Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit · Sermon No. 2286
“And the people said unto me, Will you not tell us what these things mean to us, that you behave so?” Ezekiel 24:19.
EZEKIEL’S wife died. His heart was bleeding, but he received orders from his Divine Master that he should not mourn, nor weep, nor make any sign of mourning whatever. It was a strange command, but he obeyed it. The people understood that Ezekiel was a Prophet to them in all that he did—his actions did not only concern himself. He was a teacher, not only by his words, but by his actions, so the people gathered round him and said to him, “What is the meaning of this? It has some bearing upon our conduct; tell us what it has to do with us.” He soon explained to them that, before long, they, also, would lose by sword, pestilence and famine, the dearest that they had, and they would not be able to have any mourning for the dead. They would be in such a state of distress that the dead would die unlamented, the living having enough to do to mourn over their own personal sorrows. It was a terrible lesson and it was terribly taught.
Now, dear Friends, just as Ezekiel, at his Lord’s command, did many strange things entirely with a view to other people, we must remember that many things that we do have some relation to others. As long as we are here, we can never so isolate ourselves as to become absolutely independent of our surroundings. And it is often well, when we note the behavior of other people, to say to somebody, if not to them, as the people did to Ezekiel, “Will you not tell us what these things mean to us?”
I am going to use the text at this time thus. First, this should be your question to the Lord Jesus Christ, our Divine Prophet. When we see Him taken forth to die outside the camp, may we not solemnly say to Him, “Will You not tell us what these things mean to us, that You behave so?” When I have spoken a little upon that, I shall then say to the people who will see us gathering at the Table of our Lord, tonight, this may be your question to the Church, “Will you not tell us what these things mean to us, that you behave so?” After I have explained that matter, I shall need to speak to our friends who are not coming to the Communion Table with us, but are going home, or going to sit in the upper gallery, and I shall say to them, this is our question to you, “Will you not tell us what these things mean to us, that you behave so?”
First, then, THIS SHOULD BE YOUR QUESTION TO THE LORD JESUS. Very reverently, though, as far as I am concerned, very feebly, let us approach our Divine Master and, looking at Him in His wondrous passion, let us earnestly ask Him, “Will You not tell us what these things mean to us, that you behave so?” Do you see Him? There He is, amid the dark shadow of the olives, bending low, and pleading with God. He pleads, and pleads, and pleads again till He is covered with sweat. Sweat, did I say? ‘Tis blood—and it is so plenteous that it falls to the earth, “great drops of blood falling down to the ground.” Man sweats for bread, which is the staff of life, but it needs a bloody sweat to win life, itself, and Jesus pours it out! Dear Master, while that bitter cup is at Your lips, can You stay a minute to tell us what these things mean to us that You behave so? His answer is, “Sin is an exceedingly bitter thing and, to remove it, costs Me the agony of My Soul. It is not easy to bear the wrath of God. I have cried, ‘If it is possible, let this cup pass from Me,’ but if I would save you, it is not possible.” Hear that, my Brothers and Sisters, listen, and learn it well! Never trifle with sin! Never make a spot which will need a bloody sweat to wash it away! Never laugh at that over which Christ had to agonize. And never count redemption a trifle when to Him it was a pouring out of His soul unto death!
But do you see the lanterns twinkling through the trees? Men are coming, evil men, with rough voices, with torches, and lanterns, and staves to take the blessed pleading One. He rises to meet them. He speaks a word and down they fall! He can release Himself, there is no need for Him to be captured, but He yields Himself up without a struggle and they take
Him to do unto Him according to their wicked will. Dear Master, while the traitor’s kiss is still wet upon You and You are being led away bound to Caiaphas, tell us, I pray You, what do You mean by all this? What has this to do with us? He answers, “I go willingly. I must be bound, for sin has bound you—sin has bound your hands, sin has hampered and crippled you and made you prisoners. You are the bond slaves of Satan and I must be bound to set you free.” O Beloved, learn the lesson well! Sin always enslaves you. Free thought, free love, free living, in the highest sense, are to be found only in the service of God! Sin brings no freedom—it binds! As Christ was bound and delivered up to die, so does sin bind man and lead him forth to the second death. This is what Jesus Christ’s resignation to His captors means to us.