Now, recollect that this is an Advent sermon--a sermon which
proclaims to you that Christ is COME; yes, He is come--come never to
leave mankind again! Christ reigns over the earth, and will reign
for ever. At certain great and important times in the world's
history, like this present time, times which He Himself calls "days
of the Lord," He shows forth His power, and the mightiness and mercy
of His kingdom, more than at others. But still He is always with us;
we have no need to run up and down to look for Christ: to say, Who
shall ascend into heaven to bring Him down? Who shall descend into
the deep to bring Him up? For the kingdom of God, as He told us
Himself, is among us, and within us. Yes, within us. All these
wonderful improvements and discoveries, all things beneficial to men
which are found out year by year, though they seem to be of men's
invention, are really of Christ's revealing, the fruits of the
kingdom of God within us, of the Spirit of God, who is teaching men,
though they too often will not believe it; though they disclaim God's
Spirit and take all the glory to themselves. Truly Christ is among
us; and our eyes are held, and we see Him not. That is our English
sin--the sin of unbelief, the root of every other sin. Christ works
among us, and we will not own Him. Truly, Jesus Christ may well say
of us English at this day, There were ten cleansed, but where are the
nine? How few are there, who return to give glory to God! Oh,
consider what I say; the kingdom of God is among us now; its
blessings are growing richer, fuller among us every day. Beware,
lest if we refuse to acknowledge that kingdom and Christ the King of
it, it be taken away from us, and given to some other nation, who
will bring forth the fruits of it, fellow-help and brotherly
kindness, purity and sobriety, and all the fruits of the Spirit of
God.