Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit · Sermon No. 1823
“But Peter said, Not so, Lord; for I have never eaten anything that is common or unclean.” Acts 10:14.
“NOT SO, Lord.” This is a very curious expression. I do not care how you turn it into English from the original, it is a very strange compound. If Peter had said, “Not so,” there would have been a clear consistency in his language and tone. But “Not so, Lord,” is an odd jumble of self-will and reverence, of pride and humility, of contradiction and devotion. Surely, when you say, “Not so,” it ought not to be said to the Lord and if you say, “Lord,” you ought not to put side by side with such an ascription the expression, “AOt so.” Peter always was a blunderer in his early days and he had not grown out of his old habits of honest impetuosity. He meant well and his expression was not intended to convey all that we might easily make of it. At any rate, it is not for us to condemn him. Who are we that we should sit in judgment on a saint of God? Besides, we are not without fault, ourselves, in the matter of incorrect speech.
You and I have said some very curious things in our time. We have uttered exclamations that have been so good that the Lord accepted them, but they have been so bad that He could not have accepted them if it had not been for His infinite mercy! In our utterances there has been faith mixed with unbelief, love defaced with a lack of submission, gratitude combined with distrust, humility flavored with self-conceit, courage undermined with cowardice, fervor mingled with indifference. We are as strange beings as the image which Nebuchadnezzar saw in his dream and our speech betrays the fact. When we were fashioned by nature, first of all, we were “fearfully and wonderfully made.” But when we fell and were unmade by sin, we became monstrosities, combinations of contrary actions! I will not dwell upon that topic, but every man who looks within, if the candle of God is shining within him, must often cry out, “Lord, what is man, that You are mindful of him? And the son of man, that You visit him?’
In our speech, this mixed estate of ours most plainly shows itself. We often feel as if we could eat our words, or at the least, unsay them. Speeches that have had about them real sincerity and true devotion have been greatly marred by expressions which were not fit for the occasion. Our tongues need a sevenfold sanctification if we are always to speak that which is good and acceptable. And, surely, that is what we desire. Now, we will have a look at Peter and see what we can learn from this amazing expression of his—this strangely compounded exclamation, “Not so, Lord.”
I. The first Truth of God which we may easily learn is that THE OLD MAN REMAINS IN THE CHRISTIAN MAN. Albeit we are made new creatures in Christ Jesus and the life that is within us, the dominant life, is new, holy and heavenly, yet the old nature still survives. Though crucified, it is long in dying and struggles hard. Sin dwells in us so that we painfully discover that, though we are new men, we are yet men—and though the Grace of God reigns within us, yet there is a struggle for the kingdom—and the sin that dwells in us strives after the mastery. We are renewed sinners but we are still sinners. Our hearts and hands are cleansed by Divine Grace, but they have a sad tendency to become defiled.
Peter was still Peter. Why, dear Friends, I think that if I had never before seen this passage in Acts, but had read Peter’s life as I find it in the writings of the four Evangelists, and somebody had newly shown me the present text and said, “I have left out the name of the Apostle, but one of them, when he had seen a vision from God and knew that God spoke to him, nevertheless said, ‘Not so, Lord’—what Apostle was that?” I would not have had to guess twice, I am sure! I would have been sure that it was Peter. So you see Peter is Peter after the Grace of God has renewed him. I think we must say the same of ourselves. You, Thomas, who used to be so thoughtful and careful—and somewhat particular and nerv-
ous—you are a child of God, but you are still Thomas! And I suspect that you will be wanting to put your finger into the print of the nails and to thrust your hand into His side, or else you will not believe.
And you, John—you always were very loving and hearty and, at the same time, hot in your zeal—and now that you have become a disciple of Christ, I am sure that you will be more loving than ever. But I would not wonder if even now you should be heard saying, “Master, send fire upon those who reject You, and destroy them.” The man is still the same man—he is greatly altered, but he has not lost his identity! Whatever change has taken place in him, Peter is Peter, and I should like you young converts to remember that, for perhaps you think that in the day when you were converted you lost your old selves altogether. I can assure you that you did not! The hasty temper, the sluggish constitution, the gloomy tendency, or the fickle humor will still be there—to be struggled with so long as you are here below! You received a new self, and a better self, but the old self is still there.