Luke 13:25-30 When once the master of the house is risen up, and has shut to the door, and you begin to stand without, and to knock at the door… I. THE SINNER WILL BE ENCOMPASSED BY THE MULTITUDE OF HIS SINS. If, during this earthly life, an evil conscience is the most cruel tormentor, a two-edged sword for the sinner, he will feel its stings the most — 1. At his departure from this life.(I) All self-delusions will vanish when the fragile body breaks down, the world with its possessions disappears, and time will be no more. (2) All terrors attack the soul of the sinner — his sinful past, his helpless present, and an inevitable and hopeless eternity. 2. At the approach of judgment, when the sinner's conscience will be — (1) Its own witness, because in the presence of Divine omniscience it will understand how useless it is to tell a false. hood, or to bring forth excuses, and how utterly impossible to conceal anything. (2) Its own accuser, as it will be obliged to make a sincere self-accusation concerning many faults and heinous crimes which were concealed in life. (3) Its own judge, as it will condemn the folly of its aberrations, the vanity of worldly attachment, the perversity of delaying conversion, &c., and it will itself approve the sentence pronounced by God. II. THE SINNER WILL BE STRAITENED BY THE SEVERITY OF JUDGMENT. 1. Jesus Christ, to whom the Father has committed all judgment, will, as God, avenge the insulted Divine dignity because of contempt and ingratitude, and His grieved humanity, because the sinner refused to give alms, and committed so many unjust actions against his neighbour. 2. As Man. He who was before the mild Mediator and Intercessor in behalf of the sinner will be now the inexorable Judge. 3. As Redeemer He will demand an account, because the sinner has scorned His precious blood, and has slighted the graces offered to him; and because he has been the cause of the ruin of other souls. 4. As Model of a virtuous life, He will convict and confound the sinner. III. THE SINNER WILL RE UTTERLY CONFOUNDED BY THE SENTENCE PRONOUNCED AGAINST HIM. 1. This sentence will be as dreadful as hell itself. (1) Deprived for ever of the Beatific Vision. (2) Condemned the creature by its Creator, man by his God, the Christian by his Redeemer. (3) Cursed — the soul, the body, all the senses and faculties. 2. This sentence will be perfectly just, for the punishment will be — (1) Proportionate to the multitude of sins, and to the wickedness, knowledge, and position of the sinner. (2) The portion of the infidel and reprobate sinner only, who, as he was not willing to believe and repent in time, ought to suffer in eternity. 3. The sentence is irrevocable. 4. It will be forthwith executed. (De la Rue.) Parallel Verses KJV: When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; and he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence ye are: |
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