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\ / Charles Spurgeon's MORNING & EVENING
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Thursday, April 3, 2008
MORNING:
"They took Jesus, and led him away."
-- John 19:16
He had been all night in agony, he had spent the early morning at the
hall of Caiaphas, he had been hurried from Caiaphas to Pilate, from
Pilate to Herod, and from Herod back again to Pilate; he had,
therefore, but little strength left, and yet neither refreshment nor
rest were permitted him. They were eager for his blood, and therefore
led him out to die, loaded with the cross. O dolorous procession! Well
may Salem's daughters weep. My soul, do thou weep also.
What learn we here as we see our blessed Lord led forth? Do we not
perceive that truth which was set forth in shadow by the scapegoat? Did
not the high-priest bring the scapegoat, and put both his hands upon
its head, confessing the sins of the people, that thus those sins might
be laid upon the goat, and cease from the people? Then the goat was led
away by a fit man into the wilderness, and it carried away the sins of
the people, so that if they were sought for they could not be found.
Now we see Jesus brought before the priests and rulers, who pronounce
him guilty; God himself imputes our sins to him, "the Lord hath laid on
him the iniquity of us all;" "He was made sin for us;" and, as the
substitute for our guilt, bearing our sin upon his shoulders,
represented by the cross; we see the great Scapegoat led away by the
appointed officers of justice. Beloved, can you feel assured that he
carried your sin? As you look at the cross upon his shoulders, does it
represent your sin? There is one way by which you can tell whether he
carried your sin or not. Have you laid your hand upon his head,
confessed your sin, and trusted in him? Then your sin lies not on you;
it has all been transferred by blessed imputation to Christ, and he
bears it on his shoulder as a load heavier than the cross.
Let not the picture vanish till you have rejoiced in your own
deliverance, and adored the loving Redeemer upon whom your iniquities
were laid.
EVENING:
"All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one
to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of
us all."
-- Isaiah 53:6
Here a confession of sin common to all the elect people of God. They
have all fallen, and therefore, in common chorus, they all say, from
the first who entered heaven to the last who shall enter there, "All we
like sheep have gone astray." The confession, while thus unanimous, is
also special and particular: "We have turned every one to his own way."
There is a peculiar sinfulness about every one of the individuals; all
are sinful, but each one with some special aggravation not found in his
fellow. It is the mark of genuine repentance that while it naturally
associates itself with other penitents, it also takes up a position of
loneliness. "We have turned every one to his own way," is a confession
that each man had sinned against light peculiar to himself, or sinned
with an aggravation which he could not perceive in others. This
confession is unreserved; there is not a word to detract from its
force, nor a syllable by way of excuse. The confession is a giving up
of all pleas of self-righteousness. It is the declaration of men who
are consciously guilty-guilty with aggravations, guilty without excuse:
they stand with their weapons of rebellion broken in pieces, and cry,
"All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his
own way." Yet we hear no dolorous wailings attending this confession of
sin; for the next sentence makes it almost a song. "The Lord hath laid
on him the iniquity of us all." It is the most grievous sentence of the
three, but it overflows with comfort. Strange is it that where misery
was concentrated mercy reigned; where sorrow reached her climax weary
souls find rest. The Saviour bruised is the healing of bruised hearts.
See how the lowliest penitence gives place to assured confidence
through simply gazing at Christ on the cross!
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MORNING & EVENING from HEARTLIGHT /\/\
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Morning & Evening is the classic devotional by 19th-century writer
and preacher Charles Spurgeon. It's part of HEARTLIGHT Magazine,
the leading Christian living e-zine on the Web. Visit HEARTLIGHT
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