are as follows. Our pastor is
expected to preach here next Lord's Day at 10.30 and 2 o'clock
and also on Thursday at 7 p.m. There'll be a prayer meeting
on Tuesday at 7 p.m. We commence our services today
by singing hymn number 636. The tune is Hull number 714. The Sabbath was a day of rest,
the day the Lord Jehovah blessed, a lively type of Christ. The
laboring poor may venture here, the guilty banish all their fear
and lean on Jesus' breast. When foes without and foes within,
wrath, law and Satan, guilt and sin, the child of God molest,
fatigued with sin, distressed with fear, he enters into Christ
and there he finds a settled rest. Hymn number 636, June Hull,
number 714. ? Except the day of rest ? ? There'll
be no more day of rest ? And my feet are not frozen When I'm
before the Throne, I will sing O'er the ramparts we watched,
were so gallantly streaming? And the rocket's red glare, the
bombs bursting in air, ? And it ends in blessed heaven
? ? There and then, Jesus, Christ can die ? ? In Christ, the Son
of God ? ? Jesus, Jesus, holy Christ ? ?
Christ, holy is the Lamb that wept ? ? That in death we'll
meet ? ? Blessed is the man ? ? Blessed
is he forevermore ? ? I believe it, I believe it, I believe it,
I believe it ? Christ is born in Bethlehem. Blessed is he that cometh in
the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen. I'm O'er the ramparts we watched,
were so gallantly streaming? And the rocket's red glare, the
bombs bursting in air, The reading from the Infallible
Word of God will be found in the first book of the Kings and
we read a part of chapter 3 and then a part of chapter 8. The first book of the Kings,
we turn to chapter 3, we commence to read at verse 5 to verse 15. In Gibeon the Lord appeared to
Solomon in a dream by night. And God said, Ask what I shall
give thee. And Solomon said, Thou hast shown
unto thy servant David my father great mercy. According as he
walked before thee in truth and in righteousness, and in uprightness
of heart with thee. And thou hast kept for him this
great kindness, that thou hast given him a son to sit on his
throne as it is this day. And now, O Lord my God, thou
hast made thy servant king, instead of David, my father. And I am but a little child. I know not how to go out or come
in. And thy servant is in the midst
of thy people which thou hast chosen, a great people that cannot
be numbered nor counted for multitude. Give therefore thy servant an
understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern
between good and bad. For who is able to judge this
thy so great a people? pleased the Lord that Solomon
had asked this thing. And God said unto him, Because
thou hast asked this thing, and hast not asked for thyself long
life, neither hast thou asked riches for thyself, nor hast
thou asked the life of thine but has asked for thy self-understanding
to discern judgment. Behold, I have done according
to thy words, though I have given thee a wise and an understanding
heart, so that there was none like thee before thee, neither
after thee, shall any arise like unto thee. And I have also given
thee that which thou hast not asked, both riches and honour,
so that there shall not be any among the kings like unto thee
all thy days. And if thou wilt walk in my ways,
to keep my statutes and my commandments, as thy father David did walk,
then I will lengthen thy days. And Solomon awoke, and, behold,
it was a dream, and he came to Jerusalem. and stood before the
ark of the covenant of the Lord, and offered up burnt offerings,
and offered peace offerings, and made a feast to all his servants. And then if you will turn kindly
with me to chapter 8, and we will read the first 21 verses. Chapter eight, read in the first
21 verses. Then Solomon assembled the elders
of Israel and all the heads of the tribes, the chief of the
fathers of the children of Israel, unto King Solomon in Jerusalem. that they may bring up the ark
of the covenant of the LORD out of the city of David, which is
Zion. And all the men of Israel assembled
themselves unto King Solomon at the feast in the month Ethanim,
which is the seventh month. And all the elders of Israel
came and the priests took up the ark. And they brought up
the ark of the LORD, and the tabernacle of the congregation,
and all the holy vessels that were in the tabernacle. Even
those did the priests and the Levites bring up. And King Solomon
and all the congregation of Israel that were assembled unto him
were with him before the ark, sacrificed in sheep and oxen,
that could not be told nor numbered for multitude. And the priest
brought in the ark of the covenant of the Lord unto his place, into
the oracle of the house to the most holy place, even under the
wings of the cherubims. For the cherubims spread forth
their two wings over the place of the ark, and the cherubims
covered the ark and the staves thereof above. and they drew
out the staves that the end of the staves were seen out in the
holy place before the oracle and they were not seen without
and there they are unto this day. There was nothing in the
ark save the two tables of stone which Moses put there at Horeb,
when the Lord made a covenant with the children of Israel,
when they came out of the land of Egypt. And it came to pass,
when the priests were come out of the holy place, that the cloud
filled the house of the Lord, so that the priests would not
stand to minister because of the cloud, for the glory of the
Lord had filled the house of the Lord. Then spake Solomon,
the Lord said that he would dwell in the thick darkness. I have
surely built thee a house to dwell in. a settled place for
thee to abide in forever. And the king turned his face
about, and blessed all the congregation of Israel. And all the congregation
of Israel stood, and he said, Blessed be the Lord God of Israel. which spake with his mouth unto
David my father, and hath with his hand fulfilled it, saying,
Since the day that I brought forth my people Israel out of
Egypt, I chose no city out of all the tribes of Israel to build
an house, that my name might be therein, that I chose David
to be over my people Israel. And it was in the heart of David
my father to build a house for the name of the Lord God of Israel. And the Lord said unto David,
my father, that whereas it was in thine heart to build a house
unto my name, thou didst well that it was in thine heart. Nevertheless thou shalt not build
the house, but thy Son that shall come forth out of thy loins,
he shall build the house. unto my name. And the Lord hath performed his
word that he spake. And I am risen up in the room
of David my father, and sit on the throne of Israel, as the
Lord promised, and have built and held for the name of the
Lord God of Israel. And I have set there a place
for the ark wherein is the covenant of the Lord which he made with
our fathers when he brought them out of the land of Egypt. We'll leave the reading there,
dear friends. May the Lord bless his own word
unto our speech. May the Lord help us now to pray. Oh Lord, our great and holy and
eternal and sovereign Lord God, almighty, all-glorious, having
all power in heaven and in earth, we are exalted to ascribe greatness
unto our God. and we would desire so to do. For Thou art the King of Kings
and the Lord of Lords, the Creator of this world, and Thou who didst
also create man in Thine own image. And we are here, Lord,
today because there was that time appointed for us to be born. And we desire to wait upon thee
until that appointed time when we shall die. Whilst our days on earth are
lengthened, may we give them Lord to thee, and especially
the Lord's Day, as we assemble ourselves together for the purpose
of divine worship, not now, in that private way of meditation
and prayer and reading, but in the public means of grace, where
thy dear people come from here and there to the sanctuary of
God, to unitedly join in worship of thy thrice holy name. Father, Son and Holy Ghost. And yet, Lord, we realise and
know that we cannot attain to that which is required of us
in and of ourselves. Our flesh is weak. We cannot do the things that
we would, and one hour upon the truth we feed, and then the next
we know not what we read. We need divine power, divine
strength, divine help. And we thank thee, Lord, that
thou dost bestow these divine favours and blessings upon us
so that we are enabled to do that which is required of us
and which is pleasing in thy sight and brings glory to thy
great and holy and eternal and precious and sacred an all-glorious
name. And so we pray for the divine
help of thy Holy Spirit, help in our infirmities, and those
that worship God must worship God in spirit and in truth. so that we might be completely
saved from mere tradition and formality and know what it is
to be in the Spirit on the Lord's day. And may we hear thy voice
speaking to us. through the sacred Word of God,
thy Word that liveth and abideth forever. And so, Lord, do come
in thine appointed ways and help us each to worship the Lord in
the beauty of holiness. Help me, dear Lord, to speak,
for Thou hath decreed that Thy word shall be preached. It is ordained of God. And do bless all the ministry
to die, the ministry of the Spirit, that it may be clothed with divine
power and be effectual and efficacious and edifying to the Church of
God and each member of thy mystical body. And do help the dear friends,
favour them, with the hearing ear of faith, without which it
is impossible to please God, so that this day may prove to
be one of the days of the coming of the Son of Man. O Lord, Do
favour us, we beseech of Thee, for we are passing through this
vale of tears, this wilderness journey. Are we not companions
together in tribulation? And we pray, Lord, that there
may be a gracious recompense Receive, Lord, from Thee, through
Thy precious Word, that it may comfort us and console us and
bless us. O Lord, Thou knowest the way
we take, the path we walk in, and we do pray that when thou
hast tried us, we shall come forth as gold. We do pray, Lord, for this part
of thy one church, the body of churches to which we are affiliated
in our loyalty and in our love and in our devotion and in our
steadfast belief in the doctrines of grace that make us steadfast
and unmovable in the things of God. And Lord we occupy the pulpit
here today owing to their beloved pastor preaching in another cause
of truth. And we pray that they will be
with him where he is and be with us, Lord, here amongst his own
dear people. Oh, we do pray. that thou wouldst
grant to us both today that God-given ability to rightly divide the
word of truth and to preach the unsearchable riches of Christ. O do be with him, Lord, a fellow
labourer, a brother beloved, esteeming each other better than
ourselves. And we do pray that they will
be with him in his office here with the charge and care of this
cause of truth. Help him, Lord, continually to
feed the Church of God here, which thou had purchased with
thine own precious blood, Lord Jesus. May he dip his foot in
oil and be acceptable to the brethren and sisters in Christ. May thy Word through him be attended
with divine power and bring forth fruit. And so, Lord, we pray
for this cause of truth, each one present here before thee
now, any unable to be here who normally are, Be with them, Lord,
where they are. And dear friends who have joined
us from other causes overseas, and yet one in heart and practice
and doctrine. And so be with us today as a
part of the one family of God on earth. And do, Lord, remember
those who hold office here in their responsibility and concern
for the cause here, together with their responsibilities within
the body of churches to which we are united and so Lord do
be with us may we be as the heart of one man in our fervent desire
to glorify the name of the Lord for all thy mercies and all thy
truths sake Remember, Lord, all for whom we should and would
pray for, as we ought. Many, Lord, of Thy dear people,
in tribulation, in one form or another, we do pray that Thou
wilt suit Thy mercies to each one according to their needs. And help us each in our daily
lives, in our homes, as families and dear ones. Oh, be with us,
Lord, day by day, and help us. For, Lord, we need thee. feelingly, increasingly, as the
years pass. And so, Lord, we do pray that
they will be with us in body, mind, and soul. Hold us up, hold us on, and grant
us grace and strength, equal to the day. We thank thee, Lord,
for the light and the sun of this Lord's day. Oh, may the
sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings and the
glorious light of the gospel of our Lord and Saviour Jesus
Christ. Remember, Lord, our notion, the
notions of the earth. We are living in solemn times,
but Lord, we are not surprised because thy word testifies that
things will wax worse and worse. Satan deceiving men and women,
living in ignorance and sin and darkness and unregeneracy. We see the sad and solemn effect
abroad the earth, but we think that there is still a little
remnant according to the election of grace. We would pray especially
for the suffering body of humanity. Could it please the Lord to stay
and stop these horrible wars, these dreadful conflicts, Oh,
the suffering, the death, the injury, the destruction. Oh Lord, do remember we pray
that those who suffer as a result of these things and how we should
value our freedom, our liberty and our peace. And so, Lord,
do rend the heavens and come down, that those mountains might
flow down at thy presence. Bless the singing of the sacred
hymns. Be with us as we further wait
upon them, as we would ask all, with the forgiveness of our every
sin, for Jesus' sake. Amen. We'll continue our service by
singing hymn number 267. The tune is Chester, number 879. Children of the Heavenly King,
As ye journey, sweetly sing, Sing your Saviour's worthy praise,
Glorious in his works and ways. Lord submissive, make us go,
Gladly leaving all below, only Thou our Leader be and we still
will follow Thee. Hymn number 267, June Chester,
879. ? O God, who art in heaven ? ? Hush little baby,
sleep is sweet ? ? Sleep little baby, sleep is sweet ? ? God bless America ? ? God bless
America ? ? Christ the Lord the great is
here ? ? Christ the Lord the great is here ? Hail, all ye citizens of heaven!
Hail, all ye citizens of heaven! ? Hail, all of heaven join us now
? His righteousness far and nigh
shall evermore be. ? Fills me with mercy ? ? And delivereth
me from evil ? ? Now in the hour of need of me ? As the Lord shall be pleased
to help me, dear friends, I would ask your prayerful and loving
attention for the word to be found in the eighth chapter in
the first book of the Kings and we go to verse 55 and 56. Verses 55 and 56 in chapter 8,
the first book of the Kings, and he stood and blessed all
the congregation of Israel with a loud voice, saying, Blessed
be the Lord that hath given rest unto his people Israel, according
to all that he promised. There hath not failed one word
of all his good promise, which he promised by the hand of Moses
his servant. This chapter contains, as we
read, a declaration concerning the dedication of the temple
as the Ark of the Covenant was brought in to the Oracle, the
most holy place in the temple that was built by Solomon a settled
place for the Lord's people to worship in. And it was dedicated
further by prayer because you see we read the first 21st verses
and then from verse 22 to verse 54 it is the fervent desire and longings of the dear man
of God as divinely led by the Spirit in prayer. And how often times as we consider
this chapter then we are taken up to a greater degree often
times with Solomon's prayer. It is a very long prayer. And of course many prayers in
the Scriptures were very short. But we have on record the desire
of the dear man of God concerning those things which the Lord indicted
and placed in his heart. And friend, you pray what the
Lord puts in your heart, what burdens you, what concerns you. And those exercises of your heart
are made known through the lip as you open your mouth. And through
unfeigned lips, your prayer comes forth. All true prayer, friends,
comes forth from unfeigned lips. It's a true reflection of your
heart. Now God sees the heart, man doesn't. Man only hears the words. But
you see, this came from the heart, indicted by the Lord. And prayer
indicted by the Lord, the Lord will come. surely here. But what is upon my mind and
spirit is not the prayer, but the wonderful lesson of the Lord
that He desired would be upon Him and all Israel in these following
verses from 55 to 61. And perhaps over the years we
have not given that due attention to this part as we have to the
other parts of this chapter. We read chapter 3 as well, or
that part of chapter 3, because there you see we have a wonderful
revelation of that which the Lord granted to dear Solomon
in a dream by night. Ask what I shall give thee. What a wonderful word, isn't
it? You see, God said to him under
a dream Ask what I shall give thee. And friends, he knew what
to ask for. Has the Lord ever said to you,
friend, ask what I shall give thee? If the Lord said to you
today, ask what I shall give thee, you'd know what to pray
for. Solomon did. And friends, the
Lord's people know as well. Because of the path that they
walk in, and the responsibility that is theirs and the accountability
that is theirs. We are accountable. We are responsible. We have responsibilities laid
upon us. And friends, we need the Lord. And so his father David had gone
the way of all the earth. David had served the Lord in
his day and generation by the will of God, and he had died. But Israel, the Lord's chosen
people and nation, were not without a king. had raised up his son. And thou hast kept for him, that's
David, this great kindness, that thou hast given him a son to
sit on his throne as it is this day. So it's a wonderful matter
that, you see, they were not without a king. They were not
without a king. And so, dear friends, the kingdom,
the united kingdom of Judah and Israel continued under the divine
ordination of God in raising up Solomon. And he felt the great
responsibility that was his. A proud man would feel completely
able to do what was required. A hayman didn't need the Lord. He was proud and arrogant. He could do what was required. that the people of God are made
to feel their dependence. We are made to feel it. And friends,
we labour under it. And I labour under it, friends,
continually. My complete and total dependence
upon the Lord, especially in the ministry of God's Word. And
you may say, well, you've been preaching all these years. Friends, it makes no difference.
It makes no difference. One's total dependence upon God. And we need what dear Solomon
desired, an understanding heart. We need wisdom. You can't continue preaching
without understanding and without wisdom. And where would you find
wisdom and understanding? The fullness of it is in the
Lord Jesus Christ. And so you see, as his prayer
was pleasing to the Lord, then he gave him that which he desired,
and he gave him more. Ah, riches and honour. Oh, the
Lord is able to do exceeding, abundantly, above all that we
can ask or even think. And so, dear friends, a good
beginning to the kingdom when he took the throne. Well, he built the temple in
Jerusalem and in the chapters before, in between the chapter
3 and 8 you have a detailed account of the building of the temple. And only the best could be used. Only the best. You know, friends,
there's no second best when it comes to the things of God. Second
best is of no avail. It must be the best for the Lord,
for His house. The best. David laid up much
for the building, the preparation for the building of the temple.
And he offered much of his own resources for the building of
the temple. The Lord was first. And you friends,
the Lord has the first claim upon us today. There's no second place, friends,
when it comes to the Lord. Third, seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness
and all these other things shall be added unto you. We need faith to walk in these
truths, friends, but a child of God in their dependence is
brought to walk by faith and not by sight. Oh, if you walk
by sight, friends, you'll see this mountain, and that mountain,
and this Anak, and all the other obstacles in the way. You have
to walk by faith. Look here. Hello to the Lord
Jesus. And without faith, friends, it's
impossible to please God. It's impossible. Faith is vital. So dear Solomon had this wonderful
grace given him of wisdom and understanding and faith and when
the temple of course was completed then the vital matter was the
Ark. That must be brought in to the
oracle of the house to the most holy place, even under the wings
of the cherubim. This is the ark of the covenant
of the Lord. And of course we read of this
concerning Moses as well in his day, because the Lord commanded
him to make an ark and a mercy seat. And you see the cherubims
are spoken of as well in Exodus as they are here in Kings. And
you see the mercy seat above the ark. And in the ark thou
shalt put the testimony that I shall give thee. And we read
concerning this in the lesson this morning. In the ark were
the two tables of stone which Moses put there at Horeb, when
the Lord made a covenant with the children of Israel when they
came out of Egypt. Now, you see the wonderful ark,
the mercy seat, and this is what the Lord has said, there I will
meet with thee, and I will commune with thee. from above the mercy
seat, from between the two cherubims. Well, you see, here is the presence
of God. Here is the ark of the covenant
of God's grace, set in forth, the dear Redeemer. And today,
set in forth, the Holy Spirit of God. And so this was in the
most holy place. And of course in the temple,
you see the priest went into the first part of the building,
the temple, doing their service as priest, but into the second,
into the inner court, into the holy place, went the high priest
once every year on the Day of Atonement, not without blood,
which he offered for himself and for the people. This was
the most holy place, this was the oracle. And friends, this
was vital. And here was the manifestation
of the presence of God. Because the cloud filled the
house of the Lord. The priest could not stand and
minister because of the cloud, for the glory of the Lord filled
the house. And that was the glory of God
in the person of Jesus Christ. A way of acceptance, a way unto
God the Father. And so today, because you see
this cloud went before them and led them in the wine. When the
cloud was lifted, they journeyed on. When the cloud descended,
they stayed. The cloud guided them and directed
them through the wilderness. And then the pillar of fire by
night. Now today, in the gospel day,
we have the Holy Spirit to lead us and guide us and direct us. And friends, it's the Holy Spirit
of God in Zion, which is Vital. Vital. Without the Spirit, there's
nothing. You can have a most beautiful
building, but if God by His Holy Spirit is not there, all the
worship so-called will be vain. The Spirit is vital. Led by the Spirit of God. So dear Solomon then was led
by the Spirit, led by the Lord in prayer and in preaching. It's a wonderful
sermon that he preaches from verse 55 to 61. And friends what do we have in
the synagogue in the house of God, in the tabernacle of witness,
in the sanctuary, what do we have? We have prayer and we have
preaching. It's always been the same. There's
never been a service without prayer and preaching. The singing of God's worthy praises.
And so after prayer he stood, because he knelt to
pray, and of course in the scriptures you have the different postures
in prayer. You have those that bow down,
you have those that kneel, and you have those that fall before
the Lord on their face. As the dear Redeemer did, in
the garden of Gethsemane, He was prostrated to the earth,
with His face to the ground. What a sacred posture in prayer. How do you come in prayer, friend? Do you bow before the Lord? Do you go on your knees? Have
you ever been prostrate on the ground, with your face to the
ground? Prayer, reverence, God is in
heaven, we are upon the earth. We need to bow before the Lord. Now, then he stood, he stood. to preach. You might say to me,
well you're not standing. No, I often do to preach. I sit to read and pray often
times because of my affliction. I just can't stand for three
services because of my affliction. The Lord knows all about it.
I've laboured under it for years. So my conscience is clear before
Almighty God. But friend, he's stood. What a beautiful type it is of
Christ. Then came Jesus and stood in
the midst and said unto them, peace be unto you. He stood in the midst of them. When he rose triumphant from
the grave, Dear Solomon, you see, in tithe, And he stood,
he's something to say. And he blessed all the congregation
of Israel With a loud voice, saying, The dear Redeemer stood,
And blessed the dear apostles, as they were in the upper room,
assembled through fear of the Jews, lest they would be apprehended. The door was shut, but that's
nothing to the Lord, friends. He entered the door. He entered
through the door. He entered into the midst. And
friends, sometimes through fear and unbelief, you close the door
of your heart. But friends, that's nothing to
the Lord. He's omnipresent, He's everywhere
at the same time. And He enters the very chamber
of your heart. He stood in the midst. And friends, what do we want
here today? We want Jesus to stand in the midst. In the midst
of this assembly. This is what we want, friends.
This is what you want every Sunday and every service. Jesus. standing
in the midst, and he spake. He spake. Dear Solomon, you see
Stuart, and he blessed all the congregation of Israel. He spake. Well, the wonder of this is the
blessing. He blessed all the congregation
of Israel. What a sacred wonder this is,
friends. What a sacred wonder it is the
Lord blesses his people to die. Perhaps we do not realise the
sacred wonder of divine blessing. As we were born into this world,
due to the Adam fool, we inherited sin. And being born into this
world, we were born under the dominion of the law of God. The Lord Jesus Christ was made
of a woman and he was under the law. Let
me just quote it exactly as it is recorded because I do like
to quote exactly and sometimes through the infirmity of my own
flesh, I cannot recall it. When the fullness of the time
was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under
the law. So the Lord Jesus, as the man
Christ Jesus, was under the law. And all of us were and are under
the Law of God. We're not above it. The Lord
Jesus, as the Son of God, was not above the Law that God his
Father gave. He was under it. He was subject
to it. And so were we. And so were we. Now, the law required perfection. There's only one man who's kept
the law in perfection, and that's the Lord Jesus. You and I have
not kept the law of God in perfection. And so, what does the law do? Cursed is everyone that continueth
not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do
them. In the ark was the tabernacle
of witness, the law of God. And friends, it's to be kept. Cursed is everyone that continueth
not. And we haven't continued. And
so the law curses. No man is justified by the law
in the sight of God. It is evident for the just shall
live by faith. And the law is not of faith,
but the man that doeth them shall live in them. We haven't done
them. The law requires perfection.
You might say, well, I've done many things and kept most things. Friends, if you offend in one
point, then you're guilty of all. The law requires perfection. So the law that we are under,
we haven't kept, condemns us and then curses us. Thus you see the wonder the amazing
wonder of this sermon that dear Solomon began to preach and blessed. How can this be? How can it be
to die? There's only one way, friends. One way only. Christ hath redeemed
us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us. For it is written, cursed is
everyone that hangeth on a tree. The Lord Jesus Christ died a
cursed death. The death of the cross was a
cursed death, whom they slew and hanged on a tree. We read
in the Acts, cursed is everyone that hangeth on a tree. The Lord
Jesus died a cursed death. The death of the cross is a cursed
death. Now the Lord, you see, being
made a curse for us, has delivered us from the curse
of the Lord. And the Lord Jesus, in dying
that cursed death, has turned the curse that we were under
into a blessing, because he's redeemed us. And only Christ
could. Could he kept the law in perfection,
to the glory of God, and for his dear church and people, in
clothing them in that robe of righteousness, But to deliver
us from the law, and the law requires, friends, full payment,
justice must be satisfied. Justice must be satisfied. And it was satisfied by the sufferings
and death of Jesus Christ. So the dear Redeemer has redeemed
us, delivered us, saved us from the curse of the law. as he died
a cursed dead, and then, blessed be his holy name, forever and
ever, he turned the curse that we were under into a blessing. And this is why he stood and
blessed all the congregation of Israel. The Lord Jesus, when
he stood in the midst, you see, he comes to bless, and he does,
because he bore the Cursed for his people. He's removed it.
And then we're not, you see, under that curse. We're delivered
from it. Then you can bless all the congregation
of Israel with a loud voice. There's no blessing, friends,
apart from Christ. There's no blessing apart from
the substitutory death of Christ, suffering in the sinner's room,
place and stead. You see, when the Lord Jesus
commenced his ministry, then he began to preach a little,
and then, and then, he began, before the multitudes, he went
up into a mountain, and when he was set, his disciples came
unto him, and he opened his mouth, and taught them science, Blessing. Blessing. You see, the Sermon
on the Mount, it's all blessing. It's all blessing. It's all blessing. All blessing flows from Christ. Endless blessings on him rest. The church is blessed through
the dear Redeemer. removing the curse that we were
under. And so, dear friends, it's a
very important point in doctrine that the Lord Jesus was born
and he was under the law, subject to it. We live in a day, don't
we, when some people think they're exempt from the law, they're
above it. Oh, what vain, vain, vain words
they are. No man's above the law is subject
to it, as born into this world, the same as Jesus. But blessed
be his holy name. He kept it. He kept it. And he restored that which he
took not away. It's in the Psalms. You may have
read it. What does it mean? He restored
the law which he took not away, we took it away by violating
it and the dear Redeemer honoured it, restored it, restored it. Well, this wonderful matter of
blessing and the following verses constitute the blessing of God upon his
people. And it's all the congregation
of Israel. All. What a lovely word, isn't
it? All. That covers you, friends,
doesn't it? It covers me. All. All the congregation. All the
congregation here this morning come to worship God under the
blessing of God. Why? Because of Jesus Christ. He's in the midst and he blesses. Oh friends, the wonder of the
things of God. What a blessed recompense it
is for all the tribulations and trials and sorrows and griefs
of this mortal life, and you come up to the house of God,
and the word is preached, and the Lord blesses it. He shields
it to your heart by the Spirit. What a recompense. What comfort,
what consolation, what blessing is known and felt in your soul. Oh, you know, friends, an exercised
soul an exercise minister, every word is vital. You say, oh, it doesn't just say, and bless
the congregation, it's oh, the Lord's dear people, everyone,
not one of them is lost, save a son of perdition. I pray for
them, the Lord said, we can speak about Solomon's prayer, Yeah,
what about the Lord's Prayer, friends? John 17, I pray for
them. I pray not for the world, but
for those that thou hast given me. And all mine are thine, and
thine are mine. And I am glorified in them. The prayer of Christ. Friends,
have you an interest in that sacred prayer? I pray for them. He prayed for everyone. of those
that were given to Him in that covenant, the covenant of God's
grace. He prays for everyone. The prayer
of Christ covers everyone of His dear people. And so this
wonderful prayer of the Lord Jesus. Friends, you see it follows
on from Solomon. You see, Solomon is a greater
than Solomon here. is the Lord Jesus Christ. When
thou hearest in heaven thy dwelling place, O Lord, forgive. There's no forgiveness apart
from Christ. What a prayer, friends, it was.
And the wonder of this prayer that dear Solomon prayed was
this, which thy servant prayed before thee to die. To die. It was applicable today,
friends. Solomon prayed it thousands of
years ago now, several thousand years ago, but it's applicable
today. Why? Because Jesus Christ is
the same yesterday and today and forever. That's why it's
applicable today. This is the wonder of the Word
of God. It covers past, it goes back into eternity, the past,
the present, the future, all eternity. Because the word of
God, live it and abide it forever. At home this morning, just on
the table, the flowers, and a week or ten days ago they were All
in full bloom and flower, now they're beginning to droon. And
the leaves are falling off the roses. You see the grass withering,
the flower fading. But the word of our God shall
live forever, live forever. It's eternal, it's eternal. And so, dear friends, dear Solomon
blessed all the congregation with a loud voice saying he had
something good to say, didn't he? For all the people to hear,
like dear Paul the Apostle, he opened his mouth and spake boldly
in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. He opened his mouth. You see, this is it, dear friends.
There's no speech without opening the mouth. And it needs to be
open wide to speak of Christ. It needs to be open wide. Open
thy mouth wide and I'll fill it. The open mouth, friends,
needs to be wide to speak of Christ. So it's a loud voice. Everyone can hear. Everyone can
hear. Come and hear. O ye that fear
God, the psalmist said, and I will declare what the Lord hath done
for my soul. Blessed be the Lord. Blessed. Oh, the psalmist knew
what this was. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and
all that is within me. Bless his holy name. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and
forget not all his benefits. Bless the Lord. The Lord blesses
his dear people. and then your desire to bless
his great and holy name for all his mercies and all his truth's
sake. I feel, dear friends, I can just
say this as we come to the close this morning, I feel sweetly
confirmed in bringing this word here today. The Lord laid it
in my heart. But I've been sweetly assured,
because the first hymn that our dear friend gave out, the Sabbath
was a day of rest. And blessed be the Lord that
hath given rest unto his people. There's no rest, friends, apart
from Christ. None at all. There's no rest
on this earth, apart from the Lord. This poor dying world,
there's no rest here, friends. It may suit the raven, the unclean
bird. It may suit the ungodly. But friends, this world is a
wilderness to the Lord's people. It is not your rest. It is polluted. But there's rest in Christ. Oh, that precious rest. Well,
we must leave it now, friends, this morning. May the Lord own
and bless his own word, and help us to further in his word this
afternoon, if the Lord will. Amen. We conclude our service this
morning by singing hymn number 720. The tune is Buckland, number
450. Endless blessings on the Lamb
Broken hearts repeat the same His dear heart was broken too
When he bore the curse for you Endless blessings on him rest
Broken hearts in Him are blessed, And though they may trembling
stand, He upholds them with His hand. ? Let us worship the Lord ? ? And
worship the Lord ? ? And worship the Lord ? ? And worship the
Lord ? I think of the best of you ? Holy Christ, Lord Jesus ? ? Sanctus
Sanctus Sanctus Sanctus Sanctus Sanctus Sanctus Sanctus Sanctus
Sanctus Sanctus Sanctus Sanctus Sanctus Sanctus Now we take you
each with us. Let us bless thee to be blessed,
O'er the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly streaming? ? In His hand ? ? In a thousand
? ? In His hand ? ? He is the King of the nations ? And it will be so in years. And in history, time, and age,
They will change them by ten. Clasping in the empty space,
Tell me all your sacrifice. Hail the President, who will be. Keep his name in victory. Blessed is the spirit of the
Lord God of hosts. And my wonders will pervade At
the joy that's this day. Angels westward stretched the
wing, Their host in the sky did ring. We would count them now
and sing, Glory to the Godhead King. And now may the grace of our
Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, the love of God the Father, the
sacred communion of thy Holy Spirit. Rest, remain, and abide
with us each now and for evermore. Amen.