Preaching the Kingdom of God
In his last interview with the elders of the assembly at Ephesus, the apostle speaking of his labors among them says:"And now, behold, I know that ye all among whom I have gone preaching the kingdom of God, shall see my face no more " (Acts 20:25); and in verse 21 he gives the subject and character of his preaching as '' testifying both, to the Jews and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ."
It is to be feared that this first part of the apostle's preaching-"repentance toward God"-has been largely left out in modern evangelism. Even where the last part of Paul's preaching has been pressed-"faith in our Lord Jesus Christ"- the first part is often neglected. The pressing of faith in Christ appeals to the intelligence, to the understanding, but if apart from repentance toward God, the conscience and natural pride remain unsubdued, unbroken, and the throne of God is but feebly established in the heart. A knowledge of salvation through faith may be held whilst the ways and thoughts and even practices of the world, in the less offensive forms, remain. Christ is held with one hand and the world with the other !
Is this in any measure true of the reader? Beloved, turn away from it! Let there be heart confession to God, while turning to Him for deliverance from it. Our Lord has said, "No man can serve two masters:for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon" (Matt. 6:24), so that, "Whosoever will be a friend of the world, is the enemy of God " (Jas. 4:4). "The kingdom of God is not meat and drink ; but righteousness, and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost" (Rom. 14:17).
"Rest"in a world of unrest, of sin, of conflict, of sorrow and pain, how sweetly this word rest falls upon the ear ! It is like a note of music from another world, and it has its source indeed from another heart than that of fallen man. But where is it to be found, and how is it to be obtained in this distracted world ?
God's faithful word holds it out to "the poor in spirit" in a threefold way.
(1) "I will give you rest" says the Lord Jesus:' 'Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." And what a numberless multitude of sin-burdened, of self- and world-weary hearts have proved the truth of these gentle words! But harken well to His words:"Come to ME," says the Saviour-not to the Virgin, not to the Church, not to forms and ordinances, not to self-imposed tasks or reformations, not to pledges, but,
"Just as I am, poor, wretched, blind,
Sight, riches, healing of the mind-
Yea, all I need in Thee to find,
O Lamb of God, I come."
(2) Having found Him, and the "rest" gives, the same gentle Voice says:
Now, " take my yoke upon you"-the yoke of submission to My guidance, to My will, to My path for you. As I delighted myself in My Father's will, even in the path of suffering, so do ye, "and ye shall find rest to your souls."
Fellow-believer, is it not just here we rob ourselves so much of what might be our precious portion? Obedience to our Lord is, how of ten, limited; reserves are made; the will is not joyfully surrendered; His yoke, in full surrender, not being taken up, the rest of heart through all circumstances is but partially found. " I beseech you by the mercies of God," says the apostle, "that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service . . . that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God" (Rom. 12:i, 2). To the Philippians he wrote:"Have anxious care for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God; and the peace of God which passeth all understanding shall keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus " (Phil. 4:6, 7).
Then, a third, and eternal "rest" is held out before us:
(3)'' There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God" (Heb. 4:9). We are exhorted not to settle down here; for while we possess the "rest" of forgiveness and acceptance with God, and the "rest" as to His care in our journey through this world, the place of our eternal rest with God is not here.
Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, dwelt in tents all their days, waiting for "a better country" and a city "whose builder and maker is God" (Heb. u:10). And to us our Lord says, "Arise, let us go hence" (John 14:31).