THE EFFECT OF GRACE
[p. 348] THE EFFECT OF GRACE
One has always encouragement in turning to Luke’s narrative in order to present Christ as a Saviour, because it is specially evangelical. Being an intimate companion of Paul, Luke had evidently caught the spirit of evangelisation that marked the great apostle. Paul received his commission from the Lord in heaven. He had heard the Lord’s voice from heaven announcing Himself to him: “I am Jesus”, Acts 9:5. That was a personal introduction He gave to the vessel who was to illuminate by the gospel the western world. Luke, as I said, was Paul’s companion for a considerable time, and he doubtless caught the spirit of evangelisation which so marked the apostle, and consequently he is employed to present Christ to us as the One in whom the grace of God came near to man.
In presenting the truth, as he does in a methodical and orderly way, Luke brings forward certain persons who were affected by the light of it; and, beloved friends, if a meeting like this is to be of any real service, it must result in some, if not all, of us, being impressed by the truth. We are, naturally, very hard and unimpressionable; our hearts being symbolised I believe by the tables of stone upon which the Law was written. Nevertheless God can take away the heart of stone, as He says in Ezekiel 11, “I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them an heart of flesh, that they may walk in my statutes, and keep mine ordinances, and do them”. And so Paul refers to the “fleshy tables of the heart”, 2 Corinthians 3:3. That is, a heart that is impressionable. God works in the souls of men and women in order to effect a change of heart. No one can define this divine operation any more than he can define natural life; the most [p. 349] intelligent and most experienced scientist cannot define life; he cannot explain natural life, much less spiritual life. “The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth so is every one that is born of the Spirit”, John 3:8. But we can see the results.
Take for instance the case of Simon the Pharisee in Luke 7; he had a heart of stone. He was a man of some means; religious means too — he was a Pharisee; and by way of patronage he invited the Lord Jesus (he did not address Him by that name), into his house; he was like the princes of this world — rulers, as well as other leaders — devoid of the hidden wisdom which the believer possesses, and so he did not discern that the Lord of glory was in his house. Think of the Lord of glory in a man’s house! The One by whom everything was made, as John tells us, not one thing was made without Him. He is the One who upholds all things by the word of his power — think of Him in a man’s house! But Simon was utterly unmoved. What did he say? “If this man were a prophet”. He did not know Him.
Now take the case of Zacchaeus in Luke 19; he also received the Lord into his house. How did he receive Him? He had climbed up into a tree to see Jesus; he was rightly exercised; he had the right thought; doubtless he would have found it better to have remained on the ground; but it was not idle curiosity made him climb: he sought to see Jesus who He was. Who was He? The Lord of glory! Beloved friends, open your heart tonight and let in that light. The Lord of glory is presented to you. He would enter into your house, and He would take up His abode, as your personal Saviour, in your heart. He proposed to Zacchaeus to enter into his house; This day, He said, I must abide in thy house. Mark you, He does not say ‘I must visit’; no, “I must [p. 350] abide in thy house; and Zacchaeus made haste and came down and received him joyfully”, Luke 19:6. I judge he went in before the Lord, for we read that he received Him with joy.
That is characteristic of Luke, who presents the effect of grace, and the effect of grace is gladness — joy. What a contrast to Simon who had a heart like a stone. Is there here tonight a self-satisfied, self-righteous person, sitting like a stoic listening to the gospel? You have heard it before, but you have never been moved by it; you can criticise the sermon, the preacher and the hearers, it may be, but you have never been impressed with the gospel, you have never been moved by it. Luke brings forward persons that were impressed, divinely impressed. He brings forward Mary, the mother of the Lord Jesus. She rejoiced; she was moved by the tidings that the angel brought to her: “My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour”, Luke 1:46. Then he brings forward Elizabeth; she was likewise moved; she says “Whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me”. Then Zacharias in his turn is also affected. He had been dumb for a season because of unbelief — a warning to us not to be slow in believing. To such Christ said: “O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken”, Luke 24: 25. Zacharias had not believed, and he was dumb for a season.
It may be there are some Christians here who are partial in their faith; they believe just what suits them, and they are silent. God is very particular about the priests that approach Him. If you refer to the types you will discover how readily a priest becomes blemished, and is disqualified, though he may continue to eat the bread of the priests. Zacharias was disqualified, he could neither speak to God nor to man; but as he pronounced the name John, the name that was divinely given, his tongue is loosed [p. 351] and he praises God. They wanted to call the child Zacharias after his father, but he had no pride of that kind, hence he says John is his name. I would appeal to the priests, that is, to the saints of God — the saints of God are all priests — as to whether they are affected by the truth. A true priest will praise God.
Then in chapter 2 is recorded the birth of Christ. The whole world was moved in order that He might be born in Bethlehem. Caesar Augustus ruled over the country at that time, and doubtless in his pride he wished to find out how many subjects he had. What the number was, is a matter of no moment to me, nor indeed was it to heaven; God is concerned, beloved friends, in regard of His people. Caesar would count his people, and God would have it so in order that Jesus should be born at Bethlehem. We little realise how God moves in the world to accomplish His desires, He would move a kingdom to reach one soul. There is joy, says Jesus, in the presence of the angels of God over one repenting sinner. But there is no joy in heaven in regard to the great national movements of recent years. A meeting like this is of interest to heaven.
There were shepherds, we are told, keeping watch over their flock by night in the vicinity of Bethlehem; they were of more interest to heaven than the crowds in Jerusalem, and in every other city and town in the empire on that occasion. The country folk had flocked to the towns, and the towns were crowded; we know how crowds seek enjoyment; had modern invention been in existence in those days they would no doubt have had picture shows in Bethlehem on that night; it would have been a harvest time for pleasure providers, for we may be assured that man’s heart was then what it is now, when he uses all his power to gratify his natural desires in the crowded cities and towns. But the shepherds were outside of that; they were keeping their flocks by night. God takes,
[p. 352] account of that. Think of the Holy Spirit recording that there were certain shepherds in that country abiding without, and keeping watch by night, over their flock. They were not careless shepherds, they were not indifferent, they were looking after their flock, and the angel of the Lord stood by them there.
It is well to do what is right. I am not putting that forward as the gospel; but God takes account of it. Would it affect you if an angel of the Lord stood by you tonight? God speaks to many people by night, when the busy scenes of life are over, at times God addresses Himself to souls. One would like to be an angel; an evangelist is that; a messenger of good tidings; and one would greatly desire to be at your side in the hour of your need — beloved friends, if you are not converted, if you do not know the Lord, now is the hour. The angel of the Lord announces to the shepherds, “Behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy”. Think of that! he brought the tidings to them. It is brought to you tonight by the Lord — if it be by an angel he is a representative of the Lord, if by an evangelist, he is a representative of the Lord. As Paul says: “He (i.e., Christ) ... came and preached the glad tidings of peace to you who were afar off, and to those who were nigh”, Ephesians 2:17. The preacher there is Christ. He has now many mouth-pieces.
A most important statement in the Old Testament is that the Preacher is king: “I, the Preacher (Solomon says), was king over Israel in Jerusalem Ecclesiastes 1: 12. That is, he intimates that He has got right of way; he represents the Lord as king. Christ Jesus as having sat down in heaven at the right hand of God, has right of way everywhere; and having right-of-way He sends out His messengers. So the angel stood by the shepherds where they were, as he would stand by you now, and he announced the glad tidings. They were affected by the news; the [p. 353] light shone round about them; the glory of the Lord was there; it was an auspicious moment”. I bring you glad tidings of great joy, “but, he says”, I bring it is not only for you, it is for “all the people”. And then he explains: “For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord”.
These are the facts; these are the glad tidings of great joy; then suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God. They were there too; they were impressed; they were not evangelists, they were there in positive delight I might say — in appreciation of the moment. It was the most auspicious moment that had happened in the history of all time. A Babe had been born unto them, in the city of David, which was Christ the Lord. Are you prepared to accept that fact? I appeal to you; one would like to be so impressed by it oneself, as to convey to you the magnitude of what has come to pass. The shepherds took account of what was spoken to them, and they went immediately to Bethlehem, and they found the Babe.
Now I pass on to Simeon, because I think Simeon is typical of the true priesthood in Luke. We have the representative of the ancient order of Aaronic priesthood in Zacharias, but now we have a true priest of the new order; that is to say, we have a man upon whom the Spirit of God is. No man is qualified to witness to Christ who has not received the Spirit of God. We see that the Lord, a divine Person, Himself God, did not begin to minister until the Holy Spirit came upon Him. One might graduate from the greatest university or college in the world, might be a doctor of theology, and a master of arts; one might know “the fathers”, and all the Scriptures, and yet be unfitted to announce the gospel. The Lord says, “The Spirit of Jehovah is upon me, because he has anointed me to preach glad tidings to the poor”, Luke 4:18.
Of Simeon it says, “The Holy Spirit was upon him”. “And it was revealed unto him by the Holy Spirit, that he should not see death, until he had seen the Lord’s Christ”. He had light about Christ. Thank God for what light I have about Christ; I would not preach to you if I had not received light about Christ, I want you to know Him. What I have is by the Spirit, or I have not got it rightly. It was revealed unto Simeon by the Spirit that he should not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. “Simeon came by the Spirit into the temple”. That is how he came in. It is the only way. And being there, Joseph and Mary brought in the Babe — A wonderful time! They brought in the Babe, Jesus, to do for Him according to the custom of the law. O, beloved friends, I would like to present the truth to you as Simeon did; he was like a consecrated priest; he had the Lord Himself — as a Babe, it is true, but nevertheless the Lord of glory — in his arms!
Needy soul here tonight are you able to appreciate the picture? Simeon took Him into his arms, and blessed God, and said “Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word: for mine eyes have seen thy salvation”. He said in effect, ‘Your Christ is here; your Salvation is here! I can retire’. But before retiring he announced Christ — “a light, for revelation of the Gentiles and the glory of thy people Israel”. It is not here to give light to the Gentiles, that is not the meaning of the word; it means that the Gentiles, who had been hidden away from God would be brought back into the light of God by that Babe. “God”, it says in the epistle to Romans, “gave them up”, Romans 1:24 - 28. Why? Because they did not like to retain Him in their knowledge. Terrible state! Doubtless they had their colleges, or universities, but they eliminated God from their knowledge, hence God gave them up; and He took up Israel,
[p. 355] and went on with Israel for centuries. But now the Babe, according to Luke’s record, would bring the Gentiles back into the light of God.
A godly Jew living in Jerusalem would draw a line round Palestine, on the map, and place all the sunshine there; elsewhere the heathen world was steeped in darkness; a little glimmer might appear, a Cornelius might have some light, but the Gentile world was in dense darkness. And now, a Babe appears in the arms of Simeon, and he intimates that this Babe is going to unveil the Gentiles. So that now, in this western world we are in direct relationship with God. Most of us tonight can say, “The light of the knowledge of the glory of God” 2 Corinthians 4:6 shines right down into our hearts. If you look at the Gentile world today you will see the difference; a great light shines throughout that world from the face of Christ. But, it may shine round about you, and yet not shine into your heart. Why? Because your heart is as hard as a stone, and you keep its doors closed. Ah, friend, the Lord is knocking at your heart now; He would have the light shine into it; the light of the glory is in His countenance, and He would have it shine right into your heart as it shone into mine, and into the hearts of most of those here tonight.
Joseph and Mary were affected by what was said; they wondered at it. It is those who are affected by the word that get the good of it. So Simeon blesses them, and says to Mary, “Behold this child is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel”. He is set for your fall, unbeliever, and He will bring it about too. It may be with some of you here tonight that “where the tree falleth there shall it be” (Ecclesiastes 11:3) and judgment shall find you there. A terrible fall that would be! But now, if you fall in grace, you will rise. Like Saul of Tarsus who fell to the ground, but rose up again — Ananias said to him, “Brother Saul receive thy sight”, Acts 22:13. He said further, “Now, why tarriest thou? arise and be baptised, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord”, Acts 22:16. The whole past is wiped out, and the Holy Spirit comes in, and you are made to stand up.
Are you prepared for it tonight — prepared to fall down before the Lord in the acknowledgment of your guilt? He is set for that. He would bring it about now, in grace. But “Whosoever shall fall upon that stone shall be broken; but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder”, Luke 20: 18. That is a terrible word — “shall be broken”; the result of refusing Christ. He is looking now for broken hearts, for He binds up the broken-hearted. “Come and let us return unto the Lord, for he hath torn and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up. After two days will he revive us: in the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight”, Hosea 6: 1, 2. Christians know what the rising again means. The Lord makes us rise up, that we may receive the gift of the Holy Spirit; as was said to Saul, “Rise, and stand upon thy feet”, Acts 26: 16. Such is grace! It sets you up in assurance and dignity in the presence of God.
Simeon said further to Mary: “A sword shall pierce through thy own soul also”. It was a terrible word for her. She realised it, and probably thanked God for it later, as have those of us who know what discipline is.
Now, just a few words in regard to Anna — Simeon presents Christ in a universal way as a light for revelation of the Gentiles, and the glory of Israel; Anna is more local. She was a woman far advanced in years, but she frequented the house of God; she was of the tribe of Asher, and as one of Asher’s children, her foot was dipped in oil; that is the prophetic desire for Asher; Deuteronomy 33: 24, 25. So she frequented the house of God, and did not miss this fine occasion.
[p. 357] It was the most wonderful moment in the whole history of the temple. There never had been such a moment as this from the time of Solomon, not even when the Ark of the covenant was brought in and the glory of the Lord filled the house. When Anna came in the Christ of God was there, in the arms of the priest; she, Anna, came in then.
Beloved brethren, if we frequent the house of God we will not miss special occasions. I would urge upon Christians the wisdom of keeping to the house of God. This was a very special occasion. Anna came in at that moment, and she praised God too; she was a priest, like Simeon; but as Simeon spoke of Him in a universal way — He is the light for everybody, and for you tonight — she spoke of Him in a local way: to all those who waited for redemption in Jerusalem. Levitical service is general: it is universal. No true Levite will limit himself to locality for he is called in regard of the entire field of service.
The Levites, as you will remember, were stationed all round the tabernacle; their service was in relation to it, and was universal. But there is such a thing as local witness — I may not have gift, or I may be a sister, but I can speak of Christ. Anna spoke of Him; it does not say she preached Christ; preaching supposes gift, ability, and this gospel makes much of gift. But, one can speak of Christ, and Anna is a model in that sense.
Now, I would return to what I said at the beginning: the gospel is intended to affect us, and Luke presents us with a Person in whom the grace of God came near to us. God grant that we may be affected by it.