十二月三十一日
節期的末日，就是最大之日，耶穌站著高聲說：“人若渴了，可以到我這裏來喝。”（約7：37）
主耶穌裏面有完全的忍耐，直到節期的末日他仍呼籲猶太人；在今年的最後一天他也呼籲我們，等著恩待我們。年年忍耐擔當我們的主實在值得我們稱羨，然而我們卻多次地頂撞、背叛幷反抗他的聖靈。但希奇得很，我們仍然在恩典的境界之中！
耶穌的呼喊，清楚地表現出他的憐憫來，他的聲音不但洪大，而且語氣柔和。他求我們與他和好。使徒保羅說：“就好像神藉我們勸你們一般。我們替基督求你們與神和好。”這是多麽誠懇而熱切的話呀！主爲罪人哀哭，這是多麽大的愛呀！正像一位母親愛她懷中的孩子一樣！他既這樣呼召我們，我們的心就當甘願前來。
他所預備的非常豐富；一切都預備好了，叫人能止住他們心靈中的乾渴。他的替贖使他們的良心得以平安，他的福音使他們的理智得了豐富的教訓；耶穌的品性是他們的心所崇愛的高貴的對象，耶穌裏面的真理也使他們整個的人得到純淨的營養。乾渴是最難受的事，但耶穌能止住它。雖然靈魂已經精疲力盡，耶穌也能使它復原。
他的邀請是白白的，每一個口渴的人都可前來。除了口渴之外幷沒有別的條件。不論是渴慕什麽難以饜足的東西，雄心大志、喜樂、知識或安息，只要感到缺乏，就在被邀之列。徒然乾渴而不依靠恩典是極不好的一件事，那只不過說明肉欲的乾旱，渴想更多的罪來使它得到滿足罷了；但也幷非因爲人有什麽善良，主耶穌才邀請他來，他乃是白白的叫人來，幷不管他是什麽樣的人。
這話說明：必須完全而單單投靠他。罪人必須來就耶穌，幷不是靠行爲、儀式或教義，而是救主本身，惟有他自己親身在十字架上擔當了我們的罪。流血、釘死、復活的救主，是罪人惟一所盼望的救星。願我們來暢飲主恩，不然今年最後一天的太陽即將永遠西落了！
他的話幷未叫人等待或是作什麽準備。喝，表示接受的意思，幷沒有配不配的分別。愚人、盜賊、娼妓都能喝，因此人品德的敗壞、罪污的滿盈幷不能攔阻他來信耶穌。我們要止渴幷用不到什麽金杯玉盞，貧困的嘴儘管可以跪下恬飲流動的水。生瘡、長癩、污穢的嘴唇都可以接觸神愛的溪流，幷不能玷污那水，反而使自己得了潔淨。耶穌乃是滿有盼望的泉源。親愛的讀者！願你聽親愛的救主向我們所發的慈聲吧：
“人若渴了，可以到我這裏來喝！”
December 31
“In the last day, that great day of
the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, if any man thirst, let him come unto
Me and drink.”—John 7:37
Patience
had her perfect work in the Lord Jesus, and until the last day of the feast he
pleaded with the Jews, even as on this last day of the year he pleads with us,
and waits to be gracious to us. Admirable indeed is the longsuffering of the
Saviour in bearing with some of us year after year, notwithstanding our
provocations, rebellions, and resistance of his Holy Spirit. Wonder of wonders
that we are still in the land of mercy!
Pity
expressed herself most plainly, for Jesus cried, which implies not only the
loudness of his voice, but the tenderness of his tones. He entreats us to be
reconciled. “We pray you,” says the Apostle, “as though God did
beseech you by us.” What earnest, pathetic terms are these! How deep must
be the love which makes the Lord weep over sinners, and like a mother woo his
children to his bosom! Surely at the call of such a cry our willing hearts will
come.
Provision
is made most plenteously; all is provided that man can need to quench his
soul’s thirst. To his conscience the atonement brings peace; to his
understanding the gospel brings the richest instruction; to his heart the
person of Jesus is the noblest object of affection; to the whole man the truth
as it is in Jesus supplies the purest nutriment. Thirst is terrible, but Jesus
can remove it. Though the soul were utterly famished, Jesus could restore it.
Proclamation
is made most freely, that every thirsty one is welcome. No other distinction is
made but that of thirst. Whether it be the thirst of avarice, ambition,
pleasure, knowledge, or rest, he who suffers from it is invited. The thirst may
be bad in itself, and be no sign of grace, but rather a mark of inordinate sin
longing to be gratified with deeper draughts of lust; but it is not goodness in
the creature which brings him the invitation, the Lord Jesus sends it freely,
and without respect of persons.
Personality
is declared most fully. The sinner must come to Jesus, not to works,
ordinances, or doctrines, but to a personal Redeemer, who his own self bare our
sins in his own body on the tree. The bleeding, dying, rising Saviour, is the
only star of hope to a sinner. Oh for grace to come now and drink, ere the sun
sets upon the year’s last day!
No
waiting or preparation is so much as hinted at. Drinking represents a reception
for which no fitness is required. A fool, a thief, a harlot can drink; and so
sinfulness of character is no bar to the invitation to believe in Jesus. We
want no golden cup, no bejewelled chalice, in which to convey the water to the
thirsty; the mouth of poverty is welcome to stoop down and quaff the flowing
flood. Blistered, leprous, filthy lips may touch the stream of divine love;
they cannot pollute it, but shall themselves be purified. Jesus is the fount of
hope. Dear reader, hear the dear Redeemer’s loving voice as he cries to each of
us,
“IF
ANY MAN THIRST,
LET
HIM
COME
UNTO ME
AND
DRINK.”
