"The Second Time"

There is a plain parallel between Joseph and Jesus, his brethren and ourselves.

Certain classes of real seekers do not at once find peace: they go to Jesus after a fashion, and return from him as they went.

Our fear is that they may grow indifferent or despairing.

Our hope is that they will go again, and before long discover the great secret, and find food for their souls.

To this end we would follow the track of Joseph’s story, and use it as an allegory for the benefit of the seeker.

I. THERE IS A SOMETHING WHICH YOU DO NOT KNOW.

The sons of Israel did not know Joseph. Like them—

1. You have no idea of who and what Jesus is. Power and pity blend in him. He is far more than he seems.

2. You view him only as great, lordly, unapproachable; a great and stern governor and tax-master.

3. You do not know that he is your brother, one with you in nature, relationship, and love.

4. You cannot conceive how he loves; he yearns to make himself known; his heart is swollen big with compassion.

5. You cannot guess what he will do for you: all that he is and has shall be at your disposal.

   • Picture the Israelitish shepherds in the presence of the exalted Egyptian prince, as he stands veiled in mystery, girded with power, and surrounded with honor. Little could they imagine that this was Joseph their brother.

II. THERE IS A REASON WHY AT YOUR FIRST GOING YOU HAVE NOT LEARNED THIS.

Joseph was not made known to his brethren on their first journey: nor have you yet found out Jesus, so as to know his love.

1. You have not looked for him. The sons of Jacob went to Egypt for corn, not for a brother. You are looking for comfort, etc., not for the Savior.

2. You have not yet felt your sin against Jesus, and he would bring you to repentance, even as Joseph brought his brethren to confess their great wrong.

3. You have not yet gone with your whole force. As the brothers left Benjamin at home, so have you left some faculty or capacity dormant, or chill, in your seeking for grace.

4. You will have a larger blessing through the delay; and the Lord Jesus will in the most seasonable hour reveal himself, as Joseph did. Until then he refrains.

III. THERE IS GREAT HOPE IN YOUR GOING AGAIN TO HIM.

Joseph’s brethren made a great discovery the second time; you are in similar circumstances to them. Go a second time; for—

1. You must go or perish. There was corn only in Egypt, and there is salvation only in Christ.

2. Others have gone and speeded. All nations went to Egypt, and none were refused. Has Jesus cast out one?

3. You have lingered too long already, even as did Israel’s sons.

4. A welcome awaits you. Joseph longed to see his brethren, and Jesus longs to see you.

IV. THERE ARE FORECASTS OF WHAT WILL HAPPEN IF YOU GO.

The story lends itself to prophecy. As the sons of Israel fared with Joseph, so shall you fare with Jesus.

1. You will tremble in his presence.

2. He will bid you draw near.

3. He will comfort you by revealing himself to you.

4. He will bless and enrich you and send you home rejoicing, to fetch all your family to him.

5. He will rule all the world for your sake, and you shall be with him, and be nourished by him.

Let us hasten to go to our Savior the second time.

Surely this is the season, for the Holy Spirit says “today.”

Line Upon Line

You take it hard, that you are not answered, and that Christ’s door is not opened at your first knock. David must knock often: “O my God, I cry by day, and you hear not, and in the night season I am not silent”: Psalm 22:2. The Lord’s Church must also wait: “And when I cry and shout, he shuts out my prayer”: Lamentations 3:8. Sweet Jesus, the heir of all, prayed with tears and strong cries, once, “O my Father”; again, “O my Father”; and the third time, “O my Father”, before he was heard. Wait on: die praying: faint not.

It is good to have the heart stored with sweet principles concerning Christ and his love, so as to rest in hope though the Lord hears not at the first. He is Christ, and therefore he will answer a sinner’s cry before long. It is but Christ’s outside that is unkind.—Samuel Rutherford.

A man who had long been seeking religion in a half-hearted way, one day lost his pocket-book. He said to his wife: “I know it is in the barn; I had it after I went there, and before I left it was gone. I am going back to find it; and find it I will, if I have to move every straw.” Such seeking soon secured the prize, and enabled his wife so clearly to illustrate the way to seek Jesus, that the man soon found him also, and rejoiced in a full salvation.

The last time I preached upon the matter of decision in religion was in old Farwell Hall. I had been for five nights preaching upon the life of Christ. I took him from the cradle, and followed him up to the judgment hall, and on that occasion I consider I made as great a blunder as ever I made in my life. If I could recall my act I would give this right hand. It was upon that memorable night in October, and the Court House bell was sounding an alarm of fire, but I paid no attention to it. We were accustomed to hear the fire bell often, and it didn’t disturb us much when it sounded. I finished the sermon upon “What shall I do with Jesus?” And I said to the audience, “Now, I want you to take the question with you and think over it, and next Sunday I want you to come back and tell me what you are going to do with it.” What a mistake! It seems now as if Satan was in my mind when I said this. Since then I have never dared to give an audience a week to think of their salvation. If they were lost they might rise up in judgment against me. “Now is the accepted time.” We went down-stairs to the other meeting, and I remember when Mr. Sankey was singing, and how his voice rang when he came to that pleading verse:—

“Today the Savior calls;

For refuge fly.

The storm of justice falls,

And death is near.”

After our meeting, on the way home, seeing the glare of flames, I said to my companion, “This means ruin to Chicago.” About one o’clock, Farwell Hall went, soon the church in which I had preached went down, and everything was scattered. I never saw that audience again. My friends, we don’t know what may happen tomorrow; but there is one thing I do know, and that is, if you take the gift of God, even Christ Jesus, you are saved. What are you going to do with him tonight? Will you decide now?—D. L. Moody.