“And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch, Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping” Mark 13:36.
Will the bridegroom find us as a part of the bride, watching and waiting, prepared, fully adorned in a beautiful garment ? This thought causes our mind to drift back to our Lord’s words:
“And when the King came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment : And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment ? And he was speechless. Then said the King to the servants, Bind him hand and foot and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, for many are called, but few are chosen” (Matt. 22: 11-14).
What a solemn thought the Master has left. us! Let each one of us ask ourselves this question. Do we truly appreciate the fact that you and I, everyone here this morning, has been called, invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb? Do we also recognise the fact that, before the marriage supper, there is to be a very solemn meeting, when we shall face the Judge of all the earth, to give an account of ourselves to God ?
Our appearance before the Great Tribunal is made positive by Paul’s statement,
“That we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ to give an account of the things done in the body, whether they be good or bad.”
Such statements have a sobering effect, and so does the question of the Lord Jesus,
“Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment ? Bind him and take him away.”
If we are to be properly attired, with what garment must we be clothed ? This thought carries us to that beautiful scene in Rev. 19, where John in vision witnessed the marriage of the Lamb (Rev. 19:7-9). John writes :
“Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him ; for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white ; for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.”
The garment of the bride of Christ is a robe of righteousness. Will we have on a wedding garment? What are some of the things that will help us to be properly attired when we appear before Him? To keep our garments unspotted is a life time struggle, and not an easy one; it’s a real battle, and if we are going to endure to the end, we must ever look to the One who showed us the way, and who for the joy that was set before Him, endured the Cross and suffered the shame.
We, like our elder brother, must ever keep before our minds the unspeakable joy that lies ahead.
“Eye hath not seen, ear hath not heard, neither hath it entered the heart of man to conceive what God hath in store for those that love Him.”
Do we love Him ? Are we willing to suffer for Him ? Paul assures us,
“If we suffer with Him, we shall reign with him.”
Jesus confirms this in Rev. 2-7,
“He that overcometh and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations.”
Before we can overcome, we must know what there is to overcome and also how to overcome. To learn what, and how, to overcome, we must go to God’s word, by which we have been brought into our present position, as sons and daughters of the living God. Daily by that word can we be kept thoroughly furnished unto all good works. From the word we learn what there is to conquer and overcome.
We learn, also, that of all the enemies we must face, the greatest one is our self. Paul says,
“For I know that in me (that is in my flesh) dwelleth no good thing. For the things I would do, I do not, and the things I would not do, I do.”
We are all familiar with those things which Paul enumerates as the works of the flesh, wrath, strife, envy, hatred, jealousy, etc. Human nature is a desperate thing to deal with.
As we grow older we realise more and more that it is absolutely necessary that we chain human nature, bind it down, and that we crucify the flesh with all its lusts and desires. Paul makes it very clear that if we are going to overcome the flesh, the love of Christ must dwell in us richly, and if it does, we shall yield the precious fruits of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, etc.
If the love of Christ is going to dwell in us richly, and we are going to overcome our fleshly lusts and bring forth the fruits of the Spirit, then what must we do? We must not neglect the daily reading of our Bibles. God’s word must always be in our lives. I believe it was Brother Roberts who said,
“There must be a constant. patient, reverential, daily feeding of the manna from heaven. For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through comfort of the Scriptures might have hope” (Rom. 15:4).
Nothing in the world can build up our faith like the Scriptures can. It may help us in our struggle to overcome if we always keep before us the fact that the Bible is God’s voice speaking to us. It draws us close to God, and our Heavenly Father has assured us that if we draw nigh to Him, He will draw close to us. When we are battling with ourselves and struggling to overcome, how comforting are those assuring words,
“I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.”
We are never alone.
“Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for thou art with me, thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.”
Another real help in our struggle to overcome will be found in faithfully associated ourselves with those whose hearts are fixed on the glorious promises and the redeeming work of Christ. Let us not neglect the assembling of ourselves together, and this does not refer only to the breaking of bread. The times of the Gentiles are fast closing in, and it devolves upon the church of the living God to preach the gospel more extensively and more earnestly than ever. May every one be encouraged to get behind the work by the assuring words of Daniel,
“They that turn many to righteousness shall shine as the stars forever and ever.”
Will we be among that happy number, or will we be among those of whom Paul warned when he said, “That in the last days the love of many shall wax cold.” It is a melancholy fact that exists almost everywhere, that we have surely arrived at that epoch of time. Nineteen hundred years ago the Spirit pleaded with the Laodicean brethren and sisters to strengthen the things that remain, that were ready to die.
His sobering warning to them was,
“I know thy works that thou are neither cold nor hot : and because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing, and know not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind and naked.”
Is there a parallel between Laodicea and many ecclesias of today? Laodicea was a prosperous, flourishing city, and as far as this world’s goods are concerned, they had need of nothing. Apparently this ecclesia of God had degenerated into a self satisfied, lukewarm condition in regards to the things of the Spirit. Actually, they were destitute of spiritual things.
Beloved, this is the thing for us all to watch. You and I are living in the most prosperous time the country has ever enjoyed. Prosperity makes many brethren and sisters very busy, and it brings riches and temptations. Let cache one ask ourself this question. Are we going to let business, our homes, the television, worldly friends, our recreation, take so much of our time, that God’s Word will be displaced from its first position, and the meetings neglected to such an extent that the words of Peter will take on a somber hue?
“For of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage” (2 Peter 2:19-20).
Pleadingly John says :
“Beloved, love not the world, neither the things that are in the world.”
All are familiar with the parable of the ten virgins, of how the oil stands for the Word in its power to give light, knowledge and guidance. When the cry .came to go and meet the bridegroom, five had oil in their lamps and were prepared to meet Him, but five had no oil. All ten virgins at one time had oil in their lamps; they knew the truth; they were among the called. Is that not also true of every child of God?
When the call went forth, five out of ten virgins were out of oil; they had forgotten that loving appeal, to watch. What a terrible shock it would be to us if 50 per cent of the virgins to today are neglecting the oil of God’s Word. Half of the virgins allowed their eyes to wander. Where are our eyes ? Are they on the things of the world, or are they fixed on the prize?
“Watch, lest coming suddenly I find you sleeping.”
Coming events cast their shadows before, and the signs of the times tell us in unmistakable language that we stand where God’s chosen people, Israel, stood 3500 years ago. Where was that ? Israel stood at the very verge of entering the land of hope and promise, they stood at Canaan’s door. But did they enter? A lack of faith and works sent them back into the wilderness of sorrow and tribulation, and finally only a percentage of them entered the promised land.
Sober reflection on the thought, that we stand today where Israel stood, at the very gates of the Kingdom of God, will do us no harm, unless such thinking tends to discourage us. As we reflect on the sad plight both Israel and the virgins were in when the call came, what does it do for us ? If it causes us to examine ourselves, it serves the purpose intended, for Paul says these things were left on record as examples, that we should not fall short of our high calling in Christ Jesus.
If we, upon checking, find a Laodicean state has crept over us, if we find our first ardent love has left us, and we feel only lukewarm, don’t let us be discouraged, but let us heed the Spirit’s advice, and let us repent, get back into the service of our Lord wholeheartedly, and our attitude will soon change ; and that is just what our merciful, loving Heavenly Father wants us to do.
May we never forget that our God is a God of mercy and love. Over 200 times in the Old Testament alone He is referred to as a God of mercy. The love of our Heavenly Father is deeper than the deepest sea, higher than the highest sky. When we are overcome by weakness, and there is no man that sinneth not, let us not despair, but let us think of David, who was guilty of very grievous sins, and was torn by remorse and despair.
“If thou Lord shouldest mark iniquity, oh Lord, who shall stand, but there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared.”
Let us not be discouraged because we have failed, yea, failed often in the past. Let us take courage, get up and press on again as Paul tells us,
“Forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before. I press toward the mark of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 3:13- 14).
Let us labour together, helping each other, pressing on toward the mark, and let us remember that it may not be for much longer.
Let us remind ourselves that every brother and sister of Christ has been invited to become a part of the bride and attend the marriage supper of the Lamb. Let each one of us echo the words of John:
“Bethold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed on us, that we should be called the sons of God. Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be ; but we know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him ; for we shall see Him as he is” (I John 3:2-3) .
Oh, what a glorious prospect is ours! Beloved brethren and sisters, do we appreciate the fact, that you and I have within our very grasp, eternal life, glorious immortality ? Are we going to let it slip away from us, or, are we going to be lice David, who stumbled and fell, but got up again and pressed on, constantly praying to God for help to overcome?
He pressed onward, looking to the day of which he said (Psalm 17-15),
“As for me, I will behold His face in righteousness; I shall be satisfied when I awake with His likeness.”
We cannot as yet begin to realise what it will mean to be made like Christ. To never grow old and fear death: never to suffer from the aches and pains, and the cares and anxieties that now beset us. Rev. 21 says:
“God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes, and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain, for the former things are past away.”
The Origin of the Organic World – Part One