The design of our heavenly Father in all His gracious work for us and in us is that we should willingly become His servants here, and in perfection His servants forever above. Should we not all press forward beyond the winning of personal security, to the desire that, by our influence, example, and labors, others may be turned from sin to righteousness, and so plucked as brands from the burning?
As the young Hannibal was brought by his father to the altar of his country, and there sworn to life-long hatred of Rome, so should we be, from the hour of our spiritual birth, the sworn enemies of sin, the enlisted warriors of the Cross, to fight on for the Lord Jesus till life’s latest hour, when we shall be “more than conquerors through Him that loved us” (Rom. 8:37).
There are six words which I wish to fix in your memories as catchwords.
Universality
There should be universality in the labors of the Christian Church. All her members should be at work, with no exceptions, unless it be such as extreme sickness or disability. We know by experience that the idle part of the Church is that in which sin has strongest hold. If a farmer should leave one part of his farm uncultivated, it would be a hotbed for weeds, and the nettle and thistle would from that center spread all over his estate.
The unworking part of the Church, like the mixed multitude that came out of Egypt, falls a lusting, and brings mischief on the whole company.
In the human body, if a bone should become dead it becomes the origin and seat of disease. If any gland in the entire system should cease to produce its proper secretion, it begins at once to do mischief by gathering together or producing some foul prurient matter. Even thus, in the Church, if you are not serving God, you are hindering His cause; if you are not contributing to the progress of the Redeemer’s kingdom you are a drag on its wheels. All Christians must take their share of holy labor.
Have you ever observed that exceedingly acute critics are usually wise enough to write no works of their own? Judges of other men’s works find the occupation of the judgment seat so great a tax on their energies that they attempt nothing on their own account. Those who are doing nothing are sure to be great in discovering flaws in the manners of those who bear the burden and heat of the day. Surely they would be much more nobly and usefully occupied if they would show us our faults by doing better themselves.
Punctuality
If ever the Church of God shall throughout all its parts be awakened to serve the Lord wisely, it will seize present opportunities now.
In reading the Gospel according to Mark, many of you must have observed that one peculiar idiom of that evangelist is the frequent use of the word “straightway.” He constantly says of our Lord “straightway.” The Gospel of Mark is the one in which the Lord Jesus is peculiarly described as a servant, and if so, it is significant that “immediateness” should be the very attribute of Him who took upon Himself the form of a servant. To serve God now–to serve God at once–to serve God here and on the spot, immediately–this is the true way to serve Him. But to wait for opportunities, to be pausing to cross the river when the stream is lower, to be expecting to begin reaping when the sun is not quite so sultry, and the shadows lengthen into soft eventide–all that is to throw away precious time and to miss opportunities.
There are many who have a peculiar theory of how, when, and where they could lay out their talents to advantage. If they would abandon that theory and believe that now is the best time for service, that here is the best sphere, and that just the very thing that is nearest hand is the best thing to do, they would be nearer the mark. Solomon said: “Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might” (Ecc. 9:10). He does not say, “open your eyes.” There is scarcely need, in such a world as this to hunt far for work. Just put out your hand and something to do lies near. Whatever you put your hand to, do it with all your might. There is so much work to do that the Master’s harvest would be scarcely gathered though everyone were to labor. Go to the nearest point that offers itself, go to your own family, go to your own children, go to your own house, and there begin to serve God. If you idly wait for a favorable season, that favorable season may never come. “Now, now, now,” is the word which Christian men need to have sounded in their ears.
Determination
Christian workers need to be determined that souls shall be saved. I would like to feel with regard to any one who comes under my influence, “If that man is not saved, it shall be no fault of mine. I will throw it at last upon God, and leave it with Him, but the responsibility, as far as it ever was mine, shall not be mine any longer.” There are many men who make money, but I do not think that, as a rule, men make money without being determined to make it. Ready cash does not come knocking at the door for admittance. Men must give up many comforts to achieve the purpose of amassing wealth. So it is with soul-winning. It must become a passion with us to win souls.
You must be willing to resign anything, that you may be the instrument in the hand of God in bringing souls to Jesus Christ. No man, I think, will be the constant means of saving souls by accident. A man must resolve upon it, must cry after it, must be ready to die for it. Then it is, when he cannot live without conversions, that he shall see them.
We must resolve that we will find our way, by God’s grace, into men’s hearts–that they shall hear us by some means–that we will intrude the gospel even though it is not desired. It is not for us to stand upon dainty customs or forms of etiquette, but to resolve that by this, by that, by any, or by all means, men shall know the gospel of Christ.
This determination often cuts a way for itself. That eminent servant of God, Richard Knill, used to say that if there were only one unconverted soul left in the world, and he was residing in the wilds of Siberia, and if, in the purposes of God, it was ordained that he could not be converted except by all the million of Christians then living on the face of the earth, all going to him one by one to plead with him, it would be worthwhile for the Church to send all its members one by one to labor with that one soul, that it might be turned to God. And so assuredly it would.
Let us be fired with holy determination that we will win souls–that if we cannot win them one way, we will try another. We must be determined that not a dark close, not a narrow lane shall be left unvisited–that not a single fortress of the Evil One, although he may dare to call it impregnable, shall be left unassailed. If we cannot climb over the wall, we will tunnel under it, that by some means or other the banner of Christ shall wave over every castle of the enemy.
Enthusiasm
That word is a noble one. Would God it were fully possessed in its strongest meaning by all Christian workers. We need to muster a band of workers who live only for Christ, and desire nothing but opportunities for promoting His glory–opportunities for spreading His truth–opportunities for winning by power, those whom the Lord Jesus has purchased by His precious blood. Men of one idea–these are they that shall do exploits in the camps of Israel. We need red-hot men, white-hot men–men who glow with intense heat–men whom you cannot approach without feeling that your heart is growing warmer–men who burn their way in all positions straight on to the desired work–men like thunderbolts flung from Jehovah’s hand, crashing through every opposing thing, till they reach the target they have aimed at–men impelled by Omnipotence. It will be a great day for the Church, when true Christian workers arrive at such a glorious state of heat as that. I do not say, as some have it, enthusiasm without knowledge. The more knowledge, prudence, and wisdom a man has the better, and then he needs only enthusiasm to set it all alight. We must have enthusiasm, but it must be combined with solid information, faith, and prayer.
Originality
We find in the world that whatever seems to be perfect at one time is, ten years afterwards, left behind. The world is full of inventions; men all over are racking their brains to find out fresh things, eclipsing old systems and plans in every department of science and craft.
Now, ought we not to have invention as to modes of work in the Christian Church? “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way” (Isa. 53:6). Here is originality and inventiveness in sin. Should not everyone, when we are brought back to the great Shepherd and Bishop of souls, have his own way of holy work?
The plan too much admired by Christian people, is all alike, as steel pens are made at Birmingham by the gross; but is that God’s plan? I believe our Creator meant us to have angles and individualities. I cannot believe that the Lord wished the trees of His own planting to be clipped into one shape. He intended us, like the monarchs of the forest, by our variety to exhibit His creating skill. Variety is the rule of beauty, and variety in Christian work is the rule of usefulness.
We now look at the bows and arrows of our forefathers as only fit for museums, for our modern firearms have put them into the shade. Yet we are still fighting the devil in very much the same conventional and worn-out forms of evangelization as our forefathers did.
We have such a tendency to get tied up and hampered by rules and regulations that it is difficult to gain the victory over Satan. The best rule for a Christian soldier is to do for God that which a sanctified heart prompts him to do. I am much of the opinion of the soldier who, being brought before the Duke of Wellington and a committee of the House of Lords, on being asked if he had to fight the battle of Waterloo over again how he would like to be dressed, “Please, your Lordship, I should like to be in my shirt sleeves.”
Depend on it, the freest dress is the right costume of war. There is nothing like the shirt sleeves for hard gospel work. Away with that high stock and the stiff coat, in which you find it difficult to fight when you come to close contact with the enemy. You must dispense with piping and bright buttons when it comes to blood, fire, and vapor of smoke. Many of the gewgaws of ministerialism ought to be thrown away.
The servile habit of mere imitation grows on Christians till it becomes an injury to them, whereas striking out a new path of usefulness would be the means of bringing to our churches those that have not been touched. If you want to find fields for conversion, where you can get a large percentage for your spiritual care, don’t work among those who have had the gospel for years. If we could get at those who attend no place of worship, I believe larger results would follow our labors than among those who have heard us long. Let our originality lead us into new spheres. Let us labor in places where the Name of Christ is not known, and we may expect the grandest success.
Excellence
We must aim at excellence in all we do. We want to inculcate on one another that if we serve Jesus Christ we ought to serve Him with our best. The notion is that if we stand in the street and speak of Jesus Christ, people in the street shall be converted. No; whether we preach well or not is known as well by those on the streets as by those within doors. I ought to do for my Lord and Master the very best I can. Every time I serve Him I ought to feel that I have prayed over and wept over what I say–that it comes out of my very soul and is a part of myself. If that is not so, I am giving to Him a lame sacrifice, a service I would not have presented to my fellowmen. How can I expect it to be accepted? Let us be all at it, and always at it. Let us throw our whole soul into what we do. Let us serve Him with might and energy; then He will make bare His arm.
Above all, we must work for God with confident faith in Him. “Ye have not because ye ask not” (Jas. 4:2). We have not success because we have not faith. A young brother said to me once, “I have preached in the streets, and I have seen no converts.” I asked him, “Do you expect people to be converted every time you preach?” He replied, very humbly, “No, Sir.” Then I said, “That is the reason you do not succeed, because you do not expect to do so.” “According to your faith be it unto you” (Mt. 9:29). If you have faith in Christ, and in the Holy Spirit, you will see signs following. If you preach hoping you will have success, possibly you will get success. But if you preach knowing that the Word cannot return void, and believing that you are wielding an omnipotent influence, and that the Holy Ghost is with you, you will not have long to wait before your faith shall be rewarded.
Oh, for more prayer, and more faith. Oh, for more power with men for God, because we have more power with God for men. Were the doctrines we preach to fill our souls, heart and mind till we become saturated with them, then would our preaching, teaching, and working, be with power–then would the hundredfold harvest be granted us. “And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever” (Dan. 12:3).
I shall be thankful if by this message I stir up one brother to serve God–I shall be more thankful still, if I lead any young man to say, “I will go abroad as a missionary” and if another shall say, “I cannot preach, but I will work in the Sunday school.” Oh! if I could stand at the door, and put the badge of Christ’s service on everyone that loves Him, as you go out, and say to everyone who is now indolent, “Why stand ye here all the day idle? Go ya also into the vineyard” (Mt. 20:6-7). I wish that were possible. I must leave that with God, and God grant that every Christian worker may prosper.
From an address given at a large meeting of Christian workers in Edinburgh.