Now, listen to me as I close

Now, listen to me as I close.

III. Now, listen to me as I close. There is, after all, nothing despicable in either Christ or his people. I feel half ashamed to say such a thing, or that it should ever be necessary to be said that there is nothing to despise in Jesus. What is there to be ashamed of in him? He is the Son of the Highest. He is "God over all, blessed forever," and if He stooped — and stoop he did — and became lower than the lowest by the sufferings or death, even the death of the cross — he did it out of such glorious unselfishness of kindness to fallen men, that he is thereby revealed as the grandest of all characters. His is the sublimest of all lives. Angels have never ceased to wonder and adore, and even the enemies of Christ have often been struck dumb as they have seen the splendor of the love that moved him to stoop so low.

And what if he has revealed a plain gospel? Would you have the illiterate left out in the cold? What if he did preach the gospel to sinners? Who wanted the gospel, but sinners? What if he did not flatter the pride of those who thought themselves good? Is it not true that "the whole have no need of a physician — but those who are sick"? For my part, I bless my Master that he has given us a common-place gospel. Sublime it is beyond sublimity — but plain it is, so that a little child may understand it. A man with slender wit may find his way to Heaven guided by the light of the Holy Spirit, and this is one of the grandest proofs of the profound wisdom of God.

Glory be to Jesus Christ, that he did not come here to tantalize the multitude by a gospel only suitable to the elite, that he did not come here to proclaim doctrines that could only be learned in the universities, and could never be understood except by such men as Isaac Newton or Robert Boyle. I bless the name of Jesus, that he came to give a gospel to the poor and needy, to the simple and the childlike; and while I do it, I feel that I hear him saying again, "I thank you, O Father, Lord of Heaven and of earth — that you have hid these things from the wise and prudent, and have revealed them unto babes!"

The practical point is this: there is nothing to be ashamed of in being a Christian. I am afraid that there are some Christians that we have need to be ashamed of, and that we ourselves do many unworthy things. Christians ought to be reflections of Christ — but I fear they often cast reflections upon Christ. Oh you who despise Christ — when you find out our faults, and speak against us for them, you treat us justly, and we cannot complain; but why lay our crimes at our Savior's door? If you find us false to our profession, if we are not like our Master, if we are not true to him — you may well ridicule us, and we cannot answer you. We must be beaten as with whips of scorpions, when we are untrue to our Leader; but why blame him?

The fact is that the ungodly revile those who are true to the Lord Jesus. Well, when they do, there is nothing in that to be ashamed of. What if I believe the truth! shall I be ashamed of it? What if I fear God! shall I be ashamed of it? Let those be ashamed who do not fear him. What if I believe in prayer! What if I receive answers to prayer! Shall I blush about that? Let those blush to scarlet — who never pray, or have no God to hear their prayers.

Shall I be ashamed because I try to do what is right, and have a conscience before God, and cannot enjoy coarse pleasures, or listen to lascivious song? Shall I be ashamed of chastity and truth? Why then, let angels be ashamed of purity; let the stars be ashamed of light; let the sun be ashamed of day. There is nothing to be ashamed of in things honorable and of good repute.

What are some of you at — you who are, I trust, Christians, that you never come out and own your religion? What will your Master say to you in the day of his appearing? What honor can you expect to share with him if you will not share his shame? If any man wants to spit on Christ — let him do me the honor to spit on me! If any man will rail on Christ — let him do me the pleasure to rail on me, for if I may stand between him and my Master, I shall be promoted by the deed. Napoleon's Mamaluke flung himself in the way of the bullet to save the emperor's life.

Shall not Christ be served after that fashion? Shall we not be willing to be Nazarenes for the Nazarene? Shall we not glory to be despised and rejected of men for his sake, if by any means we may bring honor to him? I trust it shall be so; and yet some of you have not even been baptized into his name, though you know that it is his command. You have never joined with his people in church fellowship, and yet wish to share their joys. You let them fight the battle alone.

You think, I suppose, to slink into Heaven by the back door, and not to be found among the soldiers of Christ — until the crowns are distributed? Ah, sirs, you miss a great honor in not standing shoulder to shoulder with the rank and file of Christ's chosen. Angels would leave Heaven if they could, to come and fight for Christ. They would be glad to leave their rest, to bear the hardness which a follower of Christ must endure for his dear Captain's sake.

Jesus is coming! He is on his way! He may come tonight. He may come before another Sabbath's bells shall ring; and oh if I have never confessed him, if I have been ashamed of him — how shall I face him? Hear this, you cowards! What will you say when he appears? Be wise and confess him early. Come you out from among the ungodly. Be separate. Confess your Lord and Master. "He who with his heart believes, and with his mouth makes confession of him — shall be saved." "He who believes and is baptized shall be saved. He who believes not shall be damned." God save us from being ashamed of the Nazarene. Amen.