Forty-Six Sermons in Volume II of the Works by Jonathan Edwards (Available from Amazon or free here) - Read the Sermon entitled 'God the best portion of the Christian'.
This week we read a sermon on Psa. lxxiii. 25. 'Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee.'
Edwards teaches us that it is the spirit of a truly godly man to prefer God before all other things, either in heaven or on earth.
Firstly Edwards explains that a godly man prefers God before any thing else in heaven, including any thing that:
(i) actually is in heaven;
(ii) might be in heaven.
Secondly Edwards discusses why it is the temper of a godly man to prefer God before all other things on the earth by showing that the saint prefers:
(i) the enjoyment of God for which he hopes hereafter;
(ii) what of God may be obtained in this life;
(iii) what he hath already of God.
Then, by way of application, Edwards shows us that:
(i) whatever changes a godly man passes through, he is happy because God, who is unchangeable, is his chosen portion;
(ii) we should by these things examine and try ourselves whether we be saints or not.
What grabbed me
Very challenging sermon, particularly on why we should seek heaven: 'Now, the main reason why the godly man hath his heart thus to heaven, is because God is there; that is the palace of the Most High. It is the place where God is gloriously present, where his love is gloriously manifested, where the godly may be with him, see him as he is, and love, serve, praise, and enjoy him perfectly. If God and Christ were not in heaven, he would not be so earnest in seeking it, nor would he take so much pains in a laborious travel through this wilderness, nor would the consideration that he is going to heaven when he dies, be such a comfort to him under toils and afflictions. The martyrs would not undergo cruel sufferings, from their persecutors, with a cheerful prospect of going to heaven, did they not expect to be with Christ, and to enjoy God there. They would not with that cheerfulness forsake all their earthly possessions, and all their earthly friends, as many thousands of them have done, and wander about in poverty and banishment, being destitute, afflicted, tormented, in hopes of exchanging their earthly for a heavenly inheritance, were it not that they hope to be with their glorious Redeemer and heavenly Father.—The believer’s heart is in heaven, because his treasure is there. '
Streets of gold should be the last thing on our minds when we consider heaven.
Next week's reading
Read the Sermon entitled 'The sole consideration, that God is God, sufficient to still all objections to his sovereignty'.
Now it's your turn
Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.
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