03.02. "My Sister!"

2. "My Sister!"

Here is one drop out of the ocean of Christ’s love. It is a gem of purest water. It is a tiny seed of Divine truth that may fill a life with gladness.

It is one of the kindest words that ever fell from the lips of the Son of Man. I would that every young friend who may read these pages might appropriate it to herself, and treasure it up in her heart to her own exceeding comfort. But when was it, and how was it, that the Savior uttered these words? In Mark 3:1-35, you may find a great contrast in two of Christ’s looks. Early in the chapter you see Him surrounded by His bitterest foes, full of envy and malice, and only finding in His merciful works some cause for blame. They watch Him whether "He will heal on the Sabbath-day." Then comes the first look of which I speak. It was a look of sorrow and distress, of grief and holy indignation, against their perverseness and unbelief. "He looked round about on them with anger, being grieved for the hardness of their hearts" (Mark 3:5).

Never could that look be forgotten. Those eyes, which are as a flame of fire, flashed forth righteous displeasure against their strange and willful perversion of His ways and doings. It may remind us of the look that, as the Judge, He will one day cast upon those on the left hand, when He shall say, "Depart from Me, you who are cursed, into everlasting fire!" But later on in the chapter, you read of a very different look. A little company of disciples are sitting around the Savior, and are eagerly drinking in His loving instructions. But there comes an interruption. We know not the reason, but His mother and brethren come to Him and wish to speak with Him. But this momentary pause shall not be in vain. It shall leave blessed fruit behind. It shall bring sweetest consolation to His Church, even to the end of the world. "You tell me," He would say, "that my mother and my brethren would speak with me. But who are they? Whom do I reckon such? Whom do I regard as my true kinsfolk?"

Then came, the second look of the chapter. Stretching forth His hand toward the little flock, He looked round about on them with a tender love that no words could describe, and added an assurance of His favor toward them. "Behold," said He, "My mother and brothers!"

Then followed a few other words carrying the assurance of His love still further. That His look of love might be a precious heritage for all true disciples in all parts of the globe, and in all ages of the world’s history, He gave it with a "whoever." And it is one of the most glorious "whoevers" in the whole book of revelation.

"Whoever shall do the will of God, the same is my brother, and my sister, and mother" (Mark 3:35).

"My sister" goes side by side with the look. So that if the one is your portion — so also is the other. Very comforting, very helpful shall it be to you all through life if you know that His favorable countenance is ever toward you, and that you are the dear sister of Him who is Lord of all.

"My sister!" Can you claim this word of love as your own? Can you say "my" indeed and in truth? Can you look up to Heaven, and say of the King of Zion, "He is my brother!" Can you rejoice in the assurance that He regards you as a beloved sister? But how can you tell? Let us see.

First, let me ask, are you in the same position as those who were then around Christ? Are you humbly sitting at His feet? Are you a learner in His school? Are you hearkening day by day to His voice, waiting at the posts of His gates? Are the words of love which He spoke your daily meditation? Are you ever looking up to Him for light and teaching, depending upon His Spirit to guide you into all truth? But Christ gives another test. The condition annexed to His promise is very plain, "Whoever shall do the will of God — the same is my brother, and my sister, and mother."

It is instructive to consider this side by side with the great "whoever" (John 3:16) "Whoever believes on Him shall not perish, but have everlasting life!" But how shall we explain them? How shall we reconcile them? Shall we exalt one above the other? Shall we lay all the stress on "believing" and neglect the "doing?" Or shall we think much of the "doing" and care little for the "believing?" Not so. We will value both, and honor both, and use both for the object for which they were given.

Ever remember this. Believing and doing, faith and obedience — are never opposed one to the other. They are in perfect harmony, and ought ever to be thus considered.

Faith is the foundation — obedience the superstructure.

Faith is the root — obedience is the fruit.

Faith is the motive — obedience is the task it fulfills.

Faith accepts the balm which heals the deadly wound — obedience is the labor and the service which the soldier of the cross renders after his recovery. Would you rejoice in Christ as your Elder Brother, the Brother whose love will never grow cold, the Brother who will sympathize with you all through your pilgrimage?

Then go to Him in faith, and trust Him as your all-sufficient Savior. Take the benefit offered to you in His name — nay, more, receive Him as the Father’s gift — as your Atoning sacrifice, your Righteousness, your All! A thought lately brought exceeding comfort to one who was full of anxiety and doubt. He was seeking the Savior but could not find peace, when a suggestion with reference to the promise removed every difficulty. "Whoever believes" is the warrant for our hope — but what is it to believe? I suggested that in place of "believe" he should read "receive," the parallel expression given in John 1:12. How clear, then, is the path of life to every humble soul!

"God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whoever receives Him should not perish but have eternal life."

God gives — man has but to receive. It is no hard condition. But welcome this blessing of Divine love, but accept the Son of God as your full salvation, but open the door of your heart to Him — and let Him take possession, and dwell and abide there — and life everlasting shall be your sure inheritance. To help you still further, take another view of faith. It has many aspects, and where you fail to find help in one you may be able to do so in another. Look at the rest which faith brings. You have a burden of guilt — but by faith you transfer it to the shoulder of Jesus. You have infirmities, and temptations, and sorrows — but by faith you may leave them all with Jesus. You are weary and tired, and need repose — and you come to the Savior and find rest in Him. A native Christian in India put it very forcibly. In the part of the country where he dwelt, here are there are stone pillars on which men can easily place the burden they carry on the head. Then beneath this pillar is a seat sheltered from the heat where the traveler can rest. "Christ is my sumatanga," said the man, using the name by which these rests are called.

Let Him be your sumatanga, my young friend. On Him by faith roll your sin; or rather, believe that God Himself has laid it upon Him. On Him rest your weary, trembling, troubled spirit. Leave with Him all that concerns you. Present and future, soul and body, time and eternity — leave all in His loving care, and be assured that He will undertake for you. But do not forget the other side. There is a need for doing as well as believing. All in vain is the profession of faith in Christ — unless it leads you to love Him and keep His commandments.

"Not every one that says unto me, ’Lord, Lord,’ shall enter into the kingdom of Heaven — but he who does the will of my Father which is in Heaven." No greater stumbling-block is to be found in Christ’s Church, than one who glories in the doctrines of grace and yet walks carelessly and inconsistently with such a profession. Not such is the faith of God’s elect. Not such the faith that honors the Master, or brings true peace to the soul. Who has not known one or another young friend, accustomed to the Gospel from childhood, perhaps professing to trust in Christ, even engaging in Sunday-school or other work — and yet all the week through the life, the talk, the temper are all utterly contrary to the precepts of Christ. There is nothing of His likeness, no earnest aim to please Him — but the whole heart is given to the world! Be your spirit very far from this. Be ever about your Father’s business. Leaning only on the Savior’s grace, praying for the filling of Spirit — go forward to do the will of God more perfectly.

Now be honest about this point. What is your religion worth? Is it a sham and a pretense — or a reality? Are you daily waging war against these three deadly sins — sloth, self-will, and selfishness? Are you shining as a bright lamp in your own home? Are you careful about common, every-day duties? Are you mindful to curb the tongue, to watch against vain and evil thoughts, to be considerate of the feelings and needs of those around you? Are you ever ready to seize an opportunity for doing good, to lighten the burden of another, or to help a fellow-pilgrim on the way to Zion?

I lately met with a few simple lines which have a precious thought in them: Would you be happy? Take an easy way;
Think of those round you, live for them all day;
Think of their pain, their grief, their loss, their care,
All that they have to do, or feel, or bear;
Think of their pleasure, of their good, their gain,
Think of those round you, it will not be vain. In this path of faith, obedience, and loving service you will find the comfort and privilege which Christ promises. Place not one grain of confidence in yourself, your works, your prayers, or feelings — but rely wholly on the work and sure word of the Savior.

Then manifest your faith by a life of holy, devoted, and zealous regard to all His commandments. Live for Christ, spend and be spent for others, and take up your cross day by day. So shall you know assuredly, by the inward teaching of the Spirit, that Christ’s look of love rests on you. He says of you, even of you, however unworthy you may be, she is "my sister!"

"My sister!" Sound if you can the depths of this loving word of the Master. It is but short, nevertheless it is rich in heavenly consolation.

It is one of those cords of tender love by which He draws you near to Himself. He does not keep you at arm’s length. He does not treat you as a servant or a stranger. He does not speak of you as my "follower," my "disciple," or even my "friend." To be any one of these is a sweet privilege, but Christ goes beyond these, and says she is "my sister."

Thus Christ feels and acts towards you. He will be a true Brother, a Brother in heart as well as in name — kinder far than any earthly brother toward the sister he most dearly loves; one who will be faithful in all extremities, and to whom you can never appeal in vain. And be it remembered that He is the Brother to whom is committed the key of Heaven’s Treasury. Whatever provision may be needful for any one of the household of faith, is at His disposal, and can come only through Him. So that you may lay all your needs upon Him. He cannot fail to supply you. Come to Him continually, and look to His hand to bestow each gift that may be for your profit. He will grant . . .
daily mercy for daily sins and shortcomings,
well-timed support for each temptation,
grace upon grace,
food for the hungry soul,
medicine for the sick soul,
water from the wellspring for the thirsty soul,
covering for the naked soul, and
eye salve for dim and defective sight.

Whatever you lack, whatever you desire, the Elder Brother can fully, abundantly supply, and He will do so in so far as it ministers to your highest good. "My God shall fully supply every need of yours according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus" (Php 4:19)

"My sister!" Then in Him you are made a daughter of the Lord God Almighty! Christ is the well-beloved Son of the Father, and when you are thus brought near to Him, as a sister of the Lord Jesus, in the highest and fullest sense you are a dear child in the family of God.

What a spring of joy and consolation is this! You may be the member of a very happy home. You may know the love of very affectionate parents. You may have means in abundance. You may be a child of affluence, perhaps of one in high position — but the family circle must one day be broken up, and you can little forecast what your future position may be. But in the household of God, you have a portion and a fixed abode, which can never part from you. You have resources which cannot fail. You have love which time can never change or exhaust.

Whatever Your sovereign will ordains,
O give me strength to bear!
Still let me know my Father reigns,
And trust a Father’s care!

"My sister!" This relationship brings you at once into closest fellowship with all the people of God. They, too, are brethren and sisters of the Lord Jesus — and therefore your brothers and sisters too. You may know what it is to be sometimes lonely and desolate. You may stand like a pillar in the desert, and alone have to bear the storm and the whirlwind — but there is a communion of saints, there is a true oneness between all God’s people. There is a link that binds you to them, and them to you. Their prayers ascend to God on your behalf. And though as yet you are strangers in the flesh — yet a day will come when you shall be one in knowledge of each other, as you are now in the knowledge and love of Christ. Their struggles, their sorrows, their joys — are in many respects like your own. The day hastens on when the Church on earth and the Church above shall be forever one in the coming kingdom of our Lord!

We expect a bright tomorrow,
All will be well!
Faith can sing through days of sorrow,
All, all is well!
On our Father’s love relying,
Jesus every need supplying,
Or in living or in dying,
All must be well!