THE SABBATH HOUR

Northern Advocate, 15 August 1931, Page 14

THE SABBATH HOUR

OUR INDEBTEDNESS,

(Sermon preached by Rev. J. H. Hall in the Methodist Church, Hikurangi, on Sunday evening, August 2nd.)

“I am debtor both to the Greeks, and to the barbarians; both to the wise, and to the unwise. So as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also. For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that beliovetb.” Romans 1, 14-16.

Firstly—'“.l am Debtor”: Paul did not always feel that he was a debtor. Early in his career he did not own indebtedness to anybody. But one day something happened, that he came to see that he was a debtor; the veil was taken from his eyes, and he beheld his lingo debt that he could never repay. This experience took place on tluT'Dainascus Road. As an enemy of the Christians,, he journeyed from Jerusalem where he had been persecuting the Christians, in order that he might harass the Christians in Damascus. But he did not arrive at Damascus as a persecutor, but as a repentant sinner. On the Damascus Road he came into living and* transforming touch with Jesus Christ. The conversion of Paul was no mere gradual and spontaneous improvement, no progressive and refining result of natural conscientiousness. He was going on, and rapidly, too, on the wrong road, until the very moment of his arrest. The physician came, and came suddenly, when’ his fever was at its worst. But still, even at this period of his being actively opposed to the Christian Church, Paul was far higher and more sincere than the commonplace, worldly and hypocritical Pharisee, whose mind was absorbed in material interests, and whose highest ambition was to obtain without deserving the praise of men. But Paul did not act even then from motives of pure self-interest. He thought he was doing honour to God, Paul's conversion differed radically from that of the other Apostles. They iirst came t,o know Christ as man, and slowly His Godhead dawned on them. Paul first came face to face with Christ as God, and instantaneously His glorious deity hashed on him in all its might and compelling power. Paul | then and there had a revelation of what he owed, not to his nation or age, not to society or civilisation, but to one who loved him and died for him. His great soul surrendered to its supreme life motive, and he was afterwards able to say; “,I am debtor. What tilings were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ; yea, doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord.” When anyone makes some sacrifice for our good, we feel that we arc under a great debt to them. Wo have all felt we could never repay that debt. What must it be then in the case of the great self-sacrifice of Christ,on the Cross, for the redemption of the whole world? By that act of wondrous love ami sacrifice, He has made the world debtors to Him. Paul,, and we, too, enter into the full realisation of that sacrifice at conversion, when we discover ourselves to bo debtors to Christ, But Paul does not say that he is a debtor to Christ. He says, ”1 am debtor to! the Greeks .and to the barbarians, to the wise and. to the unwise,” It is because ho Is debtor to Christ—ho has come to realise and feel tTfe truth of the redeeming power of Christ—that be feels; he has a duty to perform for Christ. There is no limit to this duty of his to preach the Gospel. To all, without distinction, whether of language or culture, he felt he must seek to discharge that debt which Christ had laid upon him, T would that we should feel Ourselves, like Paul, to be debtors to all mankind.

Secondly—“l am Ready”: How could a man who realised that he owed such a debt, refrain from socking to wipe it out? This offer is the logical conclusion of Paul's realisation of his indebtedness to -Christ and the world. Paul was indeed qualified to be an ambassador of the Gospel. He had that spiritual glow of enthusiasm in his heart, but he was also naturally endowed with qualities for leadership. He was also intellectually fitted for this great task. But, I think, what Paul means here is not only preparedness or readiness to preach the gospel in Rome, but also that he was bubbling over in his eagerness to preach to the people at Rome as well as to others. Ho had an inward compulsion.

When a man has a conviction like Paul ,had about the Christian Gospel, God will equip him and call him to serve Him. There are professing- Christians who are not willing to admit their readiness for service, because they might he given a difficult task, or because the sacrifice is too great. But, I venture to say that the person who is not ready to do Christ’s bidding has not a real sense of his or her indebtedness to Christ and His Church. Christ gave Himself fully and freefy for others both in servic and in atoning sacrifice; and He says: ‘‘ I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to yon.” There was no half-heartedness about Paul’s desire to proclaim the good new r s of salvation. Anyone who has such an experience of Christ as Paul had, -will not bo content with anything less than to employ all 'their powers in serving Christ. If people would only allow themselves to think of the great love of 'Christ to them in dying for their sins, they would come to feel that they too were

debtors to Christ, and they would consecrate their powers and all they possess to Him for His service. The call comes to us as a Church to enter into the deep feelings of Paul, and so to offer up our lives as living sacrifices, holy, acceptable -unto God which is our reasonable service. . 'Thirdly—'‘ 'I Am Not Ashamed”: Paul was proud of the gospel, and he had every reason to be promt of if. Ifa man has-been rescued from drowning he is not ashamed to tell others who saved his life. Paul was running the risk of losing his soul when Christ the Saviour of men rescued him. Why then should he be ashamed to publish it to all he mot? But the World in which Paul lived and worked was in a similar position to what lie had been’, and! he would have been wanting in appreciation to his Lord, and in sympathy towards and concern for his fellbwmen, if he did not seek to wa’rn them of their danger and lead them, to find in Christ their personal Saviour. . We sometimes) find Christians who have not the courage to witness for Christ before their followmen. Very often it is because we do not think of what we

really owe to Him. The story ,is told of a Christian man who lived in one of .the, larger towns in America. One day a friend stopped him in the street and asked him:- How long* have we known each other?” “Fifteen years,” was the considered reply. “Do you believe that I must accept Christ as my Saviour if I am to he saved ” “Yes, I do.” “Are you a Christian?” “Yes.” Then he asked with unc\> pccted intensity: “Do you care if I am saved or not?” “Why, certainly 1 do!”' “Pardon me, I don't believe it. We have known each other for fifteen years, ami never once have you uttered a word to let me know you eared about my soul.” With shame the Christian confessed that he had shirked many an opportunity to speak for Jesus Christ. But lie asked, “ What has happened to,stir you up in this way?” Bis friend said" that on the previous day on his way home from a neighbouring town, a stranger? sat by him in the train and began a! (‘onvorsation which he skilfully lad to the subject of Christianity, and asked whether lie was a Christian, The man sought to evade the question, bat the stranger held him to it. At length they arrived at a station at which the newfound friend bad to alight, but not without having made a great imiressibn on the man's mind and heartj for Jesus Christ. As they parted he isked his name and the reply received was “D. L. Moody,” and he concluded iis story by saying, “I am going back ;o him to find peace.” But there was 10 need for that. The Christian man, low alive to Ms opportunity, was able ;o point his friend to Christ. But vhat opportunities that Christian bad ost during those fifteen years: There now >l-10 aornomie who is lust waifciusl

and longing for you to apeak of your Saviour to them., If we have anything in Christianity worth having, surely ' it is wort!} sharing with others: Let us not keep tß,e Christian experience to ourselves, Fiit seek to share it , with others. And if we are not ashamed to confess bur -Master -before our fellowm en,. He will ; not he ashamed to confess us before His Father in Hca* •- ven, ■* v : : 3 :■