The Sojourn in Mesech
(No. 2780)
A SERMON INTENDED FOR READING ON LORD'S-DAY, MAY 25, 1902.
DELIVERED BY C. H. SPURGEON,
AT NEW PARK STREET CHAPEL, SOUTHWARK, ON A LORD'S-DAY EVENING, DURING
THE SPRING OF 1860.
"Woe is me, that I sojourn in Mesech, that I dwell in the tents of
Kedar!" Psalm 120:5.
MESECH was the son of Japheth, from whom, according to history, were
descended the men who inhabited that most barbarous of all regions,
according to the opinion of the ancients, the northern parts of Muscovy
or Moscow and Russia. The inhabitants of the tents of Kedar were the
descendants of one of the sons of Abraham who had taken to nomadic
habits and were continually wandering about over the deserts. They were
thought to have and doubtless were, guilty of plundering travelers and
were by no means the most respectable of mankind. We are to understand,
then, by this verse, that the people among whom the Psalmist dwelt
were, in his esteem, among the most barbarous, the most fierce and the
most graceless of men. And, therefore, it is that he cries, "Woe is me,
that I sojourn in Mesech, that I dwell in the tents of Kedar!" He felt
a woe in his heart because of that evil companionship in which he was
compelled to abide.
This has been the cry of the children of God in all ages. Lot had his
ears vexed with the filthy conversation of the men of Sodom. Many of
the woes of Micah sprang from those men who were sharper than a thorn
hedge–every one of them ready to tear and scratch his neighbor.
David's deepest griefs came from the men who surrounded him–on the one
hand, the unfriendly sons of Zeruiah, who were too strong for him and,
on the other hand, Shimei and the sons of Belial, who made a reproach
of every word he uttered and every deed he did. Even Isaiah, himself,
that happy-spirited Prophet, one day cried, "Woe is me, for I am
undone; because I am a man of unclean lips!" And then he added another
cause of his woe, "and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean
lips." And I expect I may truly say that, to this day, you, my Brothers
and Sisters, who are followers of Jesus, have often had to cry out,
"Woe is me, that I sojourn in Mesech, that I dwell in the tents of
Kedar!" And you have longed to be far away from this dusky world, so
full of sin, traps, pitfalls and everything that makes us stumble in
our path–and of nothing that can help us onward towards Heaven.
I propose, on this occasion, first, to say a word or two in
justification of the Psalmist's complaint Secondly, to justify God's
dealings with us in having subjected us to this dwelling in the tents
of Mesech. And thirdly, a few words, by way of comfort, to those who
are sad at heart by reason of those ill times and those ill places in
which they abide.
I. First, then, Brothers and Sisters, A WORD OR TWO IN JUSTIFICATION OF
THE PSALMIST'S COMPLAINT. I will not say that it is thoroughly
commendable, in a Christian, to long to be away from the place where
God's Providence has put him. But I will say, and must say, that it is
not only excusable, but scarcely needs an apology, for that Christian
to sometimes cry out, "My soul is weary. I am almost weary of my life
because of the wicked men that surround me on every hand."
Think, my Brothers and Sisters, of what Christians have to suffer from
the wicked world, and you will not wonder, you will not feel, I am
sure, that they should excuse themselves when they cry, "Woe is me,"
for think how the wicked world slanders the Christian. There is no
falsehood too base for men to utter against the followers of Jesus!
There was a shameful slander that was circulated among the heathen,
that the early Christians, when they came together, met for the most
obscene and even cruel rites–whereas those holy men and women only
gathered together to eat bread and drink wine in remembrance of Him
whom they loved. And, to this day, the chosen weapon of Satan with
which the Evil One does great mischief, and on which he relies as his
masterpiece of hellish ammunition against the Church, is slander! And
this often wounds the Christian and cuts him to the quick when he finds
his good name suddenly blasted and when filth is thrown upon his
snow-white garments. It is but little marvel when he has sought
studiously to avoid the very appearance of evil–when he has picked his
steps, knowing the world is a miry place–when he has sought in
everything to avoid giving offense to any man, and yet he sees himself
abused on every hand! It is but little marvel, I say, that he should
cry, "Woe is me, that I sojourn in Mesech!"
But if slander were all, though this might suffice to justify the
complaint, yet would there be something lacking. For, alas, the
Christian, dwelling as he does among wicked men, finds his good things
are continually marred, so that he has to cry, "When I would do good,
evil is present with me–not only here in my own heart, but in my own
house and round about my neighborhood!" I know that some of you live in
crowded places where you can scarcely pray without being overheard and
laughed at and, if you have a meeting for prayer and friends join you
in singing the songs of Zion, a crowd soon gathers round your little
window and the mockers make all manner of discordant sounds. If you
would learn a lascivious song, you have but to throw up your window and
listen to what is being sung in the street–but if you would have
thoughts of Heaven and sing of God, how hard it is when you have those
about you who will cast these things in your teeth, suggest all manner
of ribaldry and turn your best words into a reproach against you!
The Christian is like an chained eagle. How often does he fret over
that chain and bite it! He sees the stars up yonder and he knows that
he is brother to the lightning and he wants to be aloft there in his
own native element–how he frets and fumes at his captivity! His mighty
spirit struggles within his body and he longs to stretch his wings and
fly straight to yonder lofty heights! And when he sees those about him
feeding upon the husks that swine eat, or when they hurl their carrion
at him, how often does he long to be free–to break down the bars of
his cage and get away to his own companionship–to some associates that
are fit for him, some spirits that are congenial with his spirit! How
he pants to be with his own group–the cherubim and seraphim, the holy
ones that day without night keep ceaseless watch and sing in unending
harmony around the Throne of Jehovah who lives and abides forever! Were
he a worldling, he would be satisfied with the world, but since he is
of nobler blood, these things here below all tend to check the
aspirations and the longings of his Heaven-born spirit. It is, indeed,
no strange thing that he should cry, "Woe is me, that I sojourn in
Mesech, that I dwell in the tents of Kedar!
But, besides this, the Christian is conscious that evil companionship
is damaging to him. If he is not burnt, he is at least blackened by
contact with the ungodly. This world is to him a place where if he does
not accumulate actual filth, it is hard to travel an hour along its
roads without being covered with its dust. Though, by the Grace of God,
he is kept upright, yet he feels, when he goes upon his knees again, he
has suffered from contact with poor, fallen humanity. He goes up into
his chamber for communion with Christ and his spirit seems to drink the
dew of Heaven fresh from the Throne of God! But he has to go down into
the world and the hot sun of business shines upon him–and then comes
the dust of this world to mar him and he goes back to his chamber and
feels like Samson when his hair was shorn away. He begins to cry, "My
soul lies cleaving to the dust!" Sometimes he longs to get away from
his fellows. He would, if he could, keep himself abstracted and alone
that he might cultivate continual friendship with Christ and abide near
to the bleeding side of Jesus. That is a foolish wish, as I shall have
to show, by-and-by, but yet it is no wonder that he cries aloud, when
he finds his spirit so confined and his best things so deteriorated,
"Woe is me, that I sojourn in Mesech, that I dwell in the tents of
Kedar!"
There are many other reasons, doubtless, why the Christian longs to be
gone from the company of the ungodly and why he would be far away from
them if he could. I shall be content, however, with mentioning one
other, namely, the continual process of temptation which surrounds the
Christian who is situated in the midst of men of unclean lips. Men lay
traps for us and, sometimes, they lay them right warily and
craftily–and unless our God has given us the wisdom of the serpent, as
well as the harmlessness of the dove, we shall find our heels tripped
up before we are aware. Often, in my own case, I am asked questions,
apparently by enquirers who are anxious to know something about the
Truth of God, only with the desire to entrap me in my words and make
some capital out of my answer. And, doubtless, it is so with each one
of you. You are questioned merely that your answer may become the theme
of ridicule. Some temptation is put in your way–a supposed friend
advises you to do this or to do that. Perhaps you do it–and he is the
first man to accuse you of having done wrong. Before, he said, "Oh, it
is just the thing I would do if I were in your place!"
Perhaps he would–but when he has seen you do it, he has become your
accuser–your tempter has afterwards turned round to bring an
accusation against you! The Christian will long to be out of a world
like this, where there is a Satanic rifleman behind every bush, a
devilish archer behind every crag and where, oftentimes, while we are
going along some quiet vale of life, all secluded and peaceful, the
Archfiend comes behind us and we hear his flattering words and, all of
a sudden, he gives a shrill call and from every side, tempters rage! We
see everyone of them armed to the teeth and with their arrows winged
for flight and thirsty to destroy! And we wonder why we are brought
into such a place, where all seemed so calm and secluded–but now we
are surrounded by the enemy and we have to cry, "Good Lord, deliver us!
Come from above and snatch us out of this danger! Cast down our foes
and put our feet in a large place." Well may God's dove long to roost
in Heaven when there are so many snares here and so many archers with
their bows all ready, seeking its life! This made the Psalmist talk of
fleeing as a bird to the mountain. Well may we sometimes wish we could
do so and even begin to sing, in the language of the poet–
"Jerusalem, my happy home,
Name always dear to me,
When shall my labors have an end,
In joy, and peace, and thee?"
II. Having thus spoken a word of justification for the Psalmist's
complaint, I am going, next, TO JUSTIFY THE WAYS OF GOD WITH US, IN
HAVING SUBJECTED US TO THIS DWELLING IN THE TENTS OF KEDAR.
Well, Brothers and Sisters, whatever God does is right–we believe that
once and for all–if He should do that which seemed, to our reason, to
be the most wrong thing in the world, we would believe our reason to be
a liar sooner than imagine that God would either be unkind or unwise.
It is a happy thing when we can believe God to be right when we cannot
see it, when we can trust Him even if we cannot trace Him. It is
pleasant to believe that, but we would rather see it. Now, I think, in
this case, we can see a little why God deals thus with us.
It is right, and just, and good that God has spared us to be here a
little longer, for, in the first place, my Brothers and Sisters, has
not God put us here to dwell in the tents of Kedar because these,
though perilous places, are advantageous posts for service? The angels,
those mighty spirits that serve God perfectly, seem to me to be like
the soldiers in an army who bring up the rear. They are behind–there,
the arrows do not reach them. When the volleys of Satanic malice are
being fired off, the angels are behind and can scarcely hear their
echoes. But we that are born of women must face the fire and lead the
vanguard in the heavenly battle between the Son of God and that great
traitor. We must go into the front rank and every shot must fall upon
our harness and rattle upon our armor–and is it not a glorious thing
to stand in the front? Who would care to be behind in such a battle as
this? Angels might long to come where we are and earnestly desire to
stand in the front of the battle–for if this is a place of danger, it
is the place of honor, too!
That was a noble speech of our old English king at Agincourt, when he
was surrounded by multitudes of enemies, "Well, be it so. I would not
lose so great an honor, or divide my triumph. I would not," he said,
"have one man the fewer among my enemies, because then there would be a
less glorious victory." So, in like manner, let us take heart even from
our difficulties! The Lord of Hosts is with us. The God of Jacob is our
refuge. Jehovah-Nissi is inscribed on our banner! We are privileged
above all the creatures of God. We have a high and noble honor to fight
for Jehovah and, standing out as the soldiers of the Cross–the Church
militant of the Divine One–we can do what the angels have not the
power to do and, therefore, we have great reason to bless God that He
lets us stop here because we are doing something for Him that even they
cannot do! If you had been an angel and never been a man, you might sit
down, if such thoughts could ever pass through an angelic mind, on some
sunny crag high up on the celestial hills and muse thus–"I am a
glorious being. The great God has made me to be happy and blest, but,
down yonder, on that little planet that is glittering in the light of
the sun, there are glorious creatures living that are more blest than I
am, for they can do what I must not. They tell of Jesus' love! They
wipe the tears from the eyes of the mourner. I can carry the soul
a-loft and I am glad when I have the commission to do so–but I cannot
go and bring the wanderer back and tell him how Jesus Christ has bought
him with His precious blood."
I think an angel might almost fold his wings and cherish that wish! If
such a thought could ever go through a cherubic spirit, such a wish
might be conceived to be quite natural. For really, my Brothers and
Sisters, they cannot do what we can do. There are works of charity and
resignation, and deeds of heroic suffering that those blessed spirits
can never perform. "Give me a body," says the angel, "and let me be a
martyr, for a martyr is greater than an angel. Give me a
tongue and let me he a preacher, for the noble army of the Apostles is
more noble than the glorious hosts of cherubim and seraphim! They have
suffered for God. They have testified for God. They have stood in the
midst of a multitude of enemies, firm as a rock in the time of
storm–and they have been kept steadfast, unmovable, always abounding
in the work of the Lord." If there were nothing else to say upon this
point, it should certainly be satisfactory enough to the Christian to
remember that God has kept him here on purpose to do Him honor.
Yet another thought, my Brothers and Sisters. You never will wish, I am
sure, to get away from the tents of Kedar if you will recollect that it
was through another Christian tarrying here–when, perhaps, he wanted
to be gone–that you are this day a Christian. Look back upon the
instrumentality that God used for your conversion. It may have been the
teaching of some aged woman who herself had long ago wished to go Home
to her Father and her God. But she was kept here, pale and shivering
with old age, in order to point you to the City of Refuge. Or, perhaps,
it may have been some younger servant of God who preached the
Gospel–and you heard it and were blessed. But that man of God had
often wished to be in Heaven. Had he been in Heaven when he wished it,
where would you have been? It is true, God might have found other
instruments, but we are to speak, as men, after the manner of men. Have
we not reason to thank God that these instruments were spared and still
kept here, that we might be brought to Him by them?
And now, mark, is it not a fact and will you not look out and see
whether it is so that there are many of God's elect ones, purchased
with the precious blood of Christ, who are parts of Christ's mystical
body, who are not yet brought in– and you are to bring them in?
Brethren, if you were to go to Heaven, now, perhaps you would go almost
alone–you must stay till there is a companion to go with you! There
are two stars very prominent at this season of the year, the Gemini,
the twins, glistening in the sky. You can see them, in about an hour's
time, almost overhead. Yes, and you, perhaps, would have been a star,
all alone, in the heavenly firmament, if you had had your own way, but,
now, there will be two of you glittering together! And with some of us,
blessed be God who has given us this honor, there will be a whole
constellation of stars which, though they did not borrow their light
from us, yet through us have been able to receive their light from
Jesus Christ! And who would like to go to Heaven alone–to go through
those bright fields of ether with no other redeemed spirit with him?
I sometimes think it would be a noble thing for the minister of God to
have a host behind him and to look back and say, "Who are you that are
following after me?" And to hear them reply, "We are they whom God has
given you. As the sheaves come with the farmer in the day of harvest,
so we are coming with you"–and then to enter Heaven, and cry, "Here am
I, and the children that You have given me!" To say, "Here am I," is a
blessed thing, but that other clause, "and those whom You have given
me," that is a grand addition! What must it be to be in Heaven? Glory
be to God if we are ever there, but to be in Heaven with others who are
given to us–this shall be to multiply Heaven, to heap celestial
mountains upon one another, to double the light of the sun, yes, to
make it sevenfold, to make Heaven more than Heaven–Heaven multiplied
in the Heaven of others! To not simply say, "I see the sun," but the
sun reflected from a thousand glasses–the souls of others who have
been led to Christ and then reflect that enjoyment upon the man who,
through God, was the means of bringing them to glory! Well, Brothers
and Sisters, this should make us willing to stay here.
There is, however, one other reason left, namely, perhaps our Master
keeps us in the tents of Kedar because it will make Heaven all the
sweeter The old Romans–you hear a great deal of praise of the Greeks
and Romans–but the Greeks were the biggest thieves who ever lived and
the Romans were about the greatest gluttons and bullies that ever
existed! Well, the Romans were such gluttons that before they came to
their meals, they were accustomed to drink all the most bitter things
they could, that they might be thirsty and that they might drink as
much as they could–very nasty things, such as one would not like to
think of–but they always liked to get their palates in such a state
that when they drank their wine, they would enjoy it. Verily, Brothers
and Sisters, this is something like our case. After those draughts of
wormwood which we have had to drink, how sweet Heaven's nectar will be!
Yes, we have had to drink the gall, as we think, to the very dregs–but
when that cup is drained and God gives us some of the new wine of the
Kingdom, how sweet that will be!
Nothing makes a day of rest so sweet to a man as having long labored
and long toiled. The tradesman who goes home to his little country
house thinks, "Well, if ever I can make enough to always come and live
in this house, I shall be so happy." He does it–and yet he doesn't
like it–in a week he cannot stand it! The reason he used to enjoy the
rest was
because the toil of the day sweetened it. Brothers and Sisters, it will
be so with us when we get to Heaven–then, when our rest shall last
eternally, it will be sweet, indeed! The long wilderness of drought
shall make the joys of Heaven rare and real! The waters of the Nile
were considered by the Egyptians to have an excellent flavor. Our
travelers say it is not so, but the reason is because the Egyptians
have never drunk any water but that of the Nile, while we, who have it
in all our streets so abundantly, think but little of that turbid
stream. Now, we who have had much, but not too much, of sorrow from the
men that dwell in the tents of Kedar, how blessed will it be there when
we shall be–
"Far from a world of grief and sin,
With God eternally shut in!"
III. My third topic is A WORD OF COMFORT TO THE CHRISTIAN WHILE PLACED
IN THESE APPARENTLY EVIL CIRCUMSTANCES.
Well, there is one word in the text that ought to console him in a case
like this. "Woe is me, that I sojourn"–thank God for that word,
"sojourn." Yes, I do not live here forever–I am only a stranger and a
sojourner here, as all my fathers were, and though the next sentence
does say, "I dwell," yet, thank God, it is a tentI dwell in and that
will come down, by-and-by–"I dwell in the tents of Kedar." You men of
this world, you may have your day, but your day will soon be over! And
I will have my nights, but my nights will soon be over, too. It is not
for long, Christian, it is not for long. They may laugh at you, but
every day they laugh, that is one day less for you to be laughed at.
They may scoff and mock, and set you in the pillory with cruelty, but
you will not be there forever. Perhaps tomorrow you may be in
Heaven–we never know how near we are to the gates of Paradise. But, at
any rate, suppose we should live to the longest period of human life?
It is not long, after all.
When we get home to Heaven and come to look back, what a short way it
will seem! While we are travelling in it, and our feet are covered with
blisters and sores, we think all the inches are miles, but when we get
up there, we shall say, "Why, that light affliction was but for a
moment. I thought 'twas half a century, but, 'twas but for a
moment–yet it has worked out for me a far more exceeding and eternal
weight of glory." We say, sometimes, "God has appointed unto us
wearisome days and nights of weeping." But when we are in Heaven, we
shall say, "Weeping endured but for a night, but joy came in the
morning." I say to the Christian–
"The way may be rough, but it cannot be long, So let's smooth it with
hope, and cheer it with song." Up, Christian! A few successful
struggles and you will not have one more conflict! Another blow or two
and your foot shall be on your opponent's neck! What? Give up the
battle when it is near its termination? Would you sit down in the shade
when the sun is rising and the morning star of promise is giving you
the first token of the dawn? Cheer up, cheer up, I beseech you! The end
will make amends for all that you endure and you will thank God that He
kept you, and blessed you, and enabled you to suffer and endure and, at
last, brought you safely Home!
This, however, is not all the comfort I have for you, because that
would look like something at the end, like the child who has the
promise of something while it is taking its medicine. No, there is
something to comfort you duringyour trials. Remember that even while
you are in the tents of Kedar, you have blessed company, for God is
with you! And though you sojourn with the sons of Mesech, yet there is
Another with whom you sojourn, namely, your blessed Lord and Master!
You are not alone, for Christ is with you! It is true that those who
are around you are uncongenial companions, but then, there is One who
walks through the midst of all these scenes and snares, who says to
you, "Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God."
There may be a noise in the street, but Christ is with you in your
chamber. There may be a storm within your very doors–a husband who
will not let you rest and children who cast your religion in your
teeth–but there is another Husband in that house, too, a heavenly
Husband–and His consolations are far more powerful than all the sneers
of the other husband–the manna that He gives is so sweet that it can
take all the bitterness out of the sarcasms of your foes!
Surely, when Christ is with us, the bitterness of death is past. Much
more, then, the bitterness of those little trials which daily come to
us from those sons of Mesech and those inhabitants of the tents of
Kedar. If, my Lord, You will go with me, I will not choose the path. If
I must go alone, alas, alas for me, though the road is grassy, the sky
is clear, the sun is bright and the brooks are flowing on every side!
Though the birds are singing on the trees and though my own eyes have a
luster in them, yet I am miserable, I am wretched, I am unsafe, I am in
danger if You are not with me! But come, my Master, if the sun is set,
if no moon or stars appear, if all around me there are found those that
would devour me. If
there is a ditch on this side and a yawning gulf or a quagmire on the
other. If there are all kinds of horrible things and evil spirits–if
under my feet there are dead men's bones, snares, chains and
pitfalls–if over me there is the shadow of death that keeps the
sunlight from reaching me and if within my heart there is fear, yet, if
You are with me, into the very gates of Hell, itself, my soul should
enter unharmed! Through the wall of fire, amidst the blazing of Divine
Vengeance my soul may walk unscathed! Nothing can harm me if Jesus is
near. Does not this make the tents of Kedar as white and fair as the
tents of Solomon if Jesus has visited them? And are not the men of
Mesech, with their rough beards, their stern faces and their unknown
tongues, as friendly angels when we know that Jesus Christ is with us
forevermore?
I have but one thing more to say, and with that I shall conclude.
Brothers and Sisters, you may be comforted yet again with this sweet
thought–that not only is God with you, but your Master was once in the
tents of Keddar–not merely spiritually, but personally, even as you
are–and inasmuch as you are here, too, this, instead of being painful,
should be comforting to you! Have you not received a promise that you
shall be like your Head? Thank God that promise has begun to be
fulfilled! If you were happy in the tents of Kedar, you might think, "I
am not like my Master, for He was a Man of Sorrows and acquainted with
grief." But inasmuch as you have evil things thrown at you and your way
is hard and rough, you may say, "Now I know what it is to have
fellowship with Him in suffering, in some feeble measure. As I was
buried with Him in Baptism unto death, so with Him I trust I have had
conformity unto His death." When any pang from slander or
misrepresentation rends your heart, then you can say, "Now I know what
He meant when He said, 'Reproach has broken My heart.'" When you find
yourself abused and misrepresented, you can say, "Now I understand what
Christ endured when they said He is a gluttonous Man and a winebibber;
a friend of publicans and sinners."
It is worthwhile to be like Christ in the worst of times because that
is an assurance that we shall be like He in the best of times! If I
carry a cross as He carried one, I shall wear a crown as He wears one.
If I have been with Him in the degradation of the flesh, I shall be
with Him in the glory of the Spirit. If I have been with Him when men
hooted and hissed, and dogs compassed Him, and the bulls of Bashan
beset Him around, I shall be with Him, too, when angelic hosts are
around Him and He shall be admired of all that love Him–and adored of
all creation! You shall be like your Head, poor sufferer–like your
Head! Then what more can you want? Is not this a sufficient honor, that
the servant is as his Master and the subject is as his Sovereign?
This may seem strange language in the ears of some hearers. All that
they know is that they sometimes sneer at Christians themselves. Well,
Sir, you have spoken ill of your wife and children because they follow
Christ. I would not be in your shoes for half the world, nor for the
whole of it! Do you see that man there with the millstone around his
neck? He is going to be cast into the midst of the sea–that man is
better off than you are, for Christ has said it, "Whoever shall offend
one of these little ones that believe in Me, it is better for him that
a millstone were hanged about his neck and he were cast into the sea."
Don't laugh at a Christian or a professing Christian, even if he is a
beggar, for he may be a child of God–and it will be an ill thing for
you to be caught laughing at a child of God! There is nothing that
makes a man so angry as to laugh at his children. There is nothing
which brings a man's spirit up like touching his children. "Say what
you like against me, but don't say anything against them. Touch them,"
says the man, "and you touch me. Touch them and you shall feel my
wrath." Our Father loves them and he that touches them touches the
apple of His eye. If you want to be damned, go and do something else,
but don't do that! But if you want to go to Hell and to the hottest
fire of Hell, go and vent your spleen on God's people! If you do it,
you shall surely be punished for it.
Herod shall be eaten of worms, though his voice is as the voice of a
god and not of a king. There shall be creatures who, like Antiochus,
shall have their very bowels burnt because they hurt the people of
God–and you who touch them with your little finger shall feel the
weight of the Divine arm! And if you have smitten them with the arm,
you shall find His loins crushing you to the very lowest Hell! But,
remember, there is mercy for the persecutor. Did not the Lord say,
"Saul, Saul, why do you persecute Me? It is hard for you to kick
against the pricks." "John, John, why do you persecute Me?" "Lord, I
only laugh at my little daughter." "You have persecuted Me–it is hard
for you to kick against the pricks." "Thomas, Thomas, why do you
persecute Me?" "But, Lord, I only told my wife I would shut her out if
she went to the weeknight services." "You have done it unto Me,
inasmuch as you have done it unto the least of these, My people." And
He cries to you and says, "It is hard for you to kick with naked feet
against these pricks." And do you say, "Who are You, Lord?" His answer
is, "I am Jesus, whom you persecute." And then, if you say, "Can You
forgive me, Lord?" His answer is, "I am ready and willing to forgive.
'Come now, and let us reason together, though your sins are as scarlet,
they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they
shall be as wool.'" Trust in Jesus and you are safe! Cast yourself,
once and for all on Him, and you cannot be lost, for he that relies on
Jesus is a saved man! May God add the blessing of His Spirit, for
Jesus' sake! Amen.
EXPOSITION BY C. H. SPURGEON: MARK 16.
Verse 1. And when the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary, the
mother of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might
come and anoint Him. True love had made a mistake, but it was true love
for all that, and the Lord accepted it, although He had no need of the
sweet spices that the women brought.
2. And very early in the morning the first day of the week, they came
unto the sepulcher at the rising of the sun. There had already been
another rising of the sun that morning, for the Sun of Righteousness
had risen and, with His rising, our hopes had risen and eternal life
had come to light! These holy women proved their affection to their
Lord by being there so early. Love will not wait–it delights to render
its service as speedily as it can–"they came unto the se-pulcher at
the rising of the sun."
3, 4. And they said among themselves, Who shall roll away the stone
from the door of the sepulcher for us? And when they looked, they saw
that the stone was rolled away: for it was very great Take comfort from
this verse, you who are seeking to serve your Lord. There will be sure
to be stones in your way and some of them may be very great ones, but
they will be rolled away in the Lord's good time. And in the rolling
away you often will have all the greater joy. If the effort shall need
the strength of an angel, then an angel will be sent from Heaven for
the purpose. There might have been no angel if there had been no
stone–and you might have no revelation of the power of Heaven to help
you if you had not first had a revelation of your own weakness and
inability to roll away the stone.
5. And entering into the sepulcher, they saw a young man sitting on the
right side, clothed in a long white garment; and they were frightened.
An angel had assumed the appearance of a young man sitting inside the
sepulcher.
6. And he said unto them, Be not afraid. Why should they be afraid?
They had come to serve their Lord and so had the angel, so there was no
cause for fear. Those who love Jesus need never be afraid of angels,
nor, for that matter, of devils either, for the Lord, whom they serve,
will take care of them.
6. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. This was the first
Gospel sermon preached after the Resurrection, so note particularly how
the angel describes Christ. He calls Him by His lowly name, "Jesus of
Nazareth," and does not speak of Him as the risen or reigning Christ,
but as "Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified." The angels are evidently
not ashamed of the Cross of Christ–they do not attempt to hide the
shame of it–for this one speaks of "Jesus of Nazareth, who was
crucified."
6. He is risen; He is not here. That is the epitaph inscribed on
Christ's tomb–"He is not here." On other people's graves it is
written, "Here lies so-and-so," but on Christ's sepulcher it is
recorded, "He is not here." He is everywhere else, but, "He is not
here." He is with us in our solitude. He is with us in our public
assemblies. But there is one place where He is not and that is, in the
empty tomb! Thank God that He is not there! we do not worship a dead
man lying in the grave. He, on whom we rely, has risen from the dead
and gone up into Glory where He always lives to carry out the great
design of salvation! "He is not here."
6-8. Behold the place where they laid Him. But go your way, tell His
disciples and Peter that He goes before you into Galilee: there shall
you see Him, as He said unto you. And they went out quickly, and fled
from the sepulcher; for they trembled and were amazed: neither said
they anything to any man; for they were afraid. There was a mixture
ofjoy with their fear, and of fear with their joy–and that tended to
keep them silent for a while. Some people tell all they know, even when
it would be wiser not to speak. But these godly women waited till they
reached those to whom they were bid to speak. They said nothing to
anybody by the way, but hurried on to find the disciples, that they
might give them the blessed tidings of their Lord's Resurrection!
9. Now when Jesus was risen early the first day ofthe week, He appeared
first to Mary Magdalene, out ofwhom He had cast seven devils. Where
Grace had worked its greatest wonders, there Christ paid His first
visit–"He appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom He had cast
seven devils."
10, 11. And she went and told them that had been with Him, as they
mourned and wept And they, when they had heard that He was alive, and
had been seen of her, believed not I can imagine that scene–the
weeping and mourning disciples–and this eager woman telling her story,
and telling it with evident truthfulness and deep pathos, but they
believed her not. Do you expect to be believed whenever you tell the
story of your Lord's Resurrection, or any other part of the Gospel
message? You have to tell it, not to Christ's disciples, but to those
who are aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and, probably, you do
not tell it as well as Mary Magdalene did. Marvel not, therefore, if
many a time those who hear your message believe it not! Mind that you
believe it yourself and keep on telling it whether others believe it or
not–and God will bless it to some of them, by-and-by
12, 13. After that He appeared in another form unto two of them, as
they walked, and went into the country. And they went and told it unto
the rest, but they did not believe them either Unbelief is not easily
driven out of even true disciples, but let none of us ever harbor it in
our hearts. As we see how unbelieving these disciples were and know how
wrong their unbelief was, let us not be like they were.
14-20. Afterward He appeared unto the eleven as they sat at the table,
and upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because
they believed not them which had seen Him after He was risen. And He
said unto them, Go you into all the world, and preach the Gospel to
every creature. He that believes and is baptized shall be saved; but he
that believes not shall be damned. And these signs shall follow them
that believe. In My name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak
with new tongues; they shall take up serpents; and if they drink any
deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick,
and they shall recover So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, He
was received up into Heaven, and sat at the right hand of God. And they
went forth, and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them, and
confirming the Word with accompanying signs. Amen. God bless to us the
reading of His holy Word! Amen.