ht. No sooner is one converted than there is born
within him a desire to make known to others what a precious friend he
has found in Jesus. The saving and sanctifying truth cannot be shut up
in his heart.
All who are consecrated to God will be channels of light. God
makes them His agents to communicate to others the riches of His
grace. His promise is, “I will make them and the places round about
My hill a blessing; and I will cause the shower to come down in his
season; there shall be showers of blessing.” Ezekiel 34:26.
Philip said to Nathanael, “Come and see.” He did not ask him to
accept another’s testimony, but to behold Christ for himself. Now that
Jesus has ascended to heaven, His disciples are His representatives
among men, and one of the most effective ways of winning souls to
[142] Him is in exemplifying His character in our daily life. Our influence
upon others depends not so much upon what we say as upon what we
“We Have Found the Messias” 109
are. Men may combat and defy our logic, they may resist our appeals;
but a life of disinterested love is an argument they cannot gainsay. A
consistent life, characterized by the meekness of Christ, is a power in
the world.
The teaching of Christ was the expression of an inwrought conviction
and experience, and those who learn of Him become teachers
after the divine order. The word of God, spoken by one who is himself
sanctified through it, has a life-giving power that makes it attractive to
the hearers, and convicts them that it is a living reality. When one has
received the truth in the love of it, he will make this manifest in the
persuasion of his manner and the tones of his voice. He makes known
that which he himself has heard, seen, and handled of the word of life,
that others may have fellowship with him through the knowledge of
Christ. His testimony, from lips touched with a live coal from off the
altar, is truth to the receptive heart, and works sanctification upon the
character.
And he who seeks to give light to others will himself be blessed.
“There shall be showers of blessing.” “He that watereth shall be watered
also himself.” Proverbs 11:25. God could have reached His object
in saving sinners without our aid; but in order for us to develop a
character like Christ’s, we must share in His work. In order to enter
into His joy,—the joy of seeing souls redeemed by His sacrifice,—we
must participate in His labors for their redemption.
Nathanael’s first expression of his faith, so full and earnest and
sincere, fell like music on the ears of Jesus. And He “answered and
said unto him, Because I said unto thee, I saw thee under the fig tree,
believest thou? thou shalt see greater things than these.” The Saviour
looked forward with joy to His work in preaching good tidings to the
meek, binding up the brokenhearted, and proclaiming liberty to the
captives of Satan. At thought of the precious blessings He had brought
to men, Jesus added, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, Hereafter ye shall
see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending
upon the Son of man.”
Here Christ virtually says, On the bank of the Jordan the heavens
were opened, and the Spirit descended like a dove upon Me. That
scene was but a token that I am the Son of God. If you believe on Me
as such, your faith shall be quickened. You shall see that the heavens
are opened, and are never to be closed. I have opened them to you.
110 The Desire of Ages
[143] The angels of God are ascending, bearing the prayers of the needy and
distressed to the Father above, and descending, bringing blessing and
hope, courage, help, and life, to the children of men.
The angels of God are ever passing from earth to heaven, and
from heaven to earth. The miracles of Christ for the afflicted and
suffering were wrought by the power of God through the ministration
of the angels. And it is through Christ, by the ministration of His
heavenly messengers, that every blessing comes from God to us. In
taking upon Himself humanity, our Saviour unites His interests with
those of the fallen sons and daughters of Adam, while through His
divinity He grasps the throne of God. And thus Christ is the medium
[144] of communication of men with God, and of God with men.
Chapter 15—At the Marriage Feast
This chapter is based on John 2:1-11.
Jesus did not begin His ministry by some great work before the
Sanhedrin at Jerusalem. At a household gathering in a little Galilean
village His power was put forth to add to the joy of a wedding feast.
Thus He showed His sympathy with men, and His desire to minister to
their happiness. In the wilderness of temptation He Himself had drunk
the cup of woe. He came forth to give to men the cup of blessing, by
His benediction to hallow the relations of human life.
From the Jordan, Jesus had returned to Galilee. There was to be
a marriage at Cana, a little town not far from Nazareth; the parties
were relatives of Joseph and Mary; and Jesus, knowing of this family
gathering, went to Cana, and with His disciples was invited to the
feast.
Again He met His mother, from whom He had for some time been
separated. Mary had heard of the manifestation at the Jordan, at His
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baptism. The tidings had been carried to Nazareth, and had brought to
her mind afresh the scenes that for so many years had been hidden in
her heart. In common with all Israel, Mary was deeply stirred by the
mission of John the Baptist. Well she remembered the prophecy given
at his birth. Now his connection with Jesus kindled her hopes anew. [145]
But tidings had reached her also of the mysterious departure of Jesus
to the wilderness, and she was oppressed with troubled forebodings.
From the day when she heard the angel’s announcement in the
home at Nazareth Mary had tr
