The sermon emphasizes the importance of a heartfelt desire for Christ's coming and its relationship to spiritual state and the need for redemption and deliverance.
Arno Clemens Gaebelein preaches on the longing cry for the Beloved found in the Song of Solomon and the great prayer for the Lord Jesus to come quickly. He emphasizes that a genuine desire for the Second Coming of Christ must be rooted in the heart and affection, serving as a test of our spiritual state. This longing for the Beloved not only leads to a holy life and true service but also serves as the ultimate remedy for the current condition of the world. Gaebelein paints a vivid picture of the day when Christ will descend to call His own, bringing hope and redemption to His people.
Text
THE little book called Solomon's Song, in the Hebrew "the Song of Songs," because it exalts and describes the Bridegroom, closes with that longing cry, "Make Haste my Beloved." How this applies dispensationally we do not follow here. It is the same desire for Himself, which is found almost the last thing in the Bible, the great prayer, "Even so come Lord Jesus." The soul which knows Him, follows closely after Him, and gets daily more of Himself will ever long for Him and for His Coming. The desire and prayer will arise many times each day from such a heart, "Make Haste my Beloved" --"Even so, come Lord Jesus." The Holy Spirit ungrieved and unhindered in the believer will not alone produce this desire, but keep it alive in the soul and make it more intense. One may hold the Second Coming of Christ in a mere intellectual way; there is no profit in that. The blessed Hope must have its seat in the heart and affection. It is therefore a good test of our spiritual state. If our hearts are crying more for Him, longing to be with the Beloved, and we daily sigh for Himself to come and take us home, we are then certainly walking in the Spirit. Such a desire will also lead us into holiness of life and true service for Him. And as we look about us at the condition of things, surely only the Coming of our Lord appears to be the remedy. Nothing less than that event can arrest the dreadful conditions and bring the long promised deliverance. "The whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, the redemption of the body" (Rom. viii:22-23). What a day it will be when at last He descends into the air to call His own, His Beloved together! What a day it will be when together with those who are raised from their graves we shall be caught up in clouds to meet HIM in the sky! What a day when He purges the earth by fire and comes with all His Saints to reign. Make haste! Even so, come Lord Jesus!
Lord Jesus, come! And take Thy people home; That all Thy flock, so scattered here, With Thee in glory may appear. Lord Jesus, come! "Soon the day-dawn will be breaking And the shadows flee away; Now, by faith, in joy and gladness, I await the coming day, For I know my soul is safely Hidden in His wounded side; And anon He sweetly tells me I shall soon be satisfied.
Lo! He tells me now His secret, Cheering with His heavenly smile; Telling me, in love's low whisper, It is but 'a little while;' Yes, for soon, to brightest glory, He will fetch away His bride; Then I'll shine in His own likeness, And be ever satisfied!"
Sermon Outline
- I. Introduction to the Desire for Christ's Coming
- A. The longing cry in the Song of Solomon
- B. The connection to the Second Coming in Revelation
- II. The Importance of a Heartfelt Desire
- A. The Holy Spirit's role in producing and sustaining desire
- B. The difference between intellectual knowledge and heartfelt longing
- III. The Test of Spiritual State
- A. A desire for Christ's coming as a sign of spiritual life
- B. The relationship between desire and holiness of life
- IV. The Need for Christ's Coming
- A. The current state of the world as a cry for deliverance
- B. The promise of redemption and adoption through Christ's coming
Key Quotes
“Make haste! Even so, come Lord Jesus!” — Arno Clemens Gaebelein
“The whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.” — Arno Clemens Gaebelein
“What a day it will be when at last He descends into the air to call His own, His Beloved together!” — Arno Clemens Gaebelein
Application Points
- A genuine desire for Christ's coming should lead to a life of holiness and service for Him.
- A desire for Christ's coming is a sign of spiritual life, and it should be accompanied by a desire for redemption and adoption.
- Christ's coming is necessary to bring deliverance to a world in need.
