Luke 14:24

Luke 14:24

God's Call to the Young.

I. God's call, addressed to the soul of every man, is a call to him to be happy for ever; and this is the same thing as calling upon him to be holy, for holiness and happiness are one in God, and they are one also in the children of God. Holiness in God's creatures consists in their drawing near to God and becoming like unto Him. No man hath seen God, however, at any time; but the brightness of His glory and the express image of His Person man has seen; and although we now see Him no longer with our bodily eyes, yet with the story of His life and character handed down to us from those who did see and hear Him with His Spirit ever dwelling amongst us, revealing Him to all those who desire Him we do, for all practical purposes, see and know Him still.

II. As, then, Christ laboured all His life, beginning in His boyhood, to obey God's special call to Him, so we can best imitate Christ by labouring all our lives to obey God's special call to us. Now, this call is made known to us, not by a miracle, nor by a voice from heaven; but partly by the circumstances of our age and outward condition, and partly by the different faculties and dispositions of our minds. Generally, to all young persons God's call is to improve themselves; but what particular sort of improvement He calls you to, that you may learn from the station in life in which He has placed you.

T. Arnold, Sermons,vol. ii., p. 86.

References: Luke 14:25; Luke 14:26. H. W. Beecher, Christian World Pulpit,vol. xix., p. 251; Ibid.,vol. xxiv., p. 196; Preacher's Monthly,vol. viii., p. 230. Luke 14:25. H. W. Beecher, Christian World Pulpit,vol. xxix., p. 90. Luke 14:26. G. Dawson, The Authentic Gospel,p. 160. Luke 14:26; Luke 14:27. H. W. Beecher, Christian World Pulpit,vol. ii., p. 331.Luke 14:27 W. C. E. Newbolt, Counsels of Faith and Practice,p. 200. Luke 14:28. H. W. Beecher, Christian World Pulpit,vol. xvii., p. 40; Spurgeon, Sermons,vol. xx., No. 1159. Luke 14:31; Luke 14:32. Ibid.vol. xi., No. 632.