Evening, June 2
Go to Morning Reading
“Good Master.”
Matthew 19:16
If the young man in the gospel used this title in speaking to our
Lord, how much more fitly may I thus address him! He is indeed my
Master in both senses, a ruling Master and a teaching Master. I delight
to run upon his errands, and to sit at his feet. I am both his servant
and his disciple, and count it my highest honour to own the double
character. If he should ask me why I call him “ good ,” I should have a ready answer. It is true that “there is none good but one, that is, God,” but then he is God, and all the goodness of Deity shines forth in
him. In my experience, I have found him good, so good, indeed, that
all the good I have has come to me through him. He was good to me
when I was dead in sin, for he raised me by his Spirit’s power; he has been good to me in all my needs, trials, struggles,
and sorrows. Never could there be a better Master, for his service
is freedom, his rule is love: I wish I were one thousandth part as
good a servant. When he teaches me as my Rabbi, he is unspeakably
good, his doctrine is divine, his manner is condescending, his spirit
is gentleness itself. No error mingles with his instruction—pure is the golden truth which he brings forth, and all his teachings
lead to goodness, sanctifying as well as edifying the disciple. Angels
find him a good Master and delight to pay their homage at his footstool.
The ancient saints proved him to be a good Master, and each of them
rejoiced to sing, “I am thy servant, O Lord!” My own humble testimony must certainly be to the same effect. I will
bear this witness before my friends and neighbours, for possibly they
may be led by my testimony to seek my Lord Jesus as their Master.
O that they would do so! They would never repent so wise a deed. If
they would but take his easy yoke, they would find themselves in so
royal a service that they would enlist in it forever.