Robert Murray M’Cheyne Quote on “It is More Blessed to Give than to Receive”

In our most recent meeting of local Reformed pastors and laity, that we dub the “Reformation Society”, Pastor Jonathan VanHoogen from Cloverdale United Reformed Church quoted from Tim Keller’s “Ministers of Mercy” as follows (this is B.B. Warfield quoting a sermon from Robert Murray M’Cheyne on p. 65, also HT to Pastor Nick Smith for referencing the quote from his own reading here):

Now, dear Christians, some of you pray night and day to be branches of the true Vine: you pray to be made all over in the image of Christ. If so, you must be like him in giving. A branch bears the same kind of fruit as the tree. If you be branches at all, you must bear the same fruit.

An old divine says well: “What would have become of us if Christ had been as saving of his blood as some men are of their money?”

Obj. I. My money is my own. Ans. Christ might have said, My blood is my own, my life is my own; no man forceth it from me: then where should we have been?

Obj. 2. The poor are undeserving. Ans. Christ might have said the same thing. They are wicked rebels against my Father’s law: shall I lay down my life for these? I will give to the good angels. But no, he left the ninety-nine, and came after the lost. He gave his blood for the undeserving.

Obj. 3. The poor may abuse it. Ans. Christ might have said the same; yea, with far greater truth. Christ knew that thousands would trample his blood under their feet; that most would despise it; that many would make it an excuse for sinning more; yet he gave his own blood.Oh, my dear Christians! if you would be like Christ, give much, give often, give freely, to the vile and the poor, the thankless and the undeserving. Christ is glorious and happy, and so will you be. It is not your money I want, but your happiness. Remember his own word: “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”

© 2011, Rick Hogaboam. All rights reserved.