Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit · Sermon No. 2193
“This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles.” Psalm 34:6
ON the morning of last Lord’s-Day [Sermon #2192, The JoyousReturri] we labored to bring sinners to their God and the Lord graciously made the Word effectual. We gave voice to the invitation to return and we entreated men to take with them words and turn to the Lord. God’s people found it a happy time. It is a very amazing fact, but an undoubted one, that the simple Gospel which saves sinners also feeds saints! Saints are never better pleased than when they hear those first Truths of God which instruct sinners in the way to God. The Lord be thanked that it is so!
On this occasion I want to speak of what happens to those who do return to God—because many have newly been brought through mighty Grace. Some of them I have seen and I have rejoiced over them with exceedingly great joy. They tell me that they did distinctly lay hold on eternal life last Sunday—and they are clear about what it means. They came out of darkness into His marvelous Light! They knew it and could not resist the impulse to tell at once those with whom they sat in the pews—that God had brought them up out of the horrible pit—and had set their feet upon the Rock of Salvation!
For this joyful reason I think we will go a step further and talk of the happiness of those who have come back to their Father, have confessed sin, have accepted the great Sacrifice and have found peace with God. It is my heart’s desire that those sheep who have come into the fold may be the means of inducing others to enter. You know how one sheep leads another and, perhaps, when some come to Christ, many others will follow. When one of our professional beggars knocks at a door and gets well received, he is very apt to send another. I have heard that vagrants make certain marks near the door by way of telling others of the confraternity which are good houses to call at. If you want many beggars at your house, feed one and another of them well, and birds of the same feather will flock to you! Perhaps while I am telling how Christ has received poor needy ones, others may pluck up courage and say, “We will go, also.” If they try it, they may be sure of receiving the same generous welcome as others have done, for our Lord keeps open house for coming sinners!
He has distinctly said, “Him that comes to Me I will in no wise cast out.” That does not refer merely to those who have come, but to those who are coming—and to you, dear Hearers, who will come at this hour! Jesus bids every hungry and thirsty soul come to Him at once and be satisfied from His fullness. Our text tells how they have sped who have cried to God. “This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles.”
I. The first lesson we shall learn, this morning, is upon THE NATURE AND THE EXCELLENCE OF PRAYER— This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him, and saved him.”—
“Prayer is appointed to convey
The blessings God ordains to give.” He gives us prayer as a basket and then He pours the blessings of His Grace into it! We shall learn from the text much about prayer.
Evidently it is a dealing with the Lord. “This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him.” He cried to the Lord that the Lord might hear him. His prayer was not intended for men, nor was it mainly meant to be a relief to his own mind—it was intended for the ear of God and it went where it was intended to go! The arrow of desire was shot towards Heaven. It reached the mark it was designed to reach. This poor man cried to the Lord and the Lord is the right Person to whom to appeal in prayer. I am afraid that many public prayers are a performance to please the congregation. And when they are mixed with music, it is hoped that they will influence men of taste.
Even private prayer is not always directed to God as it should be. I have heard ignorant people, sometimes, use the expression, “The minister came and prayed to me.” That is a great mistake! We do not pray to you—we pray to God. We pray for you, but not to you. Yet I am afraid that the blunder reveals a mournfully dark state of mind as to what prayer is and does. I fear that many prayers are meant for the ears of men, or have no meaning at all beyond being regarded as a sort of incantation which may mysteriously benefit the utterer of them. Believe me, to repeat good words is a small matter—to go over the best composed forms of devotion will be useless, except the heart rises into real dealings with God! You must speak with God and plead with Him. I often question those who come to join the Church in this fashion— “You say there is a great difference in you: is there a difference in your prayers?” I very frequently get such an answer as this, “Yes, Sir, I now pray to God. I hope that He hears me. I know that He is near and I speak to Him, whereas before I did not seem to care whether God was there or not. I said my prayers by rote and it did not seem like speaking to anybody.”