How sad our state by nature is, our sin how
deep it stains, and Satan binds our captive minds fast in his
slavish chains. O guilty, weak, and helpless
worm, on thy kind arms I fall. Be thou my strength and righteousness,
my Jesus, and my all. Hymn number 764, tune Childhood,
number 114. I must take my nature in, whilst
in happy estate, and search through life, Thou who taketh away the
sins of the world, Now there is a voice of sovereign
grace, and from the sacred Word O Vishwa Vrindavanamu Mantra
Shalom Namo My sorrow will perish in mighty
cold and run to his relief. I will perish I promise to help the young believers. To the dear Father, of my heart. Incarnate Lord, I cry. Illest me was my soul, There's
hope on high, the deepest sky Where'er Thou art, Thou art with
me, sure as me, My reign is in Thine hand. I need You, Rampart in splendor, what so
proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming? ? The guilt in me and helplessness
? ? On the kind of my foe ? ? In love and strength ? May we be helped to read this
evening from the Gospel of John, chapter 17. The 17th chapter in the Gospel
of John. This is Jesus praying for his
disciples and the believers. These words spake Jesus and lifted
up his eyes to heaven and said, Father, the hour is come. Glorify thy son, that thy son
also may glorify thee. As thou hast given him power
over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many
as thou hast given him. And this is life eternal, that
they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom
thou hast sent. I have glorified thee on the
earth. I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do. And now, O Father, glorify thou
me with thine own self, with the glory which I had with thee
before the world was. I have manifested thy name unto
the men which thou gavest me out of the world. Thine they
were, and thou gavest them me, and they have kept thy word. Now they have known that all
things whatsoever thou hast given me
are of thee. For I have given unto them the
words which thou gavest me, and they have received them, and
have known surely that I came out from thee, and they have
believed that thou didst send me. I pray for them, I pray not
for the world, but for them which thou hast given me, for they
are thine, and all mine are thine, and thine are mine, and I am
glorified in them. And now I am no more in the world,
but these are in the world, and I come to thee, Holy Father,
keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me. that
they may be one as we are. While I was with them in the
world, I kept them in thy name. Those that thou gavest me, I
have kept, and none of them is lost but the son of perdition,
that the scripture might be fulfilled. And now come I to thee, and these
things I speak in the world, that they might have my joy fulfilled
in themselves. I have given them thy word, and
the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even
as I am not of the world. I pray not that thou shouldest
take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them
from the evil. They are not of the world, even
as I am not of the world, Sanctify them through thy truth, thy word
is truth. As thou hast sent me into the
world, even so have I also sent them into the world. And for
their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified
through the truth. Neither pray I for these alone,
but for them also which shall believe on me through their word. that they all may be one, as
thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may
be one in us, that the world may believe that thou hast sent
me, and the glory which thou gavest me I have given them,
that they may be one, even as we are one, I in them, and thou
in me. that they may be made perfect
in one, and that the world may know that thou hast sent me,
and hast loved them as thou hast loved me. Father, I will that
they also whom thou hast given me be with me where I am, and
that they may behold my glory which thou hast given me, for
thou lovest me before the foundation of the world. O righteous Father,
the world hath not known thee, but I have known thee, and these
have known that thou hast sent me. And I have declared unto
them thy name, and will declare it, that the love wherewith thou
hast loved me may be in them, and I in them. I'll leave the
reading there, friends. May the dear Lord bless the reading
of his holy word to us each. May he teach and help us as we
come to the throne of grace. O Lord, as we come before thee,
may we have that right reverence in our hearts. Lord, may we bow
before thee. May we place our mouth in the
dust. If so be there may be hope for us. O Lord, we do come pleading
what thou hast done. We have nothing to plead of ourselves.
It is all of thee. Help us then to plead thy glorious
merits on our behalf. Help us to plead thy precious
blood on our behalf. And all that thou didst do, Lord,
on the sinner's behalf. Oh, that we might now as we come
find that sweet access at the throne of grace. We do not desire
just to utter words. We desire to have that access.
to the very heart of God. Oh Lord, come then we do pray
and shed abroad thy loving our hearts to draw us. Dear Lord,
we do thank thee that there is still a throne of grace and we
thank thee that thou art still on the throne. Oh Lord, these
are tremendous things because Satan will tell and keeps telling
thy people that we come to a vacant throne. We come to a throne,
dear Lord, a person that will not hear us. Oh, may we treasure
the times, dear Lord, when thou dost hear us, and may it be one
of those times this evening, when we can gain the ear of the
Lord of Sabaoth. Oh, we pray, Lord, as we come
into the sanctuary, we might know what it is to be found before
God. Lord, may we see no man, save
Jesus only. We pray that all things might
be shut out, all those worldly things, all the thoughts, all
the things, dear Lord, that would hinder us, may we be shut in
with Jesus. Oh, Lord, we gather not for fear
of the Jews, but we gather and may the dear Redeemer come and
stand in our midst, the doors being locked. Lord, we do pray
that we might have that favour divine this evening. We might
know what it is for Jesus himself, to draw near, O that their hearts
might burn within us. Lord, thou knowest how it is
often that we come in with a cold heart. Lord, it is a great privilege
if we come in with a soft heart, but we need thee to turn our
hearts into a heart of flesh. Thou hast promised to give it,
Lord, and O it is a desire with thy people that they might know
that beating heart. Our bowels moved within us as
Jesus came into the place. Lord, we do beg then this evening
that there might have been much prayer as we gather around this
word, that we might hear from heaven. Oh, that something from
heaven, a dew drop, Lord, might descend from heaven, a crumb,
Lord, a token of thy special grace. might come into our lives,
might come into our hearts even this evening. Lord may we be
amongst the gleaners, O thou knowest how unworthy we are,
but may we be found on the edge of the field gleaning, dear Lord,
those little pieces of grain, corn, barley, whatever we need,
Lord, and to take them home and beat them out. Lord do help us
each, we do pray, as we come once more We pray for the dear
pastor of this place, Uncle Jabe. Do remember him, Lord, and be
with him as he's in that far off land to take the message
to the people there. May he, dear Lord, see the fruits
of his labours. Oh, we do pray, dear Lord, that
there might be many quickened into divine life. There might
be many unashamed of Jesus. There might be many brought upon
by the Almighty God. And we pray for it here in this
pastorate of his, We pray, Lord, that there might be those signs
following the preaching of the word. Oh, that he might see and
have the sweet confirmations that thy word through him is
falling into good ground and he is being used for the honor
and glory of God. Oh, we do pray, Lord, bless his
labors and be with him in his lonely hours. Do strengthen him,
Lord, we do pray, and make thyself precious to him. We pray for
all thy servants, especially those, dear Lord, that are preaching
this evening, do remember them and help them, be everything
to them. We often hear it, Lord, be mouth, matter, and wisdom
to them, but oh, how each one needs this, the Lord to speak. We need, dear Lord, that precious
oil to flow through the tube into the sinner's heart. Oh,
the pipes that carry, empty pipes unless there is the oil flowing. Lord, but when it flows, how
beautiful it is to both the pipe and the hearer. Lord, do come
then, we do pray this evening. May there be a lifting up of
thy countenance upon us. Do us good. Oh, may it be a good
evening. We do pray as we gather together.
Lord, we may have had our minds and our bodies in the world in
those things that we have to do today, but we pray as we come
now that we might be drawn aside From all those things, dear Lord,
that have gone through our hearts and minds this day, may we be
found. Oh, may we truly be found, Lord,
sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in our right minds. Lord, we do pray for it. We pray
for the deacons here. Remember them in their office.
Be with them and bless them, strengthen them. And all those
things that come upon them, the burdens of this house, Lord,
we do pray that they might be helped, they might be strengthened. And we pray, dear Lord, that
they would bear up, as they have been over many years, hold up
the hands of thy dear servant here. And we pray, Lord, that
they continue to hold up the hands of all the servants that
come here. And Lord, we pray for them as
they come in these next week or so, the servants that Come,
dear Lord, may they come with a message from on high to the
people's hearts. Lord, we pray that this church
might be built up. We pray that all the churches
might be built up with souls hungering and thirsting after
righteousness. Oh, Lord, it is not for the glory
of man. It is for thy glory alone that
we plead these things. Do help us, Lord, we do pray
for the young, the rising race. Remember them, dear Lord, in
their youthful days. And oh, may they be taught of
the Lord. May they have that little corner where they can
go and pray. May they, dear Lord, be worked
upon by thy Holy Spirit. May they not be caught up with
the things of the world. And dear Lord, may they not be
caught away with those things. But may they cleave close to
thy maidens, May they not go to glean in another field. Lord,
we pray for it earnestly, that thou wouldst keep the young.
And dear Lord, oh, how wonderful it is when thou dost keep them
from themselves, and keep them from grieving thee, so that in
years to come, dear Lord, they don't have those things to look
back on that they did which were wrong. Oh, we're all found as
sinners, Lord, thou knowest we all need mercy. We plead that
mercy daily, thou knowest, Lord. And, oh, that mercy might come
even now, that we might feel Christ to be precious during
the service and, Lord, in our lives. Oh, we do thank thee for
those times that thou dost draw near to thy people and whisper
in their hearts. Lord, these are, oh, they're
not as frequent as we desire. But Lord, we thank thee for them.
And so we do pray that if there are any here that need help,
any that need direction or guidance, any dear Lord that needs something
special from thee, oh, they may have been praying for weeks,
Lord, months, perhaps a year or so. Lord, may the answers
come through the glorious gospel. We do pray the reading of thy
word and bless it to us and the preaching of the gospel. We thank
thee for it. that the Lord still communicates
to his needy people. Oh, what a blessing this is,
Lord, for when we need thee. Oh, and when we really need thee,
Lord, when it is that appointed time, thou wilt come. And so may it be one of the appointed
times and decrees of heaven this evening that we might enjoy this
time together, Lord. Oh, we do pray. We pray for those
who may feel barren They may feel dried up like a potsherd.
They may feel, dear Lord, to be cast off. Oh, make those promises
good to them, dear Lord, that thou would give the latter and
the early rain, springs in the desert, the showers upon the
mown grass. Oh, Lord, thou knowest where
thy people are and how they long for thee, how they long to be
the subjects of thy grace. Oh, come, Lord Jesus, we do beg. And we pray for those in old
age. Remember them and help them, Lord. Be with them as the grasshopper
has become a burden to them. We think of dear Mrs. Cornford.
Do help her, dear Lord. And be with her, we believe,
in these declining days. It may be longer, Lord, but do
help her and do bless and help dear Mr. Cornford. Do strengthen
him, dear Lord. We do pray. After a long marriage,
dear lord oh we think of those things that they have been through
and yet they have relied upon thee oh how hard they have lent
upon thee dear lord and may it continue we do pray oh may there
be many leaners raised up to lean upon the beloved lord we
have to acknowledge that our sufficiency is of god and not
of ourselves and so therefore dear lord we have to come leaning
upon the beloved. And so do bless us as we gather
around this precious word this evening. Oh, may it be life and
power to us. May it mean something in our
hearts and lives, dear Lord. Oh, may it not just be something
that we hear and go on our way, but may we hear to profit. May it be something, dear Lord,
that we are doers of the word and not hearers only. Help with
the singing of thy worthy praise, we do pray. And help us each,
dear Lord, oh, for that tender heart to be found before Thee. And dear Lord, we pray that Thou
wouldst condescend to come and be with us for Thy dear name's
sake. Amen. I seek and hope to find a portion
for my soul, To heal a feverish mind and make a bankrupt whole,
A cup of blessing for the poor that's free and full, and flowing o'er. Whatever I
wish or want can come from thee alone. Thou canst my heart content,
then let thy grace be shown. I choose thee for my portion,
Lord. Supply me well from mercy's board. In number 886, June St. John,
number 960. The ocean of my soul, To Thee,
O creation, The reign of heaven and earth. ? And the home of the brave ? ?
And the home of the brave ? ? And the home of the brave ? Let our prayer rise before you,
and worship only to God's own saviour. O come, O come, Lord Jesus Christ,
the King of glory! O come, O come, Lord Jesus Christ,
the King of glory! ? When Jesus will come thee ? ?
Thy portion and my own ? ? For I will wait on thee ? ? And listen
to thy call ? ? By day or storm and starlight
? ? Where're my devoted friends below? ? ? What can I wish for? ? Welcome home, we are home. Welcome, son of God, home still,
and in thy grace we join. ? And to thee, O my God, shall
go ? ? Self-righteously and wronglessly so. ? May the dear Lord help me to
say a few things from the chapter that we read in the Gospel of
John 17 and verse 24. I'll read the whole verse but
by way of text. 17 of the Gospel of John and
verse 24. Father I will that they also
whom thou hast given me be with me where I am that they may behold
my glory which thou hast given me for thou lovest me before
the foundation of the world. The Gospel of John, chapter 17,
verse 24. Father, I will that they also,
whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am, that they may
behold my glory, which thou hast given me, for thou lovest me
before the foundation of the world. we read that prayer friends
of the dear saviour did you feel insignificant to go to the throne
of grace what are your poor prayers compared with this one it's a
it's a wonder you know i really feel it's a great privilege that
the lord still hears poor sinners look at his prayer look at it
from verse 1 down to 26 a prayer presented to the father who for Who for? Have you got a sweet
hope that it was for you? You've got to be included in
this prayer. If you are outside of this prayer,
you have no interest as yet in Christ. I hope and pray the day
will come when you too can feel that he prayed for you. I know some of you do realise
this great truth but it's tremendous. Now the Lord Jesus in this prayer
he says seven I have's. How many do you go to God and
say that you've done? Do you tell him what you've done?
Do you tell him what you haven't done? That's more like it isn't
it? You're not capable of doing it
are you? Look what Jesus has done I've glorified them I've
given them thy word. You read down through there friends
and find seven I have's. We're in a wrong spirit if we
go the same way because he was pure. This prayer is offered
pure, think of it, from his own heart being the sacrifice for
sinners and he prayed before he died, not for himself prayed
for his own people. It's a tremendous thought as
you read the scriptures, may you think on these things and
see the beauty of it, that he prayed for me before he died. Think of that, friend. Well,
here we have, we know the first word, don't we? I hope and pray
we know it, like the apostle said, that when the spirit of
adoption comes, we cry, Abba, Father, It's not until the spirit
of adoption comes, friends. We're living in a day where people
use this word, Father, so flippantly. It is when the spirit of adoption
comes, then you have a right to plead what Jesus did. Father, I will. And look at the
poor apostles. Ask the Lord if he might teach
them to pray. Think, friend, all those deeply
taught men. called by his own mouth, Lord,
teach us to pray. Where did he start? Our father. Isn't that lovely? He started
with our father. He went through the Lord's prayer
with them. He gently held their hands, each one of them, and
they each followed him through the Lord's prayer, just quietly
going through it. Oh, what he was showing to them,
friends, only the people of God know, as the Lord shows them
as well. And really this subject is something that is precious,
because we have here the communion of Jesus and the Father. We read
it over and over again, they are one, they are inseparable. You know, as Jesus lived his
life here below, he had continual communion with the Father. It
was unbroken communion, unbroken friends. It was continuous, 24
hours a day, seven days a week. There was no break in that communion.
Often, you know, he was found talking and praying, and the
disciples heard him to say, I knowest that thou hearest me always.
Communion with the Father, because they were one, I in them and
thou in me. Now, we're starting to get close
to this text, aren't we? when the Lord Jesus says, Father,
Father. You think of the endearment of
it, friends. You think of this relationship,
this oneness, that had been throughout eternity, a never-ending eternity,
they'd been together. And for our ears, this is for
our ears, friends. He didn't have to say this. Many
times the dear Redeemer, we think of one or two, he said this didn't
he? That voice came not because of me. He had continual communion with
God. It came because of you, so that
you should hear that I have continual communion with God. What a thought isn't it? Do we
know this person? Do we know him personally? We've
read about him. Job said, I've heard about him.
But then he said something so beautiful. He said, now when
I see him, I see him. This is the one that they've
all been talking about. This is the one. So the dear Lord
Jesus, he starts this verse and he says, Father, Father, this is tremendous. because the
father spoke of his own son on rare occasions, but they're noted
and recorded. At the baptism of Jesus, all
that was going on, the crowd, the Lord Jesus going into the
water, John unworthy to do it, Jesus said, suffer it to be so
now. Little did John know what was
just about to happen. And I don't know whether any
of you have had the same experience of the Lord when you're down
in the water, a spirit comes and seals the moment to you.
It is done sometimes, it is done as God is a sovereign. But here,
he was down in the water and he come up out of the water.
Come up out of the water. and the approbation of heaven
was upon it. There was no more proof needed who he was. These were rare occasions friends
and there'll be rare occasions with you when you have the proof
of God in your heart and you know that you're a child of God. And that's exactly what John
saw. He said that he brought him up out of the water and the
Holy Spirit descended like a dove upon this man. He was his cousin. Upon this man, the Son of God
descended, lighted upon him and then we see the communion that
was already going on. This, yes, this poor man, this
man that's been born in poverty, this man who has parents as a
carpenter and a poor virgin mother, this man, He's my son. He's my son. This is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased. I in them and thou in me. Do you see the connection, friend? Do you see the depth of the knowledge,
the saving knowledge of the experience of knowing, I in them? So who
was the father talking to? All that are found in Christ,
all of them. Behold, this is my beloved son. I in them, it's such a wonderful
word, isn't it? the dear Redeemer again when
he takes them up into the Mount of Transfiguration and he shows
them who he really is. You do know you're living under
the eye of God don't you? See the disciples they thought
they knew so much He took them up into the Mount of Transfiguration
and he became light. It wasn't he had a light. He
didn't take a light up there. He was the light. His garments
shone as the brightness of the sun. It was him shining through
his garments. Those old I say old, I know that
garment that he wore, but it's only a piece of cloth. We're covering the beauty of
Christ and he revealed himself to them upon that Mount of Transfiguration
and little did they realize they heard the voice again and it
said this, this is my beloved son. hear ye him, I think one of them
was, in whom I am well pleased and this was hear ye him. Think
how they came back, still sinners, still sinners. These great things that happened
to the poor men of old, they were still sinners, they were
still capable of falling. I really think that people think
that they're turning into a holy thing if the Lord reveals no. Yes, he forgives sin. Yes, he
sanctifies and separates. Yes, he draws you to himself
and clothes you. But all the time you're here,
you can fall. You can fall, friends. You're still a sinner, a wretched,
How deserving sinner. That's what they were. And when
they were brought to know it, then they look back. You read
Peter. You read him. We were there. We were there. What joy run through
his heart as he picked his pen up. We were there. In the Holy
Mount. I was there, I saw him. I actually
saw him. I saw him as he is now, today,
in glory. I saw him. Look at the whisper from the
Saviour's heart, Father, I will, I will. Oh, really, it's seeing the willingness
of Jesus, isn't it? He really is, friends, and He
lets us know that He's willing. I could ask you if you're willing
to do his will. You know, oftentimes we know
the Lord's will, don't we? If you don't know it, you plead
for to know it. And if he did show you, would you be willing?
Would you actually be willing to do his will? Is it something
that you desire? Lord, show me thy will and I'll
do it. If he shows you his will, friend, the adversary's straight
on you, and your old flesh rises up, and you wonder whether you
should do it, Listen to the voice of the innocent
one. The absolute pure innocent one. I'm sure the older ones have
but I hope and pray one day you younger people see the innocence
of Jesus. Absolutely pure. From all eternity. And he came into time and he
was still exactly the same as he was in eternity. Absolutely
pure. And he left this world absolutely
pure. He was not contaminated. Nothing
contaminated him. It's a great mystery. And especially
when we think of our sins being laid upon him, they did not contaminate
him. He was still pure. Pain, because he said he would. That's why. He said he would. Father, I will. I will do it. I'll pay for them all. All of
them. You say, did he know the debt?
Yes, he knew the debt, friends. And what's staggering to you
and I, the sins that he's forgiven you already, you've added to
them. He forgave them as well. When you think of how long some
people live, And He still forgave them all that time ago. He took
into... His knowledge is far beyond us,
isn't it? He took into consideration every
single sin and weighed them together. Friend, if your sin wasn't there,
I want to be loving to you, but I want to warn you, if your sin
wasn't in that bundle, that mountain that was poured on Him, it will
be poured on you. You'll have to bear it. You'll
have to suffer it. That's why these words, listen,
Father I will. I'll take the whole mountain.
I'll take every sin that they've ever committed and will ever
commit and I'll take it. I will. Isn't it a wonderful
thing that he did it for us. And the beautiful thing is friends,
the gospel tells us, doesn't it, over and over again that
there's forgiveness with him. There's forgiveness. With the
dear Redeemer, I don't know whether you are coming guilty this evening,
but the blood of Jesus Christ, his son, cleanses from all sin,
all of it, the whole of it, friend. So, Father, I will. Now, I want
to just look at this like this. When to get married? This word, I will, is one of
the Outstanding words of a wedding. Everybody's listening. Everybody's
listening. To the husband say I will and
to the wife say I will. It means something at a wedding.
It used to. I hope and pray it does today
but we see so much going on. They've promised God I will. Broken the promise and they've
gone their own way. We don't see this here do we? You don't
see this here, Freddie. He never breaks a promise. Look
at the promise to his people. He promised his father, Father,
I will. And what the husband and wife. Look at, I will care
for her. I will look after her. I will
love her. I will cherish her. I will comfort
her. I will do it. Before God and
man, he says, or she says, I will do it. Now think of when the
dear Lord Jesus said it about your soul and mine. Think of
when he said it friends, I will look after them, I will follow them and lead them
till the day of their death, I'll be with them. And like in
a normal marriage you know don't you, the very wording is so opposite
and yet it's so beautiful isn't it, till death us do part. I will, till death us do part.
What about the dear Redeemer when he said I will then? What
about it friend? What about it? What has he said? Not till death us do part. That's
when it all starts better. That's when it turns into the
marriage supper of the Lamb. That's when you get to see him
as he is. There's no death as two parts.
Friend, I want to speak rightly, but death is the very portal.
Death is the doorway of the marriage. I will. I will. Isn't that a
lovely thing? And all the invites are given
out to the wedding, and everybody comes to witness, don't they?
And they're so happy. The couple are happy. and they
go on their way having done their vows, you turn that spiritually
friends. Oh the church rejoices when,
the church rejoices above measure when the church knows that there's
another one, another one to join the bride. Think another one
that will be found in heaven because the Lord said, Father
I will. that great transaction above
the skies in eternity and then he confirms it to us here below. I will! I will. What? Well we could list so many
things can't we? I will give them rest. It's not just bodily rest we
need. Do you know sometimes it's spiritual
rest isn't it? The warfare's great for a child
of God, it is. If you're always holding a sword,
if naturally you was always holding a sword and always holding a
shield, you'd need to sit down, you'd need to rest, wouldn't
you? If you was always got the armor on, you'd need to rest.
Think of the beauty, he said, my presence shall go within,
I'll give thee rest. He gives rest from the adversary. He gives rest from the fight.
He gives rest to the warrior, doesn't he? He gives rest to
the labourer. Those that labour, come unto
me all ye that labour and are heavy laden. And what? I will give you rest. I'll do it for you. And it's
not just that, I want to be right friends, but it's not just that
he gives you rest. He does it for you. He does it
for you. He shows you that he's fought
the fight, the battle won. He shows you it. Oh, and he was
never like us, was he? Father, I will. The leper, look
at the leper. I don't know whether you feel
to be a leper this evening, friends, but you're in good company. You're
in good company. The leprosy's all over the body,
isn't it? Everywhere you look, you've done
something wrong, haven't you? Everywhere you look, you can
see something in your life, can't you? And things are falling apart,
aren't they, as you look at yourself? Don't look at yourself. Why do
you look at yourself? I'm talking to me, friends. Look
out of self. To him that said, Father, I will,
as they came to him. You think how many lepers came
to him. We read of one or two, but we also read in the end of
John, don't we, if all these things were written, the whole
earth wouldn't be able to carry the books, control the books. Think of the lepers that came
to him. What did he say? No, no, you're too bad. You're too bad. I hope you think like this friends
but when the lepers came to him he saw them he drew them actually
they were dreadful in a dreadful state the leper he was in a dreadful
state there was no medical help on earth they went into colonies
didn't they but you know those ones he drew to him he looked
he must have looked at them and thought they're ready by my spirit
they're ready And that's how he looks at a sinner, friend.
Why, you think you're a sinner till the light shines in your
heart, then you know you are. Until the conviction grows so
great that you can't go on anymore, then he's ready, he's ready,
friend. He was ready before, but you weren't ready. This is
the difference. I don't think people think that
the Lord's getting them ready. We're not ready until he's worked
everything in us so that we are ready. And then the lepers came,
hobbling to him, struggling, being carried. They were ready. What did he say? Come back. Come back, you're not ready.
No, his work is perfect in the soul. Absolutely perfect. The timing of heaven is perfect.
When he forgives sin, when he cleanses, when he heals, it's
perfect. Every single one that came to
him, he said, I will. I will. And what's lovely to
my heart, he didn't hold back. He didn't hold back. willingly
touched them, willingly spoke to them. Oh, he spoke to the church of
old in the New Testament, really, but it's of old. I will not leave
you comfortless. Do you think he meant it? I think
he meant it, friends. Show me where he's broken his
promise. You show me one poor sinner that could come and say
that he's broken his promise. aren't any, you'll never find
one because he comforts his church and he will comfort her all the
time that she's in this world he will comfort her but this
I will I want to move on really I will as soon as Jesus spoke
it and it came out of a heart of love the authority we don't
realize the authority the same voice that spoke the earth into
being The same voice that scattered the stars in the sky, the same
voice that put the sun in there and the moon, the same voice
said, I will. Said, I will. I'll do it willingly.
And the moment that comes out of his mouth, the kingdom of darkness trembles. Why? Why? It's like a thunderbolt through
the darkness. Satan trembles when he sees,
we've seen it don't we, the weakest sinner on his knees and when
Jesus says I will friends, he knows he's lost a soul. The devil
knows he's lost a soul to the king. He knows he can never have
that child of God, he can never have him because he's been claimed. The devil knows that this soul
that has this I will is Purchased by Jesus precious blood and friends. There's no way out once the grace
has got your heart It'll never leave you You might try and leave
it you might struggle struggle against it. You might try and
backslide You might do all these things grace will never leave
you once. He said I will father. I will
that my grace stays with them By in then remember this friend
These few words, I in them. So beautiful. It's a job to explain
it, but if you know that this treasury is in earthen vessels,
friends, then you will rejoice with the dear Redeemer. You dear,
well, this beautiful person of Christ, in the new man, he puts
it in an old clay vessel. I will look after it, both of
them. I'll look after my work in them
and the old clay vessel that surrounds them. I'll look after
them. Listen, not a hair of your head
shall fall. That's looking after you, isn't
it? Not a hair shall fall to the ground without your father's
leave. I've got to move on, but we could
just stay here, couldn't we? The willingness of Jesus to do
what he did for the worst of sinners, not
the best of sinners. It's not making ourselves better,
friends. That would do us no good at all. The time we spend
on trying to make ourselves better for Jesus, we're further away
from him. Because what happens is we build
up this barrier and we have pride that we're getting better. The
vilest sinner Sometimes, you know, I feel that
the poor man in the pulpit would love to give those hearers the
things that he could feel and read and acknowledge in us. The
vilest sinner. You can't get worse, you can't
get below that, friends. Until you reach rock bottom, the vilest sinner out of hell
that lives to feel his need. Father, I will. He's welcome
to the throne of grace. I'll sit on the throne of grace
for them, Father, until the last soul has been gathered in, and
then there will be no need for a throne of grace. No need. May you come to be part of this
text, all of it. Welcome to that throne of grace.
Oh friend, you think here we have the dear person that was
sitting on the throne of grace and yet he was praying while
he was here below in his incarnate state. Isn't it beautiful? Well I'll move on. Father I will
that they also, whom thou hast given me. What? What's his desire? What's his longing? What's the
overwhelming feeling in the dear Lord's heart as he praises those
that thou hast given me? be with me, where I am. You don't know what
heaven is, I don't know what heaven is, all we know is that
Jesus is there, that's all we know. Yes we can read in Revelation
and many have debated it, many have gone through it to see what
they could find out but Jesus is there and look at the desire
in his heart that they be with me Let's look at this first, Thou
hast given me. Sometimes it's a job to explain
what the Lord, the words, the power of it, listen. They also
whom Thou hast given to me, given me. The Father took this people, took them. He gave them to his dear son.
Gave them, all of them. Oh, if there was ever a heavenly
gift, friends, that was. Look what he could have given
him. What could he have given him? What did he desire? He had everything. But he didn't have And I want
to say this really respectful thing, he didn't have the people
to praise him. He didn't have those souls. He's got the gift. And he's praying,
he's speaking to the giver. I want to say this, I know God
can see down through the ages and I know his foreknowledge
is eternal. But you think, when he came to
this earth, when the father gave his son the gift, what did the
gift look like? Contemplate it, meditate upon
it, what did the gift look like? And when the Lord Jesus came
to the earth, what did the gift look like? The earth was made because of
the gift. The whole universe was made because
of the gift. No other reason. It is not so
that you can live here happily. The earth and the universe was
made because God had given his son a gift. And that gift must live a life. And Jesus could only have this
gift after he'd paid for her. Yes, it was a gift. But he had
to buy her back. Because of her own fault. Because
of what she did. Nothing to do with what he did.
He came and he saw them wallowing in their sin. He came and saw
them wallowing like a pig in mire. You think of it, friends,
He saw them. That's my gift. That's what the
Father gave me. But He saw beyond the mire. He
saw beyond the sin. Listen, thou mine. If you've heard anything like
it, thou mine. I can't take them back to glory
looking like that. I can't take them back and show
my father what a state they've got into. I can't take them back and present
them whole when they're like that. Father, I will. I will. I'll go where they are. go exactly
where they are without sin and I'll go down and I'll pick every
single one of them up. Father I will that they also
whom thou hast given me be with me. How could they be with him? How could any poor sinner be
with Jesus? How could they? How could he
present them before the angels and his Father? How could he
do it? by giving his own life, by going into the place that
they went, not as a sinner, but as a sin-bearer. Don't just pray. Search for Christ
in the prayer. He had some vile wretches to
save. Some absolute outcasts. He had
the worst of mankind to save. And he had you and I. He had
you and I. Father, I will. Now the father loved the son,
and the son loved the father. It's
an eternal love. It's not like we know where love
ends, gets hot, gets cold. It's nothing like that. He loved
the father and the father loved the son. And he says, give them
that love wherewith thou hast loved me. There's the love of
Christ. There's the love of God in Christ.
Give them that love that Thou hast loved me with from countless,
countless ages in eternity. And the dear Lord Jesus says
give them that same love that Thou hast loved me. Now you can
see, can't you? You can see so clearly, can't
you? The angels rejoice in heaven over one sinner, the repentant.
You think of the angels looking over at heaven and they see the
dear Lord Jesus pick a poor dying sinner out of the fire. He picks
them up, he cleanses them, he clothes them, he presents them
whole, faultless before the throne. Willingly. Willingly. I will do it. This working is going on today. This is what the dear Lord is
still doing, picking up poor sinners, washing them in his
own blood, clothing them in his own righteousness and presenting
them to heaven. So that when the Father one day
will look at this gift that the dear Redeemer presents to him,
they won't look like they did down here. faultless, faultless, the eternal
eye, the eternal eye looking through them, the eternal eye
scrutinizing the work of the Lord Jesus and he can't see a
flaw in that work, can't see a flaw friends, it's perfect. That's why when you read in Revelation
it says no spot, how small is a spot? You think how small a spot is, and that won't get into heaven.
Something's got to be done with that spot, just one little spot,
something's got to be done with it. Now look the other way and
see who carried it. The mine, oh the mine. Father,
I will that they also whom thou hast given me be with me, where
I am. I better move on. It's so beautiful,
isn't it, to hover around these gracious things, as the Lord
shows us, that they may behold my glory. What, this poor despised
Nazarene has got glory? What, this poor buffeted man
has got glory? What, this poor man that hung
dying, gasping, has got glory? they may behold my glory which
thou hast given me for thou lovest me before the foundation of the
world the beauty of really friends I love the meeting place of a
holy God and a poor dying sinner I just love that place and it's
the Lord Jesus there is no other place where a holy God can meet
a sinner no other way If Jesus did not do this for you and I,
friends, you and I will have to stand before a holy God and
there's no hope. There's absolutely no hope. As
you live, so you will die. But listen, if that meeting place
has been made for you, been provided for you, it's been provided. There's a word in the Psalms
and it says this, the Lord hath made a way to his anger. God is angry at sin. God hates
sin. He cannot accept it. Holiness
and sin cannot go together. They cannot mix. There's just
nothing that can bring them together. Holiness and sin. You cannot
put them together at all. Oh, the provision God made and
he knew how to do it. The blessing that he did. And
think of the willingness of Jesus to be accursed. everyone that
hangs upon a tree is accursed they become a curse and you and
I deserve the curse he took it away put it on himself oh for their love it's me before
the foundation of the world there is a hymn isn't there and
it says this loved of my God I didn't start the love, friends,
and you didn't start the love. But for grace, you'd still be
wallowing in sin, uncleanness. Yes, and friends, but for grace,
you'd go back there. You'd be found there again. Don't
think that you can keep yourself. Nobody can keep themselves. It's
grace that keeps us. What does Peter say? Kept by
the power of God, through faith unto salvation, nothing else
keeps us. But Jesus is grace in us. Thou
lovest me. Those times of favour, those
times of the love of Christ flooding into your heart, those times
of Heaven begun below. I know they're rare friends,
I know they're not as frequent as you would like them to be.
But it's this verse coming to pass. It's actually this verse
coming to pass. There are places where the Lord's
glory is seen. And even in a token, His glory
is seen. And what do I mean? I mean this,
He's broken down all barriers. He's put Satan out of the way,
and the token floods into your heart, and that's the glory of
Christ beginning, beginning here below. Oh, he has a glory to
show to his people. You think of Moses, you read
that again. Moses said, he didn't say this,
and I thought that was so precious. He didn't say to the Lord, give
me thy glory. No, friend, no. God won't give
glory to a sinner. He'll share it, but he won't
give it to, Moses said, show me thy glory. Show it to me,
Lord. Show me who thou art. And all
the preciousness, you know, he took Moses, didn't he? He put
him in a cleft of the rock. And then he put his hand over
him. Do you think he's going to look after you? Do you think
he's going to take care of you all your days? And then in that
dark day of death, do you think he's going to take care of you?
He put his hand over Moses because he couldn't stand the glory of
the Lord as he passed by. No man shall see my face. Not
yet. Not yet. In one of my dad's hymn books,
after he'd passed away, he had this underlined or in brackets.
They shall never, never sin. They shall see his face. I can't quote it quite right,
but that's exactly what he did. Moses in the cleft of the rock. Who is the cleft of the rock?
Where is the cleft of the rock? In the riven side of the Lord
Jesus himself. He put him in there and then
he put his hand over him. He sheltered him from the glory.
But also, think of what Moses found in that cleft of the rock. Well, the dove, look, the dove
is in the cleft of the rock, isn't it? And when the Lord begins,
you think, I'm in the cleft of the rock. When the Lord reveals
himself, do you think you're in the cleft of the rock? Where
did Moses go deeper and deeper into the cleft, friend? What
did he do? He understood more and more of the love of Christ,
he did. And when he came out of the cleft,
there was the glory of the Lord passed by. And what did he say? I will make all my goodness pass
but what is the goodness of God? What is it friends? That they
be with me where I am. The goodness of God is being
with Jesus. That's what the goodness of God
is providing Jesus for us. He's precious you know. He's
precious. I know we have those days don't
we where we Don't know whether we're going forwards or backwards. We don't know whether God can
hear prayer or we can't hear prayer. Because the devil comes
on with such an overflowing sense, doesn't he? But even there, the
Lord's promised, and I will. When Satan comes in like a flood,
the Lord be with me where I am. And in
this also, just for a few moments, I see expectation. Oh, the expectation
of a poor sinner. You know, the Lord can do this
in any age. If he has a favor towards you,
be thankful if he starts with you young. Be thankful if the
Lord pulls you to one side and begins with you. But in all of
it, he gives his people an expectation, doesn't he? And the lovely thing
is that's what brings them through many things. The Lord will appear. There's an expectation, friend,
there is. Because how can there not be
an expectation if he's gonna present you faultless before
his throne? How can there not be something
to look forward to? Blameless. blameless because he was blamed. We blamed him. And he took the blame away. He
makes his people blameless. He was blamed. It's a few things
to meditate upon, isn't it? A few things to think about,
friends. The life and the death. of the one we love. Our expectation, the Lord Jesus
himself, Jesus having loved his own, will love them to the end. Father, I will. All that dear
heart, that they also, whom thou hast
given me, be with me where I am, that they may behold my glory,
which thou hast given me, for thou lovest me before the foundation
of the world. May the dear Lord forgive anything
that's been said amiss. Amen. Come hither ye by sin distressed,
and hear the Saviour's faithful word. Soon ye shall enter into
rest, and know that he is your conquering Lord. Does Satan tempt
you to give up? And call no more on Jesus' name. Cast not away your little hope.
Come hither and behold the Lamb. Hymn number 1028, tune Arizona
284. God be with you, all ye citizens, and with your saints in the world. ? To each of us be generous ? ?
And have no fear of what we do ? ? O give unto me, O joyous day
? ? O give unto me, O joyous day ? Whose broad stripes and bright
stars through the perilous fight, O'er the ramparts we watched,
were so gallantly streaming? O say can you see, by the dawn's
early light, What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last
gleaming? ? The Son of Man, the only true
Lord ? ? Love me and have me, Lord, forevermore ? Omnipotent, O Saviour God, First
of all in every view, In Jesus' love, let stillness reign, While in His Spirit's
touch, let's be. ? The Lord above ? ? In Christ
the Lord ? ? Where'er ye go ? ? We will stay the same ? ? Is he
a child ? Now, dear Lord, we thank Thee for Thy impress it upon our hearts, we
do pray. Oh, may thy word change lives,
we do beg. Help us each in the great journey
of life, and help us in the unknown way, the unknown steps, Lord,
do be with us. Bless this people and their pastor,
we do pray for them. And add to the church such as
shall be saved, and establish those in the truth. Settle them,
dear Lord, in thy grace and in thy strength. Lord help each
one. Now may the grace of the dear
Lord Jesus and the love of God and the sweet fellowship and
communion of thy Holy Spirit rest and remain with us each
now and forever.