GOD has visited this world, has manifested Himself in the person of His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. He came down from glory on this heavenly mission of making known to man all the grace and love that was in the heart of His Father.
He laid aside His glory, and took upon Himself the form of a man-the most gracious, the most accessible of men. "Never man spake like this man," His enemies confessed. He carried with Him that which poor lost man could get nowhere else. The only man that could ever stand upon this earth and say, “Come unto me, all ye that are weary and heavy laden, ands I will give you rest." What an announcement to make! He had more; He had life-eternal life for man, but man would not come unto Him that he might have this life-this everlasting life.
This blessed One was “hated without a cause." He was "the light of the world," and this did not suit man; for man "loved darkness rather than light, because his deeds were evil." Hence they did not rest until they had got rid of this Jesus, so that they might go on undisturbed in their own path of iniquity. A robber was preferable to Jesus the Son of God. Their cry was, “Away with him, crucify him." But the blessed God made this crowning act of man's hatred against Himself to be the only way of salvation; and where man made this blessed One a martyr, there God made Him to be a victim; and the precious blood that flowed from the side of that crucified Christ gave God eternal satisfaction about sin. That precious blood was of such infinite value in God's sight that the sinner, be he who he may, that rests in the value of this blood to God, is cleansed from every stain. Thus, where sin abounded, grace has much more abounded. (Rom. 5:20, 2120Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound: 21That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 5:20‑21).)
But, dear reader, that blessed One that died upon the tree now sits upon the throne in glory! God raised Him from the dead, and has exalted Him, having declared that at the name of Jesus “every knee should bow, and every tongue confess that he is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."
My desire in presenting this paper to you is to press home upon your soul the fact that there is a Savior in glory. Reader, do you know Him there?
Have an interview with Him you MUST-either now in grace, or presently in judgment.
The dying thief had an interview with Him when He hung upon the cross.
Saul, the enemy of Jesus, had an interview with Him when He was in heavenly glory,-the same Jesus, but in different circumstances. The thief turns to the Savior on the cross, owns his true condition, and asks to be remembered in the coming kingdom. The Savior's answer to his cry was, "THIS DAY shalt thou be with me in paradise." Saul, on the other hand, on his way to Damascus, endeavoring to wipe out the memory of the name of Jesus from the earth, is met by that same Jesus in heavenly glory.
What a contrast between the two! the one full of hatred against Christ, the other full of grace towards Saul. The Savior asks him-"Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou ME?"
Saul, tell Him WHY!
Saul, in the light of that glory, has fallen to the ground, and exclaims, "Who art thou, Lord?" The answer is, “I am Jesus, whom thou persecutest." Not one word of reproof fell from the Savior's lips. What a reception was this for Saul! His course on earth was changed. No longer the persecutor of the saints of God, but henceforth to be an ambassador for that Savior here, and a preacher of HIM as glad tidings among the nations. (Gal. 1:1616To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood: (Galatians 1:16).) He announces what that Savior is in Himself as glad tidings to those around him.
And thus to you, dear reader, do I now declare not only what that Savior has done,-how that He has finished the work of salvation, that He has paid an adequate price for the salvation of all (1 Tim. 2), and that God is satisfied with that work which He accomplished on the cross, having raised Him up from among the dead; but I also declare unto you what He is Himself. Do you want rest, peace, righteousness, life? All are found in Christ in glory.
Will you then avail yourself of this great salvation by sheltering yourself under what He has done, and resting in what He is, instead of in what you can do, or in what you are? If you would rest in the presence of a holy God, it must be by resting entirely on what that Savior has done, and in what that Savior is.
The self-righteous Saul knew how unsuitable he was in himself in that glory. He knew, moreover, how suitable it was to that Savior that was in it: and thus I no longer trust in myself, but make my boast in Christ Jesus.
One solemn word with you, dear reader, and I have, done. Are you an enemy or a friend of Christ? The word is, "He that is not with me is against me.”
To refuse present grace is to incur future judgment, and then there will be no mercy. "Now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation."
“For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake. For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory in the face of Jesus Christ." E. P. C