Luke 7:19

THE FINAL REVELATION

‘Art Thou He that should come? or look we for another?’

Luke 7:19

That is the question to which we must all give a definite answer.

I. A definite answer required.—If we have never yet settled accounts with ourselves as to our true attitude towards Christ, or if at any time we should find ourselves becoming hazy or doubtful about His true Divinity, this is the point to which we must pin ourselves down. We must constantly force home upon ourselves this one question, we must hold ourselves to it, and determinedly extort from ourselves an unambiguous ‘Yes’ or ‘No.’ And if we have once for all owned and hailed Christ as the Great Fulfiller and are unshaken in our faith on this point, we should not overmuch worry about doubts on any minor points.

II. But we may be met with an objection.—‘How can I,’ it may be asked, ‘say that Christ’s revelation is final and absolute?’ Let us put the question in this way: does not Christ’s revelation completely meet all the needs of the human heart? Is there any element in human nature that cannot here meet with its satisfaction? We know sufficiently well what is in man, we know the nature of that universal man, who is everywhere fundamentally the same; so then, these questions are by no means beyond our power of answering.

III. Step by step.—And if we are doubtful as to what our answer shall be, let us diligently study the life and character of Christ as they are so marvellously depicted for us in the Gospels; let us thoroughly steep ourselves in the spirit of those unique narratives. And when we have formed from them some general idea of what sort of man the historical Christ really was, let us pass on to those other works of the earliest Christian literature, which are included in the New Testament canon, and see in them what He was to His immediate followers. Let us try to master John’s magnificent exposition of the ‘new commandment,’ and St. James’ rhapsody over ‘the perfect law of liberty.’ Above all, let us study and meditate on St. Paul’s wonderful teaching upon justification by faith. And then let us observe the working of Christianity all down the ages; let us see how it has completely changed the face of modern civilisation, how it has regenerated and reformed societies, and revolutionised the lives of individuals; let us look at the long roll of saints which it has produced, and the dazzling heights of moral and spiritual achievement to which, in persons of many of these, human nature has attained. And, finally, let us look round the world to-day and see what great deeds Christianity is accomplishing even now.

Rev. N. E. Egerton-Swann.