John 5:31-40 If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true.… Suppose it were certainly predicted of your child that he should grow up the servant of other men, that he should have none of this world's honours, and that his life should be made up of sacrifice and submission; would you not conceive it a dreary prospect? This prospect was realized in John; but the Master pronounced it grand. The poet sings, "Lives of great men all remind us," etc. Thousands of young people have read these lines with hopefulness; of full-grown persons with misgiving; of the old who have wished that they had never heard them. But what are the elements of a grand life? There are easy, pleasant, showy, restless, plodding, successful, and average lives; but of grand lives two only are possible, both realized in Christ and in those who are like Him. I. THE LIFE OF SACRIFICE. There are those in this world whom God calls to live for others, and the wants of others are to them the gate of everlasting glory. It may be the poor, sick, penitent, orphan, one's country, church, household, pariah, city, or hamlet. Human want is everywhere. To resolve to live for others, to give time, wealth, prayers, that others not so fortunate may be helped, cared for, taught, and that not grudgingly or of necessity, nor for profession or pay or praise, and on the first motion, and in faith — that is the way to make life sublime. And it is sublime because — 1. It contradicts the desires of the heart, which never go that way by themselves, and involves that most glorious of victories, the conquest of self. 2. Because it is like the life of Christ and of those who have loved Him best. II. THE LIFE OF HOLY SUBMISSION. In this life there is what is called the inevitable. Often this takes a formidable shape, and seems as if it might wreck the whole life. The wider the range of this enemy of peace, the greater the trial to a sensitive and eager spirit. But submission to the inevitable must take the form of intelligent resignation to the will of God to ennoble life. To this end — 1. The mind must be kept in check by the thought of God. 2. The spirit of complaint be checked. 3. The habit of cheerfulness cultivated.Lessons: 1. One of warning to the prosperous: the one thing in their life which could have given it grandeur is lacking, and failure will be written on it at last without sacrifice and submission. 2. One of consolation to the unfortunate: acceptance of one's lot as from God, and making the best of it, makes it glorious. 3. Put, then, away mock heroic ideas of grandeur. There are lofty lives where the world cannot see, but God can; and noble lives, although covered with this world's tinsel glory, which will one day utterly fade away. (Morgan Dix, D. D.) Parallel Verses KJV: If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true. |
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