It was after Peter’s ingenuous and forthright confession, “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God,” that the Saviour said: “I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail it.” Consequently it was on the Rock of Peter’s confession and not on Peter himself as a person, as the Roman Catholic Church avers, that the Church was to be built.
On what a sure foundation the Church was to be built when the foundation was Christ. How strong and immovable! Built on a less suitable foundation the Church would be exposed to defeat from her enemies and to ultimate destruction. This is not so, however. Christ is the foundation and He is the Rock of Ages. It is upon Christ in all the glory of His Person and as the eternal Son of the everlasting Father, and in all the meritoriousness of His finished work, that the foundation of the Church was to be laid. If this glorious superstructure of the Church was to be built, then that Church must have an adequate foundation. And in the Scriptures we read that “other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.”
What a promise is given concerning the Church when it is said by the Saviour that the gates of hell shall not prevail against her! This means that all the powers of darkness united together against the Church will not succeed in destroying her. It was at the very time when the powers of darkness appeared to be enjoying their greatest success, that is, when the Saviour was hanging upon the tree of Calvary in the midst of His sufferings — it was then that the foundation of the Church was being securely laid.
This, however, does not mean that the forces of darkness have ceased their attack upon the Church. As long as the Church is in the world, she
will be exposed to the assaults of Satan and all his hosts. These attacks will be relentless and persistent. It is foolish to expect otherwise. The nature of the kingdom of darkness is not to change. It is true that for a season at the millenium Satan will be chained and not have the freedom he has at present, but we are not to assume that even then he will be totally inactive. Restraints will be placed on him for a time. Yet at last he will break out in all his accustomed venom and malignity in opposition to the Church of God and re-establish his kingdom for a short season before the end comes.
How glorious the Church will be, nevertheless, in her millennial glory! Then especially will she shine forth “fair as the moon, clear as the sun, and terrible as an army with banners.” And how glorious will she appear in that day when Christ shall present her before the Father. In view of this, let us not despair in this dark day when the enemies of the Church and of Zion’s King appear so formidable. Let us remember that the Church’s ultimate triumph is sure. Her King who goes before her on the white horse will lead her on to final victory over all her enemies.
Sermon
by Rev. J.A. MacDonald, Fort William
“And John calling unto him two of his disciples sent them to Jesus, saying, Art thou he that should come? or look we for another? . . . Then Jesus answering said unto them, Go your way, and tell John what things ye have seen and heard; how that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, to the poor the gospel is preached.” Luke 7, 19, 22.
In the part of the chapter read there are two fruitful fields in which the Church of God may glean in times of famine and distress. First, there is set before us the supernatural faith of the centurion when his servant, whom he so dearly loved was “ready to die”. We also see his gracious humility as he declares. “I am not worthy that thou shouldest enter under my roof.” This has been the language of the people of God in all ages, “unworthy”. “unworthy”.
There is, second, the incident at the city called Nain as men carried out what was mortal of the only son of a poor widowed mother. Christ
touchingly addressed her, saying: “Weep not.” He it is who can both heal and speak comfortably to His people.
“Those that are broken in their heart,
and grieved in their minds,
He healeth, and their painful wounds
he tenderly up-binds.”
Psalm 147:3
Indeed, all this is a fulfillment of another precious truth — “As one whom his mother comforteth, so will I comfort you.” Is. 66:13. Some have very few friends in the world, which causes them often to groan within themselves, as David did when he said:
“I like an owl in desert am,
that nightly there doth moan;
I watch, and like a sparrow am
on the house-top alone.”
Psalm 102:6
However they have a friend in the person of Jesus Christ — “a Friend that sticketh closer than a brother.” Prov. 18:24.
In considering verses 19-22 of this portion of God’s Word, there are two matters predominantly before us:
I John’s message to Jesus — “Art thou he that should come? or look we for another?”
II Jesus’ reply — “Go your way, and tell John what things ye have seen and heard; etc.”
I John’s message to Jesus
One could never visualise such a cloud of dark unbelief coming over the soul of one who once proclaimed on Divine Authority in the hearing of others: “Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.” Yet he was but a man. True faith is always tested in many kinds of furnaces. This was true in the case of Abraham before the promise of a son was realised. The late Rev. Neil MacIntyre, Edinburgh, often referred to unbelief, as a “cruel murderer”, and the late Rev. D. MacFarlane, Dingwall spoke of it as, “heart atheism”.
One cannot but admire the disciples obedience to their revered master, John and the sense of duty, and responsibility by which they were actuated. They did not suggest that others more qualified than they were should convey such an important message. Immediately they proceeded on their way. A good lesson for us to learn. God’s promise to Israel of old
was: “If ye be willing and obedient; ye shall eat the good of the land”
Isaiah 1:19.
Hypocrites, Pharisees, and worldlings were never troubled with unbelief. No, never. Both Judas and Demas never doubted, but that they themselves were on their way to Heaven; whereas they were on their way to the abyss of a lost eternity, where there is the darkness of unbelief and despair for ever and ever. In the Old Testament we find the Church of God fiercely assailed by unbelief; as she complained:—
Is’t true that to be gracious
the Lord forgotten hath?
And that his tender mercies he
hath shut up in his wrath?
Psalm 77:9
Blessed be the name of the Lord that this is not true, for He hath promised, “I will never, never leave thee nor forsake thee”. Again the prophet Isaiah says: “Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? Yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee” Isa. 49:15. Paul challenges or resists unbelief when he says “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?” Romans 8: 35-39.
It is as if John were instructing his disciples to ask Jesus, “Art thou He of whom angels declared: ‘Fear not; for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord'” Luke 2: 10, 11. Oh, may the Lord grant yourself the simple faith of godly Esther, when she cast herself wholly on the mercy of God in Christ. “If I perish, I perish”, she declared. The devil’s aim is to confirm all Adam’s race in unbelief, Atheism, and Romanism. In this he is reaping a rich harvest in our dark day. However, the Lord through and by the preached gospel is delivering poor sinners here and there as ‘brands from the fire’. John and his disciples, together with many others, both young and old were among those blessed by Christ for eternity. Yes, He is adding daily to the Church, such as should be saved. The Lord will have His own. O, may our souls be terrified at the thought of the death-bed of unbelievers.
Rev. M. Gillies, Stornoway, used to speak of Thomas’s squabbles with unbelief over which he could not get the upperhand. Christ came to his vindication, however. The other disciples expostulated with him by way of assuring him that they themselves had seen the risen Lord, but to no avail. Unbelief is “a murderer indeed.” At last he laid down his own
requirements before he would believe. “Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe.” John 20:25. As Christ showed him His hands and His side, unbelief got its death-blow, so that Thomas emerged from his doubting dungeon never to return there again. He now believes that Christ has risen from the grave: he now professes Christ publicly anew when he exclaims: “My Lord, and my God.”
“Oh, my dear disciples”, John says in effect, “go and ask Him, Art thou He who spoke so faithfully to the woman of Samaria at the well, which made her a new creature for evermore”? Are you here this morning assailed by unbelief, as to whether you came in by the door of the sheep, or “climbed up some other way”? Has Satan or unbelief ever suggested to you that it was the eloquence of the minister or missionary or elder, that moved you to a realised sense of your need of Christ? As a proof to the contrary, dear friends, that it was the hand of Zerubbabel, the alone Saviour of sinners, that laid the foundation stone, and began the good work in your soul; you, like John are keeping your head against the streams and the currents that meet you in this vale of tears. Job-like you say: “though He slay me yet will I trust in Him”.
II Jesus’s reply
“Go and tell John . . . (1) how that the blind see” All are spiritually blind by nature; but notice, “The Lord doth give the blind their sight . . .” The man on whom Jesus bestowed sight at Bethsaida did well in the kindness of the Lord. At first, he could see only “men as trees walking”, but now he is enabled to “see every man clearly”. Many of those once blind are now seeing and professedly declaring, “I know that my Redeemer liveth”. Others in the ways of the Lord, as they see His beauty and holiness, sing for joy:
“Thou fairer art than sons of men;
into thy lips is store
Of grace infused; God therefore thee
hath blessed for evermore.”
Psalm 45:2
The woman with the alabaster box saw His worthiness, excellency and beauty, so that she did not grudge her precious ointment to be poured upon His blessed head. Did she live to herself she would have sold her ointment for a handsome sum, but she broke the box on His head, washed His feet with her tears, showing her love and faithfulness to Him. Paul also saw well, notwithstanding his being blind for so many years.
The scales were removed from off his eyes so that with confidence he said: “I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.” II Tim. 1:12. I wish I were seeing as well as the Church was, you are saying, when she said: “My beloved is mine and I am His,” and added, “my beloved is white and ruddy, the chiefest among ten thousand”. However, my hope is that I shall be His in the day when He will make up His jewels. Tell John that “the blind see”; that is, that the Holy Spirit is efficaciously applying the eye salve, thus enabling the Church to believe the promise — “He will keep the feet of His saints; while the wicked shall be silent in darkness” I Sam 2:9. His dear ones, blind and all as they feel themselves to be, hope they can truthfully say, “One thing I know, whereas I was blind now I see.”
(2) “the lame walk”. Do not all God’s people feel lame: Yes, but this is the portrait we have of them in God’s Word, “They go from strength to strength, everyone of them in Sion appeareth before God”. This kind of lameness causes them to cry; “Lord, increase our faith,” — the little spark that is there, so that we might make Heaven of it. Remember, poor lame one, that he has promised “to carry the lambs in His bosom”, and you feel like one of those weak ones.
No one can adequately explain the joy that lame persons have when strength is restored again to their broken limbs and feeble knees. O, the joy of the man at the beautiful gate of the temple, upon discovering that he could now walk, when Peter took him by the hand. “And he, leaping up, stood and walked and entered with them into the temple, walking and leaping, and praising God”. Acts 3:8. Notice, dear friends, that it was not to the vanities and pleasures of the world he turned, but entered into the temple to prove the sincerity of his cure, and to show his appreciation of what the Lord had done for him.
Who was more lame than poor Mephibosheth on his crutches, yet he was at the King’s Table, as welcome as any guest there. Hold on, my lame friend, your faith shall stand all tests as sure as Abraham’s did. We knew many of His lame ones, who never got that little strength to profess His name publicly in the world. This was a very sore source of grief to them at the end. The candle, however, was lit in their souls, while it shone so dimly. Their lameness, together with the power of the evil one, prevented them from doing their duty. They are at the Table above, no doubt.
Again we have the case of Hobab who seemed very lame indeed, while Moses reasoned with him thus: “We are journeying unto the place of which the Lord said, I will give it you; come thou with us and we will do
thee good; for the Lord hath spoken good concerning Israel.” Numb. 10:29. It is obvious from the Truth that Hobab went with them in face of all opposition. Cast in your lot with the people of God as Ruth did though Orpah went back to Moab to worship her false gods. It was Ruth’s attachment to Naomi that caused her to say: “Entreat me not to leave thee, nor to return from following after thee; for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest I will lodge; thy people shall be my people and thy God my God” Ruth 1:10.
Remember, dear friends, that it is the lame that take the prey. O, what a sweet promise. “Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God”. The lame man at the pool of Bethesda many times endeavoured to enter the pool but in vain. He must have felt very lame indeed. Great must have been his amazement the day the Lord Jesus Christ visited the pool and commanded him: “Rise take up thy bed and walk.” Some are so lame that they are all “their lifetime subject to bondage”.
(3) “The lepers are cleansed.” Miracles have been performed, because there was no cure known for leprosy then, but, as Jeremiah said, ‘Is there anything too hard for the Lord?’ Oh, no, thanks be to His name. David was a poor leper in himself as he declared:
For a disease that loathsome is
so fills my loins with pain
That in my weak and weary flesh
no soundness doth remain.
Psalm 38:7
Who but the Holy Spirit could have suggested to the poor leper to make his case known to the Lord Jesus Christ. He reasoned with Him: “If thou wilt, thou canst make me clean”. “I will be thou clean”, replied Jesus. If not cleansed they must remain unclean forever, because nothing can enter into heaven that defileth, as it is written, “For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie” Rev. 22:5. None of us could have any hope of entering heaven apart from the efficacy that is in the blood that was poured out on Calvary’s Cross. We are told of those who have entered in; “They washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.”
I once attended a deathbed with Rev. James MacLeod, Greenock. He asked the dying man; “And what is your hope for eternity?” In reply he stated, “The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin”. Mr
MacLeod immediately replied, “That will do, my dear friend. Goodbye, I hope to meet you at God’s right hand.” How immaculately clean they shall appear on the great day of judgment when Christ will present His bride a glorious church, “not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.” She will be glorious beyond all description; fit to enter into heaven itself, to sing there that part of the song of the redeemed: “Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom and strength, and honour and glory, and blessing.” Rev. 5:12. Yes, the lepers are cleansed.
(4) “The deaf hear, and the dead are raised.” Good news for John in his low condition. Sin made us all deaf, but God can open our ears to listen to His gracious invitations, such as, “Come unto me all ye that labour, and are heavy laden and I will give you rest”. The woman of Samaria heard Him when he so solemnly reasoned with her regarding her past life. She desired that others should hear Him too, that their ears might be opened to the things that matter. She went and expostulated with the men in the city: “Come, see a man, that told me all things that ever I did”.
Zaccheus was among them, when he climbed into the sycamore tree where he heard this call; “Zaccheus, make haste, and come down; for today I must abide at thine house”. Deaf Saul of Tarshish on his way to Damascus heard His penetrating call: “Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me”, words which went with power to his heart, when the good work was begun in him. “My sheep hear my voice and I know them”. Many, by this time, were brought out of darkness and quickened to newness of life. Dead souls were raised in their thousands on the day of Pentecost, to be good soldiers of Jesus Christ, to hold up the banner of the Truth, to declare with David, as he had his feet firmly established upon the rock, “Come and hear, all ye that fear God, and I will declare what he hath done for my soul.” Ps 66:6.
(5) “To the poor the gospel is preached”. This seems to suggest that the Saviour acted as He did at the marriage at Cana of Galilee, keeping the good wine to the end, so to speak. The Gospel is the sweetest music or news you, yourself, ever heard, I believe. This is as if Jesus said to those disciples of John: ‘Here is the golden key to the dark dungeon in which my servant John is; read this to him, and his iron chains of unbelief shall be unloosed.’ O, what a tonic is the gospel to God’s people. John, by his comforting message, “that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, to the poor the gospel is preached”, was greatly lifted up in his soul; and doubtless determined in the strength of grace, to adhere more steadfastly than ever to the pure
doctrine of God’s Word, along with worship, discipline, and practice of the church of God.
Who, but the Lord, can raise up faithful ministers and people. A blessed day for Scotland, the day the Lord raised up Rev Donald MacFarlane and Rev Donald Macdonald, in 1893, in defence of the gospel, when the Declaratory Act Free Church abandoned the old path. Mr MacFarlane often stated that it was not for himself alone he made this stand, but especially in order that the generations following should have the unadulterated gospel intact in every pulpit, for the good of never-dying souls. We never had more need than now of adhering faithfully to that priceless legacy left us by them, ‘as we see the day darkening’. It is not without a reason that we are left the exhortation ” . . . Be ye faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life”. Rev. 2:10.
Oh, well did the blessed Physician know the kind of message which would gladden the heart of His faithful servant, and also blow away the thick mist of unbelief which was cleaving to his soul; ” . . . that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, to the poor the gospel is preached”. O, the message was sweet to him, as he drew nigh to his sojourn in prison, facing a cruel death. When assailed by unbelief you have often said: “If only I got another draught out of the well of Bethlehem, as I did at the first. I would be a happy person.” This is precisely Job’s condition: “Oh that I were as in months past, as in the days when God preserved me” Job 29:2. It is God’s prerogative to give or to withhold, therefore seek to acquiesce in His will having the church’s faith, “For this God is our God for ever and ever; he will be our guide even unto death”. Psalm 48:14.