give you all a warm welcome to
our worship here this evening. Let us ask the Lord's blessing,
let us pray. O Lord God of heaven and of earth,
we beseech thee for an evening blessing, and that we might worship
thee in spirit and in truth. And ere we leave thy house this
day, O do grant us that sweet savour of Christ, and that there
might be in heaven that sweet savour also ascend from the earth. O Lord, do make this to be even
the gate of heaven and a place where thy people receive those
tokens for good and those messages from their God. We ask through
thy name, Lord Jesus. Amen. Hymn, 267. Tune, Melling 883 Let us read together from the
Holy Word of God, the Acts of the Apostles, chapter 9, read
the first 31 verses. We're joining with one of our
free Bibles, the Ruby Bible, is page 1018. Acts chapter 9
from verse 1. And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings
and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high
priest and desired of him letters to Damascus, to the synagogues,
that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or
women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem. And as he journeyed,
he came near Damascus, and suddenly there shined round about him
a light from heaven. And he fell to the earth, and
heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou
me? And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus,
whom thou persecutest. It is hard for thee to kick against
the bricks. And he trembling and astonished
said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto
him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what
thou must do. And the man which journeyed with
him stood speechless, hearing a voice, but seeing no man. and saw the rose from the earth,
and when his eyes were opened he saw no man. But they led him
by the hand and brought him into Damascus. And he was three days
without sight, and neither did he eat nor drink. And there was a certain disciple
at Damascus named Ananias, And to him said the Lord in a vision,
Ananias, and he said, Behold, I am here, Lord. And the Lord
said unto him, Arise, and go into the street which is called
Straight, and inquire in the house of Judas for one called
Saul of Tarsus, for behold, he prayeth, and hath seen in a vision
a man named Ananias coming in and putting his hand on him that
he might receive his sight. Then Ananias answered, Lord,
I have heard by many of this man how much evil he hath done
to thy saints at Jerusalem, and here he hath authority from the
chief priests to bind all that call on thy name. But the Lord
said unto him, Go thy way, for he is a chosen vessel unto me,
to bear my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of
Israel. For I will show him how great
things he must suffer for my name's sake. And Ananias went
his way and entered into the house, and putting his hands
on him, said, Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, that appeared
unto thee in the way as thou camest, has sent me, that thou
mightest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost.
And immediately there fell from his eyes, as it had been scales,
and he received sight forthwith, and arose and was baptized. And when he had received meat,
he was strengthened. Then we saw certain days with
the disciples which were at Damascus. And straightway he preached Christ
in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God. But all that
heard him were amazed and said, Is not this he that destroyed
them, which called on this name in Jerusalem, and came hither
for that intent, that he might bring them bound unto the chief
priests? But Saul increased the Moor in
strength, and confounded the Jews which dwelt at Damascus,
proving that this is very Christ. And after that many days were
fulfilled, the Jews took counsel to kill him. But their laying
await was known as Saul, and they watched the gates day and
night to kill him. Then the disciples took him by
night and let him down by the wall in a basket. And when Saul
was come to Jerusalem, he assayed to join himself to the disciples. But they were all afraid of him,
and believed not that he was a disciple. But Barnabas took
him, and brought him to the apostles, and declared unto them how he
had seen the Lord in the way, and that he had spoken to him,
and how he had preached boldly at Damascus in the name of Jesus. and he was with them coming in
and going out at Jerusalem. And he spake boldly in the name
of the Lord Jesus and disputed against the Grecians, but they
went about to slay him. Which when the brethren knew,
they brought him down to Caesarea and sent him forth to Tarsus. Then had the churches rest throughout
all Judea and Galilee and Samaria, and were edified, and walking
in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost,
were multiplied. Thus far, the reading of God's
holy word. May he bless it to us and help
us in prayer. Let us pray. Thou most merciful and gracious
Lord God, our loving Heavenly Father, we come to Thee through
our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. And Lord, we plead Thy precious
blood shed on Calvary's tree. We thank Thee for the record
that we have read of Thee meeting, calling, quickening a soul. O Lord, do grant that we might
see such cases today. Lord, make us also to be like
Barnabas, who evidently was one who could see the grace of God,
recognise the grace of God. And O Lord, we do pray that we
might be like him and desirous of seeing it, expect and see
that we should see thy work and thy fruit even in our day. O Lord, begin here, begin with
us as a assembly this evening. Bless those in the chapel here
and those who join with us online and do grant that each soul might
be precious in thy sight. Lord, do grant that there might
be a moving on from a pricking, a kicking against the bricks,
and that there might be a very clear turning us about, turning
unto Thee, a clear opening of our eyes, a clear seeing Thee. Oh Lord, do work this work in
our assembly here, and do confirm and strengthen thy work in the
hearts of those that know thee. O Lord, thou hast promised to
give and for us to pray that thou hast give us our daily bread. Do grant us that bread from heaven. Do grant also in the midst of
tribulation that we might have, while the outward man perishes,
that the inward man be renewed day by day. Grant us then, day
by day, thy word that shall lift us up, strengthen us, encourage
us, and help us on our way. Lord, we do seek that we might
ever have in view a heavenly home. Grant us, Lord, a good
scripture warrant that it is ours, and Lord, do bring us there. We are mindful of those that
we've been with, whom we have loved, whom we have walked with,
that have been fellow companions in the journey, and they are
now there. Oh Lord, we miss them. We miss them. And Lord, do be
pleased to grant that every time we do, that we might freshly
desire to be followers of them who through faith and patience
inherit the promises. No, Lord, leave us not to come
short of that glory. Lord, answer the prayer and desires
of our first hymn, that we might be truly thy children and that
we might one day see the glory of our Lord, the joy of those
who have gone before us and enter into that ourselves. Lord, we
pray for those that are especially going through tribulation at
this time, those who are sick, those who are unwell, those recovering
from operations, those having treatments, serious treatments.
Lord, help them, be with them, sanctify to them the path, grant
every good please the uniting time and way, healing hand, But
Lord, if not, O Lord, do prepare and bring safely home. We do seek, Lord, that we might
be a prepared people for a prepared place. You comfort those that
are in bereavement. We pray for those that will meet
this week, tomorrow, for a funeral at Mount Muir's. We do seek,
Lord, that thou's comfort those in bereavement there. And Lord,
that thou's remember the church. And Lord, as Thou didst gather
those souls that have been praying souls here below, Lord, do replenish
the flocks. And Lord, may there be those
brought forth to the light that are hidden ones. Lord, do remember
those that are like Nicodemus, who secretly followed Thee, Joseph
of Arimathea, a secret disciple. Lord, Thou didst bring them to
the time They could not be secret. The woman, with the issue of
blood, she received healing, but would have gone away without
it being made known. But thou didst not suffer it
to be so. O Lord, do make those known whom
thou hast blessed and favoured and given liberty and given joy
and given that which they have sought thee for. that they might
be also helped to have the fear of man taken away, and that they
be able to tell what thou hast done for them. O Lord, we do
seek this blessing upon the churches, upon us here, and Lord, that
thou hast filled this house with hungering, thirsting souls. We pray thy blessing on all who
have received thy word through the distribution Lord, do be
pleased to bless each copy. And Lord, may there be fruit
found. And Lord, even those that may
have found themselves overseas with the families of the overseas
students that study at Cranbrook. Oh Lord, may thy blessing be
upon thy word wherever it goes forth. We know we trust thy providence,
not able to direct it, Thou knowest where Thy people are. And Lord,
we do commit ourselves unto Thee in the journey of life. And Lord,
any that have to make literal journeys in this coming week,
Lord, may they be times that Thou art pleased to draw near
and grant Thy blessing. We thank Thee for the remembrance
of such times in years past. And oh Lord, do be with us day
by day. Be with us in our going out.
and now coming in, now sitting down, now rising up, Lord, may
it be that Thou who knowest our lives through and through might
give us those appointed times that we'll be able to look at
and see how Thou has appointed them for us. Lord, we make intercession
again concerning the assisted dying bill going to be presented
to Parliament soon. We do thank thee that there are
those, including the Deputy Prime Minister, that are against this
bill and have said that they will vote against it. And we
do thank thee for this. We pray that there might be others,
and especially those that are uncertain at this time. Lord,
do be pleased to overthrow it once more. and do deliver this
land from such legislation, O Lord, we do make intercession to Thee
regarding this matter. Now, Lord, do be pleased to grant
unto us to know Thee, whom to know is life eternal, and that
Thou hast granted close a walk with Thee, a calm and heavenly
frame, a light to shine upon the road that leads us to the
land. with fellowship and communion
with Thee, deliver us from this world and all its busyness, its
cares and those things that crowd Thee out, so that we have no
time for Thee, or the time we have for Thee is spent with our
minds half on something else and the next thing to be done.
Lord, do grant us that we might be like Mary sitting at Thy feet
and hearing Thy Word. O Lord, we thank Thee for Thy
Word in our own tongue, a faithful translation. We pray, Lord, for
others who have not this blessing and in other lands. Remember
our churches in Australia, in Canada, America, and do bless
them. Be with those that hope to have
their pastor come to them in America soon. Be with each of
those servants. Lord, do Thou be pleased to bless
our dear friends in Holland. We thank Thee for them. Be with
those in affliction. Be with each in their path. O shine, Lord, upon the churches
there. Lord, do bless dear brethren
there. We do seek that those remember
those in America, those in Minnesota, friends, Lord, that we know them. We do pray thy blessing to be
upon them. Oh Lord, do be pleased to help
us and shine upon thy word this evening. Grant us that we might
go forth Help, Lord, on this first day of the week. Lord,
may thou hear prayer that this week might be a week of blessing. We know when thou hast appointed
time and place, we shall enter upon a week that by the time
we come to the close of it, we shall have been blessed and help
and prayers answered. And Lord, we would live in that
expectation and pray, Lord, that thou wouldst give us that earnest
wrestling prayer and faith to believe that thou wilt appear. Thou hast done it for us before,
O Lord, do it again. Be with dear aged friends, we
commit those in Pilgrim Home and Bethesda unto thee. Be with
our young friends, we commit them to thee and the children. Do work in their hearts while
they are young. Remember any that feel to have
been passed by, by thy grace. Others are stepping down before
them. Children are being called before
parents. O Lord, do have mercy and do
bless those that are anxious, concerned, and troubled of these
things. And Lord, do visit their souls.
Thou knowest what to use. And Lord, do be pleased to bless
our families. We thank thee where there is
a oneness in the things of God. and where there is not, we pray
it might be made so, and that thou hast healed every breach,
and grant, Lord, that thy peace, thy blessing might rest upon
every gathering of our families. We ask, Lord, that thy blessing
now might be upon thy word, help to speak and help to hear, and
that thy power might attend it. Lord, we do plead that precious
blood shed on Calvary's tree, We plead Thy precious promises. Do remember us for good in Thy
beloved Son. Amen. Announcements God willing,
I am expected to preach here on Thursday evening at seven
o'clock and next Lord's Day at 11 a.m. and 6.30 p.m. Hymn, 286. Tune, Roscommon 401. Seeking for the help of the Lord,
I direct your prayer for attention to Acts chapter 9 and reading
for our text, verse 3. and as he journeyed he came near
Damascus and suddenly there shined round about him a light from
heaven. Acts 9 verse 3 and it is the
first clause as he journeyed that is upon my spirit. Here is Paul journeying is on
his way to Damascus and we're told of what his mission was
there, the letters that he had to bind all that called upon
the name of the Lord at Damascus. But that journey, how little
did Paul think that before he got to the end of it, the Lord
would meet with him and change what he had intended to do and
really changed his whole life from then on. Really from that
time, Paul entered into a pilgrimage journey, a journey that was a
never to be forgotten journey, became the start of a life which
he said, what I am, I am, by the grace of God. And all of us, we are in the
journey of life, we are traveling to eternity. Not all of us, perhaps,
as yet, are pilgrims in it. And within that journey of life,
there are times that we go on journeys, whether in the car,
on foot, or in a plane. And some of us, I certainly have
had where the Lord has met me in those journeys. That car has
been a blessed spot. I can remember spots of the road
where the Lord has been pleased to so bless my soul. Those journeys
which we've carefully planned out may be very long journeys
so that we had health and strength, nice and refreshed before we
started off and the Lord's turned it on its head. Things have happened
and instead of starting the journey rested, we started it very tired. And yet the Lord has been pleased
to bless and be with us on those journeys. Sometimes we might
think that a journey is a wasted time and that we'd rather do
without it and rather stay at home or not go. And yet the Lord
has come and met with us and blessed us in it. And we should
have that expectation. Remember the children of Israel
in the wilderness. While the cloud remained upon
the tabernacle, they stayed. But when it moved, then they
journeyed. And it was only when they journeyed
that they ever saw any similitude of the shape of the Ark. The
Ark that set forth our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ was always
under curtains. But as we have said before, When
it was in the holy place, the curtain was right in front of
it. No one saw the shape of it. When
they moved, then the veil was taken down and draped over the
ark so that even those taking it down did not see the ark. The children's picture books
of showing the ark on the shoulders of the Levites in full view had
never happened. It was always covered. But like
if we had a sheet draped in front of this pulpit, you would not
see the shape of a microphone on the pulpit. But if we draped
the sheet right over, then the Bible, you would see the shape
of it underneath the microphone, the pulpit. You'd know it was
there by its shape. And so with the ark, As it covered
the cherubims, it covered the ark itself, they would have seen
that it was not just something they were told was there, but
it wasn't. It was there. And it was only when they journeyed
they saw that. And I approve this. I believe
that in the changes of life, whether it be a new job or whether
it be a new house or a change of moving, especially those important
times, the Lord has been more clearly seen then than at any
other time. And so it was with the children
of Israel. And so it has been with the people
of God right through the ages. And so I wanted to Look this
evening, first at appointed journeys, appointed journeys. And then
secondly, the pilgrimage journey that all God's children make. And thinking of Israel in a typical
way. And then lastly, journeys the
Lord has met his people in. And I wanted to look at those
actual accounts in the word of God. and how it has been when
they have been on a journey. The Lord has met with them and
he's blessed them. I want to think first then of
appointed journeys. I want to begin with our Lord
and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Sometimes we might overlook that
our Lord speaks of how that he was with his Father, the joy,
and communion that he had with his Father, and the condescension
that he came to this earth. He was made man, dwelt among
us. We beheld him as the only begotten
of the Father, full of grace and truth. And our Lord was to
pass through this world. He was to live in this world. And the inspired word of God
tells us of those journeys that he makes. Nearly every account
in the Gospels of our Lord is somewhere in it a journey, right
from when he was born and they went down into Egypt because
Herod was seeking to slay him, and then from Egypt and then
into the, turned aside into Galilee and to Nazareth, And all the
time you're reading where our Lord was traveling from one place
to another, indeed first you might say the first 30 years,
there is silence apart from when he was 12. And then you read
the journey. His parents had come up to Jerusalem. They went, they went three days
journey. They missed him. They thought
he was in the company. They returned back, they found
him. with the doctors and lawyers
in the temple, asking questions and speaking with them. Many of these things, it surrounds
journey and moving and traveling from one place to another. We think of our Lord going up
to Jerusalem and because his face was to go up to Jerusalem,
the Samaritans would not receive him So the disciples said, shall
we, like Elijah, call fire down from heaven and consume them?
The Lord said, you know not what manner of spirit you are. The Son of Man came not to destroy
men's lives, but to save them. And you think of the blind men
by the wayside. You think of Zacchaeus up in
his tree. Our Lord is traveling. The Lord
passes by. And all of these times, the Lord
is traveling, not just on land. What about when he walks on the
water? He comes to them over the water. What about when he's asleep in
the ship and they wake him because of the storm? Master, carest
thou not that we perish? He arose, rebuked the winds and
the waves. There was a great calm. They
marvel what manner of man is this that even the winds and
the waves obey him. Again, it's a reminder, not just
his whole life as a journey here below, but in his ministry. You might say it was a traveling
ministry. It was things that happened by
the way, and our Lord then. had to pass, as we must pass,
but in a very different way, through death. He did not have
to do it because he was a sinner, but because laid upon him were
his people's sins, so he could lay down his life, a ransom,
that it would be an atoning death, not like ours, that we must die. The Lord Jesus Christ always
goes before his people. And so the Apostle Paul says,
let us run the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus,
the author and finisher of our faith. He goes from our Lord's
life and where our Lord is in heaven, and he points to our
race and our journey and how we are to run that. And so it
is a theme that runs right through scripture and right through the
Old Testament. Every promise, every type, every
shadow tells us that this was an appointed path for our Lord
and Savior Jesus Christ. He must come. He must be Emmanuel
God with us. He must fulfill the scriptures.
He must walk this path. that was appointed unto Him. The end is appointed unto us,
appointed unto men once to die, and after death, their judgment. But also, all of our life is
appointed. Him says, all appointed were
by Him, He that fixed our first birth. Our second birth, called
by grace. Where we are born, what country
we are born in. Often that is bound up with travelling
of parents, isn't it? Where we were when the children
were born. Our children, Australian, they've
got Australian nationality. And you think of the Apostle
Paul. He could claim nationality, the
Jews and Romans as well. He says to the, or the Roman
soldier says to him that, with a great price obtained by this,
he said, no, he said, I was free born. He did not have to pay
for citizenship, he was born Roman. And so, bound up with
our birth, he might go back to our parents and where they were,
born as well. And so, right through our lives
that are appointed by God, every move, every happening, everything
is decreed. It's not by chance. And it's
good for us if we are to notice the Lord's hand, Lord's goodness
towards us, to trace those appointments. I often think of, and I know
that I have mentioned this many times, that we lived two years
in Red Hill in Australia, and then we moved. And I was only
seven, six or seven, when we moved, and to another school. And because of that move, and
because there's only 11 months difference between myself and
my brother, And the grade that we would have been in was a composite
grade. Grade one and two were together.
And the teacher said, well, these are brothers. They can't both
be in the same class. They put me in grade three. And
my brother was in grade one. Halfway through the year, they
realized their mistake. They jumped me to a year above. They said, he's doing all right.
Leave him there. And that one year adjustment.
has affected so many things that have happened all the way through
my life. It wouldn't have happened if
my parents had stayed in one place, if I hadn't moved school
at that time. So bound up with that move was
what was a mistake by the teachers, but not a mistake in God's hand. I was uncalled then. It was going
to be another 12 years before I was called, before ever I took
any notice of that providence. But when the Lord does call,
then we look back, and we look back at those things in our unregeneracy,
and we take notice of them. And in them, there's assurance
and there's a token that he knew the path that I took. Those things
that have happened, sins were planned and of course we know
God's children are chosen in eternity and all of the things
that happen in time are appointed to bring that calling about and
to bring them to know Christ and to bring them to heaven at
last. It's good for us to trace and
watch providence. He that will watch providence
will never lack a providence to watch. You will notice the
Lord's hand if you notice it. There are many that see it and
pass over it and don't really notice. They don't have the benefit
and comfort and assurance of those things that have happened.
Because really subconsciously they're thinking there's no purpose
in it, it's not appointed, there's nothing important in it. But
there is, my life's minutest circumstance is subject to his
eye." Those things are important. So also we think of what is appointed,
our down-sitting, our uprising, our every move, our moving from
one place to another, is known by the Lord and appointed. by
the Lord. I would that we might, even if
we take nothing away further from this evening, go away with
the persuasion that the Lord has appointed every move and
every circumstance. And where it becomes really needful
to believe that is when a move has been brought about by someone
else's actions that we might not have agreed with and might
have hurt us at the same time that it happened and where we
have been forced to take an action that we wouldn't have done otherwise. Sometimes we might think, well,
we need to go through life all the time asking the Lord, Lord,
what wilt thou have me to do? Show me thy way, teach me thy
way. But if we look at the life of
Joseph, when did Joseph need to do that? He was given his
dreams, he obeyed his father, he went to his brothers, and
then his whole life moves were taken out of his hand. The brothers
sold him. He was then sold in Egypt. He
was then falsely accused. He was then put in prison. He
was then forgotten. and then he was brought out of
prison and every step was taken out of his hands by his brothers
that thought evil towards him, by part of his wife that falsely
accused him, by the butler that forgot him and all of those things
were used for good. Sir Joseph later on could say
ye meant it for evil but God meant it for good. Those were
appointed things. So I say, in your life, in my
life, those things that may have profoundly affected our life
and where we are tonight and what we're doing, and we may
look at people and say, it was them, it was what they did, it
was what they said. No, it is what the Lord appointed
and He used those people to bring about His will and His purpose. He doesn't excuse sin. No, Joseph
clearly said to his brothers, he meant it for evil. And they
were convinced of it. They were brought to repent of
it. They were sorry for what they
had done. We think of the crucifixion of our Lord and Savior, Jesus
Christ, who was delivered by the determinate counsel and full
knowledge of God. Ye have taken him by wicked hands,
crucified and slain. How can the Lord, while he's
being crucified in great agony, pray for them, Father, forgive
them? They know not what they do. He had said beforehand that all
he needed to do was pray his Father and he would give him
12 legion of angels. But how then should the scriptures
be fulfilled? And God's will in our lives must
be fulfilled as well. And so may we be able to see
God's appointments and in seeing that be helped to overcome what
we see visually and what we hear visually. In a way, this is a
walk by faith. We are viewing what God is doing. We're viewing the overseer. We're
like David when he's going up and fleeing from Absalom and
Shimei is cursing and casting stones and dust. Abishai says,
let me go over and take off his hat. Why should he curse the
king? But David says, let him curse.
For the Lord hath bidden him, it may be that God will requite
me good for his cursing this day. And David was looking above. He was looking to God's hand,
God's overruling hand. Oh, to have the spirit of David,
who was a man after God's own heart. May we see then God's appointments
in life's journey, in our pathway. I want to look then secondly at
the pilgrimage journey all God's children make. We said of the Apostle Paul that
this here was the beginning of his pilgrimage. With the children
of Israel, it began with them leaving Egypt. It began with
the Passover, with the shedding of blood. God brought them out
of Egypt. And really, all of God's children,
they are sanctified, separated people that are sent forth when
he quickens them and calls them by grace. And they walk through
this world as strangers and pilgrims. That is one of the ways that
faith is described in Hebrews 11, that is common to all of
those that walked by faith, those that died by faith. They, not
having received the promises, that is, they hadn't seen the
Lord Jesus Christ come, but having seen them afar off, promises
of Christ, were persuaded of them and embraced them, and confessed
that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. They were
walking through this earth. But there are strangers here.
This is not their rest. It is polluted. They are like
the Thessalonians. Not only were they receiving
the word with power and became followers of the Lord and of
us, the apostles, but they were waiting for his son from heaven.
They had their sights on a heavenly land, the same as the children
of Israel. had their sights set on the promised
land, on Canaan. That's what the Lord brought
them out with that aim, to bring them there. Every one of God's children will
walk that path. This is not your rest, it is
polluted. You're travelling through. The
Lord calls with a purpose. And the purpose is, Father, I
will that they whom thou hast given me be with me where I am,
that they may behold my glory. And while they're here below,
that the Lord saves them from the power and strength of sin
and out of Satan's hand and orders and guides all of their lives. We think of the children of Israel.
We said about the fiery, cloudy pillar. and how that guided them. Very clearly, right through that
journey, there was no marks, there was no roads, there was
nothing in that wilderness. The Lord chose out the way, and
where they stopped, it was still wilderness. It was one guy going
from one city to another, not in the wilderness. There were
places chosen by God and central to their camp all the time was
the tabernacle, was the Lord's presence, was central to them. What a picture of how it should
be with us, that the Lord is central with us in our journeys. What did the Lord give them?
We read that he gave them that manna from heaven. They drank
of that spiritual rock that followed them. That rock was Christ. He
gave them his laws. He gave them his protection,
his care. He also chastened them and corrected
them. Typical Israel is a great lesson
to the people of God. It's used very much in Hebrews,
even as a warning against unbelief, against limiting the Holy One
of Israel. But it's a picture that we should
try and keep in mind Have we been called? Have we been separated
from this world? Are we strangers? Are we pilgrims? Are we travelling, looking for
a heavenly city? Are we those that the Lord has
put in that way? Because if that is so, he which
hath begun a good work in you will perform it unto the day
of Jesus Christ. With the Apostle Paul here, as
soon as the Lord has called him. He is asking, maybe you've come
this evening, asking the same. What wilt thou have me to do? Well, you know the Lord answered.
It was so certain, wasn't it? Go into the city, it shall be
told thee what thou must do. And what a change. What wilt
thou have me to do is something you must do. And it was told him what he must
do. But his whole life was to be
from that time cast in with the persecuted, tried, afflicted
people of God. Thy people shall be my people. Thy God my God. Beautiful desire
of Ruth, wasn't it? Is it yours? Is it mine? To be
cast in with the people of God. A pilgrimage journey. The Lord
has begun it. And the Lord will be with you.
And the Lord will keep you and bring you safe above. is a blessed
thing to be, a pilgrim. I want to look lastly at the journeys
the Lord has met his people in. I want to begin with the Apostle
Paul here. He began this journey as uncalled, and yet he finished it cold. As much it may be said with every
one of God's children that are brought to be pilgrims, every
one of them also will be called by grace. Our Lord said, O the sheep I
have which are not of this fold, them also I must bring. the Gentiles. And no man can
come unto me except the Father which sent me. Draw him, and
I'll raise him up at the last day. The Lord knows that spot and
that place where the Lord will call. Not all, very few perhaps,
the Lord's people will have such a start, such a remarkable journey,
as the Apostle Paul here. But I believe there'll be many
that maybe have gone to a chapel, to a service, uncalled, they've
gone away, a different person called. What has seemed to be an insignificant
reason why they have gone to a particular place has proved
a real appointment of the Lord. Sometimes it has been of going
to a place and the minister that they thought was going to be
there is not. A different minister is there, maybe through sickness
or something, the Lord has changed it. But again, it's been one
of those appointments. May we think of this, especially
when we desire, we long, we look, that we might know our calling. We're exhorted to make known
our calling and election sure. Election is known by calling.
That we are to have that expectation, especially being brought up under
the sound of the truth, that the Lord will meet with us, that
he will call us. May it be our real prayer and
desire. Lord, bless me, call me. Cause
me to hear thy voice to enter while this room. Paul said that
he was the chief of sinners. He said that he'd been called
first so that others might have hope, that there might be none
that would despair. I wonder how many at Jerusalem
had been praying that this persecutor might be converted. or how many
praying he might be killed, like Ananias and Sapphira, but the
grace of God was that he was converted. And when you think
of the profound difference amongst the churches, in the verse we
finished reading, verse 31, the churches had rest throughout
all Judah, Judea, Galilee, and Samaria, were edified. What an effect that man was having. in taking away the rest of those
churches. And yet the Lord called him.
There's no case too hard, no sinner too hard, no person or
far too far off that the Lord cannot meet with. And he knows
whether that will be like with the apostle on a journey or in
a place. A good thing if we get to be
really prompted or maybe view Providence ushering us in a way
that first we would kick against to take notice of that, realize
the Lord's appointments. Just comes to mind thinking of
journeys and the Lord's ordering things, because those of us in
the ministry, we travel many miles and we see many things.
And there are many times when we notice the Lord changing things. One thing I've noticed many times
in the Lord's protection, especially if I'm late somewhere and tend
to want to drive faster and faster, the Lord puts a slow car in front
of me. And I'm frustrated first, and
then I think, no, the Lord's put that there. And then the
car turns off a side road, and I think, good, now I get going.
And immediately, the Lord puts another car in front. I think,
yeah, the Lord is keeping And I remember one spot on the road
going to Tenderton, the Lord put an ambulance in front of
me. And that really made me stop and think. The Lord knows how
to put brakes on. There's many things in journeys
that I had to watch the Lord's hand and to see his overruling
hand. I wanted to notice three things
concerning Jacob. Jacob, when he left home, perhaps
few of us realise he was 60 years of age, but nevertheless, it
would have been a big thing for him to leave his mother, leave
home, and to go where he knew not where he was going, as it
were, or going to Laban. That's where he's heading, to
his mother's family. But you know, as he left home,
and what I really notice in Jacob's life, is only when he began to
move, when he began to go, often either shepherded in, as what
his father directed him to do in this case, or persuaded to
go or venturing to go, it was after he ventured, then he got
the blessing. And I feel this is a good encouragement
to those to venture without the blessing, but believing the Lord
and we'll meet in the path of obedience with a blessing. In Genesis 20, Ain't. We read how Jacob then went out
and he goes and from Beersheba toward Haran. He lights on a
certain place, he puts stones for his pillow and then he dreams
and the Lord meets with him and Lord blesses him. in that place. And he sees this ladder set up
on earth, top of it reaching to heaven. Angels of God ascending,
descending, like bringing our prayers to heaven, the blessings
coming down. The Lord stood above it. I am
the Lord God of Abraham, thy father, God of Isaac. The land
whereon thou lies, to thee will I give it and to thy seed. gave
the promises to Jacob, and then told him, Behold, I am with thee,
and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest. There's your
journeys. And we'll bring thee again into
this land, for I will not leave thee until I have done that which
I have spoken to thee of. When Jacob awakes, he says, Surely
the Lord is in this place, and I knew it not. Not in his home,
not where he was going, but on the way. There the Lord met with
him. Then after 20 years, not many
chapters really in the Word of God to cover 20 years, you go
to chapter 32 and verse 1. He'd already left Laban. He'd
stole away. Laban followed after him. And
then they parted. And as they then go on his way,
and Jacob is heading back. And the Lord had clearly told
him to go back. The angels of God met him. And when Jacob saw them, he said,
this is God's host. He called the name of that place
Mahanaim. Now, it's really to notice this.
You know, Jacob, he saw Laban wasn't towards him as before.
He'd had the Lord's word to go. And then as he goes, Laban pursues
after him. And then when that is dealt with,
then the Lord visits and blesses his soul. Yes, Jacob was able
to say, though Laban changed his wages 10 times, the Lord
was with him. We don't read of many real times
of great blessing with dear Jacob, but they were those times of
moving, times of leaving home, times coming back from home.
Then, of course, later on, he's wrestling with the angel for
the blessing when he saw his coming. But the next venturing
one in his life I bring before you is that in chapter 46, when
he has his sons, they come to him at the end of chapter 45,
and they tell him that Joseph is yet alive, his governor over
all the land, Jacob's heart fainted, for he believed them not. But
then they told him all the words of Joseph, which he had said
unto them. When he saw the wagons which
Joseph had sent to carry him, the spirit of Jacob their father
revived. And Israel said, it is enough.
Joseph, my son, is yet alive. I'll go and see him before I
die. And so he ventures, he goes on
account of what they had said, or what they said first, he didn't
believe them. Then he saw the wagons, then
he ventures. No blessing, no word from the
Lord. Jacob, you're leaving the land
that your grandfather said the Lord would give you. But as he
ventures, then we read, And God spake unto Israel in the visions
of the night, and said, Jacob, Jacob. And he said, here am I. And he said, I am God, the God
of thy father. Fear not to go down into Egypt,
for I will there make of thee a great nation. I will go down
with thee into Egypt, and I will also surely bring thee up again. And Joseph shall put his hand
upon thine eyes. What a blessing. As he was journeying,
as he was venturing, there the Lord blessed him. I want to then think of the Emmaus
Road, Luke 24. That journey begun so sad with
the disciples, they had seen the Lord crucified and slain,
They trusted that it should have been he that should have redeemed
Israel. This stranger comes, he asks why they're sad and draws
out from them all of their sadness on this journey. They'll never
have forgotten that journey because the Lord began. He reproved them,
O fools and slow of heart, to believe all that the prophets
had spoken, beginning at Moses and all the prophets. He expounded
unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself. And we are told that their heart
burned within them while they opened the scriptures. At the
end of that journey, he revealed himself to them. But what a journey
to remember. beginning with sadness, ending
with joy and gladness, and very quickly they go back to the disciples,
the apostles, and tell what was done in the way, on encouragement
to us as well, in our journeys. They are on foot. We might move
some other means, but the Lord knows how to draw near to his
people. We think of the apostle Paul,
Again, on a journey to Rome. A prisoner. He was not the one
to instigate this journey. And even on that particular leg
of the journey, he'd warned them not to sail at that time, but
they still did. And then for two weeks, as it
were, in darkness and tossed to and fro, driven up and down
in the sea. But then he says to them that
the angel of the Lord had stood by him that night, had blessed
him, had assured that he would give him all of those in the
ship. The ship would be broken, but
they would be saved. You might think, why didn't the
Lord appear to him earlier than that? Why leave it so long? The
Lord is sovereign, isn't he? But the Lord appeared to the
apostle in that way. and blessed him, and really all
of those that were with him were blessed as well. What about the
Ethiopian eunuch returning from worship? You know, we could all
equate with that, couldn't we? We gather for worship this evening. God willing, we return home.
It may be you've been desiring, you long for the Lord to bless
your soul and to bless you here. He doesn't. He hasn't. And you
go home. You go home, you read your word,
the word of God. And then the Lord is pleased
to meet you in it and bless you in it. Just because the minister's
voice is silent doesn't mean to say the Lord's voice is not
silent. Remember, the Lord said to the
Holy Spirit that he shall bring all things to your remembrance
whatsoever. I have said unto you. And so
he brings back to remembrance what has been said, what has
been set forth. The Lord clearly directed Philip. He directed the eunuch where
to read. He directed Philip what question
to ask, understandest thou what thou readest. He directed the
chariot to pass by water, see here is water. And he directed
the yearning in such as he'd been blessed to ask, what doth
hinder me to be baptised? You should note these journeys
in the Word of God that were such a journey of blessing, and
yet no doubt begun with sadness, begun with disappointment, carried
on with not understanding the Word. and yet the Lord ordered
it to be a blessing. The last one I'll read before
you is that which you read in 2 Kings. And it is a journey
that Elijah and Elisha took in the second of Kings chapter 2. They were to go to Jordan and
it was at the time when Elijah was to be taken up into heaven
And each time they moved, they went where there was the prophets. And each time they came where
the prophets were, they said to them, or said to Elisha, knowest
thou that the Lord will take away thy master from thy head
today? And he said, yea, I know it. Each one. It's a good reminder
for us, if we're making moves, go where the Lord's people are. and really all of us, there shall
come that time of parting. Some of you may remember a wedding
that I took some, possibly 12 years ago now, I think, and the
text, the word that I spoke from, was in verse 6 at the end, Day
2 went on. Because that is what, with a
husband and a wife, word that is said, it is till death us
do part. And you walk together until like
with Elijah and Elisha, there comes a time of parting. And of course, with Elisha, he
desired that blessing, that double portion, which was to be given
if he saw Elijah when he was taken up from him, which was
the case. And Elisha performed twice as
many miracles as Elijah. And we have the parallel when
the disciples viewed the Lord taken up from them into heaven. And it was fulfilled as well.
The Lord had said, greater things shall ye do because I go to my
father. and the blessing of the Lord
and the power of the Spirit was upon the apostles, so did the
miracles, and thousands were brought to be saved through their
ministry. But may we remember that there
must be a parting here below. We must leave all. Many of us,
we've been at the bedside when our parents have breathed their
last and passed away. And we know that one day, maybe,
if it is God's will, that our children will see us breathe
our last as well, and we must pass away. In that journey of
life, may there be found these blessings, these times the Lord
meets with us, especially a time of calling by grace, but those
times that we specifically remember the spot and place where the
Lord met with us and granted us to know his will and to have
his word as we journey. With the apostle, we read as
our text, as he journeyed. He came near Damascus and suddenly
there shined round about him a light from heaven. The Lord
bless us in our journey. And may we have that journey's
end in heaven with the Lord. Amen. Hymn, 462. Tune, Cwm Rhondda 902. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ,
the love of God the Father, and the communion of the Holy Spirit
be with you all now and evermore. Amen.