Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

the broken-hearted, to preach deliverance to the captives;"-and then, according to a custom very common, we are told, in the synagogues of the Jews to explain spiritual things by spiritual, turns to another equally plain and acknowledged prophecy of the Messiah in the forty-second chapter, and adds from hence, "and recovering of sight to the blind." He then returns to the sixty-first chapter, and continues" to set at liberty them that are bruised, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord."

the view all the female part of the congregation. And in the centre of the building the priest, and those who read different portions of the word of GOD, every Sabbath-day, took their accustomed stand. A young man, known only to the assembled worshippers as the son of a humble mechanic in the town, steps forward, and requests that the word of God should be placed in his hands. Now the Jews had a law, that if any man came in the spirit of a prophet, and assumed the office of a teacher, he should always be permitted to preach; but then Sanhedrim was constituted the judge of his pretensions, and if not approved by them he did so at his own peril. This, then, must have been the ground on which our Lord presented himself to their notice. He was according to the Jewish law neither priest nor Levite; and, therefore, could not upon any other plea have presumed to fulfil the duties of an office, of which his own word expressly declares, "no man taketh this honour unto himself, but he that is called of GOD:" an important consideration in the present day, when so many run who are not sent, and so many assume the ministerial func-seals, and teaches us individually by tions whom the Lord hath not called.

Jesus, then, having stepped forward in the place occupied by the readers and preachers, "stood up for to read," says the Evangelist. "And there was delivered unto him the book of the Prophet Esaias," each of the prophets being in single volumes rolled up, as is still the custom with eastern manuscripts. Our Lord having taken the book, unrolled it till he came to the sixtyfirst chapter, containing a most distinct prophecy of the Messiah, when he thus began, "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the Gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal

How striking, how impressive an incident is this! To behold him who was himself the key of the Old Testament, that volume which was so closely shut till Christ had opened it, thus proclaim from that book his wonderful commission in the face of Israel! Well are the saints in heaven described as uniting in the song, "Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood.”

Truly, brethren, it is at the present hour, as it was then, a sealed book to every one among us till Christ takes the book and opens the

the voice of his Spirit speaking to the heart, what he then taught these assembled worshippers in person. While observe, my poorer brethren, the remarkable prominency which the Lord gives to you in this opening sentence of his commission. "The Lord hath appointed me to preach the Gospel to the poor." Doubtless there were many wealthy men seated in that synagogue, and yet how does our Lord particularize the poor. From the very hour the Gospel was first preached, its adaptation to the poor man's heart was peculiarly visible. However others may erroneously doubt whether they are invited by the Saviour of the world, you cannot

doubt. There is not a blessing, there is not a consolation which the Lord of life has to give, and which he came down on earth to bestow, that he does not-I will not say exclusively for you- but most prominently, most earnestly, most affectionately, in every passage of his Gospel proffer you. Oh, the poor man who is living without Christ is one of the most ungrateful as well as one of the most pitiable objects under heaven.

day arrived, the blessed Jesus had
suffered ten fold more in the strange
and cruel mockery-the scourge of
the tongue the unceasing ingrati-
tude, contempt and hatred which so
thickly marked his course.
It must,
then, have been a solemn and awful
pause, while the eyes of all in that
assembly were fastened on our Lord,
and while he was, in all probability,
employed in committing himself in
earnest secret prayer to his Heavenly
Father, ere he ventured to lay his
credentials, for the first time, before
his prejudiced and ignorant towns-

men.

[ocr errors]

Having read these remarkable and appropriate passages our Lord rolled up the book, and gave it again to the servant of the synagogue, and sat down. Then, as we are told, "the eyes of all At length he broke silence with the them that were in the synagogue were few and emphatic words of the text, fastened on him." How trying a This day is this scripture fulfilled moment must this have been for the in your ears. I am he of whom the meek and lowly Jesus! He was most prophet has spoken. The Spirit of fully a partaker in all the sinless in- the Lord is upon me; for he hath firmities of our nature, every feeling anointed me to preach deliverance to as acute, and even more acute than the captives, the recovering of sight our own. To behold himself sur- to the blind, and healing to the brokenrounded by, perhaps, the most pre-hearted. I am, in fact, the Messiah judiced and most captious congrega- of GOD." The evangelist records tion that minister ever addressed-to know by his infinite foreknowlege, that his report would not be received, that his offers would be disregarded, that all which he could say would only add bitterness to their animosity; surely to him who "was tempted in all points like as we are, sin only excepted," it was a trying hour! The surprized look of credulity, the scarcely concealed smile of ridicule, the sneer of contempt, while the humble Jesus was rolling up the volume-sad emblems of the hearts among them closing up for ever against its blessed truths !-must have gone with acutest suffering to his tender heart. When we think of all that our beloved Master underwent for us, we are so apt to rest in imagination on the cross, the crown, and the spear; but, brethren, be assured, that long ere that dark and dreadful

nothing more than the single commencing sentence of our Lord's discourse, in which he identifies himself with the preacher predicted by the prophet. That he spoke plainly and fully upon the striking portion of Scripture which he had read to them there can be no doubt; for we are told, "that they wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth." How delightful would it have been for the church of the Redeemer if this first sermon of our Lord had been bequeathed to us--to have heard him preach deliverance, liberty, and life in his own language, and warmed with the feelings of his own affectionate and loving heart! And yet, brethren, it was, perhaps, witheld only in mercy; he who will not hear, and receive these invitations now, would not, as our Lord himself declares, have received them

"though one rose from the dead;" to give him a faithful report of the

would most certainly have rejected them, had he been sitting in the synagogue of Nazareth, and had heard them preached by the Lord of life himself. For be assured that we can offer now, in substance, all that our Lord could offer then; that we can say, at this hour, as he then said. This day is this Scripture fulfilled in your ears." Yes, wherever the cross of Christ is lifted up-wherever the Gospel of Christ is proclaimed, there does the Saviour offer all that he has, and all that he is, to every sinning soul desirous to seek, and willing to receive it.

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

issue of their embassy, and the result of their endeavours.

Let me, then, ask, brethren, what report may we carry back to our master this day? It was my endeavour, when I last addressed you, to present the Saviour to every soul among you, as one from whom neither ignorance, nor misery, nor sin need keep you. I proved to you then, from his conduct, what I have this day demonstrated from his words, that the very purpose for which he came, was to free the captive, to enlighten the ignorant, and to heal the brokenhearted; and from these three abundant classes, sources so awfully pro

back nothing with us to our master? Does the captive embrace his chains, and prefer bondage to liberty-the blind revel in his darkness, and despise the proffered light—and even the broken-hearted prefer any, and every remedy to the love of the compassionate Saviour? It remains, brethren, with yourselves only to answer that question. We can but propose the message as we receive it; we may, indeed, press it upon you as those who will strive to force a blessing on others in which they rejoice with joy unspeakable themselves; we may pray earnestly, that some poor sinning suffering creature may be led to cast himself at the feet of a tender and compassionate GOD; more than this we cannot; nay, more than this the Lord Jesus Christ himself did not do on that day when he thus unrolled the book of salvation for the first time in the synagogue of Nazareth.

We say, then, to you, brethren, that in the person of Jesus of Naza-lific in this fallen world; can we carry reth, we offer you this day one who is both able and willing to open your eyes, unloose your bonds, and comfort your hearts. This is, indeed, expressly our office as the Apostle in the epistle to the Corinthians explains and magnifies that office when he says, "We are ambassadors for Christ, as though GOD did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead to be reconciled to GOD." When our Lord offered himself in the synagogue of Nazareth he resembled a king, addressing in person his rebellious subjects, and offering them with his own lips, the terms of amnesty and peace. When we declare these same truths from the pulpit, they are just as real, just as invaluable, just as heart influencing as they were then. The difference is merely this, that the king has for a time withdrawn in person, and committed his message to his ambassadors, who are to repeat it, to urge it on your acceptance: nay, even to entreat, and to beseech you to hear and to receive it, as those who themselves know, experimentally, its inestimable value; and more than this, as those who are compelled to return to him who sent them, and

Proceed we with the reception which our Lord encountered, before we speak of the reception of his servants We are told that the people were

66

astonished at the words of grace which proceeded out of his lips ;" that is, not the grace of GoD, but at the

With how lamentable a picture of human nature does the whole of this incident present us! Contrast only the kindness, and meekness, and gentleness of Christ, with the rudeness, and ferocity of his hearers! And whence came this unmeasured hatred, and undissembled opposition to the Saviour, and to all that he had in mercy proclaimed? Brethren, it was simply the effect of prejudice indigenous to the natural heart, striking its deeply rooted fangs into its kindred

grace of the speaker. They wondered | either paralizing their efforts, or renat the degree of mental cultivation, dering himself invisible, “passing the dignified and graceful language through the midst of them went his in which this youthful mechanic pro- way." posed to them the sublime mysteries of GOD. Surprise for a moment seems to have got the start of prejudice, but it was only for a moment; and next we find them exclaiming, Is not this Joseph's son? Is not this the young man whom we have seen labouring with his own hands at his father's business? Whence hath this man this wisdom? Before we can be expected to receive so remarkable an announcement as this, that Jesus of Nazareth is the Messiah of GOD, he must produce some super-soil, the hot-bed of human corrupnatural claims to our attention and respect?" Our Lord well knowing their thoughts, and having now delivered his testimony, and, therefore, being indifferent as to any interruption that might follow, replies, "Ye will surely say unto me this proverb, Physician, heal thyself: whatsoever we have heard done in Capernaum, do also here in thy country. And he said, verily I say unto you, no prophet is accepted in his own country;" and he then proceeds to show, from the examples of Elijah and Elisha, that their greatest miracles were performed on the Sidonian widow and the Syrian leper, not on those who abounded with the truths and ordinances of GOD. And what was the effect of this plain and faithful declaration of our Lord? That his hearers, at once, by their conduct verified the proverb and justified our Lord's treatment of them. No sooner, says the evangelist, "had they heard these things, than they were filled with wrath, and rose up, and thrust him out of the city, and led him unto the brow of the hill whereon their city was built, that they might cast him down headlong; but he" availing himself of his supernatural power, and

tion. Yes, brethren, it is one of the strongest effects of prejudice to be met with throughout the whole revealed word of God. They were determined not to receive the Saviour who did not live, and speak, and act precisely as their preconceived opinions had determined that he should; and yet there was nothing in our Lord's language to excite their prejudice, nothing to call it into action, but every thing to allay and to dissipate it. Indeed this is a remarkable feature of his discourse, and is well worthy of your notice, as an additional evidence of the forbearance, tenderness, and compassion which marked this most unavailing effort of the Lord; for if you look to the sixty-first of Isaiah, you cannot fail to be struck with the circumstance that Jesus stopped in the middle of the passage which he quoted. The verse runs thus, "To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God; but the last clause he totally omitted. He declares that he came to preach the acceptable year of the Lord;" that is, the year of Jubilee; that is, he came the bearer of freedom from the chains of sin, of cleansing from

[ocr errors]

its pollution, of safety from its condemnation but not one word did he utter, which was equally true, and equally important, that he came also "to preach the day of vengeance of our GOD." How beautifully did he adapt those words that he might disarm, and if possible to soften down all opposition; "for he willeth not that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance!" But even in the hands of Christ it was utterly vain. Lulled for a moment, but only to burst forth with redoubled animosity, the prejudice of his hearers swept all before it; and would even have embrued their hands in innocent blood, rather than have opened their hearts to the admission of the Saviour's love.

not entirely effect this, if he can only so far prejudice you, as to lead you to listen with a suspicious ear, or a cold and indifferent heart, one trifling advantage is already gained and the great promise is secured of ultimately keeping you from Him in whom alone are to be found acceptance and peace.

What we ask of you, then, is this, be not content with any prejudice in religion which has not led you directly to the Saviour-be satisfied with no profession, no feeling of religion which does not daily bring you nearer to him. It is just in proportion as your knowledge of Christ, and your love of Christ, and the necessary attendant on these your obedience to Christ grow and increase, that every Christian grace will grow and increase, that your conformity to the will of God will grow and increase. Your patience in suffering, your con

for heaven all derive their color, all take their proportion, all draw their stability from this one fundamental truth, "the love of GoD in Christ Jesus our Lord;" while, on the other hand, the Spirit of GOD has declared

[ocr errors]

if any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be Anathema Maranatha"-his name for ever blotted from the Lamb's book of life.

With such an instance as this before our eyes, can you be surprised, my brethren, if we warn and caution you, if we exhort and entreat you-earnestly and beseechingly entreat you-sistency in holiness, your meetness as you value your own souls, to beware of religious prejudice. It is Satan's great weapon, and one which in an age of boasted liberality is as continually in his hand as it ever was. While we are speaking the invitations of Christ to your ear, Satan is continually employed in dropping the poison of prejudice into your heart; striving to convince you that these are contracted or mistaken views of the divine word; that to do justice and love mercy are the whole duty of man; and that the love of Christ, a simple and entire dependance on him, and him alone, are weak and enthusiastic notions but little warranted by Scripture, the mere Shibboleth of party, and unworthy the attention of a manly and intellectual mind. If Satan can thus prejudice you against the peculiar doctrines of grace, and the person of the Saviour, as he did the hearers of Nazareth, his triumph is complete; but if he can

I know that I may justly be charged with repetition in dwelling again on this high subject, but, brethren I cannot leave it; it grows upon me in every incident that comes before me; it is written in living characters, in every verse of the Saviour's history. The more the character of Christ developes itself, the more does this love enkindle in the heart, and the more convinced do I feel that Christ, and the love of GoD in Christ, is the great sum and substance of the religion which he lived and died to teach In all, whatever be our object

us.

« AnteriorContinuar »