilliant! Out West a friend of
mine was walking along one of the streets one dark night, and saw approaching
him a man with a lantern. As he came up close to him he noticed by the bright
light that the man had got no eyes. He went past, but the thought struck him,
"Surely that man is blind." He turned round, and said, "My friend, are you not
blind?" "Yes." "Then what have you got the lantern for?" "I carry the lantern
that people may not stumble over me, of course," said the blind man. Let us
take a lesson from that blind man, and hold up our light, burning with the clear
radiance of heaven, that men may not stumble over us.
6. Objectors have said that it's all moonshine about Christ's people being lights
on the way. Well, that's just what we believe; we reflect the light of Christ.
REFLECTED LIGHT
Just like the moonshine, our light is borrowed light. When we are living in the
light of our Savior we shine with His light: somewhat like the face of Moses,
which shone after he had been in the mount with God. Let us live in an
atmosphere of heaven, and we cannot help shining. But whenever we get
downcast and weak in faith, then we are sure to lose our light.
I remember during the American war I was in a prayer meeting. We were all
very dark and gloomy. Things had been going against us for some time.
At last an old man got up, and said, "What is the matter with us, that we are
downhearted and sad? It is simply our lack of faith. Moses, Joshua, and David
were men strong in faith. They believed, and therefore God honored them.
Whence comes our want of faith? God is not dead. He is as powerful, as
willing, to help today as ever He was. Why, then, are we not full of faith in
Him? It is God-dishonoring to forget that He still has power, although our
armies are defeated, and all seems dark and gloomy."
GET ABOVE THE CLOUDS
I will tell you what happened to me some time ago when I was out West. I
wanted to reach the summit of one of the Western mountains. I had been told
that sunrise was very beautiful when seen from the summit. We got up to the
half-way house one afternoon, where we were to rest till midnight, and then set
out for the top. Soon a little party of us started with a good guide. Before a
great while it began to rain, and then it became a regular storm of thunder and
lightning. I thought there was little use in going on, and said to the guide,
"Guess we'd better turn back; we won't see anything this morning, with all
these clouds." "Oh," said the guide, "I expect we'll soon get through these
clouds, and get above them, and then we'll have a glorious view." So we went
on, whilst the thunders were rumbling right about our ears. But soon we began
to get above the thunder-cloud; the air was quite clear, and when the sun rose
we had a splendid view of his rays as they tinged the hilltops; and then, as the
glorious sunshine began to break on where we stood, we could see the dark
cloud far beneath our mountain height. That's what God's people want - to
get into the clear air above the stormy clouds, and to CLIMB HIGHER
away up to the mountain peak. There you'll catch the first rays from the
Sun of Righteousness far above the clouds and mists. Some of you may be
in great darkness and gloom; but fear not, climb higher, get nearer to the
Master, and soon you'll catch His bright rays on your own soul, and they will
sprinkle back upon others.
KEEP THE LOWER LIGHTS BURNING
We must live as children of the light, not as children of the darkness. If we are
dark and sorrowful, how is the world to know that we are children of peace,
and joy, and gladness? Our determination must be to keep our lights burning. A
few years ago, at the mouth of Cleveland harbor there were two lights, one at
each side of the bay, called the upper and lower lights; and, to enter the harbor
safely by night, vessels must sight both of these lights.
These Western lakes are more dangerous sometimes than the great ocean.
One wild, stormy night a steamer was trying to make her way into the harbor.
The captain and the pilot were anxiously watching for the lights.
By and by the pilot was heard to say, "Do you see the lower lights?" "No," was
the reply; "but I fear we have passed them." "Ah, there are the lights," said the
pilot; "and they must be, from the bluff on which they stand, the upper lights.
We have passed the lower lights, and have lost our chance of getting into the
harbor." What was to be done? They looked back, and saw the dim outline of
the lower lighthouse against the sky. The lights had gone out. "Can't you turn
her head round?" "No; the night is too wild for that. She won't answer her
helm." The storm was so fearful that they could do nothing. They tried again to
make for the harbor, but they went crash against the rocks, and sank to the
bottom. Very few escaped; the great majority found a watery grave. Why?
Simply because the lower lights had gone out.
And with us the upper lights are all right. Christ Himself is the upper light, and
we are the lower lights, and the cry to us is, keep the lower lights burning, that
is what we have to do. In the place God has put us He expects us to shine, to
be living witnesses, to be a bright and shining light.
While we are here our work is to shine for Him, and He will lead us safe to
the sunlit shore of Canaan, where there is no more night.
7. But Christ is more than our Light on the way; for He is OUR TEACHER.
What a wonderful thing to have a teacher sent from heaven. "If any man lack
wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth
not; and it shall be given him" (James 1:5).
"If any lack wisdom": I am afraid there are a great many of us who lack
wisdom, and even the best of us at times will be in perplexity. There are
moments in the life of us all when we seem in a fix; we just stand still, and say,
"What shall I do? I don't know what is the best way." Oh, leave it with God,
He will Himself be our teacher! "Come unto me, all ye that labor and are
heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn
of me." Here is a wonderful teacher. He has had a school for many thousand
years; He has had the best men in His school; but still there's room for another
scholar there. His college is not too full yet, and the teacher is the One sent
from heaven.
Any one, every one in this assembly may join this school. Jesus will welcome
you there. Are you in doubt about anything? Ask Jesus; He will tell you.
Anxious sinner, seek the good teacher, as Nicodemus did: "Master, we know
thou art a teacher sent from God." If you seek Him thus He will direct you.
He will keep you, and lead you into green pastures and by the still waters.
I met a woman the other day who was full of infidel doubts and fancies. She
could not believe. Reading for some time infidel works had thrown a dark and
gloomy pall over her mind. It made me sad to see her in such a case. Some of
you may be like her. I wish you would take Christ as your teacher, and then all
darkness would flee away.
Christ is able to teach us. See how He taught the disciples. He never wearied of
their learning from Him. So He will teach us if we will only listen to Him.
THE OLD JUDGE CONVERTED
I remember, as I was coming out of the daily prayer meeting in one of our
American cities a few years ago, a lady said she wished to speak to me; her
voice trembled with emotion, and I saw at once that she was heavily burdened
by something or other. She said she had long been praying for her husband,
and she wanted to know if I would go to see him; she thought it might do him
some good. What is his name? "Judge__ ," and she mentioned one of the most
eminent politicians in the State. "I have heard of him," I said; "I am afraid I
need not go, he is a booked infidel; I cannot argue with him." "That is not what
he wants," said the lady. "He has had too much argument already. Go and
speak to him about his soul." I said I would, although I was not very hopeful. I
went to his house, was admitted to his room, and introduced myself as having
come to speak to him about salvation. "Then you have come on a very foolish
errand," said he; "there's no use in attacking me, I tell you that. I am proof
against all these things, I don't believe in them." Well, I saw it was no use
arguing with him; so I said, "I'll pray for you, and I want you to promise me
that when you are converted you'll let me know." "Oh, yes, I'll let you know,"
he said in a tone of sarcasm. "Oh, yes, I'll let you know when I'm converted!"
I left him, but I continued to pray for him. Some time subsequently I heard that
the old judge was converted. I was again preaching in that city a while after
that, and when I had done talking the judge himself came to me, and said: "I
promised I'd let you know when I was converted; I have come to tell you of it.
Have you not heard of it?" "Yes; but I would like to hear from you how it
happened." "Well," said the judge, "one night, some time after you called on
me, my wife had gone to the meeting; there was no one in the house but the
servants. I sat by the drawing-room fire, and I began to think: Suppose my wife
is right, that there is a heaven and a hell; and suppose she is on the right way to
heaven, where am I going? I just dismissed the thought. But a second thought
came: Surely He who created me is able to teach me. Yes, I thought, that is so.
Then why not ask Him? I struggled against it, but at last, though I was too
proud to get down on my knees, I just said, 'Father, all is dark; Thou who
created me canst teach me.' "Somehow, the more I prayed the worse I felt. I
was very sad. I did not wish my wife to come home and find me thus, so I
slipped away to bed, and when she came into the room I pretended to be
asleep. She got down on her knees and prayed. I knew she was praying for
me, and that for many long years she had been doing so. I felt as if I could
have jumped up and knelt beside her; but no, my proud heart would not let
me, so I lay still, pretending to be asleep. But I didn't sleep that night. I soon
changed my prayer; it was now, 'O God, save me; take away this terrible
burden.' "I didn't believe in Christ even yet. I thought I'd go right straight to
the Father Himself. But the more I prayed I only became the more miserable;
my burden grew heavier. The next morning I did not wish to see my wife, so I
said 'I was not well, and wouldn't wait for breakfast.' I went to the office, and
when the boy came I sent him home for a holiday. When the clerks came I told
them they might go for the day. I closed the office doors: I wanted to be alone
with God. I was almost frantic in my agony of heart. I cried to God to take
away this load of sin. At last I fell on my knees, and cried, 'For Jesus Christ's
sake take away this load of sin.' At length I went to my wife's pastor, who had
been praying with her for my conversion for years, and the same minister who
had prayed with my mother before she died. As I walked down the street the
verse that my mother had taught me came into my mind, 'Whatsoever things
ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.'
Well, I thought, I have asked God, and here I am going to ask a man. I won't
go.
I believe I am a Christian. I turned and went home. I met my wife in the hall as
I entered. I caught her hand, and said, 'I am a Christian now.' She turned quite
pale; she had been praying for twenty-one years for me, and yet she could not
believe the answer had come. We went into our room, and knelt down by the
very bedside where she had so often knelt to pray for her husband. There we
erected our family altar; and for the first time our voices mingled in prayer.
And I can only say that the last three months have been the happiest months
ever I spent in my life." Since then that judge has lived a consistent Christian
life; and all because he came to God, asking for guidance.
If there is one here today whose mind is filled with such infidel thoughts, go
honestly to God, and He will teach you the right way through the dark
wilderness of infidelity. He won't leave you in darkness or doubt. It is the
devil's own work to lead men into such doubts; well he knows if he once gets
them there he has them pretty safe.
It is Satan's work to keep you in ignorance or doubt. It is God's work to
teach you. The teacher is Christ; He is appointed by God for this work.
God help us all to accept Him as our teacher.
8. Now we have seen Christ as our Savior, Redeemer, Deliverer, Leader,
Light, and Teacher. But He is still more; He is also OUR SHEPHERD.
A very sweet thought it is to me, "The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want."
There is not one here, except the very babes, who does not understand the
work of a shepherd. He watches over his flock, protects them from danger,
feeds them, leads them into the best pastures. In fact, the 23rd Psalm is just a
statement of the duties of a good shepherd: "The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall
not want," etc.
You want to be fed; are you going to wander about seeking something to
satisfy the cravings of your soul? Then, I tell you, you never will find anything
to satisfy the longings of your heart. The world cannot, and never could,
satisfy a hungry soul. The Lord Jesus can - He is the true Shepherd. He is
seeking to restore your soul, to lead you back to the paths of righteousness.
Even to death will He lead you, and safely through its shadow guide you to a
better
land. Mother, father, will you claim Him as your Shepherd? Young man,
young woman, will you have Him as your Shepherd? My little child, will you
have Jesus as your Shepherd? He will lead safely and softly.
You can, all of you, if you will. For "God gave Him up freely for us all," that
He might have us for His flock. He will lead us through life, down to the banks
of the Jordan; He will lead us across the dark river into His kingdom. He is a
tender, loving Shepherd.
I sometimes meet people in the anxious inquiry-room who are nourishing
hard, bitter feelings against God, generally because they have been afflicted. A
mother said to me the other day, "Ah, Mr. Moody, God has been unjust to me;
He has come and taken away my child." Dear afflicted mothers, has God not
removed your children to a pure and happy life? You may not understand it
now, but you will by and by. He wants to lead you up there.
THE EASTERN SHEPHERD.
A friend of mine, who had been in eastern lands, told me he saw a shepherd
who wanted his flock to cross a river. He went into the water himself and
called them; but no, they would not follow him into the water.
What did he do? Why, he girded up his loins and lifted a little lamb under each
arm, and plunged right into the stream, and crossed it without even looking
back. Whenever he lifted the lambs, the old sheep looked up into his face and
began to bleat for them; but when he plunged into the water the dams plunged
after him, and then the whole flock followed. When they got to the other side
he put down the lambs, and they were quickly joined by their mothers, and
there was a happy meeting.
My friend says he noticed the pastures on the other side were much better and
the fields greener; and on this account the shepherd was leading them across.
Our great Palestine Shepherd does that. That child which He has taken from
the earth is but removed to green pastures of Canaan, and the Shepherd means
to draw your hearts after it, to teach you to "set your affections on things
above." When He has taken your little Mary, Edith, or Julia, accept it as a call
to look upward and beyond. You, mother, are you weeping bitter tears for your
little one? Do not weep! Your child has gone to the place where there is neither
weeping nor sorrow. Would you have it return? Surely never.
Christ is our Shepherd - faithful and loving. Though sickness, or trouble, or
even death itself, should come to our house, and claim our dearest ones, still
they are not lost, but only gone before. God help each one of us to have
Him as our Shepherd.
If time permitted, I should like to take up the subject of Christ as our
Justification, our Wisdom, our Righteousness, the Friend that sticketh closer
than a brother; but it would take a whole eternity to tell what Christ is to His
people, and what He does for them.
I remember when I was preaching on this subject in Scotland, after I had done,
I said to a man that "I was sorry I could not finish the subject for want of
time." "Finish the subject," said the Scotchman, "why, that would require all
eternity, and even then it would not be complete; it will be the occupation of
heaven."
9. Once more, let us look at Christ as OUR BURDEN-BEARER.
Oh, I love to think of Him as the bearer of our burdens as well as our
sin-bearer.
He carries our sins, although they are more numerous than the hairs of our
heads. Great and terrible as these burdens are, God has laid them all on Jesus.
"O Christ, what burdens bowed Thy head! Our load was laid on Thee." That
aspect of His burden-bearing we have already looked at in His work as Savior
and Redeemer. I wish now to take up the sweet thought, which has been a
great comfort to me.
"Surely He hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows." Glorious, is it not,
to know we have such a Savior? Can you feel that He has lifted your burden
off your shoulders on to His own shoulder? Then you will feel light in heart.
A LIGHT HEART
On one occasion, after I had been talking this way, a woman came forward,
and said, "Oh, Mr. Moody, it's all very well for you to talk like that, about a
light heart. But you are a young man, and if you had a heavy burden like me
you would talk differently. I could not talk in that way, my burden is too
great." I replied, "But it's not too great for Jesus." "Oh," she said, "I cannot cast
it on Him." "Why not? surely it is not too great for Him. It is not that He is
feeble. But it is because you will not leave it to Him. You're like many others.
They will not leave it with Him. They go about hugging their burden, and yet
crying out against it. What the Lord wants is, you to leave it with Him, to let
Him
carry it for you. Then you will have a light heart, sorrow will flee away, and
there will be no more sighing. What is your burden, my friend, that you cannot
leave with Christ?" She replied, "I have a son who is a wanderer on the face of
the earth. None but God knows where he is." "Cannot Christ find him, and
bring him back?" "I suppose He can." "Then go and tell Jesus, and ask Him to
forgive you for doubting His power and willingness; you have no right to
mistrust Him." She went away much comforted, and I believe she ultimately
had her wandering boy restored to her!
A MOTHER'S PRAYER ANSWERED
This circumstance reminds me of a faithful father and mother in our country,
whose eldest son had gone to Chicago to a situation. A neighbor of theirs was
in the city on some business, and he met the young man reeling along the
streets drunk. He thought, "How am I to tell his parents?" When he returned to
his village, he went and called out the father, and told him. It was a terrible
blow to that father, but he said nothing to the mother till the little ones had all
gone to rest; the servants had retired, and all was quiet in that little farm on the
Western prairies. They drew up their chairs to the little drawing-room table,
and then he told her the sad news. "Our boy has been seen drunk on the streets
of Chicago - drunk." Ah, that mother was sorely hurt; they did not sleep much
that night, but spent the hours in fervent prayers for their boy. About daybreak
the mother felt an inward conviction that all would be well. She told the father
"she had cast it on the Lord, had left her son with Jesus, and she felt He would
save him."
One week from that time the young man left Chicago, took a journey of three
hundred miles into the country; and when he reached his home, he walked in,
and said, "Mother, I've come home to ask you to pray for me." Ah, her prayer
had reached heaven; she had cast her burden on Jesus, and He had borne it for
her. He took the burden, presented her prayer sprinkled with the atoning blood,
and got it answered. In two days that young man returned to Chicago rejoicing
in the Savior. What a wonderful thing it is to have Christ as our burden-bearer!
How easy, how light do our cares become when cast upon Him!
Do you say Christ is nothing to you? If so, it is only because you won't have
Him. He is to all who will accept Him a Savior from death, a Redeemer
from the power of sin, a Deliverer from our enemies, a Leader through
the wilderness; He is the way Himself, He is Light in the darkness, He is a
Teacher to His people, He is the Shepherd of His flock, our Justification,
Wisdom, Righteousness, Elder Brother, Burden-bearer.
He is in fact "Our all in all." Then come to Christ; oh, come today, The Father,
Son, and Spirit say, The Bride repeats the call, For He will cleanse your guilty
stains, His love will soothe your weary pains, For Christ is All in All.
FURTHER READING:
THE FIRST STEP TO BLESSING
CONSIDER WHO THE LORD IS
CHRIST JESUS IN THE BOAT
THE BIBLE CURE FOR DOUBT- For when doubts come your way
PSALM 39:7...WHAT WAIT I FOR?
JESUS THE GREAT "I AM" - Jesus Is God!
HAVING THE JOY OF THE LORD
TRUST IN GOD, HOPE IN GOD- Bible Answers To Worry
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