COME with me to the bedside of an old man in a workhouse infirmary. The sands of life are fast running out; his earthly history is drawing to a close; the thin veil which hides from view the other world will soon be torn aside. He is a man of culture, education, and refinement. Once he was surrounded by every earthly comfort. Money, friends, a happy home, a loving wife, children’s prattle, all combined to fill his cup of happiness. Time rolled on. His circumstances changed gradually, one by one his earthly joys faded away. He lost wife, children, home, money, health. One light after another was quenched, until left alone in poverty he had at last to seek the refuge of the workhouse.
A servant of the Lord visited him. “Poor man,” he exclaimed.
With a bright face, he replied, “Poor? I am not poor, I possess the unsearchable riches of Christ, and that none can take from me!”
We will leave the workhouse and enter a hospital. A man has been brought in, knocked down by a passing train, both legs cut off at the thigh. The surgeon said, “I am sorry to tell you, my dear fellow, you have not more than fifteen minutes to live.” He burst forth in song―
“Hallelujah! ‘tis done,
I believe in the Son,
I am saved by the blood of the crucified One.”
A few years before that man was the terror of the whole district, an adulterer, a blasphemer, a profane swearer.
Some servants of God had been preaching in a tent. The old, old story of redeeming love was told forth. On the last night of the preaching this man went to the tent. The preacher gave a soul-stirring address on those touching words, “Him that cometh unto me, I will in no wise cast out.”
“If there is any salvation for such a wretch as I am, I want it,” said the listener. He stayed to talk to the preacher. Before they parted, he surrendered to the Lord Jesus Christ. From that moment he was a changed man. Drink, tobacco, adultery, and blasphemy were things of the past. The change was manifest to the whole district, where he had previously been a terror. Surely these are witnesses to the triumph of the grace of God.
Let your mind travel back two thousand years. It is a great public festival in Jerusalem. The city is crowded with men of every nationality. An event is taking place, the far-reaching effect of which will be felt throughout the whole universe. Amid the taunts and jeers of the populace, the Son of God is being led through the streets of the city to be crucified.
Outside the city walls three crosses are erected, and on the central one they place the Son of God, a malefactor on either side. Beneath that cross are gathered the representatives of every class—priests, scribes, and elders from the religious world, Roman soldiers, and the degraded mob, unite in mocking and deriding the Son of God. The two malefactors also join the railing crowd and mock the holy Sufferer. The only response it draws from His lips is, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”
All at once one of the malefactors rebukes his fellow, saying, “Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss.” Having thus condemned himself, and justified Jesus, he said, “Lord, remember me when thou comest in thy kingdom.” What a marvelous change has been wrought in a few moments. In the One hanging beside him the thief discerns a glorious King. In vision he sees Him no longer crucified, spat upon, mocked, but coming in all the power and majesty of His kingdom. He asks for a place in that scene of glory―to be remembered then.
The Lord answers, “Today shalt thou be with me in paradise.” That thief was taken straight from a malefactor’s gibbet into the paradise of God, the first witness to the triumph of grace after redemption was accomplished.
Reader, let me ask you, in the presence of these witnesses to the triumphs of grace, are you one of its subjects? Do you know aught of the “grace of God that bringeth salvation to all men”? The subjects of grace can say, when all earthly comforts are gone, “Thou remainest.” If death comes, it will enable you to cry, “Hallelujah,” and when Christ comes in His kingdom He will bring you to share it with Him.
Grace begun will end in glory.
H. F. N.