Street Meeting Fifteenth
It has pleased the Almighty of late to visit our little flock with a season of sore trial. The adversary has been permitted to cast a heavy shadow over us, and many among our number find themselves bowed down by sickness. Furthermore, we find a spirit of laziness among the youth of our teen class, as the world and its guile seek to draw away their hearts. One dear soul hath been pulled away by her mother to hear Mass, wandering from what she has learned from the Gospel. Yet, this past Lord’s Day, even after the children’s assembly, two young teens stood as a testament to His grace. One hath walked with us these four years, enduring many sore trials and tempests within his own house; yet, he speaks with a wisdom and a graciousness that can only be wrought by God's divine hand. With him is a younger lad, who stoutly declares his desire to remain apart from joining his mother’s church, professing that he finds no bread for his soul there. Truly, the Lord knows how to gather His own, even when the shadows of laziness and worldly tradition press hard against them.
Yet, in His mercy, the Lord has opened our eyes to see His sovereign hand in these trials. Being thus awakened to our own frailty, we are driven to cast ourselves more fully upon His sufficient grace. Whether we go about our daily earthly business or labor in the great vineyard of the Kingdom, we find ourselves leaning with fresh vigor upon our blessed Redeemer.
It is well to be earnest in our study, for this week the Lord hath set before us a most glorious portion of Scripture: the eleventh chapter of the Gospel according to St. John. While our minds are naturally drawn to the wonder of Lazarus being called forth from the tomb, we must look higher still. The true marrow of this story is found in the blessed declaration of our Savior, who proclaims Himself to be the Resurrection and the Life (John 11:25).
It is a balm to the soul to observe how the Lord’s fold is gathered from every manner of heart. We see the two sisters—the one perhaps more fervent in spirit, the other more diligent in service—differing in their temperaments, their measures of grace, and display of faith. Yet, how tenderly the Scripture records that Jesus loved them (John 11:5). When they came to Him with their heavy grievances, we find no harsh rebuke upon His lips, but only the gentle breath of assurance and holy comfort. Let the believer take heart: whom the Lord once sets His affection upon, He loves even unto the end. No infirmity of our natural temper can turn away the steadfast love of our Redeemer.
How often do we approach the Throne of Grace with our own designs, dictating to the Almighty the very path He must tread? Yet, observe the sisters of Bethany. They did not presume to command the Master, nor did they cry out, "Lord, heal him!" Nay, they sent but a humble plea, a simple breath of faith: “Lord, behold, he whom Thou lovest is sick.” (John 11:3)
When the tidings reached Mary that the Master had come and called for her, she did not linger to nurse her sorrows, nor did she cry out as our own unbelieving hearts so often do, “To what purpose? Our brother is already in the grave! What more can the Lord do?” Nay, she made no such reaction. With a heart of simple devotion, she rose up quickly and ran to Christ. Though she knew not His intent, nor the mystery of His delay, she simply ran to Him because it was He who called. Even so, dear friends, should we conduct ourselves. In every trial, in every shadow, let us run to Him. Let us not fly to His feet merely to demand an answer for our wants or a remedy for our earthly woes, but let us run simply to be with Him, resting in the blessed assurance that He careth for us (1 Peter 5:7) with a love that passeth understanding. He is able. (Ephesians 3:19-20)
We must learn, that the Lord does not answer our petitions merely to satisfy our earthly ease, but for the exaltation of His own Holy Name. Had He answered the sisters’ cry at the first hour, they should have missed that marvelous display of Divine Power which brings even the dead to life. Likewise, had He hearkened to the fearful reasonings of the disciples and stayed His hand, their trembling faith would never have been prepared for the glory of His own Resurrection morning. Let us, therefore, learn to trust His timing, knowing that His silence is our prelude to a song of praise to His name.
It behooved the blessed Master to manifest His dominion over the grave but a short season before His own passion, that all might behold and understand then the fullness of His power. Even the iron gates of death cannot withhold a soul when the Lord calls it home to Himself! Yet, how clearly is our own unbelief mirrored in the cries of the sisters, Mary and Martha: “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you.” (John 11:21-22)
They looked only to the dust, “Lord, by this time there will be an odor, for he has been dead four days,” but our Lord points us to the Heavens, “..believe. And you would see the glory of God.” He has shown us that the believer need not wait till after death to know the joys of eternity; rather, we lay hold of that Life the very moment the Holy Spirit breathes upon us and makes us new creatures in Christ. Jesus is the Life. And truly, what higher glory could any poor sinner seek than this: that the Triune God should descend to make our person His own dwelling place (Ephesians 2:22, Colossians 1:27)? Our eyes are cast upward, stayed only upon the Lord; for though His secret purposes are veiled from our sight, yet we rest in the assurance that He shall do all things well. It is enough for the trusting heart to know that the Judge of all the earth will ever do rightly.
Just as in the creation, the Triune God moves as one in the wondrous regeneration of the new creature. Even as Adam lay a cold and breathless corpse of the dust until the Almighty breathed into him the spirit of life, so too doth the natural man lie spiritually dead in his trespasses, until God vouchsafes to breathe upon him the very Spirit of Christ. Indeed, every soul among the redeemed hath experienced this very miracle—being raised from the dead. Yet, alas, it is mostly perceived as no more than belonging to a creedal church or doing deeds of virtue; for the truth remains bound, choked up, within the confines of the mind, never descending into the depths of the heart. Many have failed to grasp the very heart of redemption, and thus we commit the grave error of viewing God merely as a means to an end, rather than the glorious End itself.
In this present age, we behold many a Lazarus who, though called forth from the tomb, still clings tightly to the very napkins that bound him in his death. How many souls do we see delivered from their iron fetters, yet who grasp those same chains as though they were a precious treasure? “Loose him, and let him go!” was the sovereign command of our blessed Lord; He did not say, “Let him keep his grave-clothes as a memento of the pit,” yet that is precisely what so many persist in doing. They stand at the threshold of liberty, but they cannot walk in the light of the sun, for they stubbornly refuse to exit the cage that the Master hath already set wide before them. They prefer the familiar scent of the sepulcher to the sweet air of Kingdom life.
Not only hath Christ triumphed over the great adversary, but He hath also, in His boundless mercy, extended the golden Scepter of righteousness who is Christ, towards us. By His finished work on the cross the gates of heaven have swung wide open, and we are bidden to enter His holy courts, our spirits quickened by His Spirit to offer up songs of rejoicing that rise like a sweet-smelling savor unto the throne of God. He hath faithfully fulfilled the everlasting covenant, breaking down the wall of partition and drawing us into a union most divine, most sacred. Yea, we are joined into the family of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, called into that exclusive intimacy where the soul finds its eternal rest in the bosom of the Triune God.
In the public proclamation of Christ, it is no strange thing to meet with the sneers of the scorner, the cold condescension of the proud, and the hollow laughter of the fool. Such has ever been the lot of the Gospel messenger when the Truth strikes like flint against the stony heart of the dead. It is a great honor to share in the humiliation of Christ, yet, how often is the weary soul refreshed by the kind encouragements of strangers, who, beholding such labor among the people, speak forth praise to the glory of God. Such is this mother, who gave no small kindness through her words after my pleading. The LORD bless her and her precious seed.
Though the multitude may lift their foreheads in silent defiance against the Truth, we must remember that the Holy Spirit works quietly in the hearts present, quickening those to whom the Father hath given ears to hear. The servant is not greater than his Master, who Himself endured the mockings and the railings of the wicked. Though the world may cast its disdain upon the simple preaching of the cross, we know that what is foolishness to the perishing is the very power of God unto those who are being saved (1 Corinthians 1:18). To God alone do we commend our humble service; for He is the righteous Judge of all, and He is the One mighty to save. What, then, is man, that we should mind his railings? We look only to Him who is the Author and Finisher of our faith. Glory to God. Our fifteenth street meeting is thus concluded.
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