A touch of the Master’s Hand
‘Twas
battered and scarred and the auctioneer
Thought
it scarcely worth his while
To
waist much time on the old violin,
But
he held it up with a smile.
“What
am I bidden good folks?” her cried,
“Who’ll
start the bidding for me?”
A
dollar – a dollar – now two, only two
Two
dollars and who’ll make it three?”
“Three
dollars once, three dollars twice,
Going
for three – but no!”
From
the room far back, a gray haired man
Came
forward and picked up the bow;
Then
wiping the dust from the old violin,
And
tightening up all the strings,
He
played a melody pure and sweet,
As
sweet as the angel sings.
The
music ceased and the auctioneer
With
a voice that was quite and low,
Said,
“What am I bid from the old violin?”
And
he held it up with the bow.
“A
thousand dollars and who’ll make it two?
Two
thousand and who’ll make it three?
Three
thousand once, and three thousand twice,
And
going and gone!” said he.
The
people cheered, but some of them cried,
“We
do not quite understand –
What
changed it’s worth?” Swift came the reply:
“The
tough of the Master’s hand!”
And
many a man with a life out of tune,
And
battered and torn with sin,
Is
auctioned cheap to a thoughtless crowd,
Much
like the old violin.
A
“mess of pottage”, a glass of wine,
A
game – and he travels on.
He’s
going once and going twice, He’s going and almost gone!
But
the Master comes, and the foolish crowd
Never
can quite understand
The
worth of a soul and the change that’s wrought
By
the touch of the Master’s hand.
This poem somewhat describes
the life of the Apostle Peter. Simon, son of Jonas was a diamond in the rough.
He and his brother Andrew were fishermen on the Sea of Galilee working for
their father who was in partnership with Zebedee the father of James and John.
Peter was the natural born leader of the crew. He was rough and ready, boastful
and proud, a man of great physical courage who rushed headlong into things
without due consideration.
One day a man beheld this
“diamond in the rough.” This Master of men recognized Simon’s latent abilities
and inherent talents. He laid hold of Simon. He gave him a new name, Peter, the
rock. It was a name descriptive of the renewed personality that would come to
Simon. Under the wise leadership and counsel of this man Simon was tempered,
trained, filled with the Holy Spirit and used to the honor and glory of God.
From that day until this the world has never been able to quite understand the change”
that was wrought by the touch of the Master’s hand.” We can understand to a
degree this change that was wrought as we begin to focus three questions Jesus
of Nazareth asked Simon, son of Jonas.
Peter and Andrew in one
boat, and James and John in another had spent the night fishing upon the
Galilean Sea. In the morning with empty boats they came to shore, cold and
tired. A great crowd thronged the shoreline, pressing about Jesus of Nazareth
“to hear the Word of God.” Peter and Andrew beached their boat and began to
wash the nets. Jesus came over and sat down in Simon’s boat and continued
teaching the people. When he had finished his sermon He turned to Peter and
commanded: “Launch out into the deep and put down your nets for a catch.” Peter
replied, “Master, we have toiled all night. We have taken nothing. Nevertheless
at you word I will let down the nets.” In a moment the nets were miraculously
full and yet they did not break. There were so many fish that they filled both
the boats almost to the sinking point. Peter was astonished and falling upon
his knees he said, “Depart from me, O Lord for I am a sinful man.” In the
presence of Christ, Peter was filled with a sense of his own unworthiness.”
Jesus never turns a needy
soul away empty. He answered, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.”
Peter forsook all and followed Jesus. This is the first question that Jesus
asked Peter: “Will you follow me?’ The Master said, “Come, Follow” --- That was
all, “Earth’s joys grew dim. My soul went after Him. I rose and followed – That
was all, Who would not follow, if he heard His call.”
Some follow with a greater
degree of loyalty than others; some follow afar off, others snuggle right up
close to the Good Shepherd. But I feel certain that each of you like Peter have
answered the question: “Will you follow me?” in the affirmative. Where He leads
me I will follow.
When Peter forsook his old
way of life to follow Jesus he entered upon a period of glorious fellowship
with the Son of Man. For two and a half years he journeyed with Christ
throughout the regions of Judea, Samaria and Galilee. He listened as Jesus
taught the multitudes concerning God and His Kingdom. He watched as Jesus gave
food and drink to the hungry and thirsty; hope and peace to the sick, worn and weary;
forgiveness of sin to the spiritually sick. He was with Christ as He mounted
the wave of public acclaim and popularity. Peter beheld the rising wave of
opposition and the decreasing popularity. At last there came the time when the
shadow of a cross began to appear upon the pathway. The hour was at hand when
the Son of God must for the last time go up to Jerusalem, there to offer
Himself, the Lamb of God without spot and without blemish as a sacrifice for
the sin of man.. but before this fateful journey southward was begun He would
spend some time alone with His disciples. The spot chosen for this spiritual
retreat was in the mountain fastness of Caesarea Philippi to the northeast of
Galilee. So Jesus in company with the twelve went northward and came to
Caesarea Philippi.
It was here that the second
great question was asked: “Whom say ye that I am?” This question was asked of
all the disciples. Peter, the spokesmen answered: “Thou art the Christ, the Son
of the living God.” This is the only answer that is satisfactory. In response
to this declaration of faith Jesus replied, “Blessed art thou, Simon son of
Jonas, Flesh and blood hath not reveled this unto thee, but my Father who is in
Heaven.”
We have given many answers
to this question. Some have called Him the great reformer, the matchless
Teacher, the Way Shower of God, and the best man that ever lived. He is all of
this and more besides. These hold Him within the bounds of mere humanity, but
He is more than a man. He is the Christ, the Messiah, the one sent from God who
bore my “sin in His body on the tree.” He is God become man, not man become
God, but God become man to reveal unto me the very heart and nature of God.
After two and a half years of fellowship with this man Peter recognized His
essential deity and gave expression to it.
Who say ye that He is? Is He
to you more than a man to follow, more than a proclaimer of a philosophy to
practice. Is He the One who was wounded “for your transgressions, and who was
bruised for your iniquities?” Is He your God whom you trust for your eternal
salvation? It is possible to follow Jesus, His teachings and His practices and
still not enter into the joys of Heaven. (Compare Matthew 7:21-23) What is the
will of God? Jesus answers that in John 6:28-29. “This is the work (will) of
God that ye believe on Him whom He hath sent.” Do you believe on Him. Have you
confessed with Peter: “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
From this mountain top of
confession Peter descended into the valley of denial. After the arrest of Jesus
in the Garden of Gethsemane Peter following afar off, came at last into the
judgment hall. He did not go and join himself with Christ, but he went and sat
with the enemies of Jesus. Three times he was accused of being a member of the
band of disciples and three times, first by simple statement, then with a
statement and an oath, and finally with a statement and God’s name uttered in
blasphemy – he declared that he knew not the Christ. Then the cock crowed,
Peter recalled that Christ had warned concerning this denial, and then looking
across the judgment hall his eyes came into contact with the eyes of Jesus.
Peter went out and wept bitter tears of true repentance.
There had been a public denial;
there must be a public confession. Some days after the resurrection Peter in
company with the other disciples returned to Galilee. There they spent a night
fishing fruitlessly. In the morning as their boat was heading shoreward they
heard a voice coming to them across the water: “Children have you caught any
meat? Cast your net on the right side of the boat.” They did s o and were
unable to draw it into the boat so great were the number of fishes. John said
unto Peter, “It is the Lord.” Peter leaped into the water and went ashore to
Jesus. Jesus had prepared a breakfast for His disciples and after partaking
they went for a stroll along the beach. Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Simon,
son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than all these?” Peter answered, “Yea Lord,
thou knowest that I love thee.” This was the third question Jesus asked Peter.
“Peter will you follow me? Peter who am I? Peter do you love me? This is the
most important question.
It was not until he settled
this question that Peter was truly used in the service of Christ. Never again
did he deny his Lord. You do not deny that what you love. Never again did he
forsake his Master. You do not forsake your true love. Let me ask you, you have
these many years been following Jesus, you have confessed Him as Lord and
Savior: do you love Him? This is the supreme question. What this congregation
truly loves Jesus there will be no problem of financial support. We adequately
support the one we love. There will be no problem of Church attendance. We want
to meet with the one we love. The sin problem will be settled. For when you
love Jesus, there will be desire to flirt with the world, the flesh and the
devil. There will be no problem of leadership and service. We delight to serve sacrificially
the one we love.
Jesus demands that we love Him
because He is love. “Greater love hath no man than this, than that a man lay
down his life for his friends.” Last week we read in the paper of a foreign
student a Southern College who was unable to swim. His friend, an American
student, was in the pool and in trouble and drowning. The foreign student
jumped in and managed to save the American student from drowning at the cost of
his own life. “No greater love.”
My Jesus, I love thee, I know thou art
mine, for thee all the followers of sin
I resign;
My gracious redeemer, my Savior art
thou; If ever I loved thee, My Jesus, ‘tis now.
I love thee, because thou hast first
love me, And purchased my pardon on Calvary’s tree;
I love thee for wearing the thorns
on Thy brow; If I ever loved thee, My Jesus, ‘tis now.
Dr. Robert W
Kirkpatrick
First Presbyterian
Church, Charleston, W Va. January 12, 1958
