Preached at Daviot by the Moderator of Northern Presbytery, Rev. A. F. MacKay, at Ordination and Induction of Rev. John Goldby to the congregation of Daviot, Tomatin and Stratherrick.
“Wherefore holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus, who was faithful to him that appointed him, as also Moses was faithful in all his house” — Hebrews 3: 1, 2.
The apostle introduces in the two previous chapters of this Epistle the Lord Jesus Christ as the Mighty Redeemer, the only begotten Son of God, the Lord of angels, the Creator of the world to whose words practical heed should be given for instruction, for comfort and peace and hope by his brethren. The present chapter opens with the counsel that we consider the Saviour in his saving office. Let us make a few remarks with the Lord’s help on these three subjects of our text — the Person we are called to consider; the brethren address; and consideration of Christ Himself.
The Person in the text.
This is the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the Apostle sent by the Father into the world, not to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. He was divinely appointed. “Whom shall we send and who shall go for us? Here am I send me” — Isaiah 6: 8. Christ is the Word Incarnate. “The word was made flesh and dwelt among us and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.” “In the volume of the book it is written of me, to do thy will O God” — Hebrews 10: 7. Christ is the elder brother, “the brother born for adversity.” “The friend that sticketh closer than any brother.” Christ is the great Forerunner who went by the way of the cross to heaven. “I go to prepare a place for you and if I go and prepare a place for you I will come again and receive you to myself that where I am ye may be also.” He cast open the gates of heaven that His people — the righteous nation that keepeth the truth — may enter in. Christ, in virtue of His atoning work, opened the way to heaven for his saints — He is himself the way. “No man cometh unto the Father but by me.” This is the way his people have travelled since the Gospel was preached even from the early days of Abraham to the present time. The multitude of the redeemed have found peace with God when, under conviction of sin, they first believed in Christ, and when Christ as Judge will take his seat upon the Judgment Throne, He will delight in surveying the white-robed multitude standing at His right hand. An Advocate once assured his landlady that, for all the kindness she had shown him, she could count on his help if ever she needed legal aid. Such a day came many years later, but he shook his head sadly and said: “I am no longer an Advocate, they have made me a Judge.”
While the day of the Gospel lasts, let us seek the salvation that is now available to us in Christ. He who was the Saviour of the world will soon be the Judge seated upon the Great White Throne. Those who have tasted of salvation are the friends of Christ; they are called “Holy Brethren” separated from an ungodly world by the call of Christ “Come out from among them and I will receive you.” They are called “Partakers of the heavenly calling.” Christ is their personal Saviour. They are called disciples, apostles, followers of the Lamb, servants yet more than servants, friends. “Henceforth I call you not servants for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth, but I have called you friends for all things that I have heard of my father I have made known unto you.” John 15: 15. “They are partakers of the heavenly calling. They are called to work out their own salvation with fear and trembling” — Phil. 2: 12. They are called to serve the Lord — His servants shall serve Him. Consider Christ, the Saviour with faith and repentance — Faith uniting them to him in the eternal saving union and Repentance, the grace by which they renounce the world, never to return to its service. “We are not of them who turn back unto perdition, but of them who believe to the saving of the soul,” Heb. 10: 39. They consolidate their saving state by growing in knowledge of Christ by study and meditation and they enjoy the blessing of God resting upon them. “Blessed are they who hunger and thirst after righteousness for they shall be filled.” His people are ruled by the constraining love of Christ. They can say to the daughters of Jerusalem “This is my beloved and this is my friend” — Song 5: 16.
They wait for Christ’s coming from heaven by preparing themselves for Christ’s Second Coming which we believe refers, not to His making a personal physical appearance in the world, but to Christ’s final coming to judge the world. Meantime his people, in weakness and humility but in love to Christ, his people and cause, make a confident profession of their faith before an ungodly world. It is required in stewards that they be faithful and his people are the stewards of the “mystery of the faith” — 1 Tim. 3: 9.
APPLICATION
- We are brought to the conclusion that the study of Christ is the greatest and noblest study in the world — “My meditation of him shall be sweet.” Psalm 104: 34.
- The meditation on the things of our most holy faith and especially upon Christ is found by his people to be the means of grace to sanctify them and make them like their beloved Saviour.
- Faithful waiting upon Christ is the path they follow through life. They have the spirit of prayer; the Throne of Grace to go to; the ordinances of the gospel; often made to their souls the means of grace which are especially enjoyed in the company of the Lord’s people.