The Great Gathering # 2

The Great Gathering # 2

4. In the last place, the gathering of all true Christians shall be a meeting without parting. There are no such meetings now. We seem to live in an endless hurry, and can hardly sit down and take breath - before we are off again. "Goodbye" treads on the heels of "Hello!"

The cares of this world, the necessary duties of life, the demands of our families, the work of our various stations and callings - all these things appear to eat up our days, and to make it impossible to have long quiet times of communion with God's people. But, blessed be God - it shall not always be so. The hour comes, and shall soon be here, when "goodbye" and "farewell" shall be words that are laid aside and buried forever! When we meet in a world where the former things have passed away, where there is no more sin, no more sorrow, no more poverty, no more work of body or work of brains, no more need of anxiety for families, no more sickness, no more pain, no more old age, no more death, no more change - when we meet in that endless state of being, calm, and restful, and unhurried - who can tell what the bliss and blessedness will be? I cannot wonder that Paul bids us look up and look forward.

The man who sees nothing much in the second coming of Christ and the public gathering of Christ's people - nothing happy, nothing joyful, nothing pleasant, nothing desirable - such a man may well doubt whether he himself is a true Christian and has got any grace at all!

In closing, let me offer the following APPLICATIONS.

1. I ask you a plain question. Shall you be gathered by the angels into God's home when the Lord returns - or shall you be left behind?

One thing is very certain - there will only be two groups of mankind at the last great day: those who are on the right hand of Christ - and those who are on the left; those who are counted religious - and those who are wicked; those who are safe in the ark - and those who are outside; those who are gathered like wheat into God's barn - and those who are left behind like tares to be burned. What will your portion be?

2. I offer you a plain means of testing your own soul's condition, if you want to know if you will be gathered into God's home. Never, never let it be forgotten, that our tastes on earth are a sure evidence of the state of our hearts; and the state of our hearts here on earth is a sure indication of our eternal home hereafter.

3. If you are a true Christian, I exhort you to be often looking forward. Your best things are yet to come! Look forward! There is a "gathering together" yet to come!

Well, it is an old story. You are only drinking a cup which myriads have drunk before. Look up and look forward. The lonely time will soon be past and over - you will have company enough by and by. "When you wake up after your Lord's likeness - you shall be satisfied" (Psalm 17:15). Yet in a little while you shall see a congregation that shall never break up, and a Sabbath that shall never end. "The coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and our gathering together unto Him," shall make amends for all!

"Therefore comfort one another with these words!" (1 Thess. 4:18).

~J. C. Ryle~

(The End)