TEXT: Romans 8:28

SUBJECT: A Divine Cordial #6

Tonight, with the Lord’s help, we’ll continue the Puritan study we started last month. The title is A Divine Cordial. The author is Thomas Watson. The goal is encouragement.

Starting with the big idea,

Watson divides the subject into two parts: (1) the best things work together for our good and (2), so do the worst things. We can see how the mercies of God or His angels do us good, but what about the other things? How can sickness and disappointment and bad marriages and losing jobs do us good? Because God is behind them all and He loves you.

Thus far, we’ve looked at four good things that do us good. They are the attributes of God, the mercies of God, the promises of God, and the angels of God. Now, we’ll move on to a fifth thing. Watson divides it into two parts, but I think they’re better when combined. He calls them,

In other words, The People of God work together for our good. That’s the topic for tonight.

Let me begin with a short confession. I don’t know if it’s flattering or not. But I know it’s true: Most people do not come to our church because it’s so wonderful. Over the years, most people have come because they’ve been hurt elsewhere. By bad doctrine, at times, but mostly, by cruel pastors or judgmental churches. What Winston Churchill said about democracy, I’m tempted to say about Grace Baptist, "It is the worst, except for all others that have been tried!"

In any event, some of you have been hurt by God’s people—hurt deeply and often. It’s easy to say, therefore, that God’s people have not been a blessing to you. But, in fact, they have been.

• You were won to Christ by another believer. He witnessed to you or invited you to church or gave you a tract. It was God who saved you, of course, but He did it through the work of another person. Later, that man might have broken your heart. But still, he did you more good than you can ever repay.

• You have been taught by another believer. Pastors and teachers are given to the Church to mature and equip the saints. And though all teachers could do more, still, even bad ones have taught you something worth knowing. That’s good.

• You have been encouraged or reproved by another believer. These things help you too.

• You have seen good examples. They too are very helpful.

These are some direct ways other Christians have helped you, but they do it indirect ways as well. For example, the Lord wants you to be patient and forgiving and loving—even when they don’t deserve it. The Lord’s people give you ample exercise in these spiritual disciplines.

The people of God, therefore, work together for your good. At times, the good is obvious; at other times, it is more subtle; but at all times, it’s good. The Lord could save His Elect in isolation from each other, but, as a rule, He doesn’t. That’s what a church is—people on the way to heaven—together.

How do we help each other on our way to heaven? Watson has two big ideas. They are: by talking to each other and by praying for each other. I want to add a third: by showing each other how it’s done.

Let’s start with conversation. Watson says,

Private talks do us so much good. In the long run, I wouldn’t be surprised if they didn’t do us more good than the sermons we hear and the books we read. Richard Baxter very much believed in preaching, but he thought one hour in the home could do his people more good than twenty years in the pulpit!

Because they allow for more give-and-take than public teaching, private talks can help us apply the truth of God’s Word to our particular needs. What can a sermon say to a twenty-year old bride compared to what a fifty year old woman can teach her about loving her husband, caring for her children, taking care of the home, and so on?

Godly conversation encourages people—Hebrews 10:24. It corrects them—Galatians 6:1. It lets other people know they’re not alone—Malachi 3:16a.

Because other believers talk to you about Christ and your soul, you can be sure they,

On this point, Watson has a lot more to say. Here’s the big idea,

Believers pray for each other and the Lord answers them for each other’s good. Watson goes on to give several examples.

Firstly, we pray for each other’s health, James 5:5,

How many diseases have you missed because someone prayed for your health? How many times have you recovered from a sickness because someone asked God to heal you? There is no way of telling! When you consider the number of viruses out there and the zillion of bacteria, not to mention other mishaps—slipping in the bathtub, falling out of bed, wrecking your car, and so on—it is staggering to think how much we owe to the prayers of other Christians!

Maybe you’re alive today because someone prayed for you!

Secondly, we pray for each other’s deliverance, Acts 12:5-7,

About this story, Watson says,

Have you ever been in real danger? Only to have God snatch you out of it? If you have, who’s to say He didn’t do it because someone asked Him to? Maybe no one knew the precise danger you were in, yet someone prayed that He would "deliver you from the evil one". And He did. Thanks to that prayer.

Thirdly, we pray for each other’s forgiveness, Job 42:8,

At the prayer meeting, there’s always someone who will say, "Father, forgive our sins". Because we’ve heard it so often, it sounds pretty routine. But how do you know that that particular request wasn’t the one God answered—to forgive you? Maybe He took away your guilt and canceled your penalty and gave you a new heart because someone asked Him to do it!

On this point, Charles Spurgeon had a great line. When asked the reason for his amazing success, the man said,

Maybe other pastors would see thousands saved and built up if their people would pray for them!

If God’s People pray for you, they must

One more quote from Thomas Watson,

"This is no small privilege, for the child of God,

That’s worth thinking about! When I’m dead to the Lord, sluggish in my prayers, careless in my Bible reading, not watching against temptation much, I’m kept safe because good people are praying for me!

The last point is my own and not Thomas Watson’s. It seems obvious and so I won’t say much on it.

Other Christians help you by setting a good example. Some years ago, a couple wrote me a letter saying they wouldn’t be back to church. Among other reasons, they said, nobody sets a good example for them. Had they said, Your preaching stinks! I would have said God bless you. But, criticizing the whole church made me mad! I wrote them a response naming names of people they could learn a lot from if they weren’t so proud of themselves.

• One couple could teach them how to age with grace.

• Another couple could show them how to cope with a dying son.

• A man could show them how to live with an unsaved—and impossible—wife.

• A woman could teach them how to respect a husband who doesn’t deserve it.