Who can find a virtuous woman?
for her price is far above rubies.
She looketh well to the ways
of her household, and eateth
not the bread of idleness.
Her children arise up,
and call her blessed;
her husband also,
and he praiseth her.
King James Version
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And be ye kind one to another,
tenderhearted,
forgiving one another,
even as God for Christ’s
sake hath forgiven you.
King James Version
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Moreover if thy brother shall trespass
against thee, go and tell him his fault
between thee and him alone: if he shall
hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother.
King James Version
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There is therefore now no condemnation
to them which are in Christ Jesus,
who walk not after the flesh,
but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit
of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free
from the law of sin and death.
King James Version
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Walk in wisdom toward them
that are without, redeeming
the time. Let your speech be
always with grace, seasoned
with salt, that ye may know
how ye ought to answer every man.
King James Version
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Rejoice evermore.
Pray without ceasing.
In every thing give thanks:
for this is the will of God
in Christ Jesus concerning you.
King James Version
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Confess your faults one to another,
and pray one for another,
that ye may be healed.
The effectual fervent prayer
of a righteous man availeth much.
King James Version
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Be careful for nothing;
but in every thing by prayer
and supplication with thanksgiving
let your requests be made known
unto God. And the peace of God,
which passeth all understanding,
shall keep your hearts and minds
through Christ Jesus.
King James Version
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If my people, which are called by my name,
shall humble themselves, and pray,
and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways;
then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin,
and will heal their land.
King James Version
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Rejoicing in hope; patient
in tribulation; continuing
instant in prayer;
King James Version
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And this is the confidence
that we have in him, that,
if we ask any thing according
to his will, he heareth us:
And if we know that he hear us,
whatsoever we ask, we know that
we have the petitions that
we desired of him.
King James Version
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But without faith it is impossible
to please him: for he that cometh
to God must believe that he is,
and that he is a rewarder of them
that diligently seek him.
King James Version
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But speaking the truth in love,
may grow up into him in all things,
which is the head, even Christ:
King James Version
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For I know that my redeemer liveth,
and that he shall stand at the latter
day upon the earth:
King James Version
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Let this mind be in you, which was also
in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God,
thought it not robbery to be equal with God:
But made himself of no reputation, and took
upon him the form of a servant, and was made
in the likeness of men: And being found in
fashion as a man, he humbled himself,
and became obedient unto death,
even the death of the cross.
King James Version
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For the Son of man is come
to seek and to save
that which was lost.
King James Version
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To whom God would make known
what is the riches of the glory
of this mystery among the Gentiles;
which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:
Whom we preach, warning every man,
and teaching every man in all wisdom;
that we may present every man
perfect in Christ Jesus:
King James Version
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Forasmuch as ye know that ye
were not redeemed with corruptible things,
as silver and gold, from your vain conversation
received by tradition from your fathers;
But with the precious blood of Christ,
as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:
King James Version
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For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord,
every knee shall bow to me,
and every tongue shall confess to God.
King James Version
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For the invisible things of him
from the creation of the world
are clearly seen, being understood
by the things that are made,
even his eternal power and Godhead;
so that they are without excuse:
King James Version
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And I give unto them eternal life;
and they shall never perish,
neither shall any man pluck them
out of my hand. My Father, which
gave them me, is greater than all;
and no man is able to pluck them
out of my Father’s hand.
I and my Father are one.
King James Version
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O death, where is thy sting?
O grave, where is thy victory?
The sting of death is sin;
and the strength of sin is the law.
But thanks be to God, which giveth
us the victory through our
Lord Jesus Christ.
King James Version
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But now is Christ risen from the dead,
and become the firstfruits of them that slept.
For since by man came death, by man came
also the resurrection of the dead.
For as in Adam all die,
even so in Christ shall all be made alive.
King James Version
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For for this cause pay ye tribute also:
for they are God’s ministers, attending
continually upon this very thing. Render
therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom
tribute is due; custom to whom custom;
fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour.
King James Version
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For the preaching of the cross
is to them that perish foolishness;
but unto us which are saved
it is the power of God.
King James Version
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That if thou shalt confess with
thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and
shalt believe in thine heart that
God hath raised him from the dead,
thou shalt be saved. For with the
heart man believeth unto righteousness;
and with the mouth confession
is made unto salvation.
King James Version
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That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth
the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine
heart that God hath raised him from the dead,
thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man
believeth unto righteousness; and with the
mouth confession is made unto salvation.
King James Version
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We here behold the Saviour in the depth of His sorrows. No other place so well shows the griefs of Christ as Calvary, and no other moment at Calvary is so full of agony as that in which His cry rends the air “My God, my God, why hast Thou forsaken me?”
At this moment physical weakness was united with acute mental torture from the shame and ignominy through which He had to pass; and to make His grief culminate with emphasis, He suffered spiritual agony surpassing all expression, resulting from the departure of His Father’s presence. This was the black midnight of His horror; then it was that He descended the abyss of suffering.
No man can enter into the full meaning of these words. Some of us think at times that we could cry, “My God, my God, why hast Thou forsaken me?” There are seasons when the brightness of our Father’s smile is eclipsed by clouds and darkness; but let us remember that God never does really forsake us. It is only a seeming forsaking with us, but in Christ’s case it was a real forsaking. We grieve at a little withdrawal of our Father’s love; but the real turning away of God’s face from His Son, who shall calculate how deep the agony which it caused Him?
In our case, our cry is often dictated by unbelief: in His case, it was the utterance of a dreadful fact, for God had really turned away from Him for a season. O thou poor, distressed soul, who once lived in the sunshine of God’s face, but art now in darkness, remember that He has not really forsaken thee. God in the clouds is as much our God as when He shines forth in all the lustre of His grace; but since even the thought that He has forsaken us gives us agony, what must the woe of the Saviour have been when He exclaimed, “My God, my God, why hast Thou forsaken me?”
Moreover, brethren, I declare
unto you the gospel which I
preached unto you, which also
ye have received, and wherein
ye stand;
For I delivered unto you first
of all that which I also received,
how that Christ died for our sins
according to the scriptures;
And that he was buried,
and that he rose again the
third day according to the
scriptures
King James Version
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Mockery was a great ingredient in our Lord’s woe. Judas mocked Him in the garden; the chief priests and scribes laughed Him to scorn; Herod set Him at nought; the servants and the soldiers jeered at Him, and brutally insulted Him; Pilate and his guards ridiculed His royalty; and on the tree all sorts of horrid jests and hideous taunts were hurled at Him. Ridicule is always hard to bear, but when we are in intense pain it is so heartless, so cruel, that it cuts us to the quick.
Imagine the Saviour crucified, racked with anguish far beyond all mortal guess, and then picture that motley multitude, all wagging their heads or thrusting out the lip in bitterest contempt of one poor suffering victim! Surely there must have been something more in the crucified One than they could see, or else such a great and mingled crowd would not unanimously have honoured Him with such contempt. Was it not evil confessing, in the very moment of its greatest apparent triumph, that after all it could do no more than mock at that victorious goodness which was then reigning on the cross?
O Jesus, “despised and rejected of men,” how couldst Thou die for men who treated Thee so ill? Herein is love amazing, love divine, yea, love beyond degree. We, too, have despised Thee in the days of our unregeneracy, and even since our new birth we have set the world on high in our hearts, and yet Thou bleedest to heal our wounds, and diest to give us life. O that we could set Thee on a glorious high throne in all men’s hearts! We would ring out Thy praises over land and sea till men should as universally adore as once they did unanimously reject.
Thy creatures wrong Thee, O Thou sovereign Good! Thou art not loved, because not understood: This grieves me most, that vain pursuits beguile Ungrateful men, regardless of Thy smile.
For all have sinned,
and come short of the glory of God;
Being justified freely by his grace
through the redemption
that is in Christ Jesus:
King James Version
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Myrrh may well be chosen as the type of Jesus on account of its preciousness, its perfume, its pleasantness, its healing, preserving, disinfecting qualities, and its connection with sacrifice. But why is He compared to “a bundle of myrrh”? First, for plenty. He is not a drop of it, He is a casket full. He is not a sprig or flower of it, but a whole bundle. There is enough in Christ for all my necessities; let me not be slow to avail myself of Him. Our well-beloved is compared to a “bundle” again, for variety: for there is in Christ not only the one thing needful, but in “Him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily,” everything needful is in Him.
Take Jesus in His different characters, and you will see a marvellous variety Prophet, Priest, King, Husband, Friend, Shepherd. Consider Him in His life, death, resurrection, ascension, second advent; view Him in His virtue, gentleness, courage, self-denial, love, faithfulness, truth, righteousness everywhere He is a bundle of preciousness. He is a “bundle of myrrh” for preservation not loose myrrh tied up, myrrh to be stored in a casket. We must value Him as our best treasure; we must prize His words and His ordinances; and we must keep our thoughts of Him and knowledge of Him as under lock and key, lest the devil should steal anything from us. Moreover, Jesus is a “bundle of myrrh” for speciality.
The emblem suggests the idea of distinguishing, discriminating grace. From before the foundation of the world, He was set apart for His people; and He gives forth His perfume only to those who understand how to enter into communion with Him, to have close dealings with Him. Oh! blessed people whom the Lord hath admitted into His secrets, and for whom He sets Himself apart. Oh! choice and happy who are thus made to say, “A bundle of myrrh is my well-beloved unto me.”
And he said to them all, If any man
will come after me, let him deny himself,
and take up his cross daily, and follow me.
For whosoever will save his life shall lose it:
but whosoever will lose his life for my sake,
the same shall save it.
King James Version
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Our blessed Lord experienced a terrible sinking and melting of soul. “The spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity, but a wounded spirit who can bear?” Deep depression of spirit is the most grievous of all trials; all besides is as nothing. Well might the suffering Saviour cry to His God, “Be not far from me,” for above all other seasons a man needs his God when his heart is melted within him because of heaviness.
Believer, come near the cross this morning, and humbly adore the King of glory as having once been brought far lower, in mental distress and inward anguish, than any one among us; and mark His fitness to become a faithful High Priest, who can be touched with a feeling of our infirmities. Especially let those of us whose sadness springs directly from the withdrawal of a present sense of our Father’s love, enter into near and intimate communion with Jesus. Let us not give way to despair, since through this dark room the Master has passed before us.
Our souls may sometimes long and faint, and thirst even to anguish, to behold the light of the Lord’s countenance: at such times let us stay ourselves with the sweet fact of the sympathy of our great High Priest. Our drops of sorrow may well be forgotten in the ocean of His griefs; but how high ought our love to rise!
Come in, O strong and deep love of Jesus, like the sea at the flood in spring tides, cover all my powers, drown all my sins, wash out all my cares, lift up my earth-bound soul, and float it right up to my Lord’s feet, and there let me lie, a poor broken shell, washed up by His love, having no virtue or value; and only venturing to whisper to Him that if He will put His ear to me, He will hear within my heart faint echoes of the vast waves of His own love which have brought me where it is my delight to lie, even at His feet for ever.
Did earth or heaven ever behold a sadder spectacle of woe! In soul and body, our Lord felt Himself to be weak as water poured upon the ground. The placing of the cross in its socket had shaken Him with great violence, had strained all the ligaments, pained every nerve, and more or less dislocated all His bones. Burdened with His own weight, the august sufferer felt the strain increasing every moment of those six long hours. His sense of faintness and general weakness were overpowering; while to His own consciousness He became nothing but a mass of misery and swooning sickness.
When Daniel saw the great vision, he thus describes his sensations, “There remained no strength in me, for my vigour was turned into corruption, and I retained no strength:” how much more faint must have been our greater Prophet when He saw the dread vision of the wrath of God, and felt it in His own soul! To us, sensations such as our Lord endured would have been insupportable, and kind unconsciousness would have come to our rescue; but in His case, He was wounded, and felt the sword; He drained the cup and tasted every drop.
As we kneel before our now ascended Saviour’s throne, let us remember well the way by which He prepared it as a throne of grace for us; let us in spirit drink of His cup, that we may be strengthened for our hour of heaviness whenever it may come. In His natural body every member suffered, and so must it be in the spiritual; but as out of all His griefs and woes His body came forth uninjured to glory and power, even so shall His mystical body come through the furnace with not so much as the smell of fire upon it.
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