BRING US THE LIGHT
dregs. The cup which should have been mine, He took, He drank. And when that cup of suffering and death had been drained of all these bitter things, it was filled to the brim with the elixir o f forgiveness, o f pardon and cleansing, of love, of life—and that newly-filled cup, by God’s grace, is held out to you in the name o f the Lord Jesus Christ, and all you need to do is to take it! But, there is something to be offered, for the Word tells us so. If you will follow down the Psalm to verse 17, you will see this: “ I will offer to thee the sacrifice o f thanksgiving.” Here is the only sacrifice we can offer to God—the sacrifice o f thanksgiving. This is all that He wants. There has been one sacrifice for sins, and that is altogether sufficient. In the tenth chapter of the Epistle to the Hebrews, verse 11, one discovers how utterly insufficient are all other sacrifices. “ And every priest indeed standeth day by day ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, the which can never take away sins.” And then, in glorious contrast to this, there is the complete sufficiency o f the one sacrifice which God has provided for us. Notice it in verse 12: “ But he [that is, the Lord Jesus Christ], when he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand o f God; henceforth expecting till his enemies be made the footstool o f his feet. For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.” I want you to see still further the complete surety of that one sacrifice. Look at verse 19: “ Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holy place by the blood of Jesus, by the way which he dedicated for us, a new and living way, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh.” And then the crowning fact o f all, that with that perfect and sufficient sacrifice we have a high priest, and only one, in the person of Christ, who has completed His work. See verse 21: “ And having a great priest over the house of God [that is Jesus Christ]; let us draw near with a true heart in fulness [or in full assurance] of faith.” “ What shall I render unto Jehovah for all his benefits toward me? I will take the cup o f salvation, And call upon the name o f Jehovah.” We need only to call upon Jesus— then take the cup o f salvation from His hands. We need Him, and Him alone. Paul, writing to Timothy, said “ there is one God, one mediator also between God and men,” the man Christ Jesus. There He stands, your Mediator and my Medi ator. We need Him, and Him alone, fo r He is the only One who avails for us. In full Paul declared: “ There is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; Who gave himself a ransom for us all” ! We can offer no sacrifice, we can give nothing, for He gave Himself as our sacrifice. Today God wants us to take the cup of salvation, the gift o f His love and grace—and then to offer the sacrifice o f praise, o f thanksgiving, and of obedient hearts. Charlotte Arnold wrote some lines on the theme o f the Scripture we read:
i hear a clear voice calling, calling, Calling out of the night, O , you who live in the Light of Life, Bring us the Light! We are bound in the chains of darkness, Our eyes received no sight, O , you who have never been bond or blind, Bring us the Light!
We live amid turmoil and horror, Where might is the only right, O , you to whom life is liberty, Bring us the Light!
We stand in the ashes of ruins, We are ready to fight the fight, O , you whose feet are firm on the Rock, Bring us the Light! You cannot—ryou shall not forget us, Out here in the darkest night, We are drowning men, we are dying men, Bring, O , bring us the Light!
“In the hand of the Lord there is a cup.” His holy justice holds it up To my deserving, sin-stained lips And from its brim His fierce wrath drips. But, lo, there stood Someone between — An Israelite o f lowly mien, Who took the cup and drank for me To bitter dregs, sin’s penalty! It was the Son o f God who drank The cup of wrath from which I shrank. I shall forever praise His name For Jesus drank my sin and shame.
John Oxenham
GENUINE CHRISTIANITY IS REVEALED: In the home—by love and unselfishness. In business —by honesty and diligence. In society—by purity and courtesy. Toward the weak—by patience and kindness. Toward the lost—by interest and .effort for their salvation. Toward the believers—by understanding and helpfulness. Toward God—by reverence and obedience.
Are you going to drink the cup o f God’s holy wrath against unforgiven sin—or are you going to take from the hands of Jesus Christ the offered cup of forgiveness, o f peace, o f love, o f eternal life. You must make the choice. What will it be?
N O V E M B E R , I 9 4 8
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