Street Meeting Twenty Ninth

It is no small burden unto me to expound on the text appointed for the day before the gathered saints, and then, having done so, to proclaim those same truths once more unto those who are without. Though the message itself remains unchanged, the reception thereof is seldom the same. The Word which comforts and nourishes the believer often confronts and condemns the unbeliever. Yet such is the privilege and duty of handling the Word of God: its treasures are not diminished by repeated telling, nor exhausted by repeated hearing.

For the people at the park, it is always necessary to bring the passage to bear upon the conscience in an evangelistic manner. The aim is not to leave the hearer comfortable in his separation from God, nor to furnish him with excuses by which he may justify his present condition. Rather, the truth must be pressed home in such a way that he is compelled to examine himself, question the foundation of his faith, and consider whether he truly standeth reconciled unto God. If the Lord should be pleased to use the Word to awaken such thoughts, then perhaps the hearer may be stirred to seek the truth and, in seeking, be found by Christ.

Our study follows a chronological harmony of the Gospel accounts. We do not select passages according to what we think men ought to hear, nor do we pass over those portions that may seem less convenient or immediately practical. Rather, our desire is to follow the inspired record as it unfoldeth, that we might present the whole counsel concerning the life, ministry, death, and resurrection of our Lord. In this way, we seek not to omit any part of the Gospel witness, but to set forth Christ in the fullness with which the Spirit hath revealed Him.

The passage before us concerned the poor widow (Mark 12:41-44)who cast into the treasury of the Lord her two lepta, all that she possessed for her living. Yet we must not think of her poverty merely as modest means or limited resources. The word employed by the Spirit is far weightier than that. The term ptōchos describes one who is utterly destitute, reduced to complete dependence upon the charity of others for survival. It portrays not simply a poor woman, but one brought low, crouching in need, possessing nothing upon which she might confidently rely. And yet it was from this condition of absolute want that she gave. Others contributed from abundance, but she out of her necessity. They parted with what they could spare; she entrusted unto God what she could not afford to lose. Thus her offering was measured not by its earthly value, but by the faith from which it proceeded.

After the gathering, I was strongly urged to seek rest, having slept but two hours the night before. The counsel was wise, and my body certainly felt the need of it. Yet I found myself sensing a greater need still. More than rest, I needed light from God.

Whenever the hour approaches to proclaim the Word in public, I find myself in much the same condition as the poor widow of whom I had spoken. I am destitute. I possess nothing of my own with which to feed souls. Therefore I dare not neglect to kneel before the throne of grace in utter dependence upon God, beseeching Him to provide bread for the people. For He alone knoweth the hearts of those who shall hear. I know not what burdens they carry, what sins trouble their conscience, what afflictions weigh upon their spirit, nor what secret providences have brought them to that particular place and hour. The hearers stand before me, yet their inward condition remaineth hidden from my sight. But all things lie open before God.

Two Mormon missionaries refused to engage, and pretended not to hear.

Thus my confidence can never rest in preparation alone, nor in experience, nor in the ability to speak. The Word must be given life by the Spirit who first inspired it. And so I find myself returning again and again to the same posture of dependence, asking that the Lord Himself would take His own Word and minister it unto each soul according to their need. For the preacher may know the message, but only God knoweth the hearer.

For several weeks it had seemed fitting that I should expound the same text in both settings. Yet while in prayer my thoughts were drawn instead unto the fifty-third chapter of Isaiah. I considered the text, I could not help but think what a glorious passage it was for setting forth the beauty of the promised Savior before the people! Yet I found myself asking, how am I to unfold such riches with no preparation whatsoever? Nevertheless, God is free to direct the course of the waters wherever He pleaseth, and it appeared good unto the Spirit that they should flow in this direction.

As I made my way toward the place of proclamation, I found myself considering how I ought to approach so weighty a passage knowing nothing of what to say. Yet this was not the first occasion upon which the Lord had made His will known at what seemed the last minute. Time and again He hath been pleased to reveal the path only when the moment arrived to walk upon it. And never once hath He failed to provide what was needed for this poor and needy servant who asketh (Psalm 86:1).

Thus, rather than anxiety, there was peace. Rather than uncertainty, there was confidence. I traveled with a quiet assurance that the Lord who had directed me to the text would also supply understanding from it. The grace received far exceeds the greatness of the need. The Word of God hath never given me cause to doubt Him, but always fresh reason to trust Him more. And so I went forward persuaded that whatever bread was needed for that hour would be found in the storehouse of His Word.

And indeed, the hour passed with remarkable swiftness. The words seemed to flow forth without strain, leaving me little time even to consider what should come next. Though utterly helpless in myself, I found the Lord faithful to His promise, supplying a fire within my bones, and a strength not mine own, so that I was borne along by the Spirit rather than by my own ability. Such is often the case when the mind is occupied not with itself, but with the excellencies of Christ.

The unassuming appearance of the promised Messiah, the agony and humiliation of His passion, the Father's pleasure in bruising Him for the redemption of His people, and the healing purchased through His wounds—these themes are so full of glory that they cannot easily be exhausted. One scarcely begins to draw from their depths before the hour is spent. The more one gazes upon Isaiah's portrait of the suffering Servant, the more one perceives that there is no bottom to the well. Every truth leadeth unto another, every facet revealeth a greater beauty, and every meditation upon His humiliation magnifies the splendor of His love. An hour is not sufficient to contain such things, for the majesty of Christ exceeds both the capacity of the speaker and the attention of the hearer. I may leave the passage, but I can  never infinitely exhaust its riches.

Unknown to us, a certain man was already seated at our usual place when we arrived. Our conversation began simply enough as we inquired about the dog that accompanied him. I made some casual remarks in hopes of opening the door to a Gospel conversation. His name is Sotero. Shortly thereafter, he introduced his wife, Lyka, who had just returned from purchasing treats for the two of them. As we spoke further, we learned that they lived upon the streets and frequently spent their weekends in the park. More surprising still, they confessed that they frequently listened to our public proclamation from afar, and that they found themselves in agreement with the message they had heard. The woman further shared that she had received a Bible from us some weeks earlier and had a sincere desire to learn more of its teachings.

What followed greatly encouraged me. As our conversation turned toward spiritual matters, it became evident that she had given careful attention to the Scriptures. She recounted several encounters with the Watchtower adherents who also frequent the park seeking converts. Yet she plainly rejected their teaching, affirming instead that there are three Persons in the one true God, and denying their claim that Christ is merely a created being.

I confess that I was struck by the clarity with which she spoke. It is not often that one hears such a concise articulation of so profound a truth, much less from a woman living upon the streets and possessing little formal education. Yet it served as a fresh reminder that the Word of God is itself a teacher. The Scriptures have a way of instructing the humble, granting wisdom unto those who diligently receive them. Truth is not the exclusive possession of the educated, but the inheritance of all who sit at the feet of God's Word and hear what He hath spoken.

Such encounters are not uncommon. Time and again I have been reminded that, though few may appear to be listening, there are often ears attentive beyond the reach of my sight. The absence of visible hearers doth not mean the absence of hearers altogether. Indeed, I have come to believe that the person unto whom the Spirit is most particularly ministering is often not the one standing before me, but someone unseen—a passerby lingering at a distance, a vendor occupied with his work with his ear towards me, or a soul hidden somewhere beyond my notice. The preacher seeth only what is before his eyes, but the Lord directs His Word unto whomsoever He pleaseth.

For this reason I raise my voice as far as strength will permit, trusting God to carry His Word where I cannot. The message leaves my lips, but its destination remains in His hands. And He is well able to deliver it unto those whom He hath given ears to hear on that day.

As we made our way home, it occurred to me that the Lord had directed the message unto Isaiah for a reason. What had seemed at first an unexpected change of course now appeared to be a providential provision for the two souls with whom we had spoken. They had already come to recognize certain errors and knew, at least in part, what teachings ought to be avoided. Yet it is not enough merely to be turned away from falsehood. The soul must also be directed unto the truth. It is one thing to be delivered from error; it is another to behold the Savior.

For this reason, the fifty-third chapter of Isaiah seemed especially fitting. To expose deception is but half the labor. The greater and necessary work is to set Christ before the eyes of the seeker. Men may be pried loose from false religion, yet remain lost unless they are brought unto Him who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Therefore a man is not saved simply because he hath forsaken what is false, but because he hath been brought unto Him who is the Truth. The completion of the work lieth not merely in turning men away from what is false, but in directing them unto the One in whom alone is found life everlasting.

There was also a young woman who remained seated throughout the entirety of the message. We later learned that she belonged to the Iglesia ni Cristo sect. She politely declined the tract that was offered to her at the beginning. Yet she continued listening, remaining through the whole proclamation. When the message had concluded, something had changed. This time she pleasantly received not only a tract, but also a Bible. Such moments may appear small in themselves, yet one cannot help but wonder what work the Lord may already be accomplishing beneath the surface.

Whether the seed falls upon hard ground, stony ground, or good soil is known unto God alone. Our part is but to sow. Yet it is my earnest prayer that the Spirit of God would be pleased to quicken the Word within her heart, granting understanding where there is confusion, light where there is darkness, and faith where there is unbelief.