Revelation 21:19

The Jasper

The first foundation was jasper. Revelation 21:19.

Our stone for March is the jasper. I have chosen it because the blood-stone, which is one variety of jasper, is the birth-stone for the month.

There was more of the jasper than of any other stone in the New Jerusalem, for not only was the first foundation of the city jasper; and its walls were jasper as well. Then He who sat upon the throne was compared to a jasper; and the light of the city was said to be as the light of a jasper.

The stone which the Ancients called jasper may have been a translucent stone that is to say, one that you can see light through; but the stone that we know as jasper is an opaque stone one that you cannot see light through. It is a stone of many colors. The most common jasper is yellow, but there is a scarlet jasper, and a red jasper, and a crimson jasper, and a green jasper. There is a jasper in different shades of brown which comes from Egypt, and Siberia gives us what is called ribbon jasper because it is striped like a colored ribbon. India, too, has a rare green jasper, with little red spots in it. This is known as the bloodstone, and it has sometimes been chosen as the special stone for Easter, because the head of Christ crowned with the crown of thorns has been cut out of it, and the red drops have been used to represent drops of blood.

The jasper has been, from earliest times, a favorite, both as a gem and as an ornamental stone in building. The portraits of the Roman Emperors were carved on it, and the finest intaglio (an intaglio is the opposite of a cameo; it is cut in while a cameo stands out) in the British Museum, the head of the Roman goddess of wisdom, Minerva, is cut out of a jasper. To this day it is a favorite stone for signet rings. If father has a signet ring with a red or green stone in it a stone you can't see through ten chances to one it is a jasper.

Large pieces of jasper are used in buildings. The altar in Canterbury Cathedral stands on a platform of yellow jasper, thirty feet long and fourteen wide. Anyone who has been to Italy and has visited her wonderful churches will tell you that they owe much of their beauty to the use of the jasper stone.

Jasper is very hard. It is so hard that it cannot be removed from the bed-rock in the ordinary way. Instead, the workmen bore holes in the rock, and into these they drive wedges of wood which they soak in water. The water makes the wood swell till it bursts the rock. Then the fragments are carefully collected and sent to be cut and polished.

Because jasper is hard and strong it made a splendid first foundation-stone of the Holy City. The other eleven foundations could safely rest on it. Because it is so hard and suitable for foundations it has been called St. Peter's stone. You remember Christ called Peter a foundation-stone when He said, “Thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church.”

Now, what is the jasper's message to us? Is it not this “Be strong”?

1. Be strong in body. Do you know what makes the red spots in the beautiful blood-stone? It is a stuff called oxide of iron. Do you know what makes the red in your cheeks? The very same iron. You have heard people speak of having iron in the blood. You must have plenty of iron in your blood if you want to be healthy boys and girls.

What gives us that iron? Why, good plain food, and plenty of sleep, and lots of fresh air. Don't turn up your nose at milk puddings or an honest plate of porridge, and sigh for pies and paste. Stick to the plain fare and you will grow both tall and strong. Don't want to sit up late at night. Remember one hour's sleep before midnight is equal to two after it, and the person who burns the candle late at night will soon have cheeks to match the candle wax. Don't be afraid of fresh air, or an open window, or a shower of rain. Change your shoes and stockings when they get wet, but be out as much as possible in the open. That will bring to your cheeks roses as red as any in the garden.

2. Be strong in your character. Have good principles and stick to them. Know the right and do it. Don't be either coaxed or driven into doing the wrong. Be firm and immovable as the jasper rock. After all, what is the use of knowing the right if you don't do it?

A bright little boy was sent home from school for bad behavior. “Why, Willie,” said a friend, “how did this happen? I thought you had better principles.” “Oh,” said Willie, “it wasn't my principles; my principles were all right. It was my conduct they sent me home for.” It's no use merely knowing what's right. The thing is to do it. And that is what takes real strength of character.

3. Be strong for others. The jasper foundation had to bear the weight of the other eleven foundations, but it was equal to its task. We have often to be foundation- stones. We have to be strong for others. We have to act as a support to those weaker than ourselves. We have to infuse a little of our own strength into them.

A man in the north of Scotland once got the present of an eagle. He was very proud of it, and kept it chained in the courtyard of his house. He fed it and petted it, but the poor bird pined and grew sicker day by day. It looked so heart-broken, with its drooping wings and its film-covered eyes, that at last the owner feared it might die, and he determined to give it its freedom. He took it out to the hillside, and he set it on a rock, and then he lay down in the heather to watch what would happen.

Presently he saw it raise its head, open its eyes, and look upwards. The man himself saw nothing, but the eagle saw something that he could not see, and heard a sound that he could not hear. Later a speck appeared in the sky. It grew larger and larger, and as it drew near the man saw that it was another eagle coming to the rescue of the sick bird. At last, with a cry of joy, it swooped down beside the invalid. It fanned the poor creature with its mighty wings and lifted it on its broad pinions, till the sick bird gathered strength and courage from its strong friend, and, spreading its wings, soared aloft beside it into the blue sky.

Boys and girls, we should be like that eagle. We should be Strength to the weak. We can help those who have little strength in a thousand small ways. We needn't make a parade of it, but when we see an opportunity of backing someone up, or of lending a helping hand, or of giving a good lead, we should slip in quietly and use the strength God has given us.

Do you know that about eleven-twelfths of the people in the world are weak people not bad people? They are people who need a strong leader. They are excellent followers if someone shows them the way. The other twelfth are the leaders, the strong men, those who bear the burdens, those who are the foundation-stones on which others build.

If God has made you one of the rare twelfth use the strength he has given you to serve your fellow-men.

So doing you will serve Him, and make yourself one with Him. For He came to earth two thousand years ago just that He might help the fallen and be strength to the weak. (The texts of the other sermons in this series are Genesis 2:12; Job 28:19; Proverbs 3:15; Jeremiah 17:1; Ezekiel 1:26; Ezekiel 27:16 (2), Ezekiel 28:13; Matthew 13:45; Revelation 21:19-20 (2).)