Daily Devotionals

Mornings and Evenings with Jesus

Devotional: September 22nd

From you sounded out the word of the Lord, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place. - 1 Thessalonians 1:8.

AND it sounded out from them in four ways. First, by their acting and living so as to render the gospel noted, remarkable, renowned. They adorn the doctrine of God their Saviour in all things, and ornaments are always noticed by others. As Dr. Watts sings,-

“Then shall we best proclaim, abroad

The honours of our Saviour-God,

When his salvation works within,

And grace subdues the power of sin.”

It is thus that we are to hold forth the word of life, by our tempers, by our lives, our actions, our sufferings, and our enjoyments.

Secondly, They sounded out the word of the Lord by their verbal announcement and recommendation. For this they had opportunities in conversation with individuals, and we have all these opportunities, more or less. They had these opportunities also when they travelled, whether their excursions were those of pleasure, or friendship, or business; for very much trade was carried on by the Thessalonians, owing to the fine port which they had; and so they had intercourse with all the neighbouring countries, and this was, in their case, overruled for good, this gave them opportunities of seeing others and addressing them.

There are some persons who travel without their religion: they are afraid or ashamed to have their religious connections known. But these Thessalonians, when they travelled, took their religion along with them. There are others who keep God out of their offices and warehouses and shops; for what business has God there? They are not concerned either to hold forth the spirit of the gospel, or to speak of divine things, while they are dealing with men in worldly concerns. But this was not the case with the Thessalonians: they took opportunities to drop something that might operate on the minds of those who heard them. It was said of the great Archbishop Usher, that when he was in any company he was accustomed to say, “Let us not separate without a word of Christ.” I wonder how this would be remarked if an archbishop of our day were to say this when surrounded with a company of modern divines.

The third way in which they sounded out the word of the Lord in all places was by their letters as well as by their discourses. The sentiment conveyed in a letter is often peculiarly impressive, because it is addressed to and appropriated by the individual.

And, Fourthly, They sounded out the word of the Lord by the messengers and missionaries whom they employed and sustained in the work of faith and labour of love. Now, we are not to suppose this was peculiar, or confined to them, though it was very much their practice in those various ways to sound forth the word of the Lord in every place; but we shall find the same disposition in all the partakers of divine grace recorded in the Scriptures. They all added to their personal religion relative zeal. Even David, hero and conqueror as he was, was a kind of preacher and teacher. “Then,” says he, “will I teach transgressors thy ways, and sinners shall be converted unto thee.” “Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good. Blessed is the man that trusteth in thee.” Thus it was with the first Christians, as John tells us:-“That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.”

Thus Andrew, as soon as he had found the Messiah, brought his brother Peter. Peter, as soon he had found him, brought his friend Nathanael; and the woman of Samaria, as soon as she had found him, brought her neighbours to him.

Then came the mother of Zebedee’s children, with her sons, worshipping him, and desiring a certain thing of him. And he said unto her, What wilt thou? She saith unto him, Grant that these my two sons may sit, the one on thy right hand and the other on the left, in thy Kingdom. - Matthew 20:20-21.

NOTHING is said on this occasion of the father or husband. He might have been dead, he might have been absent, he might have been otherwise minded. Without indulging in illiberal reflections or in invidious comparisons, it is well known that the maternal heart is too easily accessible to the emotions of children, and a female heart too much alive to the distinctions of rank. Here we have a mother soliciting for her two sons places of trust and power.

And these two sons were James and John. We have reason to fear the motion originated with them, though it was proposed by the mother; and if so, it is humiliating in the extreme, that after all the instruction he had given them, his disciples should have been such dull scholars as yet to think his kingdom was of this world, that he was come to deliver them from the Roman yoke, to place them at the head of nations, and to lead them forth conquering and to conquer. In thus requesting precedence in this secular empire, as in all other places, for themselves, they betrayed not only their ignorance but their carnality, their pride, and their ambition.

The best of men are but men at the best. But Jesus answered and said, “Ye know not what he ask. Are ye able to drink of the cup that I shall drink of, and to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? And they said, We are able. And he saith unto them, Ye shall drink indeed of my cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with; but to sit on my right hand and on my left is not mine to give; but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared of my Father. And when the ten heard it, they were moved with indignation against the two brethren. But Jesus called them unto him and said, Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them; but it shall not be so among you. But whosoever will be great among you let him be your minister; and whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant. Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto,but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.”

Thus our Saviour not only rejects their motion, but seizes an opportunity to inform them concerning the end for which he came into our world, and by which they were to regulate their expectations and their lives. It regards three things: his character, his life, and his death. It shows us his condescension in life, his grace in death. In the one he was a servant, in the other, a sacrifice and a Saviour. May we ponder these thoughts and these reflections this morning, and say with Watts,

“Be thou my pattern. Make me bear

More of thy gracious image here,

Then God, the Judge, shall own my name

Among the followers of the Lamb.”