“… They are the messengers of the churches and the glory of Christ.” etc., (II Cor. viii. 23-24).
II. The duty which ought to be performed towards them.
Those addressed are, first of all, to show to these apostles of the churches the proof of their love.
(1) This is to be done by treating them as the servants of Christ.
It is true that the world at all times gave but poor entertainment to Christ and to His servants, but something different is expected of a people who are giving a Call to a minister, for they entreat him to come and take charge of their souls. This implies a profession of a sense of the needs of their souls and a willingness to receive a minister “as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus.” (Gal. iv. 14). Nothing less than this is expected of those who profess to have a love to Christ and such a concern for their own souls that none but Christ can save them. The duty of the servant is to commend Christ and to exalt Him before the people, and in the measure in which he does this, he ought to have respect from the people and to be loved by them.
(2) They are to be treated as messengers of the churches.
To the Church in this world is given by Christ the power of the keys, that is, the key of doctrine and key of discipline. The messengers of the churches use the key of doctrine when they declare the whole counsel of God to men and women, and they use the key of discipline when they admit to, or shut out from, sealing ordinances in accordance with the word of God. They are the officers which Christ has appointed in the Church, and as the Church’s messengers they must, in her courts, exercise the power which Christ has delegated to the Church. It is, therefore the duty of all who profess to love Christ to show the proof of their love to the Church’s messengers before the churches.
The apostles of the churches are ambassadors of peace to proclaim peace on earth and good-will towards men. Viewing their position in the world from that aspect, theirs is an honourable employment, and they ought to be esteemed “very highly for their work’s sake.” (I. Thess. v. 13). It would be as well for each of us to take the lowest room as poor perishing sinners who are aliens and enemies to God, and when God has commissioned men to come to us with a message of peace, if we value their message, we should have love towards the messengers. And truly it can be said that they have the most wonderful message that ever fell on the ears of mortals when they proclaim God’s message, saying, “Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David.” (Is. lv. 3).
(4) It is the proof of your love to them that you are to show, and not a mere profession of love.
One proof of that love is to take heed to that doctrine which they proclaim. Some, while they do not absent themselves from the public means of grace, show clearly that they are not at home there. It is possible that there are some before me tonight and they count it too long to sit for an hour and a half in the house of God, while they would never feel weary though they would be sitting in the Hall on the other side of the street for three or four hours, listening to the vanities of the world. The pictures, the dance and the vain song are more in keeping with their desires than what would be beneficial to their immortal souls. Methinks I hear someone saying what is wrong with the pictures, the dance and the vain song? Well, friend, let me ask you one question. Can you classify these things as works of faith? I do not think that there are any in this closely packed church tonight who are so bold as to say that the things mentioned are works of faith. If not, let the Holy Spirit in the Scriptures be the judge and we read there, “for whatsoever is not of faith is sin.” (Rom. xiv. 23). The doctrine which a faithful minister of the gospel will preach must condemn these sinful frivolities and, therefore show the proof of your love to him by taking heed to their doctrine.
There is another proof of your love that should be shown, and that is, to pray for them. I fully believe that where an individual is in the habit of remembering his minister at the Throne of Grace, he will not turn against that minister because of some slight provocation, nor will he easily be made to turn his back on the Cause of Christ through the evil designs of others. It is only the Great Day that will reveal the blessing that a praying people are in a congregation, and the support they are to a godly minister. I remember reading of a minister in America whose labours were at first abundantly blessed in his congregation, but after a time a season of barrenness set in. A deputation waited on the minister to inquire as to the reason. The reason given by the minister was, “I have lost my prayer book.” One of the deputation said, in surprise, “We did not know that you used one.” “Yes,” he replied, “the godly people of my congregation were my prayer book, but for some time they have slackened very much in their duty of remembering me at a Throne of Grace.” The hint was taken and the breath of prayer which had begun to be dangerously faint, began to rise with renewed strength, and soon, they were visited with times of refreshing from the presence of the Lord.
(5) This proof of your love is to be shown “before the churches.”
I have already referred, to the cause why we occupy a separate position as a Church, and to the testimony raised by us. The eyes of the churches in Scotland are upon us, small and despised though we may be, and let us in this congregation, and let all our congregations, faithfully adhere to our distinctive testimony as a Church. It is a noble testimony, worth adhering to while we live, and worth dying for. It is the testimony for which many eminent martyrs and confessors bled and died, and let us not forsake it while God enables us, by His grace, to adhere to it.
Again, let us show the proof of our love “before the churches” by showing a spirit of self-denial. Self-denial is a necessary qualification of a true disciple of Christ, as the Saviour Himself says, “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.” (Matt. xvi. 24). This spirit can be shown, among other ways, by a readiness to sink our own petty quarrels. Each of us meet, in our several spheres of labour, many things which vex us, and on account of particular matters attending them, are magnified in our eyes out of all due proportion. We are so ready to forget that they are but as a small drop out of the bucket in comparison with the restless ocean of trouble which incessantly tumbles round this world of ours, and, therefore, let us be ready to sink them for the good of the Cause of Christ. Further, this spirit of self-denial should be shown by accepting, in a Christian manner, rebuke when we go wrong. It is very evident that this is contrary to the spirit of the age in which we live, but it is not contrary to the spirit of the true Christian. The Psalmist would say, “Let the righteous smite me; it shall be a kindness; let him reprove me: it shall be an excellent oil, which shall not break my head: for yet my prayer also shall be in their calamities.” (Ps. cxli. 5).
The proof “of our boasting on your behalf.”
The second thing in connection with the duty required is to show the proof “of our boasting on your behalf.” We are here tonight for a very solemn reason. As a Court of Christ’s Church, we have put a Call from you, as a congregation, in the hands of the man whom you have elected to be your minister. By doing so we have, in a manner, boasted of your unanimity, of your sense of your need that he would take charge of your souls, of your appreciation of faithful and plain preaching, and of your faithfulness to perform the solemn promises which you made, in signing this Call, that you would show all dutiful respect, encouragement, and obedience in the Lord. This has been our boasting on your behalf to the minister-elect, and now when we are about to ordain him, and induct him to the pastoral charge of this congregation, it is for you, as a congregation, to show the proof “of our boasting on your behalf.”
May the Lord bless anything said which was consistent with His Word.