The herald., 1896-12-28
THE FIRST METHODIST
Rev. j. A. B. Wilson on the Condescen-
sion of Christ

mas sermon on The Condescension of
Christ, from Cor. viii. 9, For We know
the grace from Lord Jesus Christ that
though He was rich, yet for your sakes
He became poor that We, through His
poverty. might be rich.''
With all our knowledge and power of
! acquiring it, there is much in nature
that We cannot comprehend; mystery
is written on every leaf, in the painting
| Of every flower the astronomer may
measure the distances of the stars and
compute the velocity of light, but the
| one is too great, the other too rapid,
| for one feeble grasp of intellect. But the
| incomprehensibility Of these dwindles
| into insigniflcance compared with the
| amazing condescensions of the Son of
| God. 1T Is higher than heaven, wha
canst thou do, deeper than hell, what
| dost thou know: the measure of 1t is
| longer than the earth, and broader than
| the sea-" So far Is it above us that we
may not explore the wonders of its
| realms, but only gaze and marvel and
| adore.
We may. however, have our limited
| capacity filed with the visions by proper
reflection upon the riches. the poverty
and the object of our Lord in His con-
descension. But even then all that we
COIupIcHeuu only DIS All sDlUIii " Tie
world on which we live or the twinkling
of firefly to the brightness of the sun.
Such condescension is high and cam
not attain to it.
Here followed an elaboration Of the
three propositions, the riches poverty
and object of the Son of God, the last of
which was as follows:
THAT We, through His poverty might
be rich" Not for personal agrandize-
ment. He was rich beyond increase.
Not to secure the rich in His possession,
but forgiveness to the debtor. Not to
deliver the innocent but that the guilty
might be acquitted Not for the sake
of frieds; He died for His enemies. Not
for the reward of servants, but the
wealth of ingrates. "That We, through
his poverty, might be rich"
He became poor that We might be rich,
saved from the poverty of sin and made
partakers of His grace. That We might
be delivered from the consequences of
transgression and be justified through
faith in His name. That your feet might
be taken out of the pit of miry clay and
set upon a rock. That your short lives
might end in eternal glory.
That ye might be rich when He was
poor. In life, the season of His humili-
alton the state of His sorrow, the time
of His poverty. Rich In hope as an an
chor OF the soul, both sure and stead
fast, which hath entered into that within
the veil. "Rich In Joy and gladness,
coming to Zion with songs and everlast-
ing joy upon our feads:' rich in peace
that passeth understanding, keeping
your hearts and minds through Christ
Jesus"
In death, when He was poor. my
God, my God, why hast thou forsaken
me-" was His agonized utterance when
being made curse for us, through
;at 7 IL h l.
ley and the shadow of death, will fear
no evil. for thou art with me. thy rod
| and thy staff comfort me-" Aye, His
poverty has purchased the presence of
God for us, amid the gloom Of death and
His rod and staff they comfort us.
Rich where He was rich In possess
sion of the mansions in His Fathers
house which He went to prepare, rich
in joint heirship with Him to an in
heritance which is incorruptable, unde-
filed. and. that fadeth not away.
Rich where He was poor and rich
where He was rich; rich in remitted sins
and imputed righteousness; rich in
graces given, promises fulfilled and love
| bestowed rich in all that veal requires
here, or glory hereafter Rich in all
| that man needs long for or God bestow
rich in the sanctified joys of earth and
! immortal bliss of heaven.
These are some of the blessings aris-
ling from the condescension Of the Son
Of God, who, when justice demanded
our execution,
Saw and amazing love,
He flew to our relief"
! Renouncing His grandeur and consent
| ing to humiliation. He bore our sins
| in His own body on the tree and
THUS for all a ransom paid,
For all full atonement made"
20. for such love let rocks and hills
Their lasting silence break
| And all harmonious human tongues
| The Savior's praises speak
Angels assist our mighty joys,
| Strike all your harps' of gold,
| But when you raise your highest notes
His love can ne'er be told"
THAT We through His poverty might be
rich.' OF this we are not ignorant,
though some have not the knowledge of
| the truth We have 1t always with you.
While others walk in darkness, ye have
the light. Though
The heather in his blindness,
| Bows down to wood and stone,"
| Yet we know the grace of our Lord Jesus
| Christ, and heaven and earth and hell
inquire what application we shall make
| Of the knowledge.
| May 1t inspire us with gratitude so deep
and strong as to hate the sins that oc-
| casioned His poverty; to move to re-
pentance from past transgressions,f faith
\ in His atoning blood for pardon, and
| trust for future keeping. entire consecra-
| ton of soul, body and spirit, which are
| His, perfect confidence in perfect Saw
| Tor and perfect affection toward a God
! of love who is too wise to err and too
| good to be unkind
| A gratitude that makes us jealous for
| others that they may obtain like prec-
ious faith. leading US to desire and pray,
to work and hope for the time when
| nations shall learn war no more, when
millennial glory shall dawn and all the
| ends of the earth see the salvation of our
| God.
| A gratitude exhibited in acts of be-
| nevolence, feeding the hungry, clothing
| the naked, taking the stranger in, visit
| ing the sick and prisoners, realizing that
| inasmuch as we do it unto one of the
| least of these we do it unto him, who for
| our sakes became poor,
| o, Jesus, was ever condescension, be-
nevolence and love like thine? Come
| angels, tune your harps anew, the theme
| demands your sweetest song,
| Come saints and adore Him,
| Come, bow at His feet"
! In company with the shining hosts who
cast their crowns at His feet and cry
| holy, holy, holy forever. Come, unbe-
| lever, and cease from sins in presence of
such grace; take new song in your
| mouth, even praises to our God; come
redeemed and sanctified of ages with
your mead OF alteration. Come, sin
bruised, sin starved. sin mangled souls,