Lo, I Am With You Always
The sermon emphasizes the continuous and uninterrupted presence of the living Christ with us, guaranteeing ultimate victory over sin and death.
A.B. Simpson emphasizes the continuous presence of Christ in our lives, reminding us that Jesus is not a figure of the past but our living Lord who watches over us. He illustrates this with a story of a chieftain who, despite being wounded, encourages his men to continue fighting, paralleling Christ's assurance that He is with us always. Simpson highlights the importance of recognizing this unbroken presence, which empowers us to face our battles with confidence. He reassures us that the struggles we face are temporary and that victory is assured through Christ. Ultimately, our song will be one of triumph, celebrating the victory we have through Him.
Text
This living Christ is not the person who was, but the person who still is your living Lord. At Preston Pans, near Edinburgh, I looked on the field where, long ago, armies had been engaged in contest. In the crisis of the battle the chieftain fell wounded. When they saw their leader's form go down, his men were about to shrink away from the field. Their strong hands held the claymore with trembling grip, and they faltered for a moment. Then the old chieftain rallied strength enough to rise on his elbow and cry: "I am not dead, my children, I am only watching you-to see my clansmen do their duty." And so from the other side of Calvary our Savior is speaking.
We cannot see Him, but He says, Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world (Matthew 28:20).
Notice how He puts it: "I am"-an uninterrupted and continuous presence. Not "I will be," but the guarantee of an unbroken presence to remain with us forever. Soon the conflict shall be done, Soon the battle shall be won; Soon shall wave the victor's palm, Soon shall sing the eternal psalm. Then our joyful song shall be, I have overcome through Thee.
Sermon Outline
- I. The Living Christ
- A. Not the Christ of the past, but the present Lord
- B. Continuously present with us
- II. The Assurance of His Presence
- A. Unbroken and uninterrupted
- B. Guaranteed forever
- III. The Battle and the Victory
- A. Conflict and struggle
- B. The promise of ultimate victory
Key Quotes
“Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world (Matthew 28:20)” — A.B. Simpson
“I am not dead, my children, I am only watching you-to see my clansmen do their duty.” — A.B. Simpson
“Soon shall wave the victor's palm, Soon shall sing the eternal psalm.” — A.B. Simpson
Application Points
- We can trust in the continuous presence of Christ to guide and empower us in our struggles.
- The ultimate victory over sin and death is a promise we can look forward to, and it motivates us to persevere in our faith.
- We can overcome through Christ by trusting in His promise of presence and power.