Why do the wicked prosper, while the religious suffer? Why do ungodly men live in ease, while godly men have no earthly comfort? These facts often trouble the hearts of believing people. Many godly people have felt like David, when he wrote Psalm 73. It appears that the wicked always prosper in the world and increase in riches (Ps. 73:3-12). But the righteous are cast down. Virtue is often dressed in rags. Godly hearts are usually weeping hearts. And those who seek the glory of Christ in this world seem to reap the most of this world's sorrow, pain, and reproach. I am frequently asked to explain these facts to men.
I know that most people cannot understand these apparent paradoxes of providence. And I realize that apart from the revelation of God himself, no man can understand the ways of God toward his people.
Now, hear the words of the Lord Jesus and learn the truth. "As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten; be zealous therefore and repent."
Proposition:Our Lord Rebukes Us And Chastens Us Because He Loves Us. If we could learn this fact in our hearts it would put an end to our murmuring and complaining. We would say with the Psalmist, "It is good for me that I have been afflicted."
Our Lord says, "As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten." I want us to look at that text in a few minutes. But let me say this first; Whenever you see the prosperity of the wicked and the sorrow of the righteous, whenever you are afflicted while ungodly men seem to live in ease, remember these three things:
1. Your Sorrow In This World Is Not Really That Great – (II Cor. 4:17). a. Our afflictions in this world are light.
b. Our afflictions in this world are only temporary, momentary troubles, which will soon end.
c. Our afflictions are working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.
2. Remember too that this world is not the place of punishment for the wicked.
As a general rule, God allows the wicked to go on in their wickedness. He throws the reins upon their necks. He lets them go unbridled in their lusts. He leaves them alone. But all the while he is preparing them for judgment. (Ps. 92:7). God has set them in slippery places; and their feet shall slide in due season.
3. And remember this – This world is not the place of our reward.
In his wise providence God often casts the righteous down. The believer is often afflicted. Waves of trouble roll over the heart that is sanctified by grace.
Divisions:Now let's look at our text: "As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent." Here are four things revealed in our text –
I. Here is A Fact To Remember – "As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten."
Our heavenly Father is wise as well as loving, and as a wise and loving Father he disciplines his children. He rebukes and chastens his own (Job 5:17-18; Pro. 3:11-12; Heb. 12:5-8; James 1:12).
A. Before He Chastens Us With The Rod, Our Lord Tenderly Rebukes Us For Sin.
Someone said, "God always warns before he wounds." And if we were more sensitive to his warnings, we would not so often need to be wounded. If we would hear his rebukes, we would not so often feel his rod.
1. God rebukes us often under the ministry of the Word. (Song. 5:7).
2. Our Lord rebukes us by the tender influence of the Holy Spirit in our hearts.
3. And God often rebukes his children indirectly by an incidental event in providence.
B. But When These Rebukes Fail To Awaken Us And Correct Us, Our Lord Will Take Out The Rod To Chasten His Own.
God has many ways of chastening his children, by which he teaches us obedience.
1. Sometimes he gives us what we think we want – (Israel and the Quails – Num. 11:31-32).
2. Sometimes he teaches us patience by sorrow – (Job).
3. Sometimes he teaches us our weakness by allowing us to fall – (Peter).
4. Sometimes he teaches us humility by giving us a thorn in the flesh – (Paul).
5. Sometimes he teaches us obedience by letting us reap the consequences of disobedience – (David).
6. Often our Lord withdraws the light of his presence, so that we may seek him.
7. Frequently, our Savior takes away earthly comfort, so that we will lean upon him.
This is a fact to remember – The Lord rebukes and chastens his own.
II. Now, here is A Reason To Consider – "As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten."
If you are God's child, you will be chastened by him. And when you are chastened, do not despair. Chastisement is the proof of love. The reason you are chastened is this – God loves you.
(Illus: A loving father will chasten his son and see to it that his son is obedient).
NOTE: It is God's intention to make us better by using the rod. (Heb. 12:9-11).
Fire refines the gold. The furnace purifies the silver. The pruning knife improves the tree. And the rod of correction matures the son.
Why does God chasten his children? Basically, there are two reasons. God chastens us either to correct sin, or to prevent sin.
NOTE: God does not chasten us in anger to punish us for sin. He Punished our sins in Christ. He chastens us in love, to correct us.
When our Lord lays the rod of love on our backs it is that he might –
III. God rebukes and chastens his own. And the reason for his chastisement is his love for us. Now thirdly, here is A Comfort To Sustain us in the midst of our trials. "As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten."
Here are three facts to comfort and sustain our hearts in the midst of our trials:
A. Though He Chastens Us, Our Lord Loves Us Still.
God is not angry with us – (Isa. 54:7-10).B. Though he chastens us, Our Lord Will Not Forsake Us. (Isa. 43:1-5).
C. Though he chastens us, Our God Is Doing Us Good. (I Pet. 1:6-7; Rom. 8:28).
"God would not rub so hard, were it not to fetch out the dirt and spots that be in his people." (Thomas Brooks).
IV. Now, fourthly, when the Lord rebukes and chastens, here is A Counsel To Obey – He says, "As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten; be zealous therefore, and repent."
The surest way to put an end to the rod is to bow to it and snuggle up to the One who holds it. (Hosea 6:1; 14:1-2).
*