Every Twig Has a Voice!
The sermon emphasizes the importance of being mute and silent under God's rod, in order to hear and understand the voice of God's rod, which is essential for our spiritual growth and development.
Thomas Brooks emphasizes the significance of listening to God's voice through afflictions, likening them to a rod that speaks to the soul. He urges Christians to remain silent and receptive during trials, as these experiences can reveal God's displeasure and guide them back to Him. Each affliction, or 'twig,' carries a message, prompting believers to reflect on their relationship with God and encouraging them to turn away from sin and draw closer to Christ. Brooks highlights that true understanding of God's voice comes from humility and submission under His rod. Ultimately, he calls for a deeper love and commitment to Christ amidst life's challenges.
Text
"The voice of the Lord calls out to the city (and it is
wise to fear Your name,) "Pay attention to the
rod and the One who ordained it." Micah 6:9
Christians should hear the rod, and kiss the rod, and
sit mute and silent under God's rod.
Christians should be mute and silent under the greatest
afflictions, the saddest providences, and sharpest trials
which they meet with in this world, that they may the
better hear and understand the voice of God's rod.
As the word has a voice, the Spirit a voice, and conscience
a voice--so God's rod has a voice. Afflictions are the rod of
God's anger, the rod of His displeasure, and His rod of revenge.
God's rods are not mutes. They are all vocal, they are all
speaking as well as smiting. Every twig has a voice!
'Ah! soul,' says one twig, 'you say it smarts. Well! tell
me, is it good to provoke a jealous God?' Jer. 4:18.
'Ah! soul,' says another twig, 'you say it is bitter, it
reaches to your heart; but have not your own doings
procured these things?' Rom. 6:20-21.
'Ah! soul,' says another twig, 'where is the profit,
the pleasure, the sweet that you have found in
wandering from God?' Hosea 2:7.
'Ah! soul,' says another twig, 'was it not best with
you, when you were high in your communion with
God, and when you were humble and close in your
walking with God?' Micah 6:8.
'Ah! Christian,' says another twig, 'will you search
your heart, and try your ways, and turn to the Lord
your God?' Lam. 3:40.
'Ah! soul,' says another twig, 'will you die to sin more
than ever, and to the world more than ever, and to
relations more than ever, and to yourself more than
ever?' Rom. 14:6-8; Gal. 6:18.
'Ah! soul,' says another twig, 'will you live more to
Christ than ever, and cleave closer to Christ than
ever, and prize Christ more than ever, and venture
further for Christ than ever?'
'Ah! soul,' says another twig, 'will you love Christ
with a more inflamed love, and hope in Christ with
a more raised hope, and depend upon Christ with
a greater confidence, and wait upon Christ with
more invincible patience?'
Now, if the soul is not mute and silent under the rod,
how is it possible that it should ever hear the voice of
God's rod, or that it should ever hearken to the voice
of every twig of God's rod?
The rod that is in the hands of earthly fathers has a
voice--but children hear it not, they understand it not,
until they are hushed and quiet, and brought to kiss it,
and sit silently under it. No more shall we hear or
understand the voice of the rod that is in our heavenly
Father's hand, until we come to kiss it, and sit silently
under it.
Sermon Outline
- I. Introduction
- A. The voice of God's rod
- B. The need to hear and understand the voice of God's rod
- II. The Voice of God's Rod
- A. Afflictions are the rod of God's anger
- B. God's rods are not mutes, they are all vocal and speaking
- III. The Importance of Being Mute and Silent
- A. Christians should be mute and silent under God's rod
- B. This allows us to hear and understand the voice of God's rod
- IV. The Voice of Every Twig
- A. Each twig has a voice, speaking to our soul
- B. The voice of each twig asks us to examine our hearts and ways
Key Quotes
“''Every twig has a voice!''” — Thomas Brooks
“''Ah! soul,'' says one twig, ''you say it smarts. Well! tell me, is it good to provoke a jealous God?''” — Thomas Brooks
“''Ah! soul,'' says another twig, ''where is the profit, the pleasure, the sweet that you have found in wandering from God?''” — Thomas Brooks
Application Points
- We must be willing to submit to God's discipline and afflictions in order to hear and understand the voice of God's rod.
- We must examine our hearts and ways in response to the voice of each twig, and be willing to make changes as needed.
- The ultimate goal of hearing the voice of God's rod is to live more to Christ, to cleave closer to Christ, and to prize Christ more than ever.