Sermon
#9
Series: Song of Solomon
Title: “I Will Seek Him”
Text: Song of Solomon
3:1-5
Readings: Office:
Bob Poncer Auditorium: Merle
Hart
Subject: Seeking the Lord’s spiritual
presence
Date: Sunday Evening -
June 28, 1998
Tape # U-75b
Introduction:
Song of
Songs 3:1-5 “By night on my bed I sought
him whom my soul loveth: I sought him, but I found him not. (2) I will rise now, and go about the city in the streets, and in
the broad ways I will seek him whom my soul loveth: I sought him, but I found
him not. (3) The watchmen that go
about the city found me: to whom I said, Saw
ye him whom my soul loveth? (4) It was but
a little that I passed from them, but I found him whom my soul loveth: I held
him, and would not let him go, until I had brought him into my mother's house,
and into the chamber of her that conceived me. (5) I charge you, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, by the roes, and by
the hinds of the field, that ye stir not up, nor awake my love, till he please.”
You
have my subject in the words of our text - “I
Will Seek Him.” Nothing in all the world is more pleasant to
the believing heart than communion with our Lord Jesus Christ. Those who enjoy
the spiritual presence and fellowship of Christ are supremely favored.
Holy Scripture exhausts
every earthly figure to express the charms and delights of this blessed
fellowship between Christ and his redeemed ones. It is impossible for human
language to express the sweetness of his grace, the joy of his communion, and
the comfort of his presence.
Just as it is the sweetest
thing in the world to enjoy communion with Christ, it is the saddest thing in
the world to a believer to be without the Lord’s manifest presence and
fellowship. Yet, that is just the condition that we see the church in at the
beginning of this chapter - “By night on
my bed I sought him whom my soul loveth: I sought him, but I found him not.” But
she was resolved not to rest in such a sad condition. She said, “I will seek him.” She would not rest
until she had found him and brought him into her mother’s house. There she held
him and would not let him go.
1.
I know that the Lord Jesus
Christ is no longer physically present with his church.
“He is not here, for he is risen.” We
know that our Lord’s physical body is in heaven. There he sits before the
throne of God, making intercession for us according to the will of God and
anticipating the day when his enemies shall be made his footstool.
The papists tell us that our
Lord is bodily present with us in the mass. But that cannot be. Spurgeon was
right when he said - “Such persons unwittingly deny the real humanity of our
Lord Jesus Christ, for if he has indeed assumed our humanity, and is in all
points made like unto his brethren, his flesh and blood cannot be in two places
at one time.” Since our Lord, as a real man, the God-man, is in heaven, his
bodily presence is no longer with his church.
2.
I know also that it is best
for us that Christ is no longer present with his church in a physical sense,
because he said so (John 16:7).
John 16:7 "Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you
that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but
if I depart, I will send him unto you."
As
God, Christ is everywhere. He is omnipresent. As man, he is in heaven. His
bodily presence is as much limited today to one place as it was when he was
upon the earth. But as the God-man in one Person, the Mediator and Head of the
church, Christ is present with us by the Holy Spirit, the Divine Comforter,
whom the Father has sent in his name.
It is by the working of God
the Holy Spirit that Christ’s presence with his church is manifested. We need
not expect or desire anything other than this spiritual presence of Christ. By
his Spirit, Christ is everywhere present with his church at all times to guide,
to protect, to instruct, and to comfort his people.
3.
This spiritual presence of
Christ is the glory of the church of God; and this is the thing we desire.
When
Christ is manifestly presence with us in this spiritual sense we have all that
we need or desire. When this spiritual presence is absent, our strength and our
glory is gone.
I am afraid that the name of
the church of the twentieth century might well be called “Ichabod, The glory is
departed from Israel!” If a church is without the Spirit of God, she may have a
name to live, but it is dead; and, you know, that corruption follows death.
Those churches which have turned aside unto error, have not only lost all power
to do good, but they have become obnoxious, loathesome, and the causes of great
evil in the world.
The
one thing that we need is the spiritual presence of Christ. He said, “Without me ye can do nothing.” But if
Christ shall come to us in the Person of his blessed Spirit our power and our
glory shall be restored.
This spiritual presence of
Christ made the apostolic church a mighty church. She had the Holy Spirit
poured out upon her. During the dark ages, men neglected the Spirit of Christ,
and the church was plunged into the darkness and superstition that is so prevalent
in our day again. Then the Lord created within some a longing for his presence.
They sought him; and he returned to his church in mighty power. When he
returned, the mighty Reformation was begun. The return of the Lord’s presence
by the Holy Spirit has been the birth of every true revival and spiritual
awakening. The presence of Christ in the midst of his people is the Sun of
Righteousness arising with healing beneath his wings.
4.
Tonight,
as I endeavor to open this text, I
want to stir up your hearts to continually seek the Lord’s spiritual presence.
These
past eighteen years, the Lord has been with us. He has made himself known to us
in many ways. Indeed, I am thankful to say, it appears that he is working among
his people all over the country and around the world. But if we are to see
better and greater things in the days that lie ahead, we must seek the presence
of Christ by the Holy Spirit. “Not by
might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, saith the Lord.”
If your heart has an
interest in the things I am talking about, I urge you to make this determined
resolution. Fix it in your heart, and do not be turned aside from it - “I will seek Him!” “I will seek him whom my
soul loveth.”
Proposition: Those who love the Lord Jesus Christ seek his manifest
presence.
Divisions: I hope we will all join in
this blessed resolution - “I Will Seek Him.” In order to stir
our hearts up to this work, I want to show you seven things revealed in our
text about those who seek the Lord.
1.
Those
who seek Christ love Christ.
2.
Those
who seek Christ feel their need of Christ.
3.
Those
who seek Christ seek Him diligently.
4.
Those
who seek Christ will find Him.
5.
Those
who seek Christ, when they have found Him, will hold Him fast.
6.
Those
who seek Christ, when they have found Him, will bring Him into the House of
God.
7.
Those
who seek Christ will jealously guard his blessed presence.
NOTE: I am speaking now to those
who are the Lord’s people. You have been chosen of God in eternal election,
redeemed by the blood of Christ, and called to life and faith in Christ by God
the Holy Spirit. I am calling especially for you who know the Lord to seek the
Lord. But, before I come to my text, let me do hat I can to press you who are
yet without God into the Kingdom. I urge you, for your soul’s sake, to seek my
Lord with all your heart. Seek him in his Word. Seek him by faith. Seek him
now. If you seek him, you will find him (Jer. 29:11-14).
Jeremiah
29:11-14 "For I know the thoughts that I think
toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an
expected end. 912) Then shall ye call
upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you. 913) And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all
your heart. 914) And I will be found
of you, saith the LORD: and I will turn away your captivity, and I will gather
you from all the nations, and from all the places whither I have driven you,
saith the LORD; and I will bring you again into the place whence I caused you to
be carried away captive."
I. The first thing I want you
to see is that - THOSE WHO SEEK
CHRIST LOVE CHRIST.
In these five verses, the love-sick spouse
speaks of Christ as “Him whom my soul
loveth.” I am talking about men and women who truly love Christ. It may be
that you do not now enjoy the manifestation of the Lord’s presence, but your
heart clings to him. You may have been idle, slothful, neglectful, and sinful.
You may have much to regret and much to weep over. But Christ is truly the One
whom your soul loves. A loving wife may not always have her husband in her
arms; but she always has him in her heart. Even so, the true believer does not
always enjoy the presence of Christ, but he never ceases to love Christ.
The
words are very strong - “Him whom my soul
loveth.” It is as though she said, “Though there are many whom I love, he
is the love of my soul. My deepest, fondest, purest, truest, most real love is
reserved for him alone. Do you have such a heart for Christ? Is he the Love of
your soul? Is he the Object of your heart’s affection?
All
true believers do sincerely love the Lord Jesus Christ. It is not possible for
a person truly to know Christ and not love him (1 John 4:19).
1 John 1:9 "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive
us our sins, and to cleanse us from
all unrighteousness."
·
Christ’s
love for us precedes our love for him.
·
Christ’s
love for us causes our love for him.
·
Christ’s
love exceeds our love for him.
·
But
we do love him.
A. We love the Lord Jesus Christ Himself, because of
who he is.
This One whom we love is himself the eternal
God; and he is perfect man. He is the God-man our Mediator. We love him,
because he has revealed himself in our hearts.
B. We love Christ because of all that he has done for
us.
His love for us is manifest by his deeds. His
love is not dormant and idle. All that he has done and is doing and shall do is
motivated by his love for us.
1.
His
Suretyship Engagements.
2.
His
Incarnation.
3.
His
Representative Life.
4.
His
Substitutionary Death.
5.
His
Glorious Reign.
C. It is Christ himself that we love.
Immanuel has won our hearts. We love Him.
Many love his doctrine; but we love Him. Many love his throne; but we love Him.
Many love his church; but we love Him. Many love his works; but we love Him.
II. Secondly, we see in our text
that - THOSE WHO SEEK CHRIST FEEL
THEIR NEED OF HIM.
The spouse sensed that her beloved Bridegroom
was gone; and she seems to be in desperate need of him. Do you know your need
of Christ? If a man feels his need of Christ, he will seek him (Phil. 3:7-11).
Philippians 3:3 "For we are the
circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and
have no confidence in the flesh."
Philippians 3:7-11 "But what things were gain to me, those
I counted loss for Christ. 98) Yea
doubtless, and I count all things but loss
for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have
suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,
99) And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the
law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is
of God by faith: 910) That I may know
him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings,
being made conformable unto his death;
911) If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the
dead."
·
We
need his righteousness.
·
We
need his cleansing.
·
We
need his grace.
·
We
need his power.
·
We
need his direction.
·
We
need Him.
He said, “Without
me, ye can do nothing.” And we have found, by painful experience, that it
is true.
·
Without
Him, we cannot sing.
·
Without
Him, we cannot pray.
·
Without
Him, we cannot worship.
·
Without
Him, we cannot have peace.
·
Without
Him, we cannot know, do, or enjoy God’s will.
·
Without
Him, we cannot understand God’s Word.
III. Thirdly, it is evident in our text that - THOSE WHO SEEK CHRIST SEEK HIM DILIGENTLY.
Those who ardently love Christ and feel their
need of him do not cease to seek him, and seek him diligently. In this chapter
we see the spouse seeking him upon her bed, seeking him in the streets, seeking
him in the broadways, and finally seeking him at the lips of the watchman. She
sought him in every place where he was likely to be found she left no stone
unturned.
If
you are truly in earnest about enjoying the fellowship of Christ, you will
diligently seek him.
·
In
Private Prayer.
·
In
The Scriptures.
·
In
The Assembly Of The Saints.
·
In
The Public Ministry Of The Word.
NOTE: Those who preach the
gospel are the watchmen of Zion (Isa. 62:6; Ezek. 33:7; Heb. 13:7, 17).
Song of
Songs
3:3 "The watchmen that go about
the city found me: to whom I said, Saw
ye him whom my soul loveth?"
Song of
Songs
5:7 "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."
Isaiah 62:6 "I have set watchmen upon thy walls, O
Jerusalem, which shall never hold
their peace day nor night: ye that make mention of the LORD, keep not
silence."
Ezekiel 33:7 "So thou, O son of man, I have set thee
a watchman unto the house of Israel; therefore thou shalt hear the word at my
mouth, and warn them from me."
Hebrews 13:7 "Remember them which have the rule over
you, who have spoken unto you the word of God: whose faith follow, considering
the end of their conversation."
Hebrews 13:17 "Obey them that have the rule over you,
and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give
account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you."
NOTE: Have
you come here tonight seeking him?
IV. Fourthly, I want you to see
that - THOSE WHO DILIENTLY SEEK
CHRIST WILL FIND HIM.
Neither
the brethren, nor the church of God, nor those who preach the gospel can
comfort the afflicted conscience, unless Christ himself is apprehended by
faith. But as soon as she left the watchmen she found him whom she sought.
NOTE: When
you leave this place, go on seeking the Lord.
Song of
Songs
3:4 "It
was but a little that I passed from them, but I found him whom my soul
loveth: I held him, and would not let him go, until I had brought him into my
mother's house, and into the chamber of her that conceived me."
Matthew Henry said, “Those that continue
seeking the Lord shall find him at last, when perhaps they are almost ready to
despair of finding him” (Psa. 34:1-6; Isa. 54:7-10; Jer. 29:12-14).
·
Christ
hides himself from his people for a season.
·
Christ
creates a desire in our hearts for himself.
·
Christ
comes to those who seek him.
Psalms 34:1-6 "I
will bless the LORD at all times: his praise shall continually be in
my mouth. 92) My soul shall make her
boast in the LORD: the humble shall hear thereof,
and be glad. 93) O magnify the
LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together. 94) I sought the LORD, and he heard me, and delivered me from all
my fears. 95) They looked unto him,
and were lightened: and their faces were not ashamed. 96) This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles."
Isaiah 54:7-10 "For a small moment have I forsaken
thee; but with great mercies will I gather thee. 98) In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment; but
with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee, saith the LORD thy
Redeemer. 99) For this is as the waters of Noah unto me: for as I have sworn that the waters of Noah
should no more go over the earth; so have I sworn that I would not be wroth
with thee, nor rebuke thee. 910) For
the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but my kindness shall not
depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the
LORD that hath mercy on thee."
Jeremiah 29:11-14 "For I know the thoughts that I think
toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an
expected end. 912) Then shall ye call
upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you. 913) And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all
your heart. 914) And I will be found
of you, saith the LORD: and I will turn away your captivity, and I will gather
you from all the nations, and from all the places whither I have driven you,
saith the LORD; and I will bring you again into the place whence I caused you to
be carried away captive."
V. Fifthly, THOSE WHO SEEK CHRIST, WHEN THEY HAVE
FOUND HIM, WILL HOLD HIM FAST.
They will take care to retain him. They will
endeavor to maintain their fellowship and communion with him. Look at verse
four again. “I held him and would not let him go.”
A. Christ will go away if we do not hold Him.
B. Christ is willing to be held by us.
C. There are certain things which we must do to hold Christ in fellowship
with us.
1.
We
must hold him by the hand of faith.
2.
We
must embrace him in the arms of love.
3.
We
must hold him by earnest prayer.
4.
We
must hold him by submissive obedience.
VI. Sixthly, THOSE WHO SEEK CHRIST, WHEN THEY HAVE
FOUND HIM, WILL BRING HIM INTO THE HOUE OF GOD.
When believers walk in fellowship with
Christ, they bring him with them into the fellowship of the saints. Again, we
read the fourth verse of our text.
Song of
Songs 3:4 "It
was but a little that I passed from them, but I found him whom my soul
loveth: I held him, and would not let
him go, until I had brought him into my mother's house, and into the chamber of
her that conceived me."
VII. Seventhly, THOSE WHO SEEK CHRIST, WHEN THEY HAVE
FOUND HIM, WILL JEALOUSLY GUARD HIS BLESSED PRESENCE.
My friends, our Lord is not indifferent about
the conduct of his people. There are many things which will drive his presence
from us and destroy our fellowship with him (Eph. 4:30).
Ephesians 4:30 "And grieve not the holy Spirit of God,
whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption."
·
Anger
·
Wrath
·
Pride
·
Gossip
·
Lack
Of Love
·
Worldly
Care
Application:
1. Whenever the Lord hides his
face from us, he has a good reason for doing so.
2. Let us, each one, seek for
him with all our hearts.
3. Seek Him now!
·
You
that believe.
·
You
that feel your need of him.