Compassion for the multitude

‘And they say unto him, We have here but five loaves, and two fishes. He said, Bring them hither to me.’ Matthew 14:17–18

Suggested Further Reading: Romans 12:1–8

The Church’s first duty is, when she looks to her resources and feels them to be utterly insufficient for her work, still to bring all that she has to Christ. But how shall she bring them? Why, in many ways. She must bring them to Christ in consecration. There is a brother yonder who says, ‘Well, I have but little money to spare!’ ‘Never mind,’ says Christ, ‘let what you have be brought to me.’ ‘Ah,’ says another, ‘I have very short time that I can spare in labouring to do good.’ ‘Bring it to me.’ ‘Ah,’ says another, ‘but I have small ability; my stock of knowledge is very slender; my speech is contemptible.’ ‘Bring it to me.’ ‘Oh,’ says one, ‘I could only teach in the Sunday School.’ ‘Bring it to me.’ ‘Ah,’ says another, ‘and I do not know that I could do that; I could but distribute a tract.’ ‘Bring it to me.’ Every talent that the Church has is to be brought to Christ, and consecrated. And mark you this—I speak a strong thing which some will not be able to receive—anything which you have in this world, which you do not consecrate to Christ’s cause, you do rob the Lord of. Every true Christian, when he gave himself to Christ, gave everything he had. Neither calls he anything that he has his own, but it is all the Master’s. We are not true to the Master’s cause unless it be so. ‘What! not provide for our families?’ Yes, but that is given to God. ‘Not provide for ourselves?’ Yes, so long as you are not covetous. Remember, it is your Master’s business to provide for you. If he provides for you through your own exertions, you are doing your Master’s work and receiving of his bounty, for it is his work to provide for you. But there still must always be a thorough consecration of everything you have to Christ. Where your consecration ends, your honesty with God ends.

For meditation: Six things you should commit to God—your cause (Job 5:8), your self (Psalm 10:14), your spirit (Psalm 31:5), your ways (Psalm 37:5), your works (Proverbs 16:3), your soul (1 Peter 4:19). Does he have them all? He is able to look after all that we commit to him (2 Timothy 1:12).

Sermon no. 453
1 June (1862)