804. LUK 19:41, LUK 19:42. THE SINNER’S DAY
Luk_19:41, Luk_19:42. The Sinner’s Day
"And when he was come near he beheld the city, and wept over it, saying, If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes."’97Luk_19:41, Luk_19:42.
Of Jesus it was predicted that he should be "a man of sorrows," &c. This was fully borne out in his suffering life. Never were any sorrows like unto his; for never did any heart feel such tender susceptibilities as that of the Saviour. On three occasions did these feelings burst forth into tears. At the grave of Lazarus, when he saw the ravages of death as the curse of human transgression. When he was taking the cup from the hand of his Father, that cup in which was the unmixed anguish due to sin, and which, as our surety and Redeemer, he tasted for every man. Of the affecting scene in Gethsemane the apostle speaks thus: "Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayer and supplication, with strong crying and tears," Heb_5:7. What those tears meant, and all that they involved, none will ever know, but he by whom they were shed, and the Eternal Father, on whose hallowed shrine they were presented. The third instance is that of our text, when the Redeemer wept over Jerusalem, and said, "If thou hadst known," &c. We clearly see the force and beauty of the text in reference to Jerusalem. For centuries they had been favored with the immunities and privileges of the people of God. They had the temple, and the priesthood, and the sacrifices. They had the prophets, and holy men, as pastors and teachers. They had the oracles of truth, the promises of mercy, and the ordinances of religion. And, last of all, they had Elijah’s antitype, the faithful Baptist, as the herald of the Messiah; and whose proclamations were followed by the glorious appearance of the Messiah himself. Jesus had taught in their streets, and had filled their country with the fame of his miracles. But, alas! they hated instruction, they rejected the anointed one of God; and the omniscient Jesus beheld the glory departing from them, and the shadows of a long dark night stretching over them. Hence, when he came near the city, "he wept over it," &c. Forty years after, this destruction came upon it, their nation was taken from them, their city destroyed, and their temple razed and burnt to its foundation. But we desire to give this passage a personal application. Hence we remark,
I. That the sinner has his day of mercy and hope.
II. That this day is accompanied with things which belong to his pence.
III. That if these things are not known during the day that is afforded, they will be forever hidden from his eyes. We notice, then,
I. That the sinner has his day of mercy and hope.
This is, generally, the period of human life. We say generally, for sometimes the mind becomes deranged, and reason dethroned, long before death performs its solemn and fatal office. But the life of the sinner is, properly speaking, his day. As such,
1. It is a period of light.
Night is the season of darkness. The sinner has a threefold light. The light of nature’97the evidences of God’s power and wisdom in the works of creation. The light of conscience’97the internal impression of his accountability to God. The light of revelation’97the light of the glorious gospel of the blessed God. Christ is the sun of the moral world. "I am the light of the world." Now, with the beams of this threefold light we are all favored. Unto us, who sat in the region of the shadow of death, has this blessed and gracious light sprung up. As a day,
2. It is a period of activity. "I must work while it is called today," &c. With the opening morning man riseth and goeth forth to labor; with the ending day he returns, and retires to rest. So it is in the day of the sinner’s life. All that work which relates to the soul and eternity must now be performed. Hence the wise man urges, "Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do," &c.
3. It is a period exceedingly limited.
"A day." How swiftly it passes over’97how soon it is gone! The longest day, what is it? Just so with life. What is your life ask the inspired writers. It is a vapor’97a thing of naught’97an arrow that is swiftly shot to its destination’97a cloud that passes away’97a flower that fadeth. It is as nothing before God; so affectingly short that, though the wise man says, "There is a time to be born, and a time to die," he makes no mention of a time to live. But a step from the cradle to the tomb!
4. The present period is our day.
The patriarchs and the ancient Jews had their day; the apostles and early Christiana had their day; our forefathers had their day; and, now, the present is ours. This, says God to each of us, is "thy day." Lei conscience re-echo the solemn truth. With many around me it is far spent. With others of us, if we live to old age, it is half past, and how quickly does the afternoon of life pass away! With the youngest here, let it be remembered and pondered over, that life is one short day, and this is yours.
II. This day is accompanied with things which belong to the sinner’s peace.
By peace, here, we understand the welfare, the salvation of the sinner The peace of God is the pledge and earnest of every blessing. Now in this day we have,
1. The gracious provisions of peace. Christ has made peace by his cross, and before us is the cross lifted up. There is no peace for the guilty but through his blood; and this fountain is opened to us, and accessible to the vilest of the vile. Then there is the proclamation of peace in the gospel. The gospel trumpet announces peace. "How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace!" The doors of the Saviour’s Church are open, and before him are placed the inviting ordinances of religion.
2. The invitations and promises of peace belong to this day.
"To-day, if ye will hear his voice." "Seek the Lord while he may be found," &c. Now he is only near to us in mercy in this life. He can only be found now. Neither mercy nor pardon are offered to the sinful dead, but to those only whose day of probation is not ended.
3. The means of obtaining peace belong to this day.
There must be genuine repentance’97God commands all men now, everywhere, to repent. There must be earnest prayer’97now only can prayer be availing. No throne of grace for the lost’97the rich man in hell was refused a drop of water. There must be faith in Christ Jesus’97but here only is he preached. Not a messenger of mercy will ever visit the damned. Our mercies and opportunities all relate to this life, and this life is our day in which we have the things which belong to our peace. We notice,
III. That if these things are not known now, in this our day, they will be forever hidden from our eyes.
Now observe,
1. The future state of the sinner is one of night.
As such, it is a period of darkness. No sun to illuminate’97no moon to dispel the darkness’97no stars to bespangle the firmament of hell. It is night only’97darkness only’97the blackness of darkness’97thick darkness’97mists of darkness: not one ray of light shall ever streak the horizon of the lost. Then men will be anxious for the breaking of the morning’97but no morning shall ever cheer their eyes. For observe,
2. This state of night will be everlasting.
Of the exclusion from Christ’s presence, it is said, "These shall go away into everlasting punishment." It is also said, such shall be "punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power." "Take these mine enemies, and bind them hand and foot, and cast them into outer darkness," &c.
Application
We learn,
1. That the sinner’s present state is one of probation and mercy. There is an eternal connection between your present and everlasting state. Whatsoever a man soweth now, then shall he reap. Now God evidences his longsuffering, and patience, and mercy.
2. That God sincerely desires the salvation of souls. "Oh, that thou hadst known" &c. He has solemnly declared it. He has done all he can consistently with his owe glory to effect it.
3. That all who lose their souls do so by their own impenitency. "I would have gathered thee, and ye would not." See Pro_1:24.
4. Let all now attend to the things which belong to their peace; and to these chiefly, heartily immediately, &c.
Autor: JABEZ BURNS