BIBLE READING; THE ETERNAL AMEN.

There are many people who use the word amen, not knowing what it means. To them it is the approved way of finishing a prayer. They would not stop if they did not say Amen. That is the only terminal facility they have. When that word is said the voice ceases, they open their eyes, they lift up their heads, their hands are unclasped, their prayers are ended. If they are candidates for district superintendent or bishop they say Ahmen. That is the Amen of ignorance. It does not even touch the surface of the word. Whenever a man says Ahmen, I always fear that it is the Amen of ignorance.

Then there is another Amen. The future of every Christian is filled with good things that he is hoping to receive. God says at his right hand are pleasures forevermore, and Jesus says, “In my Father's house are many mansions," and they believe it and hope to enter the mansion and enjoy the pleasures. Looking into their blessed futurity where there are pleasures forever more they say Amen, may it be so. That is the Amen of hope.

Then there is another Amen. We are pardoned of our sins, we have peace with God and are adopted into his family. We have the joy of adoption and heirship in the family of God. We think of mercies past and the privileges we have had and in our thanksgiving we breathe the Amen of gratitude. That may be the Amen of selfishness.

But there is a deep that couches beneath in this word of God. Amen means more than the ending of a prayer, more than hope or joy. Martin Luther said, ‘The Lord’s prayer is the greatest martyr on earth,” because it was used so often without thought or feeling, reverence or faith, but his remark applies with greater force to the word amen. Tis a word of venerable history in the church, dating its birth as early as the law of Moses. It has been adopted and retained without translation in every language where the gospel of the Son of God is preached, yet few consider the deep meaning, the great solemnity and the abundant consolation treasured up in this great amen. Though constantly on our lips, it often lies bed ridden in the dormitory of our souls. Let us go into the word of God searching for this short but marvelous word, amen. Let us see if we can find it in the hearts and lives of men and women, for that is where the amen stays.

Jonah 4 13-4, “Dost thou well to be angry?” Jonah had warned the people that they would perish. Then they repented, God showed mercy and Jonah got angry. We have not found the Amen here. Jonah was so supremely selfish that when God showed mercy he was angry. He would sooner 120,000 people had died than for his word to be doubted or his position questioned. It seems natural for a man to say no to the judgments and calamities of God, but for a man to become peevish and passionate because mercy triumphs and thousands of lives are saved is more like a fiend than a man of God. A peevish, angry prophet, bishop, doctor of divinity, preacher or layman adds no glory to God and is only an example of warning. He does not know the meaning of the word amen. Whoever on account of his position becomes sensitive or peevish, doesn’t know the meaning of the word amen. Whoever feels hurt because he is rated lower in the judgment of men than he feels he deserves to be, doesn’t know the meaning of the word amen. Whoever throws up the sponge and leaves his friends in the lurch because he cannot have his own way, doesn’t know the meaning of the word amen. Whenever a man determines to have his own way he is always wrong, he doesn’t know the amen of God. Absalom and Baalam, Samson and Judas all had their own way and they were wrong, not knowing the amen.

Job 2:9, “Dost thou still retain thine integrity? Curse God and die.”

They had lost their property and their children were all dead. Job was sitting in the ashes scraping himself with the potsherd. All covered with boils. His friends stood around him in silence seven days and nights not speaking a word. This was too much for Mrs. Job; she took in only the present; she could lose their property and bury their children, but to see her husband in continued misery was too much for her faith, so she said to him, “Curse God and die.” She did not know that his experience would bless the world throughout all ages; that his patience and integrity would be held up as examples while the race endures; she brought God down on a pile of ashes; measured Him by what she saw; weighed Him in her own scales and found Him wanting — there was no amen in her soul. When you see an innocent man or woman suffer you do not see God’s providence for that man or woman, you see only one moment of all the eternal past and all the future. You hear only one tick of eternity’s time piece wliich has been ticking away from all the everlasting past and will go on ticking for all the everlasting future, for that man or woman. Henry George used to say, “I am for man,” but far above all creatures of earth God is everlastingly for man.

Genesis 42:36, “All these things are against me.” Poor despondent Jacob, living by sight and not by faith in the God of his fathers. He was always trying to avoid calamities and was often in godless haste and carnal policies. With Jehovah’s words ringing in his ear, “I will give thee; I will bring thee; I will keep thee; I will not leave thee,” he could only say, “All these things are against me; I and my house shall be destroyed.” His children had deceived him and now he thought every thing was against him. All these things were for him and God was working out the promise that his seed should be as the stars for multitude, but somehow he could not believe it unless he could see it. A man can look at God’s dealings in two ways, through two lenses. He may look with the natural eye or he may look by faith. He may see God through providences or he may see providences through God. The most of the time we look by sight and so we are saying, “My misfortunes are against me; my troubles will kill me.” You can look yourself into sickness by looking at your sores; you can look yourself into poverty by looking at your losses; you can look at your troubles, miseries and hardships until you look yourself into hell and there will be no amen in your soul.

Numbers 11:5-6, “We remember the fish which we did eat in Egypt freely, the cucumbers and the melons, the leeks, the onions and the garlic, but now there is nothing at all but this manna before our eyes.”

We have not found the meaning of Amen yet. Instead of forgetting the things that are behind and pressing toward the things that are before they craved and longed for the melons, onions, leek and garlic until they became so weak that they fell into every temptation. For forty years they did nothing but complain of their hard times and ill treatment; they murmured about their bondage in Egypt, and then about the rough way. The water was bitter, the bread was dry, and then there was no meat. They complained so much about the wilderness, that when God writes a record of their lives, He says, “By faith they passed through the red sea; by faith the walls of Jericho fell down.” He passed over the whole forty years without finding one thing worthy to be mentioned, in the record of faith. They provoked Him and tempted Him until their lives were not worthy to mention only as a warning to the world against disobedience. How many church people to-day have their eyes on the old things of Egypt. They know more about novels than they do about their Bibles. They go to more dances than class meetings where God's people may dance and shout. They attend more theatres than prayer meetings; more card parties than communion services. So many professors of the religion of Jesus are so weak and starved and hungry for the leeks, onion and garlic of Egypt that they fall into any old trap of the devil that comes along. If we go on thinking we are not treated right, not appreciated, nor willing to endure hardships, nor suffer ill treatment, God may blot out all our time as not worthy of record. If we are saved at all, it will be in some far off valley as an awkward squad, untrimmed, untrained and undeveloped, and we will stay there long enough to forget about melons, leeks, cucumbers, onions and garlic.

St. John 6:41, “The Jews then murmured at Him because He said, T am the bread that came down from heaven.’”

The Jews were so wedded to forms and customs that they would not receive any new truth. They wanted Jesus to do them favors and make them a great nation, restoring to them the kingdom of Israel. They would approve Him when He turned their water into wine. They were pleased when He healed the sick; cured the lepers; when He opened the eyes of the blind; when He raised the widow's son; when He fed the 5,000 men beside women and children. But when He said that He was the bread that came down from heaven, they said, “Where is Abraham? where is Moses? art thou greater than Jacob?" When they saw their ecclesiasticism coming into disrepute they murmured against the immaculate Son of God. They looked into His face and said, “Now we know Thou hast a devil." There was no Amen in their souls. There are many ecclesiastical Pharisees who are doing that thing today. They are opposing revivals and missionary work. They are opposing Salvation Army and slum work, because their traditions are discredited.

We have not found the Amen yet. I believe a man can ascend the scale of life by consecration, faith and obedience until he will fit into the notch where God wants him to be, and there he will abide in complete adjustment to the will of God; to the teachings of God, and all the providences of God. His wheels will run without clatter and there will be in his soul a ceaseless and an Eternal Amen.

Job 1:21, “The Lord gave and the Lord hath taken away. Blessed be the name of the Lord.”

Job's oxen, sheep, asses, camels, sons, and daughters are all gone. Ten children all dying a sudden death. You, who have been afflicted, listen to what he says, “The Lord gave and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.” Unbelief would have seen the storm, and fire, and would have complained against them; unbelief would have seen the Sabeans and the Chaldeans and would have cursed them for their meanness; but faith saw the hand of God in the taking as well as in the giving, and said afflictions from His sovereign hand are blessings in disguise. The Amen is in his soul.

I. Sam. 3:18, “It is the Lord, let Him do what seemeth Him good.”

Eli was an indulgent father. His sons became wicked and he did not frown upon them. His house became so vile that it could not be purged with sacrifices, but only with judgment. Then said God, “I will do a thing in Israel at which both the ears of everyone that heareth it shall tingle.” Then he said to Eli, “Both your sons shall be killed in one battle.” The old prophet saw his sin and knowing that God was good and nothing but good, he pulled his mantle over his head and said, “It is the Lord, let Him do what seemeth Him good.” God must be obeyed. He is the King and when He comes in judgment let everything in the universe bow its head and say, “It is the Lord, let Him do what seemeth Him good.” We have found the Amen in his soul.

Dan’l 6:10, “Now, when Daniel knew that the writing was signed he went into his house and his windows being open in his chamber towards Jerusalem he kneeled upon his knees three times a day and prayed and gave thanks to God as he did aforetimes.”

Daniel was a subject of political conspiracy. The lords of the land tried to blacken his character. They could not find fault with his business and so they called him a fanatic and got a law passed against his religion. When the decree was signed and could not be changed they laughed in their sleeves, saying, “Now we have him fast,” for they knew the mettle that was in the man. What did he do? Did he fast and pray all day because his enemy had trapped him? Did he stand in his window so they could see him and hear him pray? No, he kneeled upon his knees. In Indiana they kneel down upon one knee, but out West they just bow their heads and shut their eyes and pray so easy that nobody can observe it. Paul says, “I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ of Whom the whole family in earth and heaven are named.” A man seeking for pardon got down upon one knee when a sister said to him, “Get that other knee down. You never can get religion on one knee, for God says, ‘Every knee must bow/” Daniel kneeled upon both knees three times a day. He knew that the princes were against him; he knew the writing was signed and could not be changed; he knew that his prayer was a violation of the decree. Did he cry for mercy and lament over his perilous condition? No, no. Did he worry to know how the thing was coming out? Oh, no, he kneeled upon his knees and gave thanks as aforetimes. How would it do for every Methodist preacher to get down on his knees and thank God for his appointment for the next year?

Matt. 5:11-12, “Blessed are ye when men shall, revile you and persecute you and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely for my sake. Rejoice and be exceeding glad* for great is your reward in heaven/’

When Jesus said, “Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth,” we say, yes, we will be the meek, for everybody wants the earth. When He says, “Blessed are the merciful,” or “Blessed are the peacemakers,” we say yes, we will be merciful and peacemakers for their praise is on the tongue of every saint. When He says, “Blessed are the pure in heart/’ we shrink back and don’t know so well about that — they must be an imaginary crowd. When He says, “Blessed are ye when men shall revile you* and persecute you,” that is a hard saying and we turn back. For who can bear it? When a Christian is lied about now, he says, “I am misrepresented and I won’t take part any more he says “I will backslide. But Jesus says, “Rejoice and be exceeding glad,” and the Greek word means jump up and down.

Heb. 10:34, “For you took joyfully the spoiling of your goods, knowing that you have within yourselves a heavenly and an enduring substance.”

The Hebrews were cheated out of their inheritance; turned out of their houses; plundered of their goods; afflicted, tormented and scourged. To be able to stand it at all would be a victory for us. To endure it without murmuring would be a great triumph. I once had a drunken officer tear down my tent in a rainstorm and let all my clothing and bedding get soaked with water. I took it, but I bit my lips until the blood ran down on my clothes to keep from fighting my officer. But they took their trouble joyfully. What a wondrous life they had. We want the riches of Christ, but they were willing to take His poverty. We want to reign with Him, but they are willing to suffer with Him. We want to wear crowns of gold, but they wanted a crown of thorns. We are coveting His robes of splendor, but they coveted His robes of contempt and mockery. We seek the easy places on earth and then want the high seats in Heaven. God give us the old passion of the church for the fellowship of his sufferings.

Acts 5:41, “And they departed from the presence of the council rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His name.”

The Sanhedrin thought they would stigmatize the disciples by giving them a disgraceful whipping, and they gave them thirty-nine lashes with the scourge, so they would not show themselves again on the street and if they did, that nobody would follow them. The effect was just the opposite. They did not appeal for redress; they did not bemoan their unfortunate condition; they took the whipping joyfully, and they went everywhere praising God and preaching the Word, and their numbers were greatly multiplied. We think it a privilege to have an easy time; they thought it a privilege to suffer shame for His name. We think it a favor to be spoken well of by the world; they took it as a favor to be considered “as the filth and off-scouring of all things” by the world.

2. Cor. 11:24-27, 12:10, “Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities; in reproaches; in necessities; in persecution; in distresses for Christ’s sake, for when I am weak then am I strong.”

Paul had the eternal amen in his soul. The Jews tried to kill him at Damascus. I see him as he swings down the wall in a basket, saying, “I take pleasure in reproaches and necessities;” I see him in the jail at Phillippi after being whipped and scourged and being thrust into the dungeon, saying, “I take pleasure in persecutions on the outside of Lystra’s walls upon a pile of offal, where he had been thrown as unworthy of burial, he says, “This one thing I do; forgetting the things that are behind I press toward the mark of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus; I glory in tribulations also. M Out in the deep of the Adriatic Sea, holding to a plank for twenty-four hours, I hear him say, “I take pleasure in necessities;” sneered at by his own countrymen, hooted at by the heathen he says, “I take pleasure in reproaches;” cold and hungry, weak and weary, naked and tired, I hear him say, “I take pleasure in infirmities and in everything I give thanks.” There was an everlasting amen in his soul.

Coll. 1 127, “Which is Christ in you the hope of glory”.

This is the solution of the Bible reading. Have you wondered what it means? Has it been Greek to any of you? The eternal amen is Jesus Christ formed within, dwelling within these bodies, becoming the owner of the mind, soul and body, so that we are no longer our own, but are the temples of God. Christ moving the impulses of the heart, capturing the thoughts and imaginations of the mind, casting down every evil thing, imparting to the man every day the mind of Christ. Have you received the eternal amen in your soul? If not, you are missing the joy and glory of the Christian Life.

Amen! Amen!