Consider, you that are in Christ. You have in this bright example a solemn but very helpful reminder. You are called to aim at a higher style of Christianity—do not despise the summons. You are offered the power of the Holy Ghost—do not despond.
Take your stand where he took his. Learn to see things as he saw them, and to hold what he held.
Believe more. Cultivate a more vigorous faith. Add to your faith courage. Be less ashamed of Christ.
Be satisfied with nothing short of the manifestation of God to your soul, and the manifestation of God by you to the world. This makes life happiness, and death a joy.
Live so as to be missed. Seek to have behind you that good name which is better than precious ointment. Hold forth the word of life. Try to lay aside every hindrance of selfishness, indolence, love of ease, half-heartedness.
Let it be said of you, as it may fitly be said of him:—He was what God made him. He worked where God placed him. He went where God called him. He is where God in Christ is with him—a sinner, saved by grace, through faith, in the Lord, with an everlasting salvation.
SERMON,
BY THE REV. EDWARD HOARE.
“These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb withersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the first-fruits unto God and to the Lamb. And in their mouth was found no guile; for they are without fault before the throne of God.”—Rev. xiv. 4, 5.
It must have been a wonderful moment to Stephen, when he suddenly saw the Heavens opened, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God; and it must be equally wonderful to any departing child of God, when the veil is drawn aside, and he finds himself suddenly in the visible presence of that blessed Saviour whom, though unseen, he has long since loved and trusted. What a moment must it have been to our dearly beloved friend when his eyes opened in the presence of God! I can imagine the profound humiliation at the sight of Jehovah; the fervent utterances of overpowering love, when he suddenly beheld the Lord Jesus, as the Lamb that had been slain; and the joyful fulness of heart in the three loved and loving brethren, when they found themselves once more together, all brought safe home, by the rich grace of their blessed Saviour, there to wait together for his kingdom, and while waiting, to rejoice together in the fulness of his love. Happy, indeed, are those brotherhoods on earth, that prepare they way for such a brotherhood as, there is I am persuaded, is in Heaven.
But we have no account in the Scriptures of the first entrance of the individual believer, and therefore we must forbear from giving too much liberty to the imagination. We have however in this passage a description of something in many respects corresponding to it. In the 7th chapter, we read of the servants of God as represented by the 144,000 scaled ones. The seal was placed on their foreheads just before the four angels loosed the winds that were to desolate the earth. Storm and tempest were about to burst upon the world; and this little company were sealed beforehand by their God in order that, as marked men, they might be kept safe throughout the danger. Accordingly in the desolation produced by the locust woe, when men were hurt all around them, the sealed ones remained untouched. There was woe on every side, but in the midst of it all they were kept safe by their seal. But in this chapter the whole scene is changed. They are no longer in the midst of a world swept by a succession of desolating woes; no longer a bidden people struggling with difficulties on earth; they are now taken up to Mount Zion, and this Mount Zion must be the Heavenly Jerusalem, for, in verse 2 their voice is said to come from Heaven, and in verse 3 they are described as before the throne of God. The Saviour whom, though unseen, they have loved and followed, is now standing conspicuous in the midst of them. The seal is no longer a secret thing, but its true character is brought to light, and the Father’s name is seen written on their foreheads. So they come before God no longer with strong crying and tears, in the midst of strong temptations and overwhelming woes, but now they burst forth in the new song of the new Jerusalem. Nor are they alone in singing it, for the twenty-four elders and four living ones are described as their companions; for when the time comes for this prophecy to be fulfilled, the family on earth will be united to that in Heaven. The separation will be over. There will be a blessed meeting between the sealed on earth and the living ones in Heaven. Their new song will be quickened by the joys of reunion, for, according to verse 3, “they sang the new song not merely before the throne, but before the four living ones and the elders.” Ye, therefore, that mourn your separation from those you dearly love, picture to yourself that joyful gathering. Look on from the parting day to the meeting day: when your wilderness journey will be over, when you shall be caught up to meet the Lord in the air, when those that are gone will have the joy of welcoming those that remain, and when those that remain are taken up to enjoy their welcome, that so both they and we may rejoice together before the throne of the Lamb.