I commence our service by singing
together hymn number 920. The tune is Triumph 691. When to worship saints assemble, let
the song to Jesus flow. He forsook his ancient glory,
groaned and bled for worms below. Ransomed mortals joined to swell
the sacred song. Hymn 920, Tune Triumph 691. Into worship saints assemble,
Let the song to Jesus flow. He fostered His ancient glory,
Grown and bled for plumped below. Ransom mortals, ransom mortals,
join to spell the sacred song. Ye who find yourselves conducted,
fill your hearts a sink of sin. Ye shall have By God imputed,
Righteousness that I can be. Tis the covenant, Tis the covenant,
Wove by Ever, lasting love. Tis Jehovah's own providing,
better wisdom can't devise. From His eye, forever hide Him,
Sins of every name and sight. He that wears it, He that wears
it, is my God exalted high. Adam, when the tempter fought
him, His bright robes were quickly gone. Of this righteousness of
Jesus One supply it is always found. Tis their title, Tis their
title, To the mansions love ordained. Let us read together from the
Holy Word of God in the epistle of Paul to the Hebrews, reading
chapters 1 and 2. The epistle of Paul to the Hebrews
read in chapters 1 and 2 Hebrews chapter 1 God who at
sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers
by the prophets hath in these last days spoken unto us by his
son whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he
made the worlds, who being the brightness of his glory, and
the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the
word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat
down on the right hand of the majesty on high, being made so
much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained
a more excellent name than they. For unto which of the angels
said he at any time, thou art my son, this day have I begotten
thee. And again, I will be to him a
father, and he shall be to me a son. And again, when he bringeth
in the first begotten into the world, he saith, let all the
angels of God worship him. And of the angels, he said, who
maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire,
But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and
ever. A sceptre of righteousness is
a sceptre of thy kingdom. Thou hast love righteousness
and hate iniquity. Therefore God, even thy God,
hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows. And thou, Lord, in the beginning
hast laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the
work of thine hands. They shall perish, but thou remainest.
And they all shall act as old as doth a garment, and as a vesture
shalt thou fold them up, and they shall be changed. But thou
art the same, and thy years shall not fail. But to which of the
angels, said he at any time, sit on my right hand until I
make thine enemies thy footstool? Are they not all ministering
spirits sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of
salvation? Therefore we ought to give the
more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at
any time we should let them sleep. For if the word spoken by angels
was steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just
recompense of reward, how shall we escape if we neglect so great
salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord,
and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him? God also
bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders and with divers
miracles and gifts of the Holy Ghost according to his own will.
For unto the angels hath he not put in subjection the world to
come whereof we speak. But one in a certain place testified
saying, what is man that thou art mindful of him? Or the son
of man that thou visitest him? Thou madest him a little lower
than the angels, Thou crown'st him with glory and honour. Thou
didst set him over the work of thine hands. Thou hast put all
things in subjection under his feet. For in that he put all
in subjection under him, he left nothing that is not put under
him. But now we see not yet all things put under him. But we
see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the
suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour. that he by
the grace of God should taste death for every man. For he became
him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in
bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their
salvation perfect through sufferings. For both he that sanctifieth
and they who are sanctified are all of one. For which cause he
is not ashamed to call them brethren, saying, I will declare thy name
unto my brethren. In the midst of the church will
I sing praise unto thee. And again I will put my trust
in him. And again behold I and the children which God hath given
me. For as much then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood,
he also himself likewise took part of the same. That through
death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that
is the devil. and deliver them who, through
fear of death, were all their lifetime subject to bondage.
For verily he took not on him the nature of angels, but he
took on him the seed of Abraham. Wherefore in all things it behoved
him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a
merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God,
to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. for in that
he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour
them that are tempted. May the Lord bless his holy word
unto us and help us to approach unto him in prayer. O thou great and holy Lord God,
Lord, as we come, reminded that thou art set far above all principalities
and powers. Thou art above all the things
of man or the things of time. Thou art above the angels, Thou
has created the angelic and the earthly hosts. Thou art the giver
and the author of life, in whom we live and move and have our
being, without whom we are nothing. Thou dost sit on no precarious
throne, nor borrow leave to be. Thou art the eternal God, the
high and lofty one who inhabits eternity, whose name is holy. And Lord, we are creeps of the
day, wearied with the things of this earth, so quickly fatigued,
weak. And Lord, spiritually, as we
stand before you this evening, unable to keep alive our souls,
unable to think one thought aright, unable to do anything to merit
esteem or give our Creator delight, but sinners before thee, worthy
only of death. And yet, Lord, in the glories
of thy love, the wonders of thy wisdom, thou hast provided that
way whereby sinners may approach unto thee, and, Lord, more than
approach, where sinners may come and find that oneness with thee,
that union and communion with thee, through Jesus Christ thy
Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. And, Lord, we ask once more this
evening, as we are found, poor sinners, gathered in thy hands,
seeking to draw near unto thee, O that we might find, Lord, that
way of access, that one mediator between God and men, the man
Christ Jesus, that it might be Jesus who stands between in garments
dyed in blood, that it may be he instead of us is seen as we
approach to God. And thus, O sinner, O to find,
Lord, we are safe this evening. O we'd ask, Lord, that we might
know once more that sweet sentence of justification, that peace,
with thee, our pardon sealed. Lord, that we might find that
free access in prayer, in worship unto thee. And oh, that we might
be enabled by grace to glorify thy great and thy most holy name,
to crown the head of King Jesus with honours. Oh Lord, we'd ask
this evening that we might be fearingly nothing, that Jesus
might be all in all. Lord, we plead that thou wouldst
help us in preaching the gospel to set Jesus up upon the gospel
pole, to exalt him, whom thou hast given to be exalted, a prince
and a saviour, for the repentance and the remission of sins. O
Lord, we'd ask that there might be those who have gathered with
that desire, so as we would see Jesus. And Lord, we'd ask that
all our askings might meet in thee, unitedly, that we might
be of one accord. We ask thy presence, Lord. Oh,
to know Jesus Christ manifest in our midst in the preaching
of the gospel. Oh, that Jesus Christ and him
crucified might be made known once more here this evening.
Lord, we'd ask that thou would give help in the preaching of
the word. Help us to rightly divide the word of truth and
to speak it forth plainly. Lord, we'd ask that thou would
keep us from ourselves as we are about holy things. Keep us
from trusting or resting in self. Oh, Lord, may all the glory be
thine. or that thou wouldst work powerfully in and through the
means which thou hast appointed this evening, the foolishness
of preaching, the salvation of never-dying souls. Lord, we'd
ask that thou wouldst give help in the days. Bless our brother
in the ministry, the pastor here, Lord, uphold him by thy grace. Help him, Lord, every time he
ascends the pulpit steps. May he find that liberty and
power in the ministry here. And may there be in all those
signs following the preaching of the word, all that was added
to the church, Lord, that thou wouldst be building up the church
in their most holy faith, building them up, Lord, in that love,
that fervent love with a pure heart towards one another and
unitedly to Jesus. Lord, we ask that thou wouldst
be with him in all that concerns him and that thou wouldst make
known thy presence unto him constantly. Lord, we'd ask that thou wouldst
uphold the deacons. Remember the one away for rest
and change, Lord, grant strength in body and soul. Remember him,
Lord, in his continued weakness, and we plead that thou wouldst
grant healing and strength in mercies. But Lord, every reminder
that this is not our home, every reminder, Lord, that time is
short. Oh, is it not, Lord, as it is sanctified grace from thee?
Oh, Lord, we would desire to thank thee for those reminders
and plead, Lord, O thou would sanctify each passing day. Once
more, Lord, remind him we are already in the middle of the
week, past the middle of the week. O that our great concern
might be to seek thee while thou mayst be found, and to call upon
thee while thou art near. Prepare us, gracious God, to
stand before thy throne. O thy Spirit must the work perform,
for it is all of grace. Lord, we plead that thou wouldst
bless the little church here that would be with them, one
in the midst of them. Keep them, Lord, unite them,
be that wall of fire round about them. Lord, we'd ask that thy
name might be glorified here, that thy praise might be heard
as they gather week by week. Lord, remember the congregation,
each one that's gathered this evening. Thou know'st how they've
come, Lord, meet their needs, be saving the sinners, awakening
the dead into life, Lift up the arms that are hung down, confirm
the feeble knees. Teach us, Lord, lead us more
deeply into that truth, as it concerns Jesus, that we might
be grown in grace and in the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour,
Jesus Christ. Sanctify us, Lord, oh, as you
entered into our house this evening, bring us to confession, true
repentance. Oh, grant, Lord, that we might
know once more that pardoning sentence, that precious blood
which cleanses from all sin. Lord, we plead that thou wouldst
cause the things of this world to grow strangely dim the scene
and that our affection might be firmly set upon those things
which are above. Remember, Lord, all unable to
gather, the parents and children, the aged, Lord, any that would
be here but can't be here, any that could be here but won't
be. Oh, Lord, we long to see thy work. We long to see thy
hunger, thy thirst, thy desire. Oh, which must see. a poor soul
in thy house, seeking living bread. Oh, may we yet see, Lord,
Emmanuel's offspring come. May thy gospel yet be blessed
in this village, the places, Lord, where we live, the people
that we have to do with day by day. Oh, may the lives of thy
people be of that lived gospel, Lord, that it might be blessed
yet to the good of never-dying souls. Be building up thy church,
Lord, in our day and generation. May we see thy work appear unto
thy servants. Have mercy, Lord, upon Zion,
upon the cause of truth with which we associate together.
Lord, our low state, the divisions, oh, the solemn worldliness, carnality,
and ease, Lord, which is found within our hearts, left to ourselves
for a moment. Lord, we cannot keep ourselves
from it. Oh, that thou wouldst, oh Lord, work mightily within
us. Grant, Lord, fresh supplies of
grace. Oh, grant once more the Spirit's gracious influence with
power amongst the churches. Bless all thy servants wherever
they labour this evening. Lord, each cause a truth wherever
thy people are gathered together this night, that thou wouldst
be one in the midst. Lord, we'd ask that thou wouldst
go before us this night and in the unknown future. Provide for
us, Lord, all we have need of, grace and wisdom and strength.
Sanctify, Lord, all we pass through. Remember thy one true church
throughout the earth, the nations, Lord, thy people, wherever they've
found, Lord, this evening. Remember all caught up in trouble,
Lord, the solemn events of today, the reminder, time is not ours. Lord, we plead that thou would
sanctify these things unto us. Lord, that we might, O Lord,
be found this evening looking to Jesus. Grant us, Lord, truly
thankful hearts once more for the means of grace, for thy word.
Lord, for the preaching of thy word. Oh, for the blessed spirit,
without which, Lord, the word is nothing concerning the application
to our souls. Oh, we'd ask, Lord, that thy
words grant the application this evening, that hard hearts might
be broken, that full hearts might flow forth unto thee in singing
and in praise. Oh, for the wonders, Lord, of
thy grace, the salvation thou hast provided to poor of our
wretched sinners. Lord, wash us truly now from
all our iniquities. Help us to sing thy praise. Be
with us as we turn to thy word. Deliver us, Lord, from unbelief.
Break up the fallow ground. Prepare our hearts to receive
the word, and bless it, Lord, with power. We'd ask it all for
Jesus Christ's sake. Amen. Let us now sing together hymn
number 508. The tune is Holy Cross, 158. Lord fill thy servant's soul
today with pure seraphic fire and set his tongue at liberty
and grant his soul's desire. Hymn 508, tune Holy Cross, 158. Good will I serve and sow today With your sympathetic love, Accept
his honor, liberty, And grant his host a song. O men, if ye shall work of God
with energy and love, Make us Thou blest in servitude,
Lord, Thou refreshing Shower. Make us in Thine own love and
grace, The strength they felt within, But their faith sprang
in Christ alone, With horror, curse, and shame. Let open sinless lips, and loud,
and loud our souls rejoice. Let loving souls believe today,
? Make thou Jehovah's choice ?
? May Christ be first and Christ
be last ? ? And Christ be all in one ? Who died to make salvation sure,
And raise us from the fall. How may I serve Thee now to-day,
O Great Salvation King? I stay beside Thee, Son of God,
For such poor souls as we. The Lord would help me this evening
and grant you prayer for attention. I direct you to a text you'll
find in the portion of God's word that we read together. The
epistle of Paul to the Hebrews, chapter 2. and we'll read from
the 11th verse. The epistle of Paul to the Hebrews,
chapter two, and reading from the 11th verse are both, he that
sanctifies and they who are sanctified are all of one. For which cause
he is not ashamed to call them brethren, saying, I will declare
thy name unto my brethren in the midst of the church where
I sing praise unto thee. And again, I will put my trust
in him. And again, behold, I and the
children which God hath given thee. The epistle of Paul to
the Hebrews, chapter two, and read him from verse 11, for both
he that sanctifies, and they are sanctified all of one, for
which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren, saying,
I will declare thy name unto my brethren. In the midst of
the church will I sing praise unto thee. And again, I will
put my trust in him. And again, behold I and the children
which God hath given thee. the Hebrew church were a people
ready to turn away from the Lord Jesus Christ, ready to give up
on Jesus. Persecution, trouble, perhaps
their own doubts and fears had brought them into that place.
And all friends this evening you may not be ready to give
up on Jesus Christ in that sense, You may not literally be turning
away to another religion as they were, turning back to the Jewish
customs, turning back to the law, returning to that form of
worship. But oh, friends, if Jesus Christ
is not all in all this evening, if he doesn't have the preeminence,
ah, friends, if what you've been seeing together is not the desire
of your heart that Jesus Christ might be first and last and all
in all, then we need the message. of the epistle to the Hebrews. Oh, you see, the Lord would remind
Martha, careful and troubled about many things, but Martha,
there is but one thing needful. And the apostle in writing to
the Colossians tells them that it is the Father's good pleasure
that in all things, Jesus Christ might have the preeminence. Oh,
friends, does he have preeminence in your life this evening? Is
he the one thing needful? Is he the one that you are seeking
as you come up to his house this evening? Sirs, we would see Jesus.
Is your cry, give me Christ or else I die? Now friends, is he
precious or is he as some of the old ministers used to say,
precious in his absence? Now friends, is he precious in
the want of him this evening? Are you seeking him because you
know that he is precious, and you want to know that union and
that communion with him. Well you see friends, the whole
of the epistle of the Hebrews is written to set Christ before
the Hebrews, to raise him up upon the gospel pole, to remind
the Hebrew church, compared with Christ in all beside, there is
nothing that is comely, there is nothing worth seeking, there
is nothing else to look to, there is no other way of salvation
and therefore don't give up, don't turn back, don't look some
other way. Oh, the Apostle Paul brings it
all to this conclusion, doesn't he? Let us therefore run with
patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus,
the author and the finisher of our faith. Our friends, Jesus
Christ is all in all. The Apostle could have said,
hear the whole conclusion of it. Jesus Christ is all in all. And the apostle begins by reminding
them, oh, Jesus is all in all. Are these above the prophets?
God spake in time past by the prophets, but he's now spoken
unto us by his own dear son. And he goes on to tell them who
his own dear son is, to remind them that this is the eternal
God, the creator of the heavens and the earth, the one that is
above the angels, above principalities and powers, co-equal, co-eternal. The same substance as a father.
One blessed God, Father, Son and Holy Ghost. And then the
Apostle in coming into the second chapter reminds them that the
law was given by angels. That's what we're told in the
Acts of the Apostles in the seventh chapter. Oh, there that the law
was given by angels. And yet, if the law which was
given by angels, if that word, that commandment, none escaped,
For if the word spoken by angels was steadfast, and every transgression
and disobedience received a just recompense or reward, how shall
we escape if we neglect so great salvation, which at the first
began to be spoken by the Lord? Friends, the teaching and preaching
of Jesus Christ, and the Father's confirmation of it, this is my
beloved Son, hear ye Him. Oh, God spake out of heaven to
confirm the word of His own dear Son. He gave that witness as
to who his son was, that his baptism, as he was seen, descended
in the form of a dove, the spirit and the voice of the father speaking
out of heaven, this is my beloved son, in whom I'm well pleased. He confirmed it on that day,
when Jesus prayed, as we read in John 12, when he cried unto
his father, glorify thy name, and he said, I've glorified it,
I will glorify it again. And the words of Jesus were confirmed
by those that heard it, confirmed by the apostles. And God confirmed
the apostolic witness with those signs following the preaching
of the word. Those signs that we read of at
the end of Mark's gospel, that they should be bitten by snakes
and should not die, that they should heal the sick. God confirmed
it by those signs, that the word that they spake, though it was
true, The word that they speak, it was life, it was power. That was the word that the apostle
was preaching to the Hebrews, the written and the incarnate
word, which in all points do agree, Jesus Christ and him crucified. All the whole emphasis the apostle
you see is, hear Jesus, listen to Jesus, obey his word. And what is his word? If any
man thirsts, let him come unto me and drink. What is his word?
Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will
give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn
of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, and ye shall find rest
for your souls." But then, friends, coming to the end of the second
chapter, the apostle begins to exalt the glorious doctrine of
Jesus Christ, who he is. He's sitting before them as The
Eternal Son. But now he comes to the mystery
of the incarnation. There is none like Jesus Christ.
There's only one God, my mediator. One mediator between God and
men, the man, Christ Jesus. The Eternal Son of God founded
our nature. He must be made a little lower
than the angels for the sufferings of death. Oh, he must be made
a suitable sin bearer for his people, a suitable substitute,
a suitable saviour. And there is only one way of
salvation. Oh, friends, there is only one way of salvation
because God has only provided one saviour. But I'm certain of this too this
evening. Oh, friends, there is only one way of salvation in
that there is only one way God could save sinners. Only one
way God could save sinners. He could not simply forgive sin
because he is holy. He cannot pass by sin. He cannot
forget sin. It must be dealt with. And there's
only one way it can be dealt with. The wage of sin is death.
The full payment of the price. And where is there any that can
pay that price? Oh, friends, where is there any that has merit
by his death to save not just one sin, the sins of God's covenant
people, that none people which no man can number saved out of
every nation, kindred, tribe and tongue. Oh, friends, there
was only one way. That the eternal Son of God should
be found in our nature, that the Word should be made flesh,
that the eternal Son should humble himself and make himself of no
reputation, be made of a woman, be made under the law. Oh friends,
a real man according to the flesh, the seed of David, the seed of
Abraham, a real man, body and soul, and yet conceived by the
power of the Holy Spirit. Oh friends, that human nature,
a holy thing, taken into union with the divine person of the
Son of God, Emmanuel, God with us, the Lord and Savior, Jesus
Christ. Oh friends, Is that a glorious
truth to you this evening? Is that the truth you want to
know more of? Well, that is what the Apostle
comes to in our text. That is the mystery that is in
our text. That is the subject that is before
us this evening, that they all are of one. They all are of one. Who is of one? He who is the
Eternal Son of God, the Sanctifier. In our nature, the Lord and Saviour
Jesus Christ and those who are sanctified His people, they are
all of one. Oh, friends, if the Holy Spirit
should be pleased this evening to lead us a little more into
that mystery, to reveal a little more of His glory unto us, then
Jesus Christ will be all in all. Then, friends, the things of
this world will grow strangely dim. Then we'll leave the Lord's
house this evening recalibrated. We'll leave the Lord's house
this evening refreshed. We'll leave the Lord's house
this evening, Jesus Christ being all in all. Oh, that it might
be so. That is what the apostle was
striving for, in writing to the Hebrews, to set Christ up, that
they might see such a beauty in him, have such a desire towards
him, that they might continue. Oh, you see, friends, a right
view of Jesus Christ is sufficient to sustain us in all tribulation. A right view of Jesus Christ
is sufficient to sustain us in all persecution. Oh, it was as
they saw Jesus that the martyrs were sustained and suffered.
Oh, Stephen saw Him in dying. Oh, friends, what can you not
get through this evening with a view of Jesus Christ? Oh, a
right sense of Him, your soul filled with love to Him. Oh,
friends, it's all, isn't it? Love all defects applies. as
heart says, makes great obstruction small, tis praise, tis sacrifice,
tis holiness, tis all, and what is love? But the love of Christ
the Saviour. Ah, friends, but that love that
brought him from the skies. Oh, this is love, love incarnate,
the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Well, as the Lord had helped
me this evening We want firstly to come to notice this glorious
doctrine, this glorious truth that they are all of one. They
are all of one. And then secondly we want to
notice the reason why they were all of one. Why must it be that
the eternal son of God should be made one with his people?
It is that he might sanctify his people. He that sanctifies
and they that are sanctified are all of one. this truth, they are all of one,
poor sinners would never be sanctified. And so it is to notice the reason
why they're all of one, that poor sinners, his people might
be sanctified. And then thirdly, to notice the
result of that glorious truth. Oh friends, and what a glorious
truth, what a glorious result this is, that he is not ashamed
to call them brethren. then finally to try and apply
these things to your life this evening to my life. For what
is doctrine unless it touches our life except we know the application
of it. Well may we know the application
of it this evening by the power of the Holy Ghost. Well friends
firstly this glorious truth that they show are all of one for
both he that sanctified and they who are sanctified are all of
one. Now who is all of one? Here we
read of two parties being made one. And oh, friends, on the
one hand we have the eternal Son of God, the only begotten
of the Father, full of grace and truth, He who has no beginning
and no ending, He who created the heavens and the earth, without
whom there is nothing. He who is the ruler of the universe,
all power given unto him, in heaven and in earth, all events
at his command. O friends, he who is the infinite,
the unchangeable, he who fills the entirety of space and time.
O friends, he who cannot be found out by searching, whose wisdom
is beyond our understanding. All the glorious attributes Now,
friends, though some of them may be called communicable, though
some of them, oh, we may get a little taste of, we may get
a little handle of His love, His mercy, His grace, His righteousness,
His holiness. Oh, as He does not look upon
our sin lightly. But, oh, friends, the fullness of which we cannot
begin to grasp, the fullness of which we cannot begin to measure,
this is God, the Holy, and the just, the sovereign of the skies.
Oh, may we not lose sight of that this evening. Oh, friends,
if we lose sight of who it is that became man, if we lose sight
of who it is who has made one with his people, the mystery
is gone. Oh, friends, if we only deem
him as a man, if we only deem him like one of ourselves, then,
friends, what is the mystery? That they should all be of one.
that know he is God, very God, light of lights, oh God of gods,
uncreated, begotten, eternal. And on the other hand, friends,
we have poor sinners, those who need to be sanctified. Oh, if
we need to be sanctified, it's because we are by nature unholy,
it is because by nature we are sinners, lost and ruined in the
fall. Our friends lost in Adam's fall.
We're born in sin and shape in iniquity. We come forth and our
mother's womb speaking lies. Our friends, we are born sinners.
It was said of Esau before he even came forth and did that
which was good and evil, that active sin. Jacob I loved and Esau I hated. Our friends, God is a just God.
He does not hate without cause. Oh, Esau and Jacob, before they
even brought forth sinners. Ah, friends, do you know that
this evening? Do you feel it? You're a sinner. Oh, you're having to mourn over
your sins for another day, our failings. Ah, friends, the things
that we have done, which we shouldn't have done, actively breaking
the Ten Commandments, our failure to do what we should have done. Sins of omission and sins of
commission. Ah, friends, how we fail to live
up to the standard. How far short we come of the
stature of the perfect man. Oh, friends, how un-Christ-like.
How unlike our Lord and Master, the Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Because, friends, it's truly in Him we see the measure of
sin. Oh, do you know that this evening?
Yes, the law, our schoolmaster to bring us to Christ. But, ah,
friends, have you had to see in Jesus Christ the commandment
exceeding broad? Have ye had to see in him the
law magnified and made honourable? O, compared to him! O, friends,
do you have to say this even unworthy? Unworthy that thou
shouldst come under my roof, Lord? Is that centurion? Unworthy, Lord? O, don't touch
me! I am a sinner. O, friends, fearful
rest! You, unclean, you a sinner. should
be left in any way to taint your glorious Lord and Savior. Oh,
as Peter said, not me, Lord, when he came to washing his feet,
not me, Lord. Unworthy. A poor wretch. Oh, friends, do you have to stand
amazed at the truth in our texts this evening? That that blessed
God, the eternally begotten of the Father, His eternal Son should
be made all of one with those who need to be sanctified, should
be made all of one with poor sinners, should be made all of
one with His people. The very worst of sinners, the
chief of sinners, a Mary, a Manasseh, a David, a Peter, or we could
go on, Paul, blasphemer, injurious, persecutor, but the grace of
the Lord Jesus Christ exceeding abundance. Now, our friends, what union
can there be between these two extremes? What union can there
be between our holy God and poor sinners? But that's the union
that's in our texts this evening. They shall be all of one, all
of one. Now, our friends, really one.
Oh, we do want to emphasise this this evening. This is not some
philosophical argument. Now, our friends, this is not
smoke and mirrors. This is really one. Our friends there are made
really one, really one. One by covenant transaction.
Our friends made one by covenant transaction. You see he stands
our surety. He stands in our place. The whole
of our salvation hangs upon that fact of the covenant. That he is our covenant head,
one with us, identifies with us and therefore he can justly
stand and bear the punishment for us because he's our surety,
the guarantor to the covenant, one with us, and therefore upon
the cross of Calvary. Our friend is our death, he dies.
Our death, he dies. He stands in our place. The law
sees us. The law sees us, our sins. That punishment poured out upon
his head. And oh, friends, his glorious
righteousness brought out in his obedient life, in his obedient
death. Upon a life I did not live, upon
a death I did not die. That glorious righteousness seen
as ours, ours, really ours. Oh, by imputation upon that covenant
oneness, they should all be one. Oh, friends, legally one, legally
one. But then this oneness goes further,
doesn't it? This oneness is oneness of nature. Oh, the Lord of life
and glory became man, a real man. They should all be of one.
Oh, friends, what a mystery that is. He shares our nature, became
partaker of our nature, found in flesh as a man, the Word made
flesh. Oh, friends, a real man. They
should all be of one. Such a high priest became us
touch with the feeling of our infirmities, tempting all points
like as we are yet without sin. Oh, you see, friends, what hangs
upon the reality of this union of nature here, in our nature. Oh, except this was true, there
could be no salvation. He could not die for us. God
cannot suffer. God cannot die. But only as he
has made all of one with his people, that in our nature, standing
in our place, he should suffer, bleed and die on our behalf.
They shall be all of one. But our friends, it goes further,
doesn't it? They shall be all of one. As the Apostle Peter
says, partakers of the divine nature, they shall be all of
one. Our friends, the glorious mystery is this, we receive the
life of Christ. Our friends, it's only through
his life that we live. Not me that liveth, says the
apostle, but Christ that liveth in me. Ah, friends, I cannot
begin to get to the end of that mystery. It so often, I feel
it so often overwhelms me, that glorious truth. But when we receive life from
the dead, ah, friends, when that life is imparted unto us by the
Holy Spirit, it's not our life resuscitated. No. Ah, friends, it is eternal life. It's life that cannot die. It's
the life of Jesus Christ, I am come, and they might have life,
and they might have it more abundantly. I am the resurrection and the
life. Jesus said, I am the way, the truth, and the life. Ah,
friends, that life the poor dying sinners need, that life which
is given to poor dying sinners, imparted to each one of his people,
that they may all be at one, all be at one, oneness of nature. Oh, that glorious truth, set
before us in the marriage union, that glorious truth which the
Apostle Paul opens up. This is a great mystery, but
I speak concerning Christ and the Church. No man ever yet hated
his own flesh, but nourisheth and cherishes it, even as the
Lord the Church. For we are members of his body,
of his flesh, and of his bones. For this cause shall a man leave
his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and
they too shall be one flesh." They too shall be one flesh. Oh, friend, you'll find those
two things separated there in that glorious passage in Genesis
where the Lord speaks of this. And the rib which the Lord God
had taken from man made he a woman and brought her unto the man.
And Adam said, this is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh,
she shall be called woman. Because she was taken out of
a man, therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother,
and shall cleave unto his wife, and they shall be one flesh."
Oh friends, that oneness of union, that oneness of union between
Christ and his people. They shall be all of one, all
of one. Partake of the divine nature. Oh, as he, as he has been made
man for His people, they receive that life from Him. They twain
shall be one, they shall all be of one. And then friends made
one, all by that death upon the cross at Calvary. Now friends
redeemed, purchased by that blood, by covenant, transaction and
blood. As John Kemp puts it, it says,
Jesus, my people are mine. Our friends, that precious blood
which He shed to make His people one, to bring them into union
with Him, that which separated them from Him as God. Sin, your
sins are separated between you and God, taken away. You who
are once afar off should be made nigh by the precious blood of
Jesus. Our friends, only one way of
access, only one ground. for the Lord's people to approach
unto a holy God upon the precious blood of Jesus, and by that blood,
our friends, ransomed, healed, restored, forgiven, and to be
brought to glory, to the marriage supper of the Lamb, to enter
into that oneness forever and forever, never to be parted from
Him again. Oh, friends, that precious blood
upon which the whole of our salvation is founded. Oh, friends, that
blood which has purchased eternal life for us, that blood which
has purchased another comforter. When He, the Spirit of Truth,
is come, Lord, He should take the things of Jesus and reveal
them unto us, should sanctify us, keep us, preserve us, and
bring us at last to glory, that where He is, there we may also
be. Oh, friends, here on earth, really
one, one with him in eternity past, one with him upon the cross,
made fearingly one in experience as he draws near unto us and
is revealed unto us, our life, our death. Oh do you know something
about feeling oneness this evening, one with Jesus and yet, ah friends
do you have to say this evening the separation, you're not yet
completely one in experience, He hides behind our walls, as
we read in the Song of Solomon, how much we put between ourselves
and Jesus Christ. This world and the cares of this
world, our walls which we keep building up, He hides behind,
He waits to be gracious. Oh, the mountains of Bitha, the
mountains of separation, but oh, until the daybreak and the
shadows flee away. Oh, friends, the day is coming
when He'll make the union quite complete. Ah, friends, when there'll
be nothing, the veil taken away, the tears wiped from off our
faces, and we shall be with Him forever and forever, they should
all be at one. Oh, this is the gospel, friends,
and what a glorious gospel it is. Ah, friends, it begins, the
grace of the Lord Jesus Christ. Those rich, for our sakes, He
became poor. Ah, friends, He comes down. united
to us, comes down to us, just where we are. But at the other
end, that we by his poverty might be made rich, raised up together,
to sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus in the ages to
come. Now friends, we might behold
and be partakers of his glory. Oh, one, one in his coming, now
friends, one in him taking us to be with him forever and forever. Oh, union with Christ. Ah, friends,
it is the gospel. It is the gospel, it is that
which the Lord's poor people have to come to depend upon.
Union with him. Oh, do you feel this evening,
withered and barren should I be, if severed from the bond? Ah,
friends, is your life dependent upon this glorious truth this
evening? They should all be at once. United
to Him, you can't be lost. United to Him, you cannot die. United to Him, forever and forever,
they should all be of one. All be of one. But then, friends,
why must they all be of one? Oh, in second place, why? Oh,
why did He come and unite Himself to us? Why was He found in fashion
as a man? are friends that we might sanctify
us, that he that sanctifies and they that are sanctified might
all be of one. Oh this is the reason that Jesus
Christ has come to sanctify us and sanctification he speaks
in the fullest sense of the term of separation, to separate us
unto himself. Ah friends, the work of salvation
is ultimately summed up there in the conclusion of John, the
high priestly prayer in John 17, Father I will, these also
thou hast given me, be with me where I am, they may behold my
glory. Everything that is done to us
in salvation, everything that is accomplished in us is to fulfil
that grand design that a sinner might be plucked, the beggar
from the dunghill and set among princes, the worms of the earth
might be made jewels of his crown. Oh friends, the whole is the
work of sanctification, the separating of us from the world, the separating
of us from our sins and the taking of us to glory, that they might
be sanctified. Oh friends, he sets us apart,
he sets us apart of course, in taking us to be his people in
eternity past, as he was pleased then to say that he would stand
as surety for his people. Now, friends, that is the foundation
of our sanctification, that in eternity past he was pleased
to identify with us and to say, they will be my people, I'll
be their God, I will be their saviour, I'll be their husband,
their friend. He sanctifies us there upon the
cross at Calvary. He prayed in John 17 that he
would sanctify himself for his people, separate himself. Oh
friends, what a separation, wherefore Christ also must go without the
camp, bearing our reproach. He must leave the flock as it
were, smite the shepherd, the sheep shall be scattered. Oh,
friends, what a separation that was, as he identifies himself
with his people there upon the cross at Calvary, and he who
knew no sin made sin for them. My God, my God, why have you
forsaken me? Ah, friends, there's his sanctification,
and why? Because they must all be at one. Oh, friends, that separation
felt. no separation in the Trinity,
no separation between the Father and Son as persons in the Godhead,
but our friends that separation known and felt within his Holy
Soul as he bears the Father's wrath towards the sins of his
people, as he separates himself unto his people, identifies with
them, stands with them, that they may all be of one. All our friends in that moment
He sanctifies His people. He separates them from all the
sinners of this world. Now, friends, what is it this
evening that separated you out of the mass of fallen mankind?
What is it that separated you from all of the world that you
live amongst? There's only one thing that will
separate you, and that's the precious blood of Jesus. Now,
friends, it's His death upon the cross at Calvary for you.
It was the only thing that separated the Israelites and the Egyptians
in that great Passover night, the shed blood, the blood upon
the doorpost. When I see the blood, I will
pass over you. And our friends, on that last
great day, when the separation, which now is, shall be made public,
shall be made evident, shall be made clear, there's only one
thing that will separate you from the lost in hell, and that
is the precious blood. that they may be sanctified.
Now, for instance, that precious blood you see which separates,
that precious blood which redeems, which purchases, that precious
blood which seals the covenant and takes His people to be His
people and separates them to be His forever and forever, His
purchased possession, they may be sanctified. And then it's as it flows, the
blessings flow from that death. Oh, the gift of the Holy Spirit
that in life enters in, imparts life, that we're no longer amongst
the dead, but are made alive and living, separated by that
vital union to Christ, separated by that life which we have received
from the dead, the life of Jesus Christ. And as the Holy Spirit
indwells, works in us to will and to do of His good pleasure,
as the Holy Spirit convinced of sin, of righteousness, and
of judgment to come, as the Holy Spirit takes of the things of
Jesus and reveals them unto us. Now, our friend, sanctified,
separated? Oh, it's a searching question
this evening. Are you sanctified? Are you separated? Is it a question
with you this evening? Well, how do I know that Jesus
Christ is one with me and I am one with him? How do I know that
I have union to Jesus Christ? How do I know that I have a part
in the glorious mystery that you've just been opening, that
they may all be of one? Our friends, it's in this. Are
you sanctified? Are you separated? Have you had to leave the world?
Oh, friends, have you had to leave yourself and all hope in
yourself? Have you had to leave your sins?
Oh, to give repentance and remission of sins. Oh, friends, you've
been turned from your idols to serve the living God. That's
separation. Oh, what do you know of separation?
Come out from among them and be separate and touch not the
unclean thing and I'll be a father unto you and you shall be my
people. Oh, said the Lord God. Ah, friends, there's only one
thing that will separate you, only one thing that will bring
you out of the world, only one thing that makes you a son and
daughter of the Most High God, only one thing that will make
you want to be a son and daughter of the Most High God, and that's
the precious blood of Jesus Christ. Ah, friends, He's finished work.
Are you separated this evening? Are you sanctified? Ah, friends,
He's relying You may at times get drawn back. The world is
a very enticing thing. Many charms. It draws us back. The devil would tell you it would
be better to go back. The devil was telling the Hebrews, remember
you had it easier when you were a Jew. Remember you had it easier
when you just worshipped in the synagogue the God of Abraham,
Isaac and Jacob and you had not gone after these apostles with
their preaching of Jesus. All your troubles began then.
Go back. Go back. Go back to your birth, go back
to the religion of your fathers. But our friends, they could not
go back. They could not go back. Neither will you be able to go
back if you are amongst those who are made one with Jesus.
He that sanctifies and they that are sanctified, all of one. Our
friends, are you separated this evening? Are you separated? Oh, I know it's hard when we've
been brought up with a form of religion. And I do not denigrate
the form this evening, I do not denigrate the gracious upbringing
that's brought us up with that form. Oh, friends, it's very
clearly seen in some who had no religion, did not know God,
hated God, were atheists, but turned round, separated, brought
out of the public house, brought out of the world and the ways
of the world. Oh, you may find it hard this
evening to know How much is your natural religion and how much
are the things of God? Oh, friends, what think ye of
Christ? That's what it comes down to. What think ye of Christ? Will ye also go away? Oh, do
you have to say this evening? I've got nowhere else to go.
Nowhere else to go. Nowhere else to fly. I've got
no other hope. But Jesus Christ, him crucified, your sanctified,
separated unto him, clinging alone to him, knowing that nothing
in this world can truly please, nothing in this world. Knowledge of all terrestrial
things, ne'er to your soul true pleasure brings. No. Friends, do you ever know what
it is to lose sight of the world and to find you're all in Christ?
Nothing so precious, nothing in nature or in art, so fair
as Jesus. They are sanctified. and he that
sanctifies, all of one, all of one. Oh, for instance, this end, we
are all of one, that he might sanctify his people, separate
them, separate them here in time and ultimately, oh, separate
us to himself in death, when he comes to receive us unto himself,
if I go, I'll come again to receive you unto myself, that where I
am there you may be also, the soul indeed, Immediately, the
soul of believers of death passed immediately into the presence
of God and made up perfect in holiness, satisfied when we awake
in His likeness, finding in His right hand the rivers of pleasures
forevermore, and our dust which rests in hope. Oh, for He will
not leave our soul in hell nor suffer His Holy One to see corruption. We're one with Christ and as
He is risen from the dead and become the first fruits of them
that sleep, so must the dust of every one of his people. Oh,
we shall rise in his likeness. We know not what we shall be,
but we know that when he shall appear, we shall be like him
and we shall see him. To be with him forever, owned
as he is in that last great day. Owned as he is, the answers for
us at the bar of divine justice. These are mine, my sheep. Owned
as he is, as he takes us in the marriage supper of the Lamb to
be his. forever and forever, all of one, sanctified, to be
all of one, forever and forever. Oh, this is the whole reason
why they must be all of one, that they might be sanctified,
they might be separated unto Him. Oh, friends, not just in
covenant transaction, not just in that glorious transaction
upon the cross, Not just the experience here and now, but
actually separated. Separated to Him in glory. To
be with Him forever and forever. For both He that sanctified and they
that were sanctified are all of one. Then friends, what is
the result of this? Ah, the result of this is this
glorious truth for which cause he is not ashamed to call them
brethren. Jesus Christ is not ashamed of
his people this evening. Not ashamed of any one of them. Oh, that's what the word tells
us here. Everyone who he has been made
one with, he is not ashamed to call them brethren. Ah, friends,
he cannot be ashamed of them, can he? He shares our nature. Our friends, he cannot be ashamed
of his own nature. The Apostle Paul said in those
verses we quoted from Ephesians, no man has ever been ashamed
of his own body. Oh, but he loves and cherishes
it. Our friends, how much more so Christ and the church. Oh,
as he has made us one with him, as he has become one with us.
Our friends, he's not ashamed of us. Not ashamed of us. He bears our nature. A real man. He still is a man, there is a
real man. Throned in high spirits. Not ashamed to call them brethren. The dust of earth, as Rabbi Duncan
says, now sits upon the throne in heaven. Jesus Christ is seen
there as a lamb as he had been slain, still bearing the marks
of his warfare. still one with us. Our friends
not ashamed to be called their brethren, he's one of us and
he's pleased to be one of us. Our friends how pleased he was,
as seen in that love that brought him from the skies, how pleased
he was, the baptism to be baptized with and how much strength to
be accomplished. Our friends pleased to be one
with us, willing to be one with us, not ashamed to call them brethren.
Our friend's there upon the cross at Calvary. He was pleased to
identify himself with us, to bear our sins upon the cross. Our friend, he cannot be ashamed
of us, can he? He stood with us in the lowest place. Our friend,
he stood with us when all our sins were charged to him, when
he who knew no sin was made sin for us. He can't be ashamed of
us this evening, can he? Our friend's another sin. but
that sin charged upon him at Calvary. Oh, no reason now why
he should be ashamed of us. No, he's not ashamed to call
us brethren. Our friends, he's not ashamed
of us because he has sanctified us. All this is in the past tense. Our friends, it's in the continuing,
they that are sanctified. Our friends, there upon the cross
at Calvary, He's owned us as he is, purchased us as he is,
redeemed by Jesus, precious blood redeemed. He can't be ashamed
of his purchase, can he? I've never found, you know, amongst
the farmers that I've worked with, my friends, I've never
found them ashamed of that which they've purchased. My friends,
they want to show you their new bit of machinery, they want to
show you the new stock they've bought at market. My friends,
they'll never be ashamed of it. their reputations at stake, their
glories at stake. If they told you, well, I went
to market and bought a lot of rubbish. Ah, friends, He chose us to be His in eternity
past. He purchased us and redeemed
us upon the cross at Calvary. Ah, friends, He's honouring His
names at stake to save us from the burning lake. Ah, friends,
He cannot be ashamed of us. No, He owns us. Ah, friends,
he delights to remember us before his father. He delights to point
us out before his father. He delights to mention our names
before his father. Our names are upon his breast
openly. Not in some hidden place, but
openly. Born upon his breast, not ashamed
to call them brethren. Oh, friends, he stands above
this evening, points to our names upon his breast and spreads his
wounded hands. He's not ashamed to call them
brethren. Ah, friends, he won't be ashamed of us in that last
great day. There'll be no cause of shame then, will there? The
whole went washed and clothed in his righteousness, made whole. Ah, friends, made one with him,
he will not be ashamed of us. What bridegroom is there that's
ever been ashamed of his bride on their wedding day? No, friends,
the bridegroom rejoices over the bride with singing. Ah, friends,
wherefore he's not ashamed to call them brethren? May this our glory be, Jesus,
not ashamed of me. This may seem very high this
evening if you are feeling your sins, feeling your unworthiness.
You say these are high things I cannot attain unto them. The
devil may say it can't really be true. Unbelief may say I cannot
receive it. How can it ever be that Jesus
cannot be ashamed of me? Well, the apostle brings forth
his arguments as a rabbi. He brings forth his arguments
as a teacher of the door, the mouth of two or three witnesses.
This shall be confirmed. He says, here is the word. Here
is Jesus Christ speaking, confirming these things. And he gives us
those three examples from the word of God, Jesus speaking,
to confirm the truth that he's not ashamed to call them brethren. Firstly, in the 22nd Psalm, that
messianic psalm, prophetic, of Jesus in his suffering, those
words upon the cross, quoted in that psalm, My God, my God,
why hast thou forsaken me? But he says in that psalm, I
will declare thy name unto my brethren in the midst of the
church when I sing praise unto thee. Our friend Jesus isn't
ashamed of his brethren. But there he says, in the middle
of that psalm, that he will delight to speak unto his brethren of
the Father. He would have liked to teach him his brethren of
the Father, not ashamed of them. Our friends, if he was ashamed
of them, he wouldn't be with them, declaring his father's name unto
them. And he will sing praise unto
the, as we read in Psalm 22, in the midst of the great congregation,
in the very middle of his people, praising with them, joining in
song with them. Our friends, he's not ashamed
of his brethren. And then he says, again I will
put my trust in him. Again I will put my trust in
him. Possibly a quote from the 18th Psalm or as it is recorded
in the 22nd chapter of Samuel. Or some say, I think as the margin
says here that it quotes it back to Isaiah 8, verse 17, I will
put my trust in him. Ah friends, this is the heart
of the incarnation, isn't it? How could God ever say, my God? How could the eternal Son of
God, who is co-equal, co-eternal, one substance with the Father
ever say, my Lord and my God? Only as he has found one with
us. Ah, friends, only as he's found in union with us. Then he could say to Mary, I
ascend to my Father and your Father, to my God, your God. Ah, friends, here he is putting
his trust in his God. Here he is cast upon him from
his mother's breast as we read in the 22nd Psalm. Here he is
living the life of faith and prayer for his people. Ah, friends,
what a mystery that is. God pray. God pray. The son calling upon his father
in prayer. Ah, friends, it's as if he's
made one with us in our nature and lives that life of faith.
Oh, friends, if he wasn't ashamed of us when he lived that life
of faith on this earth. he won't be ashamed of us now,
would he? If he wasn't ashamed of us, he cried, my God, my God,
why hast thou forsaken me? He won't be ashamed of us now.
No, friends, he was pleased to be found, one with us. He's still
one with us. Wherefore, he's not ashamed to
call them brethren. And then the third, evidence.
And again, behold, I and the children which God hath given
me. That quote from Isaiah 8, verse 18. He identifies with his people.
The people that God has given him. You wouldn't be ashamed
of something God has given you, would you? What God gives you
must be best. What God gives you must be good.
He's not ashamed. I and the children which thou
hast given me identifies with them. Are children? A father ashamed of his children?
No. The partakers of the same nature, sharers of the same genetic
material. I and the children which thou
hast given me. Oh, wherefore is not ashamed to call them brethren? Ah, friends, what I hope this
evening for a poor tried child of God. What gospel? Jesus, not
ashamed of me. Not ashamed because he's been
made one with us. Not ashamed because by that oneness
he's sanctified us, is sanctifying us, bringing us to himself to
be his. his portion forever and ever,
wherefore he is not ashamed to be called their brethren." Ah,
no shame, no shame. Well, friends, where does this
bring us this evening? Oh, is this not reason this evening
to praise him? Ah, friends, is this not a glorious
truth? What debt of praise we owe to him? Ah, friends, how
If we really know these things, will it not bring us to say with
William Gadsby, immortal honours, rest on Jesus' head? Nothing
less, nothing less will do, will it? Immortal honours, such a
saviour, such a saviour, such a salvation. Oh friends, do you
have to sing about this this evening? Is this your boasting?
Is this your rejoicing? Oh friends, is this what your
willing to own before the world. He's not ashamed of you. Are
you ashamed of him? Our friends, if he's got no cause
to be ashamed of you this evening, what cause have you got to be
ashamed of him? And yet solemnly, we so often
are ashamed of him. Fail to speak of him. Fail to
mention him. Our friends, fail to give him
the honor and the glory. in our lives, in the things that
he's done for us, the things that he's worked out for us,
and in that glorious hope of salvation in him and in him alone. Oh friends, how can we be ashamed
of him when he is not ashamed of us? What cause have we got
this evening to be ashamed of him? Oh friends, Nicodemus may come
to him by night until Nicodemus sees that Jesus is not ashamed
of him. upon the cross of Calvary, there,
suffering, bleeding, dying for him in his place, then Nicodemus
must go with Joseph of Arimathea to beg the body of Christ, to
own himself to be a follower of the despised Nazarene. Ah,
friends, can you be ashamed of him this evening, he who is not
ashamed of you? Oh, rather may we be ready to
speak to his honour and his glory, ready to give that answer concerning
the hope that is in us. I assure a hope this evening
built on nothing less than Jesus' blood and righteousness upon
this glorious truth that they shall all be at one. And then, friends, Jesus is not
ashamed of the least of his disciples. No, friends, he wasn't ashamed
of Peter. Peter went out and wept bitterly. Peter was ashamed
when he saw the Lord looking upon him. But friends, the Lord
was not ashamed of Peter. No, our friends, as soon as he
could, when he had risen again from the dead, it was, go tell
my disciples and Peter. And we read that glorious truth.
Oh, friends, what was it that when those two on the Emmaus
road got back to the upper room, what was it they really rejoiced
in? The Lord is risen indeed and has appeared unto Simon,
has appeared unto Peter. No, friends, I feel in that statement
there is as much rejoicing, there is as much wonder in the fact
that he'd appeared unto Peter as there was in the fact that
he was risen from the dead. Oh, he is not ashamed of Peter.
No. No, friends, not ashamed of Peter.
No. He's not ashamed of the least
of his brethren. A friend of publicans and sinners,
this man received his sinners and eateth with them. Ah, friends,
the Pharisees were ashamed to sit with them. Does he not know
she's a sinner, they said? Oh, separate from her, kick her
out. But no, he was not ashamed of
her. Ah, woman, thy sins which are
many, all forgiven. Ah, friends, are we ashamed of
the Lord's people this evening? Are we ashamed of those who do
not seem to come up to our standard of righteousness? do not seem
to come up to our traditions. Our friends, are we ashamed if
one should come in off the streets? But our friends, if they're one
with Jesus, one for whom he has died, he's not ashamed of them. He's not ashamed of them. Oh,
friends, may we not be ashamed of his people this evening. May
we own them as our brethren. and that glorious evidence we
know we pass from death unto life because we love the brethren,
to love the least of them. Oh, friends, how often we try
to get near to the greatest of them, those that are exalted
and held in high esteem by men. But, ah, have you known what
it is to find the sweetness of spending time with the least
of them? Ah, friends, those that may not
be known, Those that may be quickly forgotten, but children of God,
one with your Saviour, and you see Christ in them, and there's union with them.
Oh, friends, Christ is not ashamed of them. May we not be ashamed
of His people, but may we delight in being one with them. And then,
friends, finally this. Ah, may we not give him cause
to be ashamed of us. Ah, friends, he never is ashamed
of us. But this glorious text is based
on separation, it's based on sanctification. He that sanctifies,
and they that are sanctified all at once, therefore he's not
ashamed to call them brethren. Ah, friends, may we be seeking
separation, may we be seeking the sanctified life. Ah, friends,
may we not be found sitting down among the world, and going in
the ways of the world? Can we honestly say the Lord
had no cause to not be ashamed of us this day, but we're found
walking in the ways of sinners? When we may be found embracing
sinful thoughts and sinful desires, come out from among them and
be separate, and touch not the unclean thing, wherefore laying
aside every weight, and the sin which does so easily beset Let
us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking
unto Jesus, the author and the finisher of our faith. Oh, friends,
walk worthily, walk worthily. Let your conversation be as becometh
the gospel, as becometh this gospel, as becometh this gospel. He's not ashamed to call us brethren. Ah, friends, that we might be
more careful, more careful, more watchful. Oh, if this is really
made known to us this evening, if Jesus Christ is all in all
in this blessed truth, he's not ashamed to call us brethren,
then, friends, I will be mortifying to the deeds of the flesh. Oh,
friends, it will kill the world in our desires, and Jesus Christ
will be all in all. Amen. Let us now sing together hymn
number 126. The tune is Gerontius 150. I'll speak the honours of my
king, his form divinely fair. None of the sons of mortal race
may with the Lord compare. Hymn 126, tune Gerontius 150. And those cheery wonders of thy
care, His own divine repair. Man of the sun of mortal race,
She met the Lord companion It is life's deepest and barest,
the calm that it presents. God watch which person through
the day by night has crowned thy sacred head. Dead on thy sword All in all,
God's grace, bright with majestic sway, Our terrorists shall strike with
all our force, and take the world by force. Thy throne, O God, Thou ever
dost stand, Thy word, O praise, can prove. Thou peace, O scepter, In thy hands to hold thy servants
by night. Justice and truth and love and
They stand, but the sea is not close, And hope, like water,
so shall fill, Lord, forgive all that's been
amiss in the worship of thy house this evening. Oh, bless, Lord,
thy word unto us. Oh, raise our souls above the
ground and draw our thoughts to thee. Oh, may we behold, Lord,
that glory in Jesus, full of grace and truth, and come to
him for all we need, and find once more this evening, though
a sinner, he is not ashamed of me. Part us, Lord, with thy blessing,
grant journey and mercies homeward. Rest and sleep this night. Be
with us, Lord, throughout the remainder of our journey here
below. Sanctify us at last unto thyself,
we'd ask it all for Jesus Christ's sake. Now may the grace of the
Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, the love of God the Father, the
fellowship and communion of the Holy Spirit. Rest and abide with
us each, both now and for evermore. Amen.