Sermon #54 Luke
Sermons
Title: “Waiting for Him!”
Text: Luke
8:40
Subject: Waiting
for the Savior
Date: Sunday
Evening -- 2001
Tape # W-43b
Introduction:
When Moses asked the Lord
God to show him his glory, the God of glory showed Moses three things about
himself. --
1. His Goodness – “I will be
gracious!”
2. His Sovereignty – “I will
be gracious to whom I will be gracious.”
3. His Holy Justice
[Exodus
33:19] "And he said, I will make
all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the LORD
before thee; and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show
mercy on whom I will show mercy."
[Exodus
34:5-7] "And the LORD descended in
the cloud, and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the LORD.
[6] And the LORD passed by before him, and proclaimed, The LORD, The LORD
God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth,
[7] Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving
iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the
guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon
the children's children, unto the third and to the fourth generation.”
These three great, glorious attributes of our God are displayed
throughout the Scriptures. We have a glaring example in Luke 8. Our text will
be verse 40.
And it came to pass, that,
when Jesus was returned, the people gladly received him: for they were all
waiting for him. —Luke 8:40
Remember
what we have seen in this chapter. I have deliberately waited until now to call
your attention to this verse of Scripture because I wanted you to see it in its
context.
The Son of God went to those
who refused him in the
After those men and women in
Sinners, be warned. He is a fool who trifles
with God! Wisdom abandons those who refuse her counsels (Pro.
[Proverbs
1:23-33] "Turn you at my reproof:
behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto
you. [24] Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my
hand, and no man regarded; [25] But ye have set at nought all my
counsel, and would none of my reproof: [26] I also will laugh at your
calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh; [27] When your fear cometh
as desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind; when distress and
anguish cometh upon you. [28] Then shall they call upon me, but I will
not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me: [29] For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear
of the LORD: [30] They would none of my counsel: they despised all my
reproof. [31] Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way,
and be filled with their own devices. [32] For the turning away of the
simple shall slay them, and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them. [33]
But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from
fear of evil."
[Proverbs
29:1] "He, that being often
reproved hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that
without remedy."
God is just. Let all men
fear. Yet, he is gracious, sovereignly gracious. Let sinners rejoice in hope! Those to whom the Lord God
is pleased to show himself gracious, shall be willing in the day of his power
(Ps. 110:3.)
·
Made Willing by
·
Made Willing by Grace (
It is not my purpose tonight
to continue in this line of thought; but I want to ever keep before you these
two facts. –
1. You are responsible to
believe and obey the gospel.
2. No sinner will ever obey the
gospel except God grant him life and faith in Christ by his free, sovereign, irresistible
grace!
Proposition: Tonight, I want to show you
this sweet, challenging truth from our text. – The Lord Jesus delights to
come to those who wait for him.
Few there
are who wait for him, few there are in any town, in
any congregation, in any household who wait for him. But, this is certain, -- the Son of God comes to all who wait for him.
Let’s see if I can make good on that statement. Without question our text
exemplifies this fact.
[Luke
8:40] "And it came to pass, that,
when Jesus was returned, the people gladly received him: for they were
all waiting for him."
But is this taught through
the Word of God? Can we be certain that the Lord God will come in mercy and
grace to meet the needs of all who wait for him, just as surely as he comes in
wrath and judgment against those who despise him? What does the Book say?
[Psalms
27:14] "Wait on the LORD: be of
good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the
LORD."
[Psalms
37:7] "Rest in the LORD, and wait
patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way,
because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass."
[Psalms
37:10-11] "For yet a little while,
and the wicked shall not be: yea, thou shalt diligently consider
his place, and it shall not be. [11] But the meek shall inherit
the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace."
[Isaiah
40:31] "But they that wait upon the
LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as
eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not
faint."
[Lamentations
3:26] "It is good that a
man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the LORD."
[Habakkuk 2:3] "For the vision is yet for an
appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry,
wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry."
[Hosea
12:6] "Therefore turn thou to thy
God: keep mercy and judgment, and wait on thy God continually."
Are you waiting for the
Savior, waiting for the Christ of God, waiting for him? Let each one answer for
himself; but I want to be found “waiting for him!” Let me show you three
things in our text.
I. Here are some needy souls waiting for the
Savior. -- "They were all waiting for him."
This waiting may be
seen in several different forms.
A. A gathered
congregation, waiting in the place of prayer is a congregation likely to be
blessed with the Lord’s presence.
[Acts
10:30-33] "And Cornelius said, Four
days ago I was fasting until this hour; and at the ninth hour I prayed in my
house, and, behold, a man stood before me in bright clothing, [31] And said, Cornelius, thy prayer is heard, and thine alms are
had in remembrance in the sight of God. [32] Send therefore to Joppa,
and call hither Simon, whose surname is Peter; he is lodged in the house of one
Simon a tanner by the sea side: who, when he cometh, shall speak unto thee.
[33] Immediately therefore I sent to thee; and thou hast well done that
thou art come. Now therefore are we all here present before God, to hear all things
that are commanded thee of God."
·
Waiting requires punctuality. If we come to the house of God in hope of
meeting the Son of God, we will make it our business to be punctual.
·
Waiting implies prayerful expectancy. We wait in hopeful anticipation.
·
Waiting involves attentiveness. We wait for the Savior when with
submissive hearts we are resolved to bow to his Word, believe his doctrine, and
obey his revealed will.
·
The lack of punctuality, and irregular attendance, show contempt for
the Lord, not need of him.
B. A waiting people
are praying people.
·
Earnestly Seeking Him
·
Looking for Revival
·
Prepared to Serve
C. Needy souls wait
for the Lord to be gracious.
Needy sinners seek the Lord,
sighing for mercy, searching the Scriptures, hearing the Word, inquiring after
him "waiting for him."
D. When God’s saints
are about to leave this vail of tears, you find them waiting for the Lord.
A dying believer, longing
for home, longing for heaven, longing for Christ: says, like Jacob of old,
"I have waited for thy salvation, O Lord"
(Gen. 49:18).
E. We ought to ever be
looking for, expecting, waiting for our Lord’s glorious second advent
(Tit.
[Titus
2:11-14] "For the grace of God that
bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, [12] Teaching us that,
denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and
godly, in this present world; [13] Looking for that blessed hope, and
the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; [14] Who
gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto
himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works."
[Revelation
22:17] "And the Spirit and the
bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is
athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely."
The first
thing we see is a group of people waiting for the Savior. O my soul, let me be numbered among such people!
II. Here is the object of our souls’ hope. -- "Jesus was
returned."
Oh, yes, the Lord Jesus will
graciously appear to those who are "all waiting for him."
There is no doubt about that.—
A. His Spirit, the
pledge of his coming, is here already, teaching us to wait for him
(Rom.
[Romans 8:23] "And not only they, but ourselves
also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within
ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our
body."
B. His heart is with
us, in sympathy with us, ready to bless us.
C. His work is here.
He has brought us into this
hopeful, waiting condition, and finds a sphere in which to display his grace to
saints and sinners.
D. Here is his promise.
-- "Lo, I am with you always." – “I will come unto you.”
E. It is our Lord’s
custom and delight to be with his people. (Pro. 8:31).
F. If his presence is
not manifest, the fault is ours, not his.
[Song
of Songs 5:2-8] "I sleep, but my
heart waketh: it is the voice of my beloved that knocketh, saying, Open to me, my sister, my love, my dove, my undefiled: for
my head is filled with dew, and my locks with the drops of the night.
[3] I have put off my coat; how shall I put it on? I have washed my feet;
how shall I defile them? [4] My beloved put in his hand by the hole of
the door, and my bowels were moved for him. [5] I rose up to open to
my beloved; and my hands dropped with myrrh, and my fingers with sweet
smelling myrrh, upon the handles of the lock. [6] I opened to my
beloved; but my beloved had withdrawn himself, and was gone: my soul
failed when he spake: I sought him, but I could not find him; I called him, but
he gave me no answer. [7] The watchmen that went about the city found
me, they smote me, they wounded me; the keepers of the walls took away my veil
from me. [8] I charge you, O daughters of
G. He has promised to
return. – “Return unto me, and I will return unto you, saith the Lord of hosts” (Mal. 3:7).
·
In Grace
·
To Revive
·
His Advent
[John
14:1-3] "Let not your heart be
troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. [2] In my Father's
house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told
you. I go to prepare a place for you. [3] And if I go and prepare a
place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am,
there ye may be also."
What countless
blessings his coming will bring!
III. Here is a blessed reception. -- "The people
gladly received him."
A. Our fears will make
him welcome. – Our fear is that he might be gone for ever (Ps. 77:7).
[Psalms
77:7] "Will the Lord cast off for
ever? and will he be favourable no more?"
B. Our hopes make him
welcome.
When the Savior comes again,
when he visits us, we have hope that our sick will be
cured, and our dead raised.
C. Our prayers make
him welcome.
Those who pray that Christ
will come are happy indeed when he comes.
D. Our faith makes him
welcome.
Jairus now looked
to have his child healed (verse 41).
E. Our love makes him
welcome.
When our heart is
with him, we rejoice in his appearing.
F. Our praise makes
him welcome.
[Isaiah
12] "And in that day thou shalt
say, O LORD, I will praise thee: though thou wast angry with me, thine anger is
turned away, and thou comfortedst me. [2] Behold, God is my
salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the LORD JEHOVAH is my
strength and my song; he also is become my salvation. [3] Therefore
with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation. [4] And in
that day shall ye say, Praise the LORD, call upon his name, declare his doings
among the people, make mention that his name is exalted. [5] Sing unto
the LORD; for he hath done excellent things: this is known in all the
earth. [6] Cry out and shout, thou inhabitant of
The Lord Jesus never
disappoints those who wait for him. He never refuses to come to those who
welcome him. The Son of God is near us now: will we not open the doors of our
hearts to receive him (Rev. 3:20)?
[Revelation
3:20] "Behold, I stand at the door,
and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him,
and will sup with him, and he with me."
“Even so, Come, Lord
Jesus!” Come, O Son of God, come and welcome! We wait for
thee!