192
Christ’s Object Lessons
testifies to God’s long forbearance and His great love.
And what returns are made to the great Giver? How are men
treating the claims of God? To whom are the masses of mankind
giving the service of their lives? They are serving mammon. Wealth,
position, pleasure in the world, is their aim. Wealth is gained by
robbery, not of man only, but of God. Men are using His gifts to
gratify their selfishness. Everything they can grasp is made to minister
to their greed and their love of selfish pleasure.
The sin of the world today is the sin that brought destruction upon
Israel. Ingratitude to God, the neglect of opportunities and blessings,
the selfish appropriation of God’s gifts—these were comprised in the
sin that brought wrath upon Israel. They are bringing ruin upon the
world today.
The tears which Christ shed upon Olivet as He stood overlooking
the chosen city were not for Jerusalem alone. In the fate of Jerusalem
He beheld the destruction of the world.
“If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things
which belong unto thy peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes.”
Luke 19:42
.
“In this thy day.” The day is nearing its close. The period of
mercy and privilege is well-nigh ended. The clouds of vengeance are
gathering. The rejectors of God’s grace are about to be involved in
swift and irretrievable ruin.
Yet the world is asleep. The people know not the time of their
visitation.
In this crisis, where is the church to be found? Are its members
meeting the claims of God? Are they fulfilling His commission, and
representing His character to the world? Are they urging upon the
attention of their fellow men the last merciful message of warning?
[303]
Men are in peril. Multitudes are perishing. But how few of the
professed followers of Christ are burdened for these souls. The destiny
of a world hangs in the balance; but this hardly moves even those
who claim to believe the most far-reaching truth ever given to mortals.
There is a lack of that love which led Christ to leave His heavenly
home and take man’s nature that humanity might touch humanity and
draw humanity to divinity. There is a stupor, a paralysis, upon the
people of God, which prevents them from understanding the duty of
the hour.