Pieces of Silver (QualityGood)

[0:00] Let us, by the grace of God, read our text in the lesson. So go chapter 15 and verse 8.

[0:18] So go chapter 15, verse 38. Either what woman having ten pieces of silver, if she lose one piece, does not light a candle and sweep the house and seek diligently till she finds it.

[0:55] I will read the ninth verse too. When she had found it, she told her friends and her neighbors together, saying, Rejoice with me, for I have found the piece which I have crossed.

[1:13] One monumental chapter of the Book of God, this is, St. Luke, recording three of the outstanding parables of our blessed Savior, calculated to cheer and greatly encourage and comfort and fill with hope the pride, trembling, distressed, sorrowful people of God, as to what will be the issue to their exercises, their path, and their deep concerns.

[2:08] We are, of course, deeply aware of one effect of major importance.

[2:21] That is, you will need two things. First, the divine application of the Spirit of God, of these truths to your hearts, if your condition and thought is congruous with the subject matter that is before us.

[2:52] And then the other facet, which is of tremendous importance, that is, you will need a living brain of vital faith to embrace, to believe, and to anticipate the blessed prospect and expectation that is illuminated for you in this amazing chapter.

[3:34] Let us make a few preliminary observations. There are three distinct parables, and yet in many ways they may be viewed as a corporate whole.

[3:52] In the first two cases, you have that which is valuable, that was lost, the sheep that was lost, and in our text, the drachma, the piece of silver was lost, and in both those cases, the lost sheep, and the lost drachma, were sought.

[4:33] It's a grave part of the teaching and work of the Spirit of God to lead us into the intrinsic meaning of that word, sought.

[4:53] But if you have lost something that is precious, in the first case, in the first case, a sheep, and a sheep is precious, not a goat, the sheep, the sheep was lost, and the sheep was lost, was found, but it was sought.

[5:19] And I'm sure you all want a measure of exposition on the term sought. How are they sought that are lost?

[5:33] Or how are those things that are lost, sought, in order that they might be found?

[5:48] So in the first two cases, you have something precious, very precious, the sheep, the sheep's sought, not left, not discarded, not abandoned, not deserted, not disappointed by a negligence, with such a thing as that.

[6:25] There may be some who are entangled, and that they are sheep, they are the Lord's, and they may be in a condition of extreme disappointment that those they belong to make no attempt to search for them, to seek them.

[6:50] In the second place, the draken of the piece of silver, again, something precious. And the woman, the woman may be a simile of the church, the woman, the woman, the woman may be a simile of the church, the woman, the woman may be a simile of the church, the woman, the woman, she was in a state of consternation, for this woman had ten pieces of silver, silver stands for something that is precious, and often in the scriptures for grace, that she had nine pieces, one was lost, but she was in deep exercise and concern about the one piece that was lost.

[7:47] It was silver, very precious. And you know, I have found this rather beautiful, not that I have had, shall I say, time or the special unction of the spirit to meditate deeply in it, but I have found it most instructive and stimulating to my soul, as to the work of the Lord in his church, and in the case of this woman.

[8:31] She did two things, who does not light a candle. You can't search in the night without light.

[8:44] You must have light to search with. And only God can light the candle. That will be expounded presently, God willing.

[8:58] And then she swept her house, and she was able to do it. The old fashioned method was, if I use the blunt terms, for you ladies to conduct a spring clean.

[9:17] you swept your house. Now with modern methods, it may be rather different, but the whole concept is, that you turn everything out.

[9:33] allow me a personal reminiscence, that has never left me, and the personal application of it to my soul.

[9:50] often coming over Kew Bridge, and through East Sheen, I would see in East Sheen an advertisement by a sweep.

[10:05] by a sweep. And I know that the purport of the advertisement was not exactly what was applied to me.

[10:18] But it was this, this, divine, clean sweep. So when I came to East Sheen, I always looked for this, and I said to the Lord very solemnly, this is just what I need inside.

[10:39] A clean sweep. Now how many of you, if you're in unison with the heavens, you'll know you're in need of a clean sweep.

[10:57] There's so much extraneous matter, so much dust, so much rubbish, you'll need a clean sweep to go right through you and your religion, and everything that concerns you.

[11:19] And this woman conducted, under the Lord's influence, the same thing. She swept the house.

[11:34] If you've lost a piece of silver, you will not be negligent. You'll not settle down on your leaves, and say, I've got nine pieces, it doesn't matter you about the ten, you'll want to find it.

[11:52] you'll want to find it. You'll want to find it. So the two lost things were precious. You go along with the preacher, and you've lost anything that is precious.

[12:04] But they were both sought, and they were found. And there can be no greater joy on this earth than this, and it also spreads to heaven.

[12:25] And there can be no greater joy on this earth than that, that it was a grave. But the Lord has come to heaven. Rejoice with me. How many of you, in this sanctuary tonight in Eastbourne, how many of you do you think will be able to say that one day?

[12:41] Turn to your friends and your neighbors and say, of your neighbors and say, rejoice with me. None said it yet, have you? Why rejoice with me?

[12:59] For I have located, I have found the peace that I have lost. I found it. So rejoice with me.

[13:14] Many of the Lord's people are in this condition relative to certain things in their experience.

[13:28] I'm not going into that now, but just to give you an inkling. For instance, you knew the time of mud that we were dilating upon the Lord's day of the bicker.

[13:42] You knew those healthy on days of yore. And now, you may be in a measure of darkness where you feel to some degree for Satan and you'll want to find the peace that you have lost.

[14:05] That is, joy. And I speak in the truth. You'll say with David, restore unto me the joy of thy salvation.

[14:25] I seem to have lost the enjoyment of things. Restore it to me. Let me find it. and many of the Lord's people who have families or who know family life, they know what it is to be in the position of the text.

[14:55] And this has been so for generations and centuries. God's people have been sorely tried often in their dear families.

[15:11] I'm not being personal, but to make a general observation, and they wanted to find the peace that was lost.

[15:22] And you know, if you come into that joy where you found the peace that was lost, every one of your family, you'll be able to say, rejoice with me to your friends and neighbors.

[15:44] Why? I have found the peace that I have lost. Now, let me just give a note on the third terrible.

[15:59] Here we have the same type of thing, only it's in reverse, somewhat in reverse. In the first tool, the precious things that were lost were sought.

[16:20] In the third terrible, the thing that was lost sought himself. Obviously, the father sought him by his love and his prayers.

[16:35] But you can see the two facets. The two things were lost. They were sought by those who possessed them. Now, in the third, the poor pen drift comes to himself and to his right mind and begins to be in want and asynx of God.

[17:12] God you see why we have said therefore at the outset of the discourse that we may view these parallels as distinct and yet a complete entry really in all the facets there are.

[17:32] a few further observations. There is not a note of despair in the chapter.

[17:44] There's no despair. There's no lack despair whatever. There's no disappointment in the long run.

[18:02] no disappointment whatever. And what is truly remarkable is that we have in this chapter one of the unique revelations of the whole book of God.

[18:24] And what is it? Well you will answer it. joy shall be inherent over one sinner that repented more than over 99 just persons who need no repentance.

[18:50] Joy in heaven. And in the next place likewise I say unto you can you fathom this?

[19:04] Can you embrace it? Can you believe it? It is the incredible inspired word of God. Likewise I say unto you there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repented.

[19:36] They're not my words they're the words of Jesus Christ. So can you anticipate the joy that is in store for you?

[19:48] can you believe that this will be your blessed experience? Can you believe that God will do the same things for you?

[20:06] Very well. Let us deal then with terrible too. either what woman we shall refer to the church of God the woman having ten pieces of silver.

[20:36] The ten pieces of silver relate primarily to precious souls. They're silver.

[20:48] silver. That is the silver. The ten precious souls. The ten precious souls.

[21:04] This word of course is of tremendous importance to God appointed pastors. they have in the course of their pastal ministry we will say ten pieces of silver.

[21:26] Ten precious souls. Maybe a number more. they are and as the years roll by they are greatly cheered and encouraged by some of the pieces of silver.

[21:47] silver. They are sorely distressed and disappointed by some. silver. And it may seem as though they have lost a drachma of pieces silver.

[22:11] I speak for the realm of experience and the divine authority. They seem to have lost a drachma piece of silver.

[22:33] Now let me make also a personal application of it. You as a family a little communally you may look around and you may feel the Lord is blessed Hannah John Mary James and so on and you're well assured that the Lord has favoured them and blessed them and they have been brought into his church but it may be that you have lost a drachma a very precious piece of silver.

[23:23] God and you're well assured by two things first the promise that went before them the prophecy and also the promise of God that attended either before their birth or birth or promise that is written on them that they are the laws and so much so that you had no doubt about it.

[24:06] In your soul you are well assured that they are the laws. that strange and mysterious developments have taken place and you have lost this drachma this piece of silver.

[24:31] And then as you know we made the third explanation the soul that seems to have lost things that are precious.

[24:48] And I want to make a basic observation here to this effect that what God does in us for us and in us by the Holy Ghost as to the reality of it and the validity of it that is never lost.

[25:20] It cannot be lost. But you do lose the enjoyment of it which is something very different.

[25:32] and you seem therefore to lose things but you need to be precise in how you define it.

[25:46] You have not lost the reality of it or the substance of it but you have lost the enjoyment of it. I don't like to hear people say that they have blessings and they're leaky vessels and they've lost it.

[26:05] Of course you haven't lost it. It's impossible. If God blesses you you're blessed forever. You never lose it. The substance is there.

[26:16] you lose the sensible sweet comfortable enjoyment of it.

[26:29] And I'm going to put it to the extreme. There are those of the people of God who come into such dark places that it seems to them as though they've lost their religion.

[26:45] For so all, in fact I heard a very able and learned and godly pastor many years ago say this.

[27:00] He said it to me. He said I've been in such a low place spiritually that I really felt I had no more religion than the beast.

[27:13] You may think that's extreme but it is extreme but it's cruel. You'll get into some dark and low places where you seem to lose everything.

[27:23] But remember you don't lose and you cannot lose the reality of it or the substance of it but you lose the enjoyment of it.

[27:34] and there's another thing to say I want to say it with profound reference and to say it precisely there is such a thing as feeling that you've lost Christ.

[27:52] God is gone. Zion said the Lord has forsaken me.

[28:04] My God hath forgotten me. The Lord soon answered the church that there is that and you younger friends you'll probably find I hope that you're spared that you'll probably find that in later life you'll come into some very dark places where you're sorely tried as to whether you're really a living and right character at all and feel very destitute and seem to have lost did everything now of course a child of God cannot really lose the Lord Jesus he hides himself he was buried they felt they lost him he was dead and buried but he said I will see you again and he does but in the interim all the morning and the sadness and the distress where with good godly joe you say oh that I knew where I might find him if only

[29:27] I could find him do you understand the words of the preacher or is this too deep thought so I have your own personal experience and we have made a few categorical statements concerning the Lord's blessing being forever permanent can never be lost in the substance of it it's only the enjoyment of it as you move and you go and so in so many ways the poor child of God may sometimes feel that they have lost precious things and they cannot enjoy it they seem to have lost it very well let us see now God's course and your blessed privilege in thinking and finding notice the terminology that I am very closely how to what woman having ten pieces of silver if she lose one of these it's obvious then that she's in a state of great consternation she doesn't know how to live she doesn't know how to continue in this state there must be a change quickly she's in a state of great activity this peace must be be found it's like the hymn based on the

[31:32] Jacob's words I can no denial take nor there's a piece of silver I've lost it but there's a piece of silver I can no denial take because I plead for Jesus saying let us then see the two things that she was led in this does not light a candle and what is the meaning of this in the way it means this the holy ghost coming with light lighting a candle light a scripture and putting it with almighty efficacy into your soul and into your search it would be impossible to search without this illuminated candle this candle that the

[32:52] Lord has as the word is here light it does not light a candle stand for the truth of God and the spirit of God lighting this candle I'm going to give you a demonstration of it many years ago now by our office in ministry we united two in holy matrimony and I'm sad to say they were in the world I don't feel there was any light in their souls although they were tuned of promise one of them had some connection with this house of

[33:53] God as a body and and presenting them with the holy bible I asked God to give me wisdom him and not a little while he lighted the candle and I wrote in the inscription page the fear of the Lord is to depart from evil the that was lighting a candle and that particular wife and both of them they never lost it they went into the world they neglected the house of God they were gone but they never lost that and in their testimonies or at least in her testimony legend testimonies special reference was made to this lighted candle all through the period in the world all through those wayward days when they were like lost brachner that word was a lighted candle see now then

[35:32] I shall touch some of you personally and I do not fear to name this some of you remember you remember very well the late Samuel Stevens of Darshall now he was a very wayward young man he was very humorous and he told me himself to see his best with the world and he was in the world too that the Lord lighted the candle the candle was this he said that he never left him wherever he was there is a

[36:35] God and so with all his pursuits in the world and departures and so on with always this lighted candle there is a God there is a God everlasting and that's what the Lord will do for these souls first there's going to be a lighted candle I use the terms as before us in the Bible does not light a candle the Lord lights it he lights a scripture it may be from the pulpit it may be from mother's knee it may be from the family altar that there's a lighted candle and they never lose it always there searching now you will understand does not light a candle and sweep the house

[37:57] I given you just a little holy word on sweeping the house but let us demonstrate it what about the woman of Samaria the Lord was wearied with his journey and sat thus on the well and this the woman Samaria came forth and the Lord and the Lord required drink Jesus said unto there give me to drink and so on until he gradually came to this place where he swept her house he said to her go pull thy husband and come hither the woman answered and said

[39:00] I have no husband see sweeping the house what did she say presently to the band she said come see a man that have told me all things that ever I did that he swept your house is not this but right now he swept the house and he found this drachma he found this woman of Samaria and she was a fell sheep and many believed on the

[40:05] Lord because of her word and others who came to see him for themselves so she found it there there there's the lighted candle there's the word of God there's the ministry illuminated by the spirit that searches the house never leaves this soul and there's the Lord sweeping the house telling you all things whatever you did and you found the beast that you have lost God has done it and so let us have the triumphal issue let us call together our friends and our neighbors saying rejoice with me for

[41:05] I have found the peace which I have lost blessed be God east andal peace and past