Christ's Kingdom: Truth, Love, and Authenticity

It was a good confession as to the manner of it for our Lord was truthful gentle prudent patient meek and yet with all uncompromising and courageous his Spirit was not cowed by pilate's power nor exasperated by his snear in his patience he possessed his soul and remained the model witness for the truth both in his silence and in his speech he witnessed a good confession also as to the matter of it for though he said but little that little was all that was needful he he claimed his crown rights and at the same time declared that his kingdom was not of this world nor to be sustained by force he Vindicated both the spirituality and the essential truthfulness of his sovereignty. [00:01:24]

The Savior answered in effect it is even as thou sayest I am a king the question was but half earnest the answer was altogether solemn I am a king nothing was ever uttered by our Lord with greater certainty and earnestness now notice that our Lord's claim to be a king was made without the slightest ostentation or desire to be Advantage thereby there were other times when if he had said I am a king he might have been carried upon the shoulders of the people and crowned amid General acclamations his fanatical fellow countrymen would gladly have made him their leader at one time and we read that they would have taken him by force and made him a king. [00:03:47]

Yet never Earth saw trer King none of the L of pharaoh the family of nimrod or the race of the Caesars was so intrinsically Imperial in himself as he nor so deservedly reckoned a king among men by virtue of his descent his achievements or his Superior character the carnal eye could not see this but to the spiritual eye it was clear as Noonday to this day pure Christianity in its outward appearance is an equally unattractive object and wears upon its surface few Royal tokens it is without form or comeliness and when men see it there is no beauty that they should do desire it true there is a nominal Christianity which is accepted and approved of men but the pure gospel is still despised and rejected. [00:07:40]

He claimed to be a king and the truth which he revealed and of which he was the personification is therefore the scepter of his Empire he Rules by the force of Truth over those hearts which feel the power of right and truth and therefore willingly yield themselves to his guidance believe his word and are governed by his will it is as a spiritual Lord that Christ claims sovereignty among men he is King over Minds that love him trust him and obey him because they see in him the truth which their souls Pine for other kings rule our bodies but Christ our souls they govern by force but he by the attractions of righteousness theirs is to a great extent a fictitious royalty but his is true and Finds Its force in truth. [00:14:00]

To this end was I born and for this cause came I into the world to set up his kingdom was the reason why he was born of the Virgin to be king of men it was necessary for him to be born he was always the Lord of all he needed not to be born to be a king in that sense but to be king through the power of Truth it was essential that he should be born in our nature why so I answer first because it seems unnatural that a ruler should be alien in nature to the people over whom he rules an Angelic king of men would be unsuitable there could not exist the sympathy which is the cement of a spiritual Empire Jesus that he might govern by force of Love and Truth alone became of one nature with mankind he was a man among men a real man but a right Noble and kingly man and so a king of men. [00:15:56]

Truth never exerts such power as when it is embodied truth spoken may be defeated but truth acted out in the life of a man is omnipotent through the spirit of God now Christ did not merely speak the truth but he was the truth had he been truth embodied in an Angelic form he had possessed small power over our hearts and lives but perfect truth in a human form has royal power over renewed Humanity truth embodied in flesh and blood has power over Flesh and Blood hence for this purpose he was born so when you hear the bells ringing out of at Christmas think of the reason why Jesus was born dream not that he came to load your tables and fill your cups but in your mirth look higher than all earthborn things. [00:17:44]

Our Lord in effect tells us that the truth is the preeminent characteristic of his kingdom and that his royal power over men's Hearts is through the truth now the witness of Our Lord among men was emphatically upon real and vital matters he dealt not with fiction but with facts not with Trifles but with infinite realities he speaks not of opin opinions views or speculations but of infallible varities how many preachers waste time over what may be or may not be our Lord's testimony was preeminently practical and matter of fact full of varities and certainties I have sometimes when hearing sermons wish the preacher would come to the point and would deal with something that really concerned our souls welfare what concern have dying men with the Thousand trivial questions which are flitting around us we have Heaven or Hell before us and death within a stone's throw for God's sake do not trifle with us but tell us the truth at once. [00:25:12]

The power of King Jesus in the hearts of his people lies much in the fact that he brings forth the unalloyed truth without mixture of error he has delivered to us pure light and no Darkness his teaching is no combination of God's word and man's inventions no mixture of inspiration and philosophy silver without Ross is the wealth which he gives his servants men taught of his holy spirit to love the truth recognize this fact and surrender their souls to the Royal sway of the Lord's truth and it makes them free and sanctifies them nor can anything make them disown such a sovereign for as the truth lives and abides in their hearts so Jesus who is the truth abides also if you know what truth is you will as naturally submit yourselves to the teachings of Christ as ever children yield to a father's rule. [00:28:38]

Christ never yet set up his kingdom by Force of Arms Muhammad drew the sword and converted Men by giving them the choice of death or conversion but Christ said to Peter put up thy sword into its sheath no compulsion ought to be used with any man to lead him to receive any opinion much less to induce him to espouse the truth falsehood requires the rack of the Inquisition but truth needs not such unworthy Aid her own Beauty and the spirit of God are her strength moreover Jesus used no Arts of priestcraft or tricks of superstition the foolish are persuaded of a Dogma by the fact that it is promulgated by a learned doctor of high degree but our raboni where's no sounding titles of honor the vulgar imagined that a statement must be correct if it emanates from a person who wears lawn sleeves or from a place where the banners are of costly workmanship and the music of the sweetest kind these things are arguments with those that are amable to no other but Jesus owes nothing to his apparel and influences none by artistic Arrangements none can say that he reigns over Men by the glitter of pomp or the fascination of sensuous ceremonies his battle ax is the truth truth is both his arrow and his bow his sword and his buckler. [00:34:03]

This is the way in which Christ's kingdom is to be set up in the world for this cause was the church born and for this end came she into the world that she might set up Christ's Kingdom by bearing witness to the truth I long my beloved to see you all witness bearers if you love the Lord bear witness to the truth you must do it personally you must also do it collectively never join any church whose Creed you do not entirely and unfeignedly believe for if you do you act a lie and are moreover a partaker in the error of other men's testimonies I Would Not For a Moment say anything to Christian Unity but there is something before un and that is truth in the inward parts and honesty before God I dare not be a member of a church whose teaching I knew to be false in vital points I would sooner go to heaven alone than bely my conscience for the sake of company. [00:39:38]

Beloved I beseech you love Christ and live for him while you can work while opportunity serves while I have been laid aside and able to do nothing the great sorrow of my heart has been my inability to do him service I heard my brethren shouting in the battlefield and saw my comrades marching to the fight and I lay like a wounded soldier in the ditch and could not stir save that I breathed out a prayer that you might all be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might this was my thought oh that I had preached better while I could preach and lived more for the master while I could serve him don't incur such regrets in the future by present sluggishness but live now for him who died for you. [00:48:20]