Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit · Sermon No. 2710
“So there was a division among the people because of Him.” John 7:43.
IT seems, then, that even when Christ was the Preacher, there was a division among the hearers, so we must not be surprised if the same result follows from ourpreaching. No doubt strife has sometimes been caused by a preacher’s harshness of expression, or unwise utterances. He may have spoken unadvisedly, or provokingly, but if he did not, all would not be pleased, for even when Jesus spoke as never man spoke, all His hearers were not pleased. We truly say, “Many men, many minds” and, therefore, even when Christ spoke, “there was a division among the people because of Him.”
Nor was the division to be traced to the subject upon which Jesus was speaking at that time. There are some deep, mysterious subjects which seem calculated to stir up controversy, and you might say, “Whoever shall speak upon such a topic, even if the wise Solomon were to speak, he must create a division in any audience, if that should be his theme.” But, in this case, with Christ for a Speaker, the subject was Himself. It was concerning Him that the schisma—the schism occurred. There was a schism among the people, not concerning predestination or free will—not concerning forms of church government—not concerning the modes of observing the ordinances, but,“because of Him.”
So, then, we may not expect unanimity among mankind, whoever shall be the speaker, or whatever may be the subject of address. And I am not quite sure that this is a result that is altogether to be regretted. I have heard of a whole parish in which there were no religious bickering because there was no religion! There were no religious strifes because nobody had anything worth striving for! And that is not a state of things over which I can rejoice. I dread the peace of the sepulcher far more than the battles of life. Life naturally makes a stir—it seems inevitable that it should do so—and it is better that men should think, even though they think amiss, than that they should not think at all! I am not aware that the cattle in the fields have any diversity of judgment—it is no cause for wonder that there should be agreement where mind is absent. But it seems all but inevitable that where there is mind, where there is thought, where weighty subjects are considered and discussed, there should be differences of opinion. And it is better that there should be those differences than that there should be the apathy, the indifference, the smell of death!
And yet, my Brothers and Sisters, I am sorry that there should be any division among the people about the Lord Jesus Christ, because if there is a point in which all mankind ought to have been agreed, it is concerning Him who came to save men—the Unselfish One who laid aside His robes of Glory that He might take upon Himself our nature, our suffering and our sin, so that He might redeem us from all our iniquities. There ought to have been only one opinion upon this subject—“This is the Son of God! Let us adore Him. This is the Christ of God! Let us trust Him. This is our God! We have waited for Him—let us rejoice and be glad in Him.” But it was not so—“There was a division among the people because of Him.” And, to this day, the greatest division in the world is “because ofHim.”
I. I ask you to notice, first, that THERE WAS A DIVISION AMONG NON-BELIEVERS CONCERNING CHRIST. A large proportion of those who listened to Christ did not accept Him as their Savior and, although they all agreed upon thatpoint, there was a division among them concerning Him.
First, there were some who rejected His claims altogether, and who even said, “He deceives the people.” They went so far as to wish to lay violent hands upon Him and, more than once we read that they took up stones to stone Him. And
we know that they did, at last, compass His death. In like manner, even to this day, there are some who utterly reject the claims of Jesus Christ. They seem as if they could not say anything too bitter and cruel concerning Him. They will not have Him to reign over them—in downright, terrible earnest, they reject Him!
But all unbelievers are not so extreme in their opposition to Christ. We noticed, in reading the chapter, that there are some who admit a portion of Christ’s claims. Some said, “He is a good Man.” Many said, “Of a truth, this is the Prophet”—the promised Messiah. They would not shut their eyes—they were too candid to do so—to the goodness of His personal Character and to a certain grandeur about Him which betokened that He was a Prophet sent from God. They went as far as that, but they would go no further. And there are many in the present day who act in the same fashion.
There was a third class of persons who went still further. They admitted Christ’s claims, but neglected to follow out the legitimate consequences of them. They said, “When Christ comes, will He do more miracles than these, which this Man has done?” Others said, “This is the Christ.” They were quite certain that He was the Messiah and yet, when they had said that, they coolly went their way and took no more notice of Him. They had made a truthful statement, but it did not in the least affect their conduct! Though they believed Jesus to be anointed of God, they did not enroll themselves beneath His banner, or become obedient to His commands, or ask to be instructed in His doctrine. And, alas, we have a good many persons of that sort still in our midst! I suppose that most of the unconverted people here are persons of that character. You do not deny the Scriptures—you believe in them. You do not doubt the Deity of Christ—you believe it. You do not question His Atonement—you believe it. Some of you would not like to hear anything contrary to the doctrine which has been taught to you concerning Him. If anyone were to preach error, you would at once say, “This is not the Gospel, but another gospel, and we will not listen to it.” Yet you have never accepted Christ to be your very own Savior! You have never committed yourselves to His dear keeping. You have orthodox heads, but heterodox hearts!