The Soul in Prison
The Lord is our only hope for deliverance from the prison-houses of sin, sorrow, and death.
John Henry Jowett preaches about the different 'prison-houses' we may find ourselves in: the prison-house of sin, sorrow, and death. He emphasizes that only the Lord has the power to deliver us from these dark and suffocating places, whether it be the haunting shapes of our iniquities, the cold walls of grief, or the gate of death. Jowett encourages trust in the Lord as the one who can bring us out of these prisons and lead us into the realm of eternal day.
Text
"_Bring my soul out of prison!_"
--PSALM cxlii.
I too, have my prison-house, and only the Lord can deliver me.
There is _the prison-house of sin_. It is a dark and suffocating
hole, without friendly light or morning air. And it is haunted by such
affrighting shapes, as though my iniquities had incarnated themselves in
ugly and repulsive forms. None but the Lord can bring me out.
And there is _the prison-house of sorrow_. My griefs sometimes wrap me
about like cold confining walls, which have neither windows nor doors. It
seems as though a fluid sorrow can congeal into a cold, hard temperament,
and hold me in its icy embrace. And none but the Lord can bring me out.
And there is _the prison-house of death_. I must perforce pass through the
gate of death. Shall I find it a castle of gloom, or is there another gate
through which I shall emerge into the fair, sweet paradise of God? My
Master is Lord of the road! And He tells me that death shall not be a
castle of captivity, but only a thoroughfare through which I shall pass
into the realm of eternal day.
Sermon Outline
- The Prison-House of Sin
- The Prison-House of Sorrow
- The Prison-House of Death
- A gate through which we must pass
- Death as a thoroughfare to eternal day
Key Quotes
“_Bring my soul out of prison!_” — John Henry Jowett
“My Master is Lord of the road!” — John Henry Jowett
“Death shall not be a castle of captivity, but only a thoroughfare through which I shall pass into the realm of eternal day.” — John Henry Jowett
Application Points
- Recognize the prison-houses that hold us captive and cry out to the Lord for deliverance.
- Trust in the Lord's guidance and promise of eternal day.
- Embracing the Lord's sovereignty over death and the afterlife.