November 17

The Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. - Mark 16:20.

IT was by the preaching of the gospel that the heathen nations were to he turned from dumb idols to serve the living God. “When the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believed.” Thus on the day of Pentecost three thousand were, by the preaching of the Apostles, “pricked in their hearts, and cried out, Men and brethren, what must we do?”

When the Christians were scattered abroad upon the persecution of Stephen, they preached the Lord Jesus, and a “great number believed and turned unto the Lord.” At the Reformation, what was it converted this country from Popery to Protestantism? It was the preaching of the truth as it is in Jesus; and we know what was done in Scotland by Knox and his companions, and since in this land by Whitefield and Wesley, and the band of men whose heart God had touched, and who flew like angels over the land, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that “dwell upon the earth;” and if the members of any Christian community should be examined as to their religious experience, how many will acknowledge they were Divinely impressed by the preaching of the word.

How often would be heard acknowledgments like these: I was a poor careless creature, without one serious thought about my poor soul, till I heard such a sermon, which like thunder accused my conscience, and induced me to ask “What must I do to be saved?” Another would say, I was a proud Pharisee, trusting in myself that I was righteous, and despising others till I heard such a sermon, which induced me to quit the hope I held before, to trust the merits of Christ, and to say, “In the Lord have I righteousness and strength.” Another would say, My soul was clad with the blackness of despair, without one ray of hope, till by such a sermon there arose light in the darkness, and it was the light of life to me.

It is thus the preaching of the Lord Jesus meets man in all his relations, in all his exigencies; it teaches and makes him “wise unto salvation:” is he weak? it makes him “strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus;” is he cast down? it comforts him, it possesses him with “a peace that passeth all understanding,” it animates him with “everlasting consolation and good hope through grace.” But observe the source of their success: “The Lord working with them.”

This honour have all the faithful preachers of Christ’s holy gospel; “they are workers together with him.” And this is their encouragement, the Lord working with them; and this is their conviction, “without him they can do nothing.” “Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, saith the Lord of hosts:” and saith Paul, “The excellency of the power is not of us;” We are not sufficient to think anything as of ourselves, but our sufficiency is of God.”

Thus they went forth preaching, depending upon Divine cooperation; and the hand of the Lord was with them. “We then, as workers together with him,” says the Apostle- we fellow-workers, who differ in our stations, our abilities, our modes of preaching, and on which account there are some who take advantage and create divisions, and form parties, saying, “I am of Paul, and I of Apollos, and I of Cephas,” and in so saying display much weakness and carnality, and walk as men.

Ministers, however they are endowed and employed, or wherever they are engaged, are workers together, and are workers together with God, and they say with these first preachers, “we beseech you that ye receive not the grace of God in vain.