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THE KING’S BUSINESS
A VOICE FROM HEAVEN But there is still another witness, a higher still. Some think that the God of the Old Testament is the Christ of the New, But when Jesus came out to Jordan, baptized by John, there came a voice from heaven. God the Father spoke. It was His testi mony to Christ: “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” Ah, yes ! God the Father thinks well of the Son. And if God is well pleased with Him, so ought we to be. If the sinner and God are well pleased with Christ, then the sinner and God can meet. The moment you say, as the Father said, “I am well pleased with Him,” and accept Him, you are wedded to God. Will you not believe the testi mony? Will you not believe this witness, this last of all, the Lord of hosts, the King of kings himself? Once more he repeats it, so that all may know it. With Peter and James and John, on the mount of transfiguration, He cries again, “This is my beloved Son ; hear him.” And that voice went echoing and re-echoing through Palestine, through all the earth from sea to sea; yes, that voice is echoing still, Hear Him ! Hear Him ! My friend, will you hear Him today? Hark ! what is He saying to you ? “Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart ; and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” Will you not think well of such a Saviour? Will you not believe in Him ? Will you not trust in Him with all your heart and mind? Will you not live for Him ? If Hé laid down His life for us, is it not the least we can do to lay down ours for Him? If He bore the cross and died on it for me, ought I not to be willing to take it up for Him? Oh, have we not reason to think well of Him. Do you think it is right and noble to lift up your voice against such a Sav iour? Do you think it is just to cry, “Cru cify Him ! Crucify Him !” Oh, may God help all of us to glorify the Father by thinking well of His only-begotten Son.
a change did that one interview make to Saul! A few years afterward we hear him say, “I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dross that I may win Christ.” Such a testimony to the Saviour! ANGELS SUMMONED But I shall go still further. I shall go away from earth into the other world. I shall summon the angels and ask what they think of Christ. They saw Him in the bosom of the Father before the world was. Before the dawn of creation, before the morning stars sang together, He was there. They saw Him leave the throne and come down to the manger. What a scene for them to witness! Ask these heavenly beings what they thought of Him then. For once they are permitted to speak; for once the silence of heaven is broken. Listen to their song., on the plains of Bethlehem, “Behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day, in the city of David, a Saviour, which is. Christ the Lord.” He leaves the throne to save the world. Is it a wonder the angels thought well of Him? Then there are the redeemed saints— they that see'Him face to face. Here on earth He was never known, no one seemed really to be acquainted with Him ; but He was known in that world where He had been from the foundation. What do they think of Him there? If we could hear from heaven we should hear a shout which would glorify and magnify His name. We are told that when John was in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day, and being caught up, he heard a shout around him, ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands and thousands of voices, “Worthy is the Lamb that was slain, to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and blessing!”. Yes, He is worthy of all this. Heaven cannot speak too well of Him. Oh, that earth would take up the echo and join with heaven in singing, “Worthy to receive power, and riches, -and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and blessing!”
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