Morning Lesson from Hebrews Two
New York, New York
November 14, 1901
Portions of this manuscript are published in UL 332.
November 14, 1901;
Bible Training School; 400 W. 37th St., New York
Sometimes the words of Scripture come with great force, and at such times an impression is made upon the mind deeper than we usually have. This morning I was reading some portions of the second chapter of Hebrews, and I thought of all these Scriptures and the blessings of our privileges in God. We read, “Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip.” [Verse 1.] There is danger of our losing so much in our spiritual experience because we let slip the words that God gives. He speaks to one heart, and He speaks to another heart, and they hear these words and then go away and treat the words as a common thing, and they do not impress the mind. God wants us to take the words home to every heart. 16LtMs, Ms 174, 1901, par. 1
“For if the word spoken by angels was steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense of reward; how shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by them that heard him?” [Verses 2, 3.] Here is presented to us the importance of our speaking. God wants us to communicate. Have the treasure house of the heart full, full of the precious words of the Scripture. Hand it right out; it is the precious message of God to them. If we do not have the power to communicate, if we do not consider that it is our privilege to have that power, we may lose many precious opportunities which we would receive by faithfully, constantly imparting. 16LtMs, Ms 174, 1901, par. 2
“God also bearing them witness, both by signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will.” [Verse 4.] The Lord knows just what is best for us. It is not best for us always to have a continual elevation. We get self-sufficient; we become self-confident; we are in danger of thinking that we do not need to be taught. Then He lets us go deep into the valley of humiliation where we have to draw nigh to Him, and then He draws nigh to us. 16LtMs, Ms 174, 1901, par. 3
“For unto the angels hath he not put in subjection the world whereof we speak. But one in a certain place testified, saying, What is man, that thou art mindful of him? Or the son of man, that thou visitest him? Thou madest him a little lower than the angels; thou crownedst him with glory and honor; thou didst set him over the work of thy hands; thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet,” speaking of Jesus. “For in that he put all in subjection under him he left nothing that is not put under him. But now we see not yet all things put under him.” [Verses 5-8.] Now here is the point: if we could always comprehend what is coming to us through the ample provisions made, we should never lose our hold on Jesus Christ. We have to deal with many minds, and we want to be able to speak words in season to encourage, strengthen, and bless. When you obtain strength from God to put your hands right under the erring ones, they will take heart, they will again take hold of Christ. Have we done our duty to all who need our help? 16LtMs, Ms 174, 1901, par. 4
“But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.” [Verse 9.] He could not have suffered for us unless He had taken off His crown, laid off His royal robe, laid off His high command in the heavenly courts. What then? When He clothed His divinity with humanity, He came to this sinful world to show us how to live that we might ascend to live with Him in the heavenly courts. Think of it! Many speak and act as if they were ashamed of Jesus; they do not think of Him, and introduce Him to their friends; they do not live to glorify Him. Ashamed of Jesus, who took humanity that they might have life! We want to talk it to everybody! We want to tell them, if they have afflictions or trials, it is nothing if they will only think what Christ has done, the great sacrifice He has made in their behalf that they might have life. If I could tell you how these things are represented to me as I look at these cities unworked! For years we have had the truth, and these neglected cities stand a reproach to us before God. We ought to have had a love for their souls. 16LtMs, Ms 174, 1901, par. 5
We want to help every other one to understand the need of their working. You cannot do another’s work. Each one has his own peculiar temperament. That particular temperament sanctified will lead each one to have confidence in that other one who has a peculiar temperament that sanctified by grace can be the Lord’s helping hand. We are not to expect that every one is to travel in our own footprints, but in the footprints of our self-denying Redeemer. Take up the cross and follow Him. He is our guide. There are perfect footprints; He has made them. We are safe in following Christ. But when we seek everyone to follow some other one, there is where we make a mistake, there is where our differences come in; but we should never have differences. We must believe that others are just as honest before God as we are. 16LtMs, Ms 174, 1901, par. 6
“For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.” [Verse 10.] He had to understand all about the weakness of man, the strength of Satan’s temptations. He took humanity right upon Himself and bore all the temptations of the devil, and He knows what every man has to endure. Consider Christ’s pity for man. He knows just how they were born; He knows just how they were surrounded in childhood. You don’t know what temptations came with their birth, you don’t know the condition of their parents. Put away all judgment. Judgment belongs to the Son of God; He is the One who is to judge the world. “For both he that sanctifieth and them that are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren.” [Verse 11.] Let us every day try to work in such a way that Christ will not be ashamed to call us brethren. He is our Elder Brother, “Saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee.” [Verse 12.] 16LtMs, Ms 174, 1901, par. 7
Christ takes just our position as laborers. Ye are laborers together with God. That is what we are; we are laborers with Christ Jesus. Then should we not elevate ourselves? Not in self-esteem, but in purity, in experience gaining everything we can. Why? So as to sing praise in the church! so as to elevate Him among the brethren. O, there is food for us in these Scriptures; there is fruit for us to bear. 16LtMs, Ms 174, 1901, par. 8
“Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same, that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil.” [Verse 14.] Here is the work that He was to carry out, and this is the very work we are to carry out in our life; it is to show the power of the grace of God that is to be with us. Then we can rejoice with Him. “And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.” [Verse 15.] When we look at Christ we are free; the fear of death is gone. 16LtMs, Ms 174, 1901, par. 9
“For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham. Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succor them that are tempted.” [Verses 16-18.] 16LtMs, Ms 174, 1901, par. 10
Let us think of that chapter today, and get from it all the comfort that we possibly can. You will find that you can draw nigh to Christ because He understands every temptation, every trial. He understands us. Do not think that we are separated from God because we are disappointed. We will be disappointed on the right hand and on the left. And why? Because He wants us to know how it is when others are disappointed. 16LtMs, Ms 174, 1901, par. 11
I am glad that we have a Saviour who knows just how to pity us, just how to comfort us; One who will watch the furnace that He has put us into. The lighter temptations come first; there are larger ones that will come through worldly influences. He lets lighter ones come and when the larger ones come we are prepared for them. 16LtMs, Ms 174, 1901, par. 12
The question is asked often, How about the time of trouble? I answer, Wait until you get to it; for if I should try to tell you, you would not understand anything about it. If you go forward step by step, when you get to the time of trouble you will be prepared for it. Whether I shall be killed, whether I shall die—this is not the question at all. If the stroke of death should come upon me, I will get life again in a little while. 16LtMs, Ms 174, 1901, par. 13
Never lay hold of little things here, and little things there, and judge men by such things. You never expect a man to be like yourself. Be of one mind in Christ Jesus. In a diversity of minds there is to be unity. Let us all give room for this one and that one and the other to work out their individuality. Tell all that they must have the mind of Christ. We shall have His Spirit to unite us together, to draw us right along in even lines. We want to unite at the foot of the cross. We want to know right now that Christ is dwelling in us by living faith, and this great city is to be worked, and we want to gather in every soul that is possible; we want to labor to impart strength; we want to strengthen one another, help one another, and thus give strength that every one may work a part. One may take hold here and another there. In this city we want one hundred workers where now there is one. The light that has been presented to me respecting this city is that we want more workers all through. We look at this portion, which is being worked. It takes a large part of the city. All around in the greater and smaller suburbs, it is all New York; New York embraces it. There is enough work for hundreds to be at work and not in any way to crowd one another. Let us every one drink in the Spirit of Christ, and reach higher and higher for the Spirit of God. If you have any difficulties, get them out of the way on Friday if possible. Then when you come to the church on Sabbath day you may be sure that there will be a sweet, heavenly, and fragrant influence in the company. Taste and see that the Lord is good. We are not in the church triumphant yet, but we are striving to get there, to work with all our powers to be a blessing to every one that we meet with. 16LtMs, Ms 174, 1901, par. 14