Isaiah chapter 26, I'm reading
again in verse 3. Chapter 26, I'm reading again
in verse 3. Thou wilt keep him in perfect
peace, whose mind is staid on thee, because he trusteth in
thee. Thou wilt keep him in perfect
peace, whose mind is staid on thee, because he trusteth in
thee. this verse forms part of a song,
part of a song of Zion and a hymn of praise to our God. This is what the beginning of
the chapter tells us, in that day shall this song be sung in
the land of Judah. This is part of this song. What
day is it, friends, that this song will be sung in? The day
that we've read together of in chapter 24, where this section
of the prophecy begins. a prophecy concerning the judgment
and the destruction which is to come upon the earth, and the
day which God has appointed to judge the earth in righteousness,
and a solemn day it will be, a day, friends, when there will
be no falling away, and the whole earth shall be swallowed up and
burned with the fervent heat, and when the wicked shall be
cast into that appointed place, the blackness of darkness then they wonder is there any
hope for them. But we find in verse 13, about
the 24th chapter, the Lord brings a prophecy concerning his people. Even in that great and terrible
day, there will still be a remnant. When the Lord comes, there will
still be a remnant, though a remnant small, of those he has called
out of every nation, kindred, tribe and tongue, We may often
mourn over the small things that we see in our day and generation
in Zion, a day of small things. But he's prophesied that thus
it shall be. And wherein thou shalt thus be
in the midst of the land among the people, there shall be a
shaking of an honest truth. And thus the gleaming breaks
when vintage is done. The image that he's set before
us here is the image of the archers when they've been out and they
collect the fruit and pick as much as they can, but there's
always those few at the end of the branches that you cannot
get to, that are not easily picked. And how do they get them off?
They come and they shake the tree. When they've got everything
else off, they shake the tree that nothing might be left, that
nothing might remain upon the boughs, and so it will be. Concerning
the remnant of grace, every last soul whom the Lord has a purpose
of grace towards must and shall be gathered in that day. Though
they be but few, and though they be few and far between, and much
separation between them, at the end, like the fruit at the end
of the branches, they must and they shall be gathered. And they
shall lift up their voice, they shall sing, for the majesty of
the Lord they shall cry aloud from the sea. And Isaiah tells
us, he gives us in chapter 25, two of the songs I have seen. The first song from the first
five verses, And then he has a prophecy concerning what the
Lord will give unto his people in that day. What is in store
for them? Ah, what is in store for them
is this, it's heaven. And in this mountain we read
in verse six, shall the Lord of hosts make unto all people
a feast of fat things, a feast of wine on the knees, a fat things
full of marrow, a wine on the knees well refined. And he will
destroy this mountain, the face of the covering cast over all
people. and the veil is spread over all nations, he will swallow
up death in victory, and the Lord God shall wipe away all
tears from our forefaces, and the rebuke of his people shall
he take away from of all the earth, for the Lord hath spoken
it." Ah, that day, friends, will be a terrible day, a day of separation,
but if we're found amongst the Lord's people, it will be a most
glorious day. It will be the Enter the day
when our bodies and souls reunited, enter into the glory of the Lord,
which I have not seen, nor even heard, the things which are laid
up for those that the Lord loves, and to whom he will give himself
for eternity to come. And so I again break forth into
singing, a song that will be sung in that day, this is our
God, we have waited for him, and he will save us, etc. And
then finally if we come to chapter 26 we have a further song. A
further song is the one in Hadar. We have a strong system. Salvation
will guard a point for wolves and boars. Opening the gates
of the righteous nation which keepeth the truth mandatory.
They will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on
them because he trusted in them. Trust ye in the Lord forever.
For in the Lord your hope is everlasting strength. This, therefore,
friends, our text this evening is a song of praise. A song of
praise of the Lord's people. It's to be sung in that day.
In that day, friends, that terrible day of the Lord, the Lord's people
will be found in our text, they will keep him in perfect peace.
Ah, but friends, it's a song that the Lord's people sing in
prospect of that day. It's the experience of the Lord's
people here below that will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind
is stable. Well as an order of help in this
evening I'd like to come to try and notice firstly with you the
source of this peace. It's implicit in our text, if
it's not explicit, that our peace comes from him in whom our mind
is stayed. Peace from the God of peace.
Therefore firstly the source of this peace. Secondly I'd like
to try and notice something with you concerning the nature of
this peace. That will keep him in perfect peace. The nature
of this peace. And then, friends, I'd like to
notice how this peace is communicated to us, whose mind is stayed in
thee because he trusted in thee. Ah, friends, we receive these
things by faith, by precious faith. Joy and peace in believing,
the New Testament tells us. And our text tells us the same
thing. As the Holy Spirit works faith
within our souls, and we are enabled to take hold upon Christ,
we prove that peace. in him which passeth all understanding. And then finally, friends, in
the context, I'd like you to come to notice, ah, when this
verse refers to the Lord's people. When this verse refers to the
Lord's people in the context we've seen, it's a song in that
great and terrible day of the Lord, and it will refer to them
then. But friends, it refers to the Lord's people, doesn't
it, throughout their journey here below. Ah, that will keep
him in perfect peace, his mind is stable, And we will see how
that rests upon the very nature of this peace, perfect peace.
Well firstly, as the Lord have helped me, let's come to the
source of this peace. Where does peace come from, friends?
It comes from God. The God of all peace. That's
what Paul tells us in the closing verses of the epistle to the
Hebrews, the God of all peace. He is peace. He is the source
of peace. Why is he the source of peace?
Well, perhaps I should first of all ask the question, what
is peace? What is peace? Oh, it's what
this world is seeking so much after, peace. So many peace activists
and people wanting peace, and what do they really want? Well,
none of them give you the same definition, really. One man's
peace is not another man's peace. Oh, but friends, peace, in its
literal and its final definition, its absolute definition, it means
unchangeableness. It means no movement. Absolute
rest, stillness. That's what describes peace.
So many, we say we want peace, but we want stillness, we do.
But you know, peace is described, isn't it, in that text, be still.
Be still and know that I am God. And you know, friends, well,
we know that He is God. And when we're unable to rest
upon Him, whose arm is not shortened, it cannot save, neither is it
here, where is it, cannot heal. With men, things are impossible,
but with Him, There's no such thing as impossibility, it's
when we can rest there, then we're found in our text and we
know something of peace. And we can be still. We can be
still. Thou art keeping in perfect peace,
whose mind is staying on thee. Now friends, let's come to God.
Oh, in God you see, He is peace, because in Him there is no change.
I am the Lord, I change not, therefore ye, the sons of Jacob,
are not consumed. That's peace in its definition.
Oh friends, that's peace in its pureness, in its origin. The
peace which is in God, no change in him. No change. He can never
change his mind, he can never go back on his promise. He's
the same as it's expressed concerning Jesus Christ, the same yesterday,
today and forever. And he ever will be the same.
He ever will be the same. He can never change because friends,
could he be immutable, that is, could he change, he wouldn't
be God. That's what makes him God. Part of the essential nature
of God is his immutability. His unchangeability. The fact
that he cannot change. And therefore, friends, there's
no movement within God, if I may put it that way. No movement
within God. You see, the movement that we
find within ourselves is produced by changeability. Oh, if you're
found this evening tossed up and down within your soul, if
you feel emptied out from vessel to vessel, What's making you,
what's bringing you into that place is your changeability,
isn't it? Sometimes hot, sometimes cold.
Sometimes near, sometimes far off. Sometimes you find some
joy and peace in believing, other times you're feeling unbelief.
And so you've got no standing place. Tossed up and down. No
peace. No peace. Ah, sin you see friends. Sin. This is the antithesis of
peace. You see, before sin entered into
the world, when there was communion and union and joy between God
and his creative man Adam, when he walked in the garden, there
was joy and rejoicing in the heart of man and the presence
of God. Before sin entered into the world,
there was peace. But all sin put an end to that,
didn't it? Sin brings changeability, you
see. Sin brings out a change in man, which the hymn writer
describes change and decay in all around us. But we could say
to Henry Lycombe, oh you need to come a bit lower don't you?
Oh the hymn writer, if you're with the hymn writer this evening
you have to come down and say change and decay in myself. I
prove painfully day by day that thou who changes not abide with
me. That's a cry for peace you know.
It's a cry that we might be put within our text that will keep
you in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed open. Now friends,
this is the origin of all peace, the God of all peace. The God
of all peace. But next friends, just stay there
for a moment and dig a little deeper. You read the opening
of nearly all the epistles in the New Testament, and you'll
find nearly exactly the same words in every single epistle.
And these words are these. Grace and peace. From God the
Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. This describes, friends, doesn't
it, the origin of the peace within our text. Begins with God the
Father, comes to us through the Lord and the Saviour Jesus Christ.
You say, we're Trinitarian, aren't we? Where's the spirit in that
text? Where's the spirit in that text? Well, friends, you know,
some of the old divines, they used to speak of a doctrine that
they called the humility of the Holy Spirit. And if you'll just
bear with me for a moment, While I explain what they meant, the
humility of the Holy Spirit is this. That when he comes, he
won't come to speak of himself, the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ
tells us. But he comes to take the things
of Jesus and to reveal them to us. You know, friends, that's
the humility of the Holy Spirit. Can you trace a time in your
life when the Holy Spirit taught you something concerning himself?
No. What is the work of the Holy
Spirit? He doesn't come to speak of himself. he comes to speak
of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. And as he is spoilt,
as he is spoilt many a long time in the writing of the scriptures
we find so many places where the name of the Spirit is not
mentioned but is implicit within the text. He's implicit within
the text. And our friends you see this
is how peace comes to us, through Father, Son and Holy Ghost. Peace
begins, the origin of our peace begins in the Father, the God
of all people. And he, in eternity past, made
that everlasting covenant, ordered it, all things ensured. And you'll
find it described, I think in Zechariah, in the Word of God,
as a council of peace. The council of peace. The way
by which he made peace over his people was in that everlasting
covenant. And in that covenant, the son became surety for his
people, was the mediator of that covenant, And he promised to
come into this world that he might bring peace, that he might
make peace, that he might prepare peace. And through the finished work
now of the Son, peace is procured for his people, and that peace
is brought into the lives of the Lord's people by the work
of the Holy Spirit. As the Holy Spirit comes and
convinces us first of all of our dis-peace, of the fact, for
instance, that we're weak in the turf, to the wicked there
is no peace. And no peace to the unrighteous,
and the Holy Spirit makes the Lord's people feel that way,
and he makes them cry out for peace, and then he reveals them
the source of all peace, and he brings that peace into our
souls. And our friends, as that peace is made known to us, and
shed abroad within our souls, we enter into that blessed experience
of which the Apostle speaks, joy and peace in belief. And
friends, as the Lord's people are enabled to keep their eyes
on Jesus, only source of peace, then they're
kept in perfect peace, whose mind is stale and dead. Well
this, friends, is a very brief overview of how peace comes to
us from God, the God of peace. It's given to us by the Father,
comes to us through the work of the Son, and it's delivered
unto us and spread abroad within our souls by the working of the
Holy Spirit. Now, friends, I want to just
come for a moment the working of the Son, because He is our
peace. He is our peace. It's here from
the prophet prophesied in the ninth chapter of this prophecy,
that has such a bearing on our text this evening, for unto us
a child is born, unto us a Son is given, the government shall
be upon His shoulder, and His name shall be called Wonderful
Counselor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince
of Peace. This man shall be the This man
shall be the peace when the Assyrians shall come into the land. What
man? What man shall be the peace? Oh, friends, it's the same one
of which the prophet Haggai prophesied. There in that second chapter
of Haggai, when the Lord's people were cast out, because on the
return out of captivity, rebuilding the temple, the temple was smaller
than the pre-captivity temple. It had lost its glory. They almost
gave up on the work. At the Lord's house they'd waited
for many years, and the Lord brought desolation upon them,
but he came and he prophesied. And sent his prophet to prophesy,
and he told them, The glory of this latter house shall be greater
than of the former, said the Lord of Hosts, and in this place,
in this place will I give peace, said the Lord of Hosts. In what
place? Welfare is in one sense literally within the temple that
was being built. Because the declaration of the
peace that Jesus made by his cross was made there in the temple
in the moment when he cried, it is finished. And the veil
of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom, and
a way of access was made, no longer any separation, but peace
in this place. In this temple you're building,
will I make, will I give, will I declare peace? But friends,
we know that the Lord Jesus Christ spoke concerning this temple
of his own body and that it should be cast down and in three days
he would rebuild it. He spoke concerning himself,
the fulfilment, friends, of all the time, the fulfilment of what
the temple set before us was this dear man, the Lord and Saviour
Jesus Christ, and in this place, in him will I give peace. In
him will I give peace. How does he give peace to his
people, friends? Through the Lord and Saviour
Jesus Christ. What was the dying testament
of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ? What was his will? His
last will and testament unto his people it was this, my peace,
I give unto you, not as the world giveth, give I unto you. And
after it he gives his peace freely, without merit, without price.
He gives it unto his people undeserving of his peace. He comes and speaks
peace and pardon. How did he procure that peace
to give unto them? He procured it in his death upon
the cross. He procured it, Prince, in the way in which the prophet
tells us in Isaiah 53 of concerning the bringing in of this priest.
He was despised and rejected of men. A man of sorrows and
acquainted with grief, we hid, as it were, our faces from him. He was despised and we esteemed
him not. Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows.
Yet we did esteem him, stricken, smitten, and darkened with grief.
that he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities.
The chastisement of our peace was upon him, and with his stripes
we are healed. The chastisement of our peace
was upon him. Does that seem strange language
to you? Well, let me just try and explain it for a moment.
Perhaps if I put it in these words it will make more sense
to you. The chastisement of our dis-peace was upon him. The chastisement of our dis-peace.
The punishment due unto the thing that had caused peace to be taken
out of this world, our sin was laid upon you. Or friends we
can look upon it in another way, the price for the loss of our
peace was laid upon you. The chastisement, the chastisement
due to the price for the loss of our peace was laid upon you.
What was that sin? And the wages of sin is death.
And as he, the holy harm is undefiled, separate from sinners who imputed under him. And as he there stood our sin-bearer,
and justly bearing the punishment due unto those sins, as a surety
in the everlasting covenant, standing in our own place instead. Oh, for it's just for a moment
that's the only way the transaction could be done. The law knows
no other way of substitution, does it? If one of your family
is sent to prison for a crime, You can't go to the judge and
say, punish me instead, put me in prison instead. The law doesn't
allow that. It doesn't allow any transfer
of guilt. It doesn't allow substitution. In that sense. But the law does
know a way of substitution. And we find that, for instance,
in the office of surety, in financial transactions, where one says,
if they default on their payment, I will pay instead. That's how
the Lord and Saviour Jesus of our peace could be laid upon
him, because in the everlasting covenant he stood as our surety,
and he said, I'll bear the punishment instead. And so, friends, having
fallen, you see, before our fall, our salvation was sure in Christ,
because he was our surety. And when man fell, when sin came
upon this earth, the sins of his people, they were charged
to the account of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and so he
comes. and stands in our ruined place
instead, and bears the punishment instead. Ah, he pays the price
in full. He pays the price in full. Ah,
our sin, you see, friends, taken aback. A price for our sin paid. The wages of sin, which is death,
paid. He shed his own heart's blood,
the life is in the blood. Without the shedding of blood,
no remission, but as he shed his blood, as he really died,
as he gave his life for us, he paid the price, and he paid it
in full. He paid it in full. It's not
a right question to ask how could the death of the Lord and Saviour
Jesus Christ pay for the deaths due to all his people. Ah, friends,
in one sense that's not a right question. There is a sense in
which he pays for all because of the merit in that atonement,
his divinity. But, friends, in financial transactions
the amount that is set over to the surety can be set, it can
be different to the amount that was due from the sinner. It can
be more, it can be less, and according to the terms of the
everlasting covenant, Jesus stood in the place of his people. That's
what we need to know. That's what we need to know,
and he paid the price that was due. The price that was set in
the terms of the everlasting covenant, and he paid it fully.
Paid it fully, a payment God cannot twice demand. Once at
my surety's bleeding hands, and then again at mine. Now that's
peace to the Lord's people. That's peace. find our sins beyond recounting
like the sound the ocean waves, and over every single one of
them is written death, death, death. And when the law comes
and it says pay up, pay up, pay up, and we've got nothing to
pay. Ah friends, when we see this
one, when he comes and he says I've paid all, I've paid all,
nothing to pay, that's peace isn't it? That's peace. If you
friends have ever been in debt, if you've ever had a sum of money
owing under and somebody's come and paid it for you. Or you've
been released from any other burden or term that's been written
over you. You know something of the relief naturally. Well,
friends, the relief that the Lord gives unto his people. Oh,
it's beyond words, isn't it? It's beyond words. Joy and peace
and belief. We look for our sins and we find
they're gone. When he comes and says, son,
do unto thy sins and forgive them, you go in peace. Go in
peace. And we enter into the experience
of what is set before us in our text. they will keep him in perfect
peace, whose mind is stable." Ah, friends, our justification
in Christ, no charge, the Lord now knows no charge against us.
Ah, you see, friends, this is the peace that is brought in
by this one, the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, the peace that
he gives unto his people. Peace by his cross, as Jesus
made, and he came and he preached peace, he came and he preached
As I quote that text, let me just come to another aspect of
this very briefly in passing. The Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ,
the son, as he entered into covenant with the Father, he was appointed
to those three offices of mediator on behalf of his people, prophet,
priest and king. And in all those offices, friends,
he brings peace unto his people. He came and preached peace as
God's prophet unto his people, he came and preached peace. He
declares the transaction done. He declares in the gospel, ah,
peace unto his people. Come unto me all ye that labour
in heavy labour, and I will give you rest. That's peace, isn't
it, to a weary, heavy-laden soul. Peace to another one is this,
if any man thirsts, let him come unto me and drink. Ah, you see,
friends, he declares peace. No man can come unto the Father
but by me. Him that cometh unto me, I will
in no wise trust him. Ah, you know, if you're resting
without father's sleep, Is there room for me? Won't he cast me
out? Ah, for another one I've got hope, but for me a poor sin.
Ah, what hope can there be for me? Him that cometh unto me I
would in no wise cast out. When the Holy Spirit speaks unto
you, you know, friends, it will be peace. Peace in his office
is profit. He came as priest to make peace
for his people in the way I've already spoken. He offered himself
upon the tree, shed the blood, there to sprinkle it upon the
mercy seat. Ah, the middle wall of partition
taken away, peace made, no longer any separation, God and sinner
reconciled in the person of Jesus Christ. Ah, and you know he continues,
doesn't he, to make peace for his people. You say, can he be
offered again? Are you teaching the Doctrine
and the Matts? Offered again any time? No, no, but as he works, That's a transaction of peace
isn't it? He's asking his father to remember
his people in peace because of the blood of the peace. The blood
of peace. Of the council of peace. Of the
everlasting covenant. And so as priest he continues
to make peace for his people. And then friends as king. Oh
as king he makes peace for his people doesn't he? this blessing kingdom again in
the ninth chapter of this prophecy where we read this. And of the
increase of his government and peace, there shall we know it,
upon the throne of David and upon his kingdom to order it
and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth
even forever, the zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform it.
And now he gives his people peace in the midst of trouble. In the
midst of trouble they have to prove, as the Lord gives to say, reign all me as king,
accomplish thy will and powerfully bring me forth from all the earth
until fallen before thee. I love thy name and scribe in
the glory to God the Lamb. You know friends, when the Lord
brings us to a place where we can really say that by grace,
we're in our text and we know something of this peace, don't
we? Have you known what it is to be tossed up and down with
something in your life? A sun-crossed providence or tossed
up and down in the things of Christ? Absolutely no peace.
but friends, when the Lord brings you to that place where you can
be still and know that I am God. Sit still, my daughter, until
I know I am not all full, for the Lord will, this mouth will
not be abreast of this life, until he has performed the thing
that concerns it. Ah, friends, spiritually we prove
it concerns no heavenly birth, don't we? And when we're brought
there and able to sit still knowing that this mouth will not be abreast
for us, we're founding out the experience of that will keep
him in perfect peace, whose mind is stable, and our friends he'll
reign over us wanting that kingdom of peace which is to come, eternal
peace, we read in the revelation mostly, no more separation, not
a wind shall pass through heaven, there'll be no stirring friends,
ah no change of audience, we won't grow old, we won't grow
weary, and you see friends this is perfect peace, perfect peace,
and there King Jesus will reign in all his glory. they will keep
him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on peace and while
the thought comes through in case I forget later ah you see
friends this keeping is eternal keeping isn't it he'll keep us
in that kingdom of peace there'll be no falling out of heaven no
falling out of heaven no more separation they will keep him
in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on peace well friends
the subject is exhaustive and as it shed abroad in our
hearts and made known unto us, and as he speaks peace, the spirit
sweetly whispers peace, we are found within our text. Now friends,
a few words concerning the nature of this piece that will keep
him in perfect peace. Firstly to notice the margin
reading which is peace, peace. That will keep him in peace,
peace. In the original it is literally
shalom, shalom, a repetition of the same word. And first of
all, friends, I'll bring this thought to you out of this. A
complete peace. Complete peace. A sufficiency
in peace. Perhaps I'll put it that way.
The completeness in this fact that there'll never be any lack
of this peace. Peace, peace. When you think you're going to
get to the end of this peace, there'll still be a wanting of
this peace. The fountain will still ever flow, ever full, ever
free. Peace, peace. therefore thou wilt keep him
in perfect peace, whose mind is slain on thee. But complete
peace, friends, also this aspect, it will affect every part of
our lives. It will affect every part of our lives. Yes, this
peace essentially is spiritual peace, because it comes forth
from God, and God is a spirit, and therefore this peace is a
spiritual peace, and it's a peace which first and foremost concerns
our standing with God, and therefore is in the things of But you know,
when the Lord comes and speaks peace unto his people, when he
speaks peace and pardon in the things concerning our souls,
it has an effect on every part of our lives, doesn't it? Every
part of our lives. Just for a moment, you know,
if you, it's just to take you to that account of Elisha, and
the poor Shunammite woman to whom God granted her a son, and
the son was now found, was taken in and died. And she rang her
up on her belief bed, and suddenly asked her, went up to the prophet,
and said, is it well with me? Is it well with the child? And
her answer was, it is well. You know, friends, those three
words, it is well, and the original, they're one word, and that one
word is shalom. It's exactly the same word as
is in our text, peace. Is it peace with a child? Peace. Peace. Oh, you know, friends,
When the Lord brings us into the experience of our case, we
are found within the experience of the psalmist in Psalm 119. Great peace have they which love
our Lord, and nothing shall offend them. Ah, in its fullest sense,
great peace have they, who are brought to love the everlasting
counsel of Jehovah, and nothing shall offend them, nothing shall
frighten them, nothing shall stir that peace. And you know,
when the Lord brings us into the experience of this perfect
peace, we smile at the school. When
the Lord grants a submission to his most holy will, our friends
we can truly say, then is peace with us, isn't it? I adjust for
a moment as it comes into mind my late maternal grandmother,
she was brought into strays in Providence when her husband and
eldest son were taken into the sanatorium with TV and she had
at home my mother and her youngest son who was less than a year
old, and the doctor told her, I fear he's got TB and I think
we have to take him into the sanatorium too. And she said,
as she sat down that evening having put my mother to bed,
she said, Lord, I can't cope if you take my son. And the Lord
came and blessed her. And she said, I'll sound those
words, it is the Lord, enthroned in light, who's crowned through
all divine, who has an undisputed right to govern me and my And
you know friends, as she often times referred to that as a time
of peace in her life. She was in her tents, great peace
of mind. Sorry, that evil, that one keeping
in perfect peace, whose mind is stale. You see friends, when
the Lord brings us into those places where we're made submissive
to the King of Peace, when he reigns over us in peace, when
he sheds the blood that's her, the blessing of her, our sins
forgiven, and peace and pardon, there's no longer any separation.
between our soul and him when he comes and preaches peace unto
us. Ah, friend, it doesn't matter
if our lives are turned upside down. We're still found within
our text, the world can't understand it. We're a mystery to ourselves
at times, friends. How can we be so fretful if we're
among him? And yet when the Lord brings
mountains into our lives, when our lives are turned upside down,
as he speaks peace to us, we can sit there and we can smile
at the storm. But the secret, friends, is in
our text, that will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind
is stayed on me. So friends the point I was trying
to make is this is a complete peace, complete peace, complete
in its sufficiency, complete in the fact it affects every
part of the Lord's people's life. The second point I wanted to
make is this is a continuous peace, is a continuous peace,
there's no interruption to this peace. When once we're brought
into this state friends we can never fall from it, you tell
me, ah Well, you've got a lot to learn. If you were like me,
then you'd realise, oh I hope I once knew this piece, but now
the situation is so different, so dark. Ah, friends, that's
our experience, isn't it? But if you looked down today,
and I told you the sun was shining, and you didn't know any better,
you'd think I was a fool, wouldn't you? As you looked at the clouds,
but you know, experienced houses that are above the clouds, the
sun is still shining as bright and as clear as it ever has done
since the creation. You know, friends, it's just
a saving grace. When the Lord's people are brought
into this state of peace, they can never fall out of it. The
experience of this might not be the same. Oh, we have our
ups and downs, we have our empty-ins, and we have our down-sittings,
down-and-uprisings. But, oh, friends, what does the
psalmist say? Thou know'st my down-sittings and my uprisings.
Thou understand'st my thoughts are far off. But as the psalmist
was drawn out to consider this God of peace, what did he say?
How precious are thy thoughts, O God, which are unto thee wrought. Let me just turn to his item,
and my memory begins to tire. How precious also are thy thoughts
unto me, O God, how great is the sum of them. Sum of them,
if I should count them, they are more in number than the sun.
When I awake, I am still with thee. That will keep him in perfect
peace, whose mind is straight on thee. You see, for instance,
his source of peace is always the sun. It's perfect peace,
it cannot change. It is continuous peace. Our prayer
must now be, Lord, keep me more in that state of peace. May I
know more of it. It's continuous peace. I've got,
friends, the final point I'd like to make on this point concerning
the nature of this ceaseless peace. It's ceaseless peace,
it's everlasting peace. Everlasting peace. It's not just
peace in this time and state, it's peace for eternity to come.
We'll never get to the end of this place. As I said earlier
in Taste Like a God, we'll keep Him in perfect peace, He'll still
be keeping us in perfect peace in glory to come. Ah, friends,
then we'll enter into the fullness of it here. Ah, we know such
little of it, don't we? And when the Lord draws near
to bless us with a sense of sins forgiven, when He comes and speaks
peace and pardon, when we enter into that experience, oh, friends,
the A feeling that we are then experienced as pieces should
have drawn within our souls. But you know friends, the hymn
writer has it right, if for such the sweet is on the strings,
what must have failed him then? Where saints and angels draw
their glitz immediately from glee. You know friends, we've
really got no comprehension of heaven, no comprehension of before
us, and it's set before us in our text. Perfect peace. Here
below you see friends, sin or everything, even this perfect
peace. Even this perfect peace is marred in our perception of
it. Oh friends don't get me wrong, the actual source of peace, the
peace in its perfection can never be marred because it is this
perfect peace. But in our perception of it,
oh you see friends how often old unbelief begins to rise up,
seeing it in the way, something snatching us away from that peace
distracts us, oh and the Lord blessing us and something comes
along the telephone rings, something else happens, our peace is distracted.
But there you see friends, it will be ceaseless peace. Perfect
peace in all its forms. It can never end to its people.
If we want to know this peace, it will never come stuttering
to an end. We so often fear the things we enjoy will come to
an end. Naturally it's so, isn't it?
The things you enjoy, you don't want them to end. And if you've
had them for some time, you live in fear that one day they're
going to come to an end. But friends, this is a joy, this
is a, this perfect peace will never come suffering to an end.
There will never be a day when you are found looking for this
peace, and you won't find it in all its fullness. That will
keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stable in the course
he trusts in. Well friends, in third place
I wanted to say a few words about how this peace is so important
in our heart, are kept in perfect peace as our mind is staid on
Him and as we're brought to trust in Him. Now friends, this work
is not our God, is it? This work is not our God. Oh,
we only believe as that faith is wrought in our souls by the
Holy Spirit, salvation is but grace from beginning to end.
Salvation isn't grace from beginning to end. Nevertheless, friends,
I would say this, the Lord gives the means for the strengthening
of the faith. We can't give ourselves faith but the Lord gives the
means for the strengthening of faith and he encourages his people
in the strengthening of that faith. Now what are the means
that he's given us for the strengthening of faith? The apostle exhorts
us to the growing grace and the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour
Jesus Christ. Ah chief among the graces if
we can put it that way is his grace of faith isn't it? A gift
in the spirit. But growing grace, that includes,
friends, love and faith and joy and all these things, they're
increased as we grow in the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus
Christ. The Apostle tells us this, the Apostle Peter, again,
because that is in the first epistle of Peter, but in the
second epistle of Peter, there in the opening of verses, he
tells us this, a grace and peace be multiplied unto you through
the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. Ah, you see, friends,
what is he saying? Seek the strengthening of your
faith, and faith is strengthened as we grow in the knowledge of
the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, and as faith is strengthened,
so your peace will be strengthened. So your peace will be strengthened. That will keep him in perfect
peace whose mind is stayed on thee because he trusteth in thee.
Because he trusteth in thee. What are the means that the Lord
has given whereby we might grow in grace and in the knowledge
of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ? The means of grace. And
what are the appointed means of grace? The reading of the
word of God, the throne of grace, the preaching of the word, the
ordinances of the Lord's house. These are the ways that the Lord
has given for the strength in their faith. Friends, would you
have a larger share of peace? Would you have a larger share
of peace? Then, you can't expect to find it when you're absent
from the Lord's house, when we find ourselves turning our back
on the Lord's word. The hymn writer summed it up
in your middle hymn didn't he? Lose sight of Jesus and his cross
and soon we'll fall in prayer. Oh you mourn in this evening
how little you know of this peace. Friend I'm there, I'm there just
like you. But why is it, why is it we're
found so stricken with this peace? It's because we lose sight of
Jesus. Just like Peter, oh when Peter went to Jesus upon the
water, walked on the water, all the while he kept his eyes fixed
on Jesus he was found in our text wasn't he? Perfect peace,
no fear. No fear, he didn't think. Never
entered his mind that he could sink in a moment to the bottom
of that sea and be drowned. Be faced in eternity. The thought
never entered his mind. Why? Because that would keep
him in perfect peace. Whose mind is stated on thee
because he trusts within thee. But as soon as he looked to the
wind and the waves. Oh what happened friends? Faith began to fall
didn't it? Faith began to fall off sight of the origin of faith,
the source of faith, the strengthener of faith, the author and the
finisher of our faith. the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ,
and in moving sight of Him, he began to sing, Our Master, save
me, I perish. You know, friends, that's a cry
of the soul, a desire to know more of this peace. But we receive
this peace as we are found looking unto Jesus. Oh, blessed be God,
as He makes His goodness pass before us in the way, to keep
our eyes on Jesus, fix the manner of hope to stay. Oh, as He reveals
Himself in His words, Ah, friends, that's what it is, isn't it,
really, for him to make his goodness pass before us in the way? It's
not just referring to things in Providence. Ah, no, friends,
as we find our path being mapped out, traced out, and the Word
of God, as we find there's hope for sinners just like us, as
the Gospel is proclaimed unto us, oh, as faith sees the fullness,
the fullness that is in the Gospel of Jesus Christ for sinners such
as us, ah, as it finds room to come in there, as it has to come
and say, just as I am, without wanting but that thy blood was
shed for me, and that thou bidst me come, O Lamb of God, I come."
Ah, friends, that's the pathway of faith, isn't it? We find ourselves
empty. Ah, nothing within ourselves.
Oh, we're trying to work out something to bring. We won't
find any peace, will we? It is a song in the singing that's
trying to manufacture peace by works of self-righteousness.
Ah, friends, by purely trying to set aside time in the day
to read the Word of God, and trying to be holy, you know,
you'll never manufacture any peace in that way. But as the
Lord reveals himself in those things, oh, as you have to come
empty-handed, as you have to realise the utter futility of
these things, lift yourself and as you have to come and plead,
Lord bless me. Lord bless me. May there be a
crowning for thy word for me. May I see Jesus in the means
of grace this evening. Oh, friends, as we've found coming
there. And he fulfils his word, blessing all they that hunger
and thirst after righteousness, that is after Jesus Christ. They
shall be filled and he draws near and he fills us and fills
us with the sight of Jesus. Our friends, what happens? Our
peace increases, doesn't it? Our peace increases. Thou wilt
keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on thee because
he trusteth in thee. Our friends, not, and let me
just be clear on this, not because we trust him. in our souls, and all is the
work of the precious Spirit. Thou wilt keep him in perfect
peace, whose mind is slain only because he trusts in thee. If
your peace is low this evening, I tell you it's because you have
not sighted Jesus. The origin of our peace, the
man who is the peace, when the Assyrian shall come into the
land. But friends, although we often struggle, though we oftentimes
have to say, as we read together in the prophecy, other lords
of our brain, Yeah, what does the Lord say to such? Look unto
me. Look unto me on the ends of the earth and be ye saved
for I am the Lord and there is none else. And what do we read?
As many as look at it. As many as look at it and as
many as look to a found within our text that will keep him in
perfect peace whose mind is stayed on with him because he trusts
with him. Now friends, finally I wanted
to just say a few things to celebrate the time. The times of the Lord's
people are are found here that will keep him in perfect peace
whose mind is stayed on me because he trusted in me. And in many
ways I don't think I'm going to mention anything new that
I haven't already mentioned but just draw together a few thoughts
that I've scattered throughout my sermon here. Firstly, our
friends the Lord's people are in this state now because this
state is a continual state, it's a ceaseless state. We're brought
into it when the Lord first passes by when he says meet. Our friends
though we may not feel that peace in that moment Regeneration,
you know, is a mysterious thing. Many feel they can, or some feel
they might be able to trace the time when the knot began with
them. Some indeed, it may be very marked. But friends, I venture,
I don't believe. There are but very few, if any,
that really know the moment when the Holy Spirit regenerates us
into light. You know, friends, it is so natural.
If I hadn't got a birth certificate, I couldn't tell you when I was
born. But I could tell you I'm living. I could tell you that
I'm not dead. And so it is spiritually. And our friends then, the Lord
isn't always pleased if I may put it in simple terms to give
us a birth certificate. But we know this, but one thing
I know, that where as I was blind, now I see. We know what we once
were. And that's evidence of life.
And we don't need anything else. We don't need anything else.
The important thing is that we're living. The important thing is
that we're living. But when the Lord first regenerates
us into life, he brings us into this text. Now the point I was
trying to make was this. when the Lord first regenerates
us, the first experience is generally the soul, just like the first
experience of a baby that comes into this world is one of hunger,
it begins to feel pains, it begins to need something that it hasn't
got within itself, just the same as a baby as it's born into this
world it cries out in hunger, so it is in grace. The first
experience in grace is an experience of pain, it's an experience of
need, it's an experience of the aching void the world cannot
fill, and therefore we cry out. We don't feel we got any peace.
We don't feel we got any peace. But friends, we're only there
because we're in our text. That will keep him in perfect
peace, his minded state of peace. We've only been brought into
that state because we were in the Council of Peace, the everlasting
covenant. We've only been brought into
that state because the King of Peace has died for us. But the
first experience of this peace is when the Lord comes and fills
that one. when he fills the aching void, when he shows us the answer
to our sins, the atonement that's been made by his own dear son,
and when he comes and shows us that we've got an interest in
that atonement to ourselves, and he says, thy sins are forgiven,
ye go in peace. Then, friends in experience,
we enter into our text. And from time to time, though
it's a continuous state, from time to time the Lord's people
are brought in measure into a little foolish office, as the Lord grants
them a little peace and they're able to rest upon Christ. Oh,
it's a blessed place, isn't it, when we're able to rest upon
the rock. When we're able to rest upon the rock, nothing then
can disturb us and nothing can move us. The solemn thing is,
friends, we leave the rock, don't we? We leave the rock. Don't
get me wrong, we can't fall off the rock, but we get into the
state that we've read together. Other lords have had rain over
us, we lose sight of Jesus and his cross, we lose the comfort
Nevertheless, friends, it's an experience that the Lord's people
know on this earth. It's an experience that the Lord's
people know on this earth. But, friends, in the context,
it's an experience, it's this song which will be sung in that
day, that great tremendous day. Oh, what a blessed thing it is,
isn't it, to have a hope in the solemnity of that day that will
be found in this text. Oh, the fears and the judgement
day that may sometimes fill the souls of the Lord's people. Ah, come short, come short, come
short. Failed in everything, haven't we? All we've got to
confess is sin. All we've got to confess is sin.
But friends, that's of ourselves. That's of ourselves, but you
know. The Lord's people in that day, they've got a plea, haven't
they? What is that plea? And then there's what Joseph
Arlen says, what voice is that that speaks of me? And heaven's
high cause of that. And from the curse of setting
free, this Jesus precious blood. You see, friends, all the while
we've got that plea. The day of judgement of the Lord's
people will be the experience of our text, that will keep him
in perfect peace, whose mind is staid on thee, because he
trusts in thee. Zinzendorf in the hymn speaks,
O Jesus, thy blood and righteousness, thy, my glory are, my glorious,
thy, our glorious bricks. But he comes in, I can't tell
you because I can't remember the number, but he comes in with
those lines, in this array, Oh, in this rogue array, bold shall
I stand in that great day. Oh, and with joy he'll lift his
head among the sons of God. Ah, friends, you see, that's
the experience of our text in that great day. Thou art keeping
in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on thee. You see, friends,
it's not just peace in this type of state. It's peace in that
tremendous day of judgment. And, ah, friends, it's peace,
isn't it, in that day, if I may put it this way, that day of
personal judgment, or the day of our death, the day, friends,
where our soul We'll enter immediately into its final state, our body
laid in the tomb, awaiting the day of her judgement, the day
of general resurrection. But are our friends in death?
In death. Oh, this man, it shall be peace
unto his people, and he will keep his people in perfect peace,
whose mind is staid on this. And we've seen it happen with
friends of the Lord's people as they're brought down to their
end. Ah, you know, it is in nature of some and they are bored down
like a shock of corn fully riped, are found upon the rock they
are kept in this peace. Others they seem to have their
fears, but from time to time, for instance, they are able to
look unto the rock that is higher than them. We see them in the
experience vortex that will keep them in perfect peace, whose
mind is stable with it. And their end is peace. Their
end is peace. And their end is described blessedly
by the hymn writer, on Jesus' breast, slide softly into promised
rest, and prove the Sabbath truth. That's eternal peace. That's
eternal peace. That will keep him in perfect
peace, whose mind is stayed on faith, because he trusted in
it. Well, friends, if you're found
asleep and with displeased, if you're found tossed up and down,
is this troubling you? If your old nature seems to be
getting the better of you, if Satan seems to be tempting you
to give up, You know there's only one place to look, and that's
the fountain of peace, the God of all peace. As he manifests
himself to us in the Prince of Peace, the Lord and Saviour Jesus
Christ, and as I have quoted again, that he says, him that
cometh unto me, I will in no wise cast out. He's the only
remedy. He's the only remedy. The only
one we can come to. And the remedy is he gives his
people is this, he will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind
is stayed on thee because he trusteth thee. I have no place
to excuse you.