Aug 25
4
BLOOD BEFORE THE LORD
Note in scripture how many times the blood is said to be “before the Lord.” Whether any man saw it or not was of small account, for it was offered for sin “before the Lord.” When the Passover Lamb was slain in Egypt, where was the blood placed? It was on the OUTSIDE of the door “before the Lord.” He said, “When I see the blood, I will pass over you” (Exodus 12:13).
The suffering and death of Christ on behalf of His people was “BEFORE the Lord.” UNTO the Lord, to declare the Lord’s righteousness, to satisfy the Lord’s justice, to fulfil the Lord’s purpose, to glorify the Lord’s character, to enable the Lord to be both just and justifier!
The atonement does not change the NATURE and character of God, but rather the atonement HONOURS and MAGNIFIES the character of God. The death of Christ is NOT the cause of God’s love, but the result of it. God is not merciful because Christ died; Christ died because God is merciful. In order that every attribute might be expressed, glorified, and honoured, God gave His Son to be the Saviour of the chosen people! Thank God we have an atonement “before the Lord.” Pastor Henry T. Mahan
I have learned over the years that whenever someone wants more “practical application” in preaching, what they really want is to be recognized for the way they are living. For those who walk by faith, nothing has a more practical effect on every part of their life than Christ. Nor, do they desire to hear anything except Christ and Him crucified. He IS their life in all grace now and in glory forevermore.
Greg Elmquist
Both
our teacher and our lesson!
(C.H.Spurgeon)
“He expounded unto them in all the Scriptures — the things
concerning Himself.” Luke 24:27
The two disciples on the road to Emmaus had a most profitable
journey. Their companion was the best of teachers —
in whom is hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
This unrivalled tutor used as His class-book, the best
of books. He showed us that the surest road to wisdom is not
speculation, reasoning, or reading human books — but meditation upon the Word
of God. The readiest way to be spiritually rich in heavenly knowledge, is to
dig in this mine of diamonds, to gather pearls from this heavenly sea! When
Jesus Himself sought to enrich others — He wrought in the quarry of Holy
Scripture.
The favoured pair were led to consider the best of subjects —
for Jesus spoke of Jesus, and expounded the things concerning Himself! Here the
diamond cut the diamond, and what could be more admirable? The Master of the
House unlocked His own doors, conducted the guests to His table, and placed His
own dainties upon it! He who hid the treasure in the field —
Himself guided the searchers to it. Our Lord would naturally discourse upon the
sweetest of topics — and He could find none sweeter than His
own person and work.
With an eye to these things — we should always search the Word.
O for grace to study the Bible with Jesus as both
our teacher and our lesson!
The Work of God the Holy Spirit
“He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.” (John 16:14)
All the comfort, instruction, and direction of God the Holy Spirit comes to sinners through the Lord Jesus Christ.
In accordance with the disposition of the covenant of grace the Holy Spirit is Christ’s agent in this world, just as he was the Father’s agent in this world. He does nothing of himself, speaks nothing of himself, and receives nothing to himself. It is the Spirit’s delight to do Christ’s bidding in this world, even as it has been the Son’s delight to do his Father’s bidding. Christ is the Fountain of grace. The Holy Spirit is the channel through whom all the waters of grace flow to us from the Fountain.
The gifts of the Spirit are actually the gifts of Christ bestowed upon his church by the Spirit for the glory of Christ, for the furtherance of the gospel of Christ, and for the increase and spiritual welfare of the body of Christ. A comparison of Scripture with Scripture will show this plainly (1 Corinthians 12:11; Ephesians 4:7-12). The Holy Spirit is not in competition with Christ. He has come to glorify Christ.
Everywhere today we hear men saying, “This is the age of the Holy Spirit.” They talk about the anointing of the Spirit, the baptism of the Spirit, being slain in the Spirit, the gifts of the Spirit, the filling of the Spirit, the presence of the Spirit, and the works of the Spirit, and say very little about the Person, work, and glory of Christ. Those who tell you to seek the Spirit, those who focus your attention on the Holy Spirit do not have the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit speaks only of Christ. And those who have the Spirit of Christ speak of Christ. That man who preaches by the Spirit of God preaches Christ only, Christ alone, and Christ always.
Let no one misunderstand me.Let us reverence the Holy Spirit, worship the Spirit, and honour the Spirit. The Holy Spirit is God. But the only way to reverence the Spirit is to reverence Christ. The only way to worship the Spirit is to worship Christ. The only way to honour the Spirit is to honour Christ.
1. To have the anointing of the Spirit is to have Christ.
2. To be baptised in the Spirit is to be baptised into Christ.
3. To have the gifts of the Spirit is to have the covenant blessings of God’s grace in Christ.
4. To have the filling of the Spirit is to have Christ in you.
5. To have the power of the Spirit is to have the power of Christ.
6. To have the presence of the Spirit is to have the presence of Christ.
7. To have the work of the Spirit is to have Christ formed in you.
8. To walk in the Spirit is to walk in Christ, with Christ, toward Christ, and for Christ by faith in Christ.
This is not the age of the Spirit. This is the age of the Son. This is the age of Christ! This is the day of grace, the gospel day, the day of Christ. It began when the Sun of Righteousness arose from the grave with healing in his wings!
Don Fortner
The
“illuminated” Bible?
by Spurgeon-
You may read the Bible continuously and yet never learn
anything by it, unless it is illuminated by
the Spirit.
Then the words shine forth like stars. Then the book seems
made of gold leaf; every single letter glitters like a diamond.
Oh! it is a blessed thing to read an “illuminated Bible”
lit up by the radiance of the Holy Spirit.
Have you read the Bible, and yet have your eyes been
unenlightened? Go and say, “O Lord, illuminate it; shine upon
it; for I cannot read it to profit, unless You enlighten me.”
Blind men may read the Bible with their fingers,
but blind souls cannot.
We need a light to read the Bible by;
there is no reading it in the dark.
That Heavenly Teacher
(J.C.Philpot, “Daily Words for Zion’s Wayfarers”)
We do not learn that we
are sinners merely by reading it in the Bible. It must be
wrought, I might say, burnt into us.
Nor will anyone sincerely and spiritually cry for mercy, until
sin is spiritually felt and known . . .
in its misery,
in its dominion,
in its guilt,
in its entanglements,
in its wiles and allurements,
in its filth and pollution, and
in its condemnation.
Where the Holy Spirit works, He kindles . . .
sighs,
groans,
supplications,
wrestlings, and
pleadings
to know Christ, feel His love, taste the efficacy of
His atoning blood, and embrace Him as all our salvation and all our desire.
And though there may, and doubtless will be, much barrenness,
hardness, deadness, and apparent carelessness often felt; still that heavenly Teacher will revive His
work, though often by painful methods; nor will He let the quickened soul rest
short of a personal and experimental enjoyment of Christ and His glorious
salvation.
The
decipherer…
by Toplady
To unconverted persons, a great part of the Bible
resembles a letter written in ciphers.
The blessed Spirit’s office is to act as God’s decipherer,
by letting His people into the secret of celestial
experience, as the key and clew to those sweet
mysteries of grace which were before as a garden
shut up, or as a fountain sealed, or as a book
written in an unknown character.
Active, operating, influential principles of the life!
(John MacDuff, “The Throne of Grace”)
It is the work of the blessed Spirit to take of the things of
Christ, and to show them to the soul; to reveal to us the precious benefits of
redemption, and the riches of Divine grace-and to present them to us in such a
transforming, and convincing, and penetrating form, as that they shall not only
become sources of abiding comfort to the heart-but active, operating, influential principles of the life!
It is the work of the blessed Spirit to be the Comforterof
the children of God. Yes . . .
wherever a believer is afflicted;
wherever he sheds a sorrowful tear;
wherever he is pained by some heart-rending grief;
wherever he is bowed beneath some oppressive burden-
there is the Comforter to cheer, to solace,
to sustain; pointing him . . .
from the wound-to its balm,
from the grief-to its ultimate cure,
from present suffering-to eternal rest at
God’s right hand!
The Holy Spirit is not a traveler to sojourn for a season, but
He is a Friend to abide and dwell with you-a spiritual mentor to be always
near. . .
to guide you-in all seasons of
perplexity,
to strengthen you-in all times of
weakness,
when you are discouraged-to uphold you,
when you are wandering-to lead you back,
when you are nearly overcome in your spiritual
conflict-to bring you more of His divine strength and grace.
“Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities.”
Romans 8:26
THE
REMEDY FOR DOUBT…
by Spurgeon
The best way to get your faith strengthened
is to have communion with Christ.
If you commune with Christ you cannot be unbelieving.
When His left hand is under my head,
and His right hand embraces me, I cannot doubt.
When my Beloved sits at His table, and He brings me into
His banqueting-house, and His banner over me is Love,
then, indeed, I do believe. When I feast with Him,
my unbelief is abashed and hides its head.
Speak, you that have been led in the green pastures
and have been made to lie down by the still waters;
you who have seen His rod and His staff and hope to see
them even when you walk through the valley of the
shadow of death.
Speak, you that have sat at His feet with Mary or laid
your head upon His bosom with the well-beloved John–
Have you not found when you have been near to Christ
your faith has grown strong, and when you have been far
away from Him, your faith has become weak?
It is impossible to look Christ in the face and then doubt
Him. When you cannot see Him, then you doubt Him.
But you must believe when your Beloved speaks to you,
and says, “Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come
away.” There is no hesitation then; you must arise from
the lowlands of your doubt up to the hills of assurance.
CHRIST’S
HOLD ON US
There are moments when the eyes glisten with joy: and we
can say, “we are persuaded, confident, certain.” I don’t wish
to distress any one who is under doubt. Often gloomy doubts
will prevail; there are seasons when you fear you have not
been called, when you doubt your interest in Christ.
Ah! what a mercy it is that it is not your hold on Christ that
saves you, but His hold on you! What a sweet fact that it is
not how you grasp His hand, but His
grasp of yours,
that saves you.
Spurgeon.
Nevertheless I am continually with thee:
thou hast holden me by
my right hand.
Psalm 73:23
I am a perverse and unruly patient!
(John Newton)
I am bound to speak well
of my Physician; He treats me with great tenderness, and bids me in
due time to expect a perfect cure. I know too much of Him (though I know but
little) to doubt either His skill or His promise.
It is true, I have suffered sad relapses since
I have been under His care. Yet I confess that the fault has not been His, but
my own! I am a perverse and unruly
patient! I have too often neglected His prescriptions, and broken
the regimen He appoints me to observe. This perverseness, joined to
the exceeding obstinacy of my disorders, would have
caused me to be turned out as an incurable long ago-had
I been under any other hand but His! Indeed, there is none like Him! When I
have brought myself very low, He has still helped me. Blessed
be His name, I am yet kept alive only by means of His perfect care.
Though His medicines are all beneficial, they are
not all pleasant. Now and then He gives me a pleasant cordial;
but I have many severe disorders, in which there is a needs-be for
my frequently taking His bitter and unpalatable medicines!
We sometimes see published in the newspapers, acknowledgments
of cures received. Methinks, if I were to publish my own case, that it
would run something like this:
“I, John Newton, have long laboured under a multitude of
grievous disorders:
a fever of ungoverned passions,
a cancer of pride,
a frenzy of wild imaginations,
a severe lethargy, and
a deadly stroke!
In this deplorable situation, I suffered many things from many
physicians, spent every penny I had-yet only grew worse and worse!
In this condition, Jesus, the Physician of souls, found me when
I sought Him not. He undertook my recovery freely, without money
and without price-these are His terms with all His patients!
My fever is now abated, my senses are restored,
my faculties are enlivened! In a word, I am a new man! And
from His ability, His promise, and the experience of what He has already done-I
have the fullest assurance that He will infallibly and perfectly heal me; and
that I shall live forever as a monument of His power and grace!”