1050. His Appeal

His Appeal

"Jeans, Thou Son of David, have mercy on me" (Mar_10:47).

Did ever sinner offer words more suited to salvation than were these? Let us stop and notice: First, The position of the words–"Jesus," "mercy," "me." Second, The words themselves–"Jesus," "mercy," "me."

1. The position of the words. There is but one way by which we can come to God, and that is by His grace. Between the word which signifies our Lord–"Jesus," and the pronoun "me" which stood for poor Bartimaeus, stands that blessed word "mercy." In the 2d chapter of Ephesians we have the same, only the order is reversed.

(1) There is the description of the sinner in his sins: Ye "were dead in trespasses and sins; wherein in times past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, * * and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others."

(2) There is the grace, the abounding grace of God: "But God, Who is rich in mercy, for His great love wherewith He loved us, * * (for by grace are ye saved."

(3) There is the description of our Lord: He "hath quickened us together with Christ * * and hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in Heavenly places in Christ Jesus."

If a sinner wants to get to God, he can never approach on the plain of justice. He can never come pleading his deserts. He must take the place of a suppliant. He must come as sinners come. The man who said: "I thank Thee, O God, I am not as other men, unjust, extortioners," the man who emphasized that he was not such an one as the poor publican, went down to his home an unforgiven man. But the sinner who beat upon his breast and cried: "God be merciful to me," went home justified.

2. The words themselves.

(1) The first is "Jesus." "Thou shall call His name Jesus, for He shall save His people from their sins." When Saul of Tarsus cried, "Who art Thou, Lord?" the answer was, "I am Jesus, Whom thou persecutest." It is Jesus, the Son of David and the Son of God, Who came to die upon the Cross to set the sinner free.

(2) The second is "me"–a sinner, a beggar, poor and blind, a man without friends or hope. This is what we all are. Even the richest and the noblest must become a suppliant for grace. They are only rich as men count riches. Even Naaman, who was captain of the host of Syria and a great man with his master, was a leper, and he had to dip himself in Jordan's muddy stream. There is but one place for any one to take, and that is the place of a sinner, lost.

(3) The third is "mercy." How precious is the word; God is of tender mercy. When Nineveh, so full of sin, put on sackcloth and ashes and pleaded for forgiveness, the Lord forgave, and unto Jonah God said: "Should not I have mercy on Nineveh?" He is a God Who shows mercy unto the third and fourth generation of those who fear Him.

This mercy sure, stands free to all

Who seek a Saviour's blessing;

The rich and poor, the great and small

Who come His name confessing.

Autor: R.E. NEIGHBOUR