Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1904-02-17

Christ. The world is ready and willing to
believe in the Christ, if that belief does
not have to so below the head. But the
faith which reveals the Christ as the only
Saviour, and brings man a guilty sinner
TO His feet for cleansing and salvation;
the faith which leads to yielding OF the
will to God and accepting His perfect
will; the faith which can sing:
MY hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus blood and righteousness;
/ dare not trust the sweetest frame,
But wholly lean on Jesus name
this faith is not sought after, and is
not wanted. The world is ready and
| willing 10 hear OF the Christ and to view
Him from afar. but TO come into close
contact with Him, to hear Him instead OF
hear OF Him, this is deeper experience
than is desired. and so having heard OF
the Christ, the world is content in this
life to go rushing on madly without
feeling the transforming power OF that
Christ. and with only an uncertain and
vague hope for the life that is to come.
That is one kind of faith.
| IT is the faith which accepts the fact
! L OF the Christ, without feeling the
quickening, Transforming power OF the
Christ. 1t is the faith which these
Samaritans experienced when the
woman came back with her message
concerning the Man Who had told her
"all things that ever she did" They
believed on Him, but IL they had been
content to let the matter end there we
would not have been told Of that
mighty work of grace wrought there
during the two days sojourn Of Jesus
in Sychar. If. when they heard Of
Jesus. they had not come out TO find
Jesus, IL they had not invited Jesus
to abide with them. If they had not
come into personal heart to heart con-
tact with Jesus and heard Him for
| themselves. they never could have
borne that glad. heartfelt testimony:
Now We believe. not because Of thy
speaking: for we have heard for our
selves, and know that this is indeed
the Saviour of the world" John never
would have had the privilege of telling
Of that two days revival, but Instead
he would have had TO write that al
though many believed on Him because
OF the word OF the woman" still they
would not receive Him. and Jesus was
record which is being written every
day OF many many precious souls in
the world. They hear of the Christ,
they believe on Him because OF the
testimony OF others. but they do not
| come out from the city OF their own
| desires and ambitions and activities
and invite the Christ to come in and
abide; they 90 not care to hear OF the
message OF life from His lips, they do
not want the personal contact with
Him which will change their lives for
ever. Sad. sad tragedy IL is, bringing
eternal darkness to the soul. that hav-
ing heard OF Jesus, people are indiffer-
ent to the message and let Him pass
by. perhaps never to come that way
again.
| OUI the Samaritans. when they Learc
- of Jesus. came out to Him. Two
things command our attention here
| Their prompt obedience, and their plac-
ing the claims OF God before the things of
this life. The affairs OF the city
business obligations, social activities.
and pleasures-were left behind in the
one earnest purpose to meet Jesus
| Ihcre Is no reason to suppose that
| these men who came out to Jesus were
lot OF idle, shiftless loafers who had
nothing else to do 1t was getting on
in the afternoon towards the cool OF
the day when the business of the CITY
would be at its height. and undoubtedly
one reason the men were so accessible
was because they were gathering in
| the market place and the shops for
trade and work. But notwithstanding
| the pressure of the cares CT this life
when they heard the message of the
woman. they went out of the city"
There were no excuses OF pressure OF
business. OF important social functions
or home cares. or of pleasures planned.
but. hearing OF Jesus. they left all be-
hind and went out to Jesus. III bust
ness plans and the pursuit OF pleasure
had been OF greater weight with those
Samaritans than meeting Jesus they
would have missed their opportunity;
they would not have met Him. And
this is the reason so many, many.
many precious souls who hear OF Jesus
/ and believe on Him. never meet Him.
They are too busy. They must keep
this social obligation. They must in
! dulge in this pleasure. And as long
as they continue to abide I'm the city
| OF their own desires and activities. lust
so long are they kept from meeting
Jesus and kept from coming to know
that deeper, larger faith which brings
life 20 tho soul. Out OF the city Of
self. If you would smeet Jesusi Give
God His rightful pace in your thoughts
and plans. In no other way may you
meet Jesus
600 WHEN the Samaritans came unto
- Him. they besought Him TO abide
with them" Here was the second step TO
the saving faith in Christ which they
came to know Having heard OF Jesus
- LII IL -