THE SERVANT'S TRUE AIM
THE SERVANT’S TRUE AIM
I rejoice with thankfulness when I am allowed to review each of you † before the Lord. I have had a fear, and it is simply this, I think you will allow me to be candid with you, lest you should not make the Spirit’s first thought (in accordance with the heart of Christ and the purpose of God) your leading thought.
I do not deny that it has a place in your minds, as well as in your affections, but more in the latter than in the former; that is, while your affections entertain it, you are not so ruled by it that your minds would be coloured by it, and all your work in purpose bearing on it. You may say that you are by gift evangelists, so was Paul. You may say — we hope to get to it. Now in divine things there is no possibility of making that straight which is already crooked; there is no such thing as growing out of a deformity, or an impaired constitution, save and except by renouncing that which caused the damage, and starting anew, one by one, according to the light now vouchsafed. I mean for instance that no amount of teaching can raise a Baptist congregation into the truth of the assembly of God. To be in the truth of the assembly of God you must gather with God, and by Him, apart from conventionalism. You know very well that it is the aim which gives a character and a colour to all one’s energies and ways in seeking to attain to it. Is the filling up of Christ’s body — the true aim of the Holy Ghost according to the heart of Christ and the purpose of God, your aim — your simple aim — as simple that it is your commanding aim? I do not for the moment ask you to see, if there is any one else on the road with you (though Timothy was told to look out for those who had preceded him on the road), because I know that
†A group of evangelists at —— .
[p. 12] if this is your aim, and if through grace it is my aim we cannot be separated, but we must ere long be in the power and unity of the one and selfsame Spirit; and otherwise, God so helping me, I should not desire it. If it be your aim, and if you start faithful to Christ to reach it, as a Nehemiah, I know well that you must in the end meet and join with me, if Ezra-like I have long since preceded you on the road from Babylon.
The temple of Jerusalem was aforetime the centre of God’s interests on earth. Haggai shews how all other blessings lost their proper good and value, because the house of the Lord lay waste. The widow in Luke 21 manifested the true spirit, devoting all she had (regardless of her own destitution) for the restoration of the temple, the only spot on earth dear to God. If His present circle and centre be the definite aim of our service and devotedness, we may be assured, oh how much! that ‘From this day I will bless you’; but if not, though we may appear to do much, we shall from want of instruction from the wise master builder, build wood, hay, stubble, sow much sorrow for ourselves, and reproach to that name which we really desire to honour. Yours affectionately in Him, whose we are and whom we desire to serve.