I'd like to give you all a warm
welcome to our worship here this evening. Let us ask the Lord's
blessing in prayer. Let us pray. Lord God of heaven
and of earth, we come before thee in the attitude of worship,
and we desire the help and aid of thy Holy Spirit, that the
power of God that accompanies salvation might be put forth
with the word, we might realise thy promised presence in the
gathering of thy people, around thy word and in thy name. O Lord,
bless us then this evening, we ask through our Lord and Saviour
Jesus Christ. Amen. Hymn 199, Tune 643 This evening I wish to read from
two psalms. Firstly, Psalm 77 and then Psalm
111. Firstly, Psalm 77. If you have one of our free Bibles,
the psalms are in the middle of the Bible. The first psalm
we're reading is on page 582. Psalm 77. To the Chief Musician,
to Jaduthun, a Psalm of Asav. I cried unto God with my voice,
even unto God with my voice, and he gave ear unto me. In the day of my trouble I sought
the Lord, my soul ran in the night, and cease not. My soul refused to be comforted. I remembered God and was troubled. I complained and my spirit was
overwhelmed, Sila. Thou holdest mine eyes waking. I am so troubled that I cannot
speak. I have considered the days of
old, the years of ancient times. I call to remembrance my song
in the night, I commune with mine own heart, and my spirit
may diligent search. Will the Lord cast off forever,
and will he be favourable no more? Is his mercy clean gone
forever? Doth his promise fail for evermore? Hath God forgotten to be gracious,
hath he in anger shut up his tender mercy's sealer. And I said, This is my infirmity,
but I will remember the years of the right hand of the Most
High. I will remember the works of
the Lord. Surely I will remember thy wonders
of old. I will meditate also of all thy
work and talk of thy doings. Thy way, O God, is in the sanctuary. Who is so great a God as our
God? Thou art the God that doest wonders. Thou hast declared thy strength
among the people. Thou hast with thine arm redeemed
thy people. the sons of Jacob and Joseph,
Selah. The waters saw thee, O God, the
waters saw thee. They were afraid, the depths
also were troubled. The clouds poured out water,
the skies sent out a sound. Thine arrows also went abroad. The voice of thy thunder was
in the heaven, the lightnings lightened the world, the earth
trembled and shook. Thy way is in the sea, and thy
path in the great waters, and thy footsteps are not known. Now let us thy people like a
flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron. Now let us turn to Psalm
100, and 11. Psalm 111. Praise ye the Lord, I will praise
the name, praise the Lord with my whole heart, in the assembly
of the upright and in the congregation. The works of the Lord are great,
sought out of all them that have pleasure therein. His work is
honourable and glorious, and his righteousness endureth for
ever. He hath made his wonderful works
to be remembered. The Lord is gracious and full
of compassion. He hath given meat unto them
that fear Him. He will ever be mindful of His
covenant. He hath showed His people the
power of His works, that He may give them the heritage of the
heathen. The works of His hands are verity
and judgment. All His commandments are sure.
They stand fast for ever and ever and are done in truth and
uprightness. He sent redemption unto his people. He hath commanded his covenant
for ever. Holy and reverent is his name. The fear of the Lord is the beginning
of wisdom. A good understanding have all
they that do his commandments. His praise endureth forever. Thus, Father, reading of God's
holy word, may he bless it to us and help us as we come before
him in prayer. Let us pray. O Thou merciful and gracious
Lord God, we seek again to bow before Thy throne, with reverence
Thy great and Thy holy name. Lord, we would remember Thy works,
and Lord, we would be comforted and encouraged in what Thou hast
done, and Lord, that we, like the psalmist, are able to lift
up our voice to come before Thee and to make known our petitions
to come before the God of heaven and of earth. And we do thank
Thee for this privilege and for this way that we might make known
our requests unto God. And that it hath pleased Thee
to ordain this way that thou wilt be inquired of by the house
of Israel, thy people, to do it for them. And Lord, thou wilt
be honoured and glorified by a people that call upon thy name. O Lord, do grant unto us that
we might continue to do so, and that many yet dead in trespasses
and sins who call not on thy name might do so, and might walk
a path of faith and of prayer. O Lord, we do pray for the outpouring
of thy Holy Spirit, the power of God that bringeth salvation,
that which the early church of God at Jerusalem saw demonstrated
in great power, and that which the apostles noticed and saw
as they went forth preaching. Grant, Lord, that we might see
the evidence of thy work and thy blessing in the hearts of
men and women and children. O Lord, may lies be turned about. May there be those brought out
of nature's darkness and into thy marvellous light. To remember
the Church of God, Thy Purchased People, to remember those that
are downcast and low, despondent, to be pleased to lift them up
and strengthen and encourage them through Thy Word this evening,
that Thou hast sent help from the sanctuary and strength out
of Zion. No, Lord, do thou remember thy
word of old, thy servant who has said, will he fight against
me with his great power? No, but he would put strength
in me. And Lord, that is what we desire,
that strength and help through thy word this evening, and that
it may last and bring forth further praise and honour and glory to
thy name. we come confessing our many sins
and iniquities, that we are not worthy of the least of Thy notice. And Lord, that we have sinned
against light, against knowledge, against Thy goodness. We have
not rendered again according to Thy long-suffering and tender
mercies to us. No, Lord, we have nothing to
plea but mercy. And Lord, we do confess before
Thee our many sins of heart. of thought, of word, and of deed. O Lord, do grant unto us that
great blessing of repentance and godly sorrow for sin, and
Lord, that we might be humbled before thy throne. and that thou
hast delivered us from every snare, every habit, every evil
way, from the spirit of the world, the ways of the world, and from
entering into those things that bring the church, as it were,
to its knees, not in prayer, but to a very, very low place. O Lord, do save us from that.
which grieves thy Holy Spirit, and do grant, Lord, those fruits
of righteousness that glorify our Father which is in heaven.
O Lord, we thank thee for thy longsuffering and forbearance.
Lord, thou hast said that thou art a compassionate and longsuffering
God. I am the Lord, I change not.
wherefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed. And Lord, we do
thank thee for that immutability of thy person and of thy counsel,
and that thou art the same yesterday and today. and forever. Lord, we would remember those
times when thy work has been so clearly seen, when we've been
able to say with those of old that this is the Lord's doing
and is marvellous in our eyes. We know that thou wilt have regard
unto the works of thy own hands, and do grant then that each one
of us might know that we are the subject of thy handiwork,
that we are fashioned and formed according to thy work and according
to thy wisdom. We are what we are by the grace
of God. We do thank thee for thy many,
many mercies in providence and also in grace. Lord, we do pray
for a peace that thou hast bring upon the earth at this time.
We have many nations that are warring. We thank thee for thy
word that when such things as these happen, that we are not
to be anxious and concerned. These things must come to pass,
but the end is not yet. O Lord, do be pleased then to
restrain the hands of wicked men, watch over thy own ancient
people, And Lord, as they are attacked on every side, be Thou
their preserver and keeper. And above all, to open their
eyes, may they be brought to that time of grafted in again
and brought to acknowledge Thee as the true Messiah, the eternal
Son of God. O Lord, we do pray for this,
our guilty land. O Lord, we have been much favoured
over the years, but Lord, we have turned our backs upon Thee,
we have rejected Thee, we have cast Thee away, Lord, even in
the places of worship. But Lord, we do acknowledge that. We are not to say Why were the
former days better than these? Lord, we read of former days
and the trials and the situation that our forefathers had. And
Lord, we know that every day has its own challenges and own
sins and own peculiar path. And thou has brought us upon
this earth for our day and our generation. for the particular
trials, the temptations, the things that we have in our life,
in our society at this time. And we pray that Thou wouldst
make us to be what Thou wouldst have us to be, that we might
be useful, that we might show forth Thy praise in our generation. and that thou hast teach us how
to walk, how to act, take away the fear of man that bringeth
a snare, and cause that we might be faithful witnesses of thy
great and thy holy name and of thy salvation. O Lord, do bless
the people of Cranbrook and those that are nigh unto us here, and
do bless also those that join with us online and hear thy word
through that means. We do seek that thy word might
run swiftly and that it might accomplish that which thou dost
please. Do keep us faithful and help
us to speak that which thou hast have us to speak. You do pray
that thou bless and sanctify trials and afflictions. You know
that thou dost prepare the ground to put in the seed of the gospel.
Thou remember all then walking through tribulation at this time. Thou remember those that are
afflicted amongst thy brethren and do minister to them, comfort
them, help them. Give them grace and help equal
to their need. We commit unto thee, dear friends,
dear sister in faith, in all their afflictions, and all those
that have serious operations before them, we commit them unto
thee. Let us bring them safely through
and do bless that means for continuance of life and also a strengthening
of body. O Lord, we do commit into thy
hands all in tribulation of this time. We give thee thanks for
when prayer has been answered, and O Lord, we bless thee for
that. And Lord, do help us to acknowledge
thee in all our ways and to bring all of our trials before thee.
We commit unto thee the remainder of this week, We do seek that
those be with us and be those we gather together, especially
for the conference down at Salisbury. We seek thy blessing upon those
that speak and, Lord, each of us that hear. And, O Lord, do
be pleased to remember us on thy day. We thank thee for the
help given to thy dear servant here last Lord's Day and we seek
Lord thy blessing upon him and that thou should remember each
of thy servants and those that gather this evening for worship
to be with them and bless them as well. Lord help us now as
we turn to thy word. We are completely dependent upon
thee to give the word and help us to proclaim it and to bring
about the promised effect, thy blessing upon thy word. Lord,
make it powerful, make it effectual, cause that we might hear with
spiritual ears and that thou send us not empty away, but really
encouraged and strengthened and blessed in our souls. O Lord,
we do then seek thy blessing and we plead that precious name
of Jesus. We ask these things, thinking
and remembering of thy death, thy sufferings, thy precious
blood, and thine intercession in heaven. And Lord, we plead
thy name in all that we ask. Hymn 739, Tune Dennis 26. Seeking for the help of the Lord,
I direct your prayer for attention to Psalm 77 and verse 11. I will remember the works of
the Lord. Surely I will remember thy wonders
of old. Psalm 77 and verse 11. I will
remember The Lord has seen fit to lay
up in his word that which is specifically designed for those
that are tried, cast down, troubled in their minds, as a help to
his own people. That the Lord's people do get
into those places is very evident from the Psalms, from David,
from Jeremiah, from Job, You think of many of their utterances
and how they cried unto the Lord. Then many of them were brought
to remember thy works, remember the works of the Lord. And as
they remembered those works, then they were strengthened. They felt, they realized the
infirmity, the weakness was in them. and not in God. But what is very interesting
and especially is regarding this psalm and other places as well,
there is a difference between just remembering God and remembering
His work. It is vital that we do remember
who is doing the works and all about Him because that gives
strength for the comfort of those works. But when he is remembered,
we might say alone. We have in verse 3, I remembered
God and was troubled. I complained and my spirit was
overwhelmed, Selah. When we would remember God apart
from his works, And we think of Him and His greatness, His
holiness, His majesty, His not looking upon sin and iniquity,
but without utter abhorrence, and that God is angry with the
wicked every day. When we think of Him in such
greatness, then it is a terror unto our mind. Who can stand
before this great God, what are we, who are we in His presence? But throughout the Word of God,
this great God, this eternal God, this God before whom worlds
tremble, men tremble, devils tremble, and who sovereignly
orders all things after the counsel of His own will, He has revealed
in His Word works, and in remembering those works, and in looking upon
those works, it is a comfort and help to sinful men, and especially
a comfort to His own people. And so, even if we don't take
away anything else this evening, May each one of us be directed
from God himself to his works, or join his works unto him, that
we don't look upon our God separate than his works. We are to think
as if the Lord would say to his people, thus they want to know
what I really am like, and what my real thoughts are towards
you, then look upon my works, look upon what I have done, and
in that, and in remembering that, will be a comfort to your soul. I want to then look this evening
firstly at whose works and wonders are to be remembered. We will
begin with this great God, because it is important to begin there. And then secondly, what is to
be remembered in our text, it is the works of the Lord, the
wonders, his wonders of old. And then thirdly, the helps to
remembering that God has given in his word. We read the 111th
psalm and in that psalm we read, he hath made his wonderful works
to be remembered. And I want to look at how he
has made his works to be remembered. And that in itself is another
reason to assure us that there is comfort in remembering the
works of the Lord. Well, firstly, I want to think
of the Lord Himself, this great God, the God of heaven and of
earth, but especially as the God of salvation, Those things
that are set before us of him, of his character, they are those
that we might forget, and Satan certainly bypasses them, but
the Lord is merciful and gracious and long-suffering. He will not
at all acquit the wicked, but His mercy is from everlasting
unto everlasting. I am the Lord, I change not,
wherefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed. The immutability,
the impossibility of the Lord changing is one of the foundation
things, because if we were to look at things to be remembered
of years ago, What would immediately come up
is, well, what if the Lord is not the same? What if he has
changed? How can we take comfort of that
that happened thousands of years ago or in our lives many years
ago? And so we need to remember what
the Lord is in that respect. Jesus Christ, the same yesterday,
and today and forever. Also, we would remember that
he has the same ability that he had in those times to be remembered. He still has that same ability. He's not like man that grows
old and frail and cannot do, as he gets older, those things
he did when he was younger. The Lord is the same. His strength
is the same. His might is the same, the fullness
is the same, the provision that is in Him is exactly the same
as it was years ago. He does not grow weary and He
is ever, ever mindful of those things that are happening upon
the earth and in the lives of His people. His knowledge is
unsearchable. And we are to think of those
attributes, think of what the Lord is that marks him out. He is not a tyrant. He is not
a devil. He is not a hard taskmaster. He is not a hard man. The Lord
is righteous and just and holy. He is consistent in all that
he does and all that he says. And so when we think of God. We are to think of those attributes
that He has seen fit to reveal in His Word, specifically for
our comfort and for our health. So in one sense, those things
that are to be remembered in our first point is what we would
remember of the Lord Himself, of who He is, what He is, and
that that in itself is to be a comfort. But as we said at
the very beginning, it is especially in his works, the things that
he has done. If we were to use the example
of a person, a person that we would know, and that we were
told many things about them, we would say, well, That's good
to know about this person. But then if we were told something
of what they had actually done, something of what they'd built,
some wisdom that they had, what a difference that that would
make. We think of the account of Solomon and his wisdom that
the Queen of Sheba, she heard about. So she came. She came to see, she came to
see the evidence, the works, the fruits of that wisdom. And
her verdict at the end was the half had not been told to her.
When God gave him the vision, wherein he asked for wisdom and
the Lord granted it to him and also riches, at that point, it
was a promise from the Lord that which was given him in a dream.
But when that was realized, especially at the very start, the discerning
between the two harlots, then men could see that wisdom by
it being exercised in his works. And then later on, in all of
Solomon's grandeur in his kingdom, in those works, then his greatness
was actually seen. And so, in a light manner, with
our God, many things are recorded of him, but in his works, then
we discern his mind, his will, his feelings towards his people,
and we can see what he actually has done and those promises of
what he will do, we understand by what he has done, that he
is able to do that and to keep his promises and that we may
rest in him. And so this is the design of
this passage and of our text this evening, is to look at the
works of our God. The psalmist Asaph says, Remember
the works of the Lord, surely I will remember thy wonders of
old. And I will join the works and
the wonders together. The Lord's works are wonders,
they're marvellous, they're wonderful things. Now let us look secondly
at what is to be remembered. The first is that which is of
old. The specific context here, the
psalmist Asaph, is specifically remembering, as what can be summed
up by verse 20, how the Lord led his people like a flock by
the hand of Moses and Aaron. how he had brought them out of
Egypt. His wonders, his signs there,
that bring them through the waters, the thunders, the lightnings,
the earth trembled, his way through the sea. The illusion, the things
that are remembered here specifically, are that which related to the
children of Israel. as they had been formed into
a nation, and brought to be the Lord's people, brought into the
wilderness, given the law of God, and all that the Lord did
for them, great and mighty signs and wonders and works. They, as a nation, under covenant
with their God, were to remember that, especially for the Church
of God also, is to remember what the Lord did at that time. We would not just limit it to
the context here that Asaph is very clearly referring to, but
we think back to the works of creation. The work of creation
is all the way around us and we are told in Romans that Man
shall be without excuse because God is known by his works, what
he hath made and what he hath done. The wonders and miracles
of creation should ever be something that the people of God would
remember as belonging to God. This is something that the world
that lies in sin and wickedness is trying so hard to erase. And really, the Church of God
should take courage from this, because Satan will, of course,
always fight against what is one of the greatest evidences
for God. You try to extinguish and put
that out as the work of creation, God's handiwork in what he has
formed. And may we, on the other hand,
remember that work and that be one of the things that comforts
us. This is God's creation. This
is what God has formed and made for himself. This is the scene
into which every one of his dear people that have been chosen
in him from eternity are brought into. And while they are in this
world, they are called by grace, they are quickened, they are
prepared for eternity, and they are brought to know the Lord,
and they are brought to be with Him at last. But it is in this
scene, it is in this day of grace, and however black and dark and
discouraging this world may be, the Lord has determined that
that is the scene into which he will do wonders and he will
do marvels. I've often wondered at the account
of when our Lord was born and the time when he was to work
his salvation. Wouldn't we think, well, bring
the only begotten into the world when there is a, that his own
people are governing themselves, have got a good king, that there's
peace in the nation, you know, we wouldn't think, why would
the Lord come when his people are under Roman rule? When there's
a wicked King Herod that shall kill all of the children two
years and under, why would the Lord bring his beloved son into
that situation? But he saw fit to do it so. And
as he does that work, and that is the work we have to remember
for this cause, said, Our Lord, came I into this world to bear
witness of the truth. And he came into this world and
wrought that salvation. He wrought a righteousness, his
perfect obedience right through this world. We might think, well,
if we didn't have so much wickedness around us and so much influence
around us, we'd be better Christians. The Lord had all of that around
him and much more. And he came at a time when you
might say they tried to do all that they could do. But many
times he walked through the midst of them. My time is not yet. Your time is already. They could
not take him. and they could not take his life
away from him. I lay down my life of myself,
no man taketh my life from me. And yet the Lord used, God used
sovereignly the hands of wicked men. Though he was delivered
by the determinate counsel and full knowledge of God, yet he
was taken by wicked hands, crucified and slain. And so we have to
remember not only his perfect life in these circumstances,
but also his sacrificial death and how that was brought about,
and the Lord overruling such wickedness, such determination
of his own nation to extinguish his name, to blot it out, and
the Romans also to do their hardest to suppress any knowledge of
the Lord and would remember that he wrought his salvation in this
atmosphere and we are to know the Lord is in control and these
are his works of old. Then when our Lord had died,
put away sin, risen from the dead and ascended up on high,
and the Holy Spirit was given, the Lord said to his disciples
when he was with them, greater works shall ye do, because I
go unto my Father. When our Lord was on earth, he
wrought many miracles, raising the dead, healing the sick, and
preaching the word. And Yet he says of his disciples
that they will do greater works than these. And again, both in
what he is doing and what he is going to do through his disciples,
it is the works, those fruits of the power and work of God. So men could say this is the
hand of God. They said it in Egypt. When those
signs and wonders, at first they tried to imitate them, but then
they had to acknowledge it was the hand of God. And so with
the thousands that were brought to faith in Christ, the religious
rulers of the day, they said this, that if this is man of
man, then it will come to nothing. But if this is of God, then none
can resist it. And it continues to this day,
as the Lord commissioned us in every nation, kindred and tongue,
that miracle of the work of God going through this world is still
happening, is still being brought to pass. And so really all the
accounts in the Old Testament of God's dealings with his people
in their lives, those things he wrought for them, he did for
them, in all the preservation of David, in the lengthening
of Hezekiah's life, preserving from the Assyrian armies, in
all what he did, in the case of Jonah, preserving his life,
sending him again to Nineveh and that city being spared, the
wonderful work of his and in the case of Queen Esther and
preserving the Jews at that time, all of these things are recorded
for us as the works of the Lord. May we read our Bibles, may we
read these accounts in a different way from this evening as looking
at the Word of God as a record of the works of God. God. But then it's not just the
works of old. Our text says, I will remember
the works of the Lord. And if the Lord is still working
today, and he is, then there are those more recent works to
be remembered, especially when it's regarding the people of
God, that they are the subject of the work of God. He which
hath begun a good work in you will perform it unto the day
of Jesus Christ. That good work, Paul, when he
writes to the Ephesians, he tells them that believed that the same
power was wrought in them and bring them to believe in being
called, in being brought out of nature's darkness, as what
was put forth in Christ in raising him from the dead. It is a miracle,
it is a work of God. This is the work of God that
ye believe in him whom God hath sent. And so for the people of
God. And if we were to use one example,
we think of the Apostle Paul, Saul of Tarsus. There are several
times he rehearses before those who would examine him, the work
of the Lord, what was done on that Damascus road, how he was
changed, how his life was changed, what the Lord did, and he ascribes
it to the Lord, to the work of God. So we are to remember our
calling as well, what made us to differ, how did the Lord bring
about that change? The Lord will have regard to
the work of his own hands. And it is God's work to make
a believer and give him his crown. And so we are to look and to
remember those things that the Lord has done for us. We would go from calling to what
the Lord has done in providence, ordering of our lives. We know
that all things work together for good to them that love God,
to them that are the called according to his purpose. So we join calling
with the working together for good in a spiritual way. We may have trials, we will have
trials and tribulation, but it's a working together for good towards
that end of calling, quickening, and to bring to a true saving
knowledge of the Lord. And so we are to look on those
providences. My life's minutest circumstance
is subject to thine eye. How many of us can remember back
to specific times that the Lord has ordered things in a remarkable
way? He has brought about things by
timing, by the power of God, by bringing about things that
we never thought could happen, things that were in other people's
lives that affected our lives, things that changed the course
of our lives as to where we should be or what we should do, and
to be able to say, this is the Lord's doing or the thing proceeded
from the Lord. May we never forget providence,
may we always Mark providence, mark what the Lord has actually
done and wrought in the earth and especially in our lives. We think of his preservation
as well. And sometimes we can go back
to our unregeneracy. I certainly can. And maybe some
of you can as well. And you go back when you cared
for nothing of the things of God. And yet he preserved in
what men would call accidents. We could easily have been killed,
easier life could have been taken before we'd been called, but
we weren't. The Lord gave us our employment, he gave us our
schooling, he gave us a foundation for things that later on in life
were vital, and we look back to those things that he's preserved
us from and kept us from, and we see it as God's work when
we cared for nothing of him or not anything, of his ways. Also we are to remember those
answers to prayer. The Apostle Paul, behold he prayeth,
a praying people. The Lord will be inquired of
by the house of Israel to do it for them. In other words,
to work a work in answer to their prayers. They pray, the Lord
works. The Lord performs. In a way,
we have the picture of that when the children of Israel came out
of Egypt, and Amalek came against them, and Joshua fought them
with swords. But Moses, Aaron, and Hur went
up, and as Moses lifted up his rod, then Israel prevailed, and
when he let it down, Amalek prevailed. And as he grew weary, then Aaron
and her, they held up his hands as a beautiful illustration of
prayer and of the power of God being put forth to help. There is Joshua fighting, but
he is being given help from the Lord. We must always remember
this, that our God is a God that doest wonders. that he is not
helpless, he is not unable to help. He puts forth his power
to help his people. We think of the fights that the
children of Israel had. Sometimes the Lord cast down
hailstones from heaven upon their adversaries. Sometimes he sent
hornets before them to fight. Even the insects used to fight
for the children of Israel. And many times the Lord has answered
the cries and prayers of his people. And we are to think upon
our answers to prayer, what the Lord has done in answer to prayer. Also what the Lord has done in
following up the persuasions that he's given us. You know,
we read in Psalm 105 that Joseph, until his time came, the word
of the Lord tried him. Well, he had the dreams, he had
the anticipation that one day, one day his brothers would bow
down before him. But before that happened, he
was cast into a pit, sold, falsely accused, cast into prison, forgotten. and then he was raised up. And
so many of God's people have those things that they have laid
in their hearts, that one day the Lord would do this for them.
Either maybe to move to a certain land, or that they'd be raised
up to the ministry, or that they'd have a pastor, or that they'd
have a wife from a certain land, those things can be laid in the
heart many, many years before it comes to pass. And they're
watched over, prayed over. But when the Lord does it, those
are the works we're to look at and to remember what the Lord
has actually done. Not only is he given the intimation,
not only is he given the expectation, but he's given to make it so that we see what He
has done, we're able to trace it through. And of course, we
know the Lord's plans, the Lord's purposes are eternal. But when
He first begins, we think of in the Word of God, the first
promise, the seed of the woman should bruise the servant's head,
an expectation with the Church of God, and then right the way
through to when Christ come, the Church of God in looking
for the Lord's works, to bring that forward and to bring that
to pass. And the Church of God now can
look back over that record and see what the Lord has done in
bringing forth His beloved Son. But it began with a small seed,
it began with a promise, an expectation. And many of us have had those,
and we can look back and see what the Lord has done. in Providence
and in our lives. We can think of the helps that
he's given us. Helps even in our secular employment. Helps to know what to do. Where
he's given us strength, where he's given us wisdom. The psalmist
was able to say, my help cometh from the Lord which made heaven
and earth. Very clearly he could look that
this was one of the works of the Lord. Can you say, can I
say, that our help comes from the Lord? Can we remember where
He has helped us? He that has helped me hitherto,
help me all my journey through, raising as we've sung an Ebenezer
hitherto, hath the Lord helped us? We think then of also those times
of deliverance from bondage when we have been held captive, perhaps
under a snare, under a particular sin, or under an exercise of
being brought forth, a blessing or ministry, and yet our soul
has been in such darkness, such bondage, that wild horses couldn't
drag us to walk in that way. or to walk in that path. When
we were helpless and in bondage and the Lord has come in his
time away and sent his word and blessed us, healed us, brought
us into spiritual liberty and joy and gladness and brought
about what we thought could never ever happen and couldn't anticipate. May we remember those things.
When we could not anticipate how the Lord would appear and
do what he said he would do. The children of Israel at the
Red Sea, do you think they anticipated how the Lord would deliver them
with the Egyptians behind, the Red Sea in front, mountains either
side? How are they going to go through?
The Lord knew what he would do. The dear disciples couldn't even
realize and know how the Lord would have redeemed Israel. We
trusted it should have been he that should have redeemed Israel.
But what, hanging upon a cross, suffering, bleeding, dying? Yes, that way. And so we can
look back and remember where the Lord has done what was a
wonder to us, not anticipated, not looked for. Certainly it
was not planned by us, but planned by the Lord. What are those times
that we've had reproofs? where the Lord has corrected
us, laid upon us his rod, where we have felt his chastening hand. Those times can be sometimes
quite conspicuous of the Lord's hand laid upon us. What about the times of blessing?
Those times when the Lord has given us joy and gladness, His
appeared, then were the disciples glad when they saw the Lord. The joy of the Lord is your strength. When David sinned, his language,
his prayer in Psalm 51 was, Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation. Do remember times when that has
been restored to us, and we've joyed, we've delighted in the
Lord, O the happiness arising, the life of God within the soul
realising conquest over sin. Those times are the blessing
of the Lord that maketh rich and addeth no sorrow within,
or that which the Ephesians had, the spiritual blessings in heavenly
places in Christ Jesus. We have to remember things in
our own lives, those things the Lord has done for us, every deliverance,
every answer to prayer, those things that only the Lord could
do. We have to remember these. This
is what Asaph says, I will remember the works of the Lord. Surely
I will remember thy wonders of old. He says in the verse prior
to our text, I said this is my infirmity, but I'll remember
the years of the right hand of the Most High. In the first verses
of this psalm, he is low, he is in trouble, he even considers
the days of old, the years of ancient times. He is calling
to remembrance my song in the night. I commune with my own
heart, my spirit made diligent search. And he's asking, will
the Lord cast off forever? Will he be favourable no more? You know, there's a real focus
coming through this psalm. of what specifically is remembered,
not just remembering God, not just remembering the days of
old, not just remembering some of the paths that we have walked
in, like my song in the night, but specifically remembering
the works of the Lord, what the Lord has done what he has done
for us. You know, Hezekiah, we'd say,
Hezekiah, what has the Lord done for you? He would say, well,
he heard my prayer and he added to my life 15 years. Jonah, what has the Lord done
for you? Well, when I ran away from the
Lord and I was cast into the depths and I was in the depths,
then I remembered the Lord and my prayer came into his temple
and he spoke to the fish and it vomited me out on dry land. Salvation is of the Lord, he
said. No, he has, and every one of
the people of God have that that they may, if you ask them, they
would testify of what the Lord had done. Peter, You were shut
up in prison to be brought forth and slain. What did the Lord
do? He brought me out of prison. He worked a wonder, broke my
chains, got me past the guards and the
gates and every obstacle, set me free, delivered me. How many
cases there are? where there is a testimony of
what the Lord has done. Come and hear all ye that fear
God, and I will tell what he hath done for my soul. Maybe there's some of you that
are here or listening online that the Lord has done things
for you, but as yet you have not said to the church of God,
come and hear all ye that fear God, and I'll tell what he had
done for my soul. This is for the honor and glory
of God. Satan will say, oh, you be humble.
Don't you say anything about it. You keep it to yourself.
You don't spread it about. That's pride that will do that.
No, the Lord said to those that he healed, go home to thy friends
and tell what great things the Lord hath done for thee and the
people of God. have a place to go and tell the
brethren and extol the Lord what He has done. This is remembering
not our works. It's not remembering any good
in us. It's remembering the Lord's works.
Remember what we have in Ephesians. By grace you are saved, through
faith and not of yourselves. It is the gift of God. not of
works, lest any man should boast. And yet the Lord works in his
people's lives. And yes, when he works by grace,
then they have fruits that show forth his glory and praise as
well. But what the people of God are
speaking of here is what the Lord has done for them, what
his works have been for them. Have you got anything to declare
what the Lord has done for you? You know, when you go overseas
and you come back into this country, then you're asked, have you got
anything to declare? Do you go through the nothing
to declare line or do you go through the line that you've
got something to declare? Well, how is it with spiritually?
Which side, which line would you go through? Would you say,
well, I have nothing to declare. The Lord has done nothing for
me whatsoever. He's not worked any works at
all in my life, in my heart, in providence or anything. Could
you really say that? Or must you say, I do have something
to declare and I must do so. to the Church of God. Come and
hear all ye that fear God, and I will tell what He hath done
for my soul. May we help to do that, to speak to His honour and glory. This then is the remedy that
God has given for this downcast and troubled, discouraged soul
Maybe in a very need of the Lord to appear again, to work again
for them and help them again. But they are to remember this
is the same God. Their God hasn't changed. He
still is able to do exceeding far abundantly all that we can
ask or think. So we are to remember his works.
Well, I want to look lastly that helps that God has given so that
we do remember his works. And these helps again, they reinforce
to us that it is God's will that those works do not lie forgotten,
but that they are remembered, and that they are to be a help
to us. The first one I'd mention, and
it might seem a strange one to mention, stones. The children of Israel, when
they went through the river of Jordan, they would have set up
stones in the middle of Jordan. They would be hidden ones. But
then they would have set up ones outside of Jordan. And the very
reason was that when their children was to ask them, what mean ye
by these stones? than they were to tell them how
the Lord divided Jordan and brought them through. They were, you
might say, monuments or things, tangible things that provoked
from the following generations so that those who had been the
subject of that work of God would tell, would remember, and tell
forth the works that had been done. They weren't to forget
going through Jordan. Also, we think of Jacob, where
the Lord met him with stones for his pillar. He set up that
stone as Bethel poured oil upon it. This is the house of God. But we would think of many things
that are done. When we think of this land, well
we think of this chapel really, and the 244 years of its history,
and all the ministers here, I'm the 10th pastor here over that
period, and you know each of the buildings, each of the chapels,
they all have a history. They all have a story to tell
of what the Lord has done and what the Lord has worked. And
so many things in our lives and in the land, the Lord has left
tangible things that can be actually looked at. And that if that wasn't
done, this would not be here. This stone would not be here.
This building would not be here. these things would not be as
they are. And so the Lord has seen fit
to give that pattern in that way, a reminder of the works
of the Lord. The next I'll mention is the
ordinances in the house of God. Baptism, but especially the Lord's
Supper. Our Lord says, this do in remembrance
of me, and what specifically of him, of his works, of what
he did upon Calvary's tree, his broken body, his shed blood. This is my body, which is broken
for you. This is the blood of the New
Testament, which is shed for the remission of sins. It is
a remembrance service. If the Lord would say to his
blood-bought family, you are always to remember this. And
this ordinance I give is remembrance that I do not change. This is
my work that I did thousands of years before you ever came
into this world. But this is for you, shed for
you. and these ordinances. We think of the Passover for
the children of Israel, the Lord saying, with desire, I have desired
to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. He was the true
Passover lamb. But again, that ordinance given
to the children of Israel was to provoke their children to
ask, what mean you by this ordinance? And they were to rehearse how
God brought them out of Egypt, how they sheltered beneath the
blood. The Lord honored the word, when
I see the blood, I will pass over you. So maybe think of the
ordinance as the house of God. The next is the actual preaching
of the word of God. The Lord has ordained, as I do
this evening, that the word of God is to be authoritatively
preached and set forth. And it is in that way that the
people of God are constantly reminded of the works of God
and of his word, and that God, through man's voice, is speaking
to his people. May we always remember that.
That as we come before the Lord, as we hear the word preached,
We are hearing that which the Lord has decreed should be lifted
up and set forth even unto the end of the world. Then there
is the gift of the Holy Spirit. The Lord, in fact, gave him the
name of Remembrance, that he shall bring to your remembrance
all things whatsoever I have said unto you. The Holy Spirit
is to be the remembrance of the people of God. Those works of
God. May we remember God is Father,
Son and Holy Spirit. Those works, God does not forget
them. He does not forget any word that
he's given to his people. He does not forget the circumstances
and what he has done in their lives. And he then is the best
able to bring it to remembrance. He is able to bring it to remembrance
with a sweetness and a savour that is not just by just remembering
something. It can be a fresh blessing to
have it brought again to remembrance what the Lord has done. And so
in these things, we have reminders. And dare we say that we ourselves
a reminder as well. The Apostle Paul, he says, I
am what I am by the grace of God. And all really the Lord's
people would say, if the Lord had not stopped me in my mad
career, if he had not called me and quickened me, I would
not be what I am today. I would not be where I am today. What he did shaped my life. Many
of us can look back that if we were not called at the specific
time we were, then we would have made very different decisions
in the years that followed, or perhaps even in the weeks or
months that followed our call. So what the Lord has done has
made a profound effect upon our lives. And we ourselves are a
monument and testimony, however low we might feel, however discouraged,
however far off, however much we might feel like Job, oh, that
I knew where I might find him, that we might have lost our comforts,
our joys, yet we cannot deny that the Lord has worked in us
and that we are what we are by his grace and by his work. And
as we said before, he which hath begun a good work in you. We'll perform it unto the day
of Jesus Christ. Our comfort is that the Lord
does not cease working. He will continue working and
he will continue to do that which is to his honour and glory and
the eternal good of his people to bring them safely home. Those
for whom he has shed his precious blood those whom he has loved
with an everlasting love, those whom he has called, those who
he will bring home to be with him in glory. Father, I will
that they whom thou hast given me be with me where I am, that
they may behold my glory. Well, may we be of those on earth
that we remember his works on earth, his works of old, his
works in our life. and that we know that this is
God's appointed way of lifting up and encouraging and strengthening
his people, not in their works. Our works were a shame to them,
shame to them. But in the Lord's works, he will
have regard to the work of his own hands. And when that work
has been us, we have been the subject of that work, how humbling. How great, how wonderful that
that is. Why me? Why has the Lord blessed
me? Why has he worked his work and
I have been the subject of it in mercy and in grace? May we speak well of him and
may we be encouraged in him and in remembering of his work. Amen. Hymn 209. Tune, Dublin 129 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ,
the love of God the Father, and the communion of the Holy Spirit,
Rest and abide with you all now and evermore. Amen.