Sermon
#29 Series:
Song Of Solomon
Title: Our Sister,
Our Service, Our Savior
Text: The Song of Solomon 8:8-14
Readings: Office: Gary Baker Auditorium:
Merle Hart
Subject: The Responsibilities Of
Believers In This World
Date: Sunday Evening - January 10, 1999
Tape
# V-5b
Introduction:
Song of
Songs 8:8-14 "We have a little sister,
and she hath no breasts: what shall we do for our sister in the day when she
shall be spoken for? 9 If she be a wall, we will build upon her a
palace of silver: and if she be a
door, we will enclose her with boards of cedar. 10 I am a wall, and my
breasts like towers: then was I in his eyes as one that found favour. 11 Solomon had a vineyard at Baalhamon;
he let out the vineyard unto keepers; every one for the fruit thereof was to
bring a thousand pieces of silver. 12 My vineyard, which is mine, is before me: thou, O Solomon, must
have a thousand, and those that keep the fruit thereof two hundred. 13 Thou that dwellest in the gardens,
the companions hearken to thy voice: cause me to hear it. 14 Make haste, my beloved, and be thou like to a roe or to a
young hart upon the mountains of spices."
We are the children of God! You and I
who trust the Son of God are the children of God! In everlasting love the
eternal God chose us and adopted us and claimed us as his own beloved sons and
daughters.
We are redeemed! God’s own Son, the Lord
Jesus Christ lived in righteousness as our Representative, to fulfill all
righteousness for us. And he died at Calvary as our Substitute, to satisfy the
law and justice of God that was against us.
We are born again! God the Holy Spirit has
come into our hearts by sovereign and irresistible grace and given us eternal
life in Christ. We are believers! Being compelled by grace divine, we trust the
Lord Jesus Christ for all our salvation. We trust Christ alone for our eternal
acceptance with God.
My hope is built on
nothing less
Than Jesus’ blood and
righteousness:
I dare not trust the
sweetest frame,
But wholly lean on Jesus’
name.
On Christ the solid Rock I
stand!
All other ground is sinking
sand.
And we are the heirs of God, heirs of eternal glory! Heaven and all its glory
is our eternal inheritance. It is our purchased possession. Our Lord bought
eternal glory for us with his blood. It is our predestined portion. Christ has
already claimed it in our name, as our forerunner and our great High Priest.
The Holy Spirit is that Seal by which we are preserved unto eternal glory.
Yet, for the present time, we are required to live
in this world. Why? If we are the children of God, redeemed, born again, believers in
Christ, and the sure heirs of eternal glory, what are we doing here? Why has
our Lord left us upon the earth? Our text this evening answers these questions
for us, at least in part. This passage of Holy Scripture tells us what we are
to do while we are in this world.
Proposition: Our text shows us our
responsibilities as believers with regard to our sister, our service, and our
Savior.
Throughout
this Song Of Love, Christ and his church have confirmed their love to each
other. Both have agreed that their love for one another is as strong as death.
His love for us is eternal and immutable. And though our love for him is not in
anyway such as it ought to be, yet, if it is true, our love for him can never
be destroyed. Because our love for Christ is the gift, operation and work of
God’s grace in us, it can no more be destroyed than his love for us can be
destroyed.
Now, in these last verses we
see Christ and his beloved church, like a loving husband and wife, consulting
together about their affairs, considering what they are to do. Having laid
their hearts together, they now put their heads together, making plans about
their relations and their property.
In
these last few verses, the Song Of Love
concludes by giving us some very practical instruction about our
responsibilities as believers in this world.
Divisions: Tonight I am going to talk
to you about our responsibilities regarding….
1.
Our
Sister (vv. 8-10).
2.
Our
Service (vv. 11-12).
3.
Our
Savior (vv. 13-14).
May
it please God the Holy Spirit to sanctify our meditations for the glory of
Christ and the good of our Souls.
I.
In verses 8-10 we see Christ our Lord giving us instruction concerning
our responsibility toward OUR SISTER.
Song of
Songs 8:8-10 "We have a little sister,
and she hath no breasts: what shall we do for our sister in the day when she
shall be spoken for? 9 If she be a wall, we will build upon her a
palace of silver: and if she be a
door, we will enclose her with boards of cedar. 10 I am a wall, and my
breasts like towers: then was I in his eyes as one that found favour."
A. The passage begins with a question of compassion and
concern (v. 8).
The
Bride, the Church, raises a question of concern about her young, little sister
- “What shall we do for her?” She is
saying, “How can I be of help to my little sister?” Who is this “little sister” about whom she is so
concerned?
1.
Prophetically, the passage is speaking of the church
of God scattered among the nations of the Gentile world.
Though
the gospel was revealed only to the Jews in the Old Testament, the Lord God had
espoused a people to himself from the nations of the world, before time began.
It was plainly revealed in the Old Testament that the barren and desolate Gentiles
would be united to the Lord as a Bride, and that the Church would be made up of
both Jews and Gentiles (Isa. 54:1; Hos. 1:10; Rom. 9:25-26).
Isaiah 54:1 "Sing, O barren, thou that didst not bear; break forth into
singing, and cry aloud, thou that didst
not travail with child: for more are the
children of the desolate than the children of the married wife, saith the
LORD."
Hosea 1:10 "Yet the number of the children of
Israel shall be as the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured nor numbered; and
it shall come to pass, that in the
place where it was said unto them, Ye are
not my people, there it shall be
said unto them, Ye are the sons of
the living God."
Romans 9:25-26 "As he saith also in Osee, I will call
them my people, which were not my people; and her beloved, which was not
beloved. 26 And it shall come to
pass, that in the place where it was
said unto them, Ye are not my people;
there shall they be called the children of the living God."
Here the church of God among the Gentiles is called “a little sister”, because -
a.
Jewish believers and Gentile
believers are children of the same Father.
b.
They are called “little,” because they had not yet been
honored with the revelation of God.
During
the Old Testament age the Gentiles had no breasts, no Scriptures, no prophets,
no covenant, no ordinances, no promises, no breasts of consolation and
instruction. Though chosen of God, their election was not yet manifest and
revealed. But now, in Christ, both Jew and Gentile are one (Eph. 2:11-13).
2.
Taking the text in its wider range, it is to be
applied to all those who belong to the election of grace, who have not yet been
called to life in Christ, who have not yet been given faith in him.
All
of God’s elect belong to Christ already. Though they have not yet been courted
by him and won to him, those unbelievers who are chosen of God are already his,
espoused to him in covenant love; and he will have them (John 10:16; Acts
18:10). They are our sisters according to the election of grace.
a.
They have no breasts (Ezek. 16:7).
Ezekiel 16:6-8 "And when I passed by thee, and saw
thee polluted in thine own blood, I said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood, Live; yea, I said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood, Live. 7 I have caused thee to multiply as the
bud of the field, and thou hast increased and waxen great, and thou art come to
excellent ornaments: thy breasts are
fashioned, and thine hair is grown, whereas thou wast naked and bare. 8 Now
when I passed by thee, and looked upon thee, behold, thy time was the time of love; and I spread my
skirt over thee, and covered thy nakedness: yea, I sware unto thee, and entered
into a covenant with thee, saith the Lord GOD, and thou becamest mine."
·
They
have no affection for Christ.
·
They
have no principle of grace.
·
They
have not yet been spoken for.
b.
The day will come when they shall be spoken for,
when the chosen shall be called. This is the thing for which we labor.
By
the Spirit of God, through the preaching of the gospel, each of God’s elect
shall be courted, and their hearts shall be won by the Lord Jesus Christ. His
love and grace will prevail over their stubborn hearts (Psa. 65:4; 110:3). A
blessed day that will be, a day of divine visitation! Does your heart’s
experience cry, “Amen! It is so!”
c.
What shall we do for our sister in that day?
Those
who through grace have been brought to Christ should do what they can to bring
others to him. This is the design of the gospel. Let us do what we can to seek
our sisters, who are chosen and redeemed by Christ. Let us do all things for
the elect’s sake (2 Tim. 2:10).
·
Preach
to them.
·
Pray
for them.
·
Persuade
them to consent to Christ and be converted.
B. In verse 9, our Lord quiets the hearts of his people
by assuring us of what he will do for his elect people.
Song of Songs
8:9 "If she be a wall, we will build upon her a palace of silver: and if she be a door, we will enclose her with
boards of cedar."
He says, “We”, my Father, my Spirit, and I
will gather our elect ones and we will save them. It is as though our Lord is
saying - “Let me alone, I will do all that is necessary to be done for my own.
Trust me.”
1.
I will build my church.
2.
I will protect my church.
3.
I will perfect my church.
We
must labor faithfully; but the work of salvation is the work of the Lord.
C. Then in verse 10, the Bride acknowledges his favor,
his grace, and his faithfulness.
Song of
Songs
8:10 "I am a wall, and my breasts like towers: then was I in his eyes as
one that found favour."
Having experienced his saving grace, she
willingly trusts him with her little sister. She remembers with fondness the
work of God upon her, and knows that what the Lord has done for her he will do
for all his chosen ones.
1.
Let us acknowledge that salvation is altogether the
work of God (Ex. 14:13).
It is
entirely a matter of divine favor - “Then
was I in his eyes as one that found favor.”
2.
Let us trust the Lord to save his people.
·
God’s
purpose cannot be defeated.
·
Christ’s
blood cannot be shed in vain.
·
The
Lord’s grace cannot be frustrated.
·
His
power cannot be resisted.
·
His
chosen people cannot perish.
II.
In verses 11-12, we have a word of instruction regarding the
responsibilities we have in OUR
SERVICE for Christ.
Song of
Songs
8:11-12 "Solomon had a vineyard at
Baalhamon; he let out the vineyard unto keepers; every one for the fruit
thereof was to bring a thousand pieces of
silver. 12 My vineyard, which is mine, is before me: thou, O Solomon, must
have a thousand, and those that keep the fruit thereof two hundred."
Here
the Bride consults with Christ about a vineyard they had in the country - “Solomon had a vineyard in Baal-hamon.” As
Solomon was a type of Christ, so his vineyard is a type of the church of Christ
(See Matt. 21:33).
Matthew 21:33 "Hear another parable: There was a
certain householder, which planted a vineyard, and hedged it round about, and
digged a winepress in it, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and
went into a far country:"
A. The Church is Christ’s vineyard.
B. The Lord has entrusted each of us with his vineyard,
as keepers of it.
1.
This is primarily the work
of pastors.
2.
Every believer is also
entrusted with a part of the work in the vineyard.
The
service of the church is to be our business in this world, according to the
capacity God has given us (Deacons, teachers, elders, etc.).
3.
The Lord expects rent from
those that are employed in his vineyard and entrusted with it.
·
What
will you do for Christ?
·
What
will you do for the increase of his kingdom?
·
What
will you do for the furtherance of his gospel?
Each
of us must serve the interests of his kingdom in this world, for the honor and
glory of our Redeemer. The best way to honor Christ is to serve Christ in the
place where you are.
C. Every believer must keep the vineyard of his own
heart for Christ (Song of Sol. 1:6).
D. As we endeavor to serve our Lord, being motivated
only by love for him and zeal for his glory, we shall enrich our own souls - “Those that keep the fruit
thereof two hundred.’
“Those that work for Christ are working for
themselves, and shall be unspeakable gainers by it” (Matthew Henry). (See 2
Cor. 9:6; Gal. 6:6-8).
2
Corinthians 9:6 "But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall
reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also
bountifully."
Galatians 6:6-8 "Let him that is taught in the word
communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things. 7 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth,
that shall he also reap. 8 For he
that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth
to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting."
III. The last word in this Song
Of Love has to do with our
responsibility toward OUR SAVIOR (vv.
13-14).
Song of
Songs
8:13-14 "Thou that dwellest in the
gardens, the companions hearken to thy voice: cause me to hear it. 14 Make haste, my beloved, and be
thou like to a roe or to a young hart upon the mountains of spices."
Here
we see a picture of Christ and his Bride as they must for a while be separated.
She must stay below in the gardens on earth, where she has a work to do for
him. He must ascend to the mountains of spices in heaven, where he has a work
to do for her, as an Advocate with the Father.
A. Our Lord lets us know that he desires to hear from
us often (v. 13).
He is
saying, “My beloved children, cause me to hear your voice. Speak as freely to
me as you do to one another. Bring your cares, your burdens, your needs to me.
Pour your hearts out to me.” (Heb. 4:16).
Hebrews 4:16 "Let us therefore come boldly unto the
throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of
need."
NOTE: Our
Lord not only hears and answers our prayers, he even courts them.
B. For her part, the Bride, the Church, the believing
heart longs for his speedy return (v. 14).
It is
good to be here, dwelling among the gardens of our Lord, laboring in his
vineyard; but to depart and be with him is far better.
1.
Our Lord is coming again
(John 14:1-3).
2.
It is our business to work
and to live in anticipation of his speedy return (1 Thess. 5:6-10).
1
Thessalonians 5:6-10 "Therefore let us
not sleep, as do others; but let us
watch and be sober. 7 For they that
sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night. 8 But let us, who are of the day, be
sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the
hope of salvation. 9 For God hath not
appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, 10 Who died for us, that, whether we
wake or sleep, we should live together with him."
The
comfort and satisfaction we enjoy in communion with Christ inspires in us a
longing for his immediate presence. The clusters of grapes that we find in this
wilderness should make us long for the full vintage of Canaan. If a day in his
courts is sweet, what will an eternity within the veil be!
a.
Let us ever remind
ourselves, “Behold, he cometh!”
b.
When you rise in the
morning, say to yourself - “Behold, he
cometh!”
c.
When you lay down at night,
say to yourself, “Behold, he cometh!
d.
As we conclude another day
of worship, let us do so in hope and expectation.
·
A
better day of worship is coming.
·
An
everlasting sabbath shall soon be brought in.
Application: We must, perhaps, remain
here for a while. While we are here we have something to do. Let us give
ourselves whole-heartedly to the work.
1.
We
have yet some of Our Sisters who
must be sought.
2.
We
have Our Service to perform for the
good of the church, for the glory and honor of our Redeemer.
3.
We
have Our Savior to watch for in
prayer and faith.
He
says, “Surely, I come quickly.” And
our hearts respond, “Amen. Even so, come,
Lord Jesus.”