by CBTS | Aug 13, 2024 | Church History
*Editors Note: The following excerpt is from St. Augustine’s work “Confessions.” (Book 8, Chapter 12).
Augustine’s Conversion
So soon therefore as a deep consideration even from the secret bottom of my soul, had drawn together and laid all my misery upon one heap before the eyes of my heart; there rose up a mighty storm, bringing as mighty a shower of tears with it; which that I might pour forth with such expressions as suited best with them, I rose from Alypius: for I conceived that solitariness was more fit for a business of weeping. So far off then I went, as that even his presence might not be troublesome unto me. Thus disposed was I at that time, and he perceived of it; something I believe I had said before, which discovered the sound of my voice to be big with weeping, and in that case I rose from him. He thereupon stayed alone where we sat together, most extremely astonished. I flung down myself I know not how, under a certain fig tree, giving all liberty to my tears: whereupon the floods of mine eyes gushed out, an acceptable sacrifice to thee, O Lord. And though not perchance in these very words, yet much to this purpose said I unto thee: And thou, O Lord, how long, how long, Lord, wilt thou be angry,* for ever? Remember not our former iniquities: (for I found myself to be still enthralled by them). Yea, I sent up these miserable exclamations, How long? how long still “to-morrow,” and “to-morrow”? Why not now? Wherefore even this very hour is there not an end put to my uncleanness?
Thus much I uttered, weeping, in the most bitter contrition of my heart: whenas behold I heard a voice from some neighbour’s house, as it had been of a boy or girl, I know not whether, in a singing tune saying, and often repeating: Take up and read, Take up and read. Instantly changing my countenance thereupon, I began very heedfully to bethink myself, whether children were wont in any kind of playing to sing any such words: nor could I remember myself ever to have heard the like Whereupon refraining the violent torrent of my tears, up I gat me; interpreting it no other way, but that I was from God himself commanded to open the book, and to read that chapter which I should first light upon. For I had heard of Anthony, that by hearing of the Gospel which he once chanced to come in upon, he took himself to be admonished, as if what was read, had purposely been spoken unto him: Go, and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven, and come and follow me: and by such a miracle that he was presently converted unto thee. Hastily therefore went I again to that place where Alypius was sitting; for there had I laid the Apostle’s book whenas I rose from thence. I snatched it up, I opened it, and in silence I read that chapter which I had first cast mine eyes upon: Not in rioting and drunkenness,* not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying: but put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ; and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof. No further would I read; nor needed I. For instantly even with the end of this sentence, by a light as it were of confidence now darted into my heart, all the darkness of doubting vanished away.
Shutting up the book thereupon, and putting my finger between, or I know not what other mark, with a well-quieted countenance I discovered all this unto Alypius. And he again in this manner revealed unto me what also was wrought in his heart, which I verily knew nothing of. He requested to see what I had read: I shewed him the place; and he looked further than I had read, nor knew I what followed. This followed: Him that is weak in faith, receive: which he applied to himself, and shewed it to me. And by this admonition was he strengthened, and unto that good resolution and purpose (which was most agreeable to his disposition, wherein he did always very far differ from me, to the better) without all turbulent delaying did he now apply himself. From thence went we into the house unto my mother: we discover ourselves, she rejoices for it; we declare in order how everything was done; she leaps for joy, and triumpheth, and blessed thee, who art able to do above that which we ask or think; for that she perceived thee to have given her so much more concerning me, than she was wont to beg by her pitiful and most doleful groanings. For so thou convertedst me unto thyself, as that I sought now no more after a wife, nor any other hopes in this world: standing thus upon the same rule of faith, in which thou hadst shewed me unto her in a vision, so many years before. Thus didst thou convert her mourning into rejoicing, and that much more plentifully than she had desired, and with a much dearer and a chaster joy, than she erst required from any grandchildren of my body.
Augustine of Hippo, St. Augustine’s Confessions, vol.1, ed. T. E. Page and W. H. D. Rouse, trans. William Watts, The Loeb Classical Library (London; New York: William Heinemann; The Macmillan Co., 1912), 463–467.
by Brandon Rhea | Aug 12, 2024 | Apologetics, Evangelism, Practical Theology
With the advent of Bible apps for smartphones and waterproof Bibles for the foul elements, memorizing scripture does not seem to be a necessity for the open-air preacher. With fingertip availability of the Bible, open-air preachers may fall into the trap of thinking that knowing where the verse is in the Bible is just as satisfactory as memorizing it. While we can justify ignoring Scripture memorization for the sake of the efficient use of time, we must admit that this is an excuse. For many of us we do not memorize out of laziness and a lack of commitment. We do not believe in the power of the memorized Word of God to sanctify us and improve our preaching to the glory of God.
In this post, I will list eight reasons why open-air preachers should memorize verses from the Bible. May our Lord stir up your conscience to show your need to practice this spiritual discipline.
1. Scripture memorization allows you to preach with conviction.
Memorization requires a man to move to meditation. When an open-air preacher has turned over in his mind and heart a verse, then God will use him to preach this passage with power and authority. The Holy Spirit has warmed the preacher’s heart to the text. When he goes to stand on the street corner, he does not spend time repeatedly shuffling the Biblical pages in his hand. Instead, the memorized passage flows out him like the liquid in a shaken soda can after it has been opened.
By memorizing Isaiah 43:25, “I, I am he who blots out your transgressions for my own sake, and I will not remember your sins,” a preacher can urgently proclaim the gospel to the souls who walk past him.
2. Scripture memorization allows the Holy Spirit to bring an appropriate text to mind.
Luke 12:11-12 teaches this truth. “And when they bring you before the synagogues and the rulers and the authorities, do not be anxious about how you should defend yourself or what you should say, for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say.”
Christ promised that the Holy Spirit will bring God’s truth to us. Through Scripture memorization, the Holy Spirit can recall passages that will be an appropriate response to our audience. On one occasion, the Holy Spirit reminded me that everyone will have to bow the knee to Christ after a mocker walked past me. By God’s grace, I immediately quoted Philippians 2:10-11 within the earshot of the mocker. “…so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” It warned the mocker that he will give Jesus Christ the submission that He deserves either before or after the grave.
3. Scripture memorization allows you to answer the fool.
The Bible teaches us to be wise on how we respond to the fool. Proverbs 26:4 tells us to “Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest you be like him yourself.” The next verse tells us to do the opposite, “Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own eyes.” God is teaching us that the situation does govern our response. We must be wise in discerning when we should be quiet since it is a wasted effort (Prov. 23:9), or when we need to rebuke him to reveal his foolishness to others. For example, Psalm 14:1 is an excellent verse to use for someone who shouts out, “There is no God!” For God says, “The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.”
Brethren, in the heat of the moment, we do not have time to tell the man to stop so that you can look up an appropriate verse. This is why we must saturate our minds with the Word, so that we can determine the proper response and apply the sword of God’s Word swiftly.
4. Scripture memorization allows you to make a defense of the gospel.
Peter reminds us in 1 Peter 3:15 to “always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect…” Even though we can open our Bibles to the relevant texts, we should over-prepare by having gospel verses memorized. Our gospel conversations should not be significantly hindered depending upon whether we have access to a Bible. As ambassadors of Jesus Christ, we must memorize passages that explain God’s character, man’s judgment, Christ’s redemption, and the command to repent and believe. Please take the time to memorize one or two verses for each point, so that you are prepared to cite the verse.
5. Scripture memorization allows you to encourage other open-air preachers.
When a group of men gather to labor in the fields for the harvest, there usually is one brother who is discouraged. He may be disappointed with the lack of fruit in his ministry. Or he is battling the fear of man and does not have much courage to preach boldly on that day. By having key texts in our heart, we can encourage our brother.
For the one who wonders if it is worth it to preach, then quote Hebrews 4:12, “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”
If a brother is battling fear, then tell him of Paul’s prayer request for boldness. Ephesians 6:19-20, “and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak.” Memorization equips us to love our brother by imitating Barnabas.
6. Scripture memorization allows you to guard your heart from sinning.
When we enter spiritual warfare on the streets, Satan will bring many temptations in order to neutralize our effectiveness. David teaches us the positive results of remembering Bible verses. Psalm 119:11 states, “I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.” God sanctifies us through learning His Word. His powerful sword slays the unrepentant sinner, but it grows the regenerate believer in holiness. David did not say that he would have scrolls of the Old Testament near him at all times. Instead, he dedicated himself to storing up the Bible for times of temptation.
When pleading with sinners, open-air preachers must be on guard. If you are prone to anger, then memorize Proverbs 19:11, “Good sense makes one slow to anger, and it is his glory to overlook an offense.” If you are quick to answer a harsh jab with an angry right hook, then learn Proverbs 15:1, “A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.” If you are tempted with lust, then remember Matthew 5:28, “But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” The best way to prepare for Satan’s attack is to have God’s Word hidden in your heart.
7. Scripture memorization allows you to be prepared for persecution.
Paul warned the Philippians that they need to be prepared to suffer. Philippians 1:29-30 says, “For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake, engaged in the same conflict that you saw I had and now hear that I still have.”
Open-air preachers are on the front lines ministering to a secular culture. This society hates God and will only defend free speech with which they approve. Therefore, brethren, we will be the first ones thrown into jail for preaching the truth. Memorize the Word now so that you will have it with you in jail. We cannot assume that the authorities will be so kind to allow us to have a Bible if we are locked up. Since we are living in shifting times, we must be prepared to go months and possibly years in prison without access to God’s precious Word. While there is still time, use your freedom to hide Scripture in a place where the governing rulers cannot have access.
8. Scripture memorization allows you to remember the greatness of the God you preach.
During an outreach, our minds can move to focusing only on the horizontal. Between preaching to the apathetic and having gospel conversations, our hearts can quickly forget the grandeur and glory of Christ. By memorizing 1 Timothy 1:17, the Lord pulls our eyes to be in awe of God’s glorious character. “To the King of the ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.”
I pray that our Lord has stirred your hearts to see the importance of memorizing passages from the Bible and to understand it as an essential tool for the open-air preacher’s toolbox.
Brandon Rhea (Ph.D. Historical Theology at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary) is a pastor and an ACBC certified Biblical counselor. He met his wife, Karise, while doing pulpit supply in 2013-14. In April 2016, he accepted the call to pastor at Faith Baptist Church in Kirksville, Missouri. He loves history and has a heart for street preaching and evangelism. He is the author of “Spurgeon’s Forgotten Sabbatarianism” and teaches “Spurgeon on the Law & Sabbath” for Covenant Baptist Theological Seminary.
by CBTS | Aug 9, 2024 | Practical Theology, Preaching, Systematic Theology
My Dear Brother:—
As you have expressed a wish for a few of my thoughts on your principal work as a Christian minister, I will endeavour to comply with your request, persuaded that what I write will be read with candour and seriousness.
The work in which you are engaged is of great importance. To declare the whole counsel of God in such a way as to save yourself and them that hear you—or, if they are not saved, to be pure from their blood—is no small matter. The character of the preaching in an age contributes, more than most other things, to give a character to the Christians of that age. A great and solemn trust, therefore, is reposed in us, of which we must shortly give an account.
The work of a Christian minister, as it respects the pulpit, may be distinguished into two general branches; namely, expounding the Scriptures, and discoursing on Divine subjects. In this letter I shall offer a few remarks on the former.
I have found it not a little useful, both to myself and to the people, to appropriate one part of every Lord’s day to the exposition of a chapter, or part of a chapter, in the sacred writings. In this way, during the last eighteen years, I have gone over the greater part of the Old Testament, and some books in the New. It is advantageous to a minister to feel himself necessitated, as it were, to understand every part of Scripture, in order to explain it to the people. It is also advantageous to a people that what they hear should come directly from the word of God, and that they should be led to see the scope and connexion of the sacred writers. For want of this, a great number of Scripture passages are misunderstood and misapplied. In going over a book, I have frequently been struck with surprise in meeting with texts which, as they had always occurred to me, I had understood in a sense utterly foreign from what manifestly appeared to be their meaning when viewed in connexion with the context.
The great thing necessary for expounding the Scriptures is to enter into their true meaning. We may read them, and talk about them, again and again, without imparting any light concerning them. If the hearer, when you have done, understand no more of that part of Scripture than he did before, your labour is lost. Yet this is commonly the case with those attempts at expounding which consist of little else than comparing parallel passages, or, by the help of a Concordance, tracing the use of the same word in other places, going from text to text till both the preacher and the people are wearied and lost. This is troubling the Scriptures rather than expounding them. If I were to open a chest of oranges among my friends, and, in order to ascertain their quality, were to hold up one, and lay it down; then hold up another, and say, This is like the last; then a third, a fourth, a fifth, and so on, till I came to the bottom of the chest, saying of each, It is like the other; of what account would it be? The company would doubtless be weary, and had much rather have tasted two or three of them.
The scope of the sacred writers is of greater importance in understanding the Scriptures than the most critical examination of terms, or the most laborious comparison of the use of them in different places. For want of attending to this, not only particular passages, but whole chapters, are frequently misunderstood. The reasonings of both Christ and his apostles frequently proceed, not upon what is true in fact, but merely in the estimation of the parties addressed; that is to say, they reason with them on their own principles. It was not true that Simon the Pharisee was a little sinner, nor a forgiven sinner, nor that he loved Christ a little; but he thought thus of himself, and upon these principles Christ reasoned with him. It was not true that the Pharisees were just men, and needed no repentance; but such were their thoughts of themselves, and Christ suggested that therefore they had no need of him; for that he came “not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” Finally, It was not true that the Pharisees who murmured at Christ’s receiving publicans and sinners had never, like the ninety-nine sheep in the wilderness, gone astray; nor that, like the elder son, they had served God, and never at any time transgressed his commandment; nor that all which God had was theirs: but such were their own views, and Christ reasons with them accordingly. It is as if he had said, Be it so that you are righteous and happy; yet why should you murmur at the return of these poor sinners? Now, to mistake the principle on which such reasonings proceed, is to lose all the benefit of them, and to fall into many errors.
Moreover, to enter into the true meaning of the Scriptures, it is absolutely necessary that we drink into the spirit of the writers. This is the greatest of all accomplishments. I do not mean that you are to expect a spirit of extraordinary inspiration; but that of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. It is impossible to enter into the sentiments of any great writer without a kindred mind. Who but a Pope, or a Cowper, could have translated Homer? and who can explain the oracles of God, but he who, in a measure, drinks into the same spirit? Every Christian knows by experience that, in a spiritual frame of mind, he can understand more of the Scriptures in an hour than he can at other times, with the utmost application, in a week. It is by an unction from the Holy One that we know all things.
I may add, there are some things which, when known, wonderfully facilitate the knowledge of other things. It is thus that a view of the glory of the Divine character and government opens the door to the whole mystery of redemption. It is thus also that a lively faith in the sufferings of Christ, and the glory arising out of them, is a key which unlocks a large part of the sacred oracles. While the disciples remained ignorant of his death, they knew but little of the Scriptures; but, having learned the design of this great event, a flood of light poured in upon them, and the Old Testament became plain and deeply interesting.
A humble sense of our own ignorance, and of our entire dependence upon God, has also a great influence on our coming at the true meaning of his word. There are few things which tend more to blind the mind than a conceit of our own powers. Hence we perceive the justness of such language as the following:—“Proud, knowing nothing.—“He that thinketh he knoweth any thing, knoweth nothing as he ought to know.”—“If any man will be wise, let him first become a fool, that he may be wise.”
To understand the Scriptures in such a manner as profitably to expound them, it is necessary to be conversant with them in private; and to mix, not only faith, but the prayer of faith, with what we read. There is a great difference between reading the Scriptures as a student, in order to find something to say to the people, and reading them as a Christian, with a view to get good from them to one’s own soul. That which is gained in the latter of these ways is, beyond all comparison, of the greatest use, both to ourselves and others. That which we communicate will freeze upon our lips, unless we have first applied it to ourselves; or, to use the language of Scripture, “tasted, felt, and handled the word of life.”
When I have read a psalm or chapter, which I mean to expound, and have endeavoured to understand it, I have commonly thought it right to consult the best expositors I could obtain, trying and comparing my ideas with theirs. Hereby I have generally obtained some interesting thought which had not occurred to me, and sometimes have seen reason to retract what before appeared to me to be the meaning. But to go first to expositors is to preclude the exercise of your own judgment; and, after all, that which is furnished by the labours of another, though equally good in itself, will be far less interesting to us than that which is the result of our own application.
I will only add, that I have found it not a little useful to keep a book in which I write down all my expository notes, which, though illegible to others, yet answer two purposes to myself: first, by looking them over before I go into the pulpit, I have a clear understanding of every sentence; and, secondly, I can have recourse to them on future occasions.
Andrew Gunton Fuller, The Complete Works of Andrew Fuller: Memoirs, Sermons, Etc., ed. Joseph Belcher, vol. 1 (Harrisonburg, VA: Sprinkle Publications, 1988), 712–714.
by Jim Savastio | Aug 3, 2024 | Practical Theology
If you were to ask the average Christian or pastor to speak of their spiritual heroes, it would be common for them to bring forth the names of great pastors, preachers, and missionaries who have served faithfully and well in the Kingdom in the past or present. Names like Augustine, Calvin, Luther, Edwards, Carey, Judson, Spurgeon and the like would, no doubt, fill up many lists.
There are a number of contemporary ministers who fill conference rooms and pastor large churches, Christians by the thousands buy their books, listen to their sermons, and follow their posts. Their names are known and their accomplishments appreciated by many.
There are, however, a host of ordinary men and women and young people who have, in my estimation, surpassed many such worthies. They have become my “heroes”. They are not in the pulpit, but in the pew.
I want to tell you bit about some of my heroes. Most of them have never preached and certainly have not written popular books or blogs. They have never spoken at conferences. With the exception of a few dozen fellow churchmen, they are unknown in the wider Christian world.
My heroes consist by and large of the men and women of my church. They are the faithful plodders of God’s Kingdom. They love the worship of God and the ministry of His Word. They work long hours in their spheres of labor, in the home and out of the home and yet make it a priority to come to services of worship and the times of prayer. They have full schedules and are often weary and yet they come, not to be served, but, like their Master, to serve. Some of my heroes face crippling diseases and have battled through crushingly dark providences. I’ve seen them lose their jobs, lose their children, and their spouses. I’ve seen the cost they pay to simply follow Christ. I’ve seen men and women and young people persevere when loved ones turn back to the world. I’ve seen them bear with the faults and sins of others. I’ve seen them forgive the slights and foolish behavior of their brothers and sisters without fleeing to another congregation. Their elders have, at times, disappointed them, and their brothers and sisters have let them down. Yet they show that love covers a multitude of sins. They exemplify what it means to bear with one another in love and to bear one another’s burdens. Unlike the heroes of the church or the heroes of our culture, they do not preach, they do not travel to foreign lands, they are not strange visitors from another planet with powers and abilities far beyond those of mortal man. They are, and I mean this lovingly, the “nobodies and nothings” that God delights to save. They are not the superheroes of comic books or movies who cling to walls or fly through the sky. But they are my heroes, and one day, the King of Kings will say to them before the whole world, Well done!
Jim has been with RBC since 1990. He was set aside by the church for full time ministry in November of 1991. Jim was brought to faith as a teenager and soon began to experience a desire to preach God’s Word. He trained for the ministry at Columbia Bible College in Columbia, SC (now Columbia International University) and at the Trinity Ministerial Academy in Montville, NJ. He married his wife, Becky in 1989 and they have been blessed with three daughters and one son.
by Sam Waldron | Aug 1, 2024 | Practical Theology, Sermons, Systematic Theology
Introduction
A wonderful old hymn begins with these words: One there is above all others well deserves the name of friend … This hymn was written by John Newton, the famous author of Amazing Grace. One There Is Above All Others is perhaps Newton’s second most famous hymn. It is based on a well-known proverb found in Proverbs 18:24. John Newton was a preacher, and this hymn is a little sermon on that text.
Proverbs 18:24 A man of too many friends comes to ruin, But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.
Newton clearly understands this proverb to speak of Jesus. While I do not suspect that any of you will want to challenge this, it will be good to justify this interpretation briefly. I think I need to say two things about this interpretation.
First, we do not need to think that it is only or exclusively of Jesus that this proverb speaks. No doubt the wise man had in mind many individuals who fit the description of a friend who sticks closer than a brother. Perhaps Solomon was thinking, for instance, of how Jonathan was such a friend to his own father, David.
Second, we must remember that the entire Bible including the wisdom literature—like the Book of Proverbs—has a center point and focus, and that center is Jesus Christ Himself. There is a line from every verse in the Bible to Jesus Christ, and in the case of our verse that line is not hard to see. Jesus was mocked as “the friend of tax collectors and sinners” (Luke 7:34). But this was no slander. He really was (and is) the friend of sinners. We His people are sinners, and he calls us His friends.
John 15:13-15 13 “Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends. 14 “You are My friends if you do what I command you. 15 “No longer do I call you slaves, for the slave does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I have heard from My Father I have made known to you.
So it is right to find Jesus in Proverbs 18:24 because he is a friend who sticks closer than a brother. Indeed, he is the friend who sticks closer than a brother. Without denying that there may and must be applications of this text to other friendships, we must affirm that there must be and is an application of its teaching to Jesus, the great friend of His people. Understanding it of him, then, I want you to see five things about this great friend in it. The first is this:
The Reality of This Friend
The first thing that the text makes clear about this unusual and unique friend is that He does exist. There is such a friend. It is a fact. It is a reality. There is a friend who sticks closer than a brother. When we are hurt, when we are wounded by so-called friends, when we are disappointed by our friends, we may become cynical and doubt if there are any true friends. In our hurt we may say “all men are liars” (Psalm 116:11), and there are no true friends. Our text, however, assures us that such a friend does exist. His name is Jesus the Christ. This is why John Newton begins his marvelous little hymn this way:
One, there is, above all others
Well deserves the name of friend
His is love beyond a brothers
Costly, free, and knows no end
They who once his kindness prove
Find it everlasting love
We must never as believers forget in all our trouble and fear and doubt that Jesus does exist and that He exists to be our everlasting friend!
The Rarity of This Friend
Another thing we can notice from our text is the rarity of this friend. That is, this friend of which the proverb speaks is a rare, unique, and matchless friend. This is clear from a comparison of our text with another text about friendship in Proverbs. Proverbs 17:17 A friend loves at all times, And a brother is born for adversity.
Here friends and brothers are equated, but we see the matchless character of the friend in our text from its saying that there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother. This reminds me of the emphasis on the unparalleled love of Christ in Romans 5:6-8. 6 For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For one will hardly die for a righteous man; though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die. 8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. This is why Newton penned his second verse.
Which of all our friends to save us,
Could or would have shed their blood?
But our Jesus died to have us
Reconciled, in Him to God:
This was boundless love indeed!
Jesus is a Friend in need.
Dear Christian, no one loves you like the Lord Jesus. The love of your dearest friend in all the world is a mere shadow of the love of this friend who sticks closer than a brother! You may trust your deepest fears to Him. You may confide your biggest concerns to Him. Roll your burden on the Lord, and He (because He is your greatest friend) will sustain you.
The Faithfulness of This Friend
The faithfulness or constancy of this friend is also clearly emphasized in our text. This friend of which the wise man speaks “sticks closer than a brother.” The Hebrew word translated “sticks closer” conveys just that idea. It is first used in the Bible of the permanent companionship of marriage. Genesis 2:24 For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother, and be joined to his wife; and they shall become one flesh.
It is used of the inheritances of the different tribes of Israel that were to stick forever to the tribe they were originally given. Numbers 36:7 “Thus no inheritance of the sons of Israel shall be transferred from tribe to tribe, for the sons of Israel shall each hold to the inheritance of the tribe of his fathers. Numbers 36:9 “Thus no inheritance shall be transferred from one tribe to another tribe, for the tribes of the sons of Israel shall each hold to his own inheritance.”
Thus, the force or thrust of the text is the faithfulness of this friend. He never gives up and never gives over loving us. Clearly, Jesus has manifested this kind of love for His people. John 13:1 Now before the Feast of the Passover, Jesus knowing that His hour had come that He would depart out of this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end.
So Newton’s emphasis in the next two verses of his hymn on this aspect of Christ’s friendship for us is thoroughly justified.
Men, when raised to lofty stations,
Often know their friends no more;
Slight and scorn their poor relations
Though they valued them before.
But our Savior always owns
Those whom He redeemed with groans.
And the next verse has the same emphasis.
When He lived on earth abasèd,
Friend of sinners was His name;
Now, above all glory raisèd,
He rejoices in the same:
Still He calls them brethren, friends,
And to all their wants attends.
The one who is now the Lord of glory—the one who is exalted above the heavens—the one who was the friend of sinners on earth and your friend still remembers you, has not forgotten you, and will hear you on His throne of grace.
The Forbearance of This Friend
Implied in Proverbs 18:24 is that friendship always faces challenges. We do things that strain our friendships with people. We certainly do things that naturally strain our relationship with the Savior. Yet in spite of these stresses and strains on our friendship, this friend continues to “stick closer than a brother.”
The word for friend used in the text strongly emphasizes the love of this friend. It could be translated beloved. There is a beloved who sticks closer than a brother. Because His friendship is characterized by such love, it overcomes all the challenges and un-kindnesses with which we offend it.
We remember here the sad abandonment of the savior by all his disciples in the garden. Mark 14:50 And they all left Him and fled. This theme of the abandonment of our savior and friend in his hour of great need is exemplified in the betrayal of Peter. Mark 14:70 But again he denied it. And after a little while the bystanders were again saying to Peter, “Surely you are one of them, for you are a Galilean too.” 71 But he began to curse and swear, “I do not know this man you are talking about!” 72 Immediately a rooster crowed a second time. And Peter remembered how Jesus had made the remark to him, “Before a rooster crows twice, you will deny Me three times.” And he began to weep. This account of Peter is not to be understood as revealing some unique depravity of Peter. Peter is presented, I think we would all admit, as the representative of all Jesus’ weak disciples. We all are weak and waffling Peter!
Thus, Newton properly emphasizes this in the next verse of his hymn
Could we bear from one another,
What He daily bears from us?
Yet this glorious Friend and Brother,
Loves us though we treat Him thus:
Though for good we render ill,
He accounts us brethren still.
Is there a believer who feels that He has so offended His Savior that His love or at least the experience and blessings of His love are gone forever? It is not true. Return to Him in spite of all your offenses, and He will certainly return to you.
This is your great friend, Jesus, believer. This is His reality, His rarity, His faithfulness, and His loving forbearance toward you. Now is there anything you would like to say to Him? Newton had something he wanted to say after reflecting on all this. And that brings us to …
The Appeal to This Friend
Newton ends his hymn this way:
O for grace our hearts to soften!
Teach us, Lord, at length to love;
We, alas! forget too often,
What a Friend we have above:
But when home our souls are brought,
We will love Thee as we ought.
Newton applies his sermon in three ways in this verse. Let me point them out to you.
First, he asks His friend, Jesus, to give him a softer heart by teaching him to love Jesus as he ought. This implies too an appeal for grace to love others as Jesus, his great friend, has loved him. If we loved Jesus in any way as he has loved us, what a difference it would make in our lives! What a difference it would make in how we loved and treated others! What a difference it would make in our evangelism if we imitated Him and became ourselves a friend of sinners. Take some time to pray for Jesus to teach you to have a softer heart toward Him and like Him toward others.
Second, Newton confesses his sinful forgetfulness. We, alas! forget too often what a friend we have above. We do, don’t we? If we could but remember what a friend we have above, what a help this would be to us in trouble. We would not feel so lonely or abandoned or fearful or worried, if we remembered what a friend we have above. I urge you, dear believer, to remember in all your difficulty which is real what a faithful, patient, matchless, and real friend you have in Jesus Christ. Tonight, take some time as we worship at the Table to remember your friend.
Third, Newton reminds himself us that a time is coming when we will love Jesus as we should and be perfectly happy. We are going home! And when we get home, we shall find it a place of perfect love. We will live with one who is a beloved and loving friend, and we will not mar that love by our own selfish ingratitude. What a wonderful prospect! It would be right and profitable simply to reflect on this while we worship at the Table.
Closing Lesson
Some of you do not know if Jesus is your friend. Some of you have no reason to think that Jesus is your friend. But he is willing to be your friend no matter who you are. He will receive you if you come asking for His friendship. Sinners who seek His friendship and entrust themselves to His friendship find Him to be the best of all friends. “When He lived on earth abasèd, Friend of sinners was His name; Now, above all glory raisèd, He rejoices in the same: Still He calls them brethren, friends, And to all their wants attends.”
Dr. Sam Waldron is the Academic Dean of CBTS and professor of Systematic Theology. He is also one of the pastors of Grace Reformed Baptist Church in Owensboro, KY. Dr. Waldron received a B.A. from Cornerstone University, an M.Div. from Trinity Ministerial Academy, a Th.M. from Grand Rapids Theological Seminary, and a Ph.D. from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. From 1977 to 2001 he was a pastor of the Reformed Baptist Church of Grand Rapids, MI. Dr. Waldron is the author of numerous books including A Modern Exposition of the 1689 Baptist Confession of Faith, The End Times Made Simple, Baptist Roots in America, To Be Continued?, and MacArthur’s Millennial Manifesto: A Friendly Response.
