The Mission of Christ

1900

EVERY DAY RELIGION

Suggested by Sunday School Topic for March 25th, 1900

"I tell you," exclaimed the Man-of-Spirit, "the trouble with us is that we haven't backbone. We're afraid! Why, we call ourselves a Christian nation; the world calls itself civilized, and look at it! What has the church to do with the ruling of this country? Nothing! We ought to rise in our might and make ourselves felt! But we don't do it! And I'm afraid we won't do it. It's discouraging, the lack of backbone you find in the world. Don't you think so, Uncle Bez?"

"Well, I've found some pretty determined people in the world," replied Uncle Bez. "Some of them determined to do the right thing, and some determined to do the wrong. I don't believe that it's altogether a question of more backbone; I don't think that is the crying need of the church today. In fact, I'm not so sure that we haven't too much backbone, some of us. I'm not sure that we are not a proud and stiff-necked generation.

"I think if you'll get down your New Testament and read a little of the life of Christ, you will very soon see that He does not require us to carry the world by storm. You remember that He warned His disciples against seeking to 'domineer' men; 'for the Son of Man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister.'

"He was born in a stable; no man was crowded out of the comfortable inn to make room for the King of Glory.

"He began busying Himself 'about His Father's business,' when other boys were busy with games.

"His fore-runner was not a knightly herald in purple, but a man in camel's hair from the desert.

"Immediately after His ministry began, the devil began to tempt Him to take the kingdoms of the world for His own, but He would not — that was not the sort of rule He came to establish.

"He called disciples unto Him — that they might care for Him, watch Him and guard Him? No — they slept while He passed through the greatest agony the world has ever seen. 'Not to be ministered unto, but to minister.' He gathered them about Him that He might, with infinite patience and tenderness, teach them the way to live.

"He explained to Nicodemus that the Son of Man 'must be lifted up' — must give His life as a ransom for many.

"To the woman at the well, a Samaritan with whom the self-righteous Jews had nothing to do, and again to the publicans and sinners who gathered at Matthew's house, Christ went bearing the message of eternal life.

"To His friends and neighbors at Nazareth He declared that He was anointed 'to preach the gospel to the poor, to heal the broken-hearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind' — 'to minister.'

"At Capernaum He healed many, casting out devils, and forgiving sins — healing body and soul — ministering unto poor, sin-sick man.

"But in all of it, there's not a word about rising in His might and taking the world by force.

"Christ never drove any one. The only force He uses is the power of love, to draw all men to Him.

"He came to minister. Don't let us get the notion into our heads that we can do His work for Him. He has work for us to do — work in plenty if we do not turn from it, but it is not His work. We may become co-laborers with God, but only to do our own part. We must leave God's part with Him. 'God giveth the increase.' The results belong to Him, and our faith is very weak if after we have done the best we can according to our conscience and God's pointing and the common sense He has given us — our faith is very weak, I say, if we can't trust the outcome with God, but think we must get our backbone up, and 'rise in our might,' and take a club and drive men into the kingdom of heaven. We are not going to establish any inquisitions in these days; we have learned to know the love of God better than that.

"But, on the other hand, while we are to allow Christ to minister unto us to our soul's salvation; while we are to accept what He does for us; while we cannot 'convert' the world nor a single soul — we must follow in His steps if we are His children, and become also ministers inasmuch as it is in our power. After Christ has ministered to us, we must go and find our brethren as Andrew and Philip found Nathaniel; as the woman of Samaria went to the men of her city, saying, 'Come and see'; as those who were healed at Capernaum brought others to be healed; as Mathew made a feast and invited in publicans and sinners to see and hear the Master. We, too, must become ministers.

"I wouldn't become discouraged if I were you," Uncle Bez went on. "I know there are a good many things in the world we would like to have different. I know the devil seems to have a pretty good grip on some of the best things in the world, but I've faith enough to believe it's all coming out right in the end. Christ came to minister — and I don't believe His mission will be a failure. Do you?" — JOHNSTONE MURRAY.