One of the first things that meets the eye upon entering the
home of William C- - is a text in large bold letters hanging on the living room
wall. It is John
Our frontispiece shows a page from John 6. As you will see, he noticed the special
emphasis put on the words: Come, eat and bread in the chapter. Put together they simply form the incentive
that gave him such joy in the Saviour.
The chapter, as a careful reading will show, opens with the feeding of
the five thousand by the Lord Jesus Christ at the hill-side against Tiberias.
It is the only miracle recorded by all four Evangelists, and demands closest
attention.
It was the basis for the discourse that followed. A question is raised by those whom the Lord
has just satisfied with bread: “What shall we do that we might work the works
of God?” And the answer is from the lips of Him who cannot lie: “This is the
work of God, that ye believe on Him whom He hath sent.” But as unbelieving as
“Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you,
Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but My Father giveth you the true
bread from heaven. For the Bread of God is He which cometh down from heaven,
and giveth life unto the world. Then
said they unto Him, Lord evermore give us this bread. And Jesus said unto them, I am the Bread of Life; he that cometh
to Me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on Me shall never thirst. But I said unto you, That ye also have seen
Me and believe not. All that the Father
giveth Me shall come to Me; and him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast
out.”
It is a Royal Invitation from the King of kings and Lord of
lords. “Come : for all things are now ready.” God is ready to save you; Christ
Jesus is ready to receive you; the Holy Spirit is ready to indwell you. Are you ready?
Salvation, wrought out by Him who cried upon the Cross, “IT
IS FINISHED,” is ready for you; atonement has been made for sin and all
uncleanness, the cleansing fountain is now open, and God Stands ready to clothe
you with the robe of righteousness. Are
you ready? The “great supper” has been
provided and the feast is spread for you.
Will you make absurd excuses to remain away from it? You do so at the
peril of your own soul! What excuse
will you make to God when you stand before Him in view of the fact that you
know He is now inviting you to Come and partake of His grace. To believe on the
Lord Jesus Christ and be saved? It is
but another of the many gospel bells that God has been ringing these many long
years which millions have heard and answered.
And still these,
“Gospel
bells invite us,
To a feast
prepared for all;
Do not
slight the invitation,
Nor reject
the gracious call.
“I am the
Bread of Life:
Eat of Me,
thou hungry soul,
Though
your sins be red as crimson,
They shall
be as white as wool.”
Does your heart say Yes, or No? Are you numbered amongst
those who “believe not”? Remember, “He
that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on
him.” Do you understand those dread
words, dear reader? Listen to the awful
sentence from the Faithful and True Witness, “But the fearful and unbelieving,
. .
Shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire
and brimstone: which is the second death.”
Hear another word of the Faithful Witness, “He that
believeth on the Son hath everlasting life.”
And this believing is “coming,” and by coming you will prove that God
has provided for your blessing now and evermore.
“From the
Cross uplifted high,
Where the
Saviour deigns to die,
What melodious
sounds I hear,
Bursting
on my ravished ear!
Love’s
redeeming work is done;
Come, and
welcome!, sinner, Come!
“Spread
for thee the festal board,
See with
richest dainties stored:
To thy
Father’s bosom pressed,
Yet again
a child confessed,
Never from
His House to roam;
Come, and
welcome! Sinner, Come!”
-Haweis
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