A VESSEL crossing the Bay of Biscay fell in with a disabled ship. By the fury of the elements it had been reduced to a mere hulk; its masts and boats were all swept away, and apparently there was not a living soul on board.
The captain of the ship not liking to pass by the derelict without seeing if there were any on board, sent a boat to see. The sailors reached the vessel, and got on board. For some time their search was fruitless, but finally they found what looked like a human being rolled in coverings. It turned out to be a poor man reduced to skin and bone, and not able to help himself. He was taken up, put into the boat, and brought to the ship, and placed upon the deck. The people gathered round to see this strange object, who as yet had not spoken.
Presently, as they were gazing upon him, to their surprise, he said, with a deep earnest voice, “There is another man! There is another man!” meaning that there was another man on board the doomed ship. The captain ordered the boat to return, and search to be made for the other man. The mariners went, searched, and found him, and brought him in safety to the ship. So both were saved.
Through God’s infinite mercy, dear reader, you and I have been saved, if we are believers in the Lord Jesus Christ. Thank God, I am saved, are you? Well, then, being saved ourselves out of the sinking wreck of this world, we are made conscious that there are yet others who are there in danger of being lost forever, and of missing the joys of heaven and the bliss of the Father’s house above. The Captain of our salvation orders us back to search for the other man.
As soon as the poor wretch was saved himself the very instincts of his being made him think of the other man. Commanding all his strength, he said, “There is another man”! What a lesson for Christians.
Tasting the joy of deliverance himself, he thought of the other man, who must inevitably perish if he were not rescued. One thing filled his mind—the salvation of the other man. He could not bear the thought of being saved himself, and the “other man” sinking beneath the wave.
We are surrounded by thousands, yea, millions, who like that man are perishing, sinking down into the deep and awful waters of eternal perdition. The elements are against them; there is not a moral element that composes this world that is not against them; and Satan lashes the waves by his winds into a fury, until there seems no hope for them. And indeed there would be no hope if God had not intervened; if the Captain of our salvation, the Son of God, had not died to save them. Blessed be God, “Christ hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God” (1 Peter 3:1818For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: (1 Peter 3:18)). Now they need not perish. They can be saved and brought to God, for “God so loved the world that he sent his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:1616For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16)).
Blessed and glorious reality! A lost world is but an occasion for God to display His infinite love. Love’s infinite gift was God’s only begotten Son—He who was nailed to the accursed tree, and from whose tender loving heart came forth the words, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:3434Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots. (Luke 23:34)); and who, as the bearer of our sins, addressing God in all the spotlessness of His holiness, said, “My God, my God, why halt thou forsaken me?” (Matt. 27:4646And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? (Matthew 27:46)); and who, when the whole work of redemption was accomplished, said, “It is finished,” and bowed His head and died.
Love, did I say? Ah, yes; love that was infinite, boundless, measureless!
And is this for the sinner? Praise God, it is. For it was after man had showed himself to be what he was for four thousand years, “that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared” (Titus 3:44But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, (Titus 3:4)).
Glory be to God, the sinner can claim it all; it is for his appropriation; the death of the cross was love’s manifestation.
Be you an appropriator of the infinite love of God, beloved reader, if you have not done so before. Receive all the “kindness and love of our Saviour God,” which has appeared in the death―the dying agonies and blood of His beloved Son. It is for you if you will have it. Refuse it not, I beseech of you! All in heaven, earth, and hell will witness against you if you refuse it. And yourself will be the swiftest of all witnesses. In hell you will be the sad witness of a soul that might have been saved, for Jesus died and came into the world to save sinners, but, alas! you refused Him. What remorse, what self-reproach will fill your bosom as the awful consciousness fills your soul that you are lost forever!
Ah! you say, thank God, I have appropriated Jesus, the once slain, but now risen and glorified One, as my Saviour, and blessed be His name, I know that He has saved me―even me.
Thank God for that! Eternal homage be to His name, we are partakers together of the grace of life, we are both bound for the same home in glory; but on the way, what are we to do? Is it not to
THINK OF THE OTHER MAN?
Most certainly it is our privilege, yea, our great responsibility, to think of the other man. Others are left behind in the wreck, and soon they will sink beneath the tide, and be lost forever. The Captain says, “Go and search for them.” He has set the example, “For the Son of Man is come to seek and to save that which is lost” (Luke 19:1010For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost. (Luke 19:10)). The shepherd went after the lost sheep until he found it. The father ran forth to meet the prodigal. All heaven rejoiced.
Would we be in fellowship with the heart of God, would we participate in the joy of heaven over one sinner that repenteth, would we act as those who are moved by the sorrows of the Man of Sorrows, would we be in the current of God the Holy Ghost, then we must seek out and lead to the feet of the Saviour the lost and guilty sinner, knowing right well that to bring a sinner into contact with the Saviour―to touch even the hem of His garment by faith―will prove his eternal salvation.
All the while we are here this is our happy privilege, yea, our great responsibility. Andrew sought for Peter his brother, and Philip found Nathanael, and they brought them to Jesus (John 1:41-4641He first findeth his own brother Simon, and saith unto him, We have found the Messias, which is, being interpreted, the Christ. 42And he brought him to Jesus. And when Jesus beheld him, he said, Thou art Simon the son of Jona: thou shalt be called Cephas, which is by interpretation, A stone. 43The day following Jesus would go forth into Galilee, and findeth Philip, and saith unto him, Follow me. 44Now Philip was of Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. 45Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him, We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph. 46And Nathanael said unto him, Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip saith unto him, Come and see. (John 1:41‑46)).
May we not deny the instincts of our spiritual being by refusing to seek by every means possible to lead souls to the Saviour? Alas! we may.
The world like a mighty octopus is claiming thousands of those who profess to be saved, but who now care not for the other man. Once they would have endured every inconvenience to tell out the story of the love of God in the ear of a lost sinner, but alas! the fine gold has become dim, the world has sucked them under, the sight of a perishing world no longer moves them, and their once loving activity has given place to apathy and neglect.
“THE NIGHT IS COMING WHEN NO MAN CAN WORK,”
said the Son of God, the untiring worker for the salvation of men.
By death we may be taken to heaven. The Lord may come at any moment. The day of work will soon be over, and the night set in when no man can work; then what will be the account that we shall render to Him who has set us here to represent Him, and care for His interests in this world? How sweet it will be to get His smile of approval—His “Well done, thou good and faithful servant, enter thou into the joy of thy Lord” (Matt. 25:21-2321His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. 22He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: behold, I have gained two other talents beside them. 23His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. (Matthew 25:21‑23)); but oh! how awfully sad it will be to miss it!
Sinners are perishing, and saints are starving on every hand. May our gracious Lord and Master give us large and loving hearts, and may we go forth, and in the energy of untiring love, seek the lost, and be a cheer and help to His beloved lambs and sheep, until He come.
E. A.