All right, if you wish to follow
along, I invite your attention back to the Song of Solomon. You can turn to Song of Solomon
chapter one for right now, although this will not be my text. The Song of Solomon. Everyone who would read this
book, that is the Song of Solomon, with the single eye of faith,
with the single eye of faith. Everyone who would read this
book, knowing and seeing that Jesus Christ is preeminent, everyone
who reads this book will see that this book is about Jesus
Christ and his church. There's never been a marriage
amongst the fallen sons and daughters of Adam that fits this book. Once Adam fell, Mason, we lost
the ability to walk in a way that would truly honor the words
of this book. That doesn't mean we shouldn't
seek to walk as closely to it as we can in our relationships,
but this book is not about our relationship to one another as
husband and wife. This book is about our relationship
to Jesus Christ, the Son of God, and His relationship to us. Christ's
love for the church is seen in several ways, in many ways, far
more than I'll be able to present to you in this series of messages.
Mason, even the passages I will speak from, I'm not going to
be able to take every word and show you all of its meaning.
I just don't have that ability. Nevertheless, Christ's love for
the church is seen here in several ways, and one way is we see Christ's
sovereign drawing of His own to Himself. Think about this.
He initiates any grace that's ever experienced. Chapter 1 and
verse 2. Let him kiss me with the kisses
of his mouth, for thy love is better than wine." Do you see
it? Let him do it. He has to initiate this thing. We know that the Apostle Paul
was clear in this. For by grace are you saved through
faith. And we dare not switch that around. Most of so-called Christianity
today turns that around and says, for by faith are you saved through
grace. And what they're talking about
is this. If the sinner comes up with faith, then God will
give that sinner grace. That is not what this book teaches.
For by grace are you saved through faith, and that not of yourselves,
it is the gift of God, not of works. That is, the grace is
not of works, The faith is not of works, and the salvation is
not of works. Not of works, why? Lest any man
should boast. And there will be no boasting
before God. Jesus Christ initiates any grace
experience. But not only that, his name declares
his purpose of grace. Look at verse three. Because
of the savor of thy good ointments, thy name is as ointment poured
forth, therefore, Do the virgins love thee? You know the passage. Matthew chapter one, verse 21,
thou shalt call his name Jesus. Why? For he, for he shall save
his people from their sins. Faith is not my savior. Jesus
Christ is my savior. And Jesus Christ gives me faith
with which to embrace him as my savior. So we see here he
initiates grace experience and his name declares his purpose
of grace like ointment poured forth. Have you ever smelled
just that smell that you really like? You want more of that smell,
don't you? It just permeates your whole
being. And Max, sometimes even when
the smell's gone, you can still remember it in here. And you
can still feel it in here. You know what I'm talking about?
Look at it. Because of the savor of thy good ointments, thy name
is as ointment poured forth. His name was called Jesus. And
Ellen, he lived up to his name. He saved his people from their
sins. He is saving his people from
their sins. And he shall yet save his people
from their sins. But here's the third thing. His
work of grace is the cause of our coming to him. Look at verse
four. Draw me. Draw me. And what? We will run. after thee." You see, when God
Almighty, in free, sovereign, saving grace, draws an individual,
you don't have to beg them to come to Jesus Christ. You don't
have to plead with them to come to Jesus Christ. When He draws,
they will run to Him. And I want you to notice, this
lets us know this book is not just about Solomon and some Shulamite.
Look at it. You see that next word? We. Right? We, not I, although that's certainly
true, isn't it, Mason? But draw me, we will run after
thee. The king hath brought me. Do
you see that? The king hath brought me into
his chambers. We will be glad and rejoice in
thee when we remember thy love more than wine. The upright love
thee. You remember what our Lord Jesus
Christ said? He said, therefore said I unto you that no man can
come unto me except it were given him of my father. What is given? The ability to come. The desire
to come. The faith with which to come.
The repentance back with which to turn from everything else
to run after him. All of this is given unto me.
initiated by, sustained by, and carried out by the Lord of glory
himself. Salvation is of the Lord. Salvation
is a work of God. It's not a work of man. And as
one pastor pointed out, there was an individual who said that
the Bible nowhere declares the salvation or says the salvation
is by grace alone. And that pastor said about the
man who said that, he's exactly right. It doesn't say that anywhere. It teaches it everywhere. Salvation is a work of God. But grace experienced is not
the beginning of grace. Is it? Grace experienced is not
the beginning of grace. All grace experienced in time
was given to God's people in Christ Jesus before the world
began. Look at it, 2 Timothy chapter
one, if you're following along. 2 Timothy chapter one, and listen
to what the apostle Paul said to this young man Timothy. He
said, of God who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling,
not according to our works, but according to his own purpose
and grace. And then look at that, which
was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began. Chad
Adams, if you got grace today, it's because God gave you grace
before the world began. If anyone here in this assembly
has grace today, it's because God actually gave you grace before
the foundation of the world. And how could God do that? Because
God is the creator and maker of all things. He does according
to his will among the armies of heaven and amongst the inhabitants
of the earth. Now think about this. The Song
of Solomon is not silent on this matter. Now here's my text. Turn
to chapter eight. And we'll read to you a passage
that probably will not be read in most churches. Song of Solomon,
chapter 8, in just three verses. Are you there? Chapter 8, let's
begin in verse 8. We have a little sister, and
she hath no breasts. What shall we do for our sister
in the day when she shall be spoken for? If she be a wall,
we will build upon her a palace of silver. And if she be a door,
we will enclose her with boards of cedar. I am a wall, and my
breasts like towers. Then was I in his eyes as one
that found favor. Have you ever read that and just
wondered what in the world is Solomon talking about? Think
about this. We all were at one time, the
little sister. And that's the title of my message,
The Little Sister. Every believer was at the first,
the little sister. I will be brief, I will not be
too long this morning. Think about it, the little sister
is a sister even before she ever manifests the marks of her sisterhood. Isn't that what you see there?
Now, no matter how you approach this, now there is the right
way to approach it, that's God and his people. That's Christ
and the church. But no matter how you approach
this, you have to admit the little sister was a sister before she
ever manifests the marks of her sisterhood. Is that not what
this is saying? Did not our Lord Jesus Christ
call his sheep sheep even before they're brought to him by himself?
Huh? He said in John chapters 10 and
verse 16, and other sheep, I have. Therefore, Mason, I know they
already existed as far as he was concerned, and he already
possessed them as sheep as far as he was concerned. And other
sheep I have, which are not of this fold, them also I must bring,
and they shall hear my voice, and there shall be one fold and
one shepherd." Think about it. Even before the little sister
has the ability to embrace Christ, that's what it's talking about.
We have a little sister, and she hath no breasts. Now how
do I know that's what it's talking about? This is not talking about
some sexual thing, Mac. Look at what it say. It begins
this way in Song of Solomon, chapter one, verse 13. I mentioned
it last week for this purpose. A bundle of myrrh is my well-beloved
unto me. He shall lie all night betwixt
my breasts. We're talking about before this
individual, David Wright, before this person ever had the ability
to embrace Christ, they were still Christ's property. They
were still Christ's church. They were still Christ's elect.
They were still Christ's sheep. We're owned lock, stock, and
barrel by Him, by sovereign election. What did we just sing? She was
his bride before she knew she had a husband dear. And when for her his choice was
made, and this is, the writer is here talking about the election
coming to fruition in time. And when for her his choice was
made, what does it say? It caused her. to draw near. And when you draw near to the
Savior, you know what? He's going to give you the ability
to embrace Him. He gives you the faith with which
you lay hold on Him. And I remember Earl saying this
years ago, faith is actually more God laying hold of us. than
it is us laying hold of God. I like that statement. Why? Because
faith is a gift of God. Why? Because faith is a fruit
of the Spirit. Faith doesn't dwell or well up
in me. My old nature is not the fountain
of any faith. The Spirit of God alone is the
fountain of that faith. So I say that the little sister
is a sister even before she ever manifests the marks of her sisterhood. God said, God in flesh said,
my sheep hear my voice. He said, I call them, how? By name, by name. And think about this, inability
is our lot. By nature, we have no breasts. By nature, Mac, I have no ability
to embrace the God of all glory. By nature, I am against him. By nature, I am his enemy. By nature, I despise him. By nature, I will not come to
him. But when he in grace calls me,
when he draws me, when he sends his gospel to me, not in word
only, but in power, then we will, what? We will run after him. Why are people not hearing the
gospel today? Here's why. Because God is not
drawing them. That's right. Because God is
not drawing them. Are they unable? Yes, they're
unable. But if he ever draws them, Mac,
they will come. Why is there little, if any, response to the
preaching of the gospel in this area? We might say, well, the
gospel's not preached very much in this area. That's not the
point. If God wanted it preached more, Mason, it'd be preached
more. is being preached exactly as many times and as much as
God Almighty ordained before the foundation of the world.
The reason men and women are not coming is because He's not
drawing. And look at what our Lord said.
Turn to it in John chapter 6. And I want to read these words,
but I don't want to misquote this. Listen to what He said.
John chapter 6. And bear with me just a moment
until I find it here. Yes, look at it. Verse 44. No
man can come to me. Now that's what Christ said himself,
didn't he? Now whose word will you take?
His word or the word of some preacher? Countless thousands
today are teaching, anybody can come, they just won't. That's
not what Christ said. He said, no man can come to me
except the Father which has sent me, draw him. Isn't that what
we read in Saul of Solomon? Draw me, what? We will run after
thee. Look at it, look at it. No man
can come to me except the Father which has sent me draw him, and
I will raise him up at the last day." And this is not something
new. It is written in the prophets. You see it? And they shall all
be taught of God. Not one more and not one less. They shall all be taught of God.
Every man, therefore, that hath heard and learned of the Father
does what? comes to me. So then why are
men and women today not coming to Christ? Because they haven't
learned of the Father. Because he has not drawn them.
Because they are not a little sister. Now, let me give you
this last thing. Here's number two. But the little
sister shall be spoken for. Do you see it? Look at it. We
have a little sister. and she hath no breast. What
shall we do for our sister in the day when she shall be spoken
for? God Almighty has a bride, and
have that bride as his wife he will. Look at it. We have a little
sister. Have you ever gotten angry with
someone because they couldn't understand what you was talking
about when you talked about Christ? Have you? But do you remember
the time when you were the same way? We ought not become angry
with men and women. They have no breasts. They have
no ability to embrace the Savior. We call upon them to embrace
the Savior, and rightfully so. He ought to be embraced, but
they cannot. They have no breasts. no place
to embrace the Savior, no ability to embrace the Savior, but if
they're one of God's, if they're truly a little sister, one day
she shall be spoken for. Do you see that? One day God
Almighty will ring forth in sovereign saving grace and He will draw
that individual unto Himself. Now, let me just give you this.
Look at it. Galatians chapter 1 verse 15 the Apostle Paul put
his salvation in this light, but when You hear but when it
pleased God No one has ever been saved a
moment too late and no one's ever been saved a moment too
early There is a day and a specific time when every little sister
shall be spoken for. Right? That's what this says.
But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's
womb and called me by His grace, when it pleased Him to do what?
To reveal His Son, where? In me. You're not gonna know
Jesus Christ is there till he's already invaded your soul and
took up residence there on the throne of your heart. He does
that first. The little sister shall be spoken
for. Acts chapter two and verse 47.
Luke records it this way. And the Lord added daily to the
church such as should be saved. Isn't that what it says? And the Lord added daily. Why?
If there's a day when one's not added, Mason, you know why? Because
he didn't ordain one to be added that day. And if there's a day
that he's ordained for one or thousands to be added to the
church, guess what? They shall be added. This thing is about a marriage.
And God will have his bride. God will marry that bride. And God will have his wife in
her fullness. Are we not said to be Christ's
body? And members in particular? And Christ is not going to have
a wife without an arm. He's not gonna have a wife without
a leg. He's not gonna have a wife missing
one eye. Mason, every single one of God's
people will be called in the very specific day that God has
ordained for them to be spoken for. The little sister, not only
that, she shall be what? She shall be like her kind. Look
at it. Look at what the Shulamite cries out. I am a wall. And my breasts like towers. Beloved, I know we don't boast
it. She's not boasting here, except
in the work of God. Who made her a tower? God did. Who gave her these breasts? God
did. You see, we're given this marvelous
gift of faith. We ought to brag about God concerning
that thing. Not everyone's given that. Look
at it. If she be a wall, we'll build
upon her a palace of silver. If she be a door, we will enclose
her with boards of cedar. How do I know? Because I am a
wall. If God can and did do this for me, then God can and will
do it for every one of his people. I remember an account and I forget
the pastor's name now, but one of his fellows had said to him,
some really cantankerous, wicked, evil sinner had been brought
to Christ. And he said, well, he said it
just, and he said to the, the one man said to the pastor, he
said, well, I'll never doubt now as to the salvation being
possible for anybody. And that pastor said, since God
saved me, I've never doubted God's ability since. You see,
the fact is, if God Almighty can lay hold of a sinner like
me, and cause him to come to Christ, He can lay hold of anybody,
and He will in His appointed day. You remember what Luke also
said, Acts chapter 13, verse 48. And as many as were ordained
to eternal life, did what? They embraced Christ. And let
me say, this is what believing is. Believing is not accepting
the facts. Believing is embracing Christ.
You will believe the true doctrine of Christ in God's good time,
but believing Christ is embracing Christ. Trusting Christ is holding
on to Christ. You remember what Jacob said
to that angel? The angel said, let me go. And you know who that
angel was, don't you? That angel was the pre-incarnate
Jesus Christ himself. And Christ said, let me go. And what did Jacob say? I will
not let you go till you bless me. He didn't force God to do
anything. but he knew his only place of
blessing was that messenger. You see that? I will not let
you go. The little sister will be like
her kind. Not only that, redemption will be her lot. If she be a
wall, what are we gonna do? We're gonna build upon her a
palace of what? Silver. What does silver have
to do with anything? It has to do with nothing. It's
about redemption. Now think about it, Christ is
the redeemer. Is that not true? Christ hath redeemed us from
the curse of the law. Is that not true? Christ hath
obtained eternal redemption for us. Is that not true? And that
was true for me. That was true for you before
we ever even had the ability to embrace it. Is it not true? But guess what? There comes a
time when God enables us by faith to embrace it. And remember,
Faith cometh, that's not cometh into being, but cometh to manifestation. Faith cometh by hearing. And
hearing by the word of God. And how has God ordained for
that to take place? The elder sister. You see, we
pass along the truth of God's grace to our little sisters. We sing a song, let us help them. unto God. Isn't that what we
sing in that song, Mason? You remember? You see, when you
preach Christ to someone, you're not preaching down to them, you're
preaching Him up. You must declare what they are.
If she be a wall. What's a wall? It's something
you build up to keep something out. Right? If she be a wall. You read some of the commentators,
they really go crazy here. I said some of them. This, they
say this was talking about the Shulamite's little sister, and
this is about before she was married, whether she was promiscuous
or not. And I'm thinking, God help these people. Because that's
where their minds are. They read God's book and they're
thinking about the flesh. They read God's book, they're
thinking about sex. They're not thinking about Christ.
And even if she be a wall, what are we gonna do? If she be a
wall, we will build upon her a palace. of silver. You see, redemption in Jesus
Christ has the ability to conquer anyone, anywhere, at any time. And it shall be in the day when
the little sister is spoken for. It'll conquer. But if she be
what? A door. What's a door? A door is something
you let things in and out with, isn't it? Isn't that what a door
is? If she be a door, think of it, redemption will be her lot,
but protection will be her lot as well. If she be a door, what
is it? We will enclose her with boards
of cedar, you see. Mason all too often, we let the
wrong things in. Don't we? We'll put up a wall,
Mac, or we'll be like a swinging door. That's what it's all about.
It's all about a hinge. If you look at the actual Hebrew
word, it's talking about the hinge on the door. And we're
one, it goes this way, back and forth, back and forth. We'll
let anything in, but all thank God, He encloses us. Look at it. We will enclose her
with boards of cedar. Let me just give you this reminder.
To every believer here this morning, the grace of God that you know
today, it ain't no fluke. We sit here and we gather together
here. We are so small in numbers, we
are so weak. Mason, we're weak in what we're
able to do for the Lord. We are. We don't have much might,
we don't have much strength, but our God is the God of heaven
and earth. The God who was with those 5,000
that were saved way back yonder is the same God that we serve
today. And if he's pleased to call one
or 1,000 or none, that's his business. Is it not? So believer,
I say to you, the grace of God that you know today is no fluke. God ordained that grace and he
gave you that grace before you ever even existed. How much more
do you think he's not gonna preserve that grace for you and in you
and upon you today? Mason, all of the history that's
in this book from Genesis chapter one, all the way to the history
of today was to bring me to embrace Jesus Christ. All of the rising
of nations and all of the falling of nations, the rising of powers
and God putting down of powers was all to bring you and I to
bow to the feet of Jesus Christ. And he also He gave me this grace
in Christ before the world ever was. Roy Jr., before God created
the first blade of grass. He'd already given me grace.
Before God Almighty created the first tree. He'd already given
me grace. Before God ever created the universe
and all of its glories, He'd already given me grace. And everything
is designed by God to sustain me and keep me in that very grace. Why do I have any reason not
to trust Him? Mason, he did this for me when
I was still shaking my fist in rebellion against him. when I
was but a little sister that had no breast and was defying
God not only with my words, but with my heart and my whole being,
yet His love was set upon me. Let me read you Isaiah, and I
just wanna turn to this one. I think it's Isaiah chapter 43,
and I'll end with this. Look at it, Isaiah 43, but now, Thus saith the Lord that created
thee, O Jacob. Do you see that? But now, thus
saith the Lord that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee,
O Israel. Fear not, for I have redeemed
thee. I have called thee by thy name. Thou art mine. When thou passest through the
waters, He didn't say he's gonna preserve us from the water. You're gonna pass through the
water. When thou passest through the
water, I will be with thee. And through the rivers, they
shall not overflow thee. When thou walkest through the
fire, he's not gonna preserve you from the fire, he'll preserve
you in the fire. When thou walkest through the
fire, thou shalt not be burned, neither shall the flame kindle
upon thee. And you say, how's that true?
Through all that you've went through, you still believe Christ.
It ain't about whether you lost your job. It ain't about whether
you lost your car. It ain't about whether you had
to pay extra money for this. It's about your everlasting eternal
soul and bowing down to Christ Jesus. That's the glory. Look,
For I am the Lord, now think about this, thy God, the Holy
One of Israel, thy Savior. I gave Egypt for thy ransom,
Ethiopia and Saba for thee. It's exactly what I was talking
about a minute ago. God raises up nations and he casts down
nations, but he's doing all of this for the salvation of his
people. Look, since thou was precious in my sight, I know
you say with the Shulamite, I'm black, but comely. How do I have the right to say
that? Cause he's the one that says he looks at me that way.
That's why. Look at it. Since thou was precious
in my sight, thou has been honorable. Somebody said, but that's not
the way I see myself. It ain't about how you see yourself.
It's about how God sees you. Look, thou hast been honorable,
and I have loved thee. Therefore will I give men for
thee, and people for thy life. Fear not, for I am with thee. I will bring thy seed from the
east, and gather thee from the west. I will say to the north,
give up. And to the south, keep not back,
bring my sons from far and my daughters from the ends of the
earth. Look at it, even everyone that is called by my name, for
I have created him for my glory. And God's gonna get glory out
of you. If you're his, he's gonna get glory out of you. If in no
other way, one way is by saving a sinner like we are. Look at
it. Even everyone that is called
by my name, for I have created him, for my glory, I have formed
him. Yea, I have made him. Therefore, he says what? Bring
forth the blind people that have eyes. You think about that. Therefore, look at it, bring
forth the blind people that have eyes and the deaf, the deaf that
have ears. Where does that come from? Where
does the seeing eye and the hearing ear come from? It comes from
the Lord. So let me say it again, believer,
trust God. I remember Tim James saying this
years ago and it just struck me like a big hammer striking
an anvil. He said, it's okay to believe
God. Think about that. It's okay to
believe God. It's okay to just believe God. Enoch walked with the Lord, how?
By faith. There was no law. What was there
to guide his moral compass? Nothing but God himself. Nothing
but what God had done inside of him. Abraham had no law. What was there to guide him?
It's not a what, it's a who. God was there, but I say this
to every unbeliever, you're in God's hands. And whether He shows
you compassion or whether He hardens you, that's up to Him.
Your only hope is that you're a little sister. That's your
only hope. Even though right now you have
no breasts, you're unable to embrace Him, one day, whenever
He speaks for you, you will have a palace of silver built upon
your wall and your doors shall you will be enclosed with boards
of cedar. Why? Because God Almighty intends
to have you, and have you he will. Father, oh God, comfort
us by these truths. Comfort us by your word. Enable
us by your spirit to embrace our Lord, to pull him in close,
to smell the glories of his person and work. And Lord, help us to
brag on him. Help us to boast about Him and
help us to exalt Him in that way that's possible. I'm asking
in Christ's name, amen.