Morning and Evening: Daily Readings
by C. H. Spurgeon
Saturday Morning, April 23
Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
Romans 8:37
We go to Christ for forgiveness, and then too often look to the law for power to fight our sins. Paul thus rebukes us, O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth? This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh? Take your sins to Christ's cross, for the old man can only be crucified there: we are crucified with him. The only weapon to fight sin with is the spear which pierced the side of Jesus. To give an illustration--you want to overcome an angry temper, how do you go to work? It is very possible you have never tried the right way of going to Jesus with it. How did I get salvation? I came to Jesus just as I was, and I trusted him to save me. I must kill my angry temper in the same way? It is the only way in which I can ever kill it. I must go to the cross with it, and say to Jesus, Lord, I trust thee to deliver me from it. This is the only way to give it a death-blow. Are you covetous? Do you feel the world entangle you? You may struggle against this evil so long as you please, but if it be your besetting sin, you will never be delivered from it in any way but by the blood of Jesus. Take it to Christ. Tell him, Lord, I have trusted thee, and thy name is Jesus, for thou dost save thy people from their sins; Lord, this is one of my sins; save me from it! Ordinances are nothing without Christ as a means of mortification. Your prayers, and your repentances, and your tears--the whole of them put together--are worth nothing apart from him. None but Jesus can do helpless sinners good; or helpless saints either. You must be conquerors through him who hath loved you, if conquerors at all. Our laurels must grow among his olives in Gethsemane.
Evening, April 23
Lo, in the midst of the throne ... stood a Lamb as it had been slain.
Revelation 5:6
Why should our exalted Lord appear in his wounds in glory? The wounds of Jesus are his glories, his jewels, his sacred ornaments. To the eye of the believer, Jesus is passing fair because he is white and ruddy; white with innocence, and ruddy with his own blood. We see him as the lily of matchless purity, and as the rose crimsoned with his own gore. Christ is lovely upon Olivet and Tabor, and by the sea, but oh! there never was such a matchless Christ as he that did hang upon the cross. There we beheld all his beauties in perfection, all his attributes developed, all his love drawn out, all his character expressed. Beloved, the wounds of Jesus are far more fair in our eyes than all the splendour and pomp of kings. The thorny crown is more than an imperial diadem. It is true that he bears not now the sceptre of reed, but there was a glory in it that never flashed from sceptre of gold. Jesus wears the appearance of a slain Lamb as his court dress in which he wooed our souls, and redeemed them by his complete atonement. Nor are these only the ornaments of Christ: they are the trophies of his love and of his
victory. He has divided the spoil with the strong. He has redeemed for himself a great multitude whom no man can number, and these scars are the memorials of the fight. Ah! if Christ thus loves to retain the thought of his sufferings for his people, how precious should his wounds be to us!
Behold how every wound of his A precious balm distils, Which heals the scars that sin had made, And cures all mortal ills. Those wounds are mouths that preach his grace; The ensigns of his love; The seals of our expected bliss In paradise above.
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When he was reviled,he did not revile in return;when he suffered,
he did not threaten.
1 P E T E R 2 : 2 3
It was the will of the LORDto crush him;he has put him to grief.
I S A I A H 5 3 : 1 0
THE INCOMPARABLE
SUFFERINGS
The Anguish of Jesus Christ
by John Piper
The agonies of God's Son were incomparable. No one
ever suffered like this man. Through all eternity, we
will contemplate the killing of the Son of God and sing,
"Worthy is the Lamb who was slain" (Revelation 5:12).
Count Zinzendorf (1700-1760) and the Moravians
developed a theology based on the wounds and blood of
Jesus that some believe became lopsided in its focus on the
"five wounds" of Christ. But we are not in danger today
of any such excess preoccupation with the anguish of
Jesus. So come and worship with me at the splendor of
Christ's sufferings.
No one ever deserved suffering less, yet received so
much. The stamp of God on this perfect life is found in two
words: "without sin" (Hebrews 4:15). The only person in
history who did not deserve to suffer, suffered most. He
"committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth"
(1 Peter 2:22). None of Jesus' pain was a penalty for his sin.
He had no sin.
Therefore, no one has ever had a greater right to retaliate,
but used it less. He had at his disposal infinite power to
take revenge at any moment in his agony. "Do you think
that I cannot appeal to my Father, and he will at once send
me more than twelve legions of angels?" (Matthew 26:53).
But he did not do it. When every judicial sentiment in the
universe cried out "Unjust!" Jesus was silent. "He gave
[Pilate] no answer, not even to a single charge" (Matthew
27:14). Nor did he refute false ridicule: "When he was
reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did
not threaten" (1 Peter 2:23). Nor did he defend himself in
response to Herod's interrogation: "He made no answer"
(Luke 23:9). No one has ever borne so much injustice with
so little vengeance.
This was not because the torment was tolerable. If we
had been forced to watch, we probably would have passed
out. In the garden, "His sweat became like great drops of
blood falling down to the ground" (Luke 22:44). In the middle
of the night, before the high priest, "they spit in his face
and struck him. And some slapped him" (Matthew 26:67).
Before the governor they "scourged" him (Matthew 27:26).
Eusebius (about A.D. 300) described Roman scourging of
Christians like this: "At one time they were torn by scourges
down to deep-seated veins and arteries, so that the hidden
contents of the recesses of their bodies, their entrails and
organs, were exposed to sight."
In his agony the soldiers toyed with him. They dressed
him in mock robes of royalty. They began to "cover his face
and to strike him, saying to him, 'Prophesy!' And the guards
received him with blows" (Mark 14:65). A crown of thorns
was pressed down on his head—made worse by being
driven into his skull with blows. "They were striking his
head with a reed and spitting on him and kneeling down in
homage to him" (Mark 15:19). In this condition he was
unable to carry his own cross (Matthew 27:32).
The torture and shame continued. He was stripped. His
hands and feet were nailed to the cross (Acts 2:23; Psalm
22:16). The mockery was unrelenting through the terrible
morning. "Hail, King of the Jews!" "You who would
destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save yourself!
If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross"
(Matthew 27:29, 40). Even one of the criminals "railed at
him" (Luke 23:39).
It was a hideous death. The International Standard Bible
Encyclopedia tells us, "The wounds swelled about the
rough nails, and the torn and lacerated tendons and nerves
caused excruciating agony. The arteries of the head and
stomach were surcharged with blood and a terrific throbbing
headache ensued. . . . The victim of crucifixion literally
died a thousand deaths. . . . The suffering was so frightful
that 'even among the raging passions of war pity was sometimes
excited.'"
All of this came upon the "friend of sinners," not with
brothers at his side, but utterly abandoned. Judas had
betrayed him with a kiss (Luke 22:48). Peter had denied
him three times (Matthew 26:75). "All the disciples left him
and fled" (Matthew 26:56). And in the darkest hour of the
history of the world, God the Father struck his own Son
with our punishment. "We esteemed him stricken, smitten
by God, and afflicted" (Isaiah 53:4). The only person in the
world who truly knew God (Matthew 11:27) cried out,
"My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"
(Matthew 27:46).
Never before or since has there been such suffering,
because, in all its dreadful severity, it was a suffering by
design. It was planned by God the Father and embraced by
God the Son. "It was the will of the LORD to crush him; he
has put him to grief" (Isaiah 53:10). Jesus was "delivered up
according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God"
(Acts 2:23). Herod, Pilate, the soldiers, and the Jews did to
Jesus "whatever [God's] hand and . . . plan had predestined
to take place" (Acts 4:28). Down to the details, the sufferings
of the Son were written in the Scriptures. "Jesus, knowing
that all was now finished, said (to fulfill the Scripture),
'I thirst'" (John 19:28).
Not only was it suffering by design, but also by obedience.
Jesus embraced the pain. He chose it—"obedient
to the point of death, even death on a cross" (Philippians
2:8). And his obedience was sustained by faith in his
Father. "When he suffered, he did not threaten, but
continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly"
(1 Peter 2:23). "Father, into your hands I commit my
spirit!" (Luke 23:46).
In that faith "he set his face to go to Jerusalem" (Luke
9:51). Why? "For it cannot be that a prophet should perish
away from Jerusalem" (Luke 13:33). He had set his face to
die. "And what shall I say, 'Father, save me from this hour'?
But for this purpose I have come to this hour" (John 12:27).
He lived in order to die.
Therefore, the suffering and weakness of Jesus were a
work of his sovereign power. "No one takes [my life] from
me, but I lay it down of my own accord" (John 10:18). He
freely chose to join the Father's design for his own suffering
and death.
And what was that design? To be a substitute for us, so
that we might live. "The Son of Man came . . . to give his
life as a ransom for many" (Mark 10:45). "He himself bore
our sins in his body on the tree" (1 Peter 2:24). "The LORD
has laid on him the iniquity of us all" (Isaiah 53:6).
And the goal of it all? "Greater love has no man than
this, that someone lays down his life for his friends" (John
15:13). Yes, but to what end? What does love pursue? Two
great purposes were accomplished in the suffering of Christ,
which are really one purpose. First, "Christ . . . suffered
once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he
might bring us to God" (1 Peter 3:18). The suffering of Jesus
brought us to God who is fullness of joy and pleasure
forevermore. Second, in the very hour of death the Father
and the Son were glorified. "Now is the Son of Man glorified,
and God is glorified in him" (John 13:31). Our joy in
savoring God and his glory in saving us are one. That is the
glory of Christ's incomparable sufferings.
A PRAY E R
Father, what can we say? We feel utterly unworthy in
the face of Christ's unspeakable sufferings. We are
sorry. It was our sin that brought this to pass. It was
we who struck him and spit on him and mocked him.
O Father, we are so sorry. We bow ourselves to the dirt
and shut the mouths of our small, dark, petty, sinful
souls. O Father, touch us with fresh faith that we might
believe the incredible. The very pain of Christ that
makes us despair is our salvation. Open our fearful
hearts to receive the Gospel. Waken dead parts of our
hearts that cannot feel what must be felt—that we are
loved with the deepest, strongest, purest love in the
universe. Oh, grant us to have the power to comprehend
with all the saints the height and depth and length
and breadth of the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge,
and may we be filled with all the fullness of God.
Fight for us, O God, that we not drift numb and blind
and foolish into vain and empty excitements. Life is
too short, too precious, too painful to waste on
worldly bubbles that burst. Heaven is too great, hell is
too horrible, eternity is too long that we should putter
around on the porch of eternity. O God, open our eyes
to the vastness of the sufferings of Christ and what they
mean for sin and holiness and hope and heaven. We
fear our bent to trifling. Make us awake to the weight
of glory—the glory of Christ's incomparable sufferings.
In his great and wonderful name, amen.
http://cdn.desiringgod.org/pdf/books_bscp/bscp_all.pdf
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Morning and Evening: Daily Readings
by C. H. Spurgeon
Sunday Morning, April 24
And because of all this we make a sure covenant.
Nehemiah 9:38
There are many occasions in our experience when we may very rightly, and with benefit, renew our covenant with God. After recovery from sickness when, like Hezekiah, we have had a new term of years added to our life, we may fitly do it. After any deliverance from trouble, when our joys bud forth anew, let us again visit the foot of the cross, and renew our consecration. Especially, let us do this after any sin which has grieved the Holy Spirit, or brought dishonour upon the cause of God; let us then look to that blood which can make us whiter than snow, and again offer ourselves unto the Lord. We should not only let our troubles confirm our dedication to God, but our prosperity should do the same. If we ever meet with occasions which deserve to be called crowning mercies then, surely, if he hath crowned us, we ought also to crown our God; let us bring forth anew all the jewels of the divine regalia which have been stored in the jewel-closet of our heart, and let our God sit upon the throne of our love, arrayed in royal apparel. If we would learn to profit by our prosperity, we should not need so much adversity. If we would gather from a kiss all the good it might confer upon us, we should not so often smart under the rod. Have we lately received some blessing which we little expected? Has the Lord put our feet in a large room? Can we sing of mercies multiplied? Then this is the day to put our hand upon the horns of the altar, and say, Bind me here, my God; bind me here with cords, even for ever. Inasmuch as we need the fulfilment of new promises from God, let us offer renewed prayers that our old vows may not be dishonoured. Let us this morning make with him a sure covenant, because of the pains of Jesus which for the last month we have been considering with gratitude.
Evening, April 24
The flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land.
Song of Solomon 2:12
Sweet is the season of spring: the long and dreary winter helps us to appreciate its genial warmth, and its promise of summer enhances its present delights. After periods of depression of spirit, it is delightful to behold again the light of the Sun of Righteousness; then our slumbering graces rise from their lethargy, like the crocus and the daffodil from their beds of earth; then is our heart made merry with delicious notes of gratitude, far more melodious than the warbling of birds--and the comforting assurance of peace, infinitely more delightful than the turtle's note, is heard within the soul. Now is the time for the soul to seek communion with her Beloved; now must she rise from her native sordidness, and come away from her old associations. If we do not hoist the sail when the breeze is favourable, we shall be blameworthy: times of refreshing ought not to pass over us unimproved. When Jesus himself visits us in tenderness, and entreats us to arise, can we be so base as to refuse his request? He has himself risen that he may draw us after him: he now by his Holy Spirit has revived us, that we may, in newness of life, ascend into the heavenlies, and hold communion with himself. Let our wintry state suffice us for coldness and indifference; when the Lord creates a spring within, let our sap flow with vigour, and our branch blossom with high resolve. O Lord, if it be not spring time in my chilly heart, I pray thee make it so, for I am heartily weary of living at a distance from thee. Oh! the long and dreary winter, when wilt thou bring it to an end? Come, Holy Spirit, and renew my soul! quicken thou me! restore me, and have mercy on me! This very night I would earnestly implore the Lord to take pity upon his servant, and send me a happy revival of spiritual life!
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MORNING THOUGHTS, or
DAILY WALKING WITH GOD
By Octavius Winslow
"For he has made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that eve might be made the righteousness of God in him." 2 Corinthians 5:21
My reader, it is your highest honor, as it was His deepest shame; your richest glory, as it was His deepest humiliation; that He literally did bear all the sins of all His Church. As truly as we are "made the righteousness of God in Him," He was "made sin," or a sin-offering, for us. Behold how beautifully has the Holy Spirit brought out the doctrines of substitution and union. Of substitution thus, "He has made Him (who knew no sin) to be sin for us." And of union thus, "that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him." Oh amazing truth! Sinking to our deepest dishonor, He raises us to His highest glory. Sinking Himself with our fallen humanity, He raises us to a union with God. Substituting Himself for us, He makes us one with Himself. An affecting thought! Were all our iniquities, and all our "transgressions in all our sins," laid on Jesus? Yes, all! Before His infinite mind, to whom the past and the future are one eternal now, the sins of all His chosen ones, to the remotest period of time, passed in review, and were made to meet on the head of the atoning Lamb. Here is opened the high source of all real blessed ness to a believing soul. Sweet is the spring, and sweet are the streams that flow from it. Reconciliation with God- His free forgiveness- union with His nature- adoption into His family- acceptance in the Beloved- oneness with a risen Head- access within the veil- filial and perpetual communion- and the "peace of God, which, passes all understanding," are among the costly results of Christ bearing sin. And see how completely He has borne the mighty load. The moment our iniquities touched Him, it would seem as though He flung them to an infinite distance, or sunk them to an infinite depth. Never, in point of law and justice, can they appear against the pardoned soul. Laid upon our Surety, condemned, and punished, and pardoned in Him, "there is now no condemnation" of, or for sin, to "those who are in Christ Jesus." How strong is the language which declares this truth: "I have blotted out as a thick cloud your transgressions, and as a cloud your sins;" "You have cast all my sins behind Your back;" "Thus says the Lord, The iniquity of Israel shall be sought for, and there shall be none; and the sins of Judah, and they shall not be found." And why? "Behold the Lamb of God, that takes away the sin of the world!" And may we not account as among the most precious and costly blessings resulting from this truth, its sanctifying tendency? My beloved, the deepest view you can ever have of God's hatred of sin is in the cross of Calvary; and the deepest sense of the "exceeding sinfulness of sin" you can ever feel is its entire pardon, imprinted on your heart with the atoning blood of Jesus, and witnessed by the power and grace of the Holy Spirit. You hate it because it is forgiven; you abhor it because it is pardoned. Oh, powerful and precious motive to holiness! My soul, yield yourself to its sweet influence, draw your constraints to a life of deeper sanctification from the cross; thirst and pant with more intense desire after Divine conformity, as one all whose iniquities, transgressions, and sins are forever cancelled by the heart's blood of God's dear Son. Oh hateful and hated sin, atoned for so richly, pardoned so freely, blotted out so entirely, how can I admire you? how can I love you? how can I cherish you? and how can I yield to you now? You did burden and bow down to the earth the soul of my blessed Lord. You did mar the beauty, and veil the glory, and humble the spirit of my Beloved. You did crimson His body with the bloody sweat- you did wreath His brow with thorns- you did trouble his soul even unto death; and yet you, my transgressions, are forgiven- you, my sins, are covered- you, my iniquities, are not imputed, and that because Jesus, my surety, was wounded, and bruised, and stricken for me!
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