06 - Chapter 06
Chapter 6 - Friday Evening, July 9th ------------------------------
Preparation for Service (Hebrews 2:1-18).
Mr. Hudson Taylor:―The Lord Jesus Christ is not only our Savior, but our Pattern in service. “As the Father sent me, so send I you.” (John 20:21) Now if we look back to those by whom God spoke to the fathers in olden time, we find they were always sufficiently equipped for service. You will find no record of God using one unequipped man. Sometimes we see a man, like Moses, called indeed to a particular work, pushing himself into it before he had received his equipment, and then there is failure. The disciples to whom the great work of evangelizing the world was given, were charged: “Tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem until ye be endured with power.” (Luke 24:49) But for our service full equipment is already provided; and God is willing to give us all we need, as we need it. He does not equip for life service all at once. He does not expect us to toil along, burdened with next year’s provisions on our back. There are fresh supplies on the way, fresh light, fresh power, fresh revelations, as circumstances require.
Emptying. When the Lord Jesus was to be brought into the world, what was the great thing He needed? The first thing was not a filling but an emptying (Php 2:6-7 R.V.). In order to deal with empty creatures like we are, what a laying aside, what a leaving behind He had! And what He gave up was all good. So for our work it is not sufficient that we are prepared to put away that which is evil, things which no Christian can hold to. We have to learn that the very first step in fitting us for our work is that of emptying. The Holy Spirit has given us some glimpses (1 Corinthians 2:9-10) of the glory of those things that God has prepared for all those that love Him; but of all these glories, and of more, the Lord Jesus tripped Himself. He, the Lord of angels, became lower than the angels; and He Who was eternal and necessarily deathless took on Him a mortal frame in order to die. Yet we are told of Him that He Who was made a little lower than the angels has been “crowned.” This crowning was peculiar—it was that of testing death for every man; it was the glory and honour of suffering, of conquering him who had the power of death by becoming subject to him. He conquered the devil by submission not by resistance.
There is something parallel to this in the life of Paul. Paul was in bonds in Rome, and we might have imagined that his position was one that would have deterred the brethren. But what does he tell us? That (Php 1:14) they waxed confident through his bonds. So far from his sufferings taking courage out of the believers, when they found what a little thing a chain was to an Apostle, they felt—“We can preach with good courage—what is it, after all, if Christ is only in us?” Christ living, Christ reigning, made the Apostle so superior to all these things, that it encouraged others to go forward, though at the risk of the same trials that the Apostle endured.
TRIUMPH BY MEANS OF REVERSES.
Must it not have been the same thing in the jail at Philippi; when Paul and Silas thrust into the inner prison, their backs raw from the cruel scourging they had suffered, were singing praises to God? The very prisoners must have felt how impossible it is to punish such men as these! Their persecutors could only fill them fuller and fuller with joy till they overflowed more and more. They kept the prisoners awake, I have not doubt, with their abounding (Acts 26:26) joy. There is no better way of proving to the world that the devil’s power is not so very great, than by letting him have his fling, and showing in the midst of it what a triumph over him the believer has in Christ. Just as Christ, by dying, conquered him who had the power of death, so frail, feeble martyrs, many of them tender women, in the time of Roman persecutions, were able to show that all the power of paganism could do nothing against those who were filled with Christ. Hence there were many conversions in the very arena in which the martyrs were suffering, and the blood of the martyrs proved itself to be indeed the seed of the Church. So it is now. It is not in holding and claming our rights as British subjects that we do the most service for the Lord. Is it not rather in (Matthew 5:39-42) letting them go, and thus showing that these things are nothing to us? If we are so filled with the Spirit that we can count (James 1:2-3) it all joy when we fall into divers temptations, depend upon it we are giving the devil back the hardest blow we can give. Only let wicked men see that we are frightened, and shrink, out of the way of loss and cross, and they have their triumph. Let them, on the contrary, see that we are rejoicing in Christ in the midst of these things, and we shall be truly followers of the Lord Jesus, of the Apostle Paul, and of the martyrs who through God subdued kingdoms, and overturned religions, and brought about a thorough revolution, just when it seemed impossible to withstand the combined attempts of Jew and pagan. Their foes thought they had succeeded, they even announced in their edicts that Christianity was defunct; but it was paganism that tottered.
We need not be afraid of persecution. It is coming—it is sure to come. Only let us have such success as to make the people fear the abolition of their customs, and we shall see severe persecution. But are we to fear lest the Gospel should triumph sufficiently to bring this about; or are we to feel that when it does come it will bring to us the very conditions that will ensure still greater success?
GOD USES WHAT WE HAVE.
Looking back to Old Testament history, notice how God equipped His workmen for their work. Look at Moses. Before God sent him to deliver His people, He not only cultivated his patience in that eighty years’ training, but He revealed Himself to him on the Mount. As Mr. Orr Ewing was saying, He put this question to him, “Moses, what have you in your hand?” (Exodus 4:2) Why, he hand nothing but his shepherd’s crook. That will do: you do not need to seek anything outside: throw it down. That very crook becomes a symbol to manifest that he was a divinely-sent man. So when the Lord takes up any one for His service, He is able to make that which he has sufficient for the service. “Here is a lad with five barley loaves and two small fishes—but what is that?” “Bring that which is nothing,” and it was brought and used.
II. FILLING. The Lord Jesus having emptied Himself was filled (Luke 4:1; John 14:10; Acts 2:22) with the Spirit, and we are told the words He spoke were not His own words. He spoke His Father’s words. What an example to us! Oh to be filled with the knowledge of God’s will, to be so filled with the presence of the Lord Jesus, and to be so one with Him, that His life may flow through our veins, that He may borrow our lips to speak His messages, borrow our faces to look His looks of patience and love, our hands to do His service, and our feet to tread His weary journeys! The dear Master can never be weary again by the side of any well, but we may be weary by the side of many for Him. This Blessed One was so fully equipped for his work that all things were put under His feet. Not only in the Resurrection, for purposes of government, was it so, but also (Luke 4:18) for the purposes of His earthly ministry, so that there was nothing which really crushed Him down. He was so equipped for His service that, in every circumstance of His life, He had a word in season for the weary, had healing for the sick, comfort for the sorrowing, life for the dead. So it is the will of God that you and I should always (2 Corinthians 9:8) be perfectly equipped for our service. Some things that we might think desirable we may not have. Before Christ was brought face to face with the tempter, He was fitted for His service by being kept hungry for forty days; and it may be that some things that we desire may in like manner be kept back. But faith should always claim that that which God has given us, and is giving us, IS sufficient for present needs. If faith is only in lively exercise we shall know this, That no single thing we do not possess would be a help to us today. What does the Word say? “No good thing will He withhold!” (Psalms 84:11) “My God shall supply all your need, according to His riches” (there is no limit surely to His wealth) “in Christ Jesus.” (Php 4:19) I have often been tempted to feel: “Oh, if I were only in other circumstances, or had some other provision than I have; if I had more fellow-workers or more capable ones; if I had had a better training, or if I were more capable in this or that respect, I could better glorify God.” Depend upon it, such thoughts come from him who was a liar from the beginning. God is able to give to His children all that is for their good; and He will not withhold from us anything longer than is good of us: at the right time and in the right measure He will send the supply.
PREACHING BY EXAMPLE.
It would have saved much dishonor to the Lord if some of us had seen these things earlier. We ought not to be cast down when we have to yield; often the way to conquer is to submit. We must resist the devil when he tempts us to evil; but when it is a matter of his government in this world; let us remember that he can only go as far as God permits, and we shall find that our real strength is in submitting. We had a time of trial in 1870, the year of the Tien-tsin massacres. The Cathedral at Tien-tsin was burnt down, the French Consul and Sisters of Charity there were murdered, and great excitement passed all over China. There were reports everywhere that foreigners were bewitching the people. Natives were afraid of drinking water at the wells, because it was said that the foreigners poisoned them. The difficulties to our brethren inland may be imagined. I received letters almost daily from one and another, saying: “It seems no use our staying here; there is not a soul in this vast city that will listen to us, in fact, they spring out of the way if they see us coming; would it not be better to go somewhere else?” The writers did not know that other cities were just as bad.
I felt we had only one resource: I took each letter to my own chamber spread it (2 Kings 14:14) before the Lord, and asked his direction. He gave us guidance, I believe, in every case. I do not think there was a single mistake made at that time of trail—the greatest I have ever known. I was led to advise that some of the sisters should be sent to the ports (so that the brethren might feel relieved of anxiety on their behalf), but that in every case they should hold the fort themselves. I said, “You are now placed in a position to help the Chinese as never before. They see that your being a foreigner is now no protection, but increases your danger. Let them see that you are rejoicing in God, not afraid to live under His shadow; that you do not need any other protection, and that you are not going to run away. If you cannot preach, your being among them is a sermon. The native Christians, who see that you do not go away, though you might, that you put your trust in God, and are prepared either to suffer or be delivered, as He sees best, will learn that there is something in the gospel worth risking life for.”
What was the result? In almost every place where there were native Christians they grew as never before. The Lord Himself became a living Reality to them; and instead of trusting in the foreigner, they had such an illustration of trusting in God as I believe ten years’ preaching would not have conveyed to them.
CONQUERING BY ENDURANCE.
I remember one of our Baptist brethren in Shan-tung telling me a little incident in his own experience. In Ching-chau there was a persecution going on, and the native Christians said to him, “It is very unkind of you to let us suffer in this way. You have only to send your card to the magistrate, and declare we are Church members, and you will free us of trouble.” He scarcely knew what to do; but he saw very clearly that if the work was to be put on a satisfactory footing, the progress of Christianity must be made independent of help from the outside foreigner; and he told them so. He said, “Don’t you think God is able to deliver you?” “Yes, of course He is,” they replied, “but God has sent you here to be His channel of deliverance.”
By-and-by the persecutors said, “It is evident the foreigner has no power,” and they began to annoy him; and the native Christians looked at each other as much as to say, “That is right; now he will be obliged to interfere.” But he did not. Then, still further emboldened, the persecutors went into this house and broke up the furniture; and the next day they emptied some buckets of night soil into his bedroom. The Christians said to him, “You must go to the magistrate now.” But he only said, “If I cannot sleep inside, I will sleep outside in the court;” and this he did. At last the persecutors said, “That man has no power, and dare not complain; or else he is daft and not worth troubling about. Let us leave him alone.” The persecution ceased, and neither he nor the native Christians were further troubled. Was not that ten thousand times better than writing to the Consul, and getting him to appeal to the Viceroy? One of the native Christians said, “Then you mean to say that the Tao-li (religion) means Ren-nai (patient forbearance), do you?” “Yes,” he said, “it does.” The man received a new idea into his heart—that the teaching of Christ meant patience, endurance, submission.
Now I would suggest these things to you. The Lord is going to give an immense blessing here, and that will stir up the devil, and persecution will perhaps become very trying in many districts. It is already very trying in some. I am sure of this, that as the Gospel is successful, and the Chinese see that Christianity is not unlikely to uproot their ancestral customs, we shall have no slight persecution to endure. What then? Let us be followers of Him Who by dying conquered him who had the power of death; and let us take our position with the brethren. A persecution took place in Kin-hwa, and the people came to Mr. Langman and entreated him to go to the magistrate and try to get it stopped. It arose from the native Christians refusing to pay their quote to an idolatrous procession.* (*Sometimes converts have screened themselves from a demand of this kind, not so much for conscience’ sake, as for the sake of saving the money. But in other cases I have known, they have been wise and unselfish, and have gone to the head mean, and said, “We cannot take any part in this procession, but we are willing to give double the amount towards public works, such as lighting, watching, burying the poor;” and their proposal has been accepted. Even this will not always avail: then the trial must be borne patiently.) They said to Mr. Langman, “If you do not go to the magistrate, they will take everything out of our houses.” He said, “We must pray that they may not; but if they do, you shall share with me my bed and clothes.” It very much helped the Christians. However, when the opponents saw how matters were going, they did not do more than beat two or three of them.
TRUST.
“With cheerful faith thy path of duty run:
“God nothing does, nor suffers to be done, “But what thou wouldst thyself, couldst thou but see “Through all the events of things as well as He.”
SATISFIED WITH FAVOR.
“Jesus, I am resting, resting, in the joy of what Thou art;
“I am finding out the greatness of Thy loving heart.
“Thou hast bid me gaze upon Thee, and Thy beauty fills my soul, “For by Thy transforming power, Thou hast made me whole.
Chorus―-“Jesus, I am resting, resting, in the joy of what Thou art;
“I am finding out the greatness of Thy loving heart.
“Oh, how great Thy loving kindness, vaster, broader than the sea!
“Oh, how marvelous Thy goodness, lavished all on me!
“Yes, I rest in Thee, Beloved; know what wealth of grace is Thine, “Know Thy certainty of promise, and have made it mine.
“Simply trusting Thee, Lord Jesus, I behold Thee as Thou art, “And Thy love so pure, so changeless, satisfied my heart!
“Satisfies my deepest longings; meets, supplies its every need, ”Compasseth me round with blessings: Thine is love indeed!
“Ever lift Thy face upon me, as I work and wait for Thee;
“Resting ‘neath Thy smile, Lord Jesus, earth’s dark shadows flee.
Brightness of my Father’s glory, sunshine of my Father’s face, Keep me ever trusting, resting, fill me with Thy grace.”
Jean Sophia Pigott.