by Jim Burnett (Scotland)
Psalm 102.7. Also Matthew 10.28-31; Luke 12.4-7
In the previous article we considered this verse in the light of the Psalmist's own experience. We shall now apply it to the glorious Person of our blessed Lord. Again we shall keep before us the same four interesting thoughts.
Note things in the verse that are marked by their absence.
I. "I watch" — NO RELAXATION:
II. "Am as a sparrow" — NO ESTIMATION:
III. "Alone" — NO CONSOLATION:
IV. "Upon the house top" — NO PROTECTION.
When we thought of the Psalmist we readily saw the reason as to why he said, ‘I watch.’ He was in danger of being ensnared in some temptation. This, of course, could never be said of our Lord Jesus. There was no possibility of Him straying from the path of obedience to the will of God. He did say, "… the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in Me," Jn.14.30. There was absolutely nothing that could respond to sin.
There are many fundamental truths that are most surely believed among us in relation to the Lord Jesus Christ, one of which is His Sinless Perfection. Some teach that He did not sin and we can agree wholeheartedly, but the statement does not go far enough. We must go further and say He could not sin. To say only that He did not sin does not eliminate the possibility that had He chosen to He could have sinned.
The truth is only correctly expressed when we assert that He did not sin and could never have sinned. He was absolutely holy in all His ways. He is uniquely different from all others.
There are four ways in which men entered into the world:
1. Adam — by way of CREATION:
2. Eve — by way of FORMATION:
3. All others — by way of GENERATION:
4. The Lord Jesus — by way of INCARNATION.
Of Him the poet wrote:
"In every feature flawless,
In every aspect fair,
The search of sinners lawless
Could find no blemish there."
The sinless perfection of Christ is seen in seven lovely expressions of Scripture:
1. Purer than — Hab.1.13:
2. Fairer than — Ps.45.2:
3. Greater than — Matt.12.42:
4. Mightier than — Lk.3.16:
A careful, prayerful examination of these Scriptures would enhance greatly our appreciation of who He is and what He has accomplished both for God and for us.
Three things were firmly implanted in us in early days:
1. As our Mediator — HE MADE THE LINK:
2. As our Great High Priest — HE MAINTAINS THE LINK:
3. As our Advocate — HE MENDS THE LINK (not of union but communion).
But we may ask how can we apply the words ‘I watch’ to our Lord? Just in the sense that as a Man before God He was ever sensitive to the Spirit and Word of God. He was God’s diligent, devoted Servant. While in the garden the disciples slept, oblivious to the great drama unfolding before them, the Lord was fully awake, alert as always to the Father’s will. We can never forget those tremendous words of devotion, "Father, if Thou be willing, remove this cup from Me: nevertheless not My will, but Thine, be done." Lk.22.42.
We have seen in the former paper that the sparrow is really the WORTHLESS bird of the Bible. Such was our Saviour in the eyes of the world. No beauty that they should desire Him. Such was our position until our eyes were opened to behold Him as ‘altogether lovely.’ Men in the darkness of sin mock Him. To them He is as the worthless sparrow. It is still true:
"Our Lord is now rejected and by the world disowned,
By the many still neglected and by the few enthroned."
Let us who love Him continue to give Him His rightful place in our affections.
This can be highlighted by considering the fourth lonely cry from the cross, "My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?" We know He spoke on seven occasions from the tree. The late Dr. Campbell Morgan said that in the first three we see His PITY for men in the matter of their sin; His POWER towards those who trust in Him; His PROVISION for those He loves. In the last four we stand in amazement as the greatest work ever done was accomplished. Victory reached through suffering — a victory far reaching, all full of glory.
As we come to the central cry, the fourth, we stand on ground that is most holy. There is no consolation; none to pity; none to deliver. He bore it all alone. Listen again in holy wonder to this lone mysterious cry which came from the depths of Calvary, "My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?" Truly He was the sparrow alone upon the housetop.
He was never forsaken of His Father. As the eternal Son His dwelling was always in the bosom of His Father. But here on the cross He is forsaken by God. This is a mighty ocean of truth and we stand on the shore gazing in wonder. Let the Scripture speak, "For He hath made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him," 2Cor.5.21.
We noted that there are two experiences that we fear most — loneliness and poverty. He knew both. 2Cor.8.9, "For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that ye through His poverty might be rich." He knew both in His life. He was misunderstood and deserted by friends and rejected, despised and betrayed by foes. Yet all comes to climax at His death. Remember Isa.53.9, "… with the rich in his death …". The word ‘death’ is really in the plural, ‘deaths.’ Does this mean He died more than once? Of course not, "But this man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God," Heb.10.12. The plural teaches us the intensity of His death as well as its far reaching consequences. He died firstly to vindicate God, secondly to redeem poor sinners and also to recover creation and remove every trace of sin for ever from before the face of God.
The sparrow on the housetop is exposed to the elements — rain, wind and storm. There was no hiding place. Such was the experience of the Saviour. He could have called twelve legions of angels, but He went to the storms of Calvary all alone. We watch, wonder and worship, but cannot fully understand.
"We do not know, we cannot tell
What pains He had to bear:
But we believe it was for us,
He hung and suffered there."
We cannot begin to fathom the depths of sorrow and grief.
"None of the ransomed ever knew how deep were the waters
crossed,
Or how dark was the night the Lord passed through, to find
the sheep that was lost."
In conclusion let us note three things about the cross:
1. It is THE MEANS OF SALVATION:
2. It is THE MARK OF SEPARATION:
3. It is THE MOTIVE OF SERVICE:
We may well join with JMS Tait of Lerwick and exclaim,
"Be still proud heart, how can I stand and gaze,
Upon that head, so humbly bowing low,
And not lament with tears and shame of face,
Thy wilful ways, rebelling, murmuring so?
Oh! For the grace, in every earthly loss,
To bow the head to God, as He did on the
cross."
—Concluded