Christian Life

Most Ready to Go

Sherry Attributes of God, Character of Jesus, Christian Life, promises Leave a comment

Lord, now lettest thou Thy servant depart in peace… – Luke 2:29

Saints feel most their readiness to go when their communion with Christ is near and sweet; when Christ hides Himself we are afraid to talk of dying, or of heaven; but, when He only shows Himself through the lattice, and we can see those eyes which are “as the eyes of doves by the rivers of water, washed with milk and fitly set;” when our own soul melteth even at that hazy sight of Him, as through a glass darkly. Oh, then we fain would be at home, and our soul crieth out for the day when her eyes shall see the King in His beauty, in the land that is very far off. Have you never felt the heavenly homesickness? Have you never pined for the home-bringing? Surely, when your heart has been full of the Bridegroom’s beauty, and your soul has been ravished with His dear and ever precious love, you have said: “When shall the day break, and the shadows flee away? Why are His chariots so long in coming?” You have swooned, as it were, with love-sickness for your precious Savior, thirsting to see Him as He is, and to be like Him. The world is black when Christ is fair; it is a poor heap of ashes when He is altogether lovely to us. When a precious Christ is manifested to our spirits, we feel that we could see Jesus and die. Put out these eyes, there is nothing more for them to see when they have seen Him. “Black sun,” said Rutherford, “black moon, black stars, but inconceivably bright and glorious Lord Jesus.” How often did that devout man write words of this sort: “Oh if I had to swim through seven hells to reach Him, if He would but say to me, like Peter, ‘Come unto Me,’ I would go unto Him not only on the sea, but on the boiling floods of hell, if I might but reach Him, and come to Him…Oh, how long is it to the dawning of the marriage day? O sweet Lord Jesus, take wide steps; O my Lord, come over the mountains at one stride!” …When these strong throes, these ardent pangs of insatiable desire come upon a soul that is fully saturated with Christ’s love, through having been made to lean its head upon His bosom, and to receive the kisses of His mouth, then is the time when the soul saith, “Lord, now lettest thou Thy servant depart in peace.” ~ C.H. Spurgeon

https://www.blueletterbible.org/comm/spurgeon_charles/sermons/1014.cfm

“Make haste, my Beloved”

Sherry Attributes of God, Character of Jesus, Christian Life, promises, Sovereignty of God Leave a comment

Lord, now lettest thou Thy servant depart in peace, according to Thy word… – Luke 2:29

“Lord, now lettest thou Thy servant depart in peace.” Heaven realised and anticipated by hope renders the thought of departure most precious to the heart. And the like, also, is the effect of the grace of love upon us. Love puts the heart, like a sacrifice, on the altar, and then she fetches heavenly fire, and kindles it; and, as soon as ever the heart begins to burn and glow like a sacrifice, what is the consequence? Why, it ascends like pillars of smoke up to the throne of God. It is the very instinct of love to draw us nearer to the person whom we love; and, when love towards God pervades the soul, then the spirit cries, “Make haste, my Beloved! be Thou like a roe or a young hart upon the mountains of separation.” Perfect love, casting out all fear, cries, “Up, and away.”

“Let me be with Thee, where Thou art,
My Savior my eternal rest!
Then only will this longing heart
Be fully and for ever blest.”

I might thus mention all the graces but suffer one of them to suffice! one which is often overlooked but is priceless as the gold of Ophir-it is the grace of humility. Is it strange that the lower a man sinks in his own esteem the higher does he rise before his God? Is it not written, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven?” Simeon had no conceit of his own importance in the world, else he would have said, “Lord, let me stay, and be an apostle. Surely, I shall be needed at this juncture to lend my aid in the auspicious era which has just commenced?” But no, he felt himself so little so inconsiderable, that now that he had attained his heart’s wish and seen God’s salvation, he was willing to depart in peace. Humility by making us lie low helps us to think highly of God, and, consequently, to desire much to be with God. O to have our graces always flourishing, for then shall we always be ready to depart, and willing to be offered up. Lack of grace entangles us, but to abound in grace is to live in the suburbs of the New Jerusalem. ~ C.H. Spugeon

https://www.blueletterbible.org/comm/spurgeon_charles/sermons/1014.cfm

Mark Ye This

Sherry Attributes of God, Character of Jesus, Christian Life, repentance, Sovereignty of God, The Holy Spirit 1 Comment

“Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.” – Colossians 2:8

“As it was with the worship of Israel of old, so it is now with that of the Christian church. The pure becomes alloyed with the base, that which is genuine with that which is spurious, divine revelation with human tradition, and the inspired decrees of heaven with the inventions and devices of the children of men. Some fallacies are perpetuated from generation to generation, until the deep hue of antiquity tinges them over, makes them look venerable and speciously invites a reverence and regard to which they never had any legitimate claim… But mark ye this, if the grace of God be once more restored to the church in all its fullness and the Spirit of God be poured out from on high, in all His sanctifying energy there will come such a shaking as has never been seen in our days.” ~ C.H. Spurgeon

Amen, Brother Spurgeon!

The Christ Mass and Easter fits perfectly with what Spurgeon has said! They are pagan/papist/traditions of men that have been practiced for so long that they are unlawfully regarded as holy! And those who speak against such days are treated as if they are not Christians by many so-called Christians who love the day above their Lord Jesus’ desires. “Learn not the way of the heathen to worship Me in the same manner…”

Revival comes after repentance!

Our Departure by His Permission Only

Sherry Attributes of God, Character of Jesus, Christian Life, promises, Sovereignty of God Leave a comment

Lord, now lettest thou Thy servant depart in peace, according to Thy word… – Luke 2:29

“Now lettest thou Thy servant depart…” The servant must not depart from his labor without his Master’s permission, else would he be a runaway, dishonest to his position. The good servant dares not stir till his Master says, “Depart in peace.” Simeon was content to wait till he received permission to depart, and it becomes us all to acquiesce cheerfully in the Lord’s appointment whether He lengthens or shortens our life. It is certain that without the Lord’s will no power can remove us. No wind from the wilderness shall drive our souls into the land of darkness, no fiends with horrid clamor can drag us down to the abyss beneath, no destruction that wasting at noonday, or pestilence waiting in darkness can cut short our mortal career. We shall not die till God shall say to us, “My child, depart from the field of service, and the straitness of this thy tabernacle, and enter into rest.” Till God commands us we cannot die, and when He bids us go it shall be sweet for us to leave this world. “Depart in peace,” saith God. It is a farewell, such as we give to a friend: it is a benediction, such as Aaron, the priest of God, might pronounce over a suppliant whose sacrifice was accepted. Eli said unto Hannah, “Go in peace, and the God of Israel grant thee thy petition that thou hast asked of Him.” Around the sinner’s deathbed the tempest thickens, and he hears the rumblings of the eternal storm: his soul is driven away, either amid the thunderings of curses loud and deep, or else in the dread calm which evermore forebodes the hurricane. “Depart, ye cursed,” is the horrible sound which is in his ears. But not so the righteous. He feels the Father’s hand of benediction on his head, and underneath him are the everlasting arms. The best wine with him is kept to the last. At eventide it is light; and, as his sun is going down, it grows more glorious and lights up all the surroundings with a celestial glow, where bystanders wonder, and exclaim “Let me die the death of the righteous and let my last end be like his.” That pilgrim sets out upon a happy journey to whom Jehovah saith, “Depart in peace.” This is a sole finger laid upon the closing eyelid by a tender father, and it ensures a happy waking, where eyes are never wet with tears. ~ C.H. Spurgeon

https://www.blueletterbible.org/comm/spurgeon_charles/sermons/1014.cfm

Soon to Be Set Free

Sherry Attributes of God, Character of Jesus, Christian Life, promises, salvation, Sovereignty of God Leave a comment

Lord, now lettest thou Thy servant depart in peace… – Luke 2:29

Review attentively the words of the aged saint: they have much instruction in them. Every believer shall in death depart in the same sense as Simeon did. The word (depart) here used is suggestive and encouraging: it may be applied either to escape from confinement, or to deliverance from toil. The Christian man in the present state is like a bird in a cage: his body imprisons his soul. His spirit, it is true, ranges heaven and earth, and laughs at the limits of matter, space, and time; but for all that, the flesh is a poor scabbard unworthy of the glittering soul, a mean cottage unfit for a princely spirit, a clog, a burden, and a fetter. When we would watch and pray, we find full often that the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak. “We that are in this body do groan.” The fact is, we are caged birds; but the day cometh when the great Master shall open the cage door and release the prisoners. We need not dread the act of unfastening the door, for it will give to our soul the liberty for which it only pines, and then, with the wings of a dove, covered with silver, and its feathers with yellow gold, though aforetime it had lien among the pots, it will soar into its native air, singing all the way with a rapture beyond imagination. Simeon looked upon dying as a mode of being let loose-a deliverance out of durance vile, an escape from captivity, a release from bondage. The like redemption shall be dealt unto us. How often does my soul feel like an unhatched chick, shut up within a narrow shell, in darkness and discomfort! The life within labors hard to chip and break the shell, to know a little more of the great universe of truth and see in clearer light the infinite of divine love. Oh, happy day, when the shell shall be broken, and the soul, complete in the image of Christ, shall enter into the freedom for which she is preparing! We look for that, and we shall have it. God, who gave us to aspire to holiness and spirituality and to likeness to Himself, never implanted those aspirations in us out of mockery. He meant to gratify these holy longings, or, else, He would not have excited them. Ere long we, like Simeon, shall depart-that is, we shall be set free to go in peace. ~ C.H. Spurgeon

https://www.blueletterbible.org/comm/spurgeon_charles/sermons/1014.cfm

His Servants Shall Depart in Peace

Sherry Attributes of God, Character of Jesus, Christian Life, promises, Sovereignty of God 2 Comments

Lord, now lettest thou Thy servant depart in peace… – Luke 2:29

The text says, “Lord, now lettest thou Thy servant depart in peace.” But, in this case, one servant cannot claim a privilege above the rest of the household. The same position towards God, the same reward from God. Simeon, a servant; you also, my brother, a servant; He who saith to Simeon, “depart in peace,” will say also the same to you. The Lord is always very considerate towards His old servants and takes care of them when their strength faileth. The Amalekite of old had a servant who was an Egyptian, and when he fell sick, he left him, and he would have perished if David had not had compassion on him; but our God is no Amalekite slave-owner, neither doth He cast off His worn-out servants. “Even to your old age I am He; and even to hoar hairs will I carry you: I have made, and I will bear; even I will carry and will deliver you.” David felt this, for he prayed to God, and said, “Now, also, when I am old and gray-headed, O God, forsake me not.” If thou hast been clothed in thy Lord’s livery of grace, and taught to obey His will, He will never leave thee, nor forsake thee; He will not sell thee into the hands of thine adversary, nor suffer thy soul to perish. A true master counts it a part of his duty to protect his servants, and our great Lord and Prince will show Himself strong on the behalf of the very least of all His followers and will bring them every one into the rest which remaineth for His people. Do you really serve God? Remember, “his servants ye are to whom ye obey.” Are ye taught of the Spirit to obey the commandments of love? Do you strive to walk in holiness? If so, fear not death; it shall have no terrors to you. All the servants of God shall depart in peace. ~ C.H. Spurgeon

https://www.blueletterbible.org/comm/spurgeon_charles/sermons/1014.cfm

We Have Peace with God

Sherry Attributes of God, Character of Jesus, Christian Life, promises, salvation, Sovereignty of God, The Father Leave a comment

Lord, now lettest thou Thy servant depart in peace… – Luke 2:29

No man can depart in peace who has not lived in peace; but he who has attained peace in life shall possess peace in death, and an eternity of peace after death. “Being justified by faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” Jesus has bequeathed us peace, saying, “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give unto you.” “For He is our peace,” and “the fruit of the Spirit is peace.” We are reconciled unto God by the death of His Son. Whatever peace flowed in the heart of Simeon, I am sure it was not of a diviner nature than that which dwells in the bosom of every true believer. If sin be pardoned, the quarrel is ended; if the atonement is made, then is peace established, a peace covenanted to endure for ever. We are now led in the paths of peace; we walk the King’s highway, of which it is written, “no lion shall be there;” we are led beside the still waters and made to lie down in green pastures. We feel no slavish fear of God, though He be “a consuming fire” even to us; we tremble no longer to approach into His presence, who deigns to be our Father. The precious blood upon the mercy-seat has made it a safe place for us to resort at all times; boldness has taken the place of trembling. The throne of God is our rejoicing, though once it was our terror.

Therefore, brethren, having peace with God, we may be sure that we shall “depart in peace.” We need not fear that the God of all consolation, who has already enriched us in communion with Himself, and peace in Christ Jesus, will desert us at the last. He will help us to sing a sweet swan-song, and our tabernacle shall be gently taken down, to be rebuilt more enduringly in the fair country beyond Jordan. ~ C.H. Spurgeon

https://www.blueletterbible.org/comm/spurgeon_charles/sermons/1014.cfm