The notices for the coming week
are God willing as follows. Pastor will preach here next
Lord's Day at 10.30 and two o'clock, also on Thursday evening at seven
o'clock. And there will be a prayer meeting
here on Tuesday evening at seven o'clock. Let us commence our services
today by singing together hymn number 193, to the tune Dennis, 26. I am, says Christ, your glorious
head. May we attention give the resurrection
of the dead, the life of all that live. Hymn 193. This is my joyous day, May we attention give The resurrection
of the dead The life of all that live. I faint in me that sorrow receives,
In life undead before, and in earth, in life, and in things
shall be. Could I go on? The sinner's keeping in his grave Shall let my voice away, And
where my thoughts begin to say, Thy word hath therefore saved. O hail thy proudest, gracious
Lord, On us assembled here Let hope thy spirit with
the world That calls the dead to live. Preserve the power of faith and
life, In the house of God, my name. O sin and Satan, daily
strive. to pass the sacred day. Thy power and mercy must prevail,
comes in to set us free. And often seems her life and
health A day of faith in thee. To thee we bow. To thee we bow. to Thee for help we call. Thine the resurrection, now,
now. Let us read together from the
Holy Word of God in the Gospel according to John and chapter
12. John's Gospel, chapter 12 we'll
commence our reading at verse 20. And there were certain Greeks
among them that came up to worship at the feast. The same came therefore
to Philip, which was a Bethsaida of Galilee, and desired him,
saying, Sir, we would see Jesus. Philip cometh and telleth Andrew,
And again, Andrew and Philip tell Jesus. And Jesus answered
them, saying, the hour is come that the Son of Man should be
glorified. Verily, verily, I say unto you,
except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth
alone. But if it die, it bringeth forth
much fruit. He that loveth his life shall
lose it, and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep
it unto eternal life. If any man serve me, let him
follow me, and where I am, there shall also my servant be. If
any man serve me, him will my father honour. Now is my soul
troubled, And what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour.
But for this cause came I unto this hour. Father, glorify thy
name. Then came there a voice from
heaven saying, I have both glorified it and will glorify it again. The people therefore that stood
by and heard it said that it thundered. Others said an angel
spake to him. Jesus answered and said, This
voice came not because of me, but for your sakes. Now is the
judgment of this world. Now shall the prince of this
world be cast out, and I, if I be lifted up from the earth,
will draw all men unto me. This he said, signifying what
death he should die. The people answered him, we have
heard out of the law that Christ abideth forever. And how sayest
thou that the Son of Man must be lifted up? Who is this Son
of Man? Then Jesus said unto them, yet
a little while is the light with you. Walk while you have the
light. lest darkness come upon you.
For he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth.
While ye have light, believe in the light, that ye may be
the children of light. These things spake Jesus, and
departed, and did hide himself from them. But though he had
done so many miracles before them, yet they believed not,
on him, that the saying of Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled
which spake, Lord, who hath believed our report, and to whom hath
the arm of the Lord been revealed? Therefore they could not believe,
because Isaiah said again, he hath blinded their eyes, and
hardened their hearts, that they should not see with their eyes,
not understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should
heal them. These things said Isaiah when
he saw his glory and spake of him. Nevertheless, among the
chief rulers also many believed on him. But because of the Pharisees,
they did not confess him, lest they should be put out of the
synagogue. for they loved the praise of men more than the praise
of God. Jesus cried and said, He that
believeth on me, believeth not on me, but on him that sent me. And he that seeth me, seeth him
that sent me. I am come a light into the world,
that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness. And if any man hear my words,
and believe not, I judge him not. For I came not to judge
the world, but to save the world. He that rejecteth me, and receiveth
not my words, hath one that judges him the word that I have spoken. The same shall judge him in the
last day. For I have not spoken of myself,
but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what
I should say and what I should speak. And I know that his commandment
is life everlasting. Whatsoever I speak therefore,
even as the Father said unto me, so I speak. May the Lord bless the reading
of his own precious word and grant unto us a spirit of real
prayer. Almighty, most merciful and eternal
God of heaven, we do desire a spirit of real prayer, the grace of
supplication. We do desire the inward power
and teaching of the Holy Ghost. teach us how to pray and for
what to pray, for we know not what to pray for as we all, but
may the Spirit make intercession for us with groanings that cannot
be uttered. O Lord, we do pray that this
day we may have thy presence and thy blessing to rest upon
us and that the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love
of God our Father, and the sacred fellowship of the Holy Spirit
may rest and abide upon us. Lord, teach us thy ways, lead
us in thy paths, open our heart to receive thy word, grant that
thou wouldst grant the blind may see, the deaf may hear, the
dumb may speak, the lame may walk. and that the word of the
Lord may have free course and thy name be honoured and glorified. Bless us as a church and as a
congregation and work mightily, powerfully and effectually among
us to the great glory of thy name. We do humbly beseech thee. We do pray, most gracious Lord,
that thou would remember our brethren the deacons and give
grace, wisdom and help in all their responsibilities. be with
our brother this morning at Tunbridge Wells and help him in conducting
the service there. And Lord, we pray that thou would
remember each one of our brethren and sisters in church fellowship
and help us to love each other, serve each other, bear each other's
burdens, thereby fulfilling the law of Christ. O gracious God,
we do pray that we may live as we ought to live, we may do what
we ought to do. So often, Lord, we find that
great conflict, that which I would, I do not, that which I would
not, I do. I find a law within my members
that when I would do good, then evil is present with me. And Lord, we prove day by day
that this is the case. And we do pray, most gracious
Lord, was to remember the little ones and the children that are
brought into the sanctuary, that thou wast blessed them in their
young and in their tender years, and that thou wast put the fear
of the Lord, which is the beginning of wisdom, into their hearts.
O gracious God, we remember the young and the rising generation.
Remember the young friends as they stand on the threshold of
life's journey, undertake for them guide them by thy counsel,
bring them to living faith in Jesus Christ, make them true
followers of thee and of those who through faith and patience
inherit the promises. O send out thy light and thy
truth, O Lord, we do beseech thee, for thy great name's sake. And O Lord, we do pray, guide
and direct our young friends in all the paths of providence,
be with them in their education and give wisdom and understanding,
and guide and direct them to any future employment, and grant
them a partner in life's journey. Lord, we lovingly commend them
to Thee, to the word of Thy grace, which is able to build them up,
and to grant them an inheritance among them that are sanctified.
O Lord, we do pray that that thou and thy precious mercy would
remember all in the midst of the journey of life, especially
when we think of parents, that they may be given wisdom and
grace to bring up their children in the nurture and admonition
of the Lord. And, O Lord God, we do pray that thou and thy
precious mercy would graciously meet with them and bless them
Oh Lord, we do pray that Thou would quicken souls and make
them cry, give me Christ or else I die. Give them to feel, Lord,
the brevity of life and the solemnity of death and of eternal judgment. Oh, to hear us, Lord, we pray
Thee for Thy great name's sake. And we pray, most gracious Lord,
that Thou would remember in any and any trouble or trial or perplexity
or sorrow or sadness or bereavement. Remember, Lord, our dear beloved
friends in Holland and bless them there. Remember, dear Ine,
at home in her great age and undertake for her. Remember,
Lord, those of us that are indeed in the evening time of life journey.
Prepare us for that great change which must come. O Lord, we do
beseech of thee, and we do pray that thou would remember the
prodigals, and cause them to return. Lord, it's thy work,
and we long to see thy work. We long to see the pulling down
of the strongholds of Satan, and the setting up of the kingdom
of the Lord Jesus in the hearts of sinners. Oh, do hear us, Lord,
we pray thee, May the glory, light, and power of the gospel
shine into this village and the surrounding villages and hamlets.
Precious souls may be gathered in, brought to saving faith in
Jesus Christ, and become true followers of thee and of those
who through faith and patience inherit the promises. Lord, bring
our sons from far and our daughters from the ends of the earth. Let
thy work appear unto thy servants and thy glory unto their children.
Let thy hand be upon the man of thy right hand, the son of
man, whom the maid is strong for thyself. Gracious God, have
mercy upon us. Blow with the wind of the Spirit.
And what we pray for us here, we pray for the little causes
of truth up and down the land, wherever thy servants stand and
thy people gather. May there be a reviving, a renewing,
a replenishing. We thank thee for the sending
forth of thy servants, and we pray thee, the great Lord of
the harvest, to yet send forth more. And we thank thee for all
thy tender mercies and loving kindnesses that have passed before
us in the way. But we live, Lord, in a day of
great declension and of falling away. O Lord, do hear us, we
pray Thee, and have mercy upon us, and on Thy Zion, and work. Thou hast promised, I will work,
and who shall let it? Lord, let Thy work appear unto
Thy servants, and Thy glory unto their children. O Lord, we do
pray. Let us remember our nation. We
pray for our King, and the royal household, in sickness at this
time, and we pray that there would be Jehovah Rophi, that
they would heal them, not only physically in their bodies, but
in their souls. They might know the healing power
of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Remember our leaders and give
wisdom and understanding. We truly live in troublous times.
Gracious God, we do pray that thou wilt put a stop to war and
bring to naught the counsels of the ungodly? How many thousands,
O Lord, are suddenly taken from time into eternity? Lord, here
we humbly pray thee. Remember thy people that live
in those countries in the earth where the name of Christ is hated
and persecuted. For Christ's sake, Lord, send
them help from the sanctuary, strengthen them out of Zion.
We do humbly pray then, we see the spirit of Antichrist so prevalent
in the day in which we live. Arise, arise, O God of grace,
into thy rest descend now in the ark of thy strength, and
let thy priests be clothed with salvation, and thy saints shall
shout aloud for joy. Remember those that labour, those
that go forth from among us that labour in the nations of the
earth. Remember Ian Sadler in that great
work that he is doing in the distribution and the exposition
of the holy scriptures in so many different places on earth.
Supply all his many returning needs, O Lord we do beseech thee. Remember the Savannah Education
Trust in Ghana and grant good success and grant that it may
be down to the glory of thy name, to the glory of Christ, we humbly
pray thee. Remember thy servant that labours
in the Mombasa mission, strengthen him and his dear one, and grant
that they may see thy work and thy power and thy glory in the
gospel. And O Lord God, we do desire
to render thanksgiving unto thee for what thou art, Thou art the
only true God, infinite, holy, eternal, without beginning, without
ending, unchangeably the same. We thank Thee for Jesus Christ,
the same yesterday, today, and forever. We thank Thee for the
love of our eternal Father that we know in Him. We thank Thee
for the Holy Ghost and the wonderful power Oh, without thy heavenly
power, O Lord, no sweets of gospel can afford. Oh, we do thank thee
that thou art God over all, blessed for evermore. Indeed, that thou
art able to do abundantly more than we can even ask or think,
for there is nothing too hard for thee. We thank thee for that
wonderful profound truth of God manifest in the flesh. eternal
word that was made flesh and dwelt among us. We thank thee
for that holy life he lived and the holy law he fulfilled and
everlasting righteousness that he has brought in for his people.
We thank thee for Calvary where the lamb was slain, where sin
was put away, where divine justice was satisfied. We thank thee
that he died for our sins and rose again for our justification. And we thank thee as bodily ascended
into heaven and sitteth at thy right hand. We have a great high
priest, gracious God. Praise waiteth for thee, O God,
in Zion, and unto thee shall the vow be performed. Be with
us now, Lord, as we turn to thy holy word. Come and open thy
word to our heart and to our understanding. Come and touch
one's lips with a live coal from off the heavenly altar. We ask
for Jesus Christ's sake. Amen. Let us now sing together hymn
number 544 to the tune Welford, 773. By nature can no man be just,
since all are conceived in sin. No room is now left for us to
boast, for works cannot God's favour win. But such who in Jesus
believe are justified freely by grace, united to Jesus their
head, he's made unto them righteousness. Hymn 544, tune Welford 773. ? And when I reach the cross ?
? I see the soul of Jesus ? ? And
when I reach the cross ? ? How sweet the sound that saved
a wretch like me ? ? Oh, how sweet the sound that saved a
wretch like me ? In the name of the Father, and
of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. O come, let us adore Him, O come,
let us adore Him, Christ the Lord. Christ the Lord. Christ the Lord. Christ
the Lord. Christ the Lord. Christ the Lord. ? O say can you see, by the dawn's
early light ? you The lonely shock of my depression. Oh, say does that star-spangled
banner yet wave Oh greatly feeling to need the Lord's
gracious help. I'll direct your attention to
the chapter that we read, the 12th chapter of the Gospel according
to John, and we'll read verses 44, 45, and 46 for our text.
The Gospel of John, chapter 12, verses 44 to 46. Jesus cried and said he that
believeth on me believeth not on me but on him that sent me
and he that seeth me seeth him that sent me I am come a light
into the world that whosoever believeth on me should not abide
in darkness. Jesus cried and said, he that believeth on me. What is it to believe? What does it mean to believe? Well in the doctrinal sense of
it, It's the exercise of faith. And in the exercise of faith
there is a believing. Now, there are different sorts
of faith, but there's only one right faith. And you may say to me, what do
you mean? There's a historical faith. So, You have the Word
of God, you've been brought up to believe it's the Word of God.
You accept the truths that are found in the Word of God. And
so far that's right. But only so far. There's a difference between
a faith that is historical and accepts the record of God's Word,
that it is the truth of God, Accepts the revelation of Jesus
Christ that he is the only savior of sinners Accepts the holy law of God and
it's solemn curse But we can have all that and only have what
we might say a natural faith We intellectually believe it Now One hymn writer said, I think
it's the last hymn we sing this morning, so far that's good,
but only so far. What we need, each one of us,
is justified faith. And the Apostle speaks of it
in the Romans, he said therefore we are justified by faith. So what is the difference? Well,
justifying faith is what is wrought in the heart by the Holy Ghost. In the Epistle to the Ephesians,
we read faith is the gift of God. It's the gift of God. And it's a gift of the Holy Ghost. It's what is called one of the
graces of the Spirit. Now we're defining faith here
as a living principle in the heart. Implanted there by God the Holy
Ghost. Now there's a world of difference,
my beloved friends, between a justifying faith and a natural faith. One saves the soul, the other
doesn't. The other doesn't. We've just sung together in our
opening hymn this morning, by faith in him the soul received
new life, though dead before. Now, essentially, what saves is the person, power
and grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Again, we go to the Ephesians,
by grace are ye saved, that not of yourselves, By grace are you
saved. What grace? The grace of our
Lord Jesus Christ. And faith, true living faith,
is in the person of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, that was manifest
in the flesh. Faith reveals Christ. And that is what saves. That is what saves. The person,
power and grace of Jesus Christ. That is what faith reveals to
a poor sinner. Jesus cried and said, he that
believeth on me, believeth not on me, but on him that sent me.
And he that seeth me, seeth him that sent me. I am come a light
into the world that whosoever believeth on me should not abide
in darkness. So faith in Christ reveals Christ as a light that
shines in the heart. I've often used it as an illustration
because it is such a beautiful illustration but Bunyan's Pilgrim
in the Pilgrim's Progress When Evangelist said to him, see yon
wicket gate, and he said no. Of course he was pointing to
Christ, he couldn't see. And then he said this to him,
see yon shining light. I think so. He could see the
light. I think so. So the first dawning
of light on the soul is when Christ is revealed by faith and
a light begins to shine in the heart. Now of course, by the
divine power and indwelling of the Holy Ghost, when he gives
spiritual life, often, not always, but often the first thing it
reveals is our darkness. David in the Psalms, he says,
we see light in thy light. And it says the Lord gives us
light. Now of course, there is a natural light. There's a danger of this. We're
all brought up under the truth. We read the word of God and we've
been brought up to do so, and quite rightly so. And we sit
under the preaching of the everlasting gospel. And that's good that
it is so. But the danger is, you may just
have a natural light. Just a natural understanding.
Without the spirit of faith. A natural believing. Without the spirit of faith.
Judas Iscariot had that, but he never had faith. I've got
no doubt that Judas Iscariot wrought miracles, but he never
had faith. You see, my beloved friends,
these are very solemn, searching things. That's why Jesus cries. He speaks out loudly and clearly. Jesus cried and said, He that
believeth on me, believeth not on me, but on him that sent me. And he that seeth me, seeth him
that sent me. And of course here in John's
Gospel, there is that exceedingly well-known scripture. In the
chapter three and verse 16, probably one of the most well-known scriptures.
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son,
that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting
life. For God sent not his Son into
the world to condemn the world, but that the world through him
might be saved. It's the only way of salvation. when the Apostle Paul was dealing
with the Philippian jailer after the prisoners had escaped, as
it were, from the prison. And the jailer was going to fall
on his sword. And he came and the Apostle called
out to him, do thyself no harm. He came to Peter and he said
to Paul, what must I do to be saved? And what was Paul's answer? Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ
and thou shalt be saved. And he believed. That was real, true saving faith. He that believeth, whosoever
believeth in him should not perish but have eternal life. Now my beloved friends, What
sort of faith do you have? The only good faith, the only
right faith is saving faith. Do you have saving faith? Do you have any evidence that
you have saving faith in the Lord Jesus Christ? In the first
chapter of John's Gospel. We read there very clearly concerning
the glorious person of Christ. See the essential thing with
real true living faith is that Christ is revealed and he reveals
the same Christ to all his people. He's the Son of God. he became a real man and if there are those people
or teachers that are preaching another christ then let us beware
there are those that deny this the true sacred humanity of jesus
the son of god they deny that he was a real man made exactly
the same as we are Now we know from Holy Scripture that their
doctrine is wrong and therefore they must be wrong. And they
must be out of the secret. You see they worship another
Christ. He says in his epistle that they
that preach another gospel unto you when he writes to the Galatians
He said they preach another gospel unto you, which is not a gospel.
It's not a saving gospel. The same Christ is revealed to
every true child of God. That he is Jesus, the Son of
God. That he is able to save unto
the uttermost all that come unto God by him. That Jesus, the Son
of God, was made of a woman and made under the law, that he might
redeem them that are under the law. lived as a man here upon
earth, he went about doing good and in being made under the law
he fulfilled the law because he did no sin and sin is any
transgression of the law. So this is the Christ that is
revealed in God's holy word. He's the holy son of God that
was manifest in the flesh in that profound mystery of godliness
that he took into union with his divine nature a sacred holy
human nature and became bone of our bone and on our behalf
it says in the scripture it behoved him to be made like unto his
brethren this is the Christ that is revealed
in holy scripture it is as it puts it so simply in the
Athanasian Creed very God, very man. That is a very simple, clear
way of putting it. Christ, Jesus Christ is verily
God and verily man in one person. It's a mystery, it's a profound
mystery, but this is the Christ that is revealed unto the Lord's
living family. He became bone of our bones,
flesh of our flesh. And he lived here upon earth
on our behalf, in our room, in our place and in our stead. And
for 33 years he fulfilled and honoured and magnified that holy
law that you and I have broken. He fulfilled it. He said himself,
I come not to destroy the law but to fulfill it. And that is
exactly what Jesus Christ has done. He's fulfilled the law. And that perfect obedience of
Jesus, the Son of God, the Son of Man, as a man that he lived
in perfect obedience, that is called the righteousness of Christ. The righteousness of Christ.
And this is what is revealed by the Holy Spirit to a poor
sinner, that they are made righteous in Christ. that he wrought out a royal robe
to cover his people. The king's daughter, we read
in Psalm 45, the king's daughter is all glorious within. Her clothing
is of wrought gold. She's all glorious within because
she's washed in the precious Sinatonian blood of Jesus Christ. Her clothing is of wrought gold
because she's clothed in that glorious everlasting robe of
the righteousness of Christ. And when the Holy Spirit begins
to work in the heart of a poor sinner, He shows them that they're
a sinner. He shows them that they're unrighteous.
It's part of the work of the Spirit. When He, the Spirit of
Truth, is come, He will reprove the world of sin, of righteousness,
and of judgment. He will reprove us that we are
sinners, that we have broken God's holy law. He will prove
and convince that God is holy and righteous and we're not at
all equipped to be guilty. He will reprove or convince that
there's a day of judgment. We must all appear at the judgment
seat of Jesus Christ. That is the divine work of the
Holy Ghost in the heart and it's very vital and needful and necessary. But in the first chapter of John's
Gospel, we read there, verse 12, but as many as received
him. You know, friends, there is another
word for believing. As many as received him. To them gave he power to become
the sons of God, even to them that believe. on his name. And he goes on, and this is by
way of instruction, which were born, not of blood, nor of the
will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. That
shows us that unless the Holy Spirit comes, quickens our soul
so that we're born again, we cannot truly believe. We cannot
truly lay hold of Christ until we're born again. And here in this first chapter
of John, as we have it in our text, that Christ is the light
of the world, and it says here, in the beginning was the Word.
The term the Word refers to the divine nature of the Son of God. He's called the Eternal Word.
the beginning that means from all eternity was the word just
like it says in the commencement of holy scripture in the beginning
God that that word beginning there has a very deep meaning
it means he is before all things it is speaking of the eternity
of God in the beginning before all things In the beginning was
the Word, this is Christ. And the Word was with God and
the Word was God. So that speaks of the essential
divinity of the Son of God. The same was in the beginning
with God. All things were made by Him and
without Him was not anything made that was made. In Him was
life. In Him was life. What does Christ
himself say in John chapter 14? I am the way, the truth, and
the life. I am the way, the truth, and
the life. No man cometh unto the Father but by me. In him was life, and the life
was the light. Notice here, this is what is
called a metaphorical language. In him was life, and the life
was the light of men. I am the light of the world,
and the light shineth in darkness, and the darkness comprehended
it not. Oh, my beloved friends, has that
true light shone into your and my heart? It's a vital thing. If we're truly born again of
the Spirit, and if we've been made true believers, in Jesus
Christ and true followers of Jesus Christ. It means his light
has shone into our hearts. Now it goes on there in chapter
1, speaking of John the Baptist, there was a man sent from God
whose name was John, the same came for a witness to bear witness
of the light with a capital M. That's Christ. that all men through
him might believe, through Christ. John, that's John rather, and
then he says he was not that lie, written with a capital L.
That means John the Baptist was not that lie, but was sent to
bear witness of that lie. And you know, my beloved friends,
that is what every one of the Lord's servants is sent to bear
witness of. bear witness of that light that
was the true light which lighteth every man that cometh into the
world he was in the world that is the son of god our lord jesus
christ he was in the world and the world was made by him and
the world knew him not he came unto his own that is the jews
and his own received him not but as many as received him to them gave you power. How we
need this power to become the sons of God, even to them that
believe on his name, which were born not of blood, nor of the
will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. And
the word was made flesh and dwelt among us, we beheld his glory. What a mercy if you and I have
been enabled by faith to behold something of the glory of Christ,
something of the glory of the incarnation of the Son of God,
something of the glory of that holy spotless sinless life that
he lived, something of the glory of the everlasting robe of the
righteousness of Christ, his perfect obedience which becomes
ours by faith. The just so live by his faith. What does it mean justified by
faith? We've often explained to you
what the word justification means. It means a person that is justified
is without sin. What a wonder of wonders, isn't
it? But it's as is in Christ. Therefore being justified by
faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. John bear witness of him and
cried saying this was he of whom I speak. He that cometh after
me is preferred before me for he was before me. John the Baptist
is speaking there of the eternity of Christ. He that cometh after me. There
was six months difference in the life of John the Baptist
and the Lord Jesus Christ. John the Baptist was born six
months before the birth of Christ. And what he says there, he that
cometh after me, that is by birth, is preferred before me. For he
was before me. And of his fullness have all
we received grace, for grace, for the law was given by Moses,
but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. No man
has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, which
is in the bosom of the Father, He hath declared Him. He hath declared Him. That's
what Christ came to do. to declare the eternal love of
his eternal father, for God so loved the world. That is our
eternal father. For God so loved the world, he
gave his only begotten son. He gave his life for ransom for
all. He lived for his people. He suffered
for his people. He died for his people. He rose
again for his people. He ascended into glory for his
people. Just as the apostle says in the
Hebrews, you have made a new and living way into the holy
place. Who has Jesus, the son of God,
that was manifest in the flesh? He's made a new and living way
into the holy place. Jesus cried. and said he that
believeth on me believeth not on me but on him that sent me
and he that seeth me seeth him that sent me I am come a light
into the world that whosoever believeth on me should not abide
in darkness. Now let us look at this aspect
of this he that believeth on me believeth not on me but on him
that sent me and he that seeth me seeth him that sent me you
cannot it is a total contradiction of the truth of God to say that
you can have the son without the father the Godhead is one father Son
and Holy Ghost, these three are one and you cannot have the one
without the other. If you have the Holy Ghost dwelling
in your heart and your soul is quickened into life, then you have the Father and
the Son because these three are one, you cannot have them separate. And really that is the same truth
that Christ is setting before us here in the commencement of
the 14th chapter here of the teachings of our Lord Jesus Christ.
And in verse 5, Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither
thou goest, and how can we know the way? Jesus saith unto him,
I am the way, the truth and the life. No man cometh unto the
Father but by me." And just look what it goes on to say, if he
had known me, he should have known my father also. This is
very clear, simple gospel truth my beloved friends. And from
henceforth ye know him and have seen him. Why? Because you know
Christ and have seen Christ. And that's exactly what Christ
is saying here. He that seeth me, seeth him that
sent me. If ye had known me, ye should
have known my Father also. And from henceforth ye know him
and have seen him. Philip said, Lord show us the
Father and it sufficeth us. Jesus saith unto him, Have I
been so long time with you? And yet hast thou not known me,
Philip? He that hath seen me hath seen
the Father. And how sayest thou then, Show
us the Father? Beliebest thou not that I am
in the Father, and the Father in me? The words that I speak
unto you I speak not of myself, but the Father that dwelleth
in me. He doeth the works. Verily, verily, I say unto you,
He that believeth on me, the works that I do, shall he do
also. And greater works than these
shall he do, because I go unto my Father. And whatsoever ye
shall ask in my name. Some people get very tied up,
my beloved friends, on what is really quite a fundamental and
very simple doctrine. I heard of one of our own ministers
saying you cannot pray to the Father. My beloved friends, that
is absolutely contrary to what Scripture teaches us. We must draw our doctrine from
Holy Scripture. And what is taught in Holy Scripture?
And what does Christ say here? And whatsoever ye shall ask.
Who? Who are we asking in the name
of Christ? Our Heavenly Father. And whatsoever
ye shall ask in my name. We ask in the name of Christ.
Well, the name of Christ is everything to a believer. How sweet the
name of Jesus sounds in a believer's ear. It soothes his sorrows,
heals his wounds, and drives away his fear. The glorious person
of Jesus Christ. I am the way, the truth, and
the life. Oh, that the Holy Spirit may
so open our hearts and minds to receive What is so plainly
written in God's Holy Word? And whatsoever ye shall ask in
my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in
the Son. If ye shall ask anything in my
name, I will do it. Jesus cried and said, He that
believeth on me, believeth not on me, but on him that sent me. And he that seeth me, seeth him
that sent me. I am come, a light into the world,
that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness. What a wonderful thing, my beloved
friends, it is when Christ is first revealed. What light and
life. This is the thing, friends. Light
and life. They're synonymous terms. And when Christ is first revealed,
light and life flows into the sun. He says himself, because
I live, ye shall live also. Because I live, ye shall live
also. They are the words of our Lord
Jesus Christ. I am come a light into the world
that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness. Now the light that shines, there's
a light that shines in the holy life of Jesus Christ. He did no sin, neither was guile
found in his mouth. There's a light that shines there
in the glorious person of Jesus Christ. When we follow him, here
again in the 8th chapter of John's Gospel, it speaks there
of the the light, Christ himself calls
himself the light. Verse 12 of chapter 8, Then spake
Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world.
He that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have
the light of life. Notice the connection again,
light of life. When this light shines, life
is given. Even to the believer who is much
further on in the way, and they come into times of spiritual
darkness and bondage. But when this light shines, when
Christ revealed, made precious, the Apostle says, Christ in you,
the hope of glory, how does he dwell in our hearts? By faith in me the soul receive
new life though dead before. He does. I am the light of the
world. He that followeth me shall not
walk in darkness but shall have the light of life. And the Apostle
Paul in his epistle to the Thessalonians, he takes up this very point in
the in the fifth chapter of the first epistle to the Thessalonians
and from verse 4, but ye brethren are not in darkness that that
day should overtake you as a thief. Ye are all the children of light
and the children of the day. We are not of the night nor of
darkness. Those things are used in a metaphorical
sense. Satan is called the prince of
darkness. And the world is in darkness
until this true light shines. And when that true light shines
in our hearts, precious faith feeding on Christ and looking
to Christ You're all the children of light and the children of
the day. We are not of the night nor the darkness. Therefore,
let us not sleep as do others, but let us watch and be sober.
For they that sleep, sleep in the night, but they that be drunken
are drunken in the night. But let us who are of the day
be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love. and for an
helmet the hope of salvation. For God hath not appointed us
to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, who
died for us, that whether we wake or sleep, we should live
together with him. Wherefore, comfort yourselves
together and edify one another, even as also ye do. You see,
we are the children of light. And then there's that beautiful
word in Malachi, unto you that fear my name shall the sun, that
is S-U-N, sun being the principal light in the universe that shines
upon our earth here, gives light and heat. If the sun wasn't there,
Life would not be maintained here on earth. The heat and the
light that comes from the sun maintains a life here on earth.
So Christ there in Malachi is likened to the son of righteousness. The son of righteousness. Those glorious beams of light
that shine forth. The holiness of Christ. His perfect
obedience. It becomes something very precious
to the true child of God, because they've got nothing of their
own. If we know the Spirit's inward teaching, we know something
of the unrighteousness of our nature, and the uncleanness of
our nature, then how attractive to faith is the glorious nature
of Jesus, the Son of God, and His perfect, holy obedience.
which we receive by faith. We do, we're justified by faith. Where? In Christ. In his glorious
perfect obedience. It becomes ours by faith. That's
such a such a beautiful hymn. We often sing it. I find it such
a precious hymn. Jesus thy blood and righteousness
my beauty are my glorious dress midst flaming worlds in these
arrayed, with joy shall I lift up my head, when from the dust
of death I rise to take my mansion in the skies, in then shall this
be all my plea, Jesus has lived and died for me. By bold shall
I stand in that great day, for who or to my charge shall lie,
while through thy blood absolved I am, from sin's tremendous curse
and shame. Jesus, thy blood, the blood spoken
there of Christ, essentially means his sacrifice, his sin
atoning sacrifice. When he poured out his soul unto
death, he poured out his soul unto death.
That's his holy human soul. when he was on the cross of Calvary.
I think it's most clearly recorded in Luke. He says, Father, into
thy hands I commend my spirit. And he bowed his head and died.
And his holy soul ascended to his father. And he entered into
death itself. He entered into death itself. The Lord of life experienced
death. What a profound mystery. He's
the Lord of life. Yeah, he experienced death. In
the second chapter of the Hebrews, the apostle said he tasted death
for every man. I feel very strong on this point. because to me it's an essential
part of our faith, that in that dead body, in the tomb, was the
Son of God. There was never any separation
between the divine and the human. No. There, in that lifeless corpse,
in the tomb, was the Son of God, the Lord of life. experienced
death. One hymn writer says how it was
done we can't discuss but this we know it was done for us. Jesus cried and said he that
believeth on me believeth not on me but on him that sent me
and he that seeth me seeth him that sent me I am come a light
into the world whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness. You know when Christ is revealed
and of course one looks back to one's own experience when
Christ is revealed and instead of darkness there
is light, a glorious light that enlightens you You know, when
Christ was first revealed to me, I'd had two years under the
law, in terrible darkness, a darkness that you could feel. And that
darkness seemed to get worse and worse. And when Christ was revealed,
it was like being in a prison with no window. So it was all
completely dark, and it was as if a door opened. and the bright
shining of the sun came like a shaft and so that almost blinds
you. That's the only way that I can
explain when Christ was first revealed to me. It was like a
light that was so bright that shone right into my very soul
and filled my soul with joy and peace and happiness. It really
did. Never known that peace and happiness
before, but now how precious. And ye shall be rooted and grounded
in love. That is what is revealed in Christ. It's the love of God. God so
loved the world, he gave his only begotten son. Oh, what a
light shines in Jesus Christ and illuminates our hearts, our
minds, our very souls. so that we are brought from darkness
into light, from bondage into liberty, from being far off to
be made nigh, where? In the glorious person of Jesus
Christ, God, manifest in the flesh, I am come, a light into
the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness. Now, sometimes And I know this
from speaking to some of the Lord's people. My first revelation of Christ,
although I didn't feel to have much, and yet I did, I had far
more than I thought I did have. I felt to be such a small, useless,
helpless sinner. But oh, Christ was so precious. He was everything to me, everything. It was He that delivered me from
darkness, from bondage, from sin, from corruption. What a
sacred thing that is when we have a revelation of Jesus Christ. Jesus cried and said, he that
believeth on me, believeth not on me, but on him that sent me. You see, with some of the Lord's
people, that dawning of the day when the sun of righteousness
arises with healing his wings, It's a very gradual thing. It's
a very gradual thing. There's a gradual opening up,
a light that shines. But it's still the light of life.
It's still the light of life. Some of the Lord's people never
reach very deep or high in their experience. But they still have Christ. That's
what makes them one of the Lord's people. They are one of the Lord's
little ones. Others have a much more dramatic
experience. But it's not every one of the
Lord's people that does that. Jesus cried and said, He that
believeth on me, believeth not on me, but on him that sent me.
And he that seeth me, seeth him that sent me. I am come, a light
into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide
in darkness. May the Lord add his blessing. Let us now sing together hymn
number 234. The tune is Arabia 617. He that
believeth Christ the Lord, who shed for man his blood, By giving credence to his word,
exhorts the truth of God. So far he's right, but let him
know, farther than this he yet must go. Hymn 234, Tune Arabia,
617. you ? The Lord is come, the King is
come ? ? The Lord is come, the King is come ? ? The Lord is
come, the King is come ? So love me, child, but be it
not a deadly luster. He that believed on Jesus Christ
Has a much better fate His prophet now Becomes His praise, And saves
them from His wrath. How nice He shines, His saints
for Him, and proceeded from there. Out in that winter nightingale
wing, of the rich faith in thee. In Christ he lives, and acts
and lives, from self and foolish greed. He has the crown, the
banner, the sun, O Christ, send me a new comforter. Till we have changed this rich
fate, Though safe we are, Lord, stand. Though we are saved from guilt
and trials, Perfection is not found, nor make a union closer
yet. Now may the grace of our Lord
Jesus Christ, the love of God the Father, the sacred fellowship
of the Holy Spirit, rest and abide with us each. Amen.