The Song of Solomon, Chapter
8. I've given a title to the lesson this morning. What do
you have for the children? What do you have for the children?
Now here throughout, we're getting close to the end of our study
in Song of Solomon. Throughout this whole book, we've
seen how Christ and his bride are speaking. They're singing
this song back and forth to each other, singing of their love,
of their intimate relationship that they have with each other. And it seems like now maybe it's
gotten towards the end of the day. They're alone and like a
wise father and mother. This is the way it was when our
children were little. The only time we had to talk alone is when
at night the kids are in bed. We're getting ready to go to
bed. This is the time we have to be alone and talk. And the husband, the
wise father, and the wise mother, they're together discussing household
matters. They're discussing the children.
They're discussing how they're going to order their home. And
this is the thing that they're talking about. What are we going
to do with our children? And we hear that question often.
We talk to others, we tell them where we go to church, we invite
them to come to services. And invariably the question is
asked, what do you have for the children? And it's not a trite,
cute answer. It's not a, you know, such a
religiously straight, you know, answer to say we preach Christ
to them. There's nothing more important
we can do for our children than teach them Christ. Nothing more
important than that. We can't do anything better for
our children than to teach them Christ. We can't do anything
better for any lost person. We can't do anything better for
any person, lost or saved, than preach Christ to them. That's
what we're going to do for our children. That's what we see
in our text this morning, beginning in verse eight. We have a little
sister and she hath no breast. What should we do for our sister
in the day when she should be spoken for? Now this little sister
who has no breast, this is our little sister. They're unbelievers. They don't have the milk of the
word formed in them yet. They don't have the breast of
faith. They don't have the heart of faith formed in them yet.
Now they're our little sister. They belong to God. They just
don't know it yet. They're one of God's elect. They
just don't know it yet. They haven't had the heart of
faith formed in them. They haven't heard the gospel
in faith yet. All of God's elect are our brothers and sisters,
even those who as of right now haven't been born again. So what
are we gonna do for that little sister? We're gonna preach Christ
to her so she will be born again. You know me well enough to know
how much our children mean to me, how much they're on my heart,
how I pray for them every day, how I pray that some of our little
brothers and sisters are in these three classes right now, how
I pray that they're some of our little sisters. And you know
what their teachers are doing for them right now? They're not
entertaining them. They're not babysitting them.
You know, they're not keeping them in there so y'all can come out
here and, you know, be free from, you know, the children. No, they're
teaching them Christ. They're teaching them. They're
teaching them the scriptures. And when you pray for our children,
when you pray for your children, be sure to never forget to pray
for their teachers too. Thank God for them. I thank God
for our children. They're the best. I mean, what
a great group of young people we have here. But we got the
best teachers too. Now I'm telling you, we've got
the best. They're great teachers. God's gifted them and given them
the heart to teach and the ability to teach. Pray for them. Thank
God for them. So what are we going to do for
our little sister? Right now she has no breasts. She's still
an unbeliever. What are we going to do? We're
going to preach Christ to her. Look at Romans chapter 10. Right now, she doesn't know Christ.
She's not been born again yet. And the only way she's gonna
know of Christ is if we preach Christ to her. Romans 10 verse
13. For whosoever shall call upon
the name of the Lord shall be saved. How then shall they call
on him in whom they've not believed? And how shall they believe in
him of whom they've not heard? And how shall they hear without
a preacher? And how should they preach except they be sent? As
it's written, how beautiful are the feet of them that preach
the gospel of peace and bring glad tidings of good things.
But they've not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah said, Lord,
who hath believed our report. They've not all believed the
gospel yet, but God's people will. So then, verse 17, faith
cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God. So what do
we do for our little sister, the one that's lost? We preach
Christ to her. And I hope we never lose our
compassion for the lost. Those religious people, they're
lost. They're just, wow, they do crazy
things. They believe crazy things. They
say crazy things. They do crazy things. But now
let's not make fun of them. Don't make fun of them. We'd
be doing the same thing, apart from God's grace. Now, we have
to point out their error. We must point out error where
it is. But we can do that and not make fun of them. We're speaking
of our children. Think of your own children. We've
got to point out error to our children, their own error. We've
got to teach them, don't run out there in the road and play
in the road. When they do that, we point out
their error to them. We stop them from doing it. But
we don't make fun of them. No, in compassion, because we
care about their lives, we teach them what their error is. And
let's always remember the lost. I think this, a visitor comes,
first time, never laid eyes on them before, and there they sit.
And I'm sitting up here thinking, could that be our little sister? Maybe it is. Well, let's preach
Christ to her. The way she's going to know him
is Preach to her, pray for her, and compassion for her. She could
be a joint heir with us in Christ, couldn't she? Now, I know God's
gonna call out his elect. None of God's elect are gonna
be lost. But God calls out his sheep through the preaching of
the gospel. And for what it's worth, I'm convinced that God
has a people here. He has a people in this area.
Some of them, I hope, could be our children. And you know why
I'm convinced of that, that God's got a people here? God sent his
servant to preach the gospel in this place. That's why I'm
convinced of that. We just read it, faith cometh
by hearing. And when God sends his gospel, when he sends a servant
preaching his gospel somewhere, usually it's to the intent he's
going to call out his people. He's going to call out his elect.
It's pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that
believe. That's why we have good reason
to believe the Lord's going to save somebody here, because he's
pleased by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.
I was speaking with a young man recently. He was raised in our
Bible classes, spent every summer in Bible school. And recently,
the Lord saved him. And I was talking to him, and
he said, thank Thank you for teaching me. He said, I don't
remember any of it, but thank you for, and he doesn't remember
any, he doesn't know he remembers any of it. But I said, now that's
that seed that God used. You don't ever, you don't remember
the first time you learn God's holy, but you learned it. You
don't, you might not remember the first time you heard it,
but God used it. God planted those seeds. So let's
be faithful in prayer. Let's be faithful in preaching
Christ because this is the means that he uses to save his people.
So our little sister who has no breast, she's a unbeliever.
She's our sister. She just hasn't been born again
yet. But she could also be a picture of a babe in Christ. She'd been
born again. She has life. God's given her
life, but she hasn't fully matured yet. What are we going to do
for that babe in Christ? She needs to grow. She needs
to mature. What are we going to do for her? We're going to
preach Christ to her. Look over in John chapter 21.
This is God's commandment to his preachers to feed these little
ones, to feed these babes in Christ so they grow and mature.
In John 21 verse 15, So when they had dined, Jesus
saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me
more than these? Do you love me more than these
boats and these nets and these fish, this great catch you've
just pulled? Do you love me more than this? Do you love being
a fisher of men more than being a professional fisherman? He
saith unto him, yea, Lord, thou knowest that I love thee. He
said unto him, feed my lambs. Peter, feed my little ones. Now, if a man loves Christ, you
know what he'll do? He'll preach Christ. He won't
try to get a following for himself. He won't try to get fame and
a reputation for himself. If he loves Christ, he'll preach
Christ because he loves Christ and he loves God's lambs. He
wants to see them fed. He wants to see them grow. He
wants to see them united to Christ. He loves them. They're his little
brothers and sisters. Look at first Peter chapter two.
Peter learned this lesson. What our Lord told him here,
Peter learned it. If a man loves Christ, he'll
preach Christ. He'll preach for the glory of
Christ. He'll preach for the good of God's lambs. And the
lambs are gonna lap it up. You don't have to be clever to
feed God's lambs. You just preach Christ to them
and they'll lap it up. First Peter two, verse two. As
newborn babes. Desire the sincere milk of the
word that you may grow thereby. If so be you've tasted, the Lord
is gracious. If you've tasted, the Lord is
gracious, you're going to lap up the milk of the word, the
milk of the gospel when it's preached to you. You might want
to mark your place there. We'll come back to that passage
in just a minute. So that's what we're going to
do for our children. That's what we're going to do for our little
sisters at whatever stage of life they may be. They may be
not born again yet. They may be just newly born babes
in Christ, but what we're going to do for them is preach Christ
to them because one day they're going to be spoken for. One day
Christ the bridegroom is going to come and he's going to speak
for them. One day Christ is going to come. He's going to claim
his people. He's going to claim her for his own. He's going to
say, this one is mine. She's going to be married to
me. That's what our Lord was speaking of. John 10 verse 16.
Other sheep I have which are not of this fold, them also I
must bring. And that day that he comes and
claims them, this is when he brings them to himself. And he's
going to do it through the preaching of the gospel. Now if that little
sister, if she belongs to Christ, she's an unbeliever. She's not
gonna stay an unbeliever forever. She's gonna be born again. God's
gonna give her faith. And if that baby in Christ is
truly a baby in Christ, she's not gonna stay a baby forever.
She's gonna grow and mature. Look at verse nine in our text.
This is what Solomon's talking about here in verse nine. If
she be a wall, we'll build upon her a palace of silver, and if
she be a door, we'll enclose her with boards of cedar." Now
what does Solomon mean here when he says, if she is a wall, we'll
build upon her a palace of silver? Well, look back at 1 Peter 2
again. What he means is, if she's a believer, If she's one of God's
own, she's going to be built up a whole house. She's not just
going to be one wall. She's going to be built up a
part of a great house, the house of God. First Peter two verse
four, to whom coming as unto a living stone disallowed indeed
of men, but chosen of God and precious ye also as lively stones
are built up a spiritual house and holy priesthood. to offer
up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. Wherefore,
also it is contained in the scripture, behold, I lay in Zion a chief
cornerstone, elect, precious, and he that believeth on him
shall not be confounded. Every believer is a living stone.
And each one of those living stones, they're living stones
because they're built upon Christ. They have his life in them. They're
living stones. And they're built upon Christ,
the chief cornerstone. Christ is the foundation that
the whole church is built upon. And his church is a great house.
This is the house of God. It's a glorious house, and it's
accepted by God because of Christ, because of the sacrifice of Christ.
When he says here to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable
to God by Jesus Christ, He's talking about that we're accepted
in the sacrifice of Christ. And when Solomon talked about
building her up a house of silver, that's what he's referring to.
Silver is used for the atonement money. He's speaking here of
the atonement of Christ and the whole church of Christ is built
upon his atonement. The whole message of grace that
we have to preach to our little sister is based upon the atonement
of the Lord Jesus Christ. Now we know if somebody's born
again, how are they born again? Well, it's by the power of God,
isn't it? Only God can do that. Only God can give life. And we
know if anyone's born again and they mature, they're built up
in Christ, God did that. Only God can do that. Only God
has the power to do that, to build us up, to cause us to mature
and grow. But look at 1 Corinthians 3. At the same time, God's preachers
are builders. It may be best to say God's preachers
are tools that God uses. We're just a blunt instrument
in ourselves. A hammer ain't much. It's just
a blunt instrument. Boy, in the hand of a carpenter, now that
can do something. That's God's preachers. God's preachers are
builders and we build by preaching Christ. That's what the whole
book of Nehemiah is about. Nehemiah is going rebuilding
the walls of the city, building that city as God's preachers. Now look at 1 Corinthians 3 verse
9. For we are laborers together
with God. You're God's husbandry. You are God's building. According
to the grace of God, which is given unto me as a wise master
builder, I've laid the foundation and another buildeth thereon.
but let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon. For other
foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus
Christ. Now, if any man build upon this
foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble, every
man's work shall be made manifest, for the day shall declare it,
because it shall be revealed by fire, and the fire shall try
every man's work of what sort it is. And what Paul's saying
there is God's preachers are master builders, wise master
builders. Now, what are you going to build?
What tools, what, what materials are you going to use? You're
going to build gold, silver, precious stones. Well, if you
preach Christ, that's what you're building with. But now you're
going to try to get a following for yourself? You're going to
try to, you know, fill the pews and fill the coffers and do,
you know, all these things? Well, if that's what you're trying
to build, you know, you're building wood, hay, stubble. And the day
of trial is going to reveal what it is. Wood, hay, and stubble
will be built up. Gold, silver, and precious stones will be made
to shine more brightly, more gloriously in that. That's what
he's talking about there. God builds his church through
the preaching of the gospel, through the preaching of Christ.
And that's gonna be a complete building, a whole building. Solomon
says here, if she be a door, we'll enclose her with boards
of cedar. Now I'm not, I don't know much
about building, but I do know this. A house is not complete
till the doors are hung. If you don't hang doors on a
house, it's not much good. Anybody can come in and out.
Well, the walls of the church, they're built on Christ the foundation,
aren't they? The walls of the church are Christ.
All those living stones are living stones because Christ is in them.
Well, the door that's in the wall, that's Christ too. Look over in John chapter 10. John chapter 10. Christ is the
wall, he's the foundation, and Christ is the door of the church
too. Let's begin verse one. Verily,
verily, I say unto you, he that entereth not by the door to the
sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief
and a robber. But he that entereth in by the
door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the porter openeth, and
the sheep hear his voice, and he calleth his own sheep by name.
This is the day he comes and speaks for them. He calls them
by name, and he leadeth them out. And when he putteth forth
his own sheep, he goeth before them. and the sheep follow him,
for they know his voice. And a stranger will they not
follow, but will flee from him, for they know not the voice of
strangers. Now this parable spake Jesus unto them, but they understood
not what things they were which he spake unto them. Then said
Jesus unto them again, verily, verily, I say unto you, I am
the door of the sheep. All that ever came before me
are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them.
I am the door. By me, if any man enter in, he
shall be saved, and he shall go in and out and find pasture. The thief cometh not but for
to steal and to kill and to destroy. I am come that they might have
life, and they might have it more abundantly. Christ's bride
enters salvation by Christ the door. And in him, she's free
to enter in, go in and out, and she's going to find abundant,
free life in Christ the door. So that's what we're going to
do for our little sister. We're going to preach Christ
to her. We're going to preach Christ to her so she's born again.
We're going to preach Christ to her so she's built up an eternal
house, part of the great house of God in Christ, just like we
are. And when Solomon refers to these cedar boards, that's
what he's referring to. Now look back in the very first
chapter of Song of Solomon. When he talks about enclosing
her with those boards of cedar, he's talking about making her
part of the house of God, part of the body of Christ. In chapter
one, verse 17, the beams of our house are cedar and the rafters
of fir. The beams of our house, the house
that you've made me part of, are cedar. And when we enclose
our little sister in these boards of cedar, she's been made part
of the body of Christ. She's been brought into the body
by the grace of God. Now this is the desire of anybody
who knows Christ. If you know Christ, you desire
for others to know him too. If you've been joined to Christ,
your desire is for others to be joined to Christ too. We desire,
we pray this every day, that Christ our bridegroom will bring
others into his house, in his great house. We want others to
come and enjoy Christ, enjoy what we've enjoyed in him. Now
we are what we are by God's grace. It's all by God's grace, isn't
it? But wouldn't you like others to enjoy that grace? I would.
And that's why we preach the gospel to all men everywhere.
God saved me by His grace. God the Holy Spirit revealed
Christ to me through the preaching of the gospel. And I am so in
love with Christ. I'm willing to commit all of
my salvation, the salvation of my little sister to Him. I love
Him so much, I'm willing to commit that little sister to Him. I'm
so satisfied with Christ. He's completely satisfied me. I'm more than willing to trust
the salvation of that little sister. I care about that little
sister. I'm so satisfied with Christ, I'm willing to commit
her to him. He's able to save her just like he saved me. That's
what Solomon's saying in verse 10 back in our text. I am a wall
and my breast like towers. Then was I in his eyes as one
that found favor. Now verse nine, the bride said,
if we find someone who is a wall, we'll build a palace upon her.
Now she's saying, I'm a wall. God's made me by his grace. Now
it's not because anything I did is by his grace. He made me a
wall. He made me part of his spiritual house. And you know,
it took the power of God to save somebody like me. It really did.
There's no other power can be found anywhere than the power
of God. That's what it took to save me. Well, I know God has
that same power. He's not changed. God never changes. He has that same power to make
other sinners part of his spiritual house, just like he did for me.
And I'm willing to trust the salvation of my little sister
to the power of my Savior, because I know he has all power. That's
why I preach Christ to him. He's got the power to save him.
It took the grace of God to make me part of his spiritual house. There is no other explanation
for the salvation of a sinner than God's free and sovereign
grace. Is that right? There's no other explanation.
It's God's grace. God hadn't changed. He's still
gracious to sinners. God is still in the business
of showing grace to sinners. He's gracious. In that grace,
he's able to make other sinners part of his house just like he
did for us. Then I'm very willing, very willing to trust the salvation
of my little sister to God's grace. His grace is able. And that's why we preach the
gospel of God's grace to sinners. And how we pray that that little
sister, son of ours right in there, I pray every day, God,
save our children. But now we're not going to try
and make that happen. When I say that, we're not going
to try to get them, make them, make a profession. I want God
to save them. I want God to save them. I don't
want them to do something because we talked them into it. I want
God to save them. I desire to win their hearts
to Christ. But now I want to win their hearts
to Christ. I don't want to win their hearts to a profession
and give them some, you know, something they always look back
on and say I made a profession, you know. I want it to be real. I want their heart to be won
to Christ. Well, how are we going to do
that? Well, the only way the heart is won to Christ is by
God revealing Christ to the heart. He's got to do that. Now, we
can't make that happen. We can't manufacture that result.
God's got to do that. And because of who God is, I'm
very content to preach Christ to our children and leave them
in His hands. I really am. I'm very content. We have visitors come here and
they don't know Christ. I tell you, I desire their salvation. And because of who God is, I'm
very content. to preach Christ to him and leave
him in God's hands. He's able to save and he'll do
it. He'll reveal himself through
the preaching of the gospel, just like he did for us. And
the bride here, she says, my breasts are towers. Now, our
little sister has no breasts. She said, my breasts are towers.
What she's saying here is I've grown. I've matured in grace
and knowledge of Christ. And I did it through the preaching
of the gospel. I matured because somebody preached the whole word
of God to me, preached the whole counsel of God to me. God's the
one who made me mature. He's the one who made me grow.
And if others are gonna mature and grow, you know how they're
gonna do it? The same way God did it with me, by preaching
Christ to them, through the preaching of the gospel. So I'm just very
content to preach the gospel of Christ and leave the results
to our Savior. And what the bride is saying
here is, all this came to me because of God's grace. He chose
me and he made me an object of his grace. In his eyes, I'm one
that found favor. Just like Mary found favor in
the eyes of God. Because she found favor with
God, she gave birth to the Savior. But you know, all of God's people,
they're all highly favored, highly graced. I didn't choose God. God chose me in His grace. I
didn't do anything to get saved. God saved me by His grace. And
I haven't done anything to keep myself saved. God's kept me by
His grace. And I didn't do anything to grow
in grace and knowledge. God did that by feeding me His
word by His grace. So what are we gonna do for our
children? This has been on my mind a great deal. We started
talking about Bible school. Teachers are preparing lessons
and things. This has been on my mind a lot.
What are we going to do for our children? We're going to preach
Christ to them. That's what we're going to do.
The declaration of God's grace is the gospel that saved us and
that same gospel. The declaration of God's grace
is what God used to save them if they're his. The same Savior. who saved you and me could save
them. So we preach Christ to them,
just like we preach Christ to all the lost. It could be they're
our little sister. It could be. And if she's our
little sister, she can be born again through the preaching of
the gospel, and she's gonna mature through the preaching of the
gospel. God help us to continue to preach Christ. All right,
I hope the Lord blessed that to you.