IF God's visit to this world in the Person of His Son had not yet become an accomplished fact; if the Incarnation were still only a matter of promise; what endless speculations might arise as to how His actual presence would affect men. Would He be austere and repellent because of His righteous claim and mighty power to deal with sinful men according to divine justice? Would He fill men with fear and alarm at His holy presence? Would He cause them to fly before His face in solemn dread of the consequence of being near Him?
When they had strained their imagination to the utmost, who could have believed but that, when He came into the midst of sinners, it would be the very opposite of that which is recorded in the seventh chapter of the Gospel of Luke?
Think of a stranger today stopping a funeral procession on its way to the burial ground; then raising the dead to life and drying the tears, of the chief mourner by giving her back her only son! When inquiry is made as to who this wonder-working stranger can be, with no human pretension, no outward show, nothing to arrest public notice or attract the natural eye, the truth has to be told in the words of the text just quoted—"God hath visited His people"—God, veiled in the lowly guise of His creature man, has come near him, not to bring judgment on his guilty head, but to serve his necessities and win his stubborn heart! Yet so it was, Luke 7.
“His hand no thunder bore,
No terrors clothed His brow:
No bolts to drive our guilty souls
To fiercer flames below.”
But how much more extraordinary it all appears when it is remembered how death came into the world at all; that death was the penalty of sin, and that that penalty was pronounced by God Himself !
Does not such an incident go to show that it was in His heart, and within His power, to set aside the domain of death for His own pleasure and for man's eternal deliverance "from him who had the power of death, that is, the devil"? Indeed, so it was, as we know. But this could only be accomplished by Himself entering the domain of death, and then breaking its power by rising above it, and passing forever beyond it.
But if the reader will look at the end of our chapter he will find the same heavenly Visitor, only in another order of circumstances. If in the person of Jesus God was here, He was here to prove that, no matter what man's station in life or what his moral state, he would find this gracious Visitor unchangeably approachable, always accessible.
To the legal, religious mind, perhaps you could hardly get a greater contrast than that which is presented in "Simon the Pharisee" and this "woman of the city." Did Simon feel free to invite the heavenly Stranger to a meal at his house? not less free was a sinful woman to come to His feet on that very spot; and the grace in Jesus refuses neither. Blessed Friend of sinful men But let us keep the verse before us and remember that in this "Great Prophet" (though Simon hardly thought Him even that) it was God Who was thus visiting His people. Not only was He manifesting His power over that which sin had brought in, that is, death, but claiming His sovereign right to forgive the very sin that deserved the penalty.
If sin had entered into the world, and death by sin, it should now be brought to light that a Sin-bearer had entered, and that through Him there was forgiveness, and more than forgiveness, there was life beyond death, yea, "life abundantly," "life everlasting." Hence the Spirit's record, for our comfort and joy (Rom. 6:2323For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 6:23)), "The wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
What think you, my reader, of such a Visitor? Have you nothing at stake in that visit? Listen. "He came into the world to save sinners" (1 Tim. 1:1515This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. (1 Timothy 1:15)). If you have had nothing to say to sin you might possibly afford to have nothing to say to the Savior. But is it so?
To those who really need Him, He is as approachable now as ever. Yea, if His surroundings had anything to say to it we should boldly say, more so; that is, more approachable in the place His Father has given Him than on the seat chosen for Him by Simon. Where He now is are found innumerable adoring witnesses of His joy over repentant sinners; but how many disdainful Pharisees amongst them? Not one I Personally, however, He is just the same. No change in Him, or ever will be.
One thing more we would have you bear in mind. Since the day that He was pronouncing forgiveness to the sinful woman in Simon's house—He has been to Calvary's Cross, so that, through.
His precious blood-shedding and death, full forgiveness might be preached to all—to you, therefore, my reader. How can you refuse to bow to Him in repentance? How dare you refuse the forgiveness proclaimed in His name?
Will you not approach Him today? The woman of the city, even had she missed her opportunity in the Pharisee's house, might have found Him elsewhere. But if you miss coming to Him while He now sits waiting on the Father's throne, you will certainly miss Him as your Savior forever; and He Himself is our authority for saying so Were you not aware of this before? Then read Luke 13:2525When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; and he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence ye are: (Luke 13:25), and note carefully three things:—
The Master's act.
He rises up and shuts the door.
The cry of the excluded.
“Lord, Lord, open unto us.”
The Master's answer.
“I know you not—depart from Me.”
Unsaved reader, fall on your knees and thank Him on the spot that it is not yet too late! "Seek ye the Lord while He may be found: call ye upon Him while He is near." His next visit to this world will be for judgment. "In the day when I visit I will visit their sin upon them" (Ex. 32:3434Therefore now go, lead the people unto the place of which I have spoken unto thee: behold, mine Angel shall go before thee: nevertheless in the day when I visit I will visit their sin upon them. (Exodus 32:34)).
GEO. C.
The Furnace. —"Till tried, we know not how little faith we have. Are we ready to say, I could have borne anything but this? Then let us remember that the greatest compliment God can pay us, is to heat the furnace to the utmost.”
“Our wants are fathomless, but our help is infinite. None but God can tell the uttermost our God can do." P.