Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit · Sermon No. 2227
“And next to him was Amasiah the Son of Zichri, who willingly offered himself to the Lord; and with him two hundred thousand mighty men of valor.” 2 Chronicles 17:16.
IT was a great thing for King Jehoshaphat to have such a pious lord-lieutenant, one who could command an army and, at the same time, obey the commands of God. Christian men ought greatly to value Christian servants, especially if such persons are employed in positions of trust. If we can have godly men to occupy our offices and transact our business, we should be very grateful and do our best to encourage and cheer them. It is true that sometimes those who make the loudest profession of religion are the least trustworthy, but that very fact shows that there is something in the religion they falsely profess, which, if really laid hold of, makes a man more upright and reliable. Otherwise why should it be counterfeited? The larger the responsibility, the more necessary it is to have men who can be depended upon to manage the business. It was for the great benefit of Jehoshaphat, as king, that he should have a godly captain over so large a part of his army as 200,000 mighty men of valor.
It was also a great thing for the country of Judah to have a godly man in such a position. “When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice: but when the wicked bear rule, the people mourn.” I hope that in England there will be an increasing desire that those persons who represent us in Parliament, or who legislate in any way, should be men of good character. The day will yet come when it will be judged that those who are immoral are not the men to make our laws or to see that those laws are carried out. It is, however, a great blessing to a country to have godly men in high places who will see to it that right is done, that justice is maintained and that the ends of true religion are promoted. Happy is the nation that has godly officers to discharge its business—men who fear God and fear no one else!
I wonder how this man, Amasiah, the son of Zichri, came to be a servant of God? We have no history of his experience. We could almost wish that we had, but since it is not recorded, it makes us feel that although men and women cannot tell us the way in which they were led to yield to Christ, yet if their lives show that they are serving God, we must be well content. If you are saved, even though you cannot tell us when or how the great change was worked, we will rejoice in the fact of your salvation! Amasiah is a man of whom we do not know anything beyond this—he “willingly offered himself unto the Lord.” There must have been a turning point in his career—a time when first he knew the Grace of God which worked such a change in him. There must have been a waking up to the feeling that God deserved his love and his life. There must have been a time of quickening into spiritual consecration. We are told nothing about that—therefore we must leave it under the veil which Scripture draws over his history. But if I say little about his exercises of soul and press onward to a very practical point, I earnestly desire that the inward enlightenment that he enjoyed may be known by many of you—and that God, the Holy Spirit, may work upon your hearts and bring you out of the bondage and servitude of sin into the glorious liberty of the Gospel which will make you capable of willingly offering yourselves to the
Lord!
I am here as a recruiting sergeant. I have no ribbons with me, nor shillings, but I cast a longing eye on many here present who, as yet, do not belong to my Master! And I fervently hope that they may be enlisted in His service. Often have I seen the recruiting sergeant lingering about certain streets and looking at every young man passing by. I have known him address some young gentleman who was amazed that he should ever have been spoken to him about such a thing— and who, in his offended dignity, felt a deal more inclined to kick the sergeant than to give him a civil answer! And the officer has said to him, “I beg your pardon, Sir, but I thought such a smart looking fellow as you would be just the kind of man to take the Queen’s shilling,” and, soothed by the compliment, the gentleman has gone on his way laughing. He wanted no Queen’s shilling and was not at all inclined for army service!
I would desire to be as bold in addressing you as the sergeant is in his calling. And if I should intrude upon some young gentleman who should feel angry because of my importunity, I shall not at all object. I shall say, “Very well, but you must excuse my feeling that the more ability and influence you have, the greater is the reason why you should be converted to Christ that you might serve my Master.” God knows how I rejoice over the poorest, the most ignorant, the most depraved of men or women when they are brought to Christ! But I do like, sometimes, to see those come to Him who have some life in them, some talent about them and who can, by consecrating themselves to the Lord, do for His cause and Kingdom, by His Grace, a real service in days to come! There is hard fighting to be done and my Lord calls for men who will not be afraid to do it! Let all the heroism of your manhood impel you to this blessed service. You are not asked to serve the Lord because He promises you ease and pleasure—you are, rather, called to “endure hardness” as good soldiers of Jesus Christ. As we sang just now—