John Calvin's Prayer to be Made Teachable

The reformer John Calvin recorded a prayer in the midst of his commentary on the Prophet Joel 2:1-11, a passage of warning of the coming Day of the Lord.

Calvin read this warning passage and cried out to the Lord to learn the lessons of Joel and be made teachable.

"Grant, Almighty God, that as You invite us daily with so much kindness and love, and makes known to us Your fatherly goodwill, which You did once show to us in Christ Your Son, — O grant, that, being allured by Your goodness, we may surrender ourselves wholly to You, and become so teachable and submissive, that wherever You guide us by Your Spirit, You may follow us with every blessing. Let us not, in the meantime, be deaf to Your warnings; and whenever we deviate from the right way, grant that we may immediately awake when You warn us, and return to the right path, and deign You also to embrace us and reconcile us to Yourself through Christ our Lord. Amen."

Matthew Henry and the Greatness of Christian Meekness

Matthew Henry, famous for his commentary published in 1706, set to write a book A Discourse On Meekness and Quietness of Spirit based on I Peter 3:4, “A meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.”

Henry contended for the greatness of Christian meekness and quietness in a world which sees greatness in an entirely different way:

“Meekness is commonly despised by the grandees of the age as cowardice and meanness, and the evidence of a little soul, and is posted accordingly; while the most furious and angry revenge is celebrated and applauded under the pompous names of valor, honor, and greatness of spirit…

To be meek is to be like the greatest saints, the elders that obtained a good report, and were of renown in their generation. It is to be like the angels, whose meekness in their converse with, and ministration to the saints, is very observable in the Scriptures; nay, it is to be like the great God himself, whose goodness is his glory, who is "slow to anger," and in whom "fury is not." We are then followers of God, as dear children, when we "walk in love," and are kind one to another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another. The more quiet and sedate we are, the more like we are to that God who, though he be nearly concerned in all the affairs of this lower world, is far from being moved by its convulsions and revolutions; but, as he was from eternity, so he is, and will be to eternity, infinitely happy in the enjoyment of himself. It is spoken to his praise and glory, The Lord sits upon the floods, even when the floods have lifted up their voices, have lifted up their waves. Such is the rest of the eternal Mind, that he sits as firm and undisturbed upon the movable flood as upon the immovable rock, the same yesterday, today, and forever; and the meek and quiet soul that preserves its peace and evenness against all the ruffling insults of passion and provocation, does thereby somewhat participate of a divine nature (II Peter 1:4).”

Spurgeon and the Passing Away of the Fashion of this World

Charles Spurgeon had preached from I Corinthians 7:31 which reads, “The fashion of this world passeth away.” All the world's "honors and dignities" will pass away. He said further, "even this world’s religious fashions will pass away." With precious gospel hope, Spurgeon describes how Christ will provide a world of greater fashion:

"We shall soon see the King in His beauty and the land that is very far off. We may begin to put off our old week-day garments for the heavenly Sabbath bells will soon ring out their welcome call. Let us shake ourselves from the dust, for our beautiful array is ready and we shall soon sit down at the marriage supper of the Lamb.

Eagerly anticipate—all of you who love the Lord Jesus Christ—eagerly anticipate your better portion. You daughters of sickness, you shall soon have done with all pains and pangs forever. You children of poverty, you shall soon have done with your anxieties and griefs concerning your many wants. You toil-worn workers in the vineyard of Christ, and you who are oppressed with many cares, you shall be Marthas no longer, but you shall sit at Jesus’ feet forever.

As for you who have been mourning, and sighing, and crying, your weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning. Put off your sackcloth, for God shall gird you with the garment of praise. Forget the drought of the wilderness, for you shall soon be in the paradise of God, and at His right hand where there are pleasures forevermore."

Sermon #3032 “The Fashion of This World”

McCheyne and Battling Unbelief in the Darkness

Robert Murray McCheyne’s sermon from John 11:1-46 entitled, “Bethany: The sickness, death, resurrection of Lazarus,” has rich gospel truths which confronts unbelief and encourages us to carry all things to Christ.

1) Martha’s presumption. “If You had been here, my brother would not have died.”

How did she know this? What promise of the Bible could she name upon which this expectation was grounded? God had promised that his own shall never want bread nor any good thing; that he will supply all their need, that they shall never perish, that he will be with them in time of trouble; but nowhere has he promised that they shall not die. On the contrary, “Israel must die.” David prays: “Make me to know mine end, and the measure of my days.” And Job: “I would not live alway.”

2) Her limiting of Christ: “If You had been here.”

Why so? Am I a God at hand, and not afar off? “Is my hand shortened at all, and have I no power to redeem?” She forgot the centurion of Capernaum: “I am not worthy that You should come under my roof, but speak the word only” (Matthew 8:8). She forgot the nobleman’s son at Capernaum: “Sir, come down, ere my child die.” “Go your way, you son lives” (John 4:50). Her grief and anguish kept her from calmly remembering the works and power of Jesus.

3) Her unbelief: “But I know that even now.” This was faith, and yet unbelief. She believed something, but not all, concerning Jesus. She believed in him as an advocate and intercessor, but not that all things were given into his hands, that he is Lord of all, head over all things to the Church. Her grief, and confusion, and darkness, hid many things from her.

4) And yet she came to Jesus. Though grieved, she was not offended; she did not keep away from him. She poured out all her grief, her darkness, and complaint, into his bosom. This is just the picture of a weak believer: much of nature and little grace, many questionings of Christ’s love and power, and yet carrying your complaints only to him. It was not to the Jews Martha told her grief, it was not to the disciples, it was to Jesus himself.

Learn that afflicting time is trying time. Affliction is like the furnace, it discovers the dross as well as the gold. Had all things gone on smoothly at Bethany, Martha and Mary had never known their sin and weakness; but now the furnace brought out the dross.

Learn to guard against unbelief. Guard against presumption, making a Bible-promise for yourself, and leaning upon a word God has never spoken. Guard against prescribing your way to Christ, and limiting him in his dealings. Guard against unbelief, believing only part of God’s testimony. “O foolish, and slow of heart to believe all that God has spoken.” Remember, whatever your darkness may be, to carry your complaint to Jesus himself.

 

D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones and God's Saving Grace

"For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:6-8

Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, the medical doctor turned preacher, commented on this passage in his exposition through Romans:

"The Apostle's argument is that there is nothing whatsoever in us to recommend us, nothing at all. Why did Christ come into the world? Was it in answer to some plea that came from mankind? Not at all! Was it in response to some good in man? Was it because of some divine spark still remaining, and some manifestations of that? Not at all! There was nothing in mankind to recommend it to God, nothing in human nature, nothing in any one of us to recommend us in any way to God and to His love. Indeed the truth about us was, and is, that there was everything in us that was wrong and vile and hateful, everything calculated to antagonize God towards us - enemies, hateful, vile, ungodly, sinners as we were. We must realize that our salvation is entirely gratuitous, and arises only and altogether from the love of God in His infinite grace. That is the Apostle's argument. He expresses it again most movingly in his Epistle to the Ephesians, Chapter 2:4-10, 'But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead in sins...' He talks about 'the exceeding riches of his grace' and His kindness towards us. There is nothing but sin in us; all good is from God. 'By grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God.' It is all of grace, 'lest any man should boast'. It has nothing to do with our works, nothing indeed to do with us in any way at all."

Romans, Exposition of Chapter 5:1-21. (Zondervan Publishing House, 1971), Page 124

Be Reconciled

The Bible teaches us that human beings are alienated from God and hostile toward Him. The gospel is in Jesus Christ who is God making His dwelling place with man, reconciling sinners to God through the blood of His cross. We could not reconcile ourselves to God, but in Jesus Christ free grace receives reconciliation.

Genesis 1:27 – “God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.”

Genesis 3:9-10 - “The Lord God called to the man and said to him, “Where are you?” And he said, “I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked, and I hid myself.”

Exodus 25:8 – “They are to make a sanctuary for Me, so that I may dwell among them.”

Exodus 29:45-46 - “I will dwell among the people of Israel and will be their God. And they shall know that I am the Lord their God, who brought them out of the land of Egypt that I might dwell among them. I am the Lord their God.”

Exodus 37:27 – “My dwelling place will be with them; I will be their God, and they will be My people.”

II Chronicles 6:17-18 - “Now therefore, O Lord, God of Israel, let your word be confirmed, which you have spoken to your servant David. But will God indeed dwell with man on the earth? Behold, heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain you, how much less this house that I have built!”

Isaiah 7:14 – “The Lord Himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.”

John 1:1-3, 14 – “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.”

"The Word became flesh and dwelt among us.”

Colossians 1:19-20 – “In Him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through Him to reconcile to Himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of His cross.”

Revelation 21:3 – “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.”

Come, Let us Adore Him

“I will bless the LORD at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth.” –Psalm 34:1

Francis of Assisi penned this introductory line of a hymn, “All creatures of our God and King, lift up your voice and with us sing!” The invitation not only for people, but the moon, stars, sun, plants, animals; ALL creatures praise God! This Psalm is a resolution to bless the Lord and praise Him always. The God who created all things for His glory created my mouth to speak and sing His praise.

The feet carrying the gospel of peace boldly sends shockwaves in a world gripped in darkness by cosmic powers (Ephesians 6:12, 16, 19). Humanity uses the mouth for speaking their mind, an overflow of what is in the heart (Luke 6:45). We as followers of Christ may use our mouths to rebuke and correct, or even defend the faith. Do these words overflow from an adoration of Jesus Christ?

Often we point to our Lord’s command to love one another, yet this love of neighbor is second to the greatest commandment, to love the Lord our God with all our heart, mind, and strength (Matthew 22:37). When you are in conversation about anything, are your words gracious and seasoned from a deep adoration of Jesus? Do I correct a brother or sister in Christ’s wrong, or perhaps watch the news and see a sinner with scorn, without blessing and praising the Lord at all times?

Do you marvel when you think of Jesus? Jesus is not to be reduced to merely a subject to be studied and contended for. Study of Jesus without adoration for Jesus sets a stage for our pride to act in the theater of the world set for an audience to applause us rather than Christ.

We adore what brings us pleasure. Psalm 16:11 says, “In Your presence there is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” Always rejoicing, always blessing and praising Jesus for He is our joy and pleasure. Paul commands, “Whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think on these things” (Philippians 4:8). We think about the excellencies of Jesus, we are warmed by thinking about Him and we adore Him. The qualities of Jesus are to be studied, but studied because these qualities are praiseworthy, for He is our joy and pleasure.

There is brilliance and warmth to the depths of your soul thinking about His rule as King, His power to rescue, and the wonders of His love! To shout God’s praise adds exclamation points to the sentences we speak. “I love the Lord Jesus Christ” is not simply a statement, it is an exaltation from a heart who adores Jesus above all else.

Our adoration of Jesus not only measures our health, adoration is our health. We adore Jesus in worship. Adoring Jesus who grants inner peace which surpasses understanding that guards our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus from being anxious (Philippians 4:6-9). Adoration of Jesus speaks to the health of our relationships. Adoration of Jesus stirs our mouths to rejoice always, letting our gentleness be known to all (Philippians 4:4-5).

We are to glorify God and enjoy Him forever. This is our “always” blessing and praise of our Lord. What is the beauty of Christ we are to adore? His wounds.

Spurgeon preached, “The wounds of Christ are his glories, they are his jewels and his precious things. To the eye of the believer Christ is never so glorious, never so passing fair, as when we can say of him, ‘My beloved is white and ruddy,’ white with innocence, and ruddy with his own blood.” (The Wounds of Jesus, 30 January, 1859).

This praiseworthy thought stirs adoration in the depths of our hearts.

Heavenly Father, we come as children before You. Needy, dependent, yet cared for and loved by our Father. We ask that our thought of You, our study in Your Word, might stir intense adoration for Jesus our Lord. Each stripe He endured, each sin He bored, and each thorn in His brow is beauty to rejoice. Our God has made peace with us through our Lord Jesus Christ. Our sins forgiven, our lives everlasting, our joy full, and our pleasures from Your right hand forevermore. With gratitude in our hearts we pray in Jesus’ Name. Amen.