How Love for Christ Frees Us
The sermon teaches that having a personal relationship with Christ makes all duties sweet, easy, and free.
Mary Wilder Tileston emphasizes the joy and fulfillment found in delighting in God's commandments, expressing a longing to be solely with Christ and have all duties centered around Him. She highlights the freedom and sweetness that come from personally surrendering to Christ, allowing every duty to be done in His company and with His guidance, leading to a life of ease and love in service.
Text
I will delight myself in Thy commandments, which I have loved.
PSALMS 119:47
THIS everlasting and compunctious study of duty, duty to everybody, everywhere, every day,--it keeps you questioning all the while, rasping in a torment of debates and compunctions, till you almost groan aloud for weariness. It is as if your life itself were slavery. And then you say, with a sigh, "Oh, if I had nothing to do but just to be with Christ personally, and have my duty solely as with Him, how sweet and blessed and secret and free would it be." Well, you may have it so; exactly this you may do and nothing more! Sad mistake that you should ever have thought otherwise! What a loss of privilege has it been! Come back then to Christ, retire into the secret place of His love, and have your whole duty personally as with Him. Only then you will make this very welcome discovery, that, as you are personally given up to Christ's person, you are going where He goes, helping what He does, keeping ever dear, bright company with Him, in all His motions of good and sympathy, refusing even to let Him suffer without suffering with Him. And so you will do a great many more duties than you even think of now; only they will all be sweet and easy and free, even as your love is.
HORACE BUSHNEM
Sermon Outline
- Delighting in God's Commandments
- Returning to Christ
- The Freedom of Love for Christ
- Being given up to Christ's person
- Following Christ's lead in all duties
Key Quotes
“If I had nothing to do but just to be with Christ personally, and have my duty solely as with Him, how sweet and blessed and secret and free would it be.” — Mary Wilder Tileston
“Only then you will make this very welcome discovery, that, as you are personally given up to Christ's person, you are going where He goes, helping what He does, keeping ever dear, bright company with Him, in all His motions of good and sympathy, refusing even to let Him suffer without suffering with Him.” — Mary Wilder Tileston
Application Points
- You can have a personal relationship with Christ and make all your duties sweet and easy and free by following His lead.
- Returning to Christ and having your whole duty personally as with Him can bring great benefits and freedom.
- Suffering with Christ is a privilege that comes from having a personal relationship with Him.