May it please almighty God to
bless us together this evening as we meditate in his holy word. Let's turn to the book of Psalms,
Psalm 66, and we'll read verse 12. Psalm 66, and reading verse
12. Thou hast caused men to ride
over our heads. We went through fire, and through
water, but thou broughtest us out into a wealthy place. the Word of God has many wonderful
statements in it and this verse is really quite an amazing truth
because here we have this fact because the Lord is speaking
This is the Lord's work, and what we read is this, Thou hast
caused men to ride over our heads. It's very easy to become familiar
with the Word of God and to read a text like that, or a word like
that, or a phrase like that, and not realise the importance
and the relevance of it and what it is really saying. Just stop
for a moment and just think that here we have this condition. God has caused men to ride over
our heads. Can you imagine that, can't you?
With cattle or with horses, whatever it is. Bit of a mess, wouldn't
it? think that they were permitted
to ride over us. They would no doubt be hurt and
damaged and sometimes it would almost be death. And so we're
told the Lord has caused men to ride over our heads. So we might think of ourselves
having a difficult life and a difficult path and we think well I'm I'm
really in a hard spot at the moment. Well, I wonder if it's
as serious as this would demonstrate to us. When it is as bad as that,
we can sometimes think, well, no one seems to have a path as
difficult and as opposite as I had to walk through. And we
can often become self-centered and sorry for ourselves. without
recognising that it hasn't happened by chance. Because here we have
this beginning. Thou, the Lord, hast caused men
to ride over our heads. And then he goes on to say, we
went through fire and through water. Well, passing through
fire, unless the Lord miraculously appears, there will be damage. damage to our clothes and damage
to that which we are carrying through and similarly through
water if it causes us to pass through water a flood perhaps
we may be almost overwhelmed so we have those what may seem
to be very negative situations but then it comes on to a very
wonderful positive and we have one of those buts and there are
often buts which I've often commented on as we've gone through the
Word of God but Thou again Almighty God broughtest us out into a
wealthy place and surely that means a place of blessing a place
of favour so we have here really the way of a Christian the path
of a believer we often don't like to think of the first kind
of situation but we often kind of think about the opposite about
the second situation or third situation when the Lord brings
us into a wealthy place well it would seem from such words
and other words in the Word of God that we pass through the
difficulties first which then make us appreciate God's favour
and God's blessing generally that's the way around I'm not
saying it's exclusively that way but generally that's the
way around and so to realise here we have this kind and gracious
God realising that he's dealing with our souls And that's the
magnitude of the situation, to have our souls dealt with. And the Lord knows what we need
in our spiritual life. You see, it's very easy to settle
down. It's very easy to become lukewarm. It's very easy to be found far
off. And all these situations leave
us in a carnal way, And we are taken up with, as you recently
thought upon in Ecclesiastes, the vanity of vanities and all
the poor things of this world. But, blessed be God, he doesn't
leave his children in such a condition. And we should always remember
the Lord God deals with his children in love to their souls. in love to their souls means
it'll be a way which benefits them not apparently initially
but it will benefit them because they will at last be brought
to their desired haven Well, we should be grateful tonight
that we have words like this, and again, it's so often the
case that we read the Psalms and we just pass over words like
this, not really recognizing what it truly means. But it's
good if the Holy Spirit directs us to have some conception of
what it really means that the Lord causes Lord brings situations
into our life He brings men into our life women into our life
which causes no end of difficulty and no end of problems God does
it God does it you don't just find it occurs it's because God
is in control and it's because this is the great blessing it's
because God has a love to our soul as he deals with his children
in love to their soul. And he knows what we need. He deals with us in that way.
And here we have this demonstration of how he does it. Causes men
to ride over our heads. Yes, not a pleasant experience,
a very difficult experience. We can think of it physically,
but we can also think of it in a spiritual way, in a mental
way. Man really may plague us and
speak against us. And it may be like this figuratively. We may have great opposition
and people may judge us wrongly. And people may endeavour to trample
us underfoot and try and get rid of us. Well, remember, sometimes
we need to ponder and realise that God is causing it to come. God's in control. And that which
on the surface we may find and feel perhaps to be Very painful
to our nature. Very hurtful, perhaps, to our
pride. We have to suffer. Yeah, we have
to bow down. We may feel very low, but the
Lord does these things to bring us up. God doesn't leave us to
final wretchedness and despair. He deals with us in love to our
soul. Well, we need to ponder sometimes
if we find ourselves in these difficult scenes. One of the
most difficult scenes, of course, is to be misjudged. We may feel then that men are
riding over us, riding over us. We're misjudged, people have
taken completely the wrong idea, the wrong attitude. Well, we
must always remember, and this brings some consolation and some
comfort, that the people of God have walked this way. And more
than that, our blessed Lord and Saviour has walked this way. Our Saviour was misjudged when
He was on the earth. And as you and I may be misjudged,
to realise that we have union in that condition with the Saviour. And the Saviour knows, therefore,
what He's doing to us. It may seem sometimes a bit abstract. It may seem a bit by chance.
It may seem a pretty poor condition that we've found ourselves in.
But to realize, and as it were, come to our senses and realize
it is the Lord. And be able to say, it is the
Lord. Let Him do. what seemeth him
good. What does that mean? It means
submission to the will of Almighty God. So then we're brought to
come to that place where the psalmist was able to declare
he brought them forth by the right way. And you think of Israel's
journey. It wasn't easy, was it? They had some difficult times,
didn't they, in that journey? And, of course, they were rebellious
against Almighty God. They didn't like the way. It
wasn't the way approved to them. They didn't have the food they
wanted. We might think that in a spiritual way sometimes. We
may not think we have the blessings we want. And we complain and
we moan. And yet, you see, the Lord was
gracious. He brought them at last home
to Canaan. And that's exactly the same with
Almighty God. He brings her safely home to
glory. But in order for us to come there,
there's a lot of preparation, a lot of preparation in our little
lives to be made as the Apostle Paul desired, conformable, unto
his image. Are you and I conformable to
his image? Can it lead sometimes quite a
lot of self-examination to see how we stand? What is our position? Are we conformable to the Lord? Or are we rebelling and wanting
our own way and selfish Well, the Apostle Paul knew the benefit
of being conformable to Almighty God. And this is wonderful when
the Lord blesses us in such a way as this. And on the face of it,
we would think, surely this is not blessing. Well, it is blessing
if the Lord is in it. And here we're told the Lord
is in it. Thou hast caused men, God's caused men, to ride over
our heads, we went through fire and through water. So if God
is in it, and here he says he is, then we should bow before
him and perhaps need to examine ourselves and see the reason
and see the cause of such things being brought into our life. Generally the purpose is this,
to bring us down in our own estimation and to raise up the Saviour high
and lift it up. You see, if that comes to pass,
then we shall realise what the Word tells us. The Lord has brought
us into a wealthy place. It's a healthy place as well.
And it's a good place. But it's not a place that you
and I would come to naturally this way. We wouldn't take this
journey. We wouldn't go on this journey.
But the Lord causes it. He causes us to take this journey.
So it does us good. So it's beneficial to our soul's
eternal state. Well what a mercy then tonight
if we can recognize God's hand upon us for good. It's not in
anger. It may seem sometimes in anger. but it's in love to our soul. What a kind and gracious and
merciful God we have. He doesn't deal with us as our
sins deserve. He deals with us for the eternal
good and the health of our soul. And this is how it comes to pass. He causes men, He causes men,
people, to rise up perhaps against us and to oppose us to be in
opposition to want to walk a different way and it's not easy ah but
if God is in it what we know is the result and it's good therefore
to look ahead look ahead and think perhaps why is this? when it's good when the Lord
sometimes shows us why it is but then indeed to believe as the psalmist was able to declare
but notwithstanding these very well apparently negative situations
they are brought into our lives for the health of our souls I
believe then under the grace of God, you and I are able to
come and say, as for God, his way is perfect. God's way is
perfect because we're being trained, we're being made ready for our
eternal home. And the Lord knows what we each
need to bring us into that condition and into that situation. That
well-known chapter, in Isaiah speaks to us. The 43rd of Isaiah
is what it says. It starts and says, So that's
a very encouraging statement, isn't it? That's a wonderful start, isn't
it? And we might just read that and think, well, that's perfect.
It's just what I want, an encouraging word like that. But then, having
spoken in that way, the Lord says, when thou passest through
the waters, I will be with thee. And through the rivers, they
shall not overflow thee. When thou walkest through the
fire, thou shalt not be burned. neither shall the flame kindle
upon thee. You see there is this path to
walk through and this path is for God's honour and for God's
glory, to be able to show forth what he's done, his goodness
and mercy toward us, I sometimes think, and I sometimes have spoken
to you about it, the life of those three men in the account
of Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Well, they were
doing God's will. They were obeying God. They weren't
obeying man. And therefore, we would think
naturally that their path would be very simple and God-honoring
and walk on in the light of God's countenance and everything would
go smoothly. But it wasn't to be so. It wasn't to be so. And indeed, because they wouldn't
obey the command of the king, and it may be sometimes that
you and I will not obey the demands of the devil, who may want us
to do something, and God may give us grace to stand firm against
it. and not bow down. And we may perhaps think, well, now
I believe that God's helped me to stand firm and everything
will be all right. But it may be, of course, that
we have to understand and come like these three men did when
they were told about the position, these three men which wouldn't
consent. to do what the king wanted them
to do. Yes, he wanted them to bow down
and they wouldn't obey him. What a blessing it is not to
obey the evil desires of men. And so in the, I think it's the
third chapter in Daniel, we read how they were brought before
the king and they were accused And they came and spoke to the
king. When the king was told of these
three men and what they'd done, they wouldn't bow down and serve
him. They were brought before the
king and the king said, Is it true? O Shadrach, Meshach and
Abednego, do not ye serve my gods, nor worship the golden
image, etc., and bow down? Well, what was the response?
Shadrach and Neshach said, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer
thee in this matter. Again, it's good to note the
wording. You see, they could have been
very clever and tried to be clever in their answer to avoid being
thrown into this fiery furnace. But they said, no, they weren't
careful to answer. They wanted to be honest in their
statements. And that's a wonderful position,
isn't it? To be honest in our statements.
If it be so, our God, whom we serve, is able to deliver us
from the burning fiery furnace. And he will deliver us out of
thine hand, O King. But, if not, be it known unto
thee, O King, that we will not serve other gods, nor worship
the golden image which thou hast set up. Well, we might think,
if we've been in that position, We might pat ourselves on the
back and say well we've been very faithful and we've said
the position and now we expect deliverance. Well it wasn't so. You see because the king commanded
that the furnish should be heated seven times hotter. So there
was no possibility of them escaping. No possibility. How true it was
then that they went through fire, fire indeed, and the men were
bound in their clothes and thrown into the burning, fiery furnace. And then we're told the king
came to the edge of the furnace and was astonished. And said,
did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? They
answered and said unto the king, true, O king. He answered and
said, lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire,
and they have no hurt. And the form of the fourth is
like unto the Son of God. And so they were told to come
out of the furnace. And there was that wonderful
and glorious deliverance. but you see they had to go into
that situation because they were brought out into a worthy place
and so we should not be surprised that if God gives us grace in
our little life to speak faithfully and truthfully that everything
will go smoothly it may not but there will be a good result. And as we read in that chapter
in Zechariah, and it came to pass. Yes, God's deliverance
comes to pass in his time and in his way for his honour and
for his glory. So let us not be surprised in
our little life if God causes us to walk through experiences
like this in a spiritual way. probably more so than in a physical
way. Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego had the physical experience to
endure. But sometimes today we have a
spiritual experience to endure. And often that's more painful.
It's painful to our innermost being. Because we seem to think,
well men don't understand. But remember God understands.
He knoweth the way that I take. And when he has tried me, I shall
come forth as gold. There is benefit in partaking
of God's gracious work upon us. Thou hast caused men to ride
over our heads. We went through fire and through
water. And so here we have this statement
in Isaiah, when thou passest through the waters. It seems
quite clear, doesn't it? There would be a time when they
would pass through. When? I didn't say when, but
it would come. And sometimes we may think, well,
I've escaped and I haven't got to pass through this way. Well,
you don't know. Just because God may have given
you a promise, he may have said to you, fear not, for I have
redeemed thee. I've called you by my name, thou
art mine. And you may think now everything's
going to be smooth and everything's going to be easy. Well, God's
promise doesn't change. God's promise is true. But nonetheless,
there will be that time when you and I are called to walk
through the waters or walk through the fire. But, you see, as Isaiah
says, when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned,
neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. And the reason is,
this is good, for I am the Lord thy God, the Holy One of Israel,
thy Saviour. And he goes on, since thou wast
precious in my sight, and every believer is precious in the sight
of God, and every believer is being taught, and every believer
is being brought safely to glory at last. But the path may be
very different to what we expect. Since thou wast precious in my
sight, thou hast been honourable and I have loved thee. Therefore
will I give men for thee and people for thy life. So let us be encouraged and take
courage by these great and glorious truths which are contained. And as I was thinking on this,
there was this wonderful short psalm, the 124th psalm, which
is a very encouraging little psalm. And it's just worthwhile
recognizing what it says. It's a psalm that's only got
eight verses and it speaks about God's help. And it tells us,
if it had not been the Lord who was on our side, now may Israel
say, if it had not been the Lord who was on our side. Well, that's
the statement. And then it goes on like this.
When men rose up against us, when the enemy came in like a
flood, when men rose up against us, Then they had swallowed us
up quick when their wrath was kindled against us. Then the
waters had overwhelmed us. The stream had gone over our
soul. Then the proud waters had gone
over our soul. And then he says, Blessed be
the Lord, who has not given us as a prey to their teeth, our
soul is escaped as a bird out of the snare of the fowler and
don't pass over that too quickly because he's speaking here about
our spiritual situation we may find we have difficult natural
situations to benefit our soul you see the Lord knows what we
need and how he will work and what he will do to bring about
blessing for our soul and our journey through this life is
really preparing us for our eternal home and blessing us in our soul
as the Lord sees fit to bring us nearer in union with the blessed
Saviour. Our soul is escaped as a bird
out of the snare that found us. The snare is broken and we are
escaped. And then he concludes with this
grand and glorious statement. Our help is in the name of the
Lord who made heaven and earth. So in every difficult situation,
in every time of perplexity, when everything seems against
us, let us remember our help is, it's not a negative
position, it's not a maybe, Our help is in the name of the Lord,
who made heaven and earth. It's a wonderful qualification,
isn't it? It's not a Lord, it's the Lord. The Lord who made heaven and
earth. The ruler of the universe, the
creator of the universe. In his help, we shall stand. In his help, we shall gain the
victory. So may we be encouraged and strengthened
to know that we have such a kind and gracious God. You see, the
benefit of this pathway is to strengthen our faith. Strengthen
our faith. If we walk through life without
any trials, any opposition, any temptations, our faith will be
very weak. But it's through trials, it's
through opposition, that our faith is strengthened. And our
hope is indeed in the Lord. And the Lord does indeed, as
he said here, brings us out into a wealthy place for which we
should be exceedingly thankful. The Apostle Peter, we might think,
was a wonderfully blessed character. He was, but he was allowed, wasn't
he, to make some big mistakes in his life. And what do those
big mistakes do? He brought him nearer to the
Saviour. He brought him nearer to the
Saviour. And he tells us in the first
chapter of the first epistle, at the trial of your faith, and
our faith is tried, sometimes we wonder why the Lord is bringing
certain situations into our life. But he tells us, at the trial
of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth. That's really what Solomon proved,
wasn't it? In Ecclesiastes. Yes, he had
everything that naturally you could want. But he proved they
were all vanity of vanity and vexation of spirit. The trial
of your faith being much more precious than of gold that perisheth,
though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and
honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ. Oh, that's a
wonderful blessing, isn't it? It's a wonderful blessing. We're
on pilgrimage, aren't we? This is not our home, this is
not our rest. We're travelling home to God
in the way the Fathers trod. They are happy now and we, soon,
their happiness shall see. And so says Peter, and found
unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ,
whom having not seen, ye love. Is that true? We've never seen
physically the Saviour, but by faith, because of the path that
he's led us in, and is leading us in, and brought us out of
difficulties. Because of that, because of that
situation, whom having not seen, he loved. Because we realise
the good hand of God is upon us. And he's dealing with us,
not as an enemy, but as his children. sometimes we need correction
sometimes we need punishment but what a mercy it is to realise
when it's done in love it's for our soul's eternal good and so
having whom have you not seen ye love in whom though now you
see him not yet believing ye rejoice with joy unspeakable
and full of glory Faith. Faith. What a blessing it is
to be given this wonderful gift. Though now you see him not, we
don't always see things clearly, do we? We don't always see the
Lord going before us as we expect. No, but here it is. Though now
you seem not yet believing. God gives grace to believe. God
gives grace to trust. So that although we may find
ourselves in a situation like this, where it seems that men
are riding over our heads, we're going through fire and through
water, yet to be able to believe, believe, The Lord will bring us into a
wealthy place. A place of spiritual blessing. And so says Peter, whom having
not seen ye love, in whom now ye see him not, yet believing
ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory. You know,
that's a wonderful evidence, a very positive evidence of God's
grace, giving faith to believe the things which are impossible
with men are possible with God. And then he says, receiving the
end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls. And let us always
remember that. For God's people, the end is
the salvation of our soul. The end is not the solution to
some natural problem we may have. That natural problem is used
of God to bring us into this condition and in to bring us
this situation. So we come then and receive then
the end of our faith. even the salvation of our souls. And Peter goes on. Of which salvation
the prophets have inquired and searched diligently who prophesied
of the grace that should come unto you. God's promises. fulfilled his
grace, his grace. What a mercy if you and I are
the recipients of God's grace and of God's favour. Well we
should be very thankful that we have a God who is gracious
and merciful and long-suffering, long-suffering. You look at yourself
and how we need God to be long-suffering with us. Remember the case of
Hezekiah. He was a godly king, didn't do
everything right, but he was a godly king. And God brought
into his life a very severe sickness, a very severe sickness. And he
thought he wouldn't live, but the Lord in his sovereign mercy
extended his life quite considerably. And he says this, we read it
in the 38th of Isaiah, and the 15th verse tells us, what shall
I say? It's Hezekiah. What shall I say? He hath both
spoken unto me and himself hath done it. I shall go softly all
my years in the bitterness of my soul. O Lord, by these things
men live, and in all these things is the life of my spirit. So wilt thou recover me and make
me to live. Behold, for peace I had great
bitterness, but thou hast in love to my soul delivered it
from the pit of corruption. For thou hast cast all my sins
behind thy back. For the grave cannot praise thee,
death cannot celebrate thee. They that go down as a pit cannot
hope for thy truth. The living, the living. He shall praise thee as I do
this day. Well, my friends, what a wonderful
evidence of God's love and how things worked out for good. And so they do. They do work
out for good. And what a mercy it is to know
that we have a God who brings these good things to pass. You
may think, well, why did the pastor read that chapter in Zechariah
this evening? Why did he read it? of the last
couple of verses, really, in that 13th chapter. And as I've
already commented, in that chapter, it's amazing how many times we
read, and it shall come to pass in that day. In the appointed
time, in God's time, it shall come to pass. Let us not be impatient. We can be impatient. Your time
is always. My time is not yet. God has a
perfect time. And we come to the end of that
chapter, last two verses. And it shall come to pass that
all the land, saith the Lord, two parts shall be cut off and
die, but the third shall be left therein. And I will bring the
third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver
is refined, and will try them as gold is tried, and shall call
on my name, and I will hear them. I will say, it is my people,
and they shall say, the Lord is my God. But two thirds had
to be lost. You know, sometimes in our little
lives, we have great aspirations, naturally and spiritually. Sometimes
we lay hold upon things which we think God has spoken to us,
and we may have to throw them away. It may have to be burnt
up, but if we are a true believer, that which is given by God will
stand every trial, every test, every fire and live at last. And we will come into the evidence
and experience of this work and we shall praise God because what
does it do? It directs us to His love to
us. And my friends, let us never
lose sight, the love of the Saviour is fulfilled at Calvary. His great love to unworthy sinners,
to be saved by His grace. Now you see, if this experience
brings us there, whatever it is, it'll be good. It'll be a
blessing. And you will rejoice. and you
will be thankful, and you will confirm. Then what the Psalmist
says, but thou, almighty God, brought us out into a wealthy
place. And my friends, the cross of
God, the cross of the Savior, is a wealthy place. It's a place
of rich blessing, because it brings us in union with the Lamb,
from condemnation free. Well, may the Holy Spirit apply
these truths to the eternal good and benefit of our souls, and
be able to conclude and say, as for God, his way is perfect. Amen. Our final hymn this evening is
364. Hymn 364. The tune is 436. Hymn 364. This is titled, God's
the Glory and Defense of Zion. Happy the church, thou sacred
place, the seat of thy creator's grace. Thy holy courts are his abode,
thou earthly palace of our God. Thy walls are strength, and at
thy gates a guard of heavenly warriors waits, nor shall thy
deep foundations move, fixed on his counsels and his love. Hymn 364. ? I'll be the judge of that sacred
place ? ? The state of thy people, God's grace ? ? Is the road, the road made by
His own hand alone. ? Lord, shall I be a flesh-and-blood,
Veteran at Calv'ry? ? This night's birthday ? ? The
best day's birthday, baby ? ? Time flies in waves ? ? Wave after
wave, oh ? ? Laughter shall die alone ? His arms embrace this happy world,
like raisin falleth first. ? Fading moments fly ? ? Lost in
chat, in minutes of grace ? ? And we may flex each other's hands
? Now by the grace of our Lord
and Saviour Jesus Christ, and the love of God our Father, and
the fellowship and communion of the Eternal Spirit, rest and
abide with us each, now and for ever. Amen. Let us commence our service of
remembrance this evening by singing hymn number 102. 102. Come, raise your thankful
voice, ye souls redeemed with blood, leave earth and all its
toys, and mix no more with mud. Dearly we are bought, highly
esteemed, Redeemed with Jesus' blood. Redeemed. 102. Come, raise
your thankful voice. His soul's credit with blood. Live, earth, and all its joys. Christ the Lord with love. Dearly, dearly, Lord, I ask Thee. Greatly, greatly, Jesus Christ,
greatly. ? Christians are priests and kings
? ? O God of heavenly birth ? ? Let
them come, learn their things ? ? And grow the lot of earth
? ? Dearly we're born, highly enslaved ? ? With kids, with
kids and one lady ? ? With heart and soul and mind
? Exult with him in love, leave the biggest behind. ? And set your minds above ?
? Dearly wimpled, highly esteemed ? ? Prithee, prithee, is it not
redeemed? ? Lift up your ravished eyes, and
hear the Lord again. All the world thinks this wise, ? Gave
steadfast and soft hand ? ? Dealing with poor I lay astray ? ? Wrapped
in great Jesus' blood raised me high ? This world has dead, a life for
that to come, a life in Christ his name. There live where courts of high
lay and sleep, Breadth in which Jesus' blood will drink. And so Pilate, willing to content
the people, released Barabbas unto them, and delivered Jesus
when he had scourged him to be crucified. And the soldiers led him away
into the hall called Praetorium. And they called together the
whole band, and they clothed him with purple, and plaited
a crown of thorns, and put it upon his head and began to salute
him, Hael, King of the Jews. And they smote him on the head
with a reed, and it spit upon him, and bowing their knees worshipped
him. And when they had mocked him,
they took of the purple robe from him, and put his own clothes
on him, and led him out to crucify him. And they compel one Simon
the Cyrenian, who passing by, coming out of the country, the
father of Alexander and Rufus, to bear his cross. And they bring
him unto the place Golgotha. which is being interpreted the
place of a skull. And they gave him to drink wine,
mingle with myrrh, but he received it not. And when they had crucified
him, they parted his garments, casting lots upon him, what every
man should take. And it was the third hour, and
they crucified him. and the superscription of his
accusation was written over the King of the Jews. Just those few verses we get
a little insight onto how the Blessed Saviour was humbled and
how he endured all that opposition totally unjustly put upon him. But we might also say justly
in order that he might comply with the great request of Almighty
God to bear the punishment instead. That punishment is due to us.
I'm willing to do so. willingly no complaints was there
and yes we read through there you see how the people the soldiers
the chief priests pilot all did things to humiliate him and all
that was done in order that you and I might be eternally saved
we have to say surely do we not what a savior What a willing,
glorious man that should suffer so much so that you and I might
enjoy the amazing blessing of that gift of eternal life to
be found at last in glory with him and the whole Church of God
forever. Well, the Lord Jesus instituted
this supper We refer to it as a supper of remembrance and it's
good for us to remember the great cost of our salvation and never
pass it by as something trivial and to think that cost was endured
not by a mere man, it was by a mere man, but also by Almighty
God who humbled himself and came obedient unto death, even the
death of the cross. Well, tonight, may we truly have
a thankful heart as we realize this wonderful favor. The Apostle
Paul said when he wrote to the Corinthians, for I have received
of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, that the Lord Jesus,
the same night, in which he was betrayed, took bread, and when
he had given thanks, he'd break it. Let us do likewise. Almighty, most gracious and merciful
God, we come amazed, really, to think that almighty God condescended
to stand in our place to pay the punishment due to us, He
bore and paid the punishment instead. And Lord, through that
we believe. we are washed in the blood of
the Lamb. We are clean, every week we are clean. Oh Lord, how
wonderful it is. And Lord, to think now on that
occasion when thy body was broken in order to comply with the righteous
demands of thy Father. And Lord, be thankful that all
that humiliation, Thou didst bear so willingly, especially
as the Son of God. And so, Lord, now we're thankful
for the privilege of being able to remember Thy love in this
way, of this bread which we partake of, representing Thy broken body. O Lord, come and bless our souls
tonight, that we may rejoice in that wonderful gift of forgiveness. We pray, Lord, for those of our
brothers and sisters not able to be with us here tonight. Be
with them, Lord, and bless them, we pray. And bless us each as
we gather here together and make all thy goodness to pass before
us in the way, as we ask it all in the worthy and all-pervading
name of the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. And when he had given thanks,
he broke it and said, take, eat, this is my body, which is broken
for you. This do in remembrance. after the same manner he took
the cup that has to give thanks eternal most gracious Lord as
we think of thy suffering and think Lord of thy death and think
Lord of the blood that was shed Lord signifying thy death O Lord
that it's willingly die so that we, fellow sinners, might live. Lord, we come tonight in desire
to praise and honour, by a great and holy name, for this great
and wonderful gift of salvation, which we could not procure ourselves.
We're thankful, Lord, that thou didst procure it on our behalf. And so, Lord, we give thanks
tonight for thy love, which was so great, and thy mercy and favour
toward us. And we tonight, as unworthy sinners,
privileged to come around this table of remembrance. And, Lord,
we pray our souls may be eternally blessed. Accept our thanks, then,
Lord, for all these favours. We come asking it all in the
worthy and all-prevailing name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. After the same manner also he
took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the New Testament
in my blood. This do ye, as often as ye drink
it, in remembrance of me. For as often as ye eat this bread
and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come. Let's conclude our service this
evening with hymn number 582. 582. High beyond imagination
is the love of God to man. Far too deep for human reason,
fathom that it never can. Love eternal richly dwells in
Christ the Lamb. Love like Jesus none can measure. Nor can its dimensions know,
Tis a boundless, endless river, And its waters freely flow, O
ye thirsty, come and taste its streams below. 582. ? High beyond imagination ? ? It's
the power of God to man have ? ? But to take for human reason
? ? Fathom that it never can ? Love like Jesus none can measure,
nor can its dimensions know. There's a boundless, endless
river, and its waters springing forth, again casting a man to
his death, straight in the road. Jesus loved and loves forever,
Zion, our gates, God, does dwell. He will never, never, never leave
his church or pray to hell. All his last words Now may the grace of our Lord
and Saviour Jesus Christ and the love of God our Father, and
the fellowship and communion of the Eternal Spirit, rest and
abide with us each, now and for ever. Amen.