Transcription downloaded from https://sermons.heritagesermons.org/sermons/52563/shall-he-not-much-more-clothe-you-quality-good/.

Disclaimer: this is an automatically generated machine transcription - there may be small errors or mistranscriptions.
Please refer to the original audio if you are in any doubt.


[0:00] As the Lord may be pleased to help me, I direct your prayerful attention this evening to the gospel according to Matthew chapter 6 and the 30th verse.

[0:16] Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?

[0:37] The gospel according to Matthew chapter 6 and the 30th verse. Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?

[1:02] These words are part of the Sermon on the Mount, the words of the Lord Jesus Christ in that great sermon, the greatest sermon that has ever been left on record.

[1:23] And what gracious instruction does he give unto his people. What a mercy if we are able to receive sound doctrine.

[1:40] Because we live in a day when man has forsaken God's word and has believed cunningly devised fables and has entered into all manner of things which are quite contrary to what God has laid down for us.

[2:00] Our only rule is the word of God. And if we depart from this word, then woe unto us. We have that solemn warning given unto us.

[2:15] If we should add or if we should take away from God's word. Let us then hear the word of the Lord. Let us hear the words of the Lord Jesus Christ.

[2:29] For he speaks not like the scribes and the Pharisees. He is a man that speaks with authority.

[2:40] For he is the Son of God from all eternity. The words spoken here are directed to the people of God.

[2:54] We read that there were multitudes that gathered around him on that mountain. But we read this.

[3:05] And when he was set, his disciples came unto him. It is the true disciple of God that comes unto Jesus.

[3:18] And comes with that ear ready to hear. A willingness of mind and of spirit. But so often the child of God has to learn his weakness.

[3:35] How he stands in need of grace day by day. The Lord Jesus says, without me ye can do nothing. And how we live to prove it.

[3:47] If we try and do anything in our own strength. We find it comes to nothing. Look at Peter. Here was one who was zealous for the Lord.

[4:01] And zealous to such an extent. He says, all men may forsake thee. Yet will not I. In other words, I will stand with thee right to the end.

[4:14] I will stand with thee to death. Nothing shall separate us. And what a mercy it is that we have recorded. But Jesus prayed for Peter.

[4:30] Because a time soon came. When Peter, walking into the pathway of temptation. Seeking to warm himself by that fire of colds.

[4:45] And one came up to him. And says, was thou not one with him? Thou art of Galilean.

[5:00] They could tell his speech. And what did Peter do? Denied his Lord. We read further. He denied him with oaths and with curses.

[5:12] And Jesus looked upon him. And he went out. And wept bitterly. Now the subject before us tonight.

[5:26] Is that of faith. And here especially. O ye of little faith. And how often did the Lord Jesus chide his disciples.

[5:42] Because of the smoothness of their faith. We have it recorded a number of times. In this Gospel of Matthew.

[5:53] In the 8th chapter. When Jesus was entered into a ship with his disciples. And when there arose that great storm.

[6:07] And it seemed as though the ship was about to sink. And all would be lost. The disciples come to Jesus and cry unto him.

[6:22] Lord save us. We perish. What were the words of the Lord Jesus to them on that occasion. And he saith unto them.

[6:34] Why are ye so fearful? O ye of little faith. Then he arose and rebuked the winds and the sea. And there was a great calm.

[6:47] With Christ in the vessel we sometimes sing. We smile at the storm. At all. At all. You see these disciples.

[7:02] The master was asleep. And they considered in their feeble minds. That because he was asleep. He knew nothing of their predicament.

[7:14] Nothing of their circumstances. They considered not that this was the God that seest all things and knowest all things. That nothing happens by chance.

[7:27] But all things are according to his will and purpose. God knows his people. He knows the end from the beginning.

[7:41] And the Lord Jesus knew. And yet he would try. His disciples. But he might show them. How little faith.

[7:54] Really they had. When again we find another occasion. This time Jesus was not in the ship with them. But.

[8:07] The ship was now in the midst of the sea. Tossed with waves. For the wind was contrary. And there in the middle of the night. In the darkness.

[8:19] And in the. Roughness of that. Water. Comes. The Lord Jesus Christ. Walking upon the sea.

[8:31] You see with him. Nothing is impossible. He has created all things. For himself. And what is it. To walk upon the sea.

[8:43] That he has made. Can he not command the very waves. To uphold him. To bear him. But you see.

[8:55] The disciples. That they are fearful. Is it really Jesus. Is it but his spirit. We cannot tell.

[9:08] And so often you know. In our circumstances. We find this. When we are in trouble. And the devil will tempt us.

[9:18] Where is now thy God. Where is now thy God. And you know. It is not always easy. To be able to say. My God is in the heavens. He hath done.

[9:28] Whatsoever he hath done. But here again. We see Peter. Jesus speaks to them. Be of good cheer.

[9:40] It is I. Be not afraid. Take all fear from you. There is no need to be fearful. I am here. I am with you. But look at the response.

[9:54] That Peter gives. And there is much teaching in this. And Peter answered him. And said. Lord. And here is a doubt. If it be thou.

[10:07] What an if was this. They had seen him. He had spoken unto them. He had recognized him. He knew him who he was.

[10:18] If it be thou. Bid me come unto thee. On the water. What faith.

[10:30] Is mixed with unbelief here. Remember that one. Who cried out. Lord I believe. Help thou mine unbelief.

[10:42] And the Lord Jesus Christ. Says to Peter. Come. And with great boldness. None of the other disciples. Came to Jesus. But Peter would.

[10:54] Bold Peter would step out of that ship. Upon the boiling waves. He would walk to Jesus where he was. He came. But then what?

[11:07] Then Peter began. Begins to doubt. Begins to fear. Begins to sink. Looks to self. Looks to circumstances. Looks to the situation around him.

[11:20] Suddenly realizes as it were. That. He's in a situation. Which is. To the natural mind. Unreal. And because of his doubt.

[11:35] Because of his fear. He begins to sink. Now his situation is real. If left to sink. He would perish.

[11:47] But you see. This is where faith. And it's. Hope against hope. Faith against faith.

[11:58] In situations like this. Immediately. Jesus stretched. Forth his hand. And caught him. And said unto him.

[12:10] O thou of little faith. Wherefore did thou doubt. Why did you doubt. My power. My ability. Why did you doubt.

[12:21] My love. For thee Peter. That I. Shouldest let thee sink. Has thou been. So long time. With me Peter. That thou does not know.

[12:34] That I am. Thy saviour. O ye of little faith. And then we have another. Occasion in the. Sixteenth chapter.

[12:48] And this came. When they had seen. The miracles of the Lord Jesus. In the feeding. Of the five thousand.

[13:01] And in the feeding. Of the seven thousand. Then Jesus said unto them. Take heed. And beware of the leaven. Of the Pharisees. And of the Sadducees.

[13:13] And they reasoned. Among themselves. Saying. It is because. We have taken no bread. The Lord speaks to them. Of spiritual things. But their carnal minds.

[13:24] Are natural things. When. Jesus perceived. He said unto them.

[13:36] O ye of little faith. Why. Reason ye among yourselves. Because ye have bought. No bread. No bread. No bread.

[13:47] No bread. No bread. And so we see. These examples. Of those who. Lived. Near the Lord. And yet.

[13:58] In situations. Where their. Faith was tried. It was seen. That they had. But. Little faith. Faith. Now let us.

[14:11] Notice. In our text. That the Lord. Jesus Christ. Says this. O ye of. Little faith. And what we must notice is.

[14:23] That he does not say. O ye of no faith. Faith. Now where does faith come from. Faith. We read. Is. The gift of God.

[14:36] Faith. Cometh by hearing. And hearing. By. The word of God. This is how faith.

[14:48] Is given unto us. God's. God's. Usual way. Is. Under the preaching. Of the gospel. When. The word of the Lord.

[14:59] Is declared. And when. By the. Inspiration. Of the Holy Spirit. We're given. That spiritual hearing. We come under the sound.

[15:11] Of the word. And that word. Does not. Just come. As a dry letter. To feed our mind. God. But it enters in. To our very hearts.

[15:22] We receive the word of God. With power. And we have. Faith given us. To lay. Hold upon that word. We believe. What God has said.

[15:33] Through his servants. From his word. We believe the word. Of God. Is true. Without faith. It is impossible.

[15:43] To please God. We cannot even. Come to God. Without faith. Faith. Then have we got. Faith tonight.

[15:56] Are we made. Real Christians. Have we got. That faith. Of God's elect. Have we laid. Hold of a precious. Christ.

[16:08] Can we say. My Jesus is mine. And I am his. My name is. Written in heaven. Heaven. Then. The Lord.

[16:18] Would teach us here. That if we have. Faith. That faith. Will take us. To heaven. Do we really believe.

[16:31] That we are those. That are on a journey. We are journeying. Through this hostile land. We are journeying. Through this wilderness. Called earth. And at the end.

[16:43] Of the journey. We shall reach that. Holy city. That heavenly Canaan. We shall be with Christ. Which is far better. We shall see him.

[16:54] As he is. We shall dwell with him. Through a never ending eternity. This is that faith.

[17:06] Which is able to save us. O ye of little faith. Let us. Next learn.

[17:18] That those that have. But little faith. Will most. Assuredly. Go to heaven. And what a mercy it is.

[17:29] Or that we have. Words. Such as this recorded. A bruised reed. He will not break. Nor quench. The smoking flags.

[17:41] If we have. But little faith. There is no doubt. But that we shall go to heaven. Faith.

[17:53] As a grain of mustard seed. And how small that grain is. The smallest of all seeds. And yet.

[18:03] Faith. Like the mustard seed. Can remove mountains. Can do all manner of things. And we have to question at times.

[18:17] How much faith we have. Because. Little faith. Loses much. It loses much.

[18:28] Comfort. In this present life. It loses much. Joy. The joy of. God's elect. It loses much. Valour. In the name of the Lord.

[18:40] We cannot do. Mighty works. With little faith. Faith. And so. Our constant prayer. Should be. Lord. Increase my faith. Give me more faith.

[18:53] Faith to do. Mighty things. In thy name. But you know. When our faith. Is put to the test.

[19:05] This is when. We recognize. How small. Our faith is. Let me just read. The text to you again. Wherefore.

[19:17] If God. So clothed. The grass. Of the field. Which. Today is. And tomorrow. Is cast. Into the oven. Shall he not.

[19:28] Much more. Clothe you. O ye. Of little faith. Now. Here. In these verses. Verse. 24. To the end.

[19:39] The Lord. Jesus. Paints. As it were. Various pictures. To show. The unreasonableness. Of not trusting in him.

[19:52] And in this. Verse. Before us. Taking it. From verse. Verse. 28. There's. This. Consideration.

[20:04] Concerning. Raymond. Concerning. Clothing. The Lord. Brings. Before us. Here. For our consideration.

[20:15] Two factors. On the one hand. You have. Solomon. In all his glory. And you know. Solomon.

[20:25] Was given. Wealth. In abundance. Solomon. Had. The best. Of all this earth. Could produce. He had that.

[20:36] Gold. And that silver. Those. Purples. And those. Fine linens. Brought from various. Parts of the earth. Manufactured.

[20:46] To the highest degree. The best. Of everything. And only the best. Was good enough. For Solomon. Money. As it were.

[20:57] Was no object. The price. Did not matter. He would demand. The best. And he would. Expect the best. And no doubt.

[21:08] That clothing. That. Redact. Solomon. Was most. Glorious. Clothing. Perhaps. As we have.

[21:19] Never seen. Today. Clothing. Of such. Wealth. Of such. Expense. Such. Extravagance. That. It cannot be.

[21:31] Possibly. Used. In today's. Situation. And so. We see. Solomon. The king. Of that.

[21:41] Rich. Country. Decked. Out. In all. His. Marvellous. Splendor. A sight. Worth seeing. A sight. That would.

[21:52] Fill. Any eye. With amazement. And wonderment. A sight. And yet. The Lord. Jesus Christ. Says. Now consider.

[22:02] This. Consider. The grass. Of the field. Consider. The lilies.

[22:13] How they grow. Now the lily. Has not. Expended. Any energy. In this respect.

[22:27] They do not toil. They do not labor. For their coat. Of many colors. Neither do they spin out. Their yarn.

[22:39] They do not have to weave. Their wear. Then consider them. How they grow. And I say unto you.

[22:51] That Solomon. In all his glory. Was not arrayed. Like one of these. The beauty.

[23:02] Of the lily. Far. Exceed. The beauty. Of Solomon. Bedecked. In the finest. Of his raiment. Now here is a lesson.

[23:13] That. God is able. To provide. For the lily. For this grass.

[23:24] Of the field. For that. Which is today. And tomorrow. Is God. He is able. To. Give. This. Beauty.

[23:35] To something. Which is. Made. For the use of man. This. Which is. After all. Of the lower order. This.

[23:47] Which is. Of no real value. No real worth. In and of itself. He is able. To give this splendor. To something.

[23:58] That. Cannot ask. Or seek. And when. Its short life. Is done. It's gone. It's finished. It is no more.

[24:14] And remember this. That the lily. Has its beauty. From within itself. Solomon had no beauty.

[24:28] Within himself. His beauty. Was that. Outward adorning. Of garments. Something. That he had to obtain.

[24:39] From elsewhere. Something. That was purchased. Something. That was lent. But the lily. Its beauty.

[24:51] Is of itself. Its beauty. Is from God. God. Now then. Consider this.

[25:04] In our own. Cases. In that. In which we. Stand in need of. Day by day. Wherefore.

[25:15] If God. As God. So clothes. The grass. Of the field. Which today. Is and tomorrow. Is cast. Into the oven. Shall he. Not much.

[25:26] More. Clothio. Should we. Have that. Inordinate. Desire. For the.

[25:37] Better. And better. Things. Of this life. Should we. Have that. Undue. Consideration. How. We should be. Fed. Tomorrow. Or what.

[25:47] Clothing. We shall have. To put on. This. Clothing. Which. In a very. Short. While. Becomes. Shabby. And wears out. But you say.

[26:02] That we need. Clothing. We need. Food. For our bodies. We need. To drink. Or we should die. We cannot live. Naked.

[26:13] And destitute. Upon the face. Of this earth. But who says. That you shall. Shall. Shall he. Shall he.

[26:25] Not much more. Clothe you. Nigh. Every need. He. Richly. Will supply. Is not God.

[26:39] Able to give to us. All that we stand in need of. Day by day. Is it not reasonable. To say.

[26:50] That if we can trust to God. Our eternal souls. That we cannot trust to him. Our providential needs. Yes. We may be old.

[27:04] Infirm. In need of someone. To. Help us. In our circumstances. But has not God said.

[27:16] Even down to. Whore hairs I am he. I will never leave thee. Nor forsake thee. Is it not unreasonable. To doubt. God's kind care.

[27:27] And providence. Of his people. Do we not read. That having loved his own. That were in the world. He loved them unto the end. Was it.

[27:43] The psalmist. That said. Once I was young. But now. I am old. Yet I have never. Seen God's people.

[27:56] Begging for bread. And so it is. Those that trust in the Lord. With all their hearts.

[28:08] And with all their souls. He will never deny. You know. You know. We live in an age. When there is.

[28:19] So much concern. Over things. So many. Needs today. Which our godly forefathers. Knew nothing of.

[28:30] They. Live simple lives. They knew what it was. To beg. Day by day. For their daily bread. Give us. This day.

[28:41] Our daily bread. And the Lord. Provided for them. And if you look back. On the. Histories. Of the lives.

[28:51] Of some of those. Dear saints. Of old. They begged. Because. They stood in need. And we read. Of some most. Remarkable cases.

[29:03] A person. Perhaps. Had a debt. To pay. And if they did not. Pay that debt. Then. They would be. Ousted out of their houses. Their children. Would be taken from them.

[29:14] And everything. Would come into confusion. And there. The Lord. Would provide. The exact sum. That they needed. Now. This wasn't luck.

[29:27] It was God's. Providence. God's kind care. But you say. That was a different age. It was a different time.

[29:39] They had different needs. Yes they did. Jesus Christ. The same. Yesterday. Today. And forever. And in the future.

[29:52] A God. That cannot change. Who does not change. A God. Who is. As able today. To provide. For the needs. Of his people. As he was. Yesterday.

[30:03] In the past generation. Or in the ages past. What we need. Is faith. Faith. To lay hold.

[30:15] Of the promises. Of God. Has God said. And shall he not perform. Or how we bring.

[30:26] God. Down to our own level. How we deny him. His power. It's as if we say that.

[30:36] Our God is unable. To do this. Then is it not reasonable. That we should seek.

[30:48] For greater faith. Now there are some today. And I suppose. Through. All the ages of time. That have said. Because faith.

[30:58] Is the gift of God. We can do nothing. About it. God. We need. We need to pray to God.

[31:10] and we need to use the means that he has provided. If a person went out into their garden and looked at their garden and thought God is able to provide here such vegetation that will provide for me through the coming winter and yet not put his hand to his spade and dig his garden and sow his seeds will God provide?

[31:48] No, God will not aid and abet the slothful man. God has given the means. He's given the spade to dig.

[31:59] He's given the soil to plant. He's given the seed into the hand of the sower. It is only reasonable that that man should to the best of his ability to go about his work, employ himself in seeking to bring forth good crops, in weeding that garden and intending to it and doing everything possibly he can.

[32:24] Now of course, he cannot make the seed grow. but having done everything reasonable within his power, he can expect, through the goodness of God, for that seed to grow into a reasonable plant.

[32:45] Now are we saying that God has given us faith and we are not to exercise that faith? God has given us a means.

[32:57] Are we not to use a means? Because we have faith, does it mean that we do not need to come to the house of God? We do not need to come under the sound of the preaching of the gospel?

[33:12] Because we have faith, we stand in need of nothing? No God would have us in lively exercise to increase our faith.

[33:26] As we come together and meet with the people of God, as we hear one tell of the circumstances, the difficulties that he has been through and how God has provided for all his need, how God has restored him from his affliction, how God has given everything to him, then that faith that one displays is an encouragement to another.

[33:56] And so too may he have faith. We have some wonderful examples of faith in the word of God.

[34:09] Consider the woman that came to the Lord Jesus. and see how her faith was tried. And yet, despite the trial of her faith, her faith won through.

[34:26] Look how the Lord deals with her. Behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the coast and cried unto him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou son of David.

[34:37] My daughter is grievously vexed with the devil. But he answered her not a word. Well, should she remain silent?

[34:51] Should she say, because God has not answered me, I will not cry unto him? Will that increase her faith? Will that strengthen her resolve?

[35:03] Will that bring her the answers to her prayers? No, she cries out all the more. She'll give him no rest until he meets her case. She has the opposition of the disciples.

[35:17] Send her away. She cries after us. Well, surely with such opposition, it's not right for her to continue. But she has an urgent pressing case.

[35:31] And her case will bring her to trust in the Lord. For she knows that He is able, and He alone is able, to meet her case. The Lord Jesus had rebuked the Pharisees and the Sadducees.

[35:52] He had said, Ye hypocrites, but this woman, He answers not a word. And when He does answer, it seemingly is a rebuff to her.

[36:04] I am not sent, but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel. But she comes still the more.

[36:16] She presses her case upon Jesus. Then came she and worshipped Him, saying, Lord, help me. I know I am a wretched sinner.

[36:26] I know I am unworthy. I know I have no right. But I have a case. And that case demands help. And Lord, thou art the only one who can help.

[36:38] Lord, help me. And then again, will bring it into lively exercise.

[36:53] It is not meat to take the children's bread and to cast it to dogs. What a thing to say. Would she be offended?

[37:04] No, she says, truth, Lord. Yet dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their master's table.

[37:18] Ah, she would press, and she would press her case. Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith.

[37:33] We have that remarkable case of the centurion that came to Jesus. And what did this bring from the lips of the Son of God?

[37:43] Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come unto my roof. But speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed. For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me.

[37:58] And I say to this man, go, and he goeth. And to another, come, and he cometh. And to my servant, do this, and he doeth it. When Jesus heard it, he marveled and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith.

[38:15] No, not in Israel. O ye of little faith. Do we not find that the Lord exercises us in a certain respect, brings us into a trial or a temptation or an affliction, and shows us how little our faith is.

[38:38] And then perhaps we come into another circumstance of a similar nature. And do we find that our faith is stronger? Very often we find that we fall yet the same.

[38:58] But we have that remarkable chapter in the 11th of Hebrews, and how this teaches us the faith which is in the saints of God.

[39:16] Faith is the substance of things hopeful, the evidence of things not seen. And there we read of Abel and Enoch and Noah and Abraham and of the saints, all who through faith overcame, conquered in their day and generation the great obstacles and stumbling blocks that were set before them.

[39:48] And through faith they overcame at last, entering into the kingdom of God. and what faith was seen in them.

[40:03] And yet if you read through the lives of these saints of God you will find that at times their faith was strong.

[40:15] Look at the case of Jacob when he wrestled with the angel. I will not let thee go except thou bless me. Faith laid hold upon Christ.

[40:26] But at another time we find Jacob so weak so helpless denying all things.

[40:39] O ye of little faith all how we need the Lord to show us our weakness our insufficiency and yet to reveal to us his strength and his ability.

[40:56] that with God nothing shall be called impossible. That God is able to supply all our needs temporal spiritual providential in the church in the family in every circumstance of life in strength in weakness in riches in poverty.

[41:18] may we be told that undue care really is doubting this God who has called us out of nature's darkness into his marvelous light and if we be the children of the light then we must walk in that light.

[41:43] may the Lord then teach us from these words that in all things we must lay hold upon him and so may we learn that God that my God shall supply all your needs according to his riches in glory through Christ Jesus therefore if God so clothe the grass of the field which today is and tomorrow is cast into the oven you see the end of that grass which at best is weak the end will soon come and will never be seen again but we each have a soul and when these bodies are laid in the grave when they become dust and ashes yet we have a soul which shall endure which shall never die then let us trust that soul to

[42:56]  God who breathed into man and gave us life let us commit our all to him and these tribules tribules as they will be seen to be will pass into insignificance and living without that care we shall live in peace and in the full joy of the blessed Lord Amen end success over love with heart forgiveness and let's love sa as kas how  packages