An atheist was
once addressing a crowd of people in the open air. He was trying to persuade
them that there was no god and no devil, no heaven and no hell, no
resurrection, no judgment and no life to come. He advised them to throw away
their bibles and not to listen to what the preachers said. He recommended them
to think as he did and to be like him. He talked boldly. The crowd listened
eagerly. It was the blind leading the blind. Both were falling into the ditch
as in (Matthew 15.14).
In the middle of
his address a poor old woman suddenly pushed her way through the crowd to the
place where he was standing. She stood before him. She looked him straight in
the face. ’sir,’ she said in aloud voice, ‘’Are you happy?’ The atheist looked
scornfully at her and gave her no answer. ‘’Sir,’ she said again, ‘I ask you to
answer my question. Are you happy? You want tus to throw away our Bibles. You
tell us not to believe what preachers say about Christ. You advise us to think
as you do and be like you. Now before we take your advice we have a right to
know if it will do us any good. Do your fine ideas give you much comfort? Do you
yourself really feel happy?’’
The atheist
stopped and attempted to answer the old woman’s question. He stammered, and
shuffled, and fidgeted, and endeavored to explain his meaning. He tried hard to
turn the subject. He said He ’’had not come there tom preach about happiness.
‘’But it was of no use. The old woman stuck to her point. She insisted on her
question being answered and the crowd took her part. She pressed him hard with
her inquiry and would take no excuse. At last the atheist was obliged to leave
the ground and sneak off in confusion. He could not reply to the question. His
conscience would not let him: He dared not say that he was happy.
To really be
happy the highest needs of a man’s nature must be met and satisfied. God has
created us in such a way we will only be truly happy and complete when we come
to Him through the Lord Jesus Christ. The true Christian is the only happy
person, because their conscience is at peace. That mysterious witness for God,
which is to mercifully placed within us, is fully satisfied and at rest. The
conscience sees in the priesthood and mediation of Christ a complete answer to
all its fears. It sees that through the sacrifice and death of Christ, God can
now be just, and yet be the justifies of the ungodly. The conscience no longer
bites and stings and makes its possessor afraid of himself. The Lord Jesus
Christ has amply met all its requirements. Conscience is no longer the enemy of
the true.
Christian, but
his friend and adviser. Therefore he is happy.
The plain truth
is that without Christ there is no happiness in this world. He alone can give
the Comforter who abides forever. He is the sun; without Him we never feel
warm. He is the Light, without Him we are always in the dark. He is the Bread,
without Him we are always starving . He is the Living Water, without Him we are
always thirsty. Give people what you like. Place them where you please-surround
them with all the comforts you can imagine – it makes no difference. Separate
from Christ, the Prince of Peace, we cannot be happy.
Come to Him,
pleading with Him to show you His mercy and grant you His salvation to wash you
in His own Blood and take your sins away – to speak peace to your conscience
and heal your troubled soul. Tell him all this unreservedly. This is coming to
Christ.
You have
everything to encourage you. The Lord Jesus Himself invites you. He proclaims
to you as well as to others, ‘’Come unto me, all ye that Labour and are heavy
laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn of me, For I
am meek and lowly in heart; and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke
is easy, and my burden is light.’’ (Matthew 11;28-30) Wait for noting. You may
feel unworthy. You may feel as if you did not repent enough. Wait no longer,
Come to Christ.
You have
everything to encourage you. Thousand have walked in the way you have invited
to enter and have found its good. Once, like yourself, they served the world
and plunged deeply into foolishness and sin. Once, like yourself they became
weary of their wickedness and longed for deliverance and rest. They heard of
Christ and His willingness to help and save; they came to Him by faith and prayer
and after many a doubt and hesitation, they found Him a thousand times more
gracious than they have expected. They rested on Him and were happy; they
carried His cross and tasted peace. Oh, walk in their step; I beseech you, by
the mercies of God, to come to Christ. If you would be happy, I entreat you to
come to Christ. Don’t delay. Awake from your slumber; arise, and be free, This
day come to Christ.
Credit: Dr.
J.C.Ryle
