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Show for Cfns W&ttk i 'By BEV. JOHN F. HENNIO , Pastor, CfciM Lathrru church, Murray "Come unto Me, 1I ye that are weak and heavy laden, I will five you rest" With these words Jesus invites all men . r x wee- ? ' i in- isi -ini . ' J ' I , to come to the throne of grace. This is not mere expression of beautiful symbolism, but names glorious reality. Because Jesus so "humbled Himself, became obedient even unto death," because He loved us to the shedding of His blood, the mercy seat has descended to us, and has become be-come a throne of grace. This throne of grace is found in the written Word, In our churches and around the family altars In our homes. It is ever present in our midst. And He who sits upon this thron is the king of kings. All earthly kings are said to be kings by the grace of God, but Hs who sits exalted on the throne of grace Is king In His own right and beholden to no one. Therefore supreme power Issues forth from Him; and as ' the greatest power which He exercises over men la the forgiveness of sin, His ' throne is known as the throne of grace. , V r Throne of Grace Open to AH , . The power to conquer sin issue from this throne of grace, Christ Jesus, who Is our king, has Himself entered into our afflictions, into our condemnation and into our temptations, and by so doing has burst our bonds asunder. The sins over which we weep, and against which we vainly struggle, lis crushed under the feet of Jesus. This is no idle fantasy, no vagus symbolism or pious fiction. The throne of grace Is a reality, and the power issuing from It is a living truth. If yon look unto Jesus In your helpless state, Ha will make yon whole. ' . Not only la the throne of grace present hers on earth, but ' it is acoesslble to each and every one of us. If we review the Itinerary of Jesus, we will find that there la no part of the ' Holy Land that was not visited by Him, It is true He spent most of His time in Judaea and Galilee and that He often visited Jerusalem, but He also visited Samaria on several occasions and towards the end of His ministry He spent some time east of the Jordan, ' ! Hfa. FkKh EnHghtens the World ! Why were His Journeys so extensive? That His throne of grace might be aocessibls to alL Christ's heart yearns for all ! mankind. Paul says of the throne of graes that being justified by faith and having peace with God, "we have had our access by faith Into His grace, wherein we stand.' By faith, therefor. we are ever present at the thron of grace. ' . Jesus Is waiting for us today. He see us at the very J moment when we sin against Him, and He I waiting for us ' to come and say with David, "I have sinned." He see us when our hearts rejoice over some spiritual or temporal gift received from Him, and Ha It waiting for us to kneel at His thron of i grace, and say, "Lord, I thank Thee." He see our affliction i and anguish, and h deliver us. He wait f or n to come and tell Him of our love for Him for this new proof of HI dlvins Slov. 4 .. I . I He sees us every day. He see our sins, our adversities, our .' suffering, our joys; and He waits for us to com and lay them j all before '. Certainly He haa the right to expect that of I us. H is our refuge and strength, a very present help in t trouble. He wants to help us. He wsnta to be our refuge. . Behind the Throne Is Judgment If we only knew the 8avkr'i feelings toward us our hearts j would be filled with gladness. If our eye were opened to J see "the great cloud of witnesses" who have bad access to the i thron of grace, we would realise His mercy, Hi love, Hi X kindness, and His understanding. Their testimony would be ' : that at the throne of grace they found strength and victory, i light In darkness and peace to the soul, such a the world '. cannot give. Invariably He deals with us In mercy and grace. , This throne of grace still stands in our midst, but it shall ' not stand forever. In the background loom the throne of i judgment before which all men shall be called upon to give an account of their sins. An all-wise, all-knowing God shall judge ' man in righteousness. Those who kneeled before the throne of ' graes and in true repentance accepted the forgiveness in Christ I Jesus shall hear the words, "Come, ye blessed of the Father, t ester into the kingdom that haa been prepared for you." . ; Those, who spurned the grace of God shall hear, to their sham , and sorrow, "Depart from me, ye cursed. 1" , Blessed I he who has found his way to the thron of graes and there faithfully abides. ; All praise to God, who reigns above, - - The God of all creation. The God of wonder, powr and love, r . The God of our 'salvation! " With healing balm my aoul Hs fills j The God who ev'ry sorrow still, '. 4 . ' To God all praise and glory! - |