Homilist Daniel 12:3 And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament… I. The WORK of a true preacher. What is it? To "turn many to righteousness." To "righteousness." 1. Not to creeds. 2. Not to sects. 3. Not to ritualisms. "Circumcision or uncircumcision availeth nothing."But turn them to righteousness. 1. This is the true evangelical work. "Christ came to establish judgment (rectitude) on the earth." Righteousness was the grand theme of His ministry. He came to make men righteous in their characters, relations, and engagements. Righteous towards God, towards themselves, and towards the universe. Righteous in commerce, polities, literature, and religion. 2. This is the most difficult work. It is comparatively easy to turn men to theological opinions, to superstitious feelings, to conventional churches, and sensuous ceremonies. 3. This is the most urgent work. Unless you "turn" men to "righteousness," you do them no real good. II. The DESTINY of a true preacher. Shall shine "as the stars for ever and ever." How glorious are the stars! "Whoever gazed upon them shining And turned to earth without repining, And longed for wings to fly away And mix in their eternal day?"How do stars shine? 1. They shine in the brightness of the sun. They revolve round one centre; from that centre they borrow the light which they reflect. So that the glory of the true preacher will come from Christ. 2. They shine in endless variety. They differ in size, bulk, and brilliancy. 3. They shine with an imperishable lustre. All the stars perhaps that now shine on this earth are as bright to-night as they were when they shed their radiance on the bowers of Eden. Redeemed spirits will in Heaven neither fall from their orbits nor grow dim. Nay, they will grow brighter with the ages. 4. They shine with an utter unconsciousness of their glory. How indifferent are the stars to the upturned eyes of admiring generations! It is characteristic of a great man that he is unconscious of his greatness; of a glorious soul, that it does not feel its lustre. (Homilist.) Parallel Verses KJV: And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever. |
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