I. Let us contrast the world's treatment of sorrow with that of Christ. Here we use the word world in the widest sense the world of which the Apostle John speaks as including all that is not under the power of the gospel of Jesus Christ, which has no law but its own interest, or passion or caprice, no aims beyond those which begin and end in the present life, no understanding or care for things which are unseen but eternal. What has it to say to the crushed spirit in its hours of desolation? The contact with deep sorrow awakens real sympathy even in men of the world. From heaven surely come the instincts which teach us to take thought for those who are ever represented as being specially the objects of the Divine compassion the widow and the fatherless, the orphaned and the lonely. The world, at least as we know it in Christian lands, extends to them its pity, is willing to minister to their material needs, recognises an obligation on society to care for these its helpless members. But beyond this the world does not and cannot go. It has no medicine which it can minister to a heart diseased. Troubles must come, but they are so painful, they interfere so sadly with the ordinary course of life, interrupting its duties and engagements, throwing their dark shadow over scenes of gladness and rejoicing, disturbing the current of thought by introducing into it elements which it is desirable to exclude, that the less men dwell upon them, and the sooner they can dismiss them, the better. The world would fain have the mourner weep as those who wept not, for the less they see and hear of his tears the better; but they say nothing as to how this self-conquest is to be effected. The strain which the world adopts is repeated, though in an entirely different strain and with quite other accompaniments by the gospel. It blesses the mourners, but it does not mean them to go on mourning for ever, and give up struggle and work, in order that they may have leisure to mourn, but it comforts them. It says, "Weep, as though ye wept not" that is, it inculcates sobriety even in our sorrow, forbids the extravagant lamentation which would suggest that we had lost everything, inculcates not only self-restraint, but the exercise of the simple trust and heavenly wisdom by which our sorrow may be turned into joy. But in giving the exhortation it sets in action the influences which may help the soul to obey it.
II. Note the considerations which may enable sorrowing hearts to accept this view of the gospel, and to obey this exhortation. "Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die," is a maxim which men might well accept, if there be not the hope which Christianity awakens in the heart. The eternal life and the hope which glows with its brightness, the everliving and unchanging Christ, the infallible words of His love these are the portion in the possession of which the heart finds a consolation, and even a fulness of joy with which nothing can interfere. Every other fountain of comfort may be dried up, but this is ever fresh and abundant in its flow. Every other friend may fail, but here is One who remains the same yesterday, today, and for ever. All other joys may fade and die, but here are pleasures in which is the bloom and beauty of eternal youth.
J. Guinness Rogers, Christian World Pulpit,vol. xiv., p. 65.
The Waiting of the Visible Church.
Most men are just what they are in this life, and never rise above it or look out beyond it. No purpose of their heart is controlled and checked by the thought of the day of Christ. Who dares to tell us when that day shall notbe? Uncertainty is the very condition of waiting and the spur of expectation. All we know is that Christ has not told us when He will come; but He has said, "Be ye also ready, for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh." Let us then draw some rules by which to bring this truth to bear on our own conduct.
I. First, let us learn not to go out of our lot and character in life, but to live above it. What and where we are is God's appointment. We have a work to do for Him, and it is just that work which lies before us in our daily life. To affect contempt for all natural states and actions of life, with the plea that we live for God, is mere affectation and contempt of God's own ordinance; to live without habitual thought of God and of the day of Christ's appearing, with the plea that we are controlled by the outward accidents of life, is mere self-deceit and abandonment of God Himself.
II. To check these two extremes, let us strive to live as we would desire to be found by Him at His coming. Who is there that would not dread to be found in that day with a buried talent and an unlit lamp, with a sleepy conscience and a double mind, with a shallow repentance or a half converted heart? By the discipline of self is the Christian man so prepared that the day of Christ can neither come too late nor too soon for him.
III. Surely, then, we have need to lose no time, for "the time is short." To a man that looks for Christ's coming, how utterly worthless are all things that can perish! how awful is that which is alone imperishable! Therefore let us make sure our standing in God's sight, and all things shall fall into their place; all parts of a Christian's life are in harmony time with eternity, his own soul with God.
H. E. Manning, Sermons,vol. i., p. 349.
Only a Little While.
Nowhere does St. Paul or any other inspired writer use the fact of the shortness of life to encourage a sense of indifference to life's duties. The teaching of Christ and of His apostles is clear and sharp, that life, however short, is a time of work, of duty, of ministry. If the world is not to be abused, it is none the less to be used. Short as the time is, it is long enough for much weeping and rejoicing; and because it is short, we are not to cultivate indifference to the joy and sorrow of our brethren, but rather to rejoice with them that rejoice and weep with them that weep. Note the details of the Apostle's application of the text.
I. If our earthly homes crowd out the attractions of our heavenly home, if we use them to foster our worldliness, our pride and vanity and self-indulgence, we are misusing them, and we need the Apostle's caution. His injunction is met when the home is treated as a means to holy and useful living here, and as a preparation for a better home hereafter.
II. Note the bearing of this fact on the joy and sorrow of this world "the time is short." There are people who have gone on brooding over the misery and inequality and cruelty of this life until they are literally filled with cursing. The world will not take them at their own value, therefore they hate the world. This is really the essence of this part of our text, They that weep; they that feel keenly the world's cruelty and sorrow as if they wept not not acting as though all of life consisted in the world's being just and kindly to them, as if to live were only not to weep, but on the contrary feeling that it is far more important to be right than to be thought right; far more important to be sweet and loving and tolerant, and cheerfully busy about God's work, than that the world should give them their due. And so of our joys. Not that we are to pass this life in gloom and sullenness because it is short and another life is coming. But if there is grander, richer, more enduring joy in the life beyond this, it is not the part of wisdom to be too much absorbed in earthly joy. Does it not become us to hold this world lightly in view of these two truths so little time left and eternity approaching?
M. R. Vincent, God and Bread,p. 363.
References: 1 Corinthians 7:29-31. Spurgeon, Sermons,vol. viii., No. 481; Homilist,2nd series, vol. ii., p. 42; F. W. Robertson, Sermons,3rd series, p. 169; Ibid., Lectures on Corinthians,p. 114. 1 Corinthians 7:29-32. C. Short, Christian World Pulpit,vol. xiv., p. 344.