Sovereign Grace Church

Wilt thou not revive us again: that thy people may rejoice in thee?

(PSALM 85:6)

[Beloved,] be filled with the Spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus. Only the full heart is in safety. You [may] remember the parable of the unprofitable servant. As no single illustration can set forth completely and adequately spiritual realities, the Lord, after comparing the kingdom of heaven to ten virgins going forth to meet the Bridegroom, compares His people to servants, whom the master entrusts with talents, and who have to give an account of their stewardship. Why was the unprofitable servant cast into outer darkness? What sin had he committed? Of what crime had he been guilty? The parable is written for our instruction and warning. It cannot benefit those who are on the other side of the grave, or outside the professing Church. It is we who must ask earnestly, Why was that servant cast out? And is not this the answer, Because he had not rejoiced in God? He thought in heart (whatever sound truth he may have confessed, and whatever loving, truthful, and joyous hymns he may have sung), he thought in his heart that the Lord was a hard man. He had sufficient religion to make him uneasy, and to keep him in bondage, but not sufficient to make him happy, joyous, strong; to make him enterprising and energetic. He did not know that God delighteth in giving, that He is rich in mercy, that He can make all grace to abound unto us, and make us fruitful unto every good work. He did not believe that the Lord renews our strength and works in us both to will and to do of His good pleasure. And in the spirit of unbelief and narrow, selfish fear, he hid his one talent in the napkin of formal worship and outward obedience, and then returned it to the Lord—but no longer the good and beautiful gift He had bestowed. Oh, Christians beloved, our blessed Lord is bountiful, generous, infinite in His goodness. His joy is that we should have a perpetual harvest: and as in Israel, the prophet Amos predicts, the days will come when the ploughman shall overtake the reaper, and the treader of grapes him that soweth seed, that harvest shall follow harvest, even so ours is to be constant rejoicing and bearing fruit; the Lord is our strength, and of Him is our fruit found. Be then in spirit always at the table of the Lord; rejoicing in Christ, starting with thanksgiving and the peace of God, work for Christ and in Christ, and thus the joy of the Lord will be your strength.

And if any one is listening to me who does not rejoice in Christ, the Savior, let me ask, Who but God can give peace and joy to the heart of man? What other voice but His can say, “Give Me thine heart”; “Come unto Me, and I will give thee rest”; “If any man thirst, let him come to Me and drink”? Is there any one else?

[Beloved] who in the whole universe [gives] what will satisfy your soul, now and forever? Think only that none can even understand your heart, that none can even fathom its depths and fully know your need and sorrow, your sin and fear; none but the Searcher of Hearts, God the Lord; still less can any but He heal and pardon, renew and bless; He only [gives] joy which will endure forevermore. Oh, that the Lord may revive us again, that we and many with and through us may rejoice in Him!