An Impious Taunt
—Text — ‘He trusted in God: let Him deliver Him — now, if He will have Him; for fle satd, I am the Son of God.” Matt. 37: 43.
THE SIN BEARER TAUNTED. — I. THE ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF HIS FAITH. — THE MOCKERS SAID HE TRUSTED IN GOD. — HOW THEY KNEW. — BY HIS LIFE. — A PERSONAL FAITH. — MAKES MEN
STRONG. — THE MENTONESE AND THE PRINCE OF MONACO. —
- II. THE TEST THE ESSENCE OF THE TAUNT. — LOGICAL. — AN
a ITEM FOR THE DEVIL’S GAZETTE. — A BRAVE PATIENT IN GUY’S
HOSPITAL. — ALL FAITH MUST BE TRIED. — III. THE ANSWER. — - GOD DOES DELIVER. — BY SUSTAINING. — IN HIS OWN WAY.
Ir is very painful to the heart to picture our blessed Master, in His death-agonies, surrounded by a ribald
multitude, who watched Him and mocked Him, made sport of His prayer and insulted His faith. Nothing was sacred to them: they invaded the Holy of Holies
of His confidence in God, and taunted Him concerning that faith in Jehovah which they were compelled - to admit. Beloved, the treatment of our Lord Jesus
Christ by men is the clearest proof of total depravity which can possibly be required or discovered. Those must be stony hearts indeed which can laugh at a dying Saviour, and MOCK EVEN AT HIS FAITH in God! Compassion would seem to have deserted humanity, while malice sat supreme on the throne.
-so are we also in this world.” We also must be
ainful as the pidnire i is, it wit on you poe to paint
os 3: You will need neither canvas nor, brush NOE ne
palette nor colors. Let your thoughts draw the out-
= line, and your love fill in the detail; I shall not complain if imagination heightens the coloring. The Son of God, whom angels adore with veiled faces, is —
pointed at with scornful fingers by men who thrust - out the tongue and mockingly exclaim, “He trusted
on the Lord that He would deliver Him: let Him
deliver Him, seeing He delighted in Him.”
While thus we see our Lord in His sorrow and His shame as our substitute, we must not forget that He also is there as our representative. In Him we see what we have in our measure to endure. “As He is,
crucified to the world, and we may look for somewhat of those tests of faith and taunts of derision which go with such a crucifixion. ‘Marvel not if the world hate you.” You, too, must suffer without the gate. Not for the world’s redemption, but for the accom-
plishment of divine purposes in you, and through you
to the sons of men, you must be made to know the cross and its shame.
I. First, then, my beloved brethren, you who know the Lord by faith, and live by trusting in Him, let me invite you to observe
THE ACKNOWLEDGMENT
‘ which these mockers made of our Lord’s faith: “He
trusted in God.” Yet the Saviour did not wear any peculiar garb or token by which He let men know
that He trusted in God. He was not a recluse, fea & A of
ny if “> neither did He join some little knot o “separa
boasted their peculiar trust in Jehovah. — Althoug our Saviour was separate from sinners, yet He w eminently a man among men, and He went in and
Bes: out among the multitude as one of themselves. His — ;
one peculiarity was that “He trusted in God.” This was the one thing which distinguished Him among - men — “He trusted in God,” and He lived such a life as naturally grows out of faith in the Eternal Lord. This peculiarity had been visible even to that ungodly — multitude who least of all cared to perceive a spiritual point of character. Was ever any other upon across thus saluted by the mob who watched His execution?. Had these scorners ever mocked any one before for — ‘such a matter as this? I trow not. Yet faith had
been so manifest in our Lord’s daily life that the crowd
. a cried, “‘ He trusted in God.” ‘ ae How did they know? I suppose they could not 4 Ef help seeing that He made much of God in His teaching, in His life, and in His miracles. Whenever Jesus a spoke it was always godly talk; and if it was not
. always distinctly about God, it was always about things that related to God, that came from God, that —: led to God, that magnified God. A man may be fairly fuel: judged by that which he makes most of. The ruling b passion is a fair gauge of the heart. What a soul-
. ruler faith is!’ It sways the man as the rudder guides the ship. When a man once gets to live by faith in; God, it tinctures his thoughts, it masters his purposes,
os Ale it flavors his words, it puts a tone into his actions,and it comes out in everything by ways and means most and eho you = eg
come to estimate Gua as He a tes the most care-Jess onlooker will soon begin to say of you, “He We trusted in God.”
In addition to observing that Jesus made much of e
God, men came to note that He was a trusting man,
and not self-confident. Certain persons are very proud because they are;
SELF-MADE MEN.
I will do cen credit to admit that they heartily wor- ship their maker. Self made them, and they worship self. We have among us individuals who are self-sufficient, and almost all-sufficient; they sneer at those who do not succeed, for ézey can succeed anywhere at anything. A vat of sufficiency ferments within their ribs! There was nothing of that sort of thing in our
Lord. The words that He spake He spake not Otis
Himself, and the great deeds that He did He never boasted of, but said, “The Father that dwelleth in Me, He doeth the works.” He was a truster in God, not a boaster in self.
It is evident that the Lord Jesus trusted in God
openly, since even yonder gibing crowd proclaimed it. Some good people try to exercise faith on the sly: they practice it in snug corners, and in lonely hours, but they are afraid to say much before others, for fear their faith should not see the promise fulfilled. They
dare not say, with David, “My soul shall make her
boast in the Lord: the humble oe hear thereof and
; be glad.” This peeey bis Ged of His hon Brethren, we do not glorify our God as He ought. to be glorified. Let us trust in Him, and own it. Oh, [| want you so to live that those who dislike you most. - may, nevertheless, know that you do trust in God! When you come to die, may your dear children say of you, “Our dear mother did trust in the Lord!” May that boy, who has gone farthest away from Christ, and grieved your heart the most, nevertheless
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say in his heart, “There may be hypocrites in the world, but my dear father does truly trust in God!” - Oh, that our faith may be known unmistakably! a FAITH MUST BEGIN AT HOME, a Of what use were the longest arm if it were not fixed a
to the man himself at the shoulder? If you have no faith about yourself, what faith can you have about =.: others? ‘He trusted-in the Lord that He would oe deliver Him.” Come, beloved, have you such a faith in the living God? Do you trust in God through. Christ Jesus that He will save you? Yes, you poor, Bk, unworthy one, the Lord will deliver you if you trust * Him. Yes, poor woman, or unknown man, the Lord can help you in your present trouble, and in every other, and He will do so if you trust Him to that end. May the Holy Spirit lead you to first trust the Lord Jesus for the pardon of sin, and then to trust for all things. ee Certainly, dear friends, it is extremely comfortable to trust in God. I find it so and therefore speak. To Be roll your burden upon the Lord, since He will sustain you, is a blessed way of being quit of care. We know
Him to be faithful, and as powerful as He is faithful; and our dependence upon Him is the solid foundation of a profound peace. If you trust in men — the best of men — you are likely to be lowered by your trust. We are apt to cringe before those who patronize us. If your prosperity depends upon a person’s smile, you are tempted to pay homage even when it is undeserved. The old saying mentions a certain person as “knowing on which side his bread is buttered.” Thousands are practically degraded by trusting in men. But when ‘our reliance is upon the living God, we are raised by it, and elevated both morally and spiritually.
This confidence in God makes men sévong. I should advise the enemy not to oppose the man who trusts in God, In the long run he will be beaten, as Haman found it with Mordecai. He had been warned of this: “If Mordecai be of the seed of the Jews, before whom thou hast begun to fall, thou shalt not prevail against him, but shalt surely fall before him.” Contend not with a man who has God at his back. Years ago the Mentonese desired to break away from the dominion of the Prince of Monaco. They therefore drove out his agent. The prince came with his army — not a great one, it is true, but still formidable to the Mentonese. I know not what the high and mighty princeling was not going to do; but the news came that the King of Sardinia was coming up in the rear to help the Mentonese, and, therefore, his lordship of Monaco very prudently retired to his own rock. When a believer stands out against evil, he may be sure that the Lord will not be far away.
. eh was hurled by the mockers against our Leet «Let Him deliver Him now, if He will have Him.” Such a test will come to all believers. It may come asa taunt from enemies; it will certainly come asa trial of your faith, The arch- -enemy will assuredly B. THE ESSENCE OF THE TAUNT
hiss out, “Let Him deliver Him, seeing He dclightes in Him.”
This taunt has about it the appearance of being |: very logical, and indeed in a measure so it is. If God
has promised to deliver us, and we have openly professed to believe the promise, it is only natural that others should say, “Let us see whether He doves
deliver him. This man believes that the Lord will help him; and He must help him, or else the man’s faith is a delusion.” This is the sort of test to which we ourselves would have put others before our conversion, and we cannot object to be proved in the same manner ourselves. Perhaps we incline to run away from the ordeal, but this very shrinking should be a solemn call to us to question the genuineness of that faith which we are afraid to test. ‘He trusted on the Lord,” says the enemy, “that He would deliver Him: let Him deliver Him”; and surely, however malicious the design, there is no escaping from the logic of the challenge.
The taunt is specially pointed and personal. It is put thus: “//e trusted on the Lord that He would
deliver Aim: let Him deliver Him’; “Do not come chosen. Here is a man who is one of His people; 1 He help 42m? Do not talk to us big things about Jehovah at the Red Sea, or in the becca of
is a living man before us who trusted in God thee ie
know how Satan will pick out one of the most
e afflicted, and pointing his fingers at him will cry, “Let e. Him deliver nim.” Brethren, the test is fair. God will be
re TRUE TO EVERY BELIEVER.
If any one child of God could be lost, it would be quite enough to enable the devil to spoil all the glory of God forever. If one promise of God to one of His
mar the veracity of the Lord to all eternity: they would publish it in the Dzabolical Gazette, and in every street of Tophet they would howl it out, “God has failed. God has broken His promise. God has ceased to be faithful to His people.” It would then bea horrible reproach — He trusted in God to deliver him, but He did not deliver him.”
Much emphasis lies in its being in the present tense:
«He trusted in God that He would deliver Him: let Him deliver Him zow.” I see Thee, O Lord Jesus;
.Thou art not now in the wilderness, where the fiend is saying, “If Thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.” No. Thou art nailed
toa tree; Thine enemies have hemmed Thee in. The legionaries of Rome are at the foot of the cross, the
ith your “iddlestiadle About God’s Helphdey all?
- Sinai, or God helping His people in past ages. Here
p would deliver him: let Him deliver him now.” You
people should fail, that one failure would suffice to
: ‘ - i EE hess ‘ “< en f hi org Ady Scribes and Pharisees and raging Jews compas:
Hence their cry: “Let Him deliver Him xow.” Ah, brothers and sisters! this is how Satan assails us,;
Guy’s Hospital to whom the doctors said that he must —
himself upon the Lord, and felt in his heart, ‘Come
about. There is no escape from death for T
using our present and pressing tribulations as thee a Pibs of his arrows. Yet here also there is reason and logic in the challenge. uy
I told you a story the other day of the brother in
undergo an operation which was extremely dangerous. — They gave him a week to consider whether he would submit to it. He was troubled for his young wife and: children, and for his work for the Lord. A friend left — a bunch of flowers for him, with this verse as its — motto, “He trusted in God; let Him deliver Him — now.” “Yes,” he thought, “ow.” In prayer he cast
on, doctors, I am ready for you!” When the next morning came, he refused to take chloroform, for he desired to go to heaven in his senses. He bore the operation manfully, and he is yet alive. “He trusted on the Lord that He would deliverh im” then Be there, and the Lord did so.
A Christian man may be beaten in business, he may fail to meet all demands, and then Satan yells, “Let Him deliver him xow.” The poor man has been out — of work for two or three months, tramping the streets “of London until he has worn out his boots; he has been brought to his last penny. I think I hear the laugh of the Prince of Darkness as he cries, “Let Him deliver him zow.” Or else the believer is very ill in v
IN VERY TRYING POSITIONS. oa 7 We were moved with indignation because of deadly error, and we spoke plainly, but men refused to hear. ‘Those we relied upon deserted us; good men sought — their own ease and would not march with us, and we had to bear testimony for despised truth alone, until we were ourselves despised. Then the adversary.: shouted, “Tet Him deliver him now.” Be it so! We do not refuse the’test. Our God whom we serve will wy: deliver us. We will not bow down to modern thought ea nor worship the image which human wisdom has set up. Our God is God both of hills and of valleys. = He will not fail His servants, albeit that for awhile He forbears that He may try their faith, .We dare accept the test, and say, ‘“Let Him deliver us zow.” Beloved friends, we need not be afraid of this taunt if it is brought by adversaries; for, after all, the test will come to us apart from any malice, for zt zs znev7table. Brethren, we have not a tithe of the faith we think we have. But whether or not, all our be: FAITH MUST BE TESTED. ae -. God builds no ships but what He sends to sea. In living, in losing, in working, in weeping, in suffering, or in striving, God will finda fitting crucible for every single grain of the precious faith which He has given: us.
Yes, the test will come again and again. May the gibes of adversaries only make us ready for the sterner ordeals of the judgment to come! O my dear friends, eXe your’ religion, You ha s some of you; but what of its quality?
Pieined contempt? Will your religion stand ea test te 3 of long sickness of body, and depression of spirit caused by weakness? What are you doing amid the common trials of life? What will you do in the swell- a ings of Jordan? Examine well your faith, since all hangs there. Some of us who have lain for weeks ie together, peering through the thin veil which parts us x a from the unseen, have been made to feel that nothing — will suffice us but a promise which will answer the ae taunt, ‘“Let Him deliver us zow.” III. I shall finish, in the third en dear friends, by noticing
to the test. God does deliver those who trust in Him. God’s interposition for the faithful is not a dream, but a substantial reality. ‘Many are the afflictions of the righteous; but the Lord delivereth Him out of them all.” All history proves the faithfulness — of God. ‘Those who trust God have been in all sorts of troubles; but they have always been delivered. They have been bereaved. What a horrible bereavement was that which fell to the lot of Aaron, when his two sons were struck dead for their profanity in the presence of God! “And Aaron held his peace!” What grace was there! Thus will the Lord sustain you also, should He take away the desire of your eyes with a stroke. Grave after grave has the good man yet has’ not — consumed..; But God’s ways of deliverance are His own. sige ee xe does not deliver according to the translation put upon “deliverance” by the ribald throng. He does not. bel Bedcliver according to the interpretation ‘put upon |)“e9 i
“deliverance” by our shrinking flesh and blood. He delivers, but it is in His own way. Let me remark that, ¢f God delivers you and me in the same way as pe He delivered His own Son, we can have no cause of * kee complaint. ns: a he WHAT KIND OF A DELIVERANCE ue was that? Did the Father tear up the cross from the earth? Did He proceed to draw out the nails from ae, the sacred hands and feet of His dear Son? Did He 4 set Him down upon that “green hill far away, beyond the city wall,” and place in His hand a sword of fire - with which to smite His adversaries? Did He bid the earth open and swallow up all His foes? No; nothing of the kind. Jehovah did not interpose to spare His Son a single pang, but He let Him die, He Jet Him be taken as a dead man down from the cross — and laid in a tomb. Jesus went through with His suffering to the bitter end. O brothers and sisters, this may be God’s way of delivering us. We have trusted in God that He would deliver us; and His ey rendering of His promise is, that He will enable us umph in so doing, a Eero pacbaiee le will deliver His asco the te the adversary shall not cause our God to fo pane His people. I know that the Lord will no 1 fail me than any other of His servants. He will I leave a faithful witness to His adversaries. ‘I that my Avenger liveth, and that He shall a the latter day upon the earth: and though after m skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall 5 see God: whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes — shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me.” Is this also your confidence? Then do not sit down in sorrow, and act as though — you despaired. Quit yourselves like men. Be -: strong, fear not.! There are times when we may use this text to our comfort. ‘Let Him deliver Him now,” saith the text, “if He will have Him.” You, dear friends, who — have never believed in the Lord Jesus Christ before, how I wish you could try Him now! You feel this morning full of sin, and full of need. Come, then, and I trust the Saviour zow. See whether He will not save. you zxow. “Oh,” you say, “I am in such an unfit state; I am in all the deshabille of my carelessness and godlessness.” Come along, man, come along, justas you are. Tarry not for improvement or arrangement, for both of these Jesus will give you; — come and put your trust in the great Sacrifice for sin, — and He will deliver you — deliver you zow. Lord, save the sinner, zow, eee and ne have been ae usa nd at oan nee seem to o have § Oy lf