My Sermon-Notes, Vol. 2

“WHERE THE WOKD OF A Kmo a, THIXE IB Powxm.** Ecciesiatles viii. 4.

THINGS were autocratic in Solomon’s day. We may be glad that we are not under bondage to an absolute monarch, but enjoy the blessings of constitutional government. We are by no means slow to say to any one of our governors, “What doest thou?” And such a question, wisely put, is good both for him and for us.

God alone is rightfully sovereign without limit. He is King in the most absolute sense; and so it should be; for he is supremely good, wise, just, holy, &o.

As he is Maker of all, dominion over his creatures is a matter of natural right.

He has infinite power wherewith to carry out hit royal will.

Even in his least word there is omnipotence.

Let us consider thii, —

2 MY SHSttMON KOTIPft

I. TO EXCITE OUR AW/5.

Let us carefully think of —

1. His creating word, by which all things arose

out of nothing.

2. His preserving word, by which all things abide.

3. His destroying word, by which he will shake

earth and heaven.

4. His word of prerogative by which he kills and

makes alive.

5. His word of everlasting promise, which is our

comfort.

6. His word of terrible threatening, which is our

warning.

7. His word of prophecy and fore-ordination, which

is a great deep, full of solemn teaching to the lowly in heart.

Who can stand before any of these without trembling adoration? Power attends them to the fullest degree, for each one is the word of a King,

II. TO ENSURE OUR OBEDIENCE.

1. No divine command is to be treated as non

essential, for it is the word of Jehovah, the King. (See verses 2 and 3.)

2. Each precept is to be obeyed at once, heartily,

to the full, by every one, since the King commands.

8. His service must not be shunned, for that were

to rebel against our Sovereign. Jonah did not find this succeed: for the Lord will not be trifled with, and will make runaways know that his arm is long.

4. Disobedience is to be repented of. If we have fallen into sin, let the King’s word have a gracious power to subdue us to hearty grief.

III. TO INSPIRE OUR CONFIDENCE.

1. That he is able to give to the penitent, pardon; for he has promised in his word to do so.

2. That he will give to the believing, power to

renew their lives. “He sent his word, and healed them,” is true, spiritually.

3. That he will give to the tempted, power to

overcome temptation. God ensures the believer’s victory over every assault of Satan through the word. This weapon Jesus used in the wilderness.

4. That he will give to the suffering, power to

endure with patience, and to gather profit from the trial.

6. That he will give to the dying, hope, peace, beatific vision, &c. One word from the Lord of life robs death of its sting.

IV. TC DIRECT OUR CHRISTIAN EFFORT.

1. In all we do we should respect the King’s word. Churches should own Christ’s headship, obey his laws, and acknowledge no other lawgiver. This would be a source of power, as the opposite is the cause of weakness. 2. We must look nowhere else for power. Education, oratory, music, wealth, ceremonialism, are weakness itself, if depended on. 8. We must rely upon the word of our King as the instrument of power whenever we seek to do works in his name.

Preach it: for nothing else will break hard hearts, comfort the despairing, beget faith, or produce holiness.

Plead it in prayer: for the Lord will surely keep his own promises, and put forth his power to make them good.

Receive it into our mind and heart: for where divine truth is treasured, there .will be a wealth of spiritual power.

Practise it: for none can gainsay a life which is ordered according to the precepts of the Lord. An obedient life is full of a power before which men and devils do homage. 4. We shall see its power in various ways.

Gathering congregations. After all, the many do not go to listen to mere human teachings, but the cross attracts everywhere.

Gaining true converts. No conversion is
worth anything unless it is wrought by
the word of truth.

Keeping such converts to the end. The incorruptible seed alone produces an incorruptible life.

Order is created and preserved in the church by God’s word.

Saints are instructed, edified, sanctified, and fed by the word.

Love, joy, peace, and every grace, are begotten and fostered by the word.

Read much the royal word.

Speak more than ever the King’s word, which it the gospel of peace.

Believe in the word of King Jesus, and be bold to defend it.

Bow before it, and be patient and happy.

EXPEDIENCES.

No language ever stirs the deeps of uiy nature like the Word of God; and none produces such a profound calm within my spirit. As no other voice can, it melts me to tears, it humbles me in the dust, it fires me with enthusiasm, it fills me with felicity, it elevates me to holiness. Every faculty of my being owns the power of the sacred Word: it sweetens my memory, it brightens my hope, it stimulates my imagination, it directs my judgment, it commands my will, and it cheers my heart. The word of man charms me for the time; but I outlive »nd outgrow its power; it is altogether the reverse with the Word of the King of kings: it rules me more sovereignly, more practically, more habitually, more completely every day. Its power is for all seasons: for sickness and for health, for solitude and for company, for personal emergencies and for public assemblies. I had sooner have the word of God at my back than all the armies and navies of all the great powers; ay, than all the forces of nature; for the Word of the Lord is the source of all the power in the universe, and within it there is an infinite supply in reserve.

Believers know the life-giving power of the Word, for they can say, “Thy word hath quickened me;” and its life-sustaining power, for they live “by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God”; and its power against sin, for they can say, “Thy word have I hid in my heart, that I might not sin against thee.”

“His word was with power” in Capernaum of old, and it will be with the same power in any place nowadays. His word cannot fail; “it shall not return void; it shall prosper.” Therefore, when our “words fall to the ground,” it only proves that they were not his words. — Miss Havergal.

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