Draws All Men
The sermon emphasizes Christ's powerful ability to draw all men to Himself and the transformative impact of His presence in our lives.
Mary Wilder Tileston emphasizes the powerful drawing force of Jesus when lifted up on the cross, attracting the hearts of people from all walks of life. She reflects on the transformation that occurs when Christ is born within, restoring God's image in us and illuminating our souls with heavenly light. Tileston challenges believers to contemplate the infinite and miraculous influence of Christ, shaping us into His image and keeping us holy through His presence, not just in the afterlife but also in our earthly journey.
Text
And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto Me.
JOHN 12:32
We know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is.
1 JOHN 3:2
FOR if Christ be born within, Which the soul had lost through sin,
God's own image fair and clear,
And the soul serene and bright
Mirror back His heavenly light.
LAURENTIUS LAURENTI 1700
LORD, never was a magnet so powerful to draw to itself the hard steel, as Thou, the Lord, lifted up on the cross, art powerful to draw unto Thee the hearts of men. 0 beloved Lord, draw me through joy and sorrow, from all that is in the world to Thee and to Thy cross; form me, and shape me into Thine image here below, that I may enjoy Thee eternally in the glory whither Thou art gone.
HENRY SUSO
THINK who Christ is, and what Christ is,--and then think what His personal influence must be--quite infinite, boundless, miraculous. So that the very blessedness of heaven will not be merely the sight of our Lord; it will be the being made holy, and kept holy, by that sight.
CHARLES KINGSLEY
Sermon Outline
- I points: - The significance of being lifted up - Christ's drawing power - The universal call to all men
- II points: - Understanding our transformation in Christ - The promise of seeing Him as He is - The impact of Christ's image on our lives
- III points: - The role of personal influence of Christ - The blessedness of holiness - The eternal joy in His presence
- IV points: - The metaphor of the magnet - Drawing hearts through trials - Being shaped into His image
Key Quotes
“And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto Me.” — Mary Wilder Tileston
“LORD, never was a magnet so powerful to draw to itself the hard steel, as Thou, the Lord, lifted up on the cross, art powerful to draw unto Thee the hearts of men.” — Mary Wilder Tileston
“THINK who Christ is, and what Christ is,--and then think what His personal influence must be--quite infinite, boundless, miraculous.” — Mary Wilder Tileston
Application Points
- Seek a deeper relationship with Christ to experience His drawing power in your life.
- Reflect on how Christ's image is being formed in you through your trials and joys.
- Embrace the call to holiness as a pathway to eternal joy in His presence.