The Lord Himself is the Sign
I'm reading a book written in 1893 entitled, The Burning Bush, by W. Boyd Carpenter. As I read, relishing the literature style in which he and many others in this time period wrote, I stand amazed at the depth of understanding they possessed concerning Jesus and the things of His Kingdom. In the sermon that follows, he is talking about people's desire for a sign and what the true sign from God is, and describes it in such an eye opening way. I hope you will enjoy and relish it as I have, and will take it before the Lord letting Him examine you by His Spirit and Truth.
"Too often in the history of mankind religion has been confounded with the marvelous. The tokens of piety are looked for in extraordinary power or uncommon conduct. It is true that there were signs and infallible proofs afforded by Jesus and his apostles, but these were carefully distinguished from religion. Nor was this distinction uncalled for. The age was full of the false and unhealthy craving for the wonderful. The Pharisee, unable to detect the tokens of a heavenly atmosphere of pure and holy thought diffused by Jesus, demanded of Him a sign from heaven. The king's earnest wish to see Jesus was prompted by the hope that he would see some miracle done by Him. Wishes and expectations such as these, born of an irreligious spirit, Christ refused to gratify. It was an evil and adulterous generation that sought a sign. And though He appealed to the works that He had done in the Father's name, yet He placed them as argument for the acceptance of those who were incapable of appreciating the arguments of a simple and godly life. "Though ye believe not Me, yet believe the works." This stern setting aside of the immoral craving after the wonderful in religion, and mistaking the extraordinary for the excellent, fitted the life-teaching of Him who made not the angel-choir, nor the star, but the simplicity of childhood, the sign of recognition."
To tie this in with the Scripture, I add, Isaiah 7:14-"Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel." (God with us)
If Christ Himself, is not a spectacular enough sign for us, then nothing will be. Stop seeking beyond that, those who have found Him. He is the sign above all Signs, and the proof we are looking for.
"Too often in the history of mankind religion has been confounded with the marvelous. The tokens of piety are looked for in extraordinary power or uncommon conduct. It is true that there were signs and infallible proofs afforded by Jesus and his apostles, but these were carefully distinguished from religion. Nor was this distinction uncalled for. The age was full of the false and unhealthy craving for the wonderful. The Pharisee, unable to detect the tokens of a heavenly atmosphere of pure and holy thought diffused by Jesus, demanded of Him a sign from heaven. The king's earnest wish to see Jesus was prompted by the hope that he would see some miracle done by Him. Wishes and expectations such as these, born of an irreligious spirit, Christ refused to gratify. It was an evil and adulterous generation that sought a sign. And though He appealed to the works that He had done in the Father's name, yet He placed them as argument for the acceptance of those who were incapable of appreciating the arguments of a simple and godly life. "Though ye believe not Me, yet believe the works." This stern setting aside of the immoral craving after the wonderful in religion, and mistaking the extraordinary for the excellent, fitted the life-teaching of Him who made not the angel-choir, nor the star, but the simplicity of childhood, the sign of recognition."
To tie this in with the Scripture, I add, Isaiah 7:14-"Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel." (God with us)
If Christ Himself, is not a spectacular enough sign for us, then nothing will be. Stop seeking beyond that, those who have found Him. He is the sign above all Signs, and the proof we are looking for.
posted by Patti Blount @ 11:42 AM
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