John 4:29-30 Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ?… 1. In the case of human creatures life is a higher thing than existence. The soul is superior to the body. The body has its wants, but the supply of these is only the means of doing the will of God by the soul. When the means are elevated into the end manhood is sunk into animalism. How often is a young man tempted into sensuality by the invitation, "Let us see life." But sensuality is not life for a man. 2. In the prosecution of life we must lay our account with privations and conflicts. We do not begin in a paradise of innocence. The very first motions of real life within often take the form of conflict. 3. Under such experiences the strength of the man comes from hidden support. He has meat to eat of which others know not. This hidden meat is the food of heroes and has always nourished those who have "resisted unto blood, striving against sin." 4. When a man has no such secret support his life loses all spiritual importance and becomes a mere grovelling thing of animal enjoyment. The soul is starved and all true nobleness disappears. Now let us particularize some of the forms of this hidden support — I. A GOOD CONSCIENCE. This when rectified by the Holy Spirit is God's representative in the soul. Its approbation therefore being the reflex of the approval of God is a great source of support, even as its condemnation must always be a cause of weakness and pain. A good conscience is a continual feast, and they who have that within can do without the banquets of the world. II. A WORTHY AMBITION. If we are intent on the attainment of some fixed purpose we shall be sustained amid trials which would otherwise have overmastered us. We see that exemplified on a lower level, in the case of Warren Hastings, e.g. Let the Christian set his soul on the attainment of some good, not for Himself, but for his fellow men, then that purpose will bear him up. Christ, for the joy that was set before Him, endured the cross, etc. This is the secret of the strength of those who have given their lives for missions, Livingstone, e.g. III. FAITH IN THE UNSEEN AND IN THE FUTURE, as in the case of Moses. What the student is doing for his scholarship, and the merchant for his wealth, the Christian is doing for his recompense of eternal reward, Both alike are walking by faith, but the Christian's faith takes in eternity. IV. DIVINE COMPANIONSHIP. "I am not alone because the Father is with Me," said Jesus. "The Lord stood by me and strengthened me," said Paul. God is "a very present help in time of trouble," not only for great emergencies, but for the common weariness of a common day. (W. M. Taylor, D. D.) Parallel Verses KJV: Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ?WEB: "Come, see a man who told me everything that I did. Can this be the Christ?" |
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