十二月四日
因爲在这城里我有许多的百姓。（徒18：10）
这话实在给我们很大的鼓励，叫我们多作善工，因爲神在最邪恶，最败坏，堕落，酗酒的城中，有很多蒙选的百姓需要拯救。你把神的话传给他们，因爲你是神所差派的使者，爲要叫他们的灵魂得到生命；他们也必须接受，因爲这是出于神的定命。他们得蒙宝血救赎和那在宝座前的圣徒是一样的。虽然他们现在喜爱酒色，恨恶圣洁，但他们仍是基督的産业；若基督买了他们，他就必得到他们。神是信实的，必不会忘记他的儿子所付上的代价。他不会让他的替赎归于无效，万千蒙救赎的人现在还未重生，但他们必须重生；当我们向他们传扬神使人得生的话时，这话就是我们的安慰。
非但如此，基督还爲这些不信神的人在宝座前祷告。我们的伟大中保说：“我不但爲这些人祈求，也爲那些因他们的话信我的人祈求。”可怜，无知的人，他们不知道爲他们祈求是一件什麽事，但耶稣却爲他们祷告。他们的名字在他的胸牌之上，不久他们的倔强的腿必然跪在施恩座前，痛悔己罪。“收无花果的时候”还没有到。所定的时候还未来到；但是当那时来到了，他们就必顺服，因爲神必得到他自己的人；他们必须，因爲当圣灵大有权能地来到时，是不能被抗拒的——他们必须甘心作永活神的仆人。“当我掌权的日子，我的民要以圣洁的妆饰爲衣。”“有许多人因他得称爲义。”“他必看见自己劳苦的功效。”“我要使他与位大的同份，与强盛的均分掳物。”
December 4
“I have much people in this city.”—Acts 18:10
This should be a
great encouragement to try to do good, since God has among the vilest of the
vile, the most reprobate, the most debauched and drunken, an elect people who
must be saved. When you take the Word to them, you do so because God has
ordained you to be the messenger of life to their souls, and they must receive
it, for so the decree of predestination runs. They are as much redeemed by
blood as the saints before the eternal throne. They are Christ’s property, and
yet perhaps they are lovers of the ale-house, and haters of holiness; but if
Jesus Christ purchased them He will have them. God is not unfaithful to forget
the price which His Son has paid. He will not suffer His substitution to be in
any case an ineffectual, dead thing. Tens of thousands of redeemed ones are not
regenerated yet, but regenerated they must be; and this is our comfort when we
go forth to them with the quickening Word of God.
Nay, more, these ungodly ones are prayed for by Christ
before the throne. “Neither pray I for these alone,” saith the great
Intercessor, “but for them also which shall believe on Me through their
word.” Poor, ignorant souls, they know nothing about prayer for
themselves, but Jesus prays for them. Their names are on His breastplate, and
ere long they must bow their stubborn knee, breathing the penitential sigh
before the throne of grace. “The time of figs is not yet.” The
predestinated moment has not struck; but, when it comes, they shall obey, for
God will have His own; they must, for the Spirit is not to be withstood when He
cometh forth with fulness of power—they must become the willing servants of the
living God. “My people shall be willing in the day of my power.”
“He shall justify many.” “He shall see of the travail of His
soul.” “I will divide him a portion with the great, and He shall
divide the spoil with the strong.”
