ADDRESS AFTER THE COMMUNION - Robert Murray Mcchene
“But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost, keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.”—JUDE 20, 21.
I. Those that have been built on Christ, have need to build themselves still more on Christ.—If you come rightly to this table, you have been hewn out of the rock, and carried and laid on the sure foundation. Others set at nought that stone, but to you it is the only name under heaven. You have been built on Christ alone for righteousness. Think not all is done—forget what is behind. You have begun salvation, work out your salvation.
(1.) Build yourselves more simply on Christ—on Christ alone—his blood and righteousness. Some are like a stone resting half on the foundation and half on the sand. Some take half their peace from Christ’s finished work, and half from the Spirit’s work within them. Now the whole of our justification must be from Christ alone. Other foundation can no man lay.
(2.) Build yourselves more surely on Christ.—Some stones do not lie smoothly on the foundation—they are apt to totter. Seek, brethren to get a sure founding on the Lord Jesus Christ. “If ye continue in the faith, grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel.” It is easy to sail with a gentle sea and the wind in the west, but the gale tries whether the ship be rightly balanced. It is easy to believe in a sunny day like this, when broken bread and poured out wine have been in your hands; but stop till you are in the wilderness, or afar at sea alone—stop till fresh guilt lies on the conscience—stop till a strong temptation blows —Oh then to rely on Christ alone for righteousness! Under a sight of sin—Satan grappling with the soul—Oh then to look up into the face of Christ and say, Thou art my robe, my righteousness, my shield—thy blood, thy obedience is enough for me! This is to believe.
II. Pray in the Holy Ghost.—When a believer prays, he is not alone—there are three with him: the Father seeing in secret, his ear open; the Son blotting out sin, and offering up the prayer; the Holy Ghost quickening and giving desires. There can be no true prayer without these three. Some people pray like a parrot, repeating words when the heart is far from God. Some pray without the Father. They do not feel. They are speaking to the back of their chair, or to the world, or to the empty air. Some pray without the Son. They come in their own name—in their own righteousness. That is the sacrifice of fools. Some pray without the Holy Ghost. These are not filled with divine breathings. Dear friends, if you would live, you must pray; and if you would pray with acceptance, you must pray to the Father in the name of Jesus, and by his Spirit quickening.
(1.) Get the Holy Ghost.—Many seem not to know if there be a Holy Spirit. Jesus being raised by the Father, has obtained the Spirit. Ask Him.
(2.) Let Him breathe within you.—Do not vex Him.
(3.) Pray without ceasing.—Whatever you need, ask Him immediately. Have set times of approaching God solemnly. Let nothing interfere with these times. Take your best time.
III. Keep yourselves in the love of God.—It is when you are built on Christ, and praying in the Holy Ghost, that you keep yourselves in the love of God. There is one glorious Being whom God loves infinitely. “I am not alone, for the Father is with me.” He loved Him from eternity, for the pure, spotless image of himself. He loved Him for laying down his life. He is well pleased for his righteousness’ sake. The eye of the all-perfect One rests with perfect complacency on Him. Have you this day come into Christ—this day come under his shield—are this day found in Him? If you are in the love of God, keep yourselves(1.) Care not for the love of the world.—If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Its best smiles are little worth. The world is a dying thing—a crucified man to them that are in Christ.(2.) Prize the love of God.—Oh, it is sweet to be in the garden of spices—to have God for your refuge—God rejoicing over you! First, This takes all the sting away from affliction. God is love to me. The hand that wounds is the gentlest and most loving. Second, This takes their sting from the world’s reproaches. Third, This makes death sweet. It is a leap into the arms of infinite love, though to some a leap into a dark eternity. Oh keep yourselves in the love of God!IV. Looking for mercy.—You will be incomplete Christians if you do not look for the coming again of the Lord Jesus. If the table has been sweet to-day, what will it be when Jesus comes again to receive us to himself? If his love-letters and love-tokens, sent from a far country, be so sweet, what will the Bridegroom himself be when He comes and takes us by the hand to present us to himself, and acknowledge us before an assembled world?
(1.) You will get an open acquittal on that day.—Now He gives us sweet acquittal at the bar of conscience—He says: “Peace be unto you.” But when it is open, we shall wear the blood-washed robe. It will need to be mercy even at that day.
(2.) Perfect deliverance from sin.—Now He gives us the victory by faith. He gives us to feel the thorn, and to look up for grace sufficient. Then He will take the thorn away. We shall be like Jesus in soul and body. Oh, be casting sweet looks of love toward that day! When a child is expecting an elder brother’s return, when he is to bring some gift, how often he runs to the window and watches for his coming! Your elder Brother is coming with a sweet gift. Oh, cast your eye often toward the clouds, to see if they will break and let his beautiful feet through! Shorten the time by anticipation.
(3.) Jesus no more dishonoured.—Honour to the Lamb is a sweet mercy to a believing soul. A high day like this, when Jesus gets many a crown cast at his feet, is sweet to a believing soul. How much more the day when we shall wear his full crown, and when the slain Lamb shall be fully praised; and when He shall come to be glorified, who once came to be spit upon! That truly shall be mercy to our poor soul. Our cup shall run over.
3d January 1841.