Rise Up My Love, My Beautiful One--and Come Away!
The sermon calls believers to rise up from worldliness and come away from sin to draw closer to God, empowered by the Holy Spirit.
C.H. Spurgeon emphasizes the call of the Beloved to rise from the distractions and sins of the world, encouraging believers to embrace their identity as loved and beautiful in His sight. He reflects on the struggle to leave behind worldly desires and the longing to be drawn closer to God, recognizing that true fulfillment comes from responding to His call. Spurgeon highlights the gentle yet powerful invitation to 'come away' from the vanity of life, urging believers to seek the grace of the Holy Spirit to help them rise and pursue a deeper relationship with Christ.
Text
"My Beloved spoke and said to me--Rise up My love, My beautiful one--and come away!" Song of Solomon 2:10
Lo, I hear the voice of my Beloved! He speaks to me! He bids me "Rise up!" and well He may, for I have long enough been lying among the pots of worldliness. Why should I cleave unto the dust? From lower loves, desires, pursuits, and aspirations--I would rise towards Him.
He calls me by the sweet title of "My love" and regards me as beautiful! This is a good encouragement for my rising. If He has thus exalted me, and thinks me thus lovely--how can I linger in the dark tents of Kedar and find congenial associates among the world?
He bids me "Come away!" Come away further and further from everything selfish, groveling, worldly, and sinful! He calls me from the outwardly religious world which knows Him not, and has no sympathy with the mystery of the pious life.
"Come away" has no harsh sound in it to my ear--for what is there to hold me in this wilderness of vanity and sin? O my Lord, would that I could come away--but I am stuck among the thorns--and cannot escape from them as I would! I would, if it were possible, have neither eyes, nor ears, nor heart for sin!
You call me to Yourself by saying "Come away!" and this is a melodious call indeed. To come to You is to come home from exile; to come to land out of the raging storm; to come to rest after long labor; to come to the goal of my desires and the summit of my wishes! But Lord, how can a stone rise, how can a lump of clay come away from the horrible pit? O raise me, draw me--and I will run after You! Your grace alone can do it. Send forth Your Holy Spirit to kindle sacred flames of love in my heart--and I will continue to rise until I leave life and time behind me, and indeed come away!
Sermon Outline
- I. The Call to Rise Up
- A. The voice of the Beloved
- B. The call to leave worldliness
- C. The encouragement of being loved and beautiful
- II. The Call to Come Away
- A. Leaving selfish and sinful desires
- B. Leaving the outwardly religious world
- C. The longing to come to the Lord
- III. The Power to Come Away
- A. The need for divine intervention
- B. The role of the Holy Spirit
- C. The promise of rising and coming away
Key Quotes
“He bids me 'Come away!' Come away further and further from everything selfish, groveling, worldly, and sinful!” — C.H. Spurgeon
“To come to You is to come home from exile; to come to land out of the raging storm; to come to rest after long labor;” — C.H. Spurgeon
“Send forth Your Holy Spirit to kindle sacred flames of love in my heart--and I will continue to rise until I leave life and time behind me, and indeed come away!” — C.H. Spurgeon
Application Points
- We must be willing to leave behind our worldly desires and pursuits to draw closer to God.
- The Holy Spirit is essential in helping us rise above our sinful nature and come to God.
- The ultimate goal of our Christian walk is to come home to God, find rest, and reach the summit of our desires.