Two Ponds that Supply a Glorious Stream

This is a sermon that touches on daily obligations that are extraordinary importance, namely, "the end of the commandment". The end of the gospel dispensation for today, in shoe leather until; the day of Christ is "love out of a pure heart and a good conscience." Alexander Maclaren called the love that this passage calls for " a glorious stream". This glorious stream flows out of what Maclaren calls "two ponds"--which are "a pure heart" and a" good conscience".
Truly, there is no possible way for love to continue flowing from us unless we have pure hearts and a good conscience. These vital ponds are in turn maintained by "unfiegned faith" in "sound doctrine". This is really an easy sermon to understand. The subject matter is of inestimable importance. The sermon begins with a congregational scripture reading from I Thessalonians 3:1-13. This reading was chosen because it sets before us that which attacks faith, hope, and love. The scripture reading addresses what tends to drain the popnds out of which the glorious stream originates.