LAUGH 'N LEARN

An Encouragement Ministry of Verde Valley Christian Church Of Cottonwood Arizona
http://vvchristianchurch.net

Issue # 381 July 11,  2010

LAUGH

LEARN

Jim's Manuscript

July 11, 2010

"Check, Check, Testing, 1 2 3..."

2 Corinthians "True Comfort" Series (Conclusion)

Text:  2 Corinthians 13

[Have someone grab a microphone, do a mock sound check, tapping the microphone then saying, make it look kind of rude] "Check, Check, Testing, 1 2 3..." 

Hey, Doug, excuse me, I'm ready to begin.

Doug apologizes, and leaves the stage. 

Actually, the title of our study this morning is, "Check, Check, Testing, 1 2 3". 

Focus:  Examine yourself; don't accept your dog's admiration as conclusive evidence that you are wonderful.

Today is the concluding chapter of what has been a really good series about "true comfort".  If you want "true comfort" you want more than your dog's assessment of yourself. 

Why do we need to examine ourselves?  1) God commands us to examine ourselves.  2) In a culture that basically believes that all you have to do to get to heaven is die, we had better check 2 things, "What God really says about salvation" and "What God really says about us."

Review

Before we read the last chapter of 2 Corinthians, let me give you a brief review of what we covered so far.  We have discovered that Paul has done the difficult thing of affirming the Corinthians' faith, while at the same defending his own credibility which was being undermined by a few interlopers who were very eloquent speakers. 

·       They had twisted everything Paul did and said to attempt to point out how he was an "unimpressive speaker." and

·       They accused him of being bold in his letters but timid in face to face encounters.

·       They spoke poorly of his trade as a tent maker, how if he really was worth his salt as a teacher he would not need to support himself with such a degrading trade.

·       They accused him of not keeping his word, pointing out that he said he would come visit, but failed to follow through as of yet. 

·       They must have pointed out the fact that Paul must obviously constantly in trouble and therefore didn't seem to be truly blessed by God as they were.

·       These who compared themselves with themselves falsely compared their authority with Paul's authority, and in their estimation came out on top.  They presented themselves as apostles with more authority than Paul as it relates to "spiritual experiences" like "visions and revelations", and "signs and wonders" from God. 

Paul delivered a sound rebuttal for each. 

·       Truth needs no rhetorical eloquence or false bravado to be effective.  This should be obvious since the church was begun without their "eloquent" help.

·       Paul explained why he did not yet come in person, he was giving them a chance to straighten things out on their own first.  Things would go so much better if they respond well.  And so far there was a good response to a previous painful letter, yet nevertheless they had not yet soundly dealt with the source of the problem--the false teachers.

·       He defended his financial self-sufficiency with great sarcasm turning the argument upside down, take a quick look and decide for yourself who is in it for the money?

·       His most surprising argument was to show how God was using all the troubles, trials, and weaknesses to do a greater work, which is just like God to do, afterall wasn't this his precise strategy with the cross?!  Now, it was God's strategy through Paul.  It is through Paul's weaknesses that God will demonstrate his greatest measures of strength.  As Paul does not lean on his natural strengths, God delivers supernatural strength.

·       Now it boils down to a show down.  And Paul finishes with his warning.  There is enough evidence before them now to make some decisions.  And we enter chapter 13, a conclusion and warning, he urges the Corinthians to act.

Overview of 13

In chapter 13, he begins with a warning that he is coming.  This will be his third visit.  He quotes scripture about how a trial with evidence goes.  You need two or three witnesses, which they have more than that, and they have had more two visits, and letters.  He turns the tables completely upside down on them.  He says "You have been demanding proof of my credibility, and putting me through this trial by examination."  My best argument is YOU.  Examine yourselves.  If you pass the test, I pass the test.  If you don't pass the test, I fail.  It is an argument of confidence.  He expects that they will pass the test of self examination. 

We will learn in the process however, how critical self examination is.  If we are busy evaluating how we are doing by examining others, we will fail the test.  We need to examine ourselves.  We must examine ourselves. 

I want to help you do this most important task of examining yourself before God this morning. 

First, let's read 2 Corinthians 13 as a whole.

2 Corinthians 13:1-14 (NIV) ¹ This will be my third visit to you. "Every matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses." ² I already gave you a warning when I was with you the second time. I now repeat it while absent: On my return I will not spare those who sinned earlier or any of the others, ³ since you are demanding proof that Christ is speaking through me. He is not weak in dealing with you, but is powerful among you. ⁴ For to be sure, he was crucified in weakness, yet he lives by God's power. Likewise, we are weak in him, yet by God's power we will live with him to serve you. ⁵ Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you--unless, of course, you fail the test? ⁶ And I trust that you will discover that we have not failed the test. ⁷ Now we pray to God that you will not do anything wrong. Not that people will see that we have stood the test but that you will do what is right even though we may seem to have failed. ⁸ For we cannot do anything against the truth, but only for the truth. ⁹ We are glad whenever we are weak but you are strong; and our prayer is for your perfection. ¹⁰ This is why I write these things when I am absent, that when I come I may not have to be harsh in my use of authority--the authority the Lord gave me for building you up, not for tearing you down. ¹¹ Finally, brothers, good-by. Aim for perfection, listen to my appeal, be of one mind, live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you. ¹² Greet one another with a holy kiss. ¹³ All the saints send their greetings. ¹⁴ May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

I.        "I'll Give You To The Count Of 3" (13:1-4)

Sounds like parenting doesn't it?  Issuing a warning before the swift measure of discipline has to be applied.  Parents do this hoping that the last warning will be enough to turn the kids behavior around.  Paul is giving warning here. 

2 Corinthians 13:1-14 (NIV) ¹ This will be my third visit to you. "Every matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses." ² I already gave you a warning when I was with you the second time. I now repeat it while absent: On my return I will not spare those who sinned earlier or any of the others, ³ since you are demanding proof that Christ is speaking through me. He is not weak in dealing with you, but is powerful among you. ⁴ For to be sure, he was crucified in weakness, yet he lives by God's power. Likewise, we are weak in him, yet by God's power we will live with him to serve you.

Paul says, I've been accused of being weak.  Was Christ weak?   Christ is not weak.  He was crucified in weakness, yet he lives by God's power.  So also, We are weak in him, yet live by God's power.  And it will be with God's power that we come to you.  And watch out, I have already given you multiple warnings.  I warned you when I came to you the second time.  I am now repeating that warning while I am absent.  You have multiple witnesses.  This is moving in the direction of official discipline.  I'll give you to the count of 3!

A.      Yourselves Examine! (13:5)

Greek can function differently than English.  Because of case endings and verb tense matching, in the Greek you can create emphasis through word order more easily.  We usually don't put the verb's predicate in front of the verb.  If you do, you sound kind of like Yoda in Star wars.  But in the Greek here is how the sentence literally reads.

YOURSELVES, test you, if you are in the faith;  YOURSELVES prove: or do you not recognize yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in You!  If not any not rejected you are!

⁵ Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you--unless, of course, you fail the test?

Examine yourselves to see if you pass the test.  If you pass and do not fail the test...

It is possible to profess Christ and not possess Christ.

The Ark Illustration (this idea came from Spurgeon's sermon "Examine Yourself", I've adapted it)

Imagine a number of men standing around the ark as Noah is putting the finishing touches on it. 

One man says,. "What is it?" 

Noah says, "Its an ark?" 

"What's an ark?" another man asks.

Noah explains all about the coming flood, and explains rain, and God, and about wickedness, and about the coming judgment.  He urges them to join him.

Now, if the conversation of the man standing around continues something like this. 

One man says, "Do you believe him?" 

And many say yes, and some say no. 

One man says, "I believe it will float."

Another says, "I think he really can fit a lot of animals in that thing."

Another says, "I believe him that God is mad, things are very bad around here.  You and I know it isn't safe to walk alone at night anymore."

Another says, "I believe he's made the whole thing out of gopher wood!  Amazing!"

Now, which of them really believes in the Ark?  The proof will be how many of them are actually IN the Ark when Noah says its time.

Here's the point.  You can believe in many orthodox truths about Jesus. 

"I believe he is the Son of God."

"I believe he died on the cross and rose from the dead."

"I believe there is a judgment coming."

"I believe he died for my sins."

Unless you enter into Jesus, and Jesus enters into you, you don't pass the test of faith.  The real test of faith is whether you trust enough to enter! 

Now, we need to examine ourselves to see if we have Jesus.  Did we enter in?  We need to examine ourselves the way Paul would have us examine ourselves.  This is not some subjective feeling.  This is not some statement of faith we can rattle off correctly.  We don't get in by knowing the right answers, we get in by truly entering into the life giving Jesus, and the Life of Jesus enters us.  How do we examine to see if this is true?

Well that is a very good question.  And I think Paul has already been giving us what we need to have to examine ourselves. 

Don't let yourself off the hook of self examination just because you've been a member of the church for years.  There will be members of churches who have been members for years (at least officially speaking from a human vantage point) who never really had the life of Jesus IN THEM.  In other words, they prayed a prayer, went forward, or got baptized, but if you examine their lives, they fail the test!!!

This doesn't just go for members.  This goes for those who say, "I've been a Sunday School teacher for years."   Or, "I've been a deacon for years."   Or how about, "I've been a pastor for years."   None of these outward behaviors guarantees or proves we are in Jesus and Jesus is in us.

So how do we examine ourselves?

It isn't by some subjective feelings either.  You don't look in and say, "Well of course I love God.  God loves me, and I feel so good when I come to church and feel all those warm comforting feelings.  I worship.  I feel good.  It is real."  That's a lot of subjective feelings.  How do you know feelings mean anything?  These false apostles pointed to a lot of subjective feelings.  They pointed to a lot of "visions" and "revelations" and experiences like "speaking in tongues" and "signs" and "wonders."  And yet, Paul was about to come and kick them out of the church as imposters. 

So, we better examine ourselves.  But if we are to examine ourselves, how are we to do it?

I've really enjoyed 2 Corinthians and this series, haven't you?  Yeah, me too.  Okay, great, you are dismissed.  Go examine yourselves.  The Lord is returning soon. 

No.  We aren't done yet.  I want to review the objective standards by which we are to examine ourselves.  We have so much in God's word that helps us.  Too much to deal with on a Sunday, but perhaps if we just looked at some hightlights from 2 Corinthians alone, we'd have plenty for us to examine ourselves, and turn to God.

How To Examine Ourselves (Using Only 2 Corinthians)

2 Corinthians 1:21-22 (NIV) ²¹ Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us,  ²² set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.

Is there any evidence of God's Spirit in your life?  Have you seen the changes he has made possible?  By changing your desires, and helping you carry out new desires?

2 Corinthians 2:9-11 (NIV) ⁹ The reason I wrote you was to see if you would stand the test and be obedient in everything.  ¹⁰ If you forgive anyone, I also forgive him. And what I have forgiven--if there was anything to forgive--I have forgiven in the sight of Christ for your sake,  ¹¹ in order that Satan might not outwit us. For we are not unaware of his schemes.

Are you obedient in everything?  Or are you busy excusing yourself by comparing yourself to others?  Comparison in our culture would be foolish, the whole culture is drifting from God.

Is there anyone you need to forgive?

2 Corinthians 2:14-16 (NIV) ¹⁴ But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him.  ¹⁵ For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing.  ¹⁶ To the one we are the smell of death; to the other, the fragrance of life. And who is equal to such a task?

Are you leaving the aroma of Christ everywhere you go?  Does the atmosphere change?

2 Corinthians 3:18 (NIV) ¹⁸ And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.

Are you changing with ever-increasing glory, reflecting more and more the Glory of Christ?

2 Corinthians 4:13-14 (NIV) ¹³ It is written: "I believed; therefore I have spoken." With that same spirit of faith we also believe and therefore speak,  ¹⁴ because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you in his presence.

Do you speak about what you believe?

2 Corinthians 4:18 (NIV) ¹⁸ So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

How often do you fix your eyes on what is NOT seen?  Is your heart fixed there?

2 Corinthians 5:1 (NIV) Now we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands.

In Chapter 5 we studied:   "Never Homeless" and we learned how "It is true comfort to know that when we move from our "earthly tent" we will never be homeless."  Perhaps you remember that was the day I put up a tent at the beginning of the message.  There is actually an amazing "God is Good" story that happened on this day, that I recently learned about.  This was a message about what happens when we die.  It was the first time Amanda Doyle's dad came to our church and the last time also.  He was broken and weeping during communion.  The whole service touched his life.  He went into the hospital a few days later.  He asked for prayer, and devotional reading.  Others helped him ask Jesus into his life.  He passed away, but I believe he hung on to Christ in that last hour and when he was absent from his body, he entered the presence of Christ. 

We never lose heart, because even the worst case scenario for those of us in Christ, is not bad, we will never be homeless.

2 Corinthians 5:9-10 (NIV) ⁹ So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it.  ¹⁰ For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.

Can anyone tell from your daily choices that your MAIN goal is to please Christ?

2 Corinthians 5:14-15 (NIV) ¹⁴ For Christ's love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died.  ¹⁵ And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.

We are all compelled by something, does Christ's love compel you, or is it something else?

2 Corinthians 5:20-21 (NIV) ²⁰ We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God.  ²¹ God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

Are you reconciled to God?  Do you keep current with God?

2 Corinthians 6:1 (NIV) As God's fellow workers we urge you not to receive God's grace in vain.

Vain = Empty.  Don't let God's Grace return empty.  Have you been getting great GRACE mileage?  Or have you punched holes in your Grace tank? 

2 Corinthians 6:2 (NIV) ² For he says, "In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you." I tell you, now is the time of God's favor, now is the day of salvation.

Are you measuring yourself by "good intentions"?  Now is the time!  Don't put off making things right in every way.

2 Corinthians 6:17-18 (NIV) ¹⁷ "Therefore come out from them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you."  ¹⁸ "I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty."

What is God asking of you here?  How should you be different than those around you?  Quit comparing yourself with others, how are you supposed to be different?  He says, "Come out and be separate!"  Be Holy.  Be Clean.   Others might do.....   ________ but not you. 

2 Corinthians 7:1 (NIV) ¹ Since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God.

What will motivate you to purify yourself?  Your love and reverence for God.

2 Corinthians 7:10-11 (NIV) ¹⁰ Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.  ¹¹ See what this godly sorrow has produced in you: what earnestness, what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what alarm, what longing, what concern, what readiness to see justice done. At every point you have proved yourselves to be innocent in this matter.

Right about now, truth should be having its convicting, sorrowful effect.  Let it.  Godly sorrow brings repentance.  How has your earnestness and eagerness to get right with God been?  Cold, or earnest?  Alarmed or snooze button?

2 Corinthians 8:2-4 (NIV) ² Out of the most severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity.  ³ For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own,  ⁴ they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the saints.

As you examine your attitude toward money--do you see it as yours?  Do you horde it as if it is YOURS to Horde?  Or do you spend it without consulting God as if it is YOURS and yours alone?  Have you been looking for ways to make a lasting difference in others?  

2 Corinthians 8:7 (NIV) ⁷ But just as you excel in everything--in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in your love for us--see that you also excel in this grace of giving.

How do you excel?  Practice.  See to it that you practice so that you can excel in the grace of giving.

2 Corinthians 9:6-8 (NIV) ⁶ Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.  ⁷ Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.  ⁸ And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.

Have you been sowing sparingly?  Cheerfully?  Does God's grace abound to you?  Do you have everything you need at ALL times to abound in every good work?  That's the promise, when you practice generosity.

2 Corinthians 9:11 (NIV) ¹¹ You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.

2 Corinthians 9:13 (NIV) ¹³ Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, men will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else.

Does your generosity and your service prove your faith to others, helping them praise God?  Does it match your confession of the good news?

2 Corinthians 10:4-5 (NIV) ⁴ The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.  ⁵ We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.

Have you engaged in spiritual battle lately?  Have you helped release anyone who have been held captive to the arguments and pretentions that set themselves up against God?  How are you doing helping people capture their thoughts and making them obedient to Christ?  How are you doing making captive your own thoughts?

2 Corinthians 10:12 (NIV) ¹² We do not dare to classify or compare ourselves with some who commend themselves. When they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are not wise.

Have you been foolishly comparing yourself with others?

2 Corinthians 11:3 (NIV) ³ But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent's cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ.

Have you been foolishly comparing yourself with others? 

2 Corinthians 12:9-10 (NIV) ⁹ But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me.  ¹⁰ That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Do you speak about your weaknesses?  Do speak about how Christ makes all the difference for you?  Do you delight in the place of depending on God?  Do you delight in your weaknesses because they give you opportunities to see God's strength at work?

2 Corinthians 12:21 (NIV) ²¹ I am afraid that when I come again my God will humble me before you, and I will be grieved over many who have sinned earlier and have not repented of the impurity, sexual sin and debauchery in which they have indulged.

Have you repented of your impurities, and your sexual sins? 

2 Corinthians 13:5 (NIV) ⁵ Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you--unless, of course, you fail the test?

B.      If You Pass, We Pass (13:6-8)

⁶ And I trust that you will discover that we have not failed the test.

There is a surprise in verse 6.  It isn't what you expect.  He has already set up the question in such a way that you can see that Paul expects the Corinthians to pass their self examination. 

He says,

⁵ Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you--unless, of course, you fail the test?

The phrase "Do you not realize that Jesus is in you" is phrased grammatically in such a way that Paul expects them be able to examine themselves and realize that Christ IS in them.  Of course, he doesn't expect that 100% of them necessarily will pass the examination.  He makes allowances that there might be some who "fail the test".

After this statement here is what you would normally expect him to say.  You would normally expect him to then say, ⁶ And I trust that you will discover that [YOU] have not failed the test.

But that is NOT what he says.  He says, ⁶ And I trust that you will discover that we have not failed the test.

He makes their passing of the test, the ultimate test of HIS credibility!  And the fascinating thing is Paul doesn't really care too much if everyone sees his credibility as long as his authority WORKED for them!

⁷ Now we pray to God that you will not do anything wrong. Not that people will see that we have stood the test but that you will do what is right even though we may seem to have failed.

The false teachers have created a confusing foggy situation.  However, Paul is counting on his authority working in the true believers.  They received the power of the Gospel Paul proclaimed.  They received the power of the Spirit that was within Paul, the same Spirit he received from Christ.   Whether they believe Paul passed or not, changes nothing He and his cohorts do, they will be doing what they have always done, they will continue to work to proclaim the truth.

⁸ For we cannot do anything against the truth, but only for the truth. ⁹ We are glad whenever we are weak but you are strong; and our prayer is for your perfection.

What Paul is trying to say here, is he cares little if he passes the false tests of credibility set up by his opponents.  If he is weak by their standards, who cares, as long as his weakness keeps him depending on God, and that very dependence makes these Corinthians the stronger for it!  So, let them call him flawed and weak and imperfect, focusing on all his flaws...He is working toward their perfection and seeing the progress!  He is taking them in the right direction, and that should be obvious to them!

II.       Don't Settle For Less Than Perfection  (13:10-14)

I give you fair warning now, so that I will not have to be harsh with you when I come.

¹⁰ This is why I write these things when I am absent, that when I come I may not have to be harsh in my use of authority--the authority the Lord gave me for building you up, not for tearing you down.  ¹¹ Finally, brothers, good-by. Aim for perfection, listen to my appeal, be of one mind, live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you.  ¹² Greet one another with a holy kiss. ¹³ All the saints send their greetings. ¹⁴ May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

2 Corinthians 13:11 (NIV) ¹¹ Finally, brothers, good-by. Aim for perfection, listen to my appeal, be of one mind, live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you.

Have you been settling for less?  Is your aim, before God, perfection?

D.L. Moody Visits A Prison

I have good news to tell you--Christ is come after you. I was at the Fulton-street prayer-meeting, a good many years ago, one Saturday night, and when the meeting was over, a man came to me and said, "I would like to have you go down to the city prison to-morrow, and preach to the prisoners. I said I would be very glad to go. There was no chapel in connection with that prison, and I was to preach to them in their cells. I had to stand at a little iron railing and talk down a great, long narrow passageway, to some three or four hundred of them, I suppose, all out of sight. It was pretty difficult work; I never preached to the bare walls before. When it was over I thought I would like to see to whom I had been preaching, and how they had received the gospel. I went to the first door, where the inmates could have heard me best, and looked in at a little window, and there were some men playing cards. I suppose they had been playing all the while. "How is it with you here?" I said. "Well, stranger, we don't want you to get a bad idea of us. False witnesses swore a lie, and that is how we are here." "Oh," I said, "Christ cannot save anybody here; there is nobody lost." I went to the next cell. "Well, friend, how is it with you?" "Oh," said the prisoner, "the man that did the deed looked very much like me, so they caught me and I am here." He was innocent, too! I passed along to the next cell. "How is it with you?" "Well, we got into bad company, and the man that did it got clear, and we got taken up, but we never did anything." I went along to the next cell. "How is it with you?" "Our trial comes on next week, but they have nothing against us, and we'll get free." I went round to nearly every cell, but the answer was always the same--they had never done anything. Why, I never saw so many innocent men together in my life. There was nobody to blame but the magistrates, according to their way of it. These men were wrapping their filthy rags of self-righteousness about them. And that has been the story for six thousand years. I got discouraged as I went through the prison, on, and on, and on, cell after cell, and every man had an excuse. If he hadn't one, the devil helped him to make one. I had got almost through the prison, when I came to a cell and found a man with his elbows on his knees, and his head in his hands. Two little streams of tears were running down his cheeks; they did not come by drops that time.

"What's the trouble?" I said. He looked up, the picture of remorse and despair. "Oh, my sins are more than I can bear." "Thank God for that," I replied. "What," said he, "you are the man that has been preaching to us, ain't you?" "Yes." "I think you said you were a. friend?" "I am." "And yet you are glad that my sins are more than I can bear!" " I will explain," I said; "if your sins are more than you can bear, won't you cast them on One who will bear them for you?" "Who's that?" "The Lord Jesus." "He won't bear my sins." "Why not?" "I have sinned against Him all my life." "I don't care if you have; the blood of Jesus Christ, God's Son, cleanses from all sin." Then I told him how Christ had come to seek and save that which was lost; to open the prison doors and set the captives free. It was like a cup of refreshment to find a man who believed he was lost, so I stood there, and held up a crucified Saviour to him. "Christ was delivered for pur offenses, died for our sins, rose again for our justification." For a long time the man could not believe that such a miserable wretch could be saved. He went on to enumerate his sins, and I told him that the blood of Christ could cover them all. After I had talked with him I said, "Now let us pray." He got down on his knees inside the cell, and I got down outside, and I said, "You pray." "Why," he said, "it would be blasphemy for me to call on God." "You call on God," I said. He knelt down, and, like the poor publican, he lifted up his voice and said, " God be merciful to me, a vile wretch!" I put my hand through the window, and as I shook hands with him a tear fell on my hand that burned down into my soul. It was a tear of repentance. He believed he was lost. Then I tried to get him to believe that Christ had come to save him. I left him still in darkness. " I will be at the hotel," I said, " between nine and ten o'clock, and I will pray for you." Next morning, I felt so much interested, that I thought I must see him before I went back to Chicago. No sooner had my eye lighted on his face, than I saw that remorse and despair had fled away, and his countenance was beaming with celestial light; the tears of joy had come into his eyes, and the tears of despair were gone. The sun of Righteousness had broken out across his path; his soul was leaping within him for joy; he had received Christ as Zaccheus did--joyfully. "Tell me about it," I said. "Well, I do not know what time it was; I think it was about midnight. I had been in distress a long time, when all at once my great burden fell off, and now, I believe I am the happiest man in New York." I think he was the happiest man I saw from the time I left Chicago till I got back again. His face was lighted up with the light that comes from the celestial hills. I bade him goodby, and I expect to meet him in another world.

Can you tell me why the Son of God came down td that prison that night, and, passing cell after cell, went to that one, and set the captive free? It was because the man believed he was lost.

Anecdotes and illustrations of D.L. Moody, By Dwight Lyman Moody

2 Corinthians 13:14 (NIV) ¹⁴ May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

(C) Jim Hammond

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