Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit · Sermon No. 2238
“You are now the blessed of the Lord.” Genesis 26:29.
THESE words truly describe the position of many whom I address at this time. There are hundreds here upon whom my eyes can rest and to any one of whom I might point with this finger, or rather, to whom I might extend this hand, to give a hearty shake, and say, “You are now the blessed of the Lord.” I need not say it in the same spirit, nor for the same reason that the Philistines did. They had behaved basely towards Isaac and now that he had prospered, they urged him to forget the past. They meant, “This is why we trust that you will deal kindly with us and overlook our harsh conduct, for, in spite of all, God has so blessed you that you need not be fretful and pettish and remember what we have done.” I am glad that I am under no necessity to strive to make up a quarrel in this way! These many years we have dwelt in peace and have enjoyed sweet fellowship together. You have often borne with my weaknesses and bestowed upon me a wealth of affection which I am sure I do not deserve. So, though I use the language of Abimelech and his friends, my motive is a very different one! Yet the truth is the same concerning many a one here—“You are now the blessed of the Lord.”
There is, however, much force in the argument which these Philistines used. If God has richly blessed us, notwithstanding all our faults and failures, surely we should learn to forgive many injuries done to ourselves. If the Lord forgives us our debt of10,000 talents, we must be willing to forgive our fellow servant his debt of100 pence! Child of God, if you are now the blessed of the Lord, you will often turn a blind eye towards the offenses of your fellow men. You will say, “God has so blessed me that I can well overlook any wrongs that you have inflicted; any harsh words that you have said. I am now blessed of the Lord, so let bygones be bygones.” May you have Grace given to you to do that, now, if any of you have had a little squabble with any other! If there have been any difficulties between any of you, I would hope that before I really get into my subject—while with my finger I point you out and say to each one of you—“You are now the blessed of the Lord,” you will immediately say, “As surely as that is true, I do, from my very heart, forgive all who have offended me, whether Philistine, or Israelite, or Gentile. How can I do otherwise who, myself, have received such Grace while so unworthy?”
Remember that that this was spoken by the Philistine king as a reason why he wished to have Isaac for a friend. In your choice of friends, choose those who are the friends of God. If you would have a blessing upon your friendship, select a man whom God has blessed! Look out for one who is a disciple of Christ and say, “You are now the blessed of the Lord; therefore I seek your acquaintance. Come under my roof; you will bring a blessing with you. Speak to me in the street; your morning word will be a benediction to me.” It was the old custom with Apostolic men to say, as they entered a house, “Peace be unto this house.” We have given up all idea of blessing our fellow men in that way. But why have we done so? Is it from a lack of love, or lack of faith in our own prayers that God would make it so?
For my part, I value a good man’s blessing! As I drove up a hill, in the country, some time ago, a poor man and his wife were walking down the hill. I had never seen them before, but the woman pulled the husband by his coat. They both stood and looked at me and, at last, she said, quite loudly, “It’s him, God bless him!” And although her greeting was not quite grammatical, it evidently came from her heart—and I felt happier for it as I went on my way. I saw her, afterwards, and asked her the reason of her words. “Why,” she said, “I have read your sermons for many a year and I could not help saying, “God bless him!’ when I saw you, for you have been a blessing to me.” Thus that humble woman, being blessed of
the Lord, became a blessing to me! And we, all of us, even the most obscure, who know the Grace of God, might daily be like a great benediction in the midst of the people.
When you think of your minister, say, sometimes, “God bless him!” It will do him good to hear it. Say to your friend, “God bless you!” Say to your children, “God bless you, my dear boy! The Lord bless you, my dear girl!” They will be the better for it if you, yourself, are the blessed of the Lord! You, grandparents, lay your hands on the children’s heads and bless them—they will not forget it when they grow up. It may be that you have done much more for them than you have thought. Concerning His flock, the Lord says, “I will make them and the places round about My hill a blessing; and I will cause the shower to come down in its season; there shall be showers of blessing.” God’s people are blessed that they may bless! Therefore, for the sake of others, as well as for your own, seek that my text may be abundantly true of you. May this be your prayer—