The notices for the week. If the Lord will, our pastor will preach next Lord's Day at 10.30 and 2 o'clock. Pastor will also preach on Thursday evening, service commencing 7 o'clock. There will be a prayer meeting on Tuesday evening at 7 o'clock.

May the Lord help us to commence our worship today with hymn 973, tune Festus 464. Not to Sinai's dreadful blaze, but to Zion's throne of grace, by a way marked out with blood, sinners now approach to God.

Hymn 973, tune Festus 464.

Hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthew chapter 27 reading from verse 45 to the end of chapter 28. And here we read of the death and burial of the Lord Jesus, the loving Joseph of Arimathea pleading his body from Pilate and buries him in the sepulcher, and of course the wondrous resurrection and the deceit of the Pharisees toward the watch.

Matthew 27. verse 45 to the end of chapter 28, and then finally Mark 16. But firstly, Matthew 27, beginning at verse 45.

Now from the sixth hour, there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour. And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani. That is to say, my God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Some of them that stood there when they heard that said, this man calleth for Elias. And straightway one of them ran and took a sponge and filled it with vinegar and put it on a reed and gave him to drink. The rest said, let be, let us see whether Elias will come to save him. Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost. And behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom, and the earth did quake and the rocks rent. and the graves were opened, and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, and came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.

Now when the centurion and they that were with him, watching Jesus, saw the earthquake, and those things that were done, they feared greatly, saying, truly, this was the Son of God. And many women were there beholding afar off, which followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering unto him. Among which was Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of Zebedee's children.

When the evening was come, there came a rich man of Arimathea named Joseph, who also himself was Jesus' disciple. He went to Pilate and begged the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded the body to be delivered. And when Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock. And he rolled a great stone to the door of the sepulchre and departed. And there was Mary Magdalene and the other Mary sitting over against the sepulchre

Now the next day that followed the day of the preparation, the chief priests and Pharisees came together unto Pilate, saying, Sir, we remember that that deceiver said while he was yet alive, after three days I will rise again. Command therefore that the sepulchre be made sure until the third day, lest his disciples come by night and steal him away. and say unto the people he is risen from the dead, so the last error shall be worse than the first. Pilate said unto them, ye have a watch, go your way, make it as sure as ye can. So they went and made the sepulchre sure, sealing the stone and setting a watch.

In the end of the Sabbath as it began to draw toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene, and the other Mary to see the sepulcher. And behold, there was a great earthquake, for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone from the door and sat upon it. His countenance was like lightning and his raiment white as snow. And for fear of him, the keepers did shake and became as dead men.

And the angel answered and said unto the women, fear not ye, For I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified. He is not here, for he is risen. As he said, come, see the place where the Lord lay. And go quickly and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead. And behold, he goeth before you into Galilee. There shall ye see him. Lo, I have told you,

And they departed quickly from the sepulcher with fear and great joy, and did run to bring his disciples word. And as they went to tell his disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, all hail. And they came and held him by the feet and worshiped him. Then said Jesus unto them, be not afraid. Go tell my brethren that they go into Galilee, and there shall they see me.

Now when they were going, behold, some of the watch came into the city and showed unto the chief priests all the things that were done. And when they were assembled with the elders and had taken counsel, they gave large money unto the soldiers, saying, say ye, his disciples came by night and stole him away while we slept. And if this come to the governor's ear, we will persuade him and secure you. So they took the money and did as they were taught. And this saying is commonly reported among the Jews until this day.

Then the 11 disciples went away into Galilee, into a mountain where Jesus had appointed them. And when they saw him, they worshiped him, but some doubted. And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, all power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you. And lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

Finally, Mark 16. Christ's resurrection is declared by the angels to the two Marys and Salome. Christ himself appeareth to Mary Magdalene, to two of his disciples going into the country, and to the 11, whom he commissioneth to preach the gospel to all the world. His ascension into heaven, the gospel is preached everywhere. The Lord confirming the word with signs. Mark 16.

And when the Sabbath was passed, Mary Magdalene and Mary, the mother of James and Salome, had bought sweet spices that they might come and anoint him. Very early in the morning, the first day of the week, they came unto the sepulchre at the rising of the sun. And they said among themselves, who shall roll us away the stone from the door of the sepulchre? And when they looked, they saw that the stone was rolled away, for it was very great. And entering into the sepulchre they saw a young man sitting on the right side, clothed in a long white garment, and they were affrighted.

And he saith unto them, Be not affrighted, ye seek Jesus of Nazareth, which was crucified. He is risen, he is not here. Behold the place where they laid him. But go your way, tell his disciples and Peter that he goeth before you into Galilee. There shall ye see him, as he said unto you. And they went out quickly and fled from the sepulchre, for they trembled and were amazed. Neither said they anything to any man, for they were afraid.

Now when Jesus was risen early the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had cast seven devils. And she went and told them that had been with him, as they mourned and wept. And they, when they had heard that he was alive and had been seen of her, believed not.

After that, he appeared in another form unto two of them, as they walked and went into the country. And they went and told it unto the residue. Neither believed they then.

Afterward, He appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat, and upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen him after he was risen. And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved, but he that believeth not shall be damned. And these signs shall follow them that believe. In my name they shall cast out devils. They shall speak with new tongues. They shall take up serpents, and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them. They shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.

So then, after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God, And they went forth and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word with signs following. Amen.

May the Lord bless the readings of his own holy word of truth to us and help us to once more come before him in prayer. Let us pray.

Oh ho, thrice holy, ever merciful, ever gracious Lord God, the King of kings and the Lord of lords, creator of heaven and earth, in whom we live, move, breathe, and have our being, we pray thy blessing upon those portions of thy word which we have read just now. Oh Lord, we may have read of thy death and resurrection in two accounts, but we pray, O Lord, that they will open it up, that we may see and know and understand things we did not before. And truly, Lord, may what is contained within thy word be made food for our souls. We would pray, feed us with Christ, the living bread, bread of heaven. Feed me now and evermore.

Lord, we're sinners. We're broken by sin. We're ruined by sin, we're leprous with sin. We thank Thee, O Lord, that Thou didst so many years ago descend from heaven, take upon Thyself human flesh, and Thou didst allow Thyself to be broken for us at Calvary, that sinners may be fed with the bread of life. Undeserving that we are, Lord, we're not worthy of the least of Thy mercies. And Lord, at this time of year, as we would remember thy wondrous birth, may we, O Lord, consider the purpose for which thou didst come, to suffer, bleed, and die, and how thou didst, in complete perfection, fulfil all the law and live a perfect life, which we, O Lord, due to our fallen carnal natures, are incapable of doing.

O Lord, we may have tried, and it is right that we continue to try, for as thou hast said, if ye love me, keep my commandments. But, Lord, we have each failed, we have fallen, we have come short of the glory of God, we have committed sin in thought, in word and in deed. O Lord, we would plead with the hymn writer, Blood of my Saviour, bathe me in thy tide, wash me with water flowing from thy side. Foul I too the fountain fly, wash me, Saviour, or I die. For, O Lord, mercy and love are written there with a crucified Jesus. May we each be found sheltering under the blood of Christ, that there we may find all our sins washed away. We do pray thee, O Lord.

And, Lord, do make thyself precious to us this day. We gather on thy day as we are commanded to do so. And we pray that we may not gather out of routine and custom alone, but with a real hungering and thirsting after righteousness that we may be filled.

And Lord, we pray that thou draw near and come with us as it must have been surely a precious time for those two on the road to Emmaus. Lord, as they were able to say at the end of thy visit to them there, Did not our heart burn within us while he talked with us by the way and while he opened to us the scriptures? Or may we each, Lord, this day know the burning within of our hearts in love to thyself, that the scriptures may be opened, that we may understand the unsearchable riches of Christ contained within both Old and New Testament pages, and that, Lord, we may go away at the end of these services saying truly, we have been with Jesus.

We make one in our midst, we pray. Bless those who come, Lord, with a knowledge of thyself. May they prove that worth it. He which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.

For, O Lord, thou knowest sometimes we feel we come to the house of God with a gone cold religion, as we often, Lord, feel our emptiness and unworthiness and our worldly nature. O Lord, may we prove thou art faithful to continue and to bless, and that thy mercy does unshaken stay when heaven and earth are fled away.

And for those, Lord, that perhaps know thee not at present, do, O Lord, speak in mercy unto them. May they be brought to understand the things which they did not before. O Lord, that they may not just be words on a page or words spoken from a pulpit, but may they be made real and precious to them. and that they may find that Christ is indeed precious, that friend that sticketh closer than a brother.

For, O Lord, how precious it is we can say with the hymn writer, sweet the moments rich in blessing, which before the cross I spend, life and health and peace possessing from the sinner's dying friend. May we have another precious moment before the cross this Sabbath day, we plead, that we may give unto thee all honour and glory due unto thy great and holy name.

And Lord, we would come before thee also, not just with our sins, many indeed they are, have mercy, we pray, but with our needs, Lord, in providence, thou knowest all that concerns us, our burdens, thoughts, cares, and concerns with which we bring, those things we simply cannot put our hand to, where prayer is yet to be answered, Lord, we pray Thee appear.

How the devil does indeed draw nigh and tempt and plant many a wicked, rebellious thought into the mind. Lord, we do marvel that Thou didst in the desert resist every temptation and that Thou was perfect, not just in word and deed, but also in thought. O Lord, just the sins of bad thoughts, rebellious thoughts are enough to condemn us. O Lord, help us to prove all things, and hold fast that which is good. Help us to, Lord, look up unto thee, the author and finisher of our faith. We know, Lord, that we are weak and feeble, and we are prone to look at the wind and the waves. We often look at mountain possibilities peak. But, O Lord, may we instead be found looking higher, and be looking unto thee. the author and finisher of our faith, that we may not sink beneath the wind and waves, but live.

Help us to trust in thee at all times, Lord. For we know, Lord, we often sadly trust in ourselves or in fellow men. Lord, we need grace not only to bring our burdens to thee in prayer, but also to leave them there. Oh Lord, it's often not long, we fear, until we suddenly feel we must take it up ourselves.

Thy exhortation in scripture is clear. Cast thy burden upon the Lord and he shall sustain thee. He shall never suffer the righteous to be moved. O Lord, help us to truly by faith and in loving faith to cast our cares upon thee, for thou dost care for thy people.

What silly sheep we are, Lord, in running hither and thither, turning to the right hand and to the left, And Lord, what grief and misery unbelief can bring. We pray thee, O Lord, help us to believe. We will cry with the father of whose son was grievously afflicted. Lord, I believe. Help thou mine unbelief.

Help us to believe truly, Lord. May we not just say that we believe with a head knowledge, but with a saving soul knowledge. That thou canst do everything. and that no thought can be withholden from thee, that thou art able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we can ever ask or even think. According to the power that worketh in us by thy spirit, that, Lord, there may be that glory unto thee in the church, by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end, amen.

O Lord, may that be our chiefest aim, to give unto thee all glory and honour that is due unto thyself, not unto us, Lord, not unto us, but unto thy name. Give glory and honor. Glory, glory be to thee, O God of hosts.

And Lord, whilst we would pray for these things, we will give thanks. May we never, Lord, be letting thy mercies pass like forgotten in unthankfulness and without praises dying. Thou hast been truly good to us, Lord, truly. Thou hast given us more than we even deserve. We're not worthy of the least of Thy mercies.

Thou hast provided daily provisions of food, clothing, health, and strength, safety, journeying, mercies, the house of God open to us on thy day, and the word set before us in our own tongue. Lord, we have much to thank thee for, and mercies pass, Lord, where thou hast appeared. where thou hast granted answers to prayer, for which, Lord, we would be truly thankful. O Lord, that we would.

And though we be indeed sinners, we would ask for more for those unanswered petitions, trusting in thy mercy and thy grace. We pray, O Lord, for thy church, that thou send forth more labourers into thy gospel harvest. For the harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few.

O Lord, do send forth more labourers into thy harvest, we pray, that there may be much food given to each one that hears, and that there may be much fruit from those labours in the appointed time. Lord, do be with one at Tunbridge Wells today, the pastor of this cause, do be with him in his labours, thou knowest his infirmities.

Do, O Lord, strengthen him and uphold him and help him to faithfully proclaim thy word to the dear people there. And may they be blessed, Lord, as they hear, both preacher and hearer alike. And do be with this church and people here at Lamberhurst. We pray thou pour out thy spirit upon them and that they may, Lord, see wondrous godly prosperity here. Could it please thee? of those who are thine. Lord, you bless those who have already made profession and you grant, Lord, in due season that there may be more.

And remember, Lord, this village where there is darkness. Lord, you bring sinners into light. We will pray with the hymn writer where the gospel day sheds not its glorious ray. Let there be light.

And be with, Lord, those causes in these islands and throughout the earth, which gather in thy name. Particularly, Lord, those that gather in just twos or threes, as we have been discussing before the service. How tried they must feel, Lord. No doubt they must have thoughts as to whether they will shut the door for the last time. O Lord, do help them to continue. Do uphold them. Do strengthen them. And, O Lord, may they see that they do not gather in vain.

That, Lord, thou canst save the vilest. Remember the text upon the calendar this day, wherefore he is able to save unto the uttermost them that come unto God by him. O Lord, do save many sinners round. Do pluck many a bran from the burning. Take away, Lord, some of Satan's most prized possessions, could it please thee, and make them faithful, loving children of thine.

that they may, that there amongst them, Lord, amongst their number may even be some future ministers of the gospel, could it please thee? We would remember, Lord, that extremity is thy opportunity, not just in providence, but also in the things of grace. Thou didst touch one Lord on the Damascus road all those years ago, who was breathing out threatens and slaughterings toward the church, and thou didst completely change him and turn him around and make him a wonderful minister of the gospel. O Lord, if Thou wilt, Thou canst do these things. What Thou hast done before, Thou canst do again. And we pray, O Lord, that Thou dost do these things, that Thou mayest be greatly glorified in this our nation and in the earth.

Do, O Lord, have mercy upon our royal house, our leaders and all of the parliament, Lord, and those in local government also, Lord, do have mercy upon the people of this nation. from the throne all the way down to the beggar on the street. Do, O Lord, grant a gracious revival in our country, we pray, and we thank thee for what signs of encouragement that there have been. Lord, do grant that God-fearing, or at least God-respecting, leaders may be raised up in high places, who will honour thyself, who will proclaim that thy day is a day of rest, and that thou art the one who does prosper this nation.

that Lord thy goodness to this nation in two world wars and in ages past with the gospel set forth in our own tongue may be set forth once more, that our nation may not forget these things but look past to these things in thanksgiving, of how Lord thou did scatter those that sought to take away our religious liberties from us with the Spanish Armada and so on, Truly, Lord, our nation has been greatly favoured. Lord, continue to be gracious, forsake us not. In wrath, remember mercy, we pray.

And so, Lord, as we come to thy word this morning, we pray that thou bless us, help us to understand. Do, O Lord, make Christ precious, and do grant all needed help to one in the pulpit, for without thee this is completely impossible. We would pray, Lord, help me each time in hearing and in preaching. For truly, Lord, we have those carnal natures which are prone to wonder to the things of this life. Help us to have no other desire but Jesus Christ and him crucified. O Lord, we pray thee. May the word be a word in season, a word to bless, encourage, and uphold. And may we, O Lord, feel that we are truly blessed this day. Pardon our sins. and make up in giving where we have so failed in asking, we ask for Jesus Christ's sake. Amen.

Let us sing hymn number 10, tune Adoration 276.

Seeking the greatly needed help of the Lord, I would direct your prayerful attention this morning to the chapter that we read. The gospel is recorded by Mark, chapter 16, and the text we find in verse three. Mark 16, verse three. Particularly the question, who shall roll us away the stone? from the door of the sepulcher. The whole verse reads, and they said among themselves, who shall roll us away the stone from the door of the sepulcher?

This is a word that has been with me much since the year of 2022, and I feel greatly to need the Lord's help to bring out more of what is contained within

We often at this time of the year associate this time with remembering the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ. And indeed it is right that we do commemorate his wondrous birth at a particular time of year as we do his death.

Now the Bible does not specify when specifically in the year he was born. We know that we commemorate Good Friday rather in the month of April. But we cannot speak at this time of year of the birth of Christ without mentioning the very purpose for which he came, to suffer, bleed and die for poor sinners upon Calvary's cross.

And indeed, much of scripture, indeed all scripture, points to the coming of the Lord Jesus and his sacrifice upon the cross. The preaching of the cross began first to Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden in Genesis chapter three, that the seed of the woman should bruise the serpent's head, and that he, that is the serpent, should bruise his heel.

That is to say, all the hosts of hell engaged in attacking the dear Lord and Savior as he hung there upon the cross. We read it in the earlier chapter that we read in chapter 27, In verse 35, now from the sixth hour unto the ninth hour, there was darkness over all the land. Indeed, it was night-like darkness that enveloped all the earth as the Lord of glory himself, the creator of heaven and earth, of all mankind, and every beast of the field lay hung bleeding, dying upon the cross. The holy, perfect, spotless one who gave his life a ransom for many.

Now, of course, when the great work was fulfilled, one cannot blame Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus for rolling that stone in front of the sepulcher. And indeed, you read in John's gospel, chapter 19, towards the end of how Nicodemus had brought sweet aloes and myrrh and ointments He was lovingly anointed by them for the burial and wrapped in the linen cloth and laid in the tomb and all of that was done in love.

But we must remember this, when it comes to the burial of the Lord Jesus and his resurrection, two particular types of people are mentioned, the righteous and the wicked. By the righteous, we do not mean those who depend on an outward righteousness. We are speaking of those who are saved by grace, for whom the Lord Jesus came to suffer, bleed, and die for. By the wicked, we are referring to the Roman soldiers, to those spiritual wolves, the Pharisees, who attempted to completely seal in the Lord Jesus in that tomb.

We read in the earlier chapter that they went unto Pilate, saying, Sir, we remember that that deceiver said, while he was yet alive, after three days I will rise again. Command, therefore, that the sepulcher be made sure until the third day, lest his disciples come by night and steal him away, and say unto the people, he has risen from the dead, so the last error shall be worse than the first.

What hypocrisy upon the part of the Pharisees what wickedness on their part, that they were willing to have deception put forth among the people, told the Roman soldiers to declare an outright lie, that the disciples had come by night in chapter 28 of Matthew, and that that was what had happened, and that they would secure the soldiers with such a lie if it came to pile up the governor's ears.

Now friends, we must remember this. All they who try to block people from the Gospel, those spiritual wolves, those hypocrites, the Pharisees and any others, unless of course they come to mercy and repentance as the Apostle Paul did on the Damascus Road in Acts 9, shall face the greatest condemnation.

You may read in Matthew chapter 23, where the Lord Jesus pronounces woe after woe after woe upon the Pharisees, those spiritual wolves, for their arrogance, their hypocrisy in their outward righteousness, which is, of course, as filthy rags. Particularly Matthew 23, verse 27, woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones and of all uncleanness.

Now, in the context of that verse is this. At the time of the feasts, when all the Jews would descend upon Jerusalem for their feasts, the tombs would be whitewashed in beautiful white paint so that none would touch them and become ceremonial unclean. And indeed, we know that the and Pharisees were proud of their outward righteousness.

And friends, we must never be proud of our own righteousness, never be dependent upon our own works and good thoughts and deeds for salvation. Because you see, friends, these religious leaders, they had their wonderful outward dresses that made them look so holy, and you read in the early verses of Matthew 23 of how they indeed did it for attention and how they wanted reverence by men. But you see, friends, within, and indeed within all of us, unless grace is put in, is wickedness, spiritual uncleanness, an old carnal nature which cannot ever be accepted in the eyes of Almighty God.

And so when we look at this verse, who shall roll us away, the stone from the door of the sepulcher, it points to the fact that only Christ can redeem us, only Christ can give us mercy, only in the eyes of Only in his sacrifice are we justified in the eyes of a thrice holy and almighty Lord God. We cannot redeem ourselves, we cannot give ourselves grace, we cannot give ourselves mercy, but we can call upon him.

Isaiah 55, seek ye the Lord while he may be found. Call ye upon him whilst he is near. Why? Well, we read in Matthew 7 the words of our Lord, don't we? Ask and ye shall receive. Seek and ye shall find. Knock, that is to say, knock at mercy's door and it shall be opened unto you. Knock and it shall be opened unto you, why? Him that cometh unto me I will in no wise cast out, Matthew 11, 28.

Who shall roll us away the stone from the door of the sepulcher? Dear friends, this was the fullness, the completion of the work of the Lord Jesus. What he had come to do, sin and death and hell conquered, the devil a defeated foe, that salvation may be gained by him. What did he say to Thomas and the disciples in John chapter 14? No man cometh unto the Father but by me. No man cometh unto the Father but by me.

Now friends, what is the nature of Christ? If you read Song of Solomon, this is a beautiful book which sums it up wonderfully. He is altogether lovely. As you read in the second chapter of the Song of Solomon, in chapter two, I am the rose of Sharon and the lily of the valley. And if I can just find the reference here in Song of Solomon. My beloved is like a roe or a young heart. Behold, he standeth behind our wall. He looketh forth at the window, showing himself through the lattice.

Well, dear friends, look at the altogether lovely one. the perfect one, the gracious one, the merciful one, who is altogether lovely. Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth, for thy love is better than wine. The song of Solomon speaks much of the love of Christ to his church and the sweet and holy, beauteous nature of Christ himself.

And how dreadful and how solemn that any should seek to block anyone from the gospel, to hinder the work of God in any way, certainly, Those Pharisees and scribes, they sought to take him away privily if they could. But of course, in the overruling hand of God, that could not be done.

If you look at your secular history, you'll understand that the Sanhedrin Council had its power to execute taken away and given to the Roman authorities. And at this time, in the foot of the Roman Empire, the Jewish people were indeed tired of captivity captivity first under the Babylonians, then the Greeks, and now the Romans, and so on. And those who had welcomed Jesus and those who followed him thought that he would redeem them in a natural way, to overthrow the Roman rulers, as you may read in Luke 24.

But we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel. How often man's understanding fails him and that the Lord's ways are superior to that of our own. His own wisdom and understanding is superior to that of our own. Ought not Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into his glory? You read Psalm 22, friends. You read of David. He begins the Psalm with the very words the Lord Jesus would cry upon the cross in his anguish. My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? You read of the prophesying of the sufferings of Christ, of how there are those that say he trusted in God, let him deliver him, seeing he delighteth in him. And you think of all that surrounded the Lord, the hosts of hell that descended upon him. And the mocking of the Roman soldiers, the scribes and the Pharisees, and that one thief, of course, who never came to repentance. Although we know that the other one did mock, but he did come to repentance.

how it all comes together, all the sufferings of Christ. See from his head, his hands, his feet, sorrow and love flow mingle down. Did e'er such love or sorrow meet, or thorns compose, so rich a crown, all the poor sinners may not perish in hell, but live eternally with him in glory.

Who shall roll us away the stone, from the door of the sepulcher. That stone was not just symbolic of the burial of one individual, it was symbolic of the barrier to salvation removed, the curse removed. Think of the crown of thorns that the Lord bore upon his head upon the cross. That symbolized the curse, the curse that, of course, was due to you and I. But of course, if we are under grace and not under the law, then the curse is removed. We may not perish. but live to all eternity.

And as I mentioned earlier, two types of people are found with the account of the resurrection, with the burial and resurrection of the Lord Jesus, the righteous and the wicked. You can read for yourselves in Psalm 37 of what takes place to the righteous and to the wicked. It's a beautiful psalm, a very encouraging one. And indeed, may the Lord make it so to you, that evildoers shall be cut off but those that wait upon the Lord, they shall inherit the earth. Psalm 37 verse nine.

How wonderful are these truths, that you know, friends, you and I, we do not deserve anything, no good thing. We're not worthy of the least of his mercies, but yet this door is rolled away. This stone is removed, rolled away, that you and I may enter into the fold.

What stones have you got in your pathway as you attend here in Lamberhurst Chapel this morning? Is it perhaps one of you who may not be in membership at present? Perhaps the stone before you is you have a fear that you can never come to know the Lord, that you can never enter into membership, that you can never understand those which do sit around the Lord's table, you can never possess the knowledge which they have. I would point you again to that exhortation. Seek and ye shall find, because as you've got on the outside of the chapel, if I remember correctly, whosoever calleth on the name of the Lord shall be saved. We are exhorted to come unto him, to seek him, to yearn for him.

Oh dear friends, may the Lord deliver you from the temptations of Satan, that you can never be one of the Lord's people, and may you be brought into that liberty of the gospel. Of course, you know the devil and all his hellish hosts, all his servants, all his spiritual wolves, they shall face the greater condemnation. You read in Revelation 20 of how they are cast into the bottomless pit, into the lake of fire. That is their condemnation for trying to block sinners from the gospel, being no doubt about that. Whereas the child of God is brought into that liberty of the spirit, and they have that good hope through grace of that crown of glory that fadeth not away at the appearing of the chief shepherd as you read in 1 Peter chapter five and verse four.

Who shall roll us away the stone from the door of the sepulcher? Friends, if you are in a tough moment, if you have fears this morning as regards coming before the church perhaps, cry unto the Lord, seek him. Lord help me, may that be your cry. May it be your earnest plea, Jesus reveal thyself to me, that you may find that full satisfaction in him and find yourself upon that ground.

And indeed for those of you that know him, and those of you that sit around the communion table, may you continue to prove that word that he is faithful to continue his work in you. until the day of Jesus Christ. You know you cannot give yourself grace and I cannot either. We might listen again to a hymn that we've been blessed under before, we might listen to a sermon we once enjoyed, we might read a passage we were blessed under once when reading it. But we can't give ourselves that unction, that power from above, can we? We cannot give ourselves that blessed experience. It is something which we cannot do.

indeed the women coming to the sepulchre, they could not roll away this stone. But the Lord did. The angel of the Lord sent down from heaven that great earthquake to remove that stone from the sepulchre. Oh friends, as the angel came down from heaven, as the power from on high was bestowed upon the apostles at the day of Pentecost in Acts chapter 2, May you know in your pathway here below time and time again, and especially as you come to this, the house of the Lord, the sound of a rushing mighty wind, the power of God descending upon you from on high, that that candle of grace may be lit within, that candle of his light lit with the oil of his grace, that you may not be among the foolish virgins who had no oil in their lamps.

but that you may be among the wise virgins, for as we are told in Proverbs 9, the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. And that you may know that renewing of the inner man day by day, we sometimes feel, don't we, that we feel as though we have a gone cold religion, we feel our old carnal nature, and indeed, I don't know about you, but sometimes we may look on at others feeling they're more gracious than we. Indeed, we're told in the Scripture, let us esteem others better than ourselves, that there may be that humility, that Christ-like humility.

For as we are told in Scripture, in I believe it's Luke 14, concerning the Pharisee and the publican, the one who thought himself righteous, the other who knew himself a sinner and unworthy, whosoever humbleth himself shall be exalted, and whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased. We sometimes sing that hymn, do we not? God hath judgements for the proud, but he giveth grace to the humble. As we're told in one piece of five, it's a beautiful chapter with encouragement and exhortation. We cannot read it too many times.

And friends, whatever stones we have on our minds and our consciences this day, as we gather in the house of the Lord, May we by faith cast all our care upon him, for he careth for us. I was reading a Saturday meditation last night of Psalm 55 of the late Mr. Ramsbottoms. Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee. Do not think you can carry your burden of your sinnership in and of yourselves, because friends, the devil is a masterful deceiver. and he will trip us up every time. Be in no doubt about that. And do not think that you can carry your providential burden in and of yourself, because as we spoke the first time we were here, in John 15 verse 5, without me, ye can do nothing. We have no righteousness in and of ourselves, it is as filthy rags.

And yes, In Providence's pathway we may have done all what we can and we are right to do so, but ultimately we must come before the Lord and cry, Lord help me, but let us never treat him as a last resort. May we not long slight and doubt him and wait until all the means we've tried. We must cry to him, for without him we cannot do. We need him, as the hymn writer puts it, and as scripture puts it also.

And one of the many themes in scripture, friends, is this. As I said earlier, extremity is His opportunity to appear in grace and providence alike. The children of Israel in Exodus 14, they've come out of Egypt as they were enabled to do so by the working of God upon Pharaoh to let the people go. They've come to the Red Sea. What are they to do? Here come the Egyptians. Are they going to go round the side, try and outrun them? No, they can't possibly. They carry too burdensome a load for that. The Egyptians would surely overtake them and destroy them. The Lord made the way. The waters were separated. The Lord enabled them to go through.

When through the deep waters I call thee to go,

the rivers of woe shall not be overflowed.

for I will be with thee thy troubles to bless

and sanctify to thee thy deepest distress.

They were unable to go through and you see friends of how in grace who would have thought that a heathen harlot such as Rahab would grant such a refuge to the people of God, the two spies sent to spy out the walls, to spy out the city. Who would have thought that a heathen idolatress Ruth would ever be one of the Lord's people Who would have thought that Paul the Apostle, soul of Tarsus at the time, a persecutor of the church, would ever be such a minister of the gospel? Who would have thought that water could be turned into wine? Is anything too hard for the Lord? That was the question asked to Abraham and to Sarah particularly in Genesis 18. Is anything too hard for the Lord? And what a question that is. I'm sure we claim to believe it in our heads, but do we truly believe it in our hearts? Really?

You know, I know sometimes we have to be realistic, but we must remember that when something does not come to pass, it is not a question of whether it is too hard for the Lord or not, no. It is a question of his sovereign will. As we read, as we saw, as I don't know if any of you have the calendar where you pull off the text each day. The text for today was from Hebrews. Wherefore he is able to save unto the uttermost them that come unto God by him. And he will continue to do just that until the end of time where the day of grace will be no more. It is wondrous second coming.

Be in no doubt and let us be continually seeking the furtherance of his gospel and kingdom while here below, and particularly, friends, as regards the church. We cannot save others. We need saving ourselves. We can't give grace and light to others. We need it ourselves. But may we in our courts of truth be a faithful witness of the truth, and may we be continually in prayer for those that know him not, both within and those without, who currently care not for him, his day, his people, or his word.

Because you see, friends, it's a great thing when the Lord works in the heart of a sinner. Think of that earthquake at the cross, of how even the Roman centurion was brought to realize truly this man was the Son of God, as you read in Mark 15, 39, and in Matthew 27, where we read, of how Many of the saints arose and came out of their graves after the manner of his resurrection and appeared unto many.

There was no doubt in the mind of the Roman centurion and those that believed watching on that this was the work of the Lord. The work of the Lord and him alone.

I'm very fond of looking at the story of how Elizabeth I came to the throne. I think I may have mentioned it to you here before. Her Catholic sister Mary determined to undo the Reformation and to block people from having the Word of God in their own tongue, the dreadful burnings of the Protestant martyrs at the stake, and she feared herself, having been imprisoned in the tower once, that she would never ascend the throne, that this would be it, that the marriage of her sister to Philip of Spain and the producer of a Catholic heir would block her from the throne and that she'd never come to it.

Well, the time appointed came, and it is said that when she was walking in Greenwich under the great oak, that the privy counselors came to her and told her the news that she was queen. Her first words, although quoted in Latin, were from, I believe it's the 118th Psalm. This is the Lord's doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes.

Is not that the very nature of salvation? that this is the Lord's doing and it is marvelous in our eyes that salvation is granted to poor sinners in need of mercy, that once we were doomed to condemnation by the curse and wrath of the law, for if indeed we break just one part, we are guilty of all. This is the Lord's doing. It is marvelous in our eyes.

He is risen. He is not here. Behold the place where they laid him. As we said, extremity is his opportunity. How indeed it must have seemed like a lost cause to the disciples as the two on the Emmaus road said to him in Luke 24 verse 21, but we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel.

How sorrowful Mary Magdalene was as she approached the tomb. But he appeared to her, one word, Mary. If you read that beautiful account in John's Gospel, chapter 20. Mary, fear not, I have redeemed thee. I've called thee by thy name, thou art mine. As you read, as I believe it's in the prophet Isaiah.

Who shall roll us away the stone? the door of the sepulchre and when they looked they saw that the stone was rolled away for it was very great. In other words, friends, the Lord had already gone before.

In the mysterious workings of God, friends, we find in salvation, in grace, and in providence, the Lord always goes before. Philippians 4 19, but my God shall supply all your need, that is all your need of mercy and all your need of providence here below. According to his riches in glory, what he alone can give by Christ Jesus.

As one of the Psalms tells us, the earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof. You know, friends, let us not forget that the creation here below, it is a manifestation of the divine. Some of you might be nature lovers and love looking at the beauty of creation of the animal kingdom. You couldn't make that creature, you could not make that forest, no, but the Lord did it. and it is the working of the Lord which we are looking at here this morning, the ability of the Lord alone to do wondrous things for his people.

He has granted us this earth as a temporary provision whilst he has gone before us to prepare a better place for us, to prepare a place for us. And at the appointed time, he will come again and receive us unto himself, that where he is, there we may be also.

who shall roll us away the stone from the door of the sepulcher. These are wonderful truths, and I pray that they are made exceeding precious to us each, because friends, there is great encouragement.

And you know, those Pharisees, they were determined to keep him locked in, to keep him in, to show that they had won, that only Strict Judaism was the way to salvation. They really thought, many of them did, that they were qualified for glory. I understand that one even had a white sheet laid in his grave and over his body, because that was how confident he was of his own righteousness, that he was fit for glory.

They also used to have little inscriptions, as you may read in Matthew 23, in leather pouches, bound about their heads or round their wrists. But all their works they do to be seen of men. They make broad their phylacteries and enlarge the borders of their garments with those little inscriptions, strips of parchment inscribed with text in a small leather case bound on the forehead or left arm they would have them.

In other words, confident of their unrighteousness. And, O friends, if one is confident of his or her own righteousness, what a terrible shock they shall receive when they come to the judgment seat. It is appointed unto men once to die, and after this the judgment.

We need that preparation for death, judgment, and eternity by the power of His Holy Spirit. Is it a concern for you this morning? Are you ready for eternity? Because as we read in Matthew's Gospel, and I think it's in chapter 24, or it might be in 25, in such an hour as ye think not, will the Son of Man come.

Let us never be as the Pharisee that prayed thus for himself in the temple in Luke 14, but be continually bowed down as the publican. Lord, be merciful to me, a sinner. I know that there are many things which are my fault, Lord. I have sinned. I have come short of thy glory. I have sinned in thought, word, and deed.

Friends, if we look to 1 John 1, a beautiful chapter, we read that blessed word. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness, not some or part or most, but all unrighteousness. As he supplies all your need, nothing is left out, the smallest of the greatest detail is taken care of, so is it with your sins. None are left out, all are washed away by an unstoppable tide that flows from the wounded side of Christ, the blood and water shed for sinners upon Calvary's cross to cleanse you from your sins.

May it be your prayer.

Soul of my Saviour, sanctify my breast.

Body of Christ, be thou my saving guest.

Blood of my Saviour, bathe me in thy tide.

Wash me with water flowing from thy side.

For that is the only means of being prepared for eternity. And friends, if we know the stone is rolled away for us, there is the gospel invitation to walk in that straight and narrow way of Jesus Christ unto the heavenly Jerusalem, the heavenly city, where the words as they were told to Abraham's servant shall be told us. Come in, thou blessed of the Lord, wherefore standest thou without? For I have prepared the house, the heavenly realms of glory are prepared, made ready for the child of God to enter. There is his eternal happiness, and there is his eternal resting place.

for he or she is able to testify that it was for him or her. Jesus, I know, has died for me. Here is my hope, my joy, my rest. The stone is rolled away, the way of salvation opened, that you might not perish in your sin, but live to all eternity.

In stark contrast, to those scribes and Pharisees. We don't read that they ever came to repentance. Some of them might have done. We don't read of, we're not told. But indeed, all that we read of would strongly indicate that they all went to damnation due to their vehement opposition to the truth, their vehement opposition to the liberty of the gospel, their vehement hatred of Christ and his people. And indeed, they who block sinners from the gospel, from the church, shall be sorely dealt with.

as surely all spiritual wolves will be, as the Pharisees no doubt were, who shall roll us away the stone from the door of the sepulcher, the angel of the Lord. Whatever stones you have in your pathway this morning, may we heed the words of Scripture. Come unto me, all ye that labour in a heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

Oh, what peace we often forfeit. Oh, what needless pain we bear. All because we do not carry everything to God in prayer. Your prayer need not be very long with many words. It may be the sigh or the upward looking of the eye. The Lord knows your thoughts. He reads them all. Nothing is hid. As Job said shortly before his deliverance, I know that thou canst do everything, in that no thought can be withholden from thee, as David the Psalmist says in Psalm 139, O Lord thou hast searched me out and known me, thou knowest my down sitting and mine up rising, thou understandest my thoughts afar off, thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways all your thoughts all your fears all your concerns and particularly friends may your soul be number one priority because he is merciful he is gracious and as we read in the prophet isaiah chapter 30 at the voice of thy cry when he when he shall hear it he will answer thee he will be very Gracious unto thee,

the stones in your pathway which seem to block you at present, they will be rolled away if you cry unto him. For he is a prayer-hearing, prayer-answering God, and him that cometh unto me I will in no wise cast out.

Who shall roll us away, the stone from the door of the sepulchre? May the Lord bless all that has been of himself and pardon anything amiss. Amen.

Let us sing together hymn number 95, tune Irish 160. And did the holy and the just, the sovereign of the skies, stoop down to wretchedness and dust, that guilty worms might rise.

Hymn 95, tune Irish 160.

O Lord, we do pray, bless all that has been of thyself this Sabbath morning, and do pardon anything amiss in thy sight.

Lord, do apply these truths unto us, and help us to believe that with thee all things are possible, that the vilest is welcome, and that with thee in providence nothing shall be too hard, that no matter the efforts of man, thou art far far greater, and thou art almighty compared to the poor man.

And Lord, may we believe that while Satan may be mighty, thou art almighty.

Help us to prove all things and hold fast that which is good.

Do, O Lord, be with us now as we separate and gather us around thy word again in the afternoon hour, as we pray thy blessing upon the food and drink we look to have for health and strength

We pray, O Lord, that thou grant thy blessing upon the word, and that this afternoon we may find spread before us a well-spread gospel table.

Pardon anything amiss, we pray, and make up in giving where we do so fail in asking.

Now may the love of God the Father, the grace of Christ the Son, the fellowship and the communion of the Holy Spirit rest, and abide with us each, both now and forevermore. Amen.