An atheist was once addressing a
crowd of people in the open air. He was trying to persuade them that there
was no God and no devil, no heaven and no hell, no resurrection, no judgement
and no life to come. He advised them to throw away their Bibles and not to
mind what preachers said. He recommended them to think as he did, and to
be like him. He talked boldly. The crowd listened eagerly. It was 'the blind
leading the blind'. Both were falling into the ditch. (Matthew 15:14)
In the middle of his address a poor old woman suddenly pushed her way through
the crowd, to the place where he was standing. She stood before him. She looked
him full in the face. 'Sir', she said, in a loud voice, 'Are you happy?' the
atheist looked scornfully at her, and gave her no answer. 'Sir', she said
again, 'I ask you to answer my question. Are you happy? you want us to throw
away our Bibles. You tell us not to believe what parsons tell us about religion.
You advise us to think as you do and be like you. Now before we take your
advice we have a right to know what good we shall get by it. Do your fine
new notions give you much comfort. Do you yourself really feel happy?'
The atheist stopped, and attempted to answer the old woman's question. He
stammered, and shuffled, and fidgeted, and endeavoured to explain his meaning.
He tried hard to turn the subject. He said, he 'had not come there to preach
about happiness.' But it was of no use. The old woman stuck to her point.
She insisted on her question being answered, and the crowd took her part.
She pressed him hard with her inquiry, and would take no excuse. And at last
the atheist was obliged to leave the ground, and sneak off in confusion. He
could not reply to the question. His conscience would not let him: he dared
not say that he was happy.
To be
truly happy, the highest wants of a man's nature must be met and satisfied.
The requirements of his curiously wrought constitution must all be filled
up. There must be nothing about him that cries, 'Give, give', but cries in
vain and gets no answer.
The true
Christian is the only happy man, because his conscience is at peace. That
mysterious witness for God, which is so mercifully placed within us, is fully
satisfied and at rest. It sees in the blood of Christ a complete cleansing
away of all its guilt. It sees in the Priesthood and meditation of Christ
a complete answer to all its fears. It sees that through the sacrifice and
death of Christ, God can now be just, and yet be the justifier of the ungodly.
It no longer bites and stings, and makes the possessor afraid of himself.
The Lord Jesus Christ has amply met all its requirements. Conscience is no
longer the enemy of the true Christian, but his friend and advisor. Therefore
he is happy.
The plain
truth is that without Christ there is no happiness in this world. He alone
can give the Comforter who abideth forever. He is the Sun; without Him men
never feel warm. He is the Light; without Him men are always in the dark.
He is the Bread; without Him men are always starving. He is the Living Water;
without Him men are always athirst. Give them what you like - place them where
you please - surround them with all the comforts you can imagine - it makes
no difference. Separate from Christ, the Prince of Peace, a man cannot be
happy.
Come to
Him, imploring Him to show you His mercy, and grant you His salvation to
wash you in His own blood, and take your sins away - to speak peace to your
conscience, and heal your troubled soul. Tell Him all this unreservedly. This
is coming to Christ.
You
have everything to encourage you. The Lord Jesus Himself invites you.
He proclaims to you as well as to others, 'Come unto Me, all ye that
labour 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.' (Matthew 11:28-30)
Wait for nothing. You may feel unworthy. You may feel as if you did not repent
enough. But wait no longer. Come to Christ.
You have
everything to encourage you. Thousands have walked in the way you are invited
to enter, and have found it good.
Once, like yourself,
they served the world, and plunged deeply into folly and sin. Once, like
yourself, they became weary of their wickedness, and longed for deliverance
an rest. They heard of Christ, and His willingness to help and save: they
came to Him by faith and prayer, and after many a doubt and hesitation -
they found Him a thousand times more gracious than they had
expected. They rested on Him and were happy: they carried Him cross and
tasted peace. Oh, walk in their steps! I beseech you, by the mercies of God,
to come to Christ. As ever you would be happy, I entreat you to come to Christ.
Cast off delays. Awake from you past slumber: arise, and be free!
This day come to Christ.
