HET TEKEN VAN DE VERNEDERDE CHRISTUS

Eindelijk is de dag, waarheen reeds zovelen hebben uitgezien, aangebroken. De dag, waarop de Christus des Heeren geboren werd. Het Woord der belofte is vervuld—want Hij is gekomen, Die reeds in het Paradijs werd toegezegd. Vele en lange eeuwen zijn voorbijgegaan. De volheid der tijden moest echter eerst aanbreken. De tijd, door God bepaald. Nu is die tijd dan gekomen. Het feit, dat door God zelf voorzegd was, is ook door Gods eigen hemelse boodschappers op de aarde gepredikt. Hoe machtig zal het gebeuren geweest zijn, waarvan de herders in de velden getuigen waren, toen daar plotseling een hemels licht hen omscheen en zulk een boodschap aan hen gebracht werd, welke aanstonds een menigte van hemelse heirlegers reden geeft om de eer des Heeren te bezingen. Hoe groots moet dan het feit zijn, dat door een engel Gods moet worden aangekondigd en dat duizenden en tienduizenden van hemelse geesten een lied doet zingen, dat door zijn eenvoud schoon, door zijn inhoud majestueus en door de wijze, waarop het gezongen wordt overweldigend is.

Wanneer echter aan de herders de boodschap gegeven is en uit kracht van de inhoud van deze boodschap de zekerheid daar is, dat deze herders dadelijk naar Bethlehem zullen reizen om het geboren Kindeke te zien, dan geeft de engel een teken, waaraan zij zullen zien, dat het Kindeke, dat zij zoeken zullen, het Kindeke is, waarvan de engel gesproken heeft.

Gij zult het Kindeke vinden in doeken gewonden en liggende in de kribbe.

Dit nu is een vreemd en wonderlijk teken. Het is een ontzaggelijk contrast. Het lang verwachte Kind, de door de hemelse boodschappers aangekondigde, zal gevonden moeten worden in doeken gewonden en liggende in de kribbe. Juist, omdat de engelen dit als een teken geven, moet het voor ons duidelijk zijn, dat dit geen gewoonte was in die dagen om een Kindeke in doeken te winden. Het is dus iets ongewoons, want hieraan kunnen de herders zien, dat dit het Kindeke is, waarvan zij gesproken hebben. Dit in doeken gewonden zijn duidt dan ook een ontzettende armoede aan. Er was niets anders om het Kindeke mee te kleden dan wat oude lappen, waarin het gewonden werd. Daar was ook geen andere plaats om het neder te leggen, dan een voederbak der dieren: een kribbe. Schrijnende en ontstellende armoede wordt door deze doeken en door die kribbe aangewezen. Juist daarover nu willen wij het in deze meditatie hebben. Want dit teken wijst aan, dat Hij, Die van zo verheven afkomst is, Zich de diepste armoede heeft willen laten welgevallen, opdat Hij zo de Middelaar Gods en der mensen zijn zou. De profeet Jesaja heeft gezegd, dat Hij een man van smarten zou zijn en verzocht in krankheid, voor wie een iegelijk het aangezicht als verbergende was. Dit is in Zijn geboorte al bevestigd. Neen, geen vertoon according to His abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you.” This wonder the Lord has made possible for men who are dead in sin and trespasses. What an inexpressible wonder—to be quickened, because then they receive a portion in this life. The regeneration to a living hope is founded upon the risen Christ. God will not make me ashamed is the unmovable expectation of the church —an inheritance incorruptible. This is the future in which our brother may take part for ever. It is the risen Saviour Who says, “I give unto them eternal life, and they shall never perish.” In this salvation he may now already take part. “Oh, how great is Thy goodness, which Thou hast laid up for them that fear Thee.” It is an incorruptible inheritance. By his sin Adam corrupted everything, but Peter may speak of an undefiled inheritance. As a flower which never will wither away, so it will become reality for God’s people when they will be united with the Triune God and never sin anymore. Rev. Vergunst could never come further than to be a poor sinner, but now he has received an incorruptible and undefiled inheritance, which the devil cannot take away from him. He may now be filled with God’s image, which on earth was only partly. Here it was as if looking in a glass darkly, but there the church may rejoice eternally in salvation. Eternity will not be too long to praise God, because eternal damnation was deserved, but eternal glory was received. It shall be an eternal enjoyment to wonder at the wonder of the electing love of the Father, the delivering love of the Son, and the applying love of the Holy Spirit. There they are no longer strangers, but may have a part in God’s favor and presence. To Mrs. Vergunst and family he said, Your path is through deep waters, and the Lord only can give comfort in your grief. May I point you to the woman at the foot of the cross, whose heart a sword had pierced. How bitter was Christ’s suffering, and it was also to the sorrow of His mother, but it was the way He had to go as Surety and Savior. He went through this sorrow, but He entrusted His mother to John. May the Lord also comfort you in this way, and may the God of all grace make it well with you and your children.

The last speaker at the church was the Rev. E.F. Vergunst, brother of the late Rev. A. Vergunst, and he spoke on behalf of the family. He said, You will understand that it is not easy for me to stand today on the pulpit which my brother has occupied for so many years. But on this occasion we wish to refer you to the words of Paul’s farewell sermon to the Ephesians, as it is recorded in Acts 20:24, “But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.” This is the text about which my brother preached when he commenced his work in the ministry in his first congregation of Zeist some 31 years ago. It may seem to be high-minded to describe the work of my brother in this way. Life is so precious unto us. How precious is the life which the Lord gives; now it is even better understood. However, we must not read this word wrongly, as if it is of a man standing in his own strength, for then we would accuse Paul of pride. In this verse and in this chapter he often used the word “I”, and so it seems that he seeks himself, but the opposite is true. The word of the apostle is very humble, and is a word full of amazement and wonder. God’s servants must watch and strive against the seeking of man’s honor in the kingdom of God. Christ must be the center, and that is Paul’s purpose; what he has, he has received of the Lord. It was in this way that my brother also repeated these words as he began his official work, which Christ has now taken away. My brother must not be at the center. It was the mystery of God’s grace and pleasure that the Lord had stretched forth His hand unto Paul. It was a wonder above which he was never able to rise; it makes men humble, but also superfluous in this official work.

It had pleased the Lord to reveal His Son in him; Chirst had become his life, and he was full of the love of Christ. That is the power of the kingdom of God. To reveal Paul’s life’s work is not to honor him, but to honor Christ Who is all and Who has bound him to His cart of victory. The happiness in that service surpasses the heaviness of the office. He has finished the race, a race which was full of trials, tears and oppressions, but he has finished the race with joy. Paul had suffered, but the service of the Lord was a fountain of joy so that he was willing to go in His footsteps. Paul received his office of Christ’s hand, and therefore the word ‘diakonia’ is here used, meaning a serving in His footsteps. How humble must the servant be in respect to Christ’s greatness. Christ is all. The secret of God’s free grace is revealed, but also the righteousness of Christ. The gospel explains the way to return to God; it is the gospel of God’s grace which reveals that salvation is given by the Lord. God’s servants have the command to declare this. Therein is the constraint, worked by the Holy Ghost, to convince sinners, to reveal the love of God in Christ, to testify that the Lord has no pleasure in the death of the sinner. The Lord is free of our blood, as the full counsel of God is preached.

Today at this service for our brother, who received this mandate, but now has finished his course, we deem it not too high to draw his work in the light of this word. Calvin says that the servants of the Lord must be prepared to obey the Lord. It was the love of God which gave direction to the labor of our brother, but it also had human failings; nevertheless, the love of his heart constrained him to finish his race with humbleness, tears and prayer. He also had trials—in his own life and in church life which he suffered just as Paul did. The power of grace made it possible to finish in weakness. He went wherever the Lord called him. This is not to praise our brother, but to praise Him Who walks between the seven golden candlesticks and Who has the seven stars in His right hand. We do not glorify our brother, but we will miss him. He loved the congregations with all his heart. Now he no longer misses us, for his wish is fulfilled and he may glorify the Lord. “Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the Word of God: whose faith follow considering the end of their conversations.” He may worship Him perfectly, and the longing of his love is fulfilled for ever, even as Simeon did sing:

Now I can leave this world, he cries,

Behold Thy servant dies!

I’ve seen Thy great salvation, Lord,

And close my peaceful eyes.

After singing of the first stanza of the Song of Simeon, the service was closed with prayer by Rev. E.F. Vergunst, concluding this sad occasion. With cars and buses the family and friends were brought to the cemetery, where elder G. Moerdyk first spoke on behalf of the congregation of Kalamazoo. This was translated by Rev. E. F. Vergunst, and was followed by a short address by Rev. E. F. Vergunst. At the gravesite H. Vergunst, the eldest son of Rev. A. Vergunst, spoke a few words of thanks to the speakers and friends. Deeply impressed, the thousands departed to their own places. A King’s child was buried.

(In a following issue we hope to detail the addresses made at the cemetery.)

Sioux Center, Iowa

Rev. A.M. DenBoer

NOTE OF THANKS

After a stay of five weeks in the Netherlands, our family has again returned to Kalamazoo. So many tokens of love and sympathy have been shown us during the sickness and after the death of my beloved, unforgetable husband and our father and grandfather, Rev. A. Vergunst.

It impressed us as we experienced the great place he had in your midst. We would have liked to thank each one personally, but this was not possible. Therefore it is in this way that we wish to thank all of you, both in the congregations of the United States and Canada, for the love which we felt surrounding us as a family.

May the Lord sanctify this deep way. Please remember us in your prayers.

All gifts received in these weeks to help in defraying of the large medical expenses have been turned over to the consistory of Kalamazoo. Also these brothers are acknowledged for their support. Mrs. S. Vergunst - Treur children and grandchildren

ELDER AT SIOUS CENTER FOR 30 YEARS

Recently Mr. William Van Voorst, elder at Sioux Center, Iowa, has surpassed the 30th year in serving the congregation. May the Lord further spare him for his wife, children and congregation. What shall we render to the Lord, What shall our offering be for all the gracious benefits He has bestowed on us? Psalter 313:1

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