Sermon/Sabbath sermon by Mrs. E. G. White to the Philadelphia Church.
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
June 12, 1909
Previously unpublished.
(John 15), whole chapter. I want all to hear this, for it is to our eternal interest that we do. Here is the point I wish you to bear in mind. “Every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it that it may bring forth more fruit.” [Verse 2.] When I used to see my husband carting away the branches of our fig trees, I used to say, you will spoil them. “No,” said he, “I am taking away all that which is useless, so that the branches will have opportunity to put forth their best strength without hindrance.” 24LtMs, Ms 114, 1909, par. 1
“For every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. Abide in me and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine, no more can ye except you abide in me.” [Verses 2-4.] What does this mean? We have something to do, every one of us. If we appreciate the great sacrifice that has been made in our behalf, then shall we not be in a position to appreciate that sacred life, and shall not we ourselves sacrifice our lives that others may be blessed thereby, helped and strengthened to grow in Christ our living head? 24LtMs, Ms 114, 1909, par. 2
There is not one here who knows, independently of deep study, how to rightly relate themselves with their fellow men. If we will recall the life of Christ before His crucifixion, then will we feel the intensity of desire not to disappoint the one who left the royal courts, who laid aside His royal crown and came as a humble man in the sight of all the world. The world did not see or know the sacrifice He made. They did not understand it until the pruning work was done; not until the useless things they were gathering unto themselves were taken away did they even begin to realize what had been done. He allows afflictions to come upon us that we may seek Him, that we may come to Him, that we may place ourselves in a right relation to Him. 24LtMs, Ms 114, 1909, par. 3
Our sanitariums are established with the object of doing this, that they may do a work in this world, that the sick and the suffering and those who are likely to die may be brought into connection with godly physicians and nurses. It is true that they may not understand or appreciate the value of the treatments given them, but they are relieved. Suffering humanity is relieved of its distress, then what? The ones who relieved them have opened the way that they may present, to the one restored, the higher life that measures with the life of God. The can show them; they will have opportunity to pray with them, to talk with them and express words of tender sympathy and kindness, and that very lesson will be just as good as a sermon—far better that some sermons. 24LtMs, Ms 114, 1909, par. 4
What we need is the right relation to God, and every sanitarium that is established should strive in every way possible to get hold of men and women who are tender and sympathetic, who have an intelligence, who know how to treat the needy, suffering, and distressed ones. We make it a point not to force any special doctrine upon them. We leave them, after we have done our duty and while we are doing it, leave them for Christ Himself to make the impression. 24LtMs, Ms 114, 1909, par. 5
When the afflicted woman touched the Saviour, merely the hem of His garment, she thought it she could just steal a chance to touch Him, she would be healed, so great was her faith. As that crowd kept pressing, pressing closer and closer to Christ, she kept getting a little nearer until the hoped for privilege came. She made the touch of faith. Christ cried out and said: “Who touched me?” Why, said those about Him, here is the crowd pressing You on the right, and on the left, and You ask, Who touched Me? “But somebody has touched me, virtue has gone from me.” [Luke 8:45, 46.] 24LtMs, Ms 114, 1909, par. 6
The touch of faith He recognized. The poor woman wept out her affliction and said He made her whole; the affliction she had had for years left her; the touch of faith had made her whole. This is what we want of our institutions. We want God-fearing, religious men at the head; men and women who take hold of Jesus Christ with a living experience, who can speak words of comfort to those who will be influenced by their words. Then too, here is the ministry for the men. They have to wait on the sick and the afflicted, and in so doing, they are drawn upon for the very best talent of communication that is possible, and that is the tenderness of Christ. If in their suffering and affliction they should see you shed some tears in their behalf, they would realize that you did sympathize with them and it would be a great help to them. 24LtMs, Ms 114, 1909, par. 7
This woman was healed, and she confided it to the multitude. Do you think this made any impression? It made just the impression Christ wanted it to make. What He wants of us is to stand in the right relation to God. We are to be representatives of Christ. If we claim to be the children of God, we must abide in Christ. “I am the true vine and my Father is the husbandman. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit He taketh away, and every branch that beareth fruit he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.” [John 15:1, 2.] 24LtMs, Ms 114, 1909, par. 8
So if trials come upon us, it is our test. It is to see if we will act the Christ-life in that test. When tried and proved, if we will stand true, and if we do, then what is said? “Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself except it abide in the vine, no more can ye, except ye abide in me.” [Verses 3, 4.] Will we believe this? Will we watch unto prayer? Will we minister truth to the hearer? Will we realize the importance of everyone of us being Christians? If you are not a Christian, you cannot bear fruit. Why? Because there is not one who can enter into the courts above until they are laborers together with Christ. 24LtMs, Ms 114, 1909, par. 9
There is an end to this world, and if we bring our lives into a right relation with Christ, we do not know how much trouble we can save ourselves from, and how much trouble we can save others from. I am so glad that the Saviour can recognize the motive of every movement of our actions; and judged of its worth, if it is to do His will or not. He never passes it by, and when that woman confessed her act, she confirmed the act that she had been made whole. Christ made it a gift to her after suffering for years. 24LtMs, Ms 114, 1909, par. 10
I have brought this forward because you have a sanitarium in your midst, and everyone who will place themselves in a right relation to God can be a communication of thoughts just such as Christ taught, and live a life just such as Christ lived, and thus you can be one of the greatest blessings to those around you. What a pity it is that Christ should have died in vain to any living soul. What a pity, when the whole heaven is opened before us, that we do not always take our position on the Lord’s side. Isn’t it right to do so? May the Lord help each soul to so conduct their actions, their speech, their life that Christ can acknowledge them and say, Well done, thou good and faithful servant. 24LtMs, Ms 114, 1909, par. 11
I hope, that if any are here within the sound of my voice to have been halting between two opinions, that you will begin to think it is time to place yourself on the side of Him who clothed His divinity with humanity and came to our world—to do what?—that humanity might be made whole and brought in touch with divinity, that everyone might be saved by practicing His life; by acknowledging Him to be their Saviour. Here you are being weighed in the balance—heaven or the companionship of the evil angels. I want heaven, when I was a child I made up my mind that I would have it. These many years I have loved and been burdened for the children. 24LtMs, Ms 114, 1909, par. 12
I recall that at one time I was in a congregation, and a child of twelve years came to me and said, “Sister White are you going to speak today?” I replied, I spoke this forenoon, and will speak again tomorrow. With a look of disappointment she replied, “I thought you were going to speak this afternoon, and I told a lot of other children that you would, and that they could understand you, and how disappointed they will be.” How do you think I felt? I felt glad and sorry. I was so sorry that anyone should speak in such a way that children could not understand them. Simplicity is everything to us. 24LtMs, Ms 114, 1909, par. 13
Christ left the royal courts, that He might come down to this world so that He might live and work in behalf of humanity. What did He do? Travel, travel on foot through the cities, drawing the multitude after Him, talking to them, healing their sick, all day; and at night to be awake for their sake. What was He doing? Pleading with His Father that the crowds that followed Him might not follow in vain. All night He spent often in prayer, and I want to say, we must have a larger part in this life and work of Christ than we have else we shall not be partakers of His divine nature. “Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. ... As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine, no more can ye, except ye abide in me.” [Verses 3, 4.] I want you to carry this truth home with you. 24LtMs, Ms 114, 1909, par. 14
We are told in plain words, “He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same shall bring forth much fruit, and without me, ye can do nothing.” [Verse 5.] Well then, we must be men and women of prayer, we must be men and women of purpose. We cannot speak any way we please. Not a rough word should escape our lips toward our children unless we want them to receive an impression on their minds that does not help them at all religiously. But tell them their faults patiently, just as Christ does with us, and then seek to remove the objectionable features from their characters. That is the way to do it, and the parents at home can do everything, as it were, if they are abiding in Christ. 24LtMs, Ms 114, 1909, par. 15
“I am the vine, ye are the branches.” [Verse 5.] That is what heaven sent Christ for, that He might represent the intensity of sanctification by His living practice. Who will begin right here today, to obey the Word? Who will begin right now for your children’s sake, for Christ’s sake, to have your lives sanctified, for many of you profess to be Christians. “If ye abide in me, and I in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.” [Verse 7.] Now listen to this, everyone of you, “If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.” Do you believe it? Try it. “Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.” [Verse 8.] That is the proof: If you speak the Christian word, if you pray the simple prayer of faith and cast your helpless soul upon Christ who is my helper. 24LtMs, Ms 114, 1909, par. 16
Believe it, take Him at His word, and then try to help others to come to the very place where they can understand what is faith. “As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you, continue ye in my love. If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in His love.” Thank God for the simplicity of this, that we all can understand it. “These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and your joy may be full.” [Verses 9-11.] So you see it does not bring you joy to be divorced from Christ. It brings you hope, joy, courage and sympathy to be working together for Him. It gives you power to take right hold of those about you and work out Christ’s plan. 24LtMs, Ms 114, 1909, par. 17
“If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love.” [Verse 10.] “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” [John 3:16.] We have a work to do, to be like Christ, to be winning souls to Christ. “If ye ... abide in my love,” etc. “These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you and, that your joy might be full.” [John 15:10, 11.] We have a living Saviour, and when we have a living connection with Christ, then is the divine nature brought in. We are to be partakers of the divine nature, having overcome the temptation of Satan through Christ. 24LtMs, Ms 114, 1909, par. 18
“I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. These things have I spoken unto you that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full. This is my commandment, that ye love one another, ever as I have loved you. Greater love hath no man than this that he lay down his life for his friends;” etc. [Verses 10-13.] True religion, true Christianity, will carry that right out, because we have the perfection of Christ’s character to be revealed—divinity in humanity. That is what it is. Christ did not lay aside His divinity—it was simply clothed in humanity, that He might help us. He came here to restore fallen humanity to God. He came as a little child, that from childhood to manhood He could be the representative of God to humanity. Angels were around Him, and they cared for Him all through His life on earth, that humanity and divinity combined might be the perfection of His character as it may be the perfection of the character of everyone who so desires. 24LtMs, Ms 114, 1909, par. 19
What we want is the simplicity of true godliness. We hear of this one and that one, that they did so and so, but we often find that they are following their own way, they have marked out their own path and are treading it. They do not take Christ as their guide and model; their ideal of perfection. They think if they go to higher schools for higher education that that is the one thing essential. But by the time they have gotten through, they have lost sight of the simplicity of the Christ-life. They do not appreciate it; they do not desire to live it. Christ did not live and die in vain. 24LtMs, Ms 114, 1909, par. 20
Let us go back to the 9th verse, and on. “This is my commandment; that ye love one another even as I have loved you. ... Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.” [Verses 12, 14.] Therefore the world will hate you because you will not enter into the ways of the world with its sin, its lust and gratification. They persecuted Christ, they will also persecute you. The world is to be overcome, as Christ overcame in our behalf. The world is to have Christ as their example and copy His character; then they will be strong in Christ’s strength to be saved from Satan. May God so help us that we may live the life that measures with the life of Christ. In a little while this world will show what it is—violence, crime, it is showing itself now, but it will increase in sin and wickedness to the end. I beg of you for your soul’s sake to make sure work for eternity. 24LtMs, Ms 114, 1909, par. 21
November 26th I shall be 82 years old, and I rather feared I would not be able to take this journey, but the Lord has given me strength not only to make the journey, but to be able to speak to thousands. I thank the Lord for this. There is a work for me; there is a work for us all. I want to read just a little more: Matthew 4:12 to end. Now, Christ will make fishers of men out of those who do not have a great education but who love Christ. The spirituality of His teachings will take hold of the mind, the soul, and the capabilities of the men, and they will go forth and preach with acceptance. What we want is men clothed with the righteousness of Christ. What did these disciples do? Verse 20 and on. Now we want this very same kind of workers. 24LtMs, Ms 114, 1909, par. 22
It has been shown to me that God has His workers everywhere, in every city, in every community. He wants missionaries to work everywhere. Those who claim to be His followers, He wants you to humble your hearts so you can talk to others in a simple and acceptable way; in such a way that they can understand it and take hold of it; that they will be blessed by your coming to them; that they will believe. Oh! if only you could see what has been shown me. If all could only realize the great responsibility that is resting upon us. 24LtMs, Ms 114, 1909, par. 23
When my son said that it was greatly desired that I should speak here, I did not feel that I could give this little talk. But God has helped me. I do not depend on my own strength; in my own strength I can do nothing. I do not depend on myself at all. I know there is one we call all lean upon and that is Jesus Christ who came to our world and took upon Him the nature of man, that humanity might behold divinity and thus through His help, develop Christlike characters. He wants us to be co-laborers with Him, to help those who are perishing in their sins. That is why our sanitariums are established, that those who minister to the needs of the body may minister to the sin-sick soul at the same time. 24LtMs, Ms 114, 1909, par. 24
We do not want the world to be lost; we want it to be saved. Those who are thus working can come into contact with those who are sick of body and sick of soul and tell them of the One who purchased life for them by giving His own life. We want everyone to wake up. These cities must be warned. Souls are perishing in their sins. Will you be co-laborers together with Christ? Will you take upon you the life of self-denial for Christ’s sake? Will you reject that Christ who laid aside His crown, His royal robe, came to our world as a little child, and led a life of humility? He invites us to become partakers of the divine life, that we may overcome the wiles of Satan exercised in the world. 24LtMs, Ms 114, 1909, par. 25
Oh! my brethren and sisters, it has been presented to me that the gates of the city shall be swung back on their glittering hinges and the saved shall be ushered in. A musical harp shall be placed in their hands, and they shall praise God, and go to everyone who has tried to help them in this world and thank them. They will want to fall on their necks, and the harps in their hands will be touched, and all heaven will be filled with the rich music and songs of praise and thanksgiving to the Lamb. Are you ready to graduate? Are you prepared to enter to a higher school? 24LtMs, Ms 114, 1909, par. 26
If you wish to enter the golden gates of the New Jerusalem you will have to have a life that measures with the life of Christ. No sinner will be there. Heaven had one sinner in Satan. And there was war in heaven and Satan and his followers were overcome. And no other sinner dare enter. Every life must be sanctified, every harp will be tuned to the praise of God. 24LtMs, Ms 114, 1909, par. 27
I leave this testimony with you and plead with you not to continue in your sins. We have had Christ with us; we know what His life was, and we know what ours must be, and we know we must represent Him to the world. This is why we have sanitariums, so we can represent Christ. We have Christian doctors, we have Christian nurses and we have books there—books that I have written—that all who come may see that the Christ-life is to help every soul who will accept Him as their Saviour; then you can help others here to have a share with the redeemed. 24LtMs, Ms 114, 1909, par. 28
May God help us to help each other, so that when we, as overcomers get to the New Jerusalem, just as it has been shown to me, one after another will come to us and say, If it had not been for you, I would not be here, and with shining faces and musical harps heaven will resound with the songs of joy of the redeemed. Are you ready to graduate? God help us to make a reality of the Christ-life in us. Amen and amen. 24LtMs, Ms 114, 1909, par. 29