John 8:56 Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad. Christian piety — I. TURNS THE SOUL TOWARDS THE FUTURE. Piety seems to have turned Abraham's mind to the "day" of Christ. This refers, undoubtedly, to Christ's incarnation, personal ministry, and spiritual reign. Nineteen long centuries rolled between. Still he saw it. In relation to the future, Christian piety — 1. Gives an interesting revelation of it. Science, poetry, literature, shed no light on the on-coming periods of our being; but the Bible does. It opens up the history of the race. 2. Gives a felt interest in the blessedness of the future. It gave Abraham a felt interest in the day of Christ. It gives the good a felt interest in the glories that are coming. And what glorious things are on their march! II. FASTENS THE SOUL UPON CHRIST IN THE FUTURE. "My day." To the godly Christ is everything in the future. Do the rivers point to the sea, the needle to the pole, the plants to the sun? Does hunger cry for food, life pant for air? Even so does the heart of piety point to Christ in the future. He has a "day," a universal day of His glorious revelation to come. III. BRINGS JOY TO THE SOUL FROM THE FUTURE. Abraham was "glad" — 1. With a benevolent gladness; he knew the world would be blessed by Christ's advent. 2. With a religious gladness; he knew that God would be glorified by His advent. Several reasons might make us glad as we think of the coming day of Christ. (1) There will be a solution of all difficulties. (2) A termination of all imperfections, physical, mental, spiritual. (3) A consummation of unending blessedness.Conclusion: Learn — 1. The congruity of Christianity with the prospective tendency of the soul. The soul is always pointing to the future. Christianity meets this tendency and satisfies it. 2. The antidote of Christianity to the forebodings of the soul. Some souls are always boding evil, and well all the ungodly may. Christianity lights up the future. 3. The fitness of Christianity to the aspirations of the soul. Wonderful is the good after which some souls are aspiring in the future. The present and the material have lost for them their attractions. Man cannot aspire after anything higher than that which Christianity supplies. (D. Thomas, D. D.) Parallel Verses KJV: Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad.WEB: Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day. He saw it, and was glad." |
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