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244. Lame Sheep
And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed. Hebrews 12:13
WE sometimes meet with those who are fleet of foot and joyous of spirit. Would to God that all were so! But as they are not, the lame must be considered.
The road should be cleared for tottering steps.
Our desire is that the whole band may reach the journey's end in safety.
I. IN ALL FLOCKS THERE ARE LAME SHEER
1. Some are so from their very nature and birth.
- Ready to despond and doubt.
- Ready to disbelieve and fall into error.
- Ready to yield to temptation, and so to prove unstable.
- Unready and feeble in all practical duties.
2. Some have been ill-fed. This brings on a foot-rot and lameness.
- Many are taught false doctrine.
- Many more receive indefinite, hazy doctrine.
- Many others hear light, insubstantial, chaffy doctrine.
3. Some have been worried, and so driven to lameness.
- By Satan, with his insinuations and temptations.
- By persecutors, with their slander, taunting, ridicule, etc.
- By proud professors, unkindly pious, severely critical, etc.
- By a morbid conscience, seeing evil where there is none.
4. Some have grown weary through the roughness of the road.
- Exceeding much ignorance has enfeebled them.
- Exceeding much worldly trouble has depressed them.
- Exceeding much inward conflict has grieved them.
- Exceeding much controversy has worried them.
5. Some have gradually become weak.
- Backsliding by neglect of the means of grace.
- Backsliding through the evil influence of others.
- Backsliding through pride of heart and self-satisfaction.
- Backsliding through general coldness of heart.
6. Some have had a terrible fall.
- This has broken their bones so as to prevent progress.
- This has snapped the sinew of their usefulness.
- This has crippled them as to holy joy.
II. THE REST OF THE FLOCK MUST SEEK THEIR HEALING.
1. By seeking their company, and not leaving them to perish by the way through neglect, contempt, and despair.
2. By endeavoring to comfort them and to restore them. This can be done by the more experienced among us; and those who are unfit for such difficult work can try the next plan, which is so plainly mentioned in our text.
3. By making straight paths for our own feet.
- By unquestionable holiness of life.
- By plain gospel teaching in our own simple way.
- By manifest joy in the Lord.
- By avoiding all crooked customs which might perplex them.
- By thus showing them that Jesus is to us "the way, the truth, and the life." No path can be more straight than that of simple faith in Jesus.
III. THE SHEPHERD OF THE FLOCK CARES FOR SUCH.
1. Their fears: they conclude that he will leave them.
2. The reason: to do so would be by far the easier plan for him.
3. Their dread: if he did so, they must inevitably perish.
4. Their comfort: he has provided all the means of healing the lame.
5. Their hope: he is very gentle and tender, and wills not that any one of them should wander and perish.
6. Their confidence: healing will win him much honor and grateful affection; wherefore we conclude that he will keep them.
Let us be careful to cause no offense or injury to the weakest.
Let us endeavor to restore such as are out of the way, and comfort those who are sorely afflicted.
Sheep-Lore
Sheep are liable to many diseases, many of them are weak and feeble; these a good shepherd taketh pity of, and endeavors to heal and strengthen. So the saints of God are subject to manifold weaknesses, temptations, and afflictions, which moved the Almighty to great compassion, and sorely to rebuke the shepherds of Israel for their cruelty and great remissness towards his flock: "The diseased have ye not strengthened, neither have ye healed that which was sick," etc. And therefore he saith he would himself take the work into his own hands; "I will bind up that which was broken, and will strengthen that which was sick." etc. — Benjamin Keach
Many preachers in our days are like Heraclitus, who was called "the dark doctor." They affect sublime notions, obscure expressions, uncouth phrases, making plain truths difficult, and easy truths hard. "They darken counsel with words without knowledge" (Job 38:2). Studied expressions and high notions in a sermon, are like Asahel's carcass in the way, that did only stop men and make them gaze, but did no ways profit them or better them. It is better to present Truth in her native plainness than to hang her ears with counterfeit pearls. — Thomas Brooks
Now Mr. Feeble-mind, when they were going out at the door, made as if he intended to linger; the which, when Mr. Great-heart espied, he said, "Come, Mr. Feeble-mind, pray do you go along with us; I will be your conductor, and you shall fare as the rest."
Feeble-mind: "Alas! I want a suitable companion: you are all lusty and strong; but I, as you see, am weak: I choose, therefore, rather to come behind, lest, by reason of my many infirmities, I should be both a burden to myself and to you. I am, as I said, a man of a weak and feeble mind, and shall be offended and made weak at that which others can bear. I shall like no laughing: I shall like no gay attire: I shall like no unprofitable questions. Nay, I am so weak a man as to be offended with that which others have a liberty to do. I do not know all the truth: I am a very ignorant Christian man. Sometimes, if I hear any rejoice in the Lord, it troubles me because I cannot do so, too. It is with me as it is with a weak man among the strong, or as with a sick man among the healthy, or as 'a lamp despised,' so that I know not what to do. 'He that is ready to slip with his feet is as a lamp despised in the thought of him that is at ease' (Job 12:5)?"
"But, brother," said Mr. Great-heart, "I have it in commission to 'comfort the feeble-minded,' and 'to support the weak.' You must needs go along with us: we will wait for you; we will lend you our help; we will deny ourselves of some things, both opinionate and practical, for your sake; we will not enter into 'doubtful disputations' before you; we will be made all things' to you, rather than you shall be left behind." — John Bunyan
It should be between a strong saint and a weak as it is between two lute strings that are tuned one to another; no sooner one is struck but the other trembles; no sooner should a weak saint be struck, but the strong should tremble. "Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them" (Heb. 13:3). — Thomas Brooks
Charles Hadden Spurgeon
245. Hear! Hear!
See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall we not escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven. Hebrews 12:25
JESUS still speaks to us in the gospel. What a privilege to hear such a voice, with such a message! What cruel sin to refuse Jesus a hearing! Here is a most urgent exhortation to yield him reverent attention.
I. THERE IS NEED OF THIS EXHORTATION FROM MANY CONSIDERATIONS.
1. The excellence of the word. It claims obedient attention.
2. The readiness of Satan to prevent our receiving the divine word.
3. Our own indisposition to receive the holy, heavenly message.
4. We have rejected too long already. It is to be feared that we may continue to do so, but our right course is to hearken at once.
5. The word comes in love to our souls; let us therefore heed it, and render love for love.
II. THERE ARE MANY WAYS OF REFUSING HIM THAT SPEAKETH.
1. Not hearing. Absence from public worship, neglect of Bible reading. "Turn away from him."
2. Hearing listlessly, as if half asleep, and unconcerned.
3. Refusing to believe. Intellectually believing, but not with the heart.
4. Raising quibbles. Hunting up difficulties, favoring unbelief.
5. Being offended. Angry with the gospel, indignant at plain speech, opposing honest personal rebuke.
6. Perverting his words. Twisting and wresting Scripture.
7. Bidding him depart. Steeling the conscience, trifling with conviction, resorting to frivolous company for relief.
8. Reviling him. Denying his Deity, hating his gospel, and his holy way.
9. Persecuting him. Turning upon his people as a whole, or assailing them as individuals.
III. THERE ARE MANY CAUSES Of THIS REFUSING.
1. Stolid indifference, which causes a contempt of all good things.
2. Self-righteousness, which makes self an idol, and therefore rejects the living Savior.
3. Self-reliant wisdom, which is too proud to hear the voice of God.
4. Hatred of holiness, which prefers the willful to the obedient, the lustful to the pure, the selfish to the divine.
5. Fear of the world, which listens to threats, or bribes, or flatteries, and dares not act aright.
6. Procrastination, which cries "tomorrow," but means "never."
7. Despair and unbelief, which declare the gospel to be powerless to save, and unavailable as a consolation.
IV. REFUSING TO HEAR CHRIST, THE HIGHEST AUTHORITY IS DESPISED.
"Him that speaketh from heaven"
1. He is of heavenly nature, and reveals to us what he has known of God and heaven.
2. He came from heaven, armed with heavenly authority.
3. He speaks from heaven at this moment by his eternal Spirit in Holy Scripture, the ordinances and the preaching of the gospel.
4. He will speak from heaven at the judgment.
He is himself God, and therefore all that he saith hath divinity within it.
V. THE DOOM TO BE FEARED IF WE REFUSE CHRIST.
Those to whom Moses spake on earth, who refused him, escaped not.
1. Let us think of their doom, and learn that equally sure destruction will happen to all who refuse Christ.
- Pharaoh and the Egyptians.
- The murmurers dying in the wilderness.
- Korah, Dathan, and Abiram.
2. Let us see how some have perished in the church.
- Judas, Ananias and Sapphira, etc.
3. Let us see how others perish who remain in the world, and refuse to quit it for the fold of Christ.
- They shall not escape by Annihilation, nor by Purgatory, nor by Universal Restitutions.
- They shall not escape by infidelity, hardness of heart, cunning, or hypocrisy. They have refused the only way of escape, and therefore they must perish for ever.
Instead of refusing, listen, learn, obey.
Instead of the curse, you shall gain a blessing.
Warning Words
Our blessed Lord is represented as "now speaking from heaven" to
Christians generally; and even if we were, contrary to all just reason, to confine the reference to the persons to whom the Epistle was immediately written, he is said to speak to multitudes who never saw or heard him in the days of his flesh. This could be only by the agency of inspired men, whose commission to teach and command "in the name of Christ" was proved by miracles. Those miracles they attributed to him, as is plain from many passages in the Acts and the Epistles. Thus Christ stands in the very position of power, authority, and action, continually ascribed to Jehovah in the Old Testament, speaking by his prophets. "This,"' observes Michaelis, "is saying of Christ the greatest thing that can be said." — Dr. J. Pye Smith
We seem to have done with the Word as it has passed through our ears; but the Word, be it remembered, will never have done with us, till it has judged us at the last day. — Judge Hale
A nobleman, skilled in music, who had often observed the Hon. Rev. Mr. Cadogan's inattention to his performance, said to him one day, "Come, I am determined to make you feel the force of music; pay particular attention to this piece." It was accordingly played. "Well, what do you say now?" "Why, just what I said before." "What! can you hear this and not be charmed? Well, I am quite surprised at your insensibility. Where are your ears?" "Bear with me, my lord," replied Mr. Cadogan, "since I, too, have had my surprise. I have often, from the pulpit, set before you the most striking and affecting truths; I have sounded notes that might have raised the dead; I have said, 'Surely he will feel now,' but you never seemed to be charmed with my music, though infinitely more interesting than yours. I, too, have been ready to say, with astonishment, 'where are his ears?'"
One of the modern thinkers had been upholding the doctrine of universal salvation at a certain house with much zeal. A child who had listened to his pestilent talk was heard to say to his companion, "We can now steal, and lie, and do wicked things, for there is no hell when we die." If such preachers gain much power in this country we shall not need to raise the question of a hell hereafter, for we shall have one here. — C. H. S.
Charles Hadden Spurgeon
246. Never, No Never, No Never
He hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. Hebrews 13:5
HERE is a divine word, directly from God's own mouth: "For himself hath said." (See Revised Version.)
Here is a promise which has been frequently made: "He hath said." This promise occurs again and again.
Here are some of the fat things full of marrow. The sentence is as full of meaning as it is free from verbiage.
Here is the essence of meat, the quintessence of medicine.
May the Holy Spirit show us the treasure hid in this matchless sentence!
I. VIEW THE WORDS AS A QUOTATION.
The Holy Spirit led Paul to quote from the Scriptures, though he could have spoken fresh words.
Thus, he put honor on the Old Testament.
Thus, he taught that words spoken to ancient saints belong to us.
Our apostle quotes the sense, not the exact words, and thus he teaches us that the spirit of a text is the main thing.
We find the words which Paul has quoted.
- In Genesis 28:15,"I will not leave thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of." Spoken to Jacob when quitting home, and thus to young saints setting out in life.
- In Deuteronomy 31:8,"He will be with thee, he will not fail thee, neither forsake thee." To Joshua, and so to those who have lost a leader, and are about to take the lead themselves, and to enter upon great wars and rightings, in which courage will be tried.
- In 1 Chronicles 28:20, "He will not fail thee, nor forsake thee, until thou hast finished all the work." To Solomon, and thus to those who have a weighty charge upon them, requiring much wisdom. We build a spiritual temple.
- In Isaiah 41:10,"Fear thou not; for I am with thee." To Israel, and so to the Lord's tried and afflicted people.
II. VIEW THEM AS A HOUSEHOLD WORD FROM GOD.
1. They are peculiarly a saying of God: "He hath said." This has been said, not so much by inspiration as by God himself.
2. They are remarkably forcible from having five negatives in them in the Greek.
3. They relate to God himself and his people. "I"..."thee."
4. They ensure his presence and his help. He would not be with us, and be inactive.
5. They guarantee the greatest good. God with us means all good.
6. They avert a dreadful evil which we deserve and might justly fear; namely, to be deserted of God.
7. They are such as he only could utter and make true. Nobody else can be with us effectually in agony, in death, in judgment.
8. They provide for all troubles, losses, desertions, weaknesses, difficulties, places, seasons, dangers, etc., in time and eternity.
9. They are substantiated by the divine love, immutability, and faithfulness.
10.They are further confirmed by our observation of the divine proceeding to others and to ourselves.
III. VIEW THEM AS A MOTIVE FOR CONTENTMENT.
"Let your conversation be without covetousness, and be content with such things as ye have." These most gracious words:
- Lead us to live above visible things when we have stores in hand.
- Lead us to present satisfaction however low our stores may be.
- Lead us to see provision for all future emergencies.
- Lead us into a security more satisfactory, sure, ennobling, and divine, than all the wealth of the Indies could bestow.
- Lead us to reckon discontent a kind of blasphemy of God.
Since God is always with us, what can we want besides?
IV. VIEW THEM AS A REASON FOR COURAGE. "So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me."
1. Our Helper is greater than our foes. "Jehovah is my helper."
2. Our foes are entirely in his hand. "I will not fear what man shall do."
3. If permitted to afflict us, God will sustain us under their malice.
What a blessed deliverance from fretting and from fearing have we in these few words!
Let us not be slow to follow the line of things which the Spirit evidently points out to us.
Notes on "Nots"
Lord, the apostle dissuadeth the Hebrews from covetousness with this argument, because God said, "I will not leave thee, nor forsake thee." Yet I find not that God ever gave this promise to all the Jews; but he spake it only to Joshua, when first made commander against the Canaanites, yet this (without violence to the analogy of faith) the apostle applieth to all good men in general. Is it so, that we are heirs apparent to all promises made to thy servants in Scripture? Are the charters of grace granted to them good to me also? Then will I say with Jacob, "I have enough." But because I cannot entitle myself to thy promises to them except I imitate their piety to thee, grant I may take as much care in following the one as comfort in the other. — Thomas Fuller
Our friend, Dr. William Graham of Bonn, has lately departed this life, and we are told that on his death bed one said to him, "He hath said, 'I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee,'" to which the good man replied, with his dying breath, "Not a doubt of it! Not a doubt of it!" — C. H. S., in the Sword and the Trowel, 1884
It is right to be contented with what we have, never with what we are. — Mackintosh
I have read, says Brooks, of a company of poor Christians who were banished into some remote part; one standing by, seeing them pass along, said that it was a very sad condition these poor people were in, to be thus hurried from the society of men, and made companions with the beasts of the field. "True;" said another, "it were a sad condition indeed if they were carried to a place where they should not find their God. But let them be of good cheer, God goes along with them, and will exhibit the comforts of his presence whithersoever they go."
A heathen sage said to one of his friends, "Do not complain of thy misfortunes, as long as Caesar is thy friend? What shall we say to those whom the Prince of the kings of the earth calls his sons and his brethren? "I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee" Ought not these words to cast all fear and care forever to the ground? He who possesses him, to whom all things belong, possesseth all things. — F. W. Krummacher
The soul that on Jesus has leaned for repose
I will not, I will not desert to his foes;
That soul though all hell should endeavor to shake,
I'll never, no never, no never forsake.
— George Keith
Charles Hadden Spurgeon
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Andrew Murray