Let Us Fetch the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord
The sermon emphasizes the importance of vital union with Christ for protection and succour, rather than relying on outward rites or material symbols.
F.B. Meyer emphasizes the futility of relying on the Ark of the Covenant as a mere symbol of God's presence without a genuine spiritual relationship with Him. The Israelites believed that bringing the Ark into battle would ensure their victory against the Philistines, forgetting that true protection comes from a vital union with God. Meyer warns against the dangers of ritualism and outward religious practices that lack heartfelt devotion, urging believers to seek a deep, personal connection with Christ. He stresses that only through this relationship can one find true safety and fellowship with God. The sermon calls for introspection on how we approach our faith and the importance of aligning our hearts with God.
Text
Let us fetch the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord. 1 Sam. iv. 3.
ISRAEL had been defeated with great loss. Their only hope of being able to hold their own against the Philistines and the people of the land was in the protection and help vouchsafed to them by God. They knew this, and thought that they would be secured, if only the Ark of the covenant were on the field. They forgot that it was only the material symbol of a spiritual relationship; that it was useless unless that relationship was in living force; and that the bending forms of the cherubim, emblematic of the Divine protection, would not avail if their fellowship with the God of the cherubim had been ruptured by backsliding.
There is a sense in which we are always sending for the Ark. The reliance on outward rites, such as Baptism and the Lord's Supper, on the part of those who are alienated from the life of God ; the maintenance of the forms of prayer and Scripture‑reading, which no longer express the passionate love of the soul; the habit of churchgoing, which so many practise, not because they love God, but because they think that it will in some way secure his alliance in life's battle ‑‑ all these are forms in which we still fetch the Ark of the covenant, whilst our hearts are wrong with the God of the covenant.
It should never be forgotten that nothing can afford to us protection and succour but vital union with Christ. We must hide in his secret place if we would abide under his shadow. We must dwell in the most holy place if we would be shadowed by the wings of the Shekinah. There must be nothing between us and God, if we are to walk together, and enjoy fellowship with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ.
Sermon Outline
- The Ark of the Covenant: A Symbol of Spiritual Relationship
- The Dangers of Relying on Outward Rites
- The Importance of Vital Union with Christ
- Relying on Baptism and the Lord's Supper without a living relationship with God
- The maintenance of forms of prayer and Scripture-reading without passion
- Hiding in Christ's secret place for protection
- Dwelling in the most holy place for fellowship with God
Key Quotes
“There is a sense in which we are always sending for the Ark.” — F.B. Meyer
“We must hide in his secret place if we would abide under his shadow.” — F.B. Meyer
“There must be nothing between us and God, if we are to walk together, and enjoy fellowship with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ.” — F.B. Meyer
Application Points
- We must prioritize a living relationship with God over relying on outward rites or material symbols.
- Vital union with Christ is necessary for protection and succour in life's battles.
- We must dwell in the most holy place, a vital union with Christ, to enjoy fellowship with God.