Rejoice, thou barren, that bearest not.
Rejoice, thou barren
I. The Church in her sadness.
1. The figure is drawn from the closest tie that nature knows, that of marriage relationship, and teaches that as both male and female are incomplete without each other, so the happiness of God is incomplete without the love of the creature He has made to love Him.
2. The picture, however, is that of a wife whose husband has forsaken her. She is
(1) barren, desolate, and therefore
(2) sorrowful.
3. This applies to the Hebrew Church.
II. The Church in her gladness.
1. Restrictions between Jew and Gentile broken down.
2. Arbitrary barriers of race and rank and law are removed.
3. All nations are redeemed and gathered into a common salvation. (C. Clemance, D. D.)
Songs for desolate hearts
Take the text to refer--
I. To the Church of God.
1. For a long season before the Advent the Church was desolate.
2. During Christ’s temporal stay with her her condition was not much better.
3. Suddenly after His departure, on the Day of Pentecost, she became fruitful.
4. And continued fruitful (luring the whole apostolic age.
Notice--
1. That at all seasons when the Church has been desolate and barren God has appeared to her.
(1) In the dark ages the Church was barren, but the Lord appeared through Luther, and she became fruitful.
(2) In the last century the Church was barren, but God appeared and made her fruitful through the Wesleys and Whitefield.
2. That in the present age of comparative barrenness we may expect revival.
II. To any one church.
1. There are some separate Churches that are in a sad condition, with a lifeless ministry, worldly officers, and declining membership.
2. What is the present duty of members of such Churches?
(1) Labour to be conscious of your state, of its evil and danger.
(2) Pray earnestly for revival.
(3) Do all you can personally to bring it about.
III. To the poor, helpless sinner.
1. His fruitlessness.
2. Desolation.
3. Help in Christ.
4. Trust in Him, and He will make thee fruitful.
IV. To the depressed believer.
1. Barrenness is the platform of Divine power.
2. Desolation the setting for God’s everlasting love.
V. To those Christians who have not been successful in doing good.
1. It is good for you while you are barren to feel desolate.
2. But you may be barren only in your own esteem.
3. Wait, and toil on, for in due season you will reap if you faint not.
4. If your barrenness is real let it humble you, but repair to the source of fruitfulness. (C. H. Spurgeon.)
Christianity not a failure
While Christianity is speaking in languages more numerous, by tongues more eloquent, in nations more populous than ever before: marshalling better troops with richer harmony; shrinking from no foe, rising triumphant from every conflict; shaking down the towers of old philosophies that exalt themselves against God; making the steam press rush under the demand for her Scriptures, and the steam horse groan under the weight of her charities; emancipating the enslaved, civilizing the lawless, refining literature, inspiring poetry; sending forth art and science no longer clad in soft raiment to linger in king’s palaces, but as hardy prophets of God to make earth bud and blossom as the rose; giving God-like breadth and freedom and energy to the civilization that bears its name, elevating savage islands into civilized states, leading forth Christian martyrs from the mountains of Madagascar, turning the clubs of cannibals into the railings of the altars before which Fiji savages call upon Jesus; repeating the Pentecost “by many an ancient river and many a palmy plain”; thundering at the seats of ancient Paganism; sailing all waters, cabling all oceans, scaling all mountains in the march of its might, and ever enlarging the diameter of those circles of light which it has kindled on earth, and which will soon meet in a universal illumination--you call it a failure! A little more such failure and we shall have, over all the globe, the new heavens and the new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness. (E. Thompson.)
The enlargement of the Church
I. Depends on the promise--made to Abraham and secured in Christ--is effected by the Spirit--realized in the children of promise (Galatians 4:28).
II. Is certain--because the revealed purpose of God--which must surmount all the difficulties of barrenness and apparent desolation.
III. Will be glorious--surpassing all experience--hope--faith.
IV. Will be a source of unspeakable joy- to all believers- to the world at large. (J. Lyth.)
The children of promise
I. The resemblance of the Gentile Christians to Isaac.
1. They had been promised.
2. They had been begotten (spiritually) by a supernatural and extraordinary operation.
II. The spiritual character of the promise.
1. It appealed to faith.
2. Its fulfilment was by Divine grace.
III. The dignity and privilege of the relation it creates. The relation is--
1. Immediate.
2. Vital.
3. Spiritual. (A. F. Muir, M. A.)