WEBVTT 00:00:00.720 --> 00:00:01.980 Well, good morning, everyone. 00:00:02.200 --> 00:00:03.780 Great to be in church with you this morning. 00:00:05.120 --> 00:00:11.640 My aim today really is to encourage us to obey Romans 12.12, 00:00:11.720 --> 00:00:14.240 which was just read out to us at the beginning. 00:00:15.040 --> 00:00:20.300 Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. 00:00:21.559 --> 00:00:27.179 That is, I want to really exhort us to be patient followers 00:00:27.179 --> 00:00:31.719 of Jesus Christ who stand firm in faith 00:00:31.719 --> 00:00:36.519 and in fact flourish in faith in Jesus 00:00:36.519 --> 00:00:38.600 through the tough experiences of life. 00:00:38.679 --> 00:00:41.380 And I sense that in the last couple of years, 00:00:41.880 --> 00:00:43.719 we've had a few of those. 00:00:44.280 --> 00:00:47.239 And for some of us, they've got nothing to do with pandemics, 00:00:47.379 --> 00:00:51.280 but have other issues in life that are just ongoing and enduring. 00:00:51.960 --> 00:00:56.799 And the reality is when it comes to tough seasons in life, 00:00:56.799 --> 00:00:59.359 which the reality is we all face. 00:00:59.559 --> 00:01:01.280 That's part of being human. 00:01:01.459 --> 00:01:03.039 We all face those tough minds. 00:01:03.359 --> 00:01:05.359 It's got nothing to do with whether you're a Christian or not. 00:01:05.420 --> 00:01:10.219 It's just the reality is if you haven't yet hit those times, you will. 00:01:10.780 --> 00:01:11.719 They will come. 00:01:11.780 --> 00:01:13.739 It's by virtue of living in this world. 00:01:15.099 --> 00:01:20.039 We need help here because one of the pervasive marks of our times 00:01:20.039 --> 00:01:23.379 is emotional fragility. 00:01:23.379 --> 00:01:26.420 We are so easily offended. 00:01:27.699 --> 00:01:29.519 We moop easily. 00:01:29.679 --> 00:01:30.759 We break easily. 00:01:30.899 --> 00:01:32.939 Our relationships break easily. 00:01:33.379 --> 00:01:34.759 Our faith breaks easily. 00:01:34.899 --> 00:01:37.439 Our happiness just breaks. 00:01:37.500 --> 00:01:38.459 It's just so fleeting. 00:01:39.659 --> 00:01:41.299 Our commitment to church breaks. 00:01:42.120 --> 00:01:44.659 We are so easily disheartened. 00:01:44.659 --> 00:01:52.659 The concept of endurance is not something that you would call our society. 00:01:54.099 --> 00:02:02.900 When history looks back on us, it's not going to say we were just persevering, enduring people. 00:02:02.900 --> 00:02:12.620 It seems that I think, it seems that we have little capacity for surviving, let alone thriving in tough times, 00:02:13.000 --> 00:02:19.659 in the face of criticism, opposition, pandemics, persecution, trials, whatever they might be. 00:02:19.659 --> 00:02:30.240 So when you're surrounded by a society that's like that, and I would argue by also in a church culture in the West that's like that, 00:02:30.780 --> 00:02:37.680 that is of, to quote someone else, a culture of emotionally fragile quitters. 00:02:37.680 --> 00:02:54.340 And frankly, when you see some of that culture within yourself, we need to spend time with people whose lives prove that there is another way to live, 00:02:55.020 --> 00:02:57.219 to thrive in the hard times. 00:02:57.219 --> 00:03:13.719 Now what I've personally found really helpful over the years is it's really helpful to snuggle up close to people who have overcome great trials in obedience to God by the power of God's grace. 00:03:14.539 --> 00:03:16.340 Most of those people are dead. 00:03:17.340 --> 00:03:21.699 And therefore, I want to encourage you to read Christian biography. 00:03:23.240 --> 00:03:24.539 Read about their lives. 00:03:24.539 --> 00:03:27.099 It has helped me so much over the years. 00:03:27.219 --> 00:03:31.500 It gives you perspective on what you're currently going through. 00:03:31.639 --> 00:03:32.759 And so I want to do that today. 00:03:33.520 --> 00:03:40.900 I want to see Romans 12.12 worked out in the life of a man who was a sinner, like you and me, 00:03:40.900 --> 00:03:53.460 who was a pastor and who year after year through trials and hardship did not yield to bitterness. 00:03:53.460 --> 00:04:16.699 Did not yield to apathy or withdraw into shopping, holidays, retreats, whatever it is to get that little bit of joy and happiness back into life. 00:04:16.699 --> 00:04:19.620 So I want to encourage you. 00:04:19.620 --> 00:04:33.319 I'm mightily helpful in reading of his biography by Hanley Mull, Charles Simeon, and also John Piper's The Roots of Endurance, 00:04:34.040 --> 00:04:38.740 where he looks at Simeon's life, Newton's life, and William Wilberforce's life. 00:04:38.740 --> 00:04:43.199 I want to encourage you to grab resources like this and read it. 00:04:43.199 --> 00:04:43.840 You can do this. 00:04:43.900 --> 00:04:45.000 You don't need me to do this. 00:04:45.100 --> 00:04:48.220 But I'm going to basically give you a life of Charles Simeon this morning. 00:04:50.100 --> 00:04:55.660 April 1831, Simeon was 71 years old. 00:04:55.660 --> 00:05:01.840 He'd been the pastor of Trinity Church in Cambridge for 49 years at this point. 00:05:02.480 --> 00:05:11.460 And he was asked by a friend how he had overcome the extraordinary opposition he had faced for 49 years of his ministry. 00:05:11.459 --> 00:05:41.439 And he said, 00:05:41.459 --> 00:05:53.459 Now that's the perspective I want to have. 00:05:55.019 --> 00:06:01.819 The perspective of endurance and joy even in the midst of trials. 00:06:02.379 --> 00:06:05.679 So if you've got the St. Paul's app, I've really got three things I want to talk about today. 00:06:06.259 --> 00:06:08.879 First of all, let's introduce the man, Simeon. 00:06:08.879 --> 00:06:13.560 Secondly, what were the nature of some of his trials? 00:06:14.399 --> 00:06:16.759 And thirdly, growing in faith through the trials. 00:06:16.860 --> 00:06:18.180 So firstly, the man. 00:06:19.279 --> 00:06:23.939 Simeon lived for 77 years, 1758 to 1836. 00:06:24.500 --> 00:06:30.159 His father was a wealthy attorney, a religious man, but not a Christian. 00:06:30.160 --> 00:06:35.020 We know virtually nothing of his mother. 00:06:35.720 --> 00:06:40.520 The assumption is that his mother died when he was but an infant. 00:06:41.000 --> 00:06:50.520 At the age of seven, he was sent off to the Royal College of Eton with royalty and other highfalutin members of society in those days, the high members of society. 00:06:50.940 --> 00:06:52.440 He was there for 12 years. 00:06:52.439 --> 00:07:00.060 The atmosphere at Eton in those days, by his own description, was irreligious and degenerate. 00:07:00.879 --> 00:07:03.040 He hated his time at Eton. 00:07:03.759 --> 00:07:08.060 He said he was exposed to things that no human being should be exposed to. 00:07:08.860 --> 00:07:11.879 At the age of 19, he went to Cambridge University. 00:07:11.879 --> 00:07:19.439 In the first four months at Cambridge University, he was brought to faith in Jesus Christ. 00:07:20.000 --> 00:07:33.279 And the amazing thing about this is that God did it against all the remarkable odds of Simeon not meeting another single Christian at Cambridge. 00:07:33.279 --> 00:07:36.659 It wasn't through the influence of other Christians. 00:07:36.899 --> 00:07:46.039 Mark that in our day and age when there's a heavy reliance upon me being responsible for the others coming to faith. 00:07:47.719 --> 00:07:55.619 And even after he became a Christian, Simeon did not meet another Christian on campus for almost three years. 00:07:56.959 --> 00:08:00.759 He became a Christian during Easter, 1779. 00:08:00.759 --> 00:08:03.939 I think this is remarkable having just gone through Easter ourself. 00:08:04.459 --> 00:08:15.980 In the lead up to Easter, having just gone to Cambridge University, he was told that he was required to go to the Easter services, the chapel services, and that he was required to participate in communion. 00:08:16.339 --> 00:08:24.339 For some reason, and it's purely by the grace of God at this moment, for some reason, this irreligious man, he was terrified by that concept. 00:08:25.139 --> 00:08:29.039 Absolutely terrified about going to church and participating in communion. 00:08:29.040 --> 00:08:35.220 So he decided to read some material in preparation for Easter service attendance. 00:08:36.539 --> 00:08:41.379 This is how he describes it in his journal in Passion Week. 00:08:42.580 --> 00:08:45.180 That's the week leading up to Easter. 00:08:45.740 --> 00:08:49.200 I was reading Bishop Wilson on the Lord's Supper. 00:08:50.000 --> 00:08:51.500 The thought came to my mind. 00:08:52.139 --> 00:08:52.560 What? 00:08:53.340 --> 00:08:56.480 May I transfer all of my guilt to another? 00:08:56.480 --> 00:09:05.420 Has God provided an offering for me that I may lay my sins on his head? 00:09:06.539 --> 00:09:12.680 Then, God willing, I will not bear them on my soul one moment longer. 00:09:13.960 --> 00:09:17.860 Accordingly, I sought to lay my sins on the sacred head of Jesus. 00:09:17.860 --> 00:09:45.320 Jesus Christ is risen today. 00:09:45.320 --> 00:09:46.320 Hallelujah. 00:09:46.320 --> 00:09:46.480 Hallelujah. 00:09:46.480 --> 00:09:46.600 Hallelujah. 00:09:46.600 --> 00:09:46.960 Hallelujah. 00:09:46.960 --> 00:09:47.320 Hallelujah. 00:09:47.320 --> 00:09:48.320 Hallelujah. 00:09:48.320 --> 00:09:49.320 Hallelujah. 00:09:49.320 --> 00:09:54.240 And from that hour, peace flowed in rich abundance into my soul. 00:09:54.240 --> 00:10:06.140 This is a man, an irreligious man, purely by the grace of God, has had his heart transformed and filled with joy from that moment. 00:10:07.340 --> 00:10:07.740 Easter. 00:10:07.740 --> 00:10:07.820 Easter. 00:10:10.019 --> 00:10:13.580 And the effect of his conversion was immediate and dramatic. 00:10:14.279 --> 00:10:18.879 He was well known for his extravagance of life. 00:10:20.299 --> 00:10:27.240 He was known in Eton as a athletic, fancy dressing show-off. 00:10:28.279 --> 00:10:31.639 That continued into his early days at Cambridge University. 00:10:31.639 --> 00:10:37.059 Immediately, it shifted upon his conversion into a life of simplicity. 00:10:38.460 --> 00:10:46.199 In May 1782, Simeon, not even 23, was ordained a deacon in the Anglican Church. 00:10:47.039 --> 00:10:52.179 He was appointed to Trinity Church in Cambridge as curating charge about six months later. 00:10:52.179 --> 00:11:03.339 He preached his first sermon there on the 10th of November, 1782, and he ministered there for 54 years. 00:11:04.159 --> 00:11:05.519 It's incredible. 00:11:06.000 --> 00:11:13.099 54 years until his death on the 13th of November, 1836. 00:11:13.100 --> 00:11:18.500 He preached again and again and again for 54 years. 00:11:18.800 --> 00:11:20.340 No concept of retirement. 00:11:21.720 --> 00:11:24.240 No concept of retirement for this man. 00:11:26.500 --> 00:11:40.879 He became known globally, in fact, not just in England, but globally, as a great preacher, Bible teacher, a trainer, an encourager, a young clergy, a key influencer in world mission, and a philanthropist. 00:11:40.879 --> 00:11:43.840 He inherited a significant amount of money from his brother. 00:11:43.840 --> 00:11:45.179 He was a wealthy merchant. 00:11:45.720 --> 00:11:48.679 When his brother died, Simeon inherited the whole lot. 00:11:49.860 --> 00:11:59.600 Basically, he gave the majority of it away, used most of it that he held back for the sake of feeding the poor in Cambridge. 00:12:01.439 --> 00:12:02.460 He never married. 00:12:03.419 --> 00:12:09.600 The biographies, interesting, don't say much about that, except there's always just like one line. 00:12:09.600 --> 00:12:15.600 He chose the life of celibacy so that he might serve Christ all them all. 00:12:17.460 --> 00:12:33.560 Now, what has drawn me to him again and again over the years was his endurance, not just because of his 54 years at Trinity Church, but through all kinds of extraordinary trials in life. 00:12:33.559 --> 00:12:38.179 Now, I'm not going to outline all of those for you this morning, but I'm going to pick on a few. 00:12:39.519 --> 00:12:46.500 The most fundamental trial that Simeon had in life was himself. 00:12:48.939 --> 00:12:54.559 He was known to be somewhat of a harsh character. 00:12:55.299 --> 00:12:57.299 He had a harsh air about him. 00:12:57.299 --> 00:13:04.959 And for some, he was opinionated and arrogant and short-tempered. 00:13:05.379 --> 00:13:13.279 And he himself acknowledges those things as his greatest bugbear, if you like, that he wanted transformed in his life. 00:13:13.279 --> 00:13:19.000 One day, he was off visiting another pastor. 00:13:19.720 --> 00:13:28.539 And when he left to go back home, the daughters of this pastor went to their dad and said, 00:13:29.279 --> 00:13:33.299 my goodness, Mr. Simeon, what an arrogant, you know. 00:13:33.620 --> 00:13:38.279 They just complained about him, complained about his manner and his attitude and all that sort of stuff. 00:13:38.279 --> 00:13:47.980 And this pastor, who was an older man who just had perspective on all this stuff and perspective on Simeon, 00:13:48.860 --> 00:13:51.620 took his girls outside, and this is how it's recorded. 00:13:52.399 --> 00:13:59.659 He said to them, pick me one of those peaches out in the backyard, you know, the peach tree. 00:13:59.740 --> 00:14:00.759 Pick me one of those peaches. 00:14:01.939 --> 00:14:04.759 And it's recorded, but it's early summer. 00:14:05.600 --> 00:14:08.100 And the time of peaches was not yet. 00:14:08.279 --> 00:14:15.199 They asked, why would you want a green, unripened fruit to their dad? 00:14:16.199 --> 00:14:24.179 And he replied, well, my dears, it is green now and we must wait. 00:14:24.819 --> 00:14:30.299 Little more sun, few more showers, and the peach will be ripe and sweet. 00:14:31.639 --> 00:14:33.379 So it is with Mr. Simeon. 00:14:33.379 --> 00:14:42.080 The second source of his trials was his church. 00:14:43.759 --> 00:14:47.639 The vicar of the Holy Trinity died in October 1782. 00:14:47.939 --> 00:14:53.439 Bishop York, who was the bishop of the area at the time, appointed Simeon as curate in charge. 00:14:53.440 --> 00:14:59.280 But the parishioners of the church did not want Simeon to be their vicar. 00:14:59.279 --> 00:15:06.519 They wanted the assistant curate, a guy named Mr. Hammond, to be the vicar instead. 00:15:07.600 --> 00:15:16.899 And so the first thing this congregation did in rebellion against Simeon was they refused to allow him to preach what was known as the afternoon lecture. 00:15:16.899 --> 00:15:25.480 This was an independently funded thing, a congregation, if you like, independently funded congregation. 00:15:26.139 --> 00:15:28.439 And Mr. Hammond was independently funded. 00:15:28.440 --> 00:15:31.460 And it was highly influential. 00:15:32.320 --> 00:15:34.960 And they refused to allow Simeon to be part of it. 00:15:35.680 --> 00:15:40.200 For five years, they assigned that role to Mr. Hammond. 00:15:41.260 --> 00:15:50.140 And when Mr. Hammond left, instead of turning it over to Simeon, they employed someone else, another independent person, for another seven years. 00:15:50.139 --> 00:15:55.840 So imagine serving in a church for 12 years. 00:15:56.679 --> 00:16:05.500 12 years that they were so resistant to your ministry that they would refuse to let you preach on a Sunday afternoon. 00:16:05.500 --> 00:16:08.519 And they hired an assistant to keep you out of the pulpit. 00:16:11.799 --> 00:16:14.899 Simeon tried to start a Sunday evening service. 00:16:15.460 --> 00:16:19.840 But the church wardens locked the doors so that people couldn't get inside the building. 00:16:20.720 --> 00:16:26.360 While they were actually waiting outside to get into the building, they rocked up, locked the doors so no one could get in. 00:16:27.860 --> 00:16:31.340 The congregation back in those days didn't have seats like this. 00:16:31.779 --> 00:16:36.639 They had pews with door locks on the end of the pews because your family owned the pew. 00:16:37.960 --> 00:16:47.240 And the church members, the congregation, locked the doors of their pews on Sunday mornings when they walked out so that no one could sit in their pews. 00:16:47.240 --> 00:16:50.560 And they refused to come to church. 00:16:52.779 --> 00:16:59.360 So you've got a church full of seats with the pews locked and you weren't allowed to sit in those seats. 00:16:59.360 --> 00:17:12.360 Simeon, in reaction to that, set up chairs all down the aisles around him on the stage area and there was a bit of room. 00:17:13.519 --> 00:17:16.839 The church wardens turned up and threw all the chairs out in the street. 00:17:16.839 --> 00:17:26.639 When he went to visit his parishioners, hardly a single door in Cambridge opened to him. 00:17:27.419 --> 00:17:36.759 He records the slamming of doors in his face again and again and again for 12 years. 00:17:36.759 --> 00:17:43.500 But it wasn't just for 12 years. 00:17:44.079 --> 00:17:51.859 In 1812, after he had been ministering there for 30 years, there was again, he doesn't describe it, 00:17:51.980 --> 00:17:59.819 but a further big opposition that formed against his ministry that lasted another four years. 00:17:59.819 --> 00:18:08.519 In his own description, he says those four years were harder than that first 12 years. 00:18:12.480 --> 00:18:20.700 The third source of his trials was the university, Cambridge University, where he was effectively the chaplain of the university. 00:18:22.000 --> 00:18:26.039 For years, he was slandered with all kinds of rumours. 00:18:26.039 --> 00:18:33.980 The students of Cambridge University held Simeon in such contempt for his biblical preaching. 00:18:35.019 --> 00:18:37.299 They repeatedly disrupt his services. 00:18:37.700 --> 00:18:41.099 They cause riots outside the streets around the church. 00:18:41.200 --> 00:18:50.440 On one occasion, the students banded together and plotted to assault Simeon on the way home from church. 00:18:51.059 --> 00:18:54.899 By God's grace, he took a different route home on that particular day. 00:18:56.039 --> 00:19:03.139 The students who were converted through Simeon's ministry were also shunned and ridiculed in the university. 00:19:03.940 --> 00:19:05.259 They were called Sims. 00:19:06.339 --> 00:19:09.839 And their way of thinking was called Simeonites or Simeonisms. 00:19:11.039 --> 00:19:17.379 There was also the shunning and the coldness of his peers in the university. 00:19:17.380 --> 00:19:30.660 One of the lecturers scheduled Greek classes on a Sunday afternoon and a Sunday night to prevent students from going to Simeon's evening services. 00:19:31.320 --> 00:19:36.920 Deliberately did that, stated publicly that this is the reason why they're programmed here. 00:19:36.920 --> 00:19:55.820 He records in his diary what a delight it was on one particular day where one of his peers in the university went for a stroll with him for 15 minutes and conversed. 00:19:55.819 --> 00:20:00.779 Imagine writing that in your journal. 00:20:01.419 --> 00:20:02.539 Highlight of the day. 00:20:03.079 --> 00:20:06.119 Someone decided to talk with me. 00:20:06.119 --> 00:20:19.519 In another instance, one of the students was denied an academic prize he had earned because of his Simeonism. 00:20:21.599 --> 00:20:24.659 The fourth source of his trial was his physical weakness. 00:20:25.179 --> 00:20:31.419 In 1807, after 25 years of ministry, he describes his health as breaking. 00:20:31.420 --> 00:20:34.100 It just all of a sudden failed. 00:20:35.180 --> 00:20:40.380 And that condition, whatever it was, lasted for 13 years. 00:20:42.140 --> 00:20:48.120 Some have speculated it was like a chronic fatigue kind of a thing or something like that. 00:20:48.980 --> 00:20:50.940 But he doesn't describe what it is. 00:20:52.300 --> 00:20:55.800 Lasted for 13 years until he was 60 years old. 00:20:55.799 --> 00:21:02.200 All the time, Simeon pressed on in his work. 00:21:04.039 --> 00:21:05.500 Just kept going with it. 00:21:07.220 --> 00:21:12.480 And his interpretation of those 13 years of weakness, physical weakness, is incredible. 00:21:13.879 --> 00:21:18.220 When he looks back on those 13 years, he says, 00:21:18.220 --> 00:21:24.960 I had promised myself a very active life up to the age of 60 and then a good retirement. 00:21:26.799 --> 00:21:27.539 And he says, 00:21:27.539 --> 00:21:29.619 Now it seems to me the master is saying, 00:21:29.619 --> 00:21:36.460 I laid you aside because you entertained with satisfaction the thought of resting from your labor. 00:21:38.200 --> 00:21:44.720 But that now you have arrived at the very period when you had promised yourself that satisfaction 00:21:44.720 --> 00:21:52.500 and have determined instead to spend your strength for me to the latest hour of your life. 00:21:52.500 --> 00:22:03.059 I have doubled, trebled, quadrupled your strength that you may execute your desire on a more extended plan. 00:22:05.220 --> 00:22:11.119 At 60 years of age, Simeon renewed his commitment to the mission of the church. 00:22:11.779 --> 00:22:19.059 He preached vigorously for the next 17 years until two months before he died. 00:22:19.059 --> 00:22:27.399 Throughout his many trials, what you see in the life of Simeon is not someone who just endured it. 00:22:27.460 --> 00:22:29.099 This is not just someone who's stoic. 00:22:30.559 --> 00:22:35.099 He didn't just endure it. 00:22:35.839 --> 00:22:36.879 He flourished. 00:22:37.279 --> 00:22:38.200 He grew. 00:22:38.720 --> 00:22:44.159 He was transformed in character again and again and again. 00:22:45.480 --> 00:22:46.859 How did he keep going? 00:22:47.819 --> 00:22:48.720 Here's a few thoughts. 00:22:48.720 --> 00:22:51.140 I run through some of these relatively quickly. 00:22:51.259 --> 00:22:53.299 There's a number of them, but I've only just picked a couple. 00:22:53.940 --> 00:22:57.460 Firstly, one reason for his endurance in his ministry, 00:22:57.640 --> 00:23:03.180 he had a very strong sense of his accountability before God for the souls of his flock. 00:23:04.079 --> 00:23:09.900 Whether they liked him or not, he saw it that he was accountable to God for them. 00:23:09.900 --> 00:23:17.900 He was not commissioned by them for his role in ministry, but by the Lord. 00:23:18.920 --> 00:23:22.360 So very strong drive in the sense of accountability to God. 00:23:23.360 --> 00:23:30.740 Secondly, I think quite significantly, Simeon dealt with his opponents in a forthright, face-to-face way. 00:23:30.740 --> 00:23:47.200 He suggested that there was a lot of evil that could be averted simply by doing things face-to-face and conversing about issues rather than clashing with each other. 00:23:47.200 --> 00:23:56.960 There was an instance where a fellow minister wrote pamphlets about Simeon and accused him of all sorts of things. 00:23:57.100 --> 00:23:58.799 He's heretic and blah, blah, blah. 00:23:58.799 --> 00:24:03.839 And Simeon's response was to sit down with the guy and let's talk. 00:24:06.119 --> 00:24:10.159 Come to an understanding of who I am and what my beliefs are. 00:24:11.539 --> 00:24:17.359 So he's very keen on that idea to take his opponents on face-to-face and sit down and converse, 00:24:17.859 --> 00:24:21.720 rather than fire up stuff on Facebook and cancel. 00:24:21.720 --> 00:24:29.900 Thirdly, quite significantly, I think, Simeon could take a rebuke and grow from it. 00:24:31.380 --> 00:24:43.120 You recall how he interpreted his 13 years of weakness from ages 47 to 60 as a rebuke from the Lord for his intention to retire at the age of 60. 00:24:44.500 --> 00:24:48.720 He was not embittered by that 13-year rebuke. 00:24:48.720 --> 00:24:53.660 He was, in fact, pushed forward by that. 00:24:55.480 --> 00:25:01.539 And it was the same when the rebukes came from people, from either friends or from enemies. 00:25:03.120 --> 00:25:07.000 The sentiment for him was James 1, verse 2. 00:25:07.000 --> 00:25:18.700 If I suffer with a becoming spirit, my enemies, though unwittingly, must of necessity do me good. 00:25:20.740 --> 00:25:24.700 He heard rebukes even from his enemies and grew from it. 00:25:26.420 --> 00:25:28.579 And his friends rebuked him as well. 00:25:29.579 --> 00:25:36.000 You see it a number of times in the biography, them writing to him and his reply, thank you, thank you, thank you. 00:25:36.000 --> 00:25:39.259 He had a bad temper. 00:25:40.339 --> 00:25:43.819 And one day, he was visiting a friend of his, a Mr. Hankinson. 00:25:44.839 --> 00:25:53.319 And he became irritated because Hankinson's servant was stoking the fire wrong. 00:25:54.400 --> 00:25:59.119 You know, in Simeon's words, such an unscientific way. 00:25:59.119 --> 00:26:00.779 I'm not sure exactly what that means. 00:26:01.739 --> 00:26:04.159 And Simeon whacked the guy on the back. 00:26:05.619 --> 00:26:06.899 Whacked him on the back. 00:26:08.659 --> 00:26:18.539 And then when he was leaving, I'm not sure it was the same person, mixed up the bridles, put the wrong bridle on Simeon's horse. 00:26:18.679 --> 00:26:20.039 And Simeon lost it. 00:26:20.039 --> 00:26:28.099 Mr. Hankinson wrote a letter as if it was from his servant. 00:26:28.599 --> 00:26:30.799 And he shoved it into Simeon's bag. 00:26:32.460 --> 00:26:35.639 Simeon found it, the letter, eventually. 00:26:35.640 --> 00:26:39.500 And the letter was this. 00:26:39.980 --> 00:26:48.840 That he did not see how a man who preached and prayed so well could be in such a passion about nothing. 00:26:50.020 --> 00:26:54.720 And wear no bridle on his tongue. 00:26:54.720 --> 00:26:58.460 And he signed it, John softly. 00:27:00.259 --> 00:27:08.960 Simeon responded with the letter as if to the servant, to John softly, from Charles, proud and irritable. 00:27:11.940 --> 00:27:13.779 We can learn stuff from this. 00:27:15.299 --> 00:27:22.100 I most cordially thank you, my dear friend, for your kind and seasonable reproof. 00:27:22.099 --> 00:27:26.619 He also wrote a separate note to his friend Hankinson. 00:27:27.619 --> 00:27:40.139 I hope, my dearest brother, that when you find your soul nigh to God, you remember one who so greatly needs all the help he can get. 00:27:42.659 --> 00:27:47.919 How do you respond when people criticise your ideas? 00:27:52.099 --> 00:27:58.259 Fourthly, Simeon found ways to look at discouraging things, hopefully. 00:27:58.699 --> 00:28:03.639 I love this about Simeon because I think it's something that I need to see myself. 00:28:03.980 --> 00:28:05.740 I want to see this transformation myself. 00:28:05.740 --> 00:28:15.819 When the members of his congregation locked their pews and they kept locking it for over 10 years, Simeon said, 00:28:16.059 --> 00:28:21.180 in this state of things, I saw no remedy but faith and patience. 00:28:21.819 --> 00:28:28.680 It was painful indeed to see the church, with the exception of the isles, almost forsaken. 00:28:28.680 --> 00:28:37.799 But I thought that if God would only give a double blessing to the congregation that did attend, 00:28:38.519 --> 00:28:45.120 there would, on the whole, be as much good done as if the congregation were doubled and the blessing limited to only half the amount. 00:28:46.640 --> 00:28:55.880 This comforted me many, many times when, without such a reflection, I would have sunk under my burden. 00:28:55.880 --> 00:29:06.480 Fifthly, Simeon saw his suffering as a privilege of bearing the cross of Christ. 00:29:07.480 --> 00:29:17.860 He describes one time being buffeted and afflicted in his words, buffeted and afflicted because he was such an object of scorn and derision, 00:29:17.859 --> 00:29:23.799 not just within his church, but within the community surrounding the church. 00:29:25.319 --> 00:29:29.579 He prayed earnestly to God that he would support him from his word. 00:29:31.039 --> 00:29:41.379 And so he opens the Bible for devotional life and he read there about Simon of Cyrene carrying the cross of Jesus up to Golgotha. 00:29:41.380 --> 00:29:49.160 And he wrote this in his journal, you know, Simon is the same name as Simeon. 00:29:50.260 --> 00:29:53.380 What a blessed hint for my encouragement. 00:29:54.420 --> 00:29:59.800 To have the cross laid upon me that I might bear it after Jesus. 00:30:00.620 --> 00:30:01.480 What a privilege. 00:30:03.000 --> 00:30:04.040 It was enough. 00:30:04.039 --> 00:30:13.480 Now I can leap and sing for joy as one whom Jesus has honoured with a participation in his suffering. 00:30:14.960 --> 00:30:18.799 Now that is no ordinary perspective on tough circumstances. 00:30:22.079 --> 00:30:25.460 So how was he able to respond like that with such suffering? 00:30:25.460 --> 00:30:34.640 Now we need to dig a bit deeper here because those are some of the traits of his endurance and how he endured. 00:30:34.720 --> 00:30:37.740 But there is deeper stuff, much deeper stuff. 00:30:38.240 --> 00:30:40.460 The roots, if you like, of his endurance. 00:30:44.759 --> 00:30:48.579 We get a step closer to the roots of his endurance. 00:30:48.579 --> 00:31:03.359 When we notice that Simeon strengthened himself with massive, and I want to use that word again, massive doses of meditation and prayer. 00:31:04.539 --> 00:31:05.500 Devotional life. 00:31:06.079 --> 00:31:08.639 Massive doses of a devotional life. 00:31:09.079 --> 00:31:13.059 A friend of Simeon's said this about him in this discipline. 00:31:13.059 --> 00:31:43.039 Simeon. 00:31:43.059 --> 00:31:43.799 Simeon. 00:31:43.799 --> 00:31:44.339 Simeon. 00:31:44.339 --> 00:31:44.740 Simeon. 00:31:44.740 --> 00:31:50.759 He was comforted in all his trials and prepared for every duty. 00:31:52.460 --> 00:32:03.220 However, Hanley Mole writes in his biography that this early rising did not come easily to him. 00:32:03.220 --> 00:32:09.700 It was a habit that he resolutely fought for and acquired. 00:32:10.480 --> 00:32:17.960 Finding himself too fond of his bed, he had resolved to pay a fine for every offence, 00:32:18.700 --> 00:32:21.620 giving half a crown to his servant. 00:32:23.420 --> 00:32:27.180 Every time he slept in, he paid a fine. 00:32:27.180 --> 00:32:38.340 One morning, he did not want to get out of bed and he thought to himself, 00:32:38.900 --> 00:32:40.880 what my servant could do with the extra cash? 00:32:42.279 --> 00:32:47.440 Realising that that was nothing but an excuse, he got out of his bed 00:32:47.440 --> 00:32:53.799 and he threw a guinea, a lot more money, into the local river 00:32:53.799 --> 00:32:58.279 and said, I will do that every time I sleep in from now on. 00:32:58.940 --> 00:33:02.240 And because, in his own words, guineas were hard to come by, 00:33:02.720 --> 00:33:04.079 he never slept in again. 00:33:07.579 --> 00:33:09.039 Do you like your bed? 00:33:12.440 --> 00:33:15.419 He fought to be a disciplined man of the word and prayer. 00:33:16.579 --> 00:33:19.339 It did not come naturally. It wasn't a personality thing. 00:33:19.339 --> 00:33:24.139 It was the secret of his great grace and strength, 00:33:24.359 --> 00:33:26.179 but it wasn't the deepest secret. 00:33:28.099 --> 00:33:29.379 There's something even deeper. 00:33:31.359 --> 00:33:35.019 It's what he experienced when he went to the word. 00:33:36.799 --> 00:33:40.039 That's the deepest secret of his endurance through suffering. 00:33:40.039 --> 00:33:47.359 I think Mole's biography captures the essence of Simeon's secret of endurance 00:33:47.359 --> 00:33:49.460 in this sentence. 00:33:50.619 --> 00:33:53.980 Before honour is humility. 00:33:55.659 --> 00:33:58.859 And he had been growing downwards year by year 00:33:58.859 --> 00:34:04.480 under the stern discipline of difficulty met in the right way, 00:34:04.480 --> 00:34:09.659 the way of close and adoring communion with God. 00:34:10.940 --> 00:34:14.840 That is, he wasn't just reading his Bible, 00:34:15.460 --> 00:34:19.519 he was commuting with God in his Bible. 00:34:21.460 --> 00:34:26.059 And these two things were the heartbeat of Simeon's spiritual life, 00:34:26.480 --> 00:34:28.699 growing downward in humility 00:34:28.699 --> 00:34:33.099 and growing upward in adoring communion with God. 00:34:33.099 --> 00:34:37.539 And the remarkable thing about this in Simeon's life 00:34:37.539 --> 00:34:42.159 is that humility and adoration were inseparable for him. 00:34:43.819 --> 00:34:45.860 The own crushing in his pride 00:34:45.860 --> 00:34:49.299 and his joy in worship of God were inseparable. 00:34:50.739 --> 00:34:52.079 They had to walk together. 00:34:54.579 --> 00:34:56.039 Here's another quote from him. 00:34:56.199 --> 00:34:58.880 He'd been a Christian for 40 years when he wrote this. 00:34:58.880 --> 00:35:04.300 I have never thought that the circumstances of God having forgiven me 00:35:04.300 --> 00:35:07.900 was any reason why I should forgive myself. 00:35:08.480 --> 00:35:09.440 On the contrary, 00:35:10.140 --> 00:35:14.039 I have always judged it better to loathe myself the more 00:35:14.039 --> 00:35:15.559 in proportion. 00:35:16.079 --> 00:35:17.720 There should be underlying that word. 00:35:17.860 --> 00:35:18.519 In proportion. 00:35:19.700 --> 00:35:24.720 As I was assured that God was pacified towards me. 00:35:24.719 --> 00:35:29.000 There are but two objects that I have desired 00:35:29.000 --> 00:35:31.139 for these 40 years to behold. 00:35:32.039 --> 00:35:34.199 The one is my own vileness, 00:35:34.279 --> 00:35:35.739 my own sinfulness, if you like. 00:35:36.059 --> 00:35:39.000 And the other is the glory of God 00:35:39.000 --> 00:35:41.159 in the face of Jesus Christ. 00:35:41.519 --> 00:35:43.079 And I've always thought 00:35:43.079 --> 00:35:45.439 that they should be viewed together. 00:35:45.440 --> 00:35:51.720 As John Piper says, 00:35:52.280 --> 00:35:54.760 if Simeon is right on that point, 00:35:56.000 --> 00:36:01.260 then vast slabs of contemporary Christianity is wrong. 00:36:03.260 --> 00:36:05.980 Vast slabs of contemporary Christianity is wrong. 00:36:05.980 --> 00:36:13.559 That is for him, 00:36:15.900 --> 00:36:17.539 adoration of Christ, 00:36:17.860 --> 00:36:19.699 adoring of God, 00:36:20.159 --> 00:36:21.079 worship of God, 00:36:21.320 --> 00:36:26.659 grew in the freshly plowed soil 00:36:26.659 --> 00:36:29.559 of his humiliation for his own sin. 00:36:29.559 --> 00:36:32.920 He actually labored 00:36:32.920 --> 00:36:35.860 again and again and again 00:36:35.860 --> 00:36:37.480 in his devotional life 00:36:37.480 --> 00:36:39.340 to know his true sinfulness 00:36:39.340 --> 00:36:42.619 and his remaining corruption as a Christian. 00:36:43.699 --> 00:36:45.000 Simeon had no fear 00:36:45.000 --> 00:36:48.559 of turning up every sin in his life 00:36:48.559 --> 00:36:51.639 and looking upon it with great fear 00:36:51.639 --> 00:36:54.619 and grief and hatred. 00:36:54.619 --> 00:36:59.719 Because he had such a vision 00:36:59.719 --> 00:37:02.279 of Christ's sufficiency for him 00:37:02.279 --> 00:37:03.440 and forgiveness for him. 00:37:06.019 --> 00:37:07.880 And it would always result 00:37:07.880 --> 00:37:09.619 in a deeper cleansing and adoration. 00:37:10.619 --> 00:37:11.239 He wrote, 00:37:11.699 --> 00:37:12.619 the tender heart, 00:37:12.739 --> 00:37:14.380 the broken and contrite spirit 00:37:14.380 --> 00:37:17.859 are to me far above all the joys 00:37:17.859 --> 00:37:19.199 that I could ever hope for 00:37:19.199 --> 00:37:20.319 in this veil of tears. 00:37:21.159 --> 00:37:23.699 I long to be in a proper place, 00:37:23.699 --> 00:37:25.059 into my proper place, 00:37:25.139 --> 00:37:26.799 my hand on my mouth 00:37:26.799 --> 00:37:28.619 and my mouth in the dust. 00:37:29.259 --> 00:37:31.500 I feel that this is safe ground. 00:37:32.039 --> 00:37:33.480 Here I cannot err. 00:37:33.839 --> 00:37:36.819 I am sure that whatever God may despise, 00:37:37.199 --> 00:37:38.539 he will not despise 00:37:38.539 --> 00:37:41.059 the broken and the contrite heart. 00:37:42.980 --> 00:37:44.679 Humiliation for his own sin, 00:37:44.879 --> 00:37:45.659 adoring of God, 00:37:45.779 --> 00:37:47.779 growing upwards in his adoration 00:37:47.779 --> 00:37:48.779 and joy in Christ, 00:37:48.899 --> 00:37:50.339 they were wound together. 00:37:50.340 --> 00:37:53.160 He grew downward 00:37:53.160 --> 00:37:54.500 in the pain of repentance 00:37:54.500 --> 00:37:55.579 and he grew upward 00:37:55.579 --> 00:37:57.480 in his joy in worship. 00:37:58.200 --> 00:38:00.579 And the weaving of these two experiences together 00:38:00.579 --> 00:38:02.500 into one experience 00:38:02.500 --> 00:38:03.420 was the achievement 00:38:03.420 --> 00:38:05.000 of the cross of Christ 00:38:05.000 --> 00:38:06.680 and the deepest secret 00:38:06.680 --> 00:38:08.280 of his great perseverance. 00:38:09.860 --> 00:38:10.260 That is, 00:38:10.519 --> 00:38:11.940 Simeon's great passion 00:38:11.940 --> 00:38:14.340 in his devotional life 00:38:14.340 --> 00:38:16.800 was the contemplation 00:38:16.800 --> 00:38:19.240 of Jesus Christ 00:38:19.240 --> 00:38:20.360 and him crucified. 00:38:24.200 --> 00:38:25.260 This for him 00:38:25.260 --> 00:38:27.039 was the constant reminder 00:38:27.039 --> 00:38:28.640 of salvation by grace 00:38:28.640 --> 00:38:32.000 and that he was dead 00:38:32.000 --> 00:38:33.100 to the pleasures, 00:38:33.280 --> 00:38:33.620 the riches 00:38:33.620 --> 00:38:34.780 and the honours 00:38:34.780 --> 00:38:35.579 of this world. 00:38:37.140 --> 00:38:37.900 That is, 00:38:38.100 --> 00:38:38.660 for Simeon, 00:38:38.740 --> 00:38:39.500 he got to a point 00:38:39.500 --> 00:38:40.440 in his life 00:38:40.440 --> 00:38:42.700 where the admiration 00:38:42.700 --> 00:38:43.760 of people 00:38:43.760 --> 00:38:44.960 did not attract him 00:38:44.960 --> 00:38:45.440 at all 00:38:45.440 --> 00:38:49.900 and the condemnation 00:38:49.900 --> 00:38:50.519 of people 00:38:50.519 --> 00:38:52.500 did not wound him 00:38:52.500 --> 00:38:53.220 at all. 00:38:55.200 --> 00:38:56.559 He was satisfied 00:38:56.559 --> 00:38:57.320 in Christ, 00:38:59.539 --> 00:38:59.940 content. 00:39:03.940 --> 00:39:06.320 He never assumed 00:39:06.320 --> 00:39:07.179 for a moment 00:39:07.179 --> 00:39:10.259 that he was deserving 00:39:10.259 --> 00:39:11.879 of a different life 00:39:11.879 --> 00:39:15.599 but considered it a joy. 00:39:16.500 --> 00:39:17.299 And in that sense, 00:39:17.359 --> 00:39:17.980 he embodies 00:39:17.980 --> 00:39:18.960 the message of 00:39:18.960 --> 00:39:20.179 Hebrews 12 00:39:20.179 --> 00:39:21.839 that was just read out to us. 00:39:22.500 --> 00:39:23.679 Let us fix our eyes 00:39:23.679 --> 00:39:24.239 on Jesus, 00:39:24.440 --> 00:39:24.839 the author 00:39:24.839 --> 00:39:25.399 and perfecter 00:39:25.399 --> 00:39:25.980 of our faith. 00:39:26.500 --> 00:39:27.079 Consider him 00:39:27.079 --> 00:39:28.539 endured such opposition 00:39:28.539 --> 00:39:29.579 from sinful men 00:39:29.579 --> 00:39:30.799 so that you will not 00:39:30.799 --> 00:39:31.299 grow weary 00:39:31.299 --> 00:39:32.179 and lose heart. 00:39:33.059 --> 00:39:33.819 Endure hardship 00:39:33.819 --> 00:39:34.539 as discipline. 00:39:35.379 --> 00:39:36.299 God is treating you 00:39:36.299 --> 00:39:36.859 as sons. 00:39:37.579 --> 00:39:38.219 God disciplines 00:39:38.219 --> 00:39:39.579 us for our own good 00:39:39.579 --> 00:39:40.940 that we may share 00:39:40.940 --> 00:39:41.679 in his holiness. 00:39:42.440 --> 00:39:43.039 No discipline 00:39:43.039 --> 00:39:43.739 seems pleasant 00:39:43.739 --> 00:39:44.399 at the time 00:39:44.399 --> 00:39:45.000 but painful. 00:39:45.639 --> 00:39:46.159 Later on, 00:39:46.259 --> 00:39:46.539 however, 00:39:46.619 --> 00:39:47.279 it produces 00:39:47.279 --> 00:39:48.119 a harvest 00:39:48.119 --> 00:39:48.960 of righteousness 00:39:48.960 --> 00:39:50.279 and peace 00:39:50.279 --> 00:39:50.879 for those 00:39:50.879 --> 00:39:51.179 who have been 00:39:51.179 --> 00:39:51.940 trained by it. 00:39:55.139 --> 00:39:55.779 As Simeon 00:39:55.779 --> 00:39:56.739 lay dying 00:39:56.739 --> 00:39:58.579 in October 00:39:58.579 --> 00:40:00.079 1836, 00:40:01.460 --> 00:40:02.199 a friend 00:40:02.199 --> 00:40:03.980 sat beside him 00:40:03.980 --> 00:40:06.300 and asked him 00:40:06.300 --> 00:40:08.360 what are you thinking 00:40:08.360 --> 00:40:08.780 now, 00:40:08.900 --> 00:40:09.500 Mr Simeon? 00:40:12.240 --> 00:40:13.840 Almost the last thing 00:40:13.840 --> 00:40:14.960 he said was 00:40:14.960 --> 00:40:17.340 I don't think now, 00:40:17.900 --> 00:40:18.800 I'm enjoying. 00:40:20.519 --> 00:40:21.480 I'm enjoying. 00:40:21.480 --> 00:40:21.519 I'm enjoying. 00:40:24.719 --> 00:40:25.340 Hope, 00:40:26.219 --> 00:40:26.719 endurance 00:40:26.719 --> 00:40:27.379 prayer 00:40:27.379 --> 00:40:27.399 and prayer 00:40:27.399 --> 00:40:28.519 are natural 00:40:28.519 --> 00:40:29.139 partners 00:40:29.139 --> 00:40:31.899 in Romans 12. 00:40:31.980 --> 00:40:32.299 12. 00:40:33.399 --> 00:40:34.099 Even as we 00:40:34.099 --> 00:40:35.119 rejoice in the hope 00:40:35.119 --> 00:40:36.579 we have in Jesus Christ, 00:40:37.419 --> 00:40:38.459 gaining confidence 00:40:38.459 --> 00:40:39.959 from God's promise 00:40:39.959 --> 00:40:40.859 that we will share 00:40:40.859 --> 00:40:42.039 eternal glory with him, 00:40:42.439 --> 00:40:43.319 we recognise 00:40:43.319 --> 00:40:44.500 that the path 00:40:44.500 --> 00:40:45.339 to that glory 00:40:45.339 --> 00:40:46.939 is scattered 00:40:46.939 --> 00:40:48.559 with all kinds 00:40:48.559 --> 00:40:49.480 of trials 00:40:49.480 --> 00:40:51.039 and tribulations 00:40:51.039 --> 00:40:52.659 designed by God 00:40:52.659 --> 00:40:53.940 that we might 00:40:53.940 --> 00:40:54.860 get to the point 00:40:54.860 --> 00:40:55.659 of a Simeon 00:40:55.659 --> 00:40:56.779 and say 00:40:56.779 --> 00:40:58.320 enjoying. 00:41:00.019 --> 00:41:00.880 I'm enjoying. 00:41:04.059 --> 00:41:05.059 Given the weight 00:41:05.059 --> 00:41:05.679 of glory 00:41:05.679 --> 00:41:06.279 that will be 00:41:06.279 --> 00:41:06.820 for those 00:41:06.820 --> 00:41:07.719 who are in Christ 00:41:07.719 --> 00:41:08.139 Jesus, 00:41:08.980 --> 00:41:10.759 I agree with Simeon, 00:41:11.820 --> 00:41:13.039 we must not mind 00:41:13.039 --> 00:41:14.239 a little suffering. 00:41:14.239 --> 00:41:14.300 Thank you.