Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit · Sermon No. 745
Delivered on Lord’s-day Morning, APRIL 14, 1867, by, the Agricultural Hall, Newington.
“Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this Grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ.”- Ephesians 3:8.
THE Apostle Paul felt it to be a great privilege to be allowed to preach the Gospel. He did not look upon his calling as a drudgery or a servitude, but he entered upon it with intense delight. All God’s truly-sent servants have experienced much delight in the declaration of the Gospel of Jesus, and it is natural that they should, for their message is one of mercy and love. If a herald were sent to a besieged city with the tidings that no terms of mercy would be offered, but that every rebel without exception should be put to death, I think he would go with lingering footsteps, stopping by the way to let out his heavy heart in sobs and groans.
But if he were commissioned to go to the gates with the white flag to proclaim a free pardon, a general act of amnesty and oblivion, surely he would run as though he had wings on his heels. With a joyful alacrity he would tell his fellow citizens the good pleasure of their merciful king! Heralds of salvation, you carry the most joyful of all messages to the sons of men! When the angels were commissioned for once to become preachers of the Gospel, and it was but for once, they made the sky ring at midnight with their choral songs, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.”
They did not moan out a dolorous dirge as of those proclaiming death, but the glad tidings of great joy were set to music and announced with holy mirth and celestial song. “Peace on earth! Glory to God in the highest” is the joyous note of the Gospel—and in such a key should it ever be proclaimed! We find the most eminent of God’s servants frequently magnifying their office as preachers of the Gospel. Whitfield was accustomed to call his pulpit his throne—and when he stood upon some rising knoll to preach to the thousands gathered in the open air—he was more happy than if he had assumed the imperial purple, for he ruled the hearts of men more gloriously than does a king!
Carey was laboring in India and his son Felix had accepted the office of ambassador to the king of Burmah—Carey said, “Felix has driveled into an ambassador”—as though he looked upon the highest earthly office as an utter degradation if for it the minister of the Gospel forsook his lofty vocation. Paul blesses God that this great Grace was given to him, that he might preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ! He looked upon it not as toil, but as a Divine Grace.
Aspire to this office, young men whose souls are full of love to Jesus! Fired with sacred enthusiasm, covet earnestly the best gifts, and out of love to Jesus try whether you cannot in your measure tell to your fellow men the story of the Cross. Men of zeal and ability, if you love Jesus, make the ministry your aim! Train your minds to it! Exercise your souls towards it, and may God the Holy Spirit call you to it, that you also may preach the Word of reconciliation to the dying thousands. The laborers still are few—may the Lord of the harvest thrust you into His work.
But while Paul was thus thankful for his office, his success in it greatly humbled him. The fuller a vessel becomes the deeper it sinks in the water. A plenitude of Grace is a cure for pride. Those who are empty, and those especially who have little or nothing to do, may indulge a fond conceit of their abilities because they are untried. But those who are called to the stern work of ministering among the sons of men will often mourn their weakness, and in the sense of that weakness and unworthiness they will go before God and confess that they are less than the least of all saints.
I prescribe to any of you who seek humility, try hard work! If you world know your nothingness, attempt some great thing for Jesus. If you would feel how utterly powerless you are apart from the living God, attempt especially the great work of proclaiming the unsearchable riches of Christ! You will come back from the proclamation thankful that you
were permitted to attempt it, but crying, “Who has believed our report? And to whom is the arm the Lord revealed?” And you will know, as you never knew before, what a weak unworthy thing you are!
Although our Apostle thus knew and confessed his weakness, there is one thing which never troubled him—he was never perplexed as to the subject of his ministry. I do not find the Apostle in all his writings proposing to himself the question, “What shall I preach?” No, my Friends, he had been taught in the college of Christ, and had thoroughly learned his one Subject, so that preferring it beyond all else, he said, with solemn decision, “I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and Him crucified.” From his first sermon to his last, when he laid down his neck upon the block to seal his testimony with his blood, Paul preached Christ, and nothing but Christ!