Today I'd like us to consider
verse 6 of Song of Solomon chapter 2. Now, going through this world,
this is a world of woe. We have troubles. We have troubles. We have troubles of heart, family
troubles, sometimes troubles at work, sometimes just troubles
in life. Just troubles in life sometimes.
And sudden sickness can come and catch us off guard, can't
it? It can. We don't know it's coming, but
the Lord knows it's coming. But we have no idea. It catches
us off guard. And even in times of ease and
in times of comfort, Our hearts can be troubled by circumstances
which occur even in the world when we see things going on.
We can become troubled by things that we see going on in this
world. And I'm hoping, I'm hoping that
for this time, this time right now today, in the morning service
and in the evening service, I'm hoping, my hope as a preacher,
is that those things can fade away, all those troubles. Comfort us through the preaching
of the word and through the teaching of the word. And that we might
wonder in awe at the marvelous scripture that we're going to
look at this morning. And also that we're going to look at that
for Sunday morning and Sunday evening. The scriptures are marvelous,
beloved. Marvelous. They point us to the
one who is our Redeemer. The one who is our Savior. Now
look at this verse. His left hand is under my head.
In his right hand doth embrace me. We all remember when our
mothers embraced us, don't we? We all remember when our fathers
would embrace us. When I was a little tyke and
my dad come home, I'd run. And he'd give me a big old hug.
I'll never forget that. Never. When I was a young guy
going through surgeries and stuff, my mom would come in the hospital
room and I'd see her and I'd light up and she'd come over
and give me a big old hug. Oh, her love was manifested to
me. It's wonderful. It's wonderful. His left hand is under my head
and his right hand doth embrace me. So let's consider, first
of all, the verses that lead up to this verse, and then we'll
consider verse 6 itself. Now in the context of this, the
bridegroom in the first two verses, which is Christ, is speaking
of his bride, speaking of his bride, which all the elect of
all the ages He's the one we look to. He's the one we look
to. Now, he identifies himself here. I am the rose of Sharon
in the lily of the valleys. He brings before us a picture,
a picture of his beauty, of his beauty, beloved. And it's a picture that we can
understand. A rose of Sharon is a beautiful flower. I looked
it up on the internet. It's beautiful. Actually, it's
multiple trees are called that, but the flowers are just stunningly
beautiful. And I looked up the Rose of Sharon
with the word Israel, and it pictured a pure white flower
that was just beautiful, stunning, stunning in its beauty. The lily of the valley. He's
the pure, spotless lamb of God. The lily of the valley is a pure
white flower, and it pictures the purity of the Lord Jesus
Christ. Look, it says, as the lily among
thorns, so is my love among the daughters. What love the Savior
has for his bride. What love the Savior has for
his bride, for his elect. Hawker brings a wonderful truth
out about the union of Christ and his church in this verse
where it says, as the lily among thorns, so is my love among the
daughters. Hawker says that he calleth his
church what he calleth himself, a lily. Why? Because we're clothed in the
pure, spotless righteousness of Christ, beloved. As if to
express the oneness between them. And not only the oneness and
union, but interest. For it is this which gives all
beauty and loveliness to the church. The only reason he sees
us is a lily like he sees himself is because we're clothed in his
perfect spotless righteousness. My. And it said, Hocker goes on to
say, which gives all the beauty and loveliness to the church,
her conformity and likeness to Jesus were being conformed to
the image of the sun. My goodness. And she is distinguished. Note, note, she's distinguished
as the lily among thorns. She's distinguished, beloved.
She's distinguished from all others. And think of this in
light of how we who believe are distinguished from others being
clothed in the righteousness of Christ, while others are clothed
in their own self-righteousness. And let us take note of the love
and tenderness the Lord Jesus Christ has for his church. Though
she dwells among briars and thorns, right? We're sinners, aren't
we? We dwell among other sinners, don't we? Well, she dwells among
briars and thorns, yet, yet, yet, beloved. And think of this
as you as an individual believer. Yet she is the lily of his eye. Oh, my. This is wonderful. Look at verse 3 to 5. As the
apple tree among the trees of the woods, so is my beloved among
the suns. Now the bride is now speaking
about the bridegroom. As the apple among the trees
of the woods, so is my beloved among the suns. I sat down under
his shadow with great delight, and his fruit was sweet to my
taste. He brought me to the banqueting house, and his banner over me
was love. Stay with me, flagons, comfort
me with apples, for I am sick of love. Sick of love. Note in
these three verses, the church is absolutely enamored with Christ. She's enamored with him. The
bride is enamored with the bridegroom. What love, what love he has shown,
what love he has shown her. And she reciprocates that love
back, doesn't she? My What love, think of this,
what love has been manifested to God's people? What love has been manifested?
Christ loved us so much he went to the cross and died for us.
What love has been manifested to his people? In and through the Lord Jesus
Christ. When we contemplate Christ's great love to his people, when
we contemplate this, when we contemplate the glories of His
person, who He is, when we contemplate the amazing grace which has been
displayed in His redemption offices, right, as prophet, priest, and
king, when we contemplate these things, and that He did that
for us, we become enamored with the Savior, overwhelmed with
the Savior, And He did this for us. And I ask you, does it not
fill your heart? Does it not fill your heart with
love? Does it not overwhelm you to think that Christ came and
died, and if you're saved, for you? Oh my. No wonder the bride is enamored
with Him. All she sees is His beauty. And think of this. You want to
set your heart on fire. Think of this, that love Christ
has for you is from eternity. It's from eternity. When it says sick of love, that's
being overwhelmed with love. That's like almost fainting.
Being overwhelmed with the love that Christ has for us. being overwhelmed with God's
love to his left, in and through the Lord Jesus Christ. And Hawker
brings the point out that, again, it's sick of love. You're so
overwhelmed you're going to faint. And then note the next verse,
right? His left hand is under my head
and his right hand up. He catches her. Oh, my God. My. And what rest the believer can
find in these words, look at verse six, his left hand is under
my head. And his right hand doth embrace
me like this. He's totally he has. Oh. What love the bridegroom
has for the bride and what a picture of God, God protecting and preserving
the church, beloved. in and through the Lord Jesus
Christ, who was God incarnate in the flesh. And note, beloved,
both hands sustain her. He's not just holding her by
the hand. He has her in an embrace. Both hands sustain her. She has stayed. She is supported. She is strengthened. and she
is comforted in the everlasting arms of her Beloved. And both hands sustain her. This
shows us the tender love and care that God has for His people. Oh, what tender love and care
He has for His Bride Beloved. What intimate communion they
also have with Him. Think of this, all temporal mercies
that we have, all temporal blessings that we have, they come from
the loving hands and arms of our Savior. They all come from
Him. They all come from Him. And also
all the everlasting blessings which the bride has, in and through
Christ, through His death upon the cross. All come from Him. The pardon of all our sins. Justification
before God. Being adopted by God. In and
through the Lord Jesus Christ. They all come from His loving
hands. All. All. So that we might say, Christ
is all in all to us. We are sanctified in Christ.
We are redeemed by the shedding of His precious blood. And we
have eternal life in Him. And none can pluck us out of
His hand. None. None. Oh, what safety and security
the church of God has in the everlasting arms of our Savior. And remember, the church is the
bride here. She is embraced by the Savior.
She is embraced by the Savior, which presents before us, beloved.
And let us think this, when we go through trials in tribulations
and things are swirling all around us. This verse presents before
us the strength of our great Savior, beloved. The strength of our great Savior.
He is able to keep us from falling. He is able to present us faultless
before the throne of God with exceeding joy. He is able. He is able. He is able. She will not sink or faint because
He holds us. He holds us, beloved, in His
almighty arms. What a Savior! What a Redeemer
is Jesus Christ, my Lord! My! Let us consider some points. Let us consider some points about
our safety and our security in Christ from the Scriptures. says
His left hand is under my head, and His right hand doth embrace
me. Let us consider, we who believe, let us consider some points about
our safety and our security in Christ. Our salvation in Christ
is sure, safe, and certain as the powerful hands of God. Turn,
if you would, to John 10, and I'll read Daniel 4.35. Turn,
if you would, to John 10. Our salvation is secure and safe
and certain in Christ. Daniel 4.35 says this, And all
the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing. And he
doeth according to his will in the army of heaven and among
the inhabitants of the earth. And none can stay his hand or
say unto him, What doest thou? No one can tell our God what
to do. He has no counselors. None. Our president and leaders
in the world, they have advisors. God has no advisor. None. None. He doesn't need them. He
knows everything. Look at John 10, though. And
we see the words of our Master, our Redeemer, proclaim how secure
God's elect, God's sheep, the Bride of Christ, how secure they
are in Him. Look at John 10, verses 27 to
30. My sheep hear my voice. That's the effectual call of
God. That's the effectual, there's a general call that goes out,
and that Christ there is talking about the effectual call. The
Holy Spirit goes, thy people shall be made willing. And they
are. They are. And it's wonderful. My sheep
hear my voice, and I know them. Gnoska. I know them intimately. In the Greek. I know them intimately.
And they follow me. Look at that. There's not even
a question. Right? Not even a question. And I give
unto them eternal life. and they shall never perish.
Oh, what security. Neither shall any man pluck them
out of my hand. My Father which gave them me,
now think of that too. Neither shall any man pluck them
out of my hand. That's any man, and that's even us. You can't
unplug yourself from God's hand. Not that a believer would ever
want that, but people say out there, say you can lose your
salvation. Well, they don't have the salvation that I have. Because
the salvation I have in Christ is secure in Christ, in Him.
In Him, beloved. My Father which gave them Me,
neither shall any man pluck them out of My hand. My Father which
gave them Me is greater than all. There it is. Our God is
greater than all, beloved. And no man is able to pluck them
out of My Father's hand. I and My Father are one. Oh my. He just told them who He is. I'm God incarnate in the flesh. Oh, my goodness. So think of
this, beloved, beloved of God. You are in good hands and Christ,
you are in good hands and Christ being made one with him in the
glory. John 1722 says this in the glory,
which I now gave us me. I have given them that they may
be one, even as we are one. Oh, what security and safety
the believer has in Christ. The next point I'd like us to
consider is that His hands are sovereign, and they're able to
save. They're able to save. Turn, if
you would, to Hebrews 7.25. Hebrews 7.25. And now we know
this verse is true, we who believe, because we see ourselves in this.
Now we are unable to save ourselves, and the Scripture declares that
there's none righteous, no, not one. That every son of Adam is
born into this world dead in trespasses and sins, with no
ability to seek God, and no desire to seek God. No desire to seek
God. No understanding of God and the
things of God. That's why Christ declared you
must be born again. You must be born again. But here's
good news. Look at Hebrews 7.24. Wherefore,
he is able. What's he able to do? He's able
also to save them to the othermost that come unto God by him, seeing
he ever liveth to make intercession for them. You know that God's
people, think of this, beloved, as you sit here, you who are
redeemed by the precious blood of the Lamb, God's people are
perpetually and perfectly saved. perpetually and perfectly saved. So that none shall come to him,
so that none shall need to come to him to finish what he's begun. We are perfectly and completely
saved. There is nothing for us to do. Salvation is of the Lord. It's of the Lord from beginning
to end. Now, this this is wonderful news
for sinners. Wonderful news. He's the author,
right? And he's the finisher. He's the
alpha and he's the omega. He's all sufficient savior and
the believer. This is this is wonderful. Brother
Newell, you sit up, you profess your saved man, you are complete
in Christ right now, right now, although we're sinners. And so
for all who believe. Although we're sinners, we are
complete in Christ. Right now. Isn't that wonderful?
Isn't that wonderful? It's marvelous, beloved. It's
absolutely marvelous. And that scripture declares in
Hebrews 7.25 that He's able. He's able to save all who come
to Him. That's why the general call goes out. Flee to Christ.
Flee to Christ. And God draws whom He wills.
and saves whom he wills. Now, think of this, how blasphemous
is it when men proclaim that they can save themselves? How
blasphemous that is. Because Christ. Is the all sufficient
savior. and men who proclaim that they
can save themselves. If God leaves them in that situation,
they will perish in their sins. My goodness, trusting in the
refuge of the lie of their own self-righteousness. But God's
people, we've abandoned all hope in ourselves, haven't we? We
fled to our city of refuge, haven't we? And that's Christ. That's
Christ. Notice, he ever liveth to make
intercession for them, it says in Hebrews 7.25. And think of
this, these are the ones, these are the ones who he has in his
arms, right? He ever liveth to make intercession
for his people. He is the mediator of his people.
He is the mediator between God and man. And he, he is one who's
an eternal priest. He's an eternal priest for his
people. And we, if we just, if we could just get a glimpse,
just a ray into the fact that God himself, that God himself
left heaven to die for our sins. If we could just, just get a
hold of that. And that right now, he intercedes for us right
now. Oh, if we just, just get a glimpse.
And that right now, he holds us. He holds us in His everlasting
arms. What peace it brings God's people. What joy it brings God's people. My! Oh, what a Savior we have. The next point I'd like to consider
is this. His hands are strong hands, able to keep us from falling.
Turn, if you would, to Jude, chapter 1. Jude, chapter 1. Jude chapter one, there's only
one chapter in Jude, isn't it? Jude turned to Jude. Look at
verse 24, his hands. Remember now he has his bride.
He has his bride. He has a he has a hand behind
her head and a hand embracing her. Right. We're in the everlasting
arms. Now, look at this verse. This
verse comes alive when you consider that. Look at verse 24. Now, unto him that is able to
keep you from falling. And to present you faultless.
Now there's a beautiful word right there, faultless. Why? Because we're complete in Him.
We're complete in Christ. Before the presence of His glory,
and note, He presents sinners who He's cleansed, and who He's
clothed in His perfect righteousness, and He presents us with exceeding
joy. Because we're His bride. And
oh, what love, what love He has for His bride, beloved. What
love He has for His bride. He that hath all along preserved
his church must be the same that keeps her from falling. And it is the special and personal
office of Christ to present his church to himself at that day.
Now Hawker says of this verse here, Hawker brings forth a precious
truth here. All along from one eternity to
another, It is Christ's charge and Christ's care, yea, because
remember, he's the lamb slain from the foundation of the world,
right? And remember, we were given to Christ in eternity,
right? So Hawker says this, all along from one eternity to another,
it is Christ's charge and care, yea, in the scripture saith,
his exceeding joy to watch over his church, which is part of
himself, and to keep her from falling, as well as to present
her to himself at last, finally, and fully prepared in himself. Now he's done this from eternity. In body, soul, and spirit for
his everlasting spouse. We're his everlasting spouse. And companion to run the whole
round of eternity with him in his glory forever. We're gonna
spend eternity with our great God and King. and it's all being
planned and purposed by God from the time. Do you see the overwhelming,
how it just overwhelms us when we think of this love, this great
love? Our love can be fickle, can't it? It can be. Our love,
we can love someone and get mad at someone and then, no, I don't
love them as much as I used to, but there's always, Brother John,
you and I were talking about you with our brothers. Well,
now we fight and we squabble, but we always love each other.
We always love. I have the same with my two brothers.
We always we always. But our love that way is is is
small compared to the love that Christ has for the bride, for
the bride. It's incredible. It's absolutely
stunning. Absolutely stunning. What wondrous
love, right? Oh, what wondrous love is this?
Oh, my soul, my soul. The next point I'd like us to
consider is His hands are tender hands, able to teach us the way
of salvation. Turn, if you would, to Matthew
11. Matthew 11. Oh, my. We are regenerated by the Holy
Spirit of God, and He teaches us the things of Christ. Look
at Matthew 11, verse 29 and 30. Take my yoke upon you, and learn
of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, and ye shall find rest
unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden
is light. He teaches his people the way
of salvation, and it's in him. It's in Christ and him alone.
The next point is his hands are wise to guide us. Psalm 95 7
says this, for he is our God. You want to turn there, you can,
but I'll read it. Psalm 95, seven, for he is our God. He is our
God. Jehovah is our God. And we are
the people of his pasture and the sheep of his hand and the
sheep. So we're the people of his pasture
and the sheep. Now think of this. We're his
people by creation, right? He made us. He made us. We're his people. God's elect
are his people by purchase. He left the glories of heaven
to purchase us by his own precious blood. And we are his people
by name, we are called in that verse, the sheep of his hand. My goodness. Undeserving sinners. The next point I'd like us to
consider is his hands are loving hands that were wounded to put
away our sin. Turn, if you would, to Hebrews
9, 26. Hebrews 9, 26, his hands are loving hands that were wounded
to put away our sin, our sin. Now, it was not necessary for
him to offer more than one sacrifice, beloved. If he had to offer a yearly atonement
like the priests of old, he would have suffered death thousands
of times. But he's our high priest from the foundation of the world.
And look what this verse says here. For then must he often
have suffered since the foundation of the world, but now once in
the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin, how?
By the sacrifice of himself. By the sacrifice of himself.
In these last days he hath appeared, God incarnate in the flesh, bone
of our bone and flesh of our flesh, to put away sin, how? By the sacrifice of himself once. Once. Once, beloved. What a mighty and what a powerful
Savior we have. Oh my. Turn if you would to Philippians
chapter 4. Next we'll look at His hands,
our caring hands. Able to supply all our need.
All our need. Any of our needs. Both physical,
spiritual, Now He won't always give us our
wants, right? Because a lot of times we want
something, but it's not good for us. But He'll always give
us what we need, beloved. Always give us what we need.
And look at this. But my God shall supply all your
need. And has He not done that spiritually
for every one of His sheep? According to His riches in glory
by Christ Jesus. What riches we have in Christ.
All spiritual blessings are in Him. We who preach about the
unsearchable riches of Christ, we mine in His Word. Each week,
we mine in His Word. And we find jewels. Perfect jewels. Oh my! The Word of God is filled. It's an endless mine filled with
jewels. And they're all polished that
come out of there. They're not like the ones folks find they've
got to polish them up. No, these are polished jewels, beloved.
And they point us right to Christ Jesus our Lord. And note in that
text, all our need is supplied by God in and through Jesus Christ
our Lord. And it's through Him alone. No,
but my God shall supply all your need according to His riches
in glory. How? By Christ Jesus. Only by Him. Only by Christ in
Christ alone. And think of what riches we have,
beloved, in Christ Jesus our Lord. The last point I'd like
us to consider is His hands are victorious hands and He's able
to receive us. Turn if you would to John chapter
14 verse 3. The Lord is gone to glory and
it's a certain fact that His people will be with Him. And
this is a cause for great rejoicing for the believer in Christ. Not
only is His arms around us and holding us, but even in glory,
He's the one. He's the one we're being enamored
with. Then our faith will be sight. Then we'll see Him face
to face, beloved. Then we'll see Him face to face.
And this is cause for grace rejoicing. Look at John 14, 3. And if I
go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive
you unto Myself. And He has gone. He's gone. Receive
you unto Myself, that where I am, there ye may be also. My goodness. The Lord tells us, if you believe
in Me, I go and prepare a place for you, and I will return for
you and receive you unto myself. I will come again for you, either
by your death or in person, the second coming, to take you with
me to heaven, that where I am you may dwell in eternity. You
may dwell in eternity in his presence. My goodness. My goodness. Redemption is in
and through the Lord Jesus Christ and Him alone. Salvation is in
Christ and Him alone. And think of this, when we're
in heaven, we'll just be seeing him in absolute awe of the one
who purchased us with his own precious blood. Does that not
make you thankful? Does that not make your heart
sing? Aren't we delighted that his left hand is unto you and
his right hand doth embrace you? Oh, isn't that a wonderful picture?
He's just holding us, beloved. Think of this, He who rules the
universe holds us in His arms. Oh, what comfort this brings
God's people. May we leave this place today,
we who are God's blood-vouched saints, happy and thankful that
we are in His sovereign, wise, strong, tender, loving care.
and that we are in His victorious hands. We are under His continual
care. Under His continual care. May
this cause us to have hearts rejoicing in Christ Jesus our
Lord. May we contemplate His great salvation and His mercy
and His grace, which has been bestowed to us in and through
Christ Jesus our Lord. O gracious Heavenly Father, we
come before Thee in absolute awe in awe that Christ keeps
His bride and holds her. O Lord Jesus, that You hold us
in Your everlasting arm, that Your left hand is around our
head and Your right hand doth embrace us. O my Lord, You are
such a tender, loving, caring Savior. May we leave here rejoicing. Rejoice in the mercy that's been
bestowed upon us in thee. And we just loved us in Jesus
name. Amen.