Christ’s Motive and Ours

Christ's Motive and Ours

(No. 2232)

A SERMON INTENDED FOR READING ON LORD'S-DAY, NOVEMBER 29, 1891,

DELIVERED BY C. H. SPURGEON,

AT THE METROPOLITAN TABERNACLE, NEWINGTON.

"For your sakes." 2 Corinthians 8:9.

"For His sake." Philippians 1:29.

The true test of any action lies in its motive. Many a deed which seems
to be glorious is really mean and ignoble because it is done with a
base intention. While other actions which appear to be poor and paltry,
if we truly understood them, would be seen to be full of the glory and
beauty of a noble purpose. The mainspring of a watch is the most
important part of it. The spring of an action is everything. My sermon
from these two texts will be on the motive which inspired Christ's
redeeming work and the motive which should inspire our service for Him.
He did all for our sakes–we should do all for His sake. Fix your
attention, then, chiefly, not on the deed, but on the motive which is
its root.

The less of self in any effort, the nobler it is. A great work,
undertaken and completed from selfish motives, is much less
praiseworthy than the feeble endeavor put forth to help other people.
Selfishness is, perhaps, the worst of all meanness, but spiritual
selfishness is the form of the evil most to be dreaded. With Christ
there was no self-seeking. Not for Himself did He come to earth–not
for Himself did He suffer. He lived for others and died for others.
"For you know the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though He was
rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you, through His poverty,
might be rich." In this glorious unselfishness Christ is not only our
Savior, He is also our Example. As He did not live for self, we, too,
must learn to deny ourselves and live like He. It is in living and
acting, "for His sake," that we shall most truly "follow His steps."

We are often told, in these days, that we should live for the good of
others, and we ought to heed the call. But there is so little in our
fellow men to call forth the spirit of self-sacrifice that if we have
no higher motive, we shall soon become tired of our efforts on their
behalf. The true way is to live for Christ and then, "for His sake,"
seek to save our fellow men. With such a constraining power we shall
not be weary in well-doing, for though men may fail us, and frequent
discouragement meet us in our toil, our impelling force will always be
the same. As we whisper it to ourselves again and again, "for His
sake," we shall be made strong to do or to suffer.

If you thus go forth to the service of each day, "for His sake,"
realizing that He, "for your sakes," gave Himself to toil and agony,
and even to death, itself, you will daily grow into sympathy with
Christ. His Divine compassion for men will take hold upon you–you will
be lifted up above the life of the world and, as you go about doing
good, you will be able to touch the sorrow of the earth with a tender
hand. You will grow like He you serve.

I have heard of a man who lived in a certain town and while he lived,
was greatly misunderstood. It was known that he had a large income, yet
he lived a miserly life, and loud were the murmurs at the scanty help
he gave to those around him. He stinted himself in many ways and
hoarded his money. But when he died, the popular verdict was reversed,
for then the motive of all his economy was manifested. He left his
fortune to build a reservoir and an aqueduct, to bring a constant
supply of pure water to the town where he had been despised and
misunderstood! This was the chief need of the people and for a long
time they had suffered much from drought and disease because of the
scanty water supply. All the years that they had misjudged him, he was
silently and unselfishly living for their sakes. When they discovered
his motive, it was too late to do anything for him further than to hand
down to future generations the memory of his noble and generous deed.
But we can do much, "for His sake," who has brought to us the living
water and who, though He died for us,

is now alive, again, and will live forevermore. If He thus loved me,
and lived for me, nothing that I can do is too much for

Him–

"When often, like a wayward child, I murmur at His will,

Then this sweet word, 'For Jesus'sake,'

My restless heart can still.

I bow my head and gently led,

His easy yoke I take–

And all the day, and all the way,

An echo in my heart shall say–

'For Jesus sake!'"

Without dwelling on the immediate connection of the words which I have
chosen from two familiar and beautiful verses, I would, with these two
texts, weave a fabric of love. See what Jesus did for us and then think
what we can do for Jesus. "For your sakes" Christ did His deeds of
love. "For His sake" we are called upon to live and labor among the
sons of men. May His love enkindle ours!

I. First, let us consider THE MOTIVE OF CHRIST'S WORK. "For your
sakes." As many of you as have believed in Christ Jesus may know that,
"foryour sakes," the Lord of Glory stooped to be a suffering, dying
Man.

In meditating on the motive that moved the Lord Jesus to come to your
rescue, consider, first, the august Person who undertook your salvation
and died, "for your sakes." He was God. "He thought it not robbery to
be equal with God." He made the heavens. "Without Him was not anything
made that was made." The angels delighted to do Him homage! Every
seraph's wing would fly at His bidding–all the host of Heaven
worshipped at His feet. All the powers of Nature were under His
control. He needed nothing to make Him glorious–all things were His
and the power to make more than all! He might truly say, "If I were
hungry, I would not tell you: for the world is Mine and the fullness
thereof."

Hymned day without night by all the sacred choristers, He did not lack
for praise. Nor did He lack for servants– legions of angels were
always ready to do His commands, hearkening unto the voice of His word.
It was this God, this Ever-Blessed One who was, from eternity with the
Father, and in whom the Father had infinite delight, who looked upon
men with the eye of love! He that was born in Bethlehem's manger was
the Infinite as well as the Infant. And He that lived, here, the life
of a peasant, toiling and suffering, was that same God who made the
heavens and the earth, but who deigned to be Incarnate for our sakes.
Well might Isaiah, in his prophetic vision, proclaim the royal titles
of the "Child" who was to be born and the "Son" who, in the fullness of
time, would be given to us and for us–"The government shall be upon
His shoulder: and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The
Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace."

Let this Truth of God sink into your souls, that it was God who came
from Heaven, "for your sakes." It was no inferior being, no one like
yourselves, but it was very God of very God who loved you with an
everlasting and infinite affection! I have often turned that thought
over in my mind, but I have never been able to express it as I have
wished. If I were told that all the sons of men cared for me, that
would be but as a drop in a bucket compared with Jehovah, Himself,
regarding me! If it were said that all the princes of the earth had
fallen at some poor man's feet and laid aside their dignities that they
might relieve his necessities, it would be counted condescending
kindness–but such an act would not be worthy to be spoken of in
comparison with that infinite condescension and unparalleled love which
brought the Savior from the skies to rescue and redeem such worthless
rebels as we were! It is not possible that all the condescension of all
the kind and compassionate men who have ever lived should be more than
as a small grain that could not turn the scale compared with the
everlasting hills of the Savior's wondrous love!

Think, too, of the insignificant clients on whom all this wealth of
affection was poured. As you remember the Person who came here, "for
your sakes," and then, wonderful stoop! consider who you are–who we
are–for whose sakes He died, do not our hearts melt at the thought?
Brothers and Sisters, if we truly know ourselves, we have a very poor
opinion of ourselves when compared with Christ! Humility has been
rightly said to be a correct estimate of ourselves. What were we but
the most insignificant creatures? If our whole race had been blotted
out, there need have been no gap in the creation of God, or if there
had seemed to be a void for a moment, He had but to speak the word and
myriads of crea-

tures, prompt to obey His will, would have filled up the space! How was
it that Jesus, the Son of God, should suffer for such insignificant
worms–such insects of an hour as we are?

But we are not only insignificant, we are also wicked. "We have sinned
with our fathers. We have committed iniquity, we have done wickedly."
Even the Lord's children have to confess, "All we, like sheep, have
gone astray; we have turned, everyone, to his own way." But, oh, wonder
of love, they can add, "and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us
all!" As sinners, we deserve nothing but God's thunderbolts, yet,
trusting in His dear Son, we receive nothing but His mercy! Having
desperately sinned and broken all His Commandments, if He had said,
"Perish forever, you guilty rebels," He would have spoken only the
sentence that strict justice required. Instead of that, He said to His
Only-Begotten, "You shall die that they may not die. I will take You,
My Son, My Isaac, and offer You upon the altar of sacrifice that
through Your death men may live." This is, indeed, a marvel of Grace!
This must be one of the things the angels desire to look into! Our
thoughts cannot compass this wondrous work, nor can our words describe
it!

Many of us, also, were not only sinful, as the whole race is, but we
were peculiarly sinful. Some of us feel inclined to dispute with Saul
of Tarsus for the title, "chief of sinners." It will always remain a
wonder to me that the Son of God should have condescended to die for
me. Were you a drunk and has the Holy Spirit shown you that Jesus died
for you? And are you now rejoicing that you are washed in His precious
blood? Were you one of the women who, like Mary Magdalene, were rightly
called sinners? And have you, like she, washed your robes and made them
white in the blood of the Lamb? Then you are constrained to exclaim
with wonder and gratitude–

"Depth of mercy, can there be Mercy still reserved for me? Can my God
His wrath forbear? Me, the chief of sinners, spare?"

I fancy that I hear one and another of you adoring God's matchless
mercy and saying, with wonder and surprise, "Is it really true that
mercy is brought to me by God's own Son? Could nothing less than the
death of the Only-Begotten save my sinful soul? Did He condescend to
die for me? Well may I admire the Grace thus manifested and raise my
glad song of thanksgiving to Him who has done such great things for
me!" Each of us can see some peculiarity in his own case. Some of us
have not offended so grievously in outward conduct as others have done,
but, then, we had better instruction in our childhood and,
consequently, our sins were doubly heinous, for we sinned against light
and knowledge! Some of us have had to violate our conscience terribly
in order to sin as we have done. It may be that some of you lived 40 or
50 years as unbelievers and yet, at last, you were brought to bow at
the dear feet that were pierced for you. Oh, I am sure you bless His
name that ever He shed His blood for you–and I dare say you feel as I
do, sometimes, that none in the Glory Land will be able to raise such a
song of adoring gratitude as you will when all Heaven shall ring with
the grand chorus of those who have been redeemed from among men!

Thus have we considered, first, the august Person who accomplished the
great work of our redemption. And, secondly, the poor sinful creatures
for whose sake He suffered.

Now let me invite you to consider the wondrous work which this master
motive inspired. "For your sakes" God became Incarnate–the Son of God
took into union with Himself our nature–without which He could not
have suffered and died. We read concerning Him, "Being found in fashion
as a Man, He humbled Himself." If we had never heard of that fact,
before, our ears and heart would be astonished at the words! At the end
of each clause I feel inclined to pause, and say, "Look! Look! Was
there ever such a wonder as this–the Infinite became Incarnate! He ate
and He hungered! He drank and He thirsted! He needed to be housed from
the wintry storm, but He "had not where to lay His head." He wanted
human sympathy, but, "all His disciples forsook Him and fled." He was
the "Man of Sorrows, and acquainted with grief," and all, "for your
sakes."

The words that follow our text tell us that, "He became poor." You know
that, in this world, the poverty of a man is usually reckoned in
proportion to the position of affluence from which he has come down.
One who was born a pauper is not relatively so poor as the man who was
once a king, but has been reduced to beggary, for in the one case there
is no experience of the luxury which riches can command, and in the
other no adaptability to the shifts and privations of those who have
always been in poverty. When the Christ of God, the King of Kings, the
Lord of Lords, was forsaken by His Father, deserted by His friends, and
left alone to suffer, "for your sakes," that was the direst poverty
that was ever known!

See your Lord beneath the olives of Gethsemane! Bloody sweat falls to
the ground as, being in an agony, He prays more earnestly–"If it is
possible, let this cup pass from Me"–but it must not pass from Him.
"For your sakes" He must drink it! "For your sakes" every bitter drop
must be drained! Then see Him as He stands, without an advocate, before
Herod, Pilate and Caiaphas–"taken from prison and from judgment." Mark
His sufferings as they hound Him through the streets of Jerusalem,
along the Sorrowful Way! Behold Him as, at last, they fasten His hands
and His feet to the cruel wood and lift Him up 'twixt earth and Heaven,
to suffer the death of the Cross! Let those who will, depreciate the
sufferings of Christ–I believe there was in the God-Man, Christ Jesus,
an infinite capacity for suffering and that His body, so wondrously
formed, was able to endure and did endure, infinitely more than human
thought can imagine–while, at the same time, the sufferings of His
soul were the very soul of His sufferings! Well did the Spirit-taught
poet, Joseph Hart, write–

"Much we talk of Jesus' blood, But how little's understood! Of His
sufferings, so intense, Angels ha ve no perfect sense. Who can rightly
comprehend Their beginning or their end? 'Tis to God and God alone That
their weight is fully known." All this Christ suffered, "for your
sakes." What love and gratitude ought to fill your heart as you think
of all that Jesus bore on your behalf! If you had a wife who, when you
lay sick, watched you with such anxious care that she undermined her
own health and brought herself down to the grave through her devotion
to you, oh, with what love you think of her, that she should suffer
even unto death for your sake! If you were ever delivered from a watery
grave, and the brave fellow who rescued you, himself, sank back into
the water and was drowned, you can never forgot his noble
self-sacrifice, but you will always cherish his memory, for he died for
your sake!

There is a story I have often read, of an American gentleman who was
accustomed to go frequently to a tomb and plant fresh flowers. When
someone asked why he did so, he said that when the time came for him to
go to the war, he was detained by some business and the man who lay
beneath the sod became his substitute, performed his duty and died in
the battle. Over that carefully-kept grave, he had the words inscribed,
"He died for me!" There is something melting in the thought of another
dying for you–how much more melting is it when that One is the Christ
of Calvary! Why, you feel, "Here is One of whom I never deserved
anything, taking my place! Here is One whom I have badly treated and
against whom I have offended–yet He suffered for me–He took my place,
He bore my sins, He died for me! Therefore I will live for Him. I will
love Him. I will give myself wholly and unreservedly to Him and to His
blessed service." "For your sakes" Christ died. If you believe that,
you cannot help loving and serving Him! It is an old theme which I am
bringing before your minds, but it is the grandest theme that ever
inspired a mortal tongue, or stirred a human heart!

I want you that love the Lord to consider, next, the comprehensive
motive for which He worked the wondrous work which I have so
imperfectly described–"For your sakes." I would have you remember that
everything He was and everything He did was, "for your sakes." "For
your sakes" the midnight prayer upon the bleak mountain's side. "For
your sakes" the scoffing and the jeering that followed Him wherever He
went. "For your sakes" the agony in the garden. "For your sakes" the
flagellation of the Roman lash. "For your sakes" He gave His back to
the smiters and His cheeks to them that plucked off the hair. "For your
sakes" the shame and the spitting. "For your sakes," He "became
obedient unto death, even the death of the Cross." Say it, my Brothers
and Sisters! Let your hearts say it now and wet the words with
tears–"For our sakes He suffered all this."

Think of Him for a moment as He is taken down from the Cross. In fair
white linen they wrap that blessed body, covered with its own blood. I
think I see Mary Magdalene and the other Mary, and Joseph of Arimathea,
looking on that poor mangled frame. Those dear eyes, once so bright
with love, now closed in death. Those wonder-working hands that
multiplied the loaves and fishes, now stiff and cold. And those blessed
feet that trod the sea, now all lifeless. O Joseph, and you, Mary, this
was for you–"for your sakes"! But also for mine and for the sake of
all my Brothers and Sisters who are resting by faith on that finished
Sacrifice! They laid the dear body in Joseph's new tomb, the virgin
sepulcher wherein

never man had lain, and there they left our great Champion sleeping a
while in the darkness of death. As He lay there, it was "for your
sakes."

Yes, and blessed be His name, when the appointed morning came, He lived
again, the stone was rolled away from the sepulcher and He came forth
from the tomb! It was, "for your sakes," He rose. The 40 days He lived
on earth were "for your sakes." And when from off the brow of Olivet He
ascended to His Father's right hand, it was, "for your sakes." He said
to His disciples, "I go to prepare a place for you." There, seated on
His Throne of Glory, He holds the scepter and rules all worlds, "for
your sakes." There as an Intercessor, He pleads with God, "for your
sakes." There is not a gem in His crown but it is there, "for your
sakes." There is not a jewel on His breastplate but it is there, "for
your sakes." From head to foot He is what He is, "for your sakes." And
when He shall come a second time–as soon He will–to judge the world
in righteousness, and to "gather together His elect from the four
winds, from one end of Heaven to the other" to usher in the reign of
truth and establish His Throne forever, it will be all, "for your
sakes," who have believed on His name! "For all things are for your
sakes, that the abundant Grace might through the thanksgiving of many
redound to the glory of God."

We might thus continue, but we will not. May God make this thought burn
in your heart–All that Christ has done for us is for our sakes! I
suppose it is because we are such fallen creatures that these
considerations do not move us as they should. Granite is wax compared
with our hearts! Oh, that we did but feel the fire of Jesus' love! Like
coals of juniper which have a most vehement flame, our hearts should
burn within us while we talked of that dear love which brought Him to
the grave and took Him from the grave to the heavens–and shall bring
Him back from the heavens to take His people up to be with Him where He
is and to live with Him forever!

II. Having meditated on the motive which moved Christ in the work He
accomplished for us, let us consider THE MOTIVE WHICH SHOULD INSPIRE
ALL OUR SERVICE FOR HIM–"For His sake."

This second text is in the Epistle to the Philippians, first chapter,
and 29th verse. "Unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only
to believe on Him, but also to suffer for His sake." What are we that
we should be allowed the high honor of suffering, "for His sake"? It is
a great privilege to do, or to be, or to bear anything for Him. Our
suffering can never be worth a thought when compared with His–and any
sacrifice that we could offer, "for His sake," would be small, indeed,
when contrasted with the infinite Sacrifice that He has already made
for our sakes. If you are rejoicing in the fact that Christ died for
you, it will be very easy to prompt in your hearts the desire to do
something, "for His sake."

I find in Scripture that the thought expressed in the words, "for His
sake," may be enlarged and assume six or seven phases. For instance, in
the Gospel of Matthew, fifth chapter, and 10th verse, our Lord puts it,
"for righteousness' sake"–"Blessed are they which are persecuted for
righteousness' sake." I understand, then, that if a man suffers as a
Christian for doing that which is right, he is suffering for Christ's
sake. If he cannot and will not act disreputably and contrary to the
commands of God, as others do, the suffering which he willingly bears,
the loss which he cheerfully incurs because of his uprightness, is so
much borne for Christ's sake.

If a man is out-and-out righteous in this world, he will be sure to be
pointed at by certain persons as an oddity. He cannot lie, as others
lie, nor practice tricks in trade as others do–nor frequent their
places of amusement, nor indulge in their lusts and, therefore,
straightway they say–"He is a hypocrite! He is a cant!" And as they
cannot understand the principle which inspires him, they impute to him
motives which he abhors. This is how they talk–"He is doing it for the
sake of being thought a saint," "He is paid for it." "He has some
sinister motive or other." Or else they sum up the whole matter by
declaring, "He is a downright impostor."

Now, if in any of these ways you are made to suffer for that which is
right–for speaking the truth and acting the truth–never mind,
Brothers and Sisters, but rather rejoice that you are permitted to
suffer for Christ's sake! Say within yourself, "If my dear Lord lost
all things for me, I may well lose some things for Him. If He was
stripped to the last rag for me, I may well be content to be poor, 'for
His sake.'" Set your face like a flint and say, "We can be poor, but we
cannot be dishonest. We can suffer, but we cannot sin." Many men say,
when we talk to them thus, "But, you know, we must live." I do not see
that there is any necessity for your living if you cannot live
honestly. It would be better to die than to do wrong–any amount of
suffering would be better than that we should deny our Lord and Master!
Remember Peter's words, "If you suffer for righteousness' sake, happy
are you: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled; but

sanctify the Lord God in your hearts," or, as the Revised Version has
the last clause, "Sanctify in your hearts Christ as

Lord."

In the Word of God, yet another form is given to this suffering or
doing for Christ's sake, and it assumes this shape–"for the Gospel's
sake." In His first Epistle to the Corinthians, ninth chapter, and 23rd
verse, Paul writes of what he did, "for the Gospel's sake," and our
Lord speaks of some who, when there was persecution, "for the Word's
sake," were offended. Now, if you are put to any shame for the sake of
the Gospel, you suffer, "for His sake." And if you labor to spread the
Gospel and publish the Word of God–if it is your daily endeavor to
tell to others God's way of salvation, you are doing something, "for
His sake," for the Gospel and Christ are so wrapped up together that
what is done for the Gospel's sake, is done, "for His sake."

Yet another view of the subject is given to us when the Apostle, in his
letter to the Colossians, first chapter, and 24th verse, speaks of
certain saints honoring Christ by suffering, "for His body's sake,
which is the Church." That is another form of rendering homage to
Christ and doing what we do, "for His sake." O Brothers and Sisters, we
ought to do much more than we do for God's people! They are the body of
Christ. We should, everyone of us, feel it an honor to be allowed to
unloose the laces of His shoes and to wash His feet–well, poor saints
are Christ's feet! When you are feeding them, you are feeding Him, for
certainly, if Paul, in persecuting them, persecuted Christ, it is clear
that you, when you are helping them for Christ's sake, are doing it for
Him! Oh, lay out your lives for His Church's sake! His dear people
deserve it at your hands and their Lord deserves it, too.

Then, again, Paul, in His second Epistle to Timothy, second chapter,
and 10th verse, uses the phrase, "for the elect's sakes," by which I
think he comprehends, not only those who are in the Church as yet, but
those who are to be. Happy is that man who spends all his time in
seeking out poor wanderers, that he may bring in God's elect! Happy is
he who lays all his talents and all his strength upon the altar of God,
consecrated to this aim–that he may find out the chosen of the Father,
the redeemed by the blood of Jesus and, in the hand of the Spirit, be
the instrument of bringing them back to their Father's house from which
they have wandered. When you serve Christ's people, always do it, "for
His sake."

Further, we have the expression, "the Kingdom of God's sake," when our
Master tells Peter, as recorded in the 18th chapter of Luke, 29th
verse, that no one who has left anything for Him and for it, shall fail
of present and eternal reward. This is another way in which we can
serve Christ our King, by being willing to sacrifice "house, or
parents, or brothers and sisters, or wife, or children, for the Kingdom
of God's sake."

There is one other remarkable expression used by John in his second
Epistle, at the second verse. He there speaks of something done, "for
the Truth's sake, which dwells in us." Ah, it is not merely the Gospel
we are to defend, but we are to defend that living Seed which the Holy
Spirit has put into us, that Truth of God which we have tasted, handled
and felt–that theology which is not that of the Book, only, but that
which is written on the fleshy tablets of our hearts. I hope there are
many of you who keep back your hand from sin because the Truth that is
in you will not let you touch it– and who put forth both your hands to
serve the Lord because the Truth that is in you compels you to it! The
new nature, that living, incorruptible Seed, constrains you and you
judge that if Christ died for you, you must live and, if necessary, you
will die for Him. I would ask great things from those for whom Christ
has done great things. When you make sin little, and Hell little, you
also make Christ little–and then, in consequence, you think you owe
Him but little and you will render Him but little. But when you feel
the weight of sin and see the preciousness of your Redeemer and feel,
in some measure, the obligations under which you are to Him, then you
say–

"Oh! what shall I do, my Sa vior to praise."

There have been, in the Christian Church, at different times, men and
women of highly consecrated spirit who seem to have realized what their
Lord expected of them. I dare say that they were very dissatisfied with
themselves, but as we read their biographies, we are charmed with their
consecration of spirit. The Truth of God and especially the Christ, who
is the Truth, had such influence over their lives, that they truly
lived, "for His sake." May we have many such in our ranks! I do not
know whether it may be the duty of any of you to go to foreign lands,
"for His sake." I only hope there are some young men here who will
offer themselves for missionary service, for blessed are they that bear
the Gospel into "the regions beyond," carrying their lives in their
hands! They shall stand very near to the eternal Throne of God in the
day when the King rewards His faithful servants.

I do not know whether there may be any of our Sisters here who are
bound to consecrate their lives to the nursing of the sick where fevers
are rife, or where pestilence abounds, but they who can do such service
to humanity, for Christ's sake, shall receive no light word of
approbation at the Last Great Day. But, probably, the mass of us will
have to abide in our calling and, therefore, I would say, if we must do
so, let our life be all, "for His sake." I would desire never to come
to this platform but, "for His sake." Never to say even a word about
the Gospel but, "for His sake." And you, in your home, dear mother, go
and bring up your children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord,
"for His sake." Take those dear little ones and present them to Him.
Say, "Jesus, I give them to You–accept and save them. I devote them to
Your service, as Hannah gave Samuel to the Lord." Then, "for His sake,"
teach them holiness. "For His sake" be patient with them and, "for His
sake," bring them up, always, in the fear of the Lord.

You men of business, go out and labor, "for His sake." I could almost
envy some of you who have acquired an adequate income. Keep the
warehouse or shop open, "for His sake," and give more largely to His
cause. And you who are not in a position of competence, but are
struggling for your daily bread, "for His sake," never do a wrong
thing. Sometimes, when you are half inclined to yield to the tempter,
imagine that your Savior is standing by your side and that He puts His
pierced hand upon your shoulder and says, "If you are, indeed, bought
with My blood, let there be justice in all your dealings with your
fellows. No, more, be generous as well as just, for My sake, for I
would have you so act that all men shall know that you are My
disciple."

Perhaps some of you, who profess to be Christians, are living
altogether for yourselves, instead of living unto God. When you are at
home tonight, sitting quietly in your room, alone, I could half wish
that the Lord Jesus would enter and say to you, "I have loved you with
an everlasting love, and laid down My life for you. What are you doing
for Me in return?" Suppose He looked at you with those gentle, yet
heart-searching eyes of His, and you looked into that face which was
marred more than any man's, what would you say? Oh, I think I should
have to cover my face for very shame! And yet I am not living in
forgetfulness of Him and I am trying to do Him some humble service. But
as for those who do nothing, with the exception of sitting to hear
sermons, or sometimes dropping in at a Prayer Meeting, or, now and
then, giving a little to the cause of God–perhaps as little as they
dare–oh, what would they say in His Presence? You will all be in His
Presence, soon! Perhaps sooner than you expect–and among the sorrows
that will trouble you on your deathbed, if you are unfaithful to your
Lord, will be this–that you have done so little for Him while you had
the opportunity.

When sitting by the side of one of our dying members, a poor weak girl,
wasted by consumption, I was charmed as she whispered in my ear that
when she was brought to Jesus, she had such joy that she had striven to
do something for Him but mourned that she could accomplish so little.
Poor child! She tried to teach a class of boys and half killed herself
in the struggle to keep them quiet. She felt constrained, by love to
her Lord, to try to do something for Him, and as there happened to be
nothing else to do, she began to teach some rough children who were far
too wild for her. But she did not regret it. Oh, no! I am sure, if she
could be raised up, she would take to such work, again, "for His sake."
And I am sure that any of you, if you have given of your substance, or
given of your time, or given of your abilities, "for His sake," will
never have to say, when you are lying as she was, and breathing out
your life, "I did too much for my Savior." You will rather bless His
name that He accepted the little that you could do! And like our young
Sister, mourn that it is so little compared with what He deserves!

I therefore say to each one of you, Brothers and Sisters–If you have,
indeed, been washed in the blood of Christ, spend yourself for Him–do
not mock Him. If it was in play that you were redeemed and if the
Crucifixion was but a sport, then go and trifle with the service of
Christ. But if, indeed, the blood-mark of a real Savior is upon you and
you have been washed in the fountain filled with His precious blood, go
and live really useful, consecrated lives into which you shall throw
your whole heart and soul and strength, "for His sake!"

Who shall pile a monument worthy of the Savior who did so much, "for
your sakes?" Who shall compose a song sweet enough for the Christ of
God who came for our redemption? Who shall sound the trumpets loudly
enough for Im-manuel, who, though He was rich, yet for our sakes became
poor? Who shall bring offerings of gold and frankincense rich enough
for Him who gave up all for His people? Crown Him, you angels! You
seraphim, adore Him! O God, You alone can give Him the recompense of
honor which He merits! Glory be to His name forever! Let us take as our
motto, from now on, these words, "For His sake." "For His sake," let us
put up with poverty, counting it to be richest to be

poor if He would have it so. "For His sake," let us cheerfully endure
bodily sufferings, being glad if they make us more useful for Him. "For
His sake," let us live in toil and die in obscurity, if so we can best
glorify Him. Let our song be that of the gifted songstress, of whose
hymn I have already quoted one verse–

"In suffering sore, or toilsome task,

His burden light I'll bear;

'For Jesus 'sake'shall sweeten all,

Till His bright home I share.

And then this song more sweet, more strong,

In Heaven my harp shall wake–

Led all the way, till that glad day

Eternally, my heart shall say,

'For Jesus sake.'"

I will close when I have only added that if any of you have not at
present any interest in this sacrifice and this service of which my two
texts speak, I have just this word for you. It is, at least, a blessing
that you are still permitted to listen to the Gospel. Let me very
briefly tell once more, "the old, old story of Jesus and His love."
Jesus Christ died in the place of sinners. We deserved to be punished
for our sins. Under the Law of Moses there was no pardon for sin except
through the blood of a sacrifice. Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is the
one Sacrifice for sins forever, of which the thousands of bullocks and
lambs slain under the Law were but types. Every man who trusts to the
death of the Lamb of God may know that Jesus Christ was punished in His
place, so that God can be just and yet forgive the guilty. He can,
without violating His justice, remit sin and pardon iniquity because a
Substitute has been found whose death has an infinite value because of
the Divine Nature of the Sufferer. He has borne the iniquities of all
who trust Him. "He that believes on the Son has everlasting life."
Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall go your way a saved
soul, even though you came into this house steeped in sin, or through
terrible conviction on the very verge of despair. God grant that many
of you may trust in Jesus this very hour, "for His sake!" Amen.

PORTION OF SCRIPTURE READ BEFORE SERMON–2 Corinthians 8.