Post by Admin on Jan 22, 2024 16:38:27 GMT -5
The Great Gathering
"Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being
gathered to Him" [2 Thessalonians 2:1]
The text which heads up this page contains an expression which
deserves our most careful attention. That expression is--"Our being gathered."
"Our being gathered." Those three words ought to find a response in
every part of the world. Man is by nature a social being: he does not
like to be alone. Go wherever you want on earth, and you will find
that people generally like meeting together, and seeing one another's
faces. It is the exception, and not the rule, to find children of Adam
who do not like "being gathered together."
For example, Christmas is noted as a time when English people
"gather together." It is the season when family gatherings have
almost become a national institution. In cities and in the country,
among rich and among poor, from the palace to the home of the
poor, Christmas cheer and Christmas parties are universal
experiences. It is often the one time in the whole year for many to see
their friends. Sons snatch a few days from the business district to run
down and see their parents; brothers take vacations from the desk to
spend a week with their sisters; friends accept long-standing
invitations to pay a visit to their friends; students rush home from
school, and rejoice in the warmth and comfort of their parent's
house. For a little while business comes to a standstill: the spinning
wheel of ceaseless labor almost seems to stop spinning for a few
hours. In short, all over the nation, there is a general spirit of "being
gathered" together.
It is a happy land where such a state of things exist! Long may it last
in our country, and may it never end! Poor and shallow is that
philosophy which sneers at Christmas gatherings. Cold and hard is
that religion which frowns at them, and denounces them as wicked.
Family affection lies at the root of a well-ordered society. It is one of
the few good things which has survived the fall, and prevent men and
women from being mere devils. It is the secret oil on the wheels of
our social system which keeps the whole machine going, and without
which the power of the machine is useless. May the Christmas day
never arrive when there are no family gatherings!
But, despite what I have just said, earthly gatherings also have
something about them that is sad and sorrowful. The happiest
parties sometimes contain disagreeable members. The merriest
Christmas parties last only for a short time. Moreover, as the years
roll on, the hand of death makes painful gaps in the family circle.
Even in the midst of Christmas merriment we cannot help
remembering those who have passed away. The longer we live, the
more we feel that we are standing alone. The old faces will rise before
the eyes of our minds, and old voices will sound in our ears, even in
the midst of holiday merriment and laughter. People do not talk
much about such things, but there are few who do not feel them. We
need not intrude our inmost thoughts on others, and especially when
all around us everyone is bright and happy; but there are many, I
suspect, who reach middle age, who would admit, if they spoke
honestly, that there are sorrowful things inseparably mixed up with a
Christmas party. In short, there is no unmixed pleasure about any earthly "gathering."
But is there no better "gathering" yet to come? Is there no bright
prospect on our horizon of an assembly which will far outshine the
assemblies of Christmas and New Year--an assembly in which there
will be joy without sorrow, and merriment without tears? I thank
God that I can give a plain answer to these questions; and to give it is
the simple object of this paper. I ask my readers to give me their
attention for a few minutes, and I will soon show them what I mean.
I. There is a "gathering" of true Christians which is yet to
come. What is it, and when will it be?
The gathering I speak of will take place at the end of the world, in the
day when Christ returns to earth the second time. He went away in
the clouds of heaven, and in the clouds of heaven He will return.
Visibly, in the body, He will return. And the very first thing that
Christ will do will be to "gather" His people. "He will send His angels
with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather His elect from the four
winds, from one end of the heavens to the other." (Matthew 24:31)
The manner of this "gathering" is plainly revealed in Scripture. The
dead saints will all be raised, and the living saints will all be changed.
It is written, "The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and
Hades gave up the dead that were in them." "The dead in Christ will
rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught
up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air." "We
will not all sleep, but we will all be changed in a flash, in the
twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound,
the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed."
(Revelation 20:13; 1 Thessalonians 4:16, 17; 1 Corinthians 15:51, 52)
And then when every member of Christ is found, and not one is left
behind, when soul and body, those old companions, are once more
reunited, then will it be the great "gathering."
The object of this "being gathered" is as clearly revealed in Scripture
as its manner. It is partly for the final reward of Christ's people: that
their complete justification from all guilt may be declared to all
creation; that they may receive the "crown of glory that will never
fade away," and the "kingdom prepared for them since the creation
of the world;" that they may be admitted publicly into the joy of their
Lord! It is partly for the safety of Christ's people, that, like Noah in
the ark and Lot in Zoar, they may be hid and covered before the
storm of God's judgment comes down on the wicked; that when the
last plagues are falling on the enemies of the Lord, they may be
untouched, as Rahab's family in the fall of Jericho, and unscathed as
the three children in the midst of the fire. The saints have no reason
to fear in the day of gathering, however fearful the signs that may
accompany it. Before the final crash of all things begins, they will be
hidden in the secret place of the Most High. The great gathering is
for their safety and their reward. "Do not be afraid," will the
gathering-angels say, "for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who
was crucified." "Go, my people," will their Master say: "enter your
rooms and shut the doors behind you; hide yourselves for a little
while until My wrath has passed by." (Matthew 28:5; Isaiah 26:20)
(a) This gathering will be a great one.
All children of God who have ever lived, from Adam, the first saint,
down to the last born in the day that our Lord comes—everyone of
every age, and nation, and church, and people, and tongue—everyone
will be gathered together. No one will be overlooked or forgotten.
The weakest and feeblest will not be left behind. Now, when
"scattered," true Christians seem like a little flock; then, when
"gathered," they will be found to be a multitude which no man can number.
(b) This gathering will be a wonderful one.
The saints from distant lands, who never saw each other in the flesh,
and could not understand each other's speech if they met, will all be
brought together in one harmonious fellowship. Those who live in
Australia will find they are as near to heaven and will arrive there as
quick as those living in England. The believers who died five
thousand years ago and whose bones are mere dust, will find their
bodies raised and renewed as quickly as those who are alive when the
trumpet sounds. Above all, miracles of grace will be revealed. We will
see some in heaven whom we never expected would have been saved
at all. The confusion of tongues will finally be reversed, and done
away. The assembled multitude will cry with one heart and in one
language, "See what God has done!" (Numbers 23:23)
(c) This gathering will be a humbling one.
It will make an end of bigotry and narrow-mindedness forever. The
Christians of one denomination will find themselves side by side with
those of another denomination; if they would not tolerate them on
earth, they will be obliged to tolerate them in heaven. Those
Christians, who will neither pray together nor worship together now,
will discover to their shame that they must praise together for all
eternity. The very people who will not allow us to sit with them at the
Lord's Table now, will be obliged to acknowledge us before our
Master's face, and to let us sit down by their side. Never, will the
world see such a complete overthrow of sectarianism, party spirit,
unbrotherliness, religious jealousy, and religious pride. Finally, we
will all be completely "clothed with humility." (1 Peter 5:5)
This "being gathered to Him," is the mighty and wonderful gathering
which ought to be foremost in men's thoughts. It deserves
consideration; it demands attention. Gatherings of other kinds are
incessantly occupying our minds: political gatherings, scientific
gatherings, gatherings for pleasure, gatherings for gain. But the hour
comes, and will soon be here, when gatherings of this kind will be
completely forgotten. Only one thought will swallow up men's minds;
that thought will be, "Will I be gathered with Christ's people into a
place of safety and honor, or be left behind to everlasting agony?"
LET US BE CAREFUL THAT WE ARE NOT LEFT BEHIND.
II. Why is this "gathering" together of true Christians a
thing to be desired? Let us try to get an answer to that question.
Paul evidently thought that the gathering at the last day was an
object of great joy which Christians ought to keep before their eyes.
He classes it with the second coming of our Lord, which, he says
elsewhere, believers love and long for. He exalts it in the distant
horizon as one of those "good things that are coming," which should
animate the faith of every pilgrim to walk the narrow path. He seems
to say, that not only will each servant of God have rest, and a
kingdom, and a crown; but he will also find himself truly blessed by
"being gathered to Him." Now, where is the peculiar blessedness of
this gathering? Why is it a thing that we ought to look forward to
with joy, and expect with pleasure? Let us see.
(a) For one thing, when all true Christians are "gathered to
Him" it will be a state, of things totally unlike their present condition.
To be scattered, and not gathered, seems the rule of man's existence
now. Of all the millions who are born into the world each year, how
few continue together till they die! Children who live their first days
under the same roof, and play in the same living room, are sure to be
separated as they grow up, and will draw their last breath in a far
distant place from one another. The same law applies to the people of
God. They are spread abroad like salt, one in one place and one in
another, and never allowed to continue long by each other's side.
Without a doubt it is for the good of the world that it is this way. A
town would be a very dark place at night if all the lights were
crowded together into one room. But, good as it is for the world, it is
a big trial to believers. There are many days when they feel desolate
and alone; many times they long for a little more communion with
their brethren, and a little more fellowship with those who love the
Lord! Well, they may look forward with hope and comfort, for the
hour is coming when they will have no lack of companions. Let them
lift up their heads and rejoice, for they soon will be "gathered to Him."
(b) For another thing, when all true Christians are
"gathered to Him" they will be an assembly entirely of one mind.
There are no such assemblies now, for hypocrisy and false profession
creep in everywhere. Wherever there is wheat there are sure to be
weeds. Wherever there are good fish there are sure to be bad ones
too. Wherever there are wise virgins there are sure to be foolish ones
too. There is no such thing as a perfect Church now. There is a Judas
Iscariot at every communion table, and a Demas who will desert the
church because of his love for the world; and wherever the "sons of
God" come together Satan is sure to appear among them. (Job 1:6)
But all this will come to an end one day. Our Lord will finally present
to the Father a perfect Church, "without stain or wrinkle or any other
blemish." (Ephesians 5:27) How glorious such a Church will be! To
meet with half-a-dozen believers together now is a rare event in a
Christian's year, and one that cheers him like a sunshiny day in
winter: it makes him feel his heart burn within him, as
the disciples felt on the way to Emmaus. But how much more joyful
will it be to meet a "multitude that no man can number!" To find too,
that everyone we meet is finally of one opinion and one judgment,
and sees eye to eye—to discover that all our unfortunate
controversies are buried forever, and that one group of Christians no
longer quarrels with other Christian groups—to join a company of
Christians in which there is neither squabbling, nor discord, and
where every man has complete holiness, and all of his former sins,
that so easily entangled him on earth, have dropped off like the
leaves of a tree in Autumn—all this will indeed be happiness! No
wonder that Paul invites us to look forward.
(c) For another thing, when all true Christians are
"gathered to Him" it will be a gathering in which none will be absent.
The weakest lamb will not be left behind in the wilderness: the
youngest babe that ever drew breath will not be overlooked or
forgotten. We will once more see our beloved friends and relatives
who fell asleep in Christ, and left us in sorrow and tears, and they
will be better, brighter, more beautiful, and more pleasant than we
ever found them on earth. We will hold communion with all the
saints of God who have fought the good fight before us, from the
beginning of the world to the end. Patriarchs and Prophets, Apostles
and Fathers, Martyrs and Missionaries, Reformers and Puritans, all
the host of God's elect will be there. If reading their words and works
has been pleasant, how much better will it be to see them! If to
hearing them, and being stirred by their example has been useful,
how much more delightful will it be to talk with them, and ask them
questions! To sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and hear
how they kept the faith without a Bible—to converse with Moses,
Samuel, David, Isaiah, and Daniel, and to hear how they could
believe in a Christ that was yet to come—to converse with Peter, Paul,
Lazarus, Mary, and Martha, and to listen to their wondrous tale of
what their Master did for them—all this will indeed be sweet! No
wonder that Paul invites us to look forward.
(d) In the last place, when all true Christians are "gathered
to Him" it will be a gathering without a parting.
There are no such meetings now. We seem to live in a time of endless
hurry, and can hardly sit down and catch our breath before we are off
again. "Good-bye" treads on the heels of "How are you?" The cares of
this world, the necessary duties of life, the demands of our families,
the work of our various callings in life--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 will not
always be this way. The hour is coming and will soon be here, when
"good-bye" and "farewell" will be words that are laid aside and
buried forever, when we will meet in a world where the former things
have passed away, where there will be no more sin and no more
sorrow--no more poverty and no more money--no more labor of
body or labor of brains--no more need of anxiety for families--no
more sickness, no more pain, no more old age, no more death, and
no more change. When we meet in that endless state of being, calm,
and restful, and unhurried, who can tell what a blessed change it will
be? No wonder that Paul invites us to look up and to look forward.
I lay these things before all who read this paper, and ask them to give
it their serious attention. If I know anything of a Christian's
experience, I am sure they contain food for reflection. This, at least, I
say confidently: 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 has every reason to doubt whether he himself is a true Christian.
(1) I ask you a simple question. Do not turn away from it
and refuse to look it in the face. Will you be gathered by the
angels into God's home when the Lord returns, or will you be left behind?
One thing, at any rate, 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
righteous, 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 weeds to be burned.
Now, what group will you belong too?
Perhaps you do not know yet. You cannot say. You are not sure. You
hope for the best. You trust it will be all right in the end: but you
won't undertake to give an opinion. Well, I only hope you will never
rest until you do know. The Bible will tell you plainly who those are
that will be "gathered to Him." Your own heart, if you are honest
with yourself, will tell you whether you are one of the number. Do
not rest, do not rest, until you know!
How can men stand the partings and separations of this life if they
have no hope of anything better—how can they bear to say "goodbye" to sons and daughters,
and launch them on the troublesome
waves of this world, if they have no expectation of a safe "gathering"
in Christ at the last day—how they can part with beloved members of
their families, and let them journey to the other side of the globe, not
knowing if they will ever meet happily in this life or the life to come—
how this can be, completely baffles my understanding. I can only
suppose that most people never think, never consider, never look
forward. Once a man begins to think, then he will never be satisfied
until he has found Christ and is safe.
(2)If you want to know your own chance of being gathered
into God's home, then I offer you a simple way of testing
the condition of your soul. Ask yourself what kind of
gatherings you like best here on earth? Ask yourself
whether you really love being gathered together with God's people?
How could that man enjoy the meeting of true Christians in heaven
who takes no pleasure in meeting with true Christians on earth? How
can that heart which is completely focused on parties, sporting
events, entertainment, and worldly assemblies, and who thinks that
earthly worship is a real drag—how can such a heart be in tune for
the company of saints, and only the saints? It is impossible. It cannot be.
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 is
a sure indication of our eternal destiny. Heaven is a prepared place
for a prepared people. He that hopes to be gathered with the saints in
heaven while he only loves the gathering of sinners on earth is
deceiving himself. If he lives and dies in that state of mind he will
find in the end, that it would have been better for him if he had never been born.
(3) If you are a true Christian, I exhort you to be frequently looking forward.
Your good things are yet to come. Your redemption is drawing near.
The night is almost over. The day is at hand. For in just a very little
while, He who is coming will come and will not delay. When He
comes, He will bring the saints from heaven with Him and change
the ones that are still alive on the earth. Look forward! There is a
"gathering together" yet to come.
The morning after a shipwreck is a sorrowful time. The joy of half drowned survivors,
who have safely reached the land, is often sadly
marred by the remembrance of shipmates who have sunk to rise no
more. There will be no such sorrow when believers gather together
around the throne of the Lamb. Not one of the ship's company will be
found absent. Some got "there on planks or on pieces of the ship . . . .
[but] everyone reached land in safety." (Acts 27:44) The great waters
and raging waves will swallow none of God's elect. When the sun
rises everyone will be seen safe and "gathered together."
Even the day after a great victory is a sorrowful time. The triumphant
feelings of the conquerors are often mingled with bitter regrets for
those who fell in action and died on the battlefield. The list of "killed,
wounded, and missing" breaks many a heart, fills many a home with
mourning, and brings many a grey head sorrowing to the grave. The
great Duke of Wellington often said, "there was but one thing worse
than a victory, and that was a defeat." But, thanks be to God, there
will be no such sorrow in heaven! The soldiers of the great Captain of
our salvation will all answer when their names are called in the end.
The roll call will be as complete after the battle as it was before. Not
one believer will be "missing" in the great "gathering together."
Does Christmas, for instance, bring with it sorrowful feelings and
painful associations? Do tears come to your eyes when you note the
empty places around dinner table? Do grave thoughts come sweeping
over your mind, even in the midst of your children's festivity, when
you remember the dear old faces and much loved voices of some that
sleep in the grave? Well, look up and look forward! The time is short.
The world is growing old. The coming of the Lord is drawing near.
There is yet to be a meeting without parting, and a gathering without
separation. Those believers whom you laid in the grave with many
tears are in good keeping: you will yet see them again with joy. Look
up! I say once more. Lay hold by faith the "the coming of our Lord
Jesus Christ and our being gathered to Him." Believe it, think of it,
rest on it. It is all true.
Do you feel lonely and deserted as every December comes around?
Do you find few people left to pray with, few to praise with, few to
open your heart to, few to exchange experience with?
Do you increasingly learn that heaven is becoming every year more full and
earth more empty? 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 plenty of
company in the future. "When [you] awake, [you] will be satisfied
with seeing your [Lord's] likeness. (Psalm 17:15) Yet a little while and
you will see a congregation that will never break up, and a day of rest
that will never end. "The coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our
being gathered to Him," will make amends for everything.
"Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being
gathered to Him" [2 Thessalonians 2:1]
The text which heads up this page contains an expression which
deserves our most careful attention. That expression is--"Our being gathered."
"Our being gathered." Those three words ought to find a response in
every part of the world. Man is by nature a social being: he does not
like to be alone. Go wherever you want on earth, and you will find
that people generally like meeting together, and seeing one another's
faces. It is the exception, and not the rule, to find children of Adam
who do not like "being gathered together."
For example, Christmas is noted as a time when English people
"gather together." It is the season when family gatherings have
almost become a national institution. In cities and in the country,
among rich and among poor, from the palace to the home of the
poor, Christmas cheer and Christmas parties are universal
experiences. It is often the one time in the whole year for many to see
their friends. Sons snatch a few days from the business district to run
down and see their parents; brothers take vacations from the desk to
spend a week with their sisters; friends accept long-standing
invitations to pay a visit to their friends; students rush home from
school, and rejoice in the warmth and comfort of their parent's
house. For a little while business comes to a standstill: the spinning
wheel of ceaseless labor almost seems to stop spinning for a few
hours. In short, all over the nation, there is a general spirit of "being
gathered" together.
It is a happy land where such a state of things exist! Long may it last
in our country, and may it never end! Poor and shallow is that
philosophy which sneers at Christmas gatherings. Cold and hard is
that religion which frowns at them, and denounces them as wicked.
Family affection lies at the root of a well-ordered society. It is one of
the few good things which has survived the fall, and prevent men and
women from being mere devils. It is the secret oil on the wheels of
our social system which keeps the whole machine going, and without
which the power of the machine is useless. May the Christmas day
never arrive when there are no family gatherings!
But, despite what I have just said, earthly gatherings also have
something about them that is sad and sorrowful. The happiest
parties sometimes contain disagreeable members. The merriest
Christmas parties last only for a short time. Moreover, as the years
roll on, the hand of death makes painful gaps in the family circle.
Even in the midst of Christmas merriment we cannot help
remembering those who have passed away. The longer we live, the
more we feel that we are standing alone. The old faces will rise before
the eyes of our minds, and old voices will sound in our ears, even in
the midst of holiday merriment and laughter. People do not talk
much about such things, but there are few who do not feel them. We
need not intrude our inmost thoughts on others, and especially when
all around us everyone is bright and happy; but there are many, I
suspect, who reach middle age, who would admit, if they spoke
honestly, that there are sorrowful things inseparably mixed up with a
Christmas party. In short, there is no unmixed pleasure about any earthly "gathering."
But is there no better "gathering" yet to come? Is there no bright
prospect on our horizon of an assembly which will far outshine the
assemblies of Christmas and New Year--an assembly in which there
will be joy without sorrow, and merriment without tears? I thank
God that I can give a plain answer to these questions; and to give it is
the simple object of this paper. I ask my readers to give me their
attention for a few minutes, and I will soon show them what I mean.
I. There is a "gathering" of true Christians which is yet to
come. What is it, and when will it be?
The gathering I speak of will take place at the end of the world, in the
day when Christ returns to earth the second time. He went away in
the clouds of heaven, and in the clouds of heaven He will return.
Visibly, in the body, He will return. And the very first thing that
Christ will do will be to "gather" His people. "He will send His angels
with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather His elect from the four
winds, from one end of the heavens to the other." (Matthew 24:31)
The manner of this "gathering" is plainly revealed in Scripture. The
dead saints will all be raised, and the living saints will all be changed.
It is written, "The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and
Hades gave up the dead that were in them." "The dead in Christ will
rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught
up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air." "We
will not all sleep, but we will all be changed in a flash, in the
twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound,
the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed."
(Revelation 20:13; 1 Thessalonians 4:16, 17; 1 Corinthians 15:51, 52)
And then when every member of Christ is found, and not one is left
behind, when soul and body, those old companions, are once more
reunited, then will it be the great "gathering."
The object of this "being gathered" is as clearly revealed in Scripture
as its manner. It is partly for the final reward of Christ's people: that
their complete justification from all guilt may be declared to all
creation; that they may receive the "crown of glory that will never
fade away," and the "kingdom prepared for them since the creation
of the world;" that they may be admitted publicly into the joy of their
Lord! It is partly for the safety of Christ's people, that, like Noah in
the ark and Lot in Zoar, they may be hid and covered before the
storm of God's judgment comes down on the wicked; that when the
last plagues are falling on the enemies of the Lord, they may be
untouched, as Rahab's family in the fall of Jericho, and unscathed as
the three children in the midst of the fire. The saints have no reason
to fear in the day of gathering, however fearful the signs that may
accompany it. Before the final crash of all things begins, they will be
hidden in the secret place of the Most High. The great gathering is
for their safety and their reward. "Do not be afraid," will the
gathering-angels say, "for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who
was crucified." "Go, my people," will their Master say: "enter your
rooms and shut the doors behind you; hide yourselves for a little
while until My wrath has passed by." (Matthew 28:5; Isaiah 26:20)
(a) This gathering will be a great one.
All children of God who have ever lived, from Adam, the first saint,
down to the last born in the day that our Lord comes—everyone of
every age, and nation, and church, and people, and tongue—everyone
will be gathered together. No one will be overlooked or forgotten.
The weakest and feeblest will not be left behind. Now, when
"scattered," true Christians seem like a little flock; then, when
"gathered," they will be found to be a multitude which no man can number.
(b) This gathering will be a wonderful one.
The saints from distant lands, who never saw each other in the flesh,
and could not understand each other's speech if they met, will all be
brought together in one harmonious fellowship. Those who live in
Australia will find they are as near to heaven and will arrive there as
quick as those living in England. The believers who died five
thousand years ago and whose bones are mere dust, will find their
bodies raised and renewed as quickly as those who are alive when the
trumpet sounds. Above all, miracles of grace will be revealed. We will
see some in heaven whom we never expected would have been saved
at all. The confusion of tongues will finally be reversed, and done
away. The assembled multitude will cry with one heart and in one
language, "See what God has done!" (Numbers 23:23)
(c) This gathering will be a humbling one.
It will make an end of bigotry and narrow-mindedness forever. The
Christians of one denomination will find themselves side by side with
those of another denomination; if they would not tolerate them on
earth, they will be obliged to tolerate them in heaven. Those
Christians, who will neither pray together nor worship together now,
will discover to their shame that they must praise together for all
eternity. The very people who will not allow us to sit with them at the
Lord's Table now, will be obliged to acknowledge us before our
Master's face, and to let us sit down by their side. Never, will the
world see such a complete overthrow of sectarianism, party spirit,
unbrotherliness, religious jealousy, and religious pride. Finally, we
will all be completely "clothed with humility." (1 Peter 5:5)
This "being gathered to Him," is the mighty and wonderful gathering
which ought to be foremost in men's thoughts. It deserves
consideration; it demands attention. Gatherings of other kinds are
incessantly occupying our minds: political gatherings, scientific
gatherings, gatherings for pleasure, gatherings for gain. But the hour
comes, and will soon be here, when gatherings of this kind will be
completely forgotten. Only one thought will swallow up men's minds;
that thought will be, "Will I be gathered with Christ's people into a
place of safety and honor, or be left behind to everlasting agony?"
LET US BE CAREFUL THAT WE ARE NOT LEFT BEHIND.
II. Why is this "gathering" together of true Christians a
thing to be desired? Let us try to get an answer to that question.
Paul evidently thought that the gathering at the last day was an
object of great joy which Christians ought to keep before their eyes.
He classes it with the second coming of our Lord, which, he says
elsewhere, believers love and long for. He exalts it in the distant
horizon as one of those "good things that are coming," which should
animate the faith of every pilgrim to walk the narrow path. He seems
to say, that not only will each servant of God have rest, and a
kingdom, and a crown; but he will also find himself truly blessed by
"being gathered to Him." Now, where is the peculiar blessedness of
this gathering? Why is it a thing that we ought to look forward to
with joy, and expect with pleasure? Let us see.
(a) For one thing, when all true Christians are "gathered to
Him" it will be a state, of things totally unlike their present condition.
To be scattered, and not gathered, seems the rule of man's existence
now. Of all the millions who are born into the world each year, how
few continue together till they die! Children who live their first days
under the same roof, and play in the same living room, are sure to be
separated as they grow up, and will draw their last breath in a far
distant place from one another. The same law applies to the people of
God. They are spread abroad like salt, one in one place and one in
another, and never allowed to continue long by each other's side.
Without a doubt it is for the good of the world that it is this way. A
town would be a very dark place at night if all the lights were
crowded together into one room. But, good as it is for the world, it is
a big trial to believers. There are many days when they feel desolate
and alone; many times they long for a little more communion with
their brethren, and a little more fellowship with those who love the
Lord! Well, they may look forward with hope and comfort, for the
hour is coming when they will have no lack of companions. Let them
lift up their heads and rejoice, for they soon will be "gathered to Him."
(b) For another thing, when all true Christians are
"gathered to Him" they will be an assembly entirely of one mind.
There are no such assemblies now, for hypocrisy and false profession
creep in everywhere. Wherever there is wheat there are sure to be
weeds. Wherever there are good fish there are sure to be bad ones
too. Wherever there are wise virgins there are sure to be foolish ones
too. There is no such thing as a perfect Church now. There is a Judas
Iscariot at every communion table, and a Demas who will desert the
church because of his love for the world; and wherever the "sons of
God" come together Satan is sure to appear among them. (Job 1:6)
But all this will come to an end one day. Our Lord will finally present
to the Father a perfect Church, "without stain or wrinkle or any other
blemish." (Ephesians 5:27) How glorious such a Church will be! To
meet with half-a-dozen believers together now is a rare event in a
Christian's year, and one that cheers him like a sunshiny day in
winter: it makes him feel his heart burn within him, as
the disciples felt on the way to Emmaus. But how much more joyful
will it be to meet a "multitude that no man can number!" To find too,
that everyone we meet is finally of one opinion and one judgment,
and sees eye to eye—to discover that all our unfortunate
controversies are buried forever, and that one group of Christians no
longer quarrels with other Christian groups—to join a company of
Christians in which there is neither squabbling, nor discord, and
where every man has complete holiness, and all of his former sins,
that so easily entangled him on earth, have dropped off like the
leaves of a tree in Autumn—all this will indeed be happiness! No
wonder that Paul invites us to look forward.
(c) For another thing, when all true Christians are
"gathered to Him" it will be a gathering in which none will be absent.
The weakest lamb will not be left behind in the wilderness: the
youngest babe that ever drew breath will not be overlooked or
forgotten. We will once more see our beloved friends and relatives
who fell asleep in Christ, and left us in sorrow and tears, and they
will be better, brighter, more beautiful, and more pleasant than we
ever found them on earth. We will hold communion with all the
saints of God who have fought the good fight before us, from the
beginning of the world to the end. Patriarchs and Prophets, Apostles
and Fathers, Martyrs and Missionaries, Reformers and Puritans, all
the host of God's elect will be there. If reading their words and works
has been pleasant, how much better will it be to see them! If to
hearing them, and being stirred by their example has been useful,
how much more delightful will it be to talk with them, and ask them
questions! To sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and hear
how they kept the faith without a Bible—to converse with Moses,
Samuel, David, Isaiah, and Daniel, and to hear how they could
believe in a Christ that was yet to come—to converse with Peter, Paul,
Lazarus, Mary, and Martha, and to listen to their wondrous tale of
what their Master did for them—all this will indeed be sweet! No
wonder that Paul invites us to look forward.
(d) In the last place, when all true Christians are "gathered
to Him" it will be a gathering without a parting.
There are no such meetings now. We seem to live in a time of endless
hurry, and can hardly sit down and catch our breath before we are off
again. "Good-bye" treads on the heels of "How are you?" The cares of
this world, the necessary duties of life, the demands of our families,
the work of our various callings in life--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 will not
always be this way. The hour is coming and will soon be here, when
"good-bye" and "farewell" will be words that are laid aside and
buried forever, when we will meet in a world where the former things
have passed away, where there will be no more sin and no more
sorrow--no more poverty and no more money--no more labor of
body or labor of brains--no more need of anxiety for families--no
more sickness, no more pain, no more old age, no more death, and
no more change. When we meet in that endless state of being, calm,
and restful, and unhurried, who can tell what a blessed change it will
be? No wonder that Paul invites us to look up and to look forward.
I lay these things before all who read this paper, and ask them to give
it their serious attention. If I know anything of a Christian's
experience, I am sure they contain food for reflection. This, at least, I
say confidently: 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 has every reason to doubt whether he himself is a true Christian.
(1) I ask you a simple question. Do not turn away from it
and refuse to look it in the face. Will you be gathered by the
angels into God's home when the Lord returns, or will you be left behind?
One thing, at any rate, 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
righteous, 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 weeds to be burned.
Now, what group will you belong too?
Perhaps you do not know yet. You cannot say. You are not sure. You
hope for the best. You trust it will be all right in the end: but you
won't undertake to give an opinion. Well, I only hope you will never
rest until you do know. The Bible will tell you plainly who those are
that will be "gathered to Him." Your own heart, if you are honest
with yourself, will tell you whether you are one of the number. Do
not rest, do not rest, until you know!
How can men stand the partings and separations of this life if they
have no hope of anything better—how can they bear to say "goodbye" to sons and daughters,
and launch them on the troublesome
waves of this world, if they have no expectation of a safe "gathering"
in Christ at the last day—how they can part with beloved members of
their families, and let them journey to the other side of the globe, not
knowing if they will ever meet happily in this life or the life to come—
how this can be, completely baffles my understanding. I can only
suppose that most people never think, never consider, never look
forward. Once a man begins to think, then he will never be satisfied
until he has found Christ and is safe.
(2)If you want to know your own chance of being gathered
into God's home, then I offer you a simple way of testing
the condition of your soul. Ask yourself what kind of
gatherings you like best here on earth? Ask yourself
whether you really love being gathered together with God's people?
How could that man enjoy the meeting of true Christians in heaven
who takes no pleasure in meeting with true Christians on earth? How
can that heart which is completely focused on parties, sporting
events, entertainment, and worldly assemblies, and who thinks that
earthly worship is a real drag—how can such a heart be in tune for
the company of saints, and only the saints? It is impossible. It cannot be.
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 is
a sure indication of our eternal destiny. Heaven is a prepared place
for a prepared people. He that hopes to be gathered with the saints in
heaven while he only loves the gathering of sinners on earth is
deceiving himself. If he lives and dies in that state of mind he will
find in the end, that it would have been better for him if he had never been born.
(3) If you are a true Christian, I exhort you to be frequently looking forward.
Your good things are yet to come. Your redemption is drawing near.
The night is almost over. The day is at hand. For in just a very little
while, He who is coming will come and will not delay. When He
comes, He will bring the saints from heaven with Him and change
the ones that are still alive on the earth. Look forward! There is a
"gathering together" yet to come.
The morning after a shipwreck is a sorrowful time. The joy of half drowned survivors,
who have safely reached the land, is often sadly
marred by the remembrance of shipmates who have sunk to rise no
more. There will be no such sorrow when believers gather together
around the throne of the Lamb. Not one of the ship's company will be
found absent. Some got "there on planks or on pieces of the ship . . . .
[but] everyone reached land in safety." (Acts 27:44) The great waters
and raging waves will swallow none of God's elect. When the sun
rises everyone will be seen safe and "gathered together."
Even the day after a great victory is a sorrowful time. The triumphant
feelings of the conquerors are often mingled with bitter regrets for
those who fell in action and died on the battlefield. The list of "killed,
wounded, and missing" breaks many a heart, fills many a home with
mourning, and brings many a grey head sorrowing to the grave. The
great Duke of Wellington often said, "there was but one thing worse
than a victory, and that was a defeat." But, thanks be to God, there
will be no such sorrow in heaven! The soldiers of the great Captain of
our salvation will all answer when their names are called in the end.
The roll call will be as complete after the battle as it was before. Not
one believer will be "missing" in the great "gathering together."
Does Christmas, for instance, bring with it sorrowful feelings and
painful associations? Do tears come to your eyes when you note the
empty places around dinner table? Do grave thoughts come sweeping
over your mind, even in the midst of your children's festivity, when
you remember the dear old faces and much loved voices of some that
sleep in the grave? Well, look up and look forward! The time is short.
The world is growing old. The coming of the Lord is drawing near.
There is yet to be a meeting without parting, and a gathering without
separation. Those believers whom you laid in the grave with many
tears are in good keeping: you will yet see them again with joy. Look
up! I say once more. Lay hold by faith the "the coming of our Lord
Jesus Christ and our being gathered to Him." Believe it, think of it,
rest on it. It is all true.
Do you feel lonely and deserted as every December comes around?
Do you find few people left to pray with, few to praise with, few to
open your heart to, few to exchange experience with?
Do you increasingly learn that heaven is becoming every year more full and
earth more empty? 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 plenty of
company in the future. "When [you] awake, [you] will be satisfied
with seeing your [Lord's] likeness. (Psalm 17:15) Yet a little while and
you will see a congregation that will never break up, and a day of rest
that will never end. "The coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our
being gathered to Him," will make amends for everything.