The coming day.
We are to live with a great sky of immortality above us; for no mere secularism has motive power enough to sustain a noble life. It breaks down always through the consciousness that nothing matters much, for death ends all; as the skeptic in Ecclesiastes is supposed to feel when he says, "All things come alike to all: there is one event to the righteous, and to the wicked."
I. THE UPWARD LOOK. "Looking for that blessed hope." What is that hope? This—that one day all inequalities will be adjusted, all wrong redressed, all faithful service rewarded, and all true character revealed.
II. THE REVEALING DAY. "At the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ." How his appearing will take place we know not. Nor when. Nor where. But all Scripture teaches that there is a day for "the manifestation of the sons of God," and for the judgment on worldly and wicked men. Our apostle prays that "we may find mercy of the Lord in that day." The exile has the hope of seeing his native land. The child at school looks for and longs for home. And this with us is a blessed hope, because it makes us happy and restful here and now, and makes us joyful even m tribulation; for we look for "a city which hath foundations, whose Builder and Maker is God."—W.M.S.