0778. The Presence of Christ, Our Power
The Presence of Christ, Our Power
"And Jesus said, Somebody hath touched Me: for I perceive that virtue is gone out of Me" (Luk_8:46).
The Greek word is "dunamis," and it should be read, "power is gone forth from Me."
Jesus Christ had power. He returned from the wilderness in "the power of the Spirit;" with authority and power He spake, and commanded the unclean spirits to come out. Christ was clothed with authority over all the power of the enemy; He was indeed the very power of God.
In His earth life there was never a moment when Jesus Christ was baffled and overwhelmed. He always moved about in full knowledge of His limitless power. At Nazareth when they would have cast Him down from a hill, upon which the city was built, He quietly and majestically passed aside. On the stormy sea when the very wind and waves, in untold fury, seemed swept against Him as He lay sleeping in the boat; without a tremor in voice or mien He raised His hand and commanded, "Peace, be still."
No question of the wily scribes and lawyers ever caught Christ unawares; He could not be entangled in His speech. No combination of demons, or of men ever made Him hesitate. Before Him the devil went down in full defeat.
Even in the hour of His death, when, to human eye, it seemed that Christ was shorn of His power; when He was led as a lamb to the slaughter; when He was bruised and beaten and finally nailed to the tree; He went forth in the all-conquering power of His Deity. In fact when satan thought himself the victor, the dying Son of God cried with a loud victorious cry, "It is finished." On the Cross He met principalities and powers and "triumphed over them in it."
From the empty tomb Jesus Christ walked forth a conqueror. He had been to hades and had taken the keys of death.
In His ascension Christ Jesus passed up through all the powers of the air, and was heralded across the heavens by angelic hosts as He swept through the skies toward His Father’s right hand as the One "mighty in battle," and as the Lord of Hosts.
To-day Jesus Christ sits on the Father’s throne, from that throne He speaks to His earth servants saying, "All authority is given unto Me, in Heaven and on earth, go!"
Need the servant of the Lord quail and fear? Never! Let him lift up the hands that hang down. Let him straighten the feeble knees. Let him go forth in the power of his Lord.
Christ is telling His Church to-day and saying, "Take hold of My power." He has given us the promise, "Ye shall receive power, the Holy Ghost coming upon you." Let us seek then to honor Him and to do His will, equipped with power from on high.
May we lay before you two scenes:
Scene one. A vision of the early Church. For the most part the personnel of the early Church was made up of a multitude of the poor, the uncultured, and the unknown. God did not choose many who were wise after the flesh, many who were noble, many who were mighty.
Besides, the early Church was despised, persecuted and maligned. They were buffeted and often slain as martyrs of the faith.
In addition to all of this, the early Church had no fast running trains, no steamers swiftly moving through the waters. They were without a printing press, without the telegraph and wireless.
Yet, the early Church pressed on with its testimony in a most wonderful way. The Apostles carried the Gospel quickly and effectively to the world of their day. Whole cities were moved, and so great was their power in witnessing, that even their enemies conceded that they had turned the world upside down.
Why? The early Church preached the Person of Christ; they believed in Christ crucified, risen and coming again; and they preached Him everywhere.
Why? The early Church was possessed with the passion of Christ. It had a heart afire with a passion for the lost. The Apostles carried in their bosoms a love that would not let them go.
Why? The early Church went forth in the power of a risen Christ. It knew Christ was able. It leaned on Him, trusted in Him, and He brought it to pass.
Scene two. A vision of the twentieth century church of Laodicea. This church is filled with many who are rich and cultured and widely known. This church has called many who are wise after the flesh, many who are mighty and noble. Into their hands the church has committed the places of trust and honor. The church has made them office bearers.
The Laodicean church of to-day is honored by the men of the world. It is recognized in government and in social circles as carrying much weight.
In addition to all this, the church has at its beck and call the swiftly moving train, the steamer, the printing press, and the telegraph.
But what do we see? In Laodicea, we see the church defaming the Person of Christ, unconscious of the passion of Christ, and unclothed with the power of Christ. Alas! The church of Laodicea has turned to another gospel, which is not another. The Cross is almost forgotten. Eugenics is the rage. The message is no more heathen. It may be thus expressed: "Except a man above himself can erect himself, how vain a thing is man."
The church of Laodicea is putting on an endless array of "movements," and of world-devised schemes. The whole purpose seems to be to create, among men, what they popularly call "the spirit and the passion of Christ;" but which is, more rightly named, "a world conception of the ethics of Christ." All of this they seek to bring apart from any vital repentance, saving faith, or personal regeneration.
What is our cry? Back to the Person of Christ for our preaching, back to the passionate yearnings of Christ for our promptings, back to the presence of Christ for our power. Thus prepared we may call out of the nations a people for His name.
Autor: R.E. NEIGHBOUR