Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 7 (1891-1892)

Ms 8, 1891

Sermon/The Great Sacrifice Made for Us

Harbor Heights, Michigan

July 24, 1891

This manuscript is published in entirety in 9MR 51-55. +^Note

Today as I have been writing upon the Life of Christ, my heart has been all subdued and broken by the thought of the great and infinite sacrifice made in our behalf. I thought what more could God say to us, in pledging His word as to what He will do than what He has said. I have thought there is nothing more, no greater assurance, that could be made of what God’s purposes giving us, than that manifested in giving His Son. 7LtMs, Ms 8, 1891, par. 1

Who can doubt that the Father is perfectly willing to accept us and to refine us, to keep us, to give us heavenly wisdom, to give us of His light? Was not Christ the Word? Was not He the light? Was not He the light of men? And did not He come into the world that He might penetrate the clouds of darkness that covered the earth? “Darkness covered the earth, and gross darkness the people.” [Isaiah 60:2.] Now what more could God do than to roll back the cloud, and to break that spell of Satan by which he would chain our minds to earth and earthly things, and to bring the glorious prospect of immortality, than He has done? What more could He do, I say, than He has done? 7LtMs, Ms 8, 1891, par. 2

As I was hurrying around to get things closed up in order to come into this meeting, I felt—although I was in a hurry, and my head tired, and I was somewhat perplexed—I felt a great peace upon me. Now, brethren, I would not give that peace for all the praise and all the honor and all the glory that there is in this world; because I appreciate every ray of light, and every impression of the Spirit of God. O, I appreciate the connection; I want to keep this connection. I do not want the connection broken between my soul and my God. I want the communication open between God and my soul, and then I can say indeed, “It is well, it is well, with my soul.” 7LtMs, Ms 8, 1891, par. 3

But I have to venture something; of course I do; I have to venture and venture by faith upon the loving promises of God, believing that they will be verified to me. Christ ventured a great deal when He came here to stand upon the battle field, when He came here clothed with humanity, standing as our surety, as our substitute, that He would overcome in our behalf, that we might be overcomers in His strength and by His merits. Well, now, it seems such a venture that He made for us. And cannot we venture something for Him? Cannot we say, I will go unto my Saviour, and if I perish, I perish; I will perish at His feet. Then let us make a venture. Make a surrender to God. Let self be broken all to pieces. 7LtMs, Ms 8, 1891, par. 4

I want self to die, but it is a constant fight for me every day of my life, that the enemy shall not obtain the advantage and weaken my faith so that I shall not claim the promises of God and believe. Believe what? That He will keep that which I have committed unto His care against that day. But the enemy will come in and loom up the trials that will come and that I will have to bear, and will try in every way to overcome me, that he may triumph; but then I say, I will trust my heavenly Father. Why should not I trust Him? Does not He want me to be saved? Why not look to Calvary? Does not He want you to be saved? 7LtMs, Ms 8, 1891, par. 5

Look to Calvary; that tells you the story. He wants us to be saved with an everlasting salvation. He does not want us to wait until this meeting is closed, and we go home without knowing that our lives are hid with Christ in God. He wants us to know it right here upon this ground. I believe it is sacred ground. I believe the angels of God are walking up and down this encampment. I know they are, for I have seen the interest that all heaven has in the assembly of the saints when they come together, how that with intense interest they are watching and seeking to make impression upon human hearts. Will we let them be made? Will we open the door? Will we let Jesus in? May the Lord help us on this blessed holy Sabbath, and in this sacred place made sacred by His presence, for He has revealed Himself unto us since we have been here to take up the tokens of God. Gather up the precious rays of light, and yet grasp for more. 7LtMs, Ms 8, 1891, par. 6

If any man thirst, let him come and drink, and drink again, and continue drinking. If any thirst, come and drink. Why stand back from the fountain? Why not come to the fullness of Christ. He has put into our hands the key which will open the storehouse where are the immortal treasures. Shall we not take of His love and drink in of His fullness? God grant that we shall have an experimental knowledge of what it is to be Christ’s and Christ ours. Let self die, and break all to pieces, and let Jesus put His armor upon us and put His mold and superscription upon us. 7LtMs, Ms 8, 1891, par. 7

Now, there are those who may have been hardhearted, and they may have been foolish in their inclination and desire and indulgence of self. Their thoughts may have been wandering and their words light and trifling, notwithstanding the injunction is to be holy in all conversation. “What manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness.” [2 Peter 3:11.] “In all holy conversation” signifies that in all matters we are to be holy, and that means wholly the Lord’s. Make no reserve. Therefore all that I have and all that I do and all that I say is to be as a God-bought subject to Jesus Christ. 7LtMs, Ms 8, 1891, par. 8

The redemption money has been paid as the price of my soul; and instead of being the slave of Satan, I am to be indeed the child of God. I am His servant. Then shall we not every one of us draw in even cords with Christ? Shall we not yoke up with Him? Shall we not bear our end of the yoke? Christ had trod the wine press alone, and of the people there was none with Him. Now shall we show, after He has demonstrated that He died for us, that He rose and ascended to heaven to be our Advocate, that we will yoke up with Christ? That we will take His yoke, lift His burden, and carry on the very work that He carried on when He was here on the earth. 7LtMs, Ms 8, 1891, par. 9

God help us to understand our privileges and opportunities. If we do not, we will go away from this place without the sweet impressions God is ready to make upon our hearts. They will lose their influence upon us. You want, here, to make an entire surrender to God. Do not leave this ground until you know that Jesus Christ is yours. And begin early. Do not wait until the close of the meeting, because you want all the blessing that will come as the result of an entire surrender and falling upon the Rock and being broken. 7LtMs, Ms 8, 1891, par. 10

Then let us begin at the very beginning to manifest that faith which takes hold of the promises of God. Then your testimonies will be of what the Lord has done for you right here upon this ridge overlooking the waters that He has made with His hand. Right here I surrender myself to God, and He blesses me. He has converted me, and I believe that His blessing will rest upon me every step that I advance toward Zion. 7LtMs, Ms 8, 1891, par. 11

Let us begin, then, right here. Do not let pride or anything else come in to lead us from Christ. Let us be determined that we will be the Lord’s; and every night and every morning turn a new leaf, and the record in the heavenly courts will be of character, O so much cleaner, so much purer, so much more satisfactory to the universe of heaven, so much more pleasing to Him who died for us—that here are souls who are gaining victory over Satan, every step of the way. 7LtMs, Ms 8, 1891, par. 12