Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 25 (1910 - 1915)

Ms 68, 1911

Sermon/Thoughts on John 17

Riverside, California

April 8, 1911

Previously unpublished.

John 17:1-6. What a commendation was that to the disciples! 25LtMs, Ms 68, 1911, par. 1

Verses 6-10. That is the very position that every Christian should stand in, in order to have such a commendation. And it is worth everything to us individually to stand true to principle, to stand true to profession, to have a fast hold of the Mighty One, and when we do that we are safe. Yes, we are hid with Christ in God. 25LtMs, Ms 68, 1911, par. 2

Verse 10. Now what an effort there should be for every soul of us to understand what it means to be a follower of Jesus Christ. 25LtMs, Ms 68, 1911, par. 3

Verse 11. That oneness is the most sacred thing that we are to preserve: unity and confidence in one another. We are to keep this confidence sacred and not allow anything in our course of conduct so that we shall lose that confidence so precious. Do we realize the responsibility that rests upon everyone to fulfill that very expectation of Christ and so exert an influence that shall extend not only to the little company that you have here? No, no. There is a large company all around us, and we are to carry out the very principles of truth in heart, in mind, in soul, in speech, in prayer, and in overcoming by the blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimony. Let us bear this in mind. Now, do not feel that it is a very little thing if you entertain enmity or feelings that are not sustained by Christ against your brethren. 25LtMs, Ms 68, 1911, par. 4

Verses 12, 13. Wonderful request! 25LtMs, Ms 68, 1911, par. 5

Verses 14-15. Here we are professed Christians. We must work just as Christ worked to present the truth in its clearness, and not feel that there is nothing for us to do. We are to prepare a people to be fitted to stand the last great trials that will come, and when at last, if they have borne up, they will be prepared to stand, and will say, “Lo, this is our God, we have waited for Him, and He will save us.” [Isaiah 25:9.] 25LtMs, Ms 68, 1911, par. 6

[John 17] Verses 16, 17. Well now, we want to be sure that we have under our feet the platform of everlasting truth. “Sanctify them through thy truth, thy word is truth.” Now, we have all these encouragements, and we want to lay right hold of every evidence possible to build ourselves up, not in ourselves but in the truth. And what if we do? Why, the world will know it. The world will understand it, and we shall place ourselves in the right relation toward the world so that our works and our words and our testimony shall come from a heart that is sanctified, and that is being refined by the grace of God and fitted up for whatever trials may come upon us. What we want is sanctification through the truth. “Thy word is truth.” 25LtMs, Ms 68, 1911, par. 7

Verses 18-20. Well, then, what have you to do? You are to work in the same line that Christ worked. You may not be able to be a minister, but you can minister nevertheless by your words, by your devotion, by your sacredness of character devoted to God. You can do this. 25LtMs, Ms 68, 1911, par. 8

Verse 21. What a testimony we can bear for Christ although He is not personally in our midst so that we can see Him, but yet His influence in power reaches to you today through His Word. 25LtMs, Ms 68, 1911, par. 9

Verses 22-26. 25LtMs, Ms 68, 1911, par. 10

Fathers and mothers, you have a great responsibility upon you, and if your children and yourselves should enter into the kingdom of heaven through the determined efforts you have made, what an eternity of bliss it will be to fathers and mothers to see their children saved in the kingdom of heaven! And this is our work here upon the earth. Fathers and mothers, do we know that there is a grand review, and that it is taking place day by day? Do not, I beseech of you, forget that your children are the purchase of the blood of Jesus Christ who came to our world to save the sinner, that he should not perish but be saved by receiving righteousness and truth and happiness through believing in Jesus Christ. 25LtMs, Ms 68, 1911, par. 11

Therefore, parents are to give the greater diligence to their children that they shall be brought up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. And it is not always by the severe words that you speak or the rod that you use, but it is to watch and guard your children lest they shall be overtaken in the snare of the enemy and have to be reproved or punished. Now, the Lord wants fathers and mothers to take their children and treat them tenderly. They are God’s purchase. They are purchased with the blood of Jesus Christ. Do not stir up the minds of your children by hasty censure, but take them right alone and talk with them and pray with them. I have found that this is one of the best ways of dealing with children. Do not break out upon them and blame them, but show them that Christ died for them, and you want that their behavior should be such that they will be acceptable in the presence of Christ. 25LtMs, Ms 68, 1911, par. 12

Shall Christ have died in vain? Shall He have given His life in vain for your children? Do not scold. Take them right apart, kneel down by yourselves in a room and, fathers and mothers, present the children and ask the Lord to let His Holy Spirit rest upon the children. But let not one angry word proceed out of your lips, because if you do it may turn the scale for them so that it will be, as it were, impossible for them to recover that wound that you have made. 25LtMs, Ms 68, 1911, par. 13

Now what are we striving for? What have we met here for? We have met here that we might be a help and strength and speak a word, perhaps, in season. I want to tell fathers and mothers that many of them lead their children into disorderly words and actions by their own harsh words. Take them aside and pray with them. What are we seeking for? We are after a life that measures with the life of God. And you want, or you should want, your children to be brought to a sacred nearness to yourself because you love them, a sacred nearness because you want that they should have that life that measures with the life of God; because you want a harp to be placed in their hands, and a crown to be placed on their heads; and because you want them to honor God by praising Him with thanksgiving and giving glory to the God of heaven because they have been purchased with the blood of Jesus Christ. 25LtMs, Ms 68, 1911, par. 14

This is the message that has been given to me or you would not see me at my age traveling around as I am and speaking to the people. But just as long as God gives me strength I shall be in His work, speaking these word. Work for the salvation of your children. Do not scold them or fret at them, because you may close the door that you never can open again. You may close the door by finding fault or by hasty punishment so that you never can break down the barrier. Now, you want your families saved. You want them to have an entrance into the kingdom of heaven. You want them to have that life that measures with the life of God. Well then, try to save them right here. 25LtMs, Ms 68, 1911, par. 15

I have been charged to speak these words to parents, and recently the charge has been repeated that mothers neglect to bring their children up to love and to fear and to glorify God because of the hasty disposition of the father or the mother. It will not pay. It will not bring reformation. You want the truth. You want your children to be brought up so that they shall be useful members of society, that they shall attend school, that they may become intelligent so as to conduct schools themselves if time lasts. What you want is heaven, to have your children saved in the kingdom of glory. What are you going to do about it? There is such neglect. Do not quarrel with the children. Do not do it. Do not do it. 25LtMs, Ms 68, 1911, par. 16

Bow down and ask God to help you that you may so train your children that they will love you. Indulge them if you can do it without doing them harm. Speak to them words of encouragement. You must know that the devil will tempt them in every way possible so that they shall neglect to do their duties for father and mother which can make father and mother the happiest persons that live. I bear the living testimony, for I have pled before God, and I bear a living testimony to fathers and mothers and to the children. We want these children to obey father and mother, and we want these children to have hearts softened and tendered with the Holy Spirit of God. We want these children, from the youngest to the grown-up men and women, to understand that there is a heaven to win and a hell to shun. 25LtMs, Ms 68, 1911, par. 17

We want to get ready, for the end is near, very near, and we want that we can meet our children in the kingdom of God, and see the crown of glory placed upon their brows and the harp in their hands. And they will sing the songs of heaven and be saved in the kingdom of God. Why cannot you take a little pains here? Cannot you try to meet your children in their deficiency of character and teach them kindly and tenderly and show them how it grieves the Holy Spirit of God to have them cross and rough and fighting among themselves? Teach them that Jesus loves them, and all such conduct will close the gates of heaven that they can never enter. Then, fathers and mothers, try to soften the hearts of your children. Try in every way; kneel right down with them and pray with them. 25LtMs, Ms 68, 1911, par. 18

The father may often have to attend to business, but whenever he can, he should unite with the mother. We have a work to do at home. God help us to do it and not neglect to it. We want heaven, but if we should go into heaven with our spirits unsubdued and our character uncorrected—why, we could never get there or our children! They have learned the same things from us. Let us teach them something better. What are we striving for? Eternal life. Well then, tell your children that if they will follow on to know the Lord they will know that His going forth is prepared as the morning. 25LtMs, Ms 68, 1911, par. 19

Now I have given you these few words. I want you to consider this point: that you must be interested in your children and speak to them encouragingly and tenderly, and yet if you have to correct them, do it because you love and fear God and you do not want them lost. May the Lord help us. I want to tell you, every one, that we have a character to form if we shall ever see the kingdom of heaven and the King in His beauty, and it is for our happiness to know this and follow it out. You will be happy. Why? Because Christ makes you happy because you are doing His work, the work of the mother and the father, and you are helping the Lord to bring these children up so that they will be helpers with you in the work of trying to help other souls. 25LtMs, Ms 68, 1911, par. 20

I plead with fathers and mothers to know that passion never cures a child’s passion. An exhibition of passion never cures. You want to treat them tenderly and tell them that they will have to meet all these wrongs unless they overcome them, and that Jesus Christ left the royal courts of heaven and came right down into this world to do that very work for fathers and mothers, that they should seek to overcome and that they should obtain precious victories. Now I will leave these words with you. Do not forget the words that I tell you because you can stir up passions in a child so that he may never get over it. Speak kindly if they have made a mistake. If they have done wrong, it will not cure it for you to scold about it. Tell them they have grieved the Saviour who wants them to be saved, and tell them it is for their own interests to try to seek for that life which measures with the life of God. I will leave these remarks with you. 25LtMs, Ms 68, 1911, par. 21