Then He Put Forth His Hand, and Took Her
C.H. Spurgeon's sermon encourages weary sinners to return to God just as they are, emphasizing His grace and acceptance.
C.H. Spurgeon illustrates the grace of God through the story of a weary dove returning to Noah's ark, emphasizing that despite her wanderings and weariness, she is welcomed back without condemnation. The dove, unable to reach the ark on her own, is gently pulled in by Noah, symbolizing how Jesus receives sinners who return to Him just as they are. Spurgeon encourages those who feel lost or burdened by sin to come back to Christ, assuring them that they do not need to clean themselves up first; they simply need to return. The message is one of hope and mercy, inviting all backsliders to find rest in the Savior's embrace.
Text
Wearied out with her wanderings, the dove returns at length to the ark as her only resting place. How heavily she flies--she will drop--she will never reach the ark! But she struggles on. Noah has been looking out for his dove all day long, and is ready to receive her. She has just strength to reach the edge of the ark, she can hardly alight upon it, and is ready to drop, when Noah puts forth his hand and pulls her in unto him. Mark that: "pulled her in unto him." She did not fly right in herself, but was too fearful, or too weary to do so.
She flew as far as she could, and then he put forth his hand and pulled her in unto him. This act of mercy was shown to the wandering dove, and she was not chidden for her wanderings. Just as she was she was pulled into the ark. So you, seeking sinner, with all your sin, will be received. "Only return"--those are God's two gracious words--"only return." What! nothing else? No, "only return." She had no olive branch in her mouth this time, nothing at all but just herself and her wanderings; but it is "only return," and she does return, and Noah pulls her in.
Fly, thou wanderer; fly thou fainting one, dove as thou art, though thou thinkest thyself to be black as the raven with the mire of sin, back, back to the Saviour. Every moment thou waitest does but increase thy misery; thine attempts to plume thyself and make thyself fit for Jesus are all vanity. Come thou to Him just as thou art. "Return, thou backsliding Israel." He does not say, "Return, thou repenting Israel" (there is such an invitation doubtless), but "thou backsliding one," as a backslider with all thy backslidings about thee, Return, return, return! Jesus is waiting for thee! He will stretch forth His hand and "pull thee in"--in to Himself, thy heart's true home.
Sermon Outline
-
I
- The weariness of the wandering dove
- Noah's watchful waiting
- The struggle to return
-
II
- The act of mercy from Noah
- The significance of being pulled in
- No condemnation for the wanderer
-
III
- God's invitation to return
- The simplicity of returning
- The promise of acceptance
-
IV
- The nature of sin and backsliding
- The futility of self-preparation
- The urgency of coming to Jesus
Key Quotes
“She did not fly right in herself, but was too fearful, or too weary to do so.” — C.H. Spurgeon
“Only return--those are God's two gracious words--'only return.'” — C.H. Spurgeon
“Come thou to Him just as thou art.” — C.H. Spurgeon
Application Points
- Recognize that you don't need to be perfect to return to God.
- Understand that God is always waiting to receive you with open arms.
- Stop trying to make yourself worthy; simply come to Jesus as you are.