Luke 19.
10[1]. I am
very glad that I do not feel it to be necessary to apologize for bringing you
such an old-fashioned text as this. I am afraid there are some congregations
who would expect it but thank God it is not so here. It has been suggested to
me in a conversation I have had with a man who I believe to be genuinely
seeking something to rest upon, in view of the state of his health. He
confessed to me that he has always believed in God as creator but what has
puzzled him for many years is, why has God created him. For what purpose was
man made, and especially when so many are full of trouble, and so much illness
and suffering in many cases for the wrong-doing of others. And he looked for an
answer from me. And I have felt constrained this evening to pass on to you
something of the character of my answer and I would ask you to pray that as he
meditates upon it, he may find some rest of heart and mind. Now I began by
answering his first question before proceeding to answer others. Why did God
create man? This question is answered in Isaiah 43.21 This people have I formed
for myself, they shall shew forth my praise, and also in Revelation 4.11. For
thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.
And untill sin entered God found pleasure in intercourse with man, but at that
time man was driven out of the Garden of Eden and God’s pleasure in man ceased,
and God’s intercourse also ceased, and the voice in Eden that was heard by Adam
was no matter-of-fact question, Adam where art thou?[2] It was
an expression of anguish if I may use the word. Do we not all know what it is
to make something and feel the utmost satisfaction with the work of our hands,
and then just a slip and the work of hours perhaps days or weeks is spoilt in a
moment. And that is the picture in Eden Man becomes a sinful creature and in a
moment of time God’s fair creation is completely wrecked, and God has lost the
man He made for Himself. And only a very few men of the Old Testament days
merited the word written of Enoch. He walked with God, and he was not, for God
took him[3], for
before his translation he had this testimony that he pleased God. We have one
other outstanding character in OT… Noah. It is written of him that he was a
just man and perfect (or upright) in his generation and Noah also walked with
God[4]. And he
and his family were saved by the Ark from the righteous judgment of God while
all others perished. And were coming and going, continually, untill God’s own
son was born of a woman into this world and God’s voice from heaven is heard
upon earth again and it is not a cry of pain this time on account of sin, but a
joyous cry. This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased[5]. Here is
one at last who is to fulfill all the will of God, and to please Him in all
things. And the way He is going to please God is by seeking and saving that
which was lost[6].
This is a tremendous statement, and I would like to divide it into four parts.
We first have a person, then we have a plan, and then a purpose, and finally a
prize. The person delights in calling Himself, the Son of Man, and generally
uses it concerning Himself. Again we might introduce another Why As he was and
is truly Son of God, why then did He not take the highest title, because He was
meek and lowly in heart. We are meek and lowly by force of circumstance but if
we could step a little higher, I think generally speaking we should[7] but not
so with Him. Meek and lowly in heart, and preferred to be called Son of Man.
The plan was one drawn and settled before the world was.. And it involved His
coming. He held the highest place above. Adored by all the Sons of flame. Yet
such His self-denying love. He laid aside His crown and came[8]. Yes, He
came from all the glories, all the holiness. All the affection of the Father’s
heart. All that was congenial to all that was uncongenial. And again I would
introduce another Why. Because the purpose demand it. It was necessary that He
should become man. As God only He could not die. And as man only, He could save
us. And so He came and blessed be God He fulfilled the purpose. And what
purpose To seek and to save that which was lost. Now if the thing is lost there
must of necessity be a loser, and I want to emphasize this point God for Father
is the loser. And for generations His heart yearned for the lost, for you, for
me, and in the fullness of time He sent His beloved Son, to seek and to save
(recover) that which was lost. A few weeks ago I read of some valuable
treasures that he been hidden in a pond many years ago near our old home at
Rusper. They were discovered by a mere chance. It is thought that they once
hung in the old church in the village and were put into this pond to preserve
them from plunderers and had long been forgotten. No one was sent to recover
them, but they were recovered and restored to their original place[9]. God
knew that we were lost amidst the sinful filth of this world, and His beloved
Son, came to seek and to save.. that which was lost. Now concerning our last
point, the prize What can we say? Scripture has much to say about it. He shall
divide the spoil with the strong because He hath poured out his soul unto
death. About 41 years ago a doctor delivered a mother of a baby, and as he was
so small and unlikely to survive the mother heard the doctor say. He was not
worth saving. Time has proved him wrong. He has preached the gospel in this
place[10]. The
mother’s heart was satisfied and He our blessed Lord shall see of the travail
of His soul and be satisfied[11]. And
throughout eternity He will be satisfied with His prize and the Father pleased
of the salvation of the lost.
[1] The conclusion to the story of Zacchaeus
[2] Genesis 3:9
[3] Genesis 5:24
[4] Genesis 6:9
[5] Mark 9: 7
[6] Luke 19:10
[7] As indeed did happen with his sons
[8] He held the highest place above,
Adored by all the sons of flame,
Yet such His self-denying love,
He laid aside His crown and came
To seek the lost,
And at the cost
Of heavenly rank and earthly fame
He sought me—Blessed be His name!
By C. A. Tydeman the same hymn was quoted
on October 16, 1954
[9] See http://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/sussex/vol6/pt3/pp117-119#fnn60 . It is now thought that the candelabra is Victorian
[10] This presumably is Rev. AG Ashdown, known in the family is Bert he was born in Walton Heath Surrey May 29, 1914. He died in 2005. See his obituary www.rehoboth.org.uk/history.pdf
[11] Isaiah 53:11