SUNDAY READING.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 126, 18 November 1911, Page 1 (Supplement)

SUNDAY READING.

DIVINE GRACE. Extract of Sermon preached by the REV. R. J. LIDDELL in the Queen .Street Primitive Methodist Church. "Grace . ... came by Jesus Christ."—John 1.-17. Our text contains a most wonderful word —"Grace." It is one of those words frequently used, but little understood. There are many.who are the recipients of grace who seldom pause to consider the meaning of the word. In every religious service, reference is made to this blessing that Ims been conferred upon humanity, and it is perhaps the frequency of its use that has caused us to neglect to ascertain its true meaning and significance.

Grace is a word derived from the Latin root, "gratia," signifying "favor" —a favor bestowed, a privilege conferferred. Christianity first made grace a leading term in the vocabulary of religion. The prominence and emphasis of its use are due to St. Paul, in whose epistles the word figures twice as often as in all the New Testament besides. "Grace'' is the first word of greeting, and the last of farewell in St. Paul's letters; for him it includes the sum of all blessing that comes from God through Christ. In a theological sense, then, it means the Divine favor towards man, the mercy of God as distinguished from His justice, the enjoyment of Divine favor, unlimited mercy, unmerited love, it is a beautiful word, a spacious word. It takes us into regions where perhaps all is not clear, but where all is not dark. It leads us to the heart of the Diety. It is above nature, more beautiful and excellent than law, for when we draw a parallel between "law" and "grace" we see that grace supersedes law in design and results. What the law could not do grace triumphantly accomplished. It is a soul-quickening, enriching, adorning, strengthening, establishing excellency. This is the authentic sign and seal Of Godship; that it ever waxes glad, And more glad, until gladness blossoms burst

Into a rage to suffer for mankind. The fountain of Grace is Jesus Christ. He is the principle and treasury of it. In this chapter John affirms it: "The Word was made flesh and dwelt among ih. and we beheld His glory, as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth." The law was given by Moses, but Grace and truth came by Jesus Ohi'ist. Christ is the expression .ind vehicle of the grace of the Father, and is completely identified with it. so that God's grace can equally be called Christ's. So if men would find and enjoy grace they must know Christ as their Saviour. T desire to speak to you about four kinds of grace that en me to us through Christ. First—

REGENERATING GRACE, dace is connected with the whole of our recovery as sinners. It is all, and in all in every part of our salvation. Whether the believer is converted, justi lied, sanctified or comforted, he will -cknowlcdge. '-]j v the grace of God I ain what 1 am." There is a great difference between "law and "grace." The law was given by Moses, but gracecame by Jesus Christ. Law slays a man, but grace enables him to live. The law takes :i man to death and judgment, but Christ -tives eternal life. Some people are still lingering around Sinai, clinging to the law, trusting to form and evermonv. Let us get away from there to Mt, Calvary, f-ir we are not under the law but under irrace. Many things the law failed to accomplish have been brought to pass by the grace of .Jesu=. "For what the !;nv could not do. in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending His own So " i" the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin. condemned sin the flesh, that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the lleah hut after the Spirit." To illustrate tins. .Some workmen were one dav 'i'tarryiug rock. They had drilled a hole, charged it with explosive, lighted the fuse, and withdrew to a safe dis'■"ice to await the explosion. But to 'heir horror they saw a little boy, attracted by the burning fuse, running in<o the danger zone. Those strong men raised the voices and cried to the child "Go back! Go back!" That was all 'hey could do. The mother of the boy nt. that moment appeared on the scene, look in (lie situation at a glance, then dropping o ,i on „ ] <110( , 0p( , m , (1 her anns "■nle and called. "Come to mother!" The hoy stopped, turned, hesitated for a ni'imeiit. then ran to her embrace. So in ■stoning to her voice and obeving it he escaped the danger that threatened "hut, all the shouts of the strong men eoilld not do the gentle voice of the mother easily accomplished. So the law "t cued t„ men, »f; 0 back! Go back!" hut to no purpose. Then Christ's voice mounded. "Come unto me ; come to par<l''ii. joy. peace and heaven." Ry "race iin- ye saved through faith. There is an old hymn that charmed the hearts of revivalists fifty years ago, and it has not lost its charm yet: Grace is flowing like a river.

Millions there have boon supplied Vt it (lows as fresh us ever. From the Saviour's wounded side. There is a groat truth contained in lhn,c words. (Jraee is a river; von eaiinot confine it. U is always (lowing, always filling and imparting 'life to all who receive it. Then! is regenerating grace for all men. .lesus set th'ree classes of people in the front rank of His ministry, called by three terms which are singularly alike—the. Last, the Lost, the Least. The Last in privilege and opportunity; the Lost to faith and righteousness; the Least of these, my brethren, the. poor, the naked, the homeless, (he outcast. Tint Jesus took these throe classes and performed a miracle with I hem. so that the last became first, the lost found, and the least became the greatest of all. Divine grace wrought the miracle. The religionists of Christ's day gave this class of people up, but •b'siis raked (ho gutters and sewers of I he world, found material out of which to make saints, and history shows us how successfully He accomplished this. , i cs. (lie grace that came by Jesus Christ regenerates men. gives Ih'cm visions of Cod. changes (heir darkness to liirht, am! iheir hell to heaven. In the 'second place. T remark, srsTATxryc ctjace '':>»!<• In- .lesus Muni. The psalmist loaved. "Hold up my goings (bat my l""Nlcps slip nof.'' Tfc was (be language of apprehension. Tie felt his weakness, so he prayed for sraoo to sustain him. We will do well to be sensible to our danger, to realise our weakness. I'rone (o wander. Lord. I feel it, l'rono In leave Hie Cod T love, i- Co language of (he soul; but (here comes the cheering promise. "My grace is sufficient for thee. Every condition and experience of life is mot bv grace. Soiee of (he Old Teslanient saints] with all die dimness of their age about them, stand out as beautiful examples of wdiat the grace of Cod could do for them. Think of Job. Billow after billow went over him: he went down, seemingly never to rise again, flow beautiful to see him emerge from (he sorrows and say, "Blessed be the name of the Lord." Take all the afflictions that flesh is heir to, all the temptations and troubles of this life, no matter how numerous, and the

grace of Ohriat will carry you through without a sbadow. Paul had a thorn, in the flesh, and he prayed for its removal. The prayer was not granted,, hut the Lord replied, "My grace is sulffcltnt for thee," I suppose we all have some thorn. Let us, instead of praying for its removal, pray for grace to bear it patiently. OVERCOMING GRACE.

Whosoever is born of God overcomes all things. The mistake some people make when they get converted is that they imagine that the victory is then won and the crown of reward almost in their grasp. I would impress upon you that conversion is only enlisting in Christ's army; the real battle lies ahead. It is folly for a man to. f.ght this battle !n his own strength. The foes are too numerous and stro.'ig. But reliance upon Christ will mean certain victory. The Christian life is a conflict, and the sooner we discover that the better. Everything human in this world fails. Every man the moment he takes his eye off God fails. Abraham, Moses, Elijah, Peter, all failed, because in an unguarded moment they neglected this source of strength. Jfow there is grace to overcome if we will only avail ourselves of it. If we would conquer, we must begin inside. God always begins there. An enemy inside a fort is more dangerous than one outside. The old Adam is difficult to kill, for constantly he asserts his power. A gentleman in India captured a tiger cub, tamed, and made a pet of it. One day when it was full grown it tasted blood, and the old tiger nature flashed out, so that for safety the gentleman had to destroy the animal on the spot. So with the old nature in our lives. Unless we are watchful and prayerful it will gain the mastery. Thank God for grace to overcome the old nature, to overcome sin—not one sin, but every sin; that sin which doth so easily beset you, that secret sin, that besetting sin under which you fall every time it lifts its head. I tell you there is grace to overcome it—the grace that came by Jesus Christ. Internal foes such as appetite, temper, malice, evil-speaking; external foes, such as the world, the flesh and the devil, all may be triumphed over by the aid of Divine grace.

DYING GRACE. T have no desire to under-estimate the solemnity of death, that passing of nature into eternity; what Tennyson calls "crossing the bar.' The last hours of life, whether come in youth, manhood or old age, what solemn hours they are! I have frequently been beside the dying. Sometimes I have left the death chamber feeling that T have stood at the very vestubulc of heaven: and sometimes T have left it with a feeling the very reverse. Bless God for dying grace. For the Christian. Christ has robbed death of its sting and grace of its victory. Thanks be to God who givcth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ—a victory over death and the grave. The human founder of Methodism, when :it the brink of the River of Death, exclaimed. "The best of all is, God is with us." Every day Christ's servants are dying with Christ's deep triumph in their hearts. like the apostle they have fought the good fight, finished the course and go to receive the crown of righteousness. Oh! may this strange, this matchless grace, This God-like miracle of love, Fill the wide earth with grateful praise, And all the Angelic choirs above. Who is a pardoning God like Thee? Or who has grace so rich and free?