It Will Suck Sweetness Out of Every Flower
Thomas Brooks emphasizes the transformative power of faith in unlocking joy and peace in the believer's life.
Thomas Brooks emphasizes the transformative power of faith, describing it as the key that unlocks paradise and floods the soul with joy. He illustrates how faith appropriates God's promises, allowing believers to claim Him as their own and find comfort in His assurances. Brooks likens faith to a silver thread that enhances all virtues, enabling figures like Abraham and Noah to find joy and peace amidst trials. He further compares faith to a bee that extracts sweetness from every circumstance, turning darkness into light and miseries into mercies. Ultimately, faith is portrayed as the root from which all joy and peace blossom.
Text
Faith is the key which unlocks paradise, and lets in a flood of joy into the soul. Faith is an appropriating grace, it appropriates all to itself; it looks upon God, and says with the psalmist, "This God is my God forever and ever," Psalm 63:1, and Psalm 48:14. It looks upon Christ and says, "My beloved is mine, and His desires are towards me," Song 7:10. It looks upon the precious promises and says, These "precious promises" are mine, 2 Pet. 1:4. It looks upon heaven and says, "Henceforth is laid up for me a crown of righteousness," 2 Tim. 4:8; and this fills the soul with joy and peace.
Faith has an influence upon other graces, it is like a silver thread that runs through a chain of pearl, it puts strength and vivacity into all other virtues. It made Abraham to rejoice; and it made Noah sit still and quiet in the midst of a deluge.
Faith is the first pin which moves the soul; it is the spring in the watch which sets all the golden wheels of love, joy, comfort, and peace a-going. Faith is a root-grace, from whence springs all the sweet flowers of joy and peace.
Faith is like the bee, it will suck sweetness out of every flower; it will extract . . .
light out of darkness,
comforts out of distresses,
mercies out of miseries,
wine out of water,
honey out of the rock,
meat out of the eater, Judges 14:14.
Sermon Outline
- I points: - Definition of Faith - Faith as a key to joy - Faith's appropriating nature
- II points: - Influence of Faith on Other Graces - Faith as a source of strength - Examples from Abraham and Noah
- III points: - Faith as a Root-Grace - Faith's role in producing joy and peace - Metaphor of the bee extracting sweetness
- IV points: - Faith's ability to transform - Finding light in darkness - Extracting comfort from distress
Key Quotes
“Faith is the key which unlocks paradise, and lets in a flood of joy into the soul.” — Thomas Brooks
“Faith is like the bee, it will suck sweetness out of every flower.” — Thomas Brooks
“It is the spring in the watch which sets all the golden wheels of love, joy, comfort, and peace a-going.” — Thomas Brooks
Application Points
- Reflect on how faith can transform your current struggles into sources of joy.
- Consider the ways in which faith strengthens your other virtues and graces.
- Seek to extract sweetness from life's challenges by leaning on your faith.