XXIX. NO NEUTRALITY. "He that is not with Me is against Me: and he that gathereth not with Me scattereth abroad."-Matt. xii. 30. I KNOW no lesson in the Christian life more important than this. You must be one thing or another. You must not attempt to serve two masters, or to imagine that you can stand aloof from either. You cannot do it. Listen to the words of the Son of Man. It is one of those sharp, cutting, separating words that levels to the ground all idea of escaping the battle and yet winning the crown. It teaches us that it is a delusion for a man to imagine he can be a Christian and yet let no one know it. Like so many other of our Lord's sayings, it takes the dividing-line and parts men hither and thither, as tares or wheat, as sheep or goats, as belonging to the army of the great King, or fighting under the banner of His enemy. I have often used the words of Gustavus Adolphus, King of Sweden, on this matter, and will repeat them here. He was sorely tried by the 29th Sunday.] lukewarmness of the Protestant princes whose cause he had espoused. To the ambassador of one he said: "This I say unto you plainly beforehand, I will hear and know nothing of neutrality. His Highness must be friend or foe. When I come to his borders he must declare himself hot or cold. The battle is between God and the devil. Will his Highness hold with God? Let him stand on my side. Will he prefer to hold with the devil? Then he must fight against me. A third position will not be granted to him." Is not the word of Christ the precise parallel to this "He that is not with Me is against Me: and he that gathereth not with Me scattereth abroad"? But how may you be "with Christ"? First of all, come to Him as a scholar thirsting for knowledge would come to an eminent teacher who has a marvellous power of imparting it. He hath said, "Learn of Me," and if you would be one of His, come to Him in heart and mind asking Him to inspire you with a love of His truth. Let Him be the Prophet to whom you will hearken. His words of life sink deep into your heart. one utterance from His lips weigh more with you than ten thousand lessons from any human teacher. Let Let Whatever be the school to which you belong, never forget to frequent His school day by day. He will not turn you away because you are a dull scholar. He will breathe upon you His Divine Spirit. He will enlighten you with true wisdom. He will instruct you and teach you both in the knowledge of God and of your duty towards Him and towards man. And But to be "with Christ" implies more than this. You must be with Him as a needy sinner with a merciful and loving Saviour. You have many sins, and He has a fountain of mercy in which to wash them all away. You have an evil nature, but He has grace to make you holy and pure like Himself. You have enemies, and temptations are around you, but He has power to protect and guard you. He calls you to come to Him. He waits to receive and bless and save you. Therefore come to Him if you have never come before. Come to Him and trust His faithful promise, "Him that cometh unto Me I will in no wise cast out." Come to Him in prayer, and leave all that troubles you in His hand. Come to Him, and abide with Him evermore. "Just as I am, Thy love unknown But go a step farther. You must be "with Christ" as a true and valiant soldier with a trusty and victorious general. This is your calling. You are pledged to fight manfully under the banner of His cross, and to "continue His faithful soldier and servant to your life's end." This implies a great deal. It means very much self-discipline. It means a readiness to be a Christian when others throw off the service of Christ. A striking incident has been lately told of the late Sir Robert Peel, who ordered his carriage and left the room where he thought others had spoken words against Christianity. I am "still a Christian" was his witness for Christ. And though it would seem likely that he spoke under a misapprehension of what was passing, yet it was no less a noble proof of his loyalty to his Captain. It is to this point the words of Christ apply. "He that is not with Me is against Me." You are fighting on one side or the other. You are striving to stem the current of vice and ungodliness, or you are adding to its force. You are most certainly taking your part in the struggle. For the battle is raging along the whole line. There is not a country or a city, a home or a heart, where Christ and the devil are not contending for the mastery. Therefore there is no room for neutrals. Moreover, to such a One as Christ indifference is the most terrible form of opposition. After the love and grace He manifested in His redeeming work, to pass Christ by on the other side is deadly sin. It is ingratitude heightened by contempt. Therefore, whatever you are, be at least decided about it. Let there be no halting or wavering. Let no lurking unbelief or sloth keep you back from the ranks of Christ's army. Be a warrior in word and deed for the kingdom of truth and righteous ness. XXX. GOD FIRST. "Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you."-Matt. vi. 33. IN these words we have the secret of a truly successful life. They were given by our Lord as an antidote for care and anxiety. He was surrounded by those who had but an uncertain and precarious livelihood. Most of them were fishermen, and, consequently, from day to day were dependent upon the catch they might have. So naturally they would be anxious about food and raiment and other needful things. But our Lord teaches them to look at the lilies and the fowls of the air, and to trust in a Father who knoweth all their need. Then He gives the one right aim. He tells them how best they may ensure the supply of their daily wants, and freedom from the burden of care. It seems to the eye of sense a very circuitous path and a very doubtful one, but to the eye of faith it is seen to be the right and safe one. Our Lord would mean something of this kind: Make it your chief 30th Sunday.] |