Enjoying Communion with Christ

Introduction:

Connection

We left off last session with a sour note on the sorrow that neglecting those precious times of communion with Christ leads to—in private and in public—sadness and sorrow.

We saw the readiness of Jesus to fellowship, we saw the slothfulness of the bride in sin, and we saw the repentance and earnest desire for the bride to find her King again, to delight in Him, and to enjoy His presence in the fullness of joy. We left off with her running after him as her only prize. And here we shall see what that leads to by his restoring grace.

Theme:

Restoring and Enjoying Communion with Christ

Need:

We need to know what to do when we are far from Christ—we need to know how God has provided means to restore us to the heart of Jesus, and to happy fellowship that our souls long for.

Purpose:

To encourage the bride of Christ to delight in the beauty and glory of her Beloved, to behold his majesty in meekness, and to restore the bride to the Garden of Love with Christ her Treasure and her King.

PRAY - PRAY - PRAY - PRAY

(1) The Bride Praises and Enjoys the Beauty and Glory of Christ - v. 5:9-16

Song of Solomon 5:9–16 ESV

What is your beloved more than another beloved, O most beautiful among women? What is your beloved more than another beloved, that you thus adjure us? My beloved is radiant and ruddy, distinguished among ten thousand. His head is the finest gold; his locks are wavy, black as a raven. His eyes are like doves beside streams of water, bathed in milk, sitting beside a full pool. His cheeks are like beds of spices, mounds of sweet-smelling herbs. His lips are lilies, dripping liquid myrrh. His arms are rods of gold, set with jewels. His body is polished ivory, bedecked with sapphires. His legs are alabaster columns, set on bases of gold. His appearance is like Lebanon, choice as the cedars. His mouth is most sweet, and he is altogether desirable. This is my beloved and this is my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem.

(1) The Bride Praises and Enjoys the Beauty and Glory of Christ - v. 5:9-16

Last session ended with the Bride calling the church to help her to find her beloved, to seek the presence of Christ. And here the saints respond: What is your beloved more than another beloved, O most beautiful among women? What is your beloved more than another beloved, that you thus adjure us? (v. 9).

These saints ask this sorrowful Bride: tell us about your Jesus, remind us why we should help you find him—why should we seek him in this trying hour?

Note that even entire churches can be low in grace, low in their spiritual delights in Jesus, and our own personal distance from Christ and then repentance can prove to be a balm and blessing to our entire church community (Heb. 10:24). As we seek Him earnestly, there is an overflowing effect on our church family. As we behold the King in all his beauty, with the help of his people, there is a congregational revival in the Holy Spirit (Ps. 85:6).

What is the first step to renewing our communion with Christ? To warm our hearts with a fresh look at the Person of Christ through his Word, while enflamed by his Spirit (Eph. 3:8). At this point in seeking Christ after neglecting his love, the Spirit of Christ is already filling you, leading you, guiding you, and empowering you (Rom. 8:14). And the next step of the Spirit’s restoring grace is to show you His beautiful face. Heb. 12:1-2

Hebrews 12:1–2 ESV

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

Notice what the order is: laying aside our sin, then running after Him, and looking to Christ. The bride in the Song has already repented of her sloth, is seeking her King, and is about to look to His excellencies. This is the order of grace in the soul of the Bride of Christ. This is our ordinary experience, and this is our path to life and restoration in the arms of Jesus (Psalm 23; 32; 51; 130).

And so she begins to exult in the Person of Christ—in his incomparable excellencies—not so much trying to physically describe him, but communicating spiritual truths using beautiful and rich metaphors. With Moses of old, hiding in the cleft of the Rock, we cry out: “show us your glory” (Ex. 33:18)!

My beloved is radiant and ruddy, distinguished among ten thousand (v. 10).

Jesus is my beloved, he belongs to me, because he gave himself for me, he knit himself to me, and he sealed my eternal life by his blood. He is radiant in his divinity, shining in purity, dazzling in splendour, being the exact image of the brightness of his Father’s glory.

He is ruddy, reddish, bloody, and earthy. He left the throne above and took upon himself the form of a servant, true humanity to shed his ruddy blood to wash our crimson stains white as snow. Oh is our beloved ever lovely!

He is distinguished among ten thousand. He is the most handsome of the sons of men. He is unsearchable in the riches of his grace. He is incomparable in His glory and majesty. There is none like him among the gods. He is the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. He is the fountain of life, the stream of living water. He is fairer than all, how can you not love Him O Daughters of Zion?

His head is the finest gold; his locks are wavy, black as a raven (v.11).

He is the head of the Church, who rules over all things for our good and for his glory. His Head is the finest gold, pure, precious, and perfect. He is the Lord of all in general, and the Lord of the saints in grace. His locks are wavy, beautiful, and captivating. His hair is black like a raven, soaring through the skies. With strength and might and glory and honour.

His eyes are like doves beside streams of water, bathed in milk, sitting beside a full pool. (v. 12).

His eyes are filled with tenderness and love, gentleness and meekness, compassion and pity. His is filled with the Dove-like-fruit-of-the-Spirit beyond measure. His warmth and gracious embrace of the saints leads us beside still waters, restoring our soul. His eyes are a perfect contrast of the bright whiteness of milk, and the blue ocean of a pool. There is fullness of perfections in His glance of love.

His cheeks are like beds of spices, mounds of sweet-smelling herbs. His lips are lilies, dripping liquid myrrh (v. 13)

His face, his cheeks, and his smile ravish the soul with the savor of the sweet-smelling herbs of grace and truth, superabundant mercy, for the chief of sinners. When we kiss the Son in faith, and take our refuge in him, he returns the embrace; and the sweetness of his Gospel-kisses are like shining lilies in the field, with the smell of myrrh and the most costly of spices.

His arms are rods of gold, set with jewels. His body is polished ivory, bedecked with sapphires (v. 14).

His strength is unmatched. He is the arm of the Lord that never grows weary. His arms are rods of gold with jewels all over. Not only is He pure in His strength, but He is rich in His strength. His strength is used for lavishing the saints with the precious rubies of the City of God—where we shall reign with Him forever and ever. His body is like ivory, like the keys of a Piano that play the notes of redeeming love, as his body was given for us at the Cross. This brings us to share in the sapphires of his Sonship, and our adoption—of his glory, and our reward—of his life, and our salvation.

His legs are alabaster columns, set on bases of gold. His appearance is like Lebanon, choice as the cedars (v. 15).

His legs are like those pillars that lift up the temple of God, alabaster columns laced with golden foundations. If Christ is the temple of God, and we are living stones in Him, that we share in his indestructible life—receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken. His power and glory is like the great cedars of Lebanon—tall and strong. Nothing can snatch us from the hands of his sovereign grace.

His mouth is most sweet, and he is altogether desirable, [altogether lovely]. (v. 16a)

His mouth and the kisses of his love, but more than that, the words of his mouth—they are Spirit and Life—they are unbreakable—they are inexhaustible—the Holy Scriptures that testify of Him, of his sufferings and glory, they are sweet to our souls. Granting us the key to the Heavenly Zion, the Sword of the Spirit—we delight in Him. His mouth and words are sweeter than honey to our souls, in which we rejoice over like a great spoil and prize. Not only is each separate part of the Lord Jesus sweet, but he is altogether lovely. His Person is like the never-ending rivers of life. His Person is like every sweet smell, like every beautiful sight, like every happy sound, like every battalion of strength, like every gentle breeze of meekness, like every virtue and prize combined into one—in whom dwells the fullness of the Godhead. Oh how can we not cry out:

This is my beloved and this is my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem (v. 16).

Not only is Jesus altogether lovely in Himself, but as the Bride of Christ He is altogether lovely for us. God is for us, who can be against us? This is our beloved, and our friend—this is my beloved, and my friend! Do you know Him? Come to Him, and find eternal pleasures, come to Him and find life everlasting, come to Him and find grace upon grace, come to Him and find peace with God, come to Him and find new-life in the Spirit, come to Him and worship the King in all his beauty, of whom the Psalmist says:

Psalm 45:2 ESV

You are the most handsome of the sons of men; grace is poured upon your lips; therefore God has blessed you forever.

“Rutherford: This souls of ours has love, and cannot but love some fair one; and O what a fair One, what a holy One, what an excellent, lovely One is Jesus! Put the beauty of ten thousand worlds of paradises like the garden of Eden in one; put all trees, all flowers, all smells, all colours, all tastes, all joys, all sweetness, all loveliness in one. O what a fair and excellent thing that would be! And yet it would be less to that fair and dearest beloved Christ, than one drop of rain to the whole seas, rivers, lakes, and fountains of ten thousand earths. O, but Christ is heaven’s wonder, and earth’s wonder! With what marvel does his bride say: ‘He is altogether lovely’.

He in whom is every blessing conceivable—He in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge—He in whom is the Tree of Life—Behold Him! He is worthy of glory, honour, and praise, both now and forevermore. This is the first step to restoring communion with Christ—looking unto Jesus.

(1) The Bride Praises and Enjoys the Beauty and Glory of Christ - v. 5:9-16

This brings us to the next step in recovering communion with Christ:

(2) The Bride Pursues and Seeks the Gracious Presence of Christ - v. 6:1

Song of Solomon 6:1 ESV

Where has your beloved gone, O most beautiful among women? Where has your beloved turned, that we may seek him with you?

(2) The Bride Pursues and Seeks the Gracious Presence of Christ - v. 6:1

After proclaiming the excellencies of the Lord Jesus Christ; the daughters of Zion have been stirred to seek Him with the Bride! After being refreshed in their Lord and Saviour too, after remembering the glories of his love, and the greatness of his mercy, they too have woken up from their slumber and are fixed on seeking Him with the Bride.

With new eyes and new hearts by the Spirit—the new sights and new delights of the soul go out to Him who is all glorious above:

2 Corinthians 3:16–18 ESV

But when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.

2 Corinthians 4:5–6 ESV

For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

Seeing Him by faith, we pursue Him by Love.

Burrowes: “Such a description of the beloved might well make the daughters of Jerusalem anxious to see him, and inquire where he might be found. A holding forth of the character and loveliness of Christ, has ever been the leading means of drawing sinners to the cross. The salvation of souls is effected by preaching to them Christ crucified”

We hear him call, and by his sovereign grace we pick up our cross and follow Him who has captivated our hearts!

They say: Where has your beloved gone, O most beautiful among women? (6:1a).

Where can we find Him? Where is He? You are his precious Bride, beautiful and loved! Where can one draw near to this King of yours?

Where has your beloved turned, that we may seek him with you? (6:1b).

Where does he dwell? Where is his throne? Where is his abode? We too will follow Him. Lead us to our Messiah!

John 1:14 ESV

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

John 12:32 ESV

And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.”

With her heart recoiling within her toward her beloved, with the people of God encouraging her and stirring her onward—she seeks His face, earnestly! Ps. 34:4-8

Psalm 34:4–8 ESV

I sought the Lord, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears. Those who look to him are radiant, and their faces shall never be ashamed. This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him and saved him out of all his troubles. The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them. Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!

How do we experience his blessed presence? By the means of grace, in the fellowship of the saints, in the garden of love—the vineyard of the church—the hearts of the saints! So together, with eyes toward Calvary, we seek Him in the power of the Spirit—being drawn again to experience the face of God shining up us once again!

(2) The Bride Pursues and Seeks the Gracious Presence of Christ - v. 6:1

This leads her soul to at last be restored to a holy and happy communion with the Lord Jesus Christ:

(3) The Bride Participates and Rests in Communion with Christ - v. 6:2-3

Song of Solomon 6:2–3 ESV

My beloved has gone down to his garden to the beds of spices, to graze in the gardens and to gather lilies. I am my beloved’s and my beloved is mine; he grazes among the lilies.

(3) The Bride Participates and Rests in Communion with Christ - v. 6:2-3

The Bride, after her spiritual sloth, after her spiritual repentance, after her spiritual seeking, after her spiritual sight of Christ, and after finding help from the Saints; she finds her beloved! Where was the beloved? My beloved has gone down to his garden, to the beds of spices, to graze in the gardens and to gather lilies. (v. 2).

Jesus dwells amongst his churches. Jesus dwells in the hearts of the saints. Jesus dwells in us by His Holy Spirit. Jesus walks amongst his people. Jesus shepherds his flock as our Husband-King. Jesus feeds his flock as our Shepherd-Saviour. Jesus abides in us, as we abide in Him. The church is a garden, a vineyard, where the Lord Jesus comes to plant, to prune, to eat sweet fruits, and to cultivate sweet fellowship.

Song of Solomon 4:12 ESV

A garden locked is my sister, my bride, a spring locked, a fountain sealed.

The church is a garden locked—fenced in by the protection of the Husbandman. Only those who profess faith in Jesus Christ, and repentance from their sins, are given entrance into the church. The garden is not an open-garden for all to enter—this is a garden locked, walled in, and only those who know the Gardener by faith have a right to enter. But for those who are part of this Garden, Jesus comes to fellowship, to walk with us, to speak to us through his Word, to produce spiritual fruit in us through his Spirit, to prune us by his power, and to use us for his glory.

Galatians 5:22–23 ESV

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

The sweetest place we can be is walking with Christ in the Garden of Love. Abiding with Him. Resting in Him. Enjoying Him. Delighting in Him. Filled by Him. Strengthened by Him. Comforted by Him. And Satisfied in Him.

John 15:5 ESV

I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.

As we abide in Christ, we produce sweet-smelling spices, rich and beautiful fruits, and it is the delight of Christ to graze or to shepherd in the gardens and to gather lilies—to pastor his flock and to enjoy the sweet flowers that His people produce by the means of grace. We find communion with Christ restored in the means of grace—as we read and mine the Word of God, as we meditate on the Law of God, as we rejoice in the Gospel of God—as we prayerfully apply the Word to our lives, as we plead for our Father’s blessings in our lives, as we praise Him for His goodness and greatness—as we sing to Him for His wondrous love and great acts of grace, as we exult in Him, boasting in the Cross of Christ, the power of God unto salvation. Only as we commune with Christ in the Garden of Love, will be bear fruit for His Kingdom:

Philippians 1:11 ESV

filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.

Where do we find our Beloved when he is far from us? We find our souls restored to communion with Him in his garden, in his church, in his temple, and in our hearts.

Burrowes: “The spouse knew well the beloved’s place of resort; and felt that though withdrawn from her, he was still among his churches and in the midst of his saints. There she must go to find him. Jesus may withdraw from the soul of a believer; he never forsakes his Church; and when our hearts are forsaken, we may be comforted by knowing, that if diligently sought, he will be found again in the spiritual garden of his Church, enjoying its delights and gathering to his bosom the lilies, his sanctified ones.”

His greatest delight is to gather lilies—to receive your love and service, to enjoy your presence and prayers, to commune with his Bride, his Prize, his Beloved, his Sister, and his Friend. And as we rest here, in His gracious presence, we cry out with comfort, happiness, and peace:

I am my beloved’s and my beloved is mine; he grazes among the lilies (v. 3).

I am His and he is mine. I am His as a gift of electing love from the Father. I am His as a chosen Bride by the Son. I am His as a fruitful branch in the Spirit.

He is mine as my Lord and Saviour. He is mine as my portion and strength. He is mine as my friend and redeemer. He is mine as my hope in life and death.

And to know with the full assurance of faith, with true love in the soul, and fruit abounding in the Garden—I am my beloved’s and my beloved is mine.

His was the sorrow, mine was the joy. His was the pain, mine was the peace. His was the death, mine was the life. His was the atonement, mine was the confession. His was the satisfaction, mine was the belief. His was the resurrection, mine was the reward. His was the seat above, mine was the Spirit below.

Oh to dwell with Christ, to know Him more! To count everything else as dung in comparison to the all surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord—to know His love is to feel His love (Phil 3:8).

John Fawcett says: “What holy transports of soul, what divine delights have many Christians experienced, in meditating on the glories of the Redeemer! Ascending the mount of contemplation, their souls have taken wings and explored the height and depth, the length and breadth of the love of Christ, which passes knowledge! They have seen, by the eye of faith, that he is infinitely lovely in Himself, that he is the admiration of angels, the darling of heaven, and the delight of the Father. They have viewed him in the brightness of his ineffable glory, clothed with indescribable majesty and honour! They have been transported with the smiles of his face [in happy communion], and have said of him ‘He is the chief among ten thousand, and altogether lovely!’”

Why can we enjoy this restored communion with Christ? Especially after neglecting the knocks of his love? After coldness and sloth? Because in Christ is superabundant grace, restoring grace, forgiving grace, and renewing grace—he can heal our hearts, heal our backsliding, heal our apostasy. Because of His new morning mercies, we have hope to come to Him again. The Lord promises this in Hosea:

Hosea 14:4–7 ESV

I will heal their apostasy; I will love them freely, for my anger has turned from them. I will be like the dew to Israel; he shall blossom like the lily; he shall take root like the trees of Lebanon; his shoots shall spread out; his beauty shall be like the olive, and his fragrance like Lebanon. They shall return and dwell beneath my shadow; they shall flourish like the grain; they shall blossom like the vine; their fame shall be like the wine of Lebanon.

We rest in the arms of our Beloved, who has healed our apostasy, loved us freely, satisfied God’s wrath, made us fruitful, brought us into the sweetness of his shadow, to glorify Him and enjoy Him forever. This is our beloved, and this is our friend!

(3) The Bride Participates and Rests in Communion with Christ - v. 6:2-3

This brings us to our conclusion:

(C) Those who Gaze upon the Beauty and Glory of Christ are Restored to a Delightful Enjoyment of the Loveliness of Christ.

Isaac Watts once wrote:

“Christ hath a garden walled around, A Paradise of fruitful ground, chosen by love and fenced by grace, from out the worlds wide wilderness.

Like trees of spice his servants stand, there planted by his mighty hand; by Eden’s gracious streams that flow, to feed their beauty where they grow.

That he may come and linger yet, Among the trees that he hath set; that he may evermore be seen, to walk amid the springing green”

May we seek Him in the Garden-Church—enjoy Him in the fruit of love—and abide in Him all our days in this pilgrim way, until we eat the fruits of the tree of life, and we shall live forever and ever—satisfied in his beautiful likeness.

(C) Those who Gaze upon the Beauty and Glory of Christ are Restored to a Delightful Enjoyment of the Loveliness of Christ.

Amen, let’s pray.

Questions for Discipleship Groups:

(1) Why does beholding the loveliness of Jesus warm our hearts to return to Him, and to seek Him earnestly?

(2) Why do we need the help of the saints to draw near to our Saviour?

(3) What is it about communion with Christ that brings such rest and peace to our souls?