Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit · Sermon No. 785
Delivered on Lord’s-day Morning, DECEMBER 15, 1867, by, the Metropolitan Tabernacle, Newington.
“The Master says, Where is the guest chamber, where I shall eat the Passover with My disciples.”- Mark 14:14.
As far as we know, out of the many thousands who had come to Jerusalem from the utmost ends of the earth to keep the Passover, none were left unaccommodated with a guest chamber except our Lord Jesus Christ. Jerusalem, at the time of the Passover, was one great inn—the whole of the houses were occupied not only by the regular tenants, but by their friends from the country parts of Judea. Each one had invited his own friends and all the houses were filled. But there was found no one to invite the Savior and He had no dwelling of His own. He who received sinners, was excluded by all. The Friend of man was houseless, and at the national festival He was no man’s guest. He would have been left in the streets, if by His own supernatural power He had not found Himself an upper room in which to keep the feast.
It is so even to this day—Jesus is not received among the sons of men save only where by His supernatural power and Grace He makes the heart anew. Every pursuit has its eager followers, every art its votaries, every object its devotees, but Jesus is uncared for and neglected. Art, science, poetry, literature, mechanics, politics, wealth—all these obtain a willing homage. Men need no renewal of their minds to follow after these! But to the natural man the Lord Jesus has no form nor comeliness and He, therefore, is despised and rejected. “He came unto His own, and His own received Him not.” Like the Levite in the days of the Judges, “There was no man that took him into his house to lodging.”
All doors are open enough to the Prince of Darkness, but Jesus must clear a way for Himself or lodge in the streets. I think I hear Him crying even to His own Church, “Open to Me, My sister, My love, My dove, My undefiled—for My head is filled with dew and My locks with the drops of the night.” Doubtless one reason for this may be found in the fact that it was dangerous to receive Christ at that season. The rulers were hunting Him—thirsty for His blood—and they had issued the command that if any man knew where He was, he should tell them, that they might take Him. In the first place, to harbor Christ was to run the risk of being put out of the synagogue, to become the object of public contempt. In the second, and perhaps in conclusion, to meet with a sudden and violent death!
Therefore, prudent, careful men closed their doors against Him and argued that they could not expose their families to so much peril. They might in their hearts admire Him. In their souls they might lament that He was so harshly dealt with, but they could not run the risk of declaring themselves to be on His side by entertaining Him at that moment of excitement. So is it at this hour, men always have a good reason, as they think, for that most unreasonable of all unkind-nesses—the rejection of Jesus, their best Friend. The farm, the merchandise, the newly-married wife—all these are the transparent, weak excuses for not coming to the Gospel supper.
Preoccupation of mind with some other pursuit, or the self-denials which Christianity would involve, or the difficulties which are supposed to beset a consistent Christian profession—any, or all of these, and worse than these—serve to satisfy the human conscience with the shadow of an excuse. Jesus Christ is kept on the cold side of the door and our worst enemies are welcomed! Though it is the highest honor that man can have to entertain Him, yet a cruel refusal is given Him and any excuse in the world is thought to be sufficient. Yet there was one who was willing to entertain the Savior, and the Lord knew Him and where to find Him according to that ancient saying, “The Lord knows them that are His.”
There shall never be a time in the world’s history so dark but surely the Lord will have His chosen stars shining brightly amid the gloom. Christ shall never be so much despised but what there will be found here and there elect souls, hearts that the Lord has touched, who will say, “Come in and welcome most sweet Lord! We rejoice to render You the hospitality of our loving hearts.” Be of good courage, my Brothers and Sisters! Piety may be at a low ebb, but it shall never run dry! The lamp may flicker, but it cannot be extinguished! Our ranks may be thinned, but the host shall hold the
battlefield! There are a few names even in Sardis! There is one Lot, at least, even in Sodom! And in the raging Sanhedrim a Nicodemus holds a seat!
In the worst times of superstition God raises up witnesses for His Truth. We need never fear for the Church—an imperishable seed is in her and nothing shall destroy her. The gates of Hell shall not prevail against her. Though her ministers may fall and many of her professed members may apostatize, yet the Lord will keep up the succession of the saints, and Jesus shall not lack a man to bear up the standard of the Cross! So long as the earth remains, the everlasting kingdom of the Son of David shall stand!