I please God to bless us together
this evening as we meditate in his word. Let us turn to the
first epistle of Paul to the Thessalonians chapter 1 and we'll
read verse 5. The first epistle of Paul to
the Thessalonians chapter 1 and reading verse 5. For our gospel
came not unto you in word only, but also in power and in the
Holy Ghost, and in much assurance, as ye know what manner of men
we were among you for your sake." We're thankful that the Apostle
Paul records such truths. And it will be a great blessing
if we understand the words that he writes here before us. He speaks about the great and
glorious gospel. He says, our gospel. By that,
of course, he doesn't mean any personal gospel. It means the
gospel that came to him and the gospel which made a blessing
to him. And he says, for our gospel came, not unto you in
word only, but also in power. and in the Holy Ghost and in
much assurance. These words are very important
to us. They're very important to everyone
because we don't want to have a religion which just exists
in mere words. True words perhaps, good words
perhaps. But what all of us need, and
every true believer receives, is the wonderful blessing of
the Word of God coming into our hearts with power from on high. And that of course is through
and by the Blessed Holy Spirit. It is really a very dividing
Word. it's a word which separates those
who are mere nominal Christians and those who are true believers
and we need to examine ourselves the Word of God encourages us
to examine ourselves whether we are in the faith or not we
don't want to just amble along through life and find when we
come to die we've mistaken the way we've relied upon just a
mere word and it has had no true effect upon our hearts because
the true Word of God spoken to our hearts will have an effect
and the effect is quite simply this the Word of God spoken to
our hearts by power of the Holy Spirit convinces us of our sin
directs us to the Saviour and we have the assurance that we
are amongst those for whom the Lord Jesus Christ has died and
really nothing less than this is satisfactory we need to know
the wonderful blessing of God in our own hearts the blessed
work of the Holy Spirit you know we can think, can we not of the
life of Paul himself who was of course very knowledgeable
in the Word of God at least of course in the Old Testament the
New Testament hadn't been written very knowledgeable in the Old
Testament in the Word but that was not adequate that did not
deliver him that did not save him and it was not until really
that occasion on the Damascus Road when the Holy Spirit came
and shone into his heart with that wonderful light he tells
us it was so bright it was above the brightness of the midday
sun very, very bright light and it shone right into his heart
and it had such an effect upon him and he fell down could not
carry on and as no doubt we remember the blessed occasion when the
Lord spoke to him and he confessed his position the Lord told him
what he should do but not only do we have an example like the
Apostle Paul we also have an example which I often like to
quote at the same time and that's the case of Lydia and we're told
with regard to Lydia the Lord just opened her heart to receive
the word that the Apostle spoke to her opened her heart the Holy
Spirit opened her heart there she had heard the word perhaps
many times before but now the time had come and the Lord opened
her heart and there was that great difference the vital difference
the important difference and so it is for us today dare say
we've all been we're all knowledgeable to some degree about the Word
of God and that's a good thing but you see what we need is not
just to be left with a mere Word of God and the Apostle tells
us the difference he spells it out really in these simple words
he says for our Gospel came not unto you in word only but also
in power and that's what you and I must know the power of
the Word of God and the power of the Word of God produces a
difference in our life there's a change we're a different person
because we are spiritually alive and the wonderful thing is that
power belongeth under God the preacher cannot produce any power
himself you cannot produce any power yourself but the Holy Spirit
can grant that wonderful blessing of power which will produce that
awakening from that dead condition in which we were born dead in
trespasses and in sins and bring us into spiritual life and it
is the power of God well let us look into our hearts and I've
said to examine ourselves whether we are in the faith or not let
us not be satisfied with just a mere head knowledge of the
Word of God there's nothing against that but my friends it is not
saving you and I must know the power of the Word in our hearts
the power of the word in our hearts produces a change and
it's as simple as this we're changed from darkness to light
that's a good illustration isn't it? we know what it is now outside
tonight it's dark isn't it? there are no street lights it
would be very dark it's a cloudy night but you see we need the
light to shine and that light shines through the blessed righteousness
of the Lord Jesus Christ, who is the true righteousness, the
son of righteousness. And when that shines by the Holy
Spirit, it shows to us the wonderful evidence of the power of God
in our hearts. Many people today are satisfied
with just a formal religion. religion which looks all right
which appears all right they can say the right things and
perhaps think good things and perhaps deceive people that they
are in fact born again of the Holy Spirit but the reality is
that you and I are only born again of the Holy Spirit when
we have received the Word of God in power power to our hearts. Oh what a blessing it is to realise
the Lord does dispense this great and wonderful blessing and it
is known and it is received and we pray that you and I may know
it tonight, the wonderful evidence that we have that we are indeed
amongst those to whom the Lord has very graciously and very
wonderfully blessed with its power from on high it's not power
of the flesh it's the power of God if you think of that the
power of God the God who spoke the world into being the God
who created all things the God who has created us and wonderful
as that is and good as it is we all need to have the evidence
of the power of God in our hearts producing that spiritual life
well says the Apostle for our gospel came not unto you in word
only but also in power and just so that we understand what this
really means well what is the gospel? the gospel is of course
good news good news to and undone and lost sinner it directs a
sinner to the Blessed Saviour but the work of the Holy Spirit
convinces us of sin and that's not a light thing that's not
something trivial because when the Holy Spirit condemns us because
of our sin we recognise that we deserve the eternal wrath
of God And you and I cannot escape that ourselves. No, we are under
condemnation because of our sin. And therefore, what are we to
do? Well, how wonderful it is, the
Word of God tells us that the Lord Jesus came into this world
to save such sinners. Those who come, who call upon
his name, those who pray unto him those who seek him the word
of God tells us those that seek shall find you know if you are
under the power of the Holy Spirit condemned before a holy God because
of your condition and all of you will be all of us will be
myself included we must know the condemnation by the Holy
Spirit of our sins because without that The Saviour, the Lord Jesus
Christ, will mean nothing to us. Indeed, the Prophet says,
is it nothing to you or you that pass by? It will be nothing to
us. The Lord Jesus Christ will not
really mean anything. We may perhaps give lip service,
we may perhaps acknowledge that there was a great and glorious
person who was born and died called the Lord Jesus Christ.
but the reality is that you and I need to know the power of that
sin atoning death applied to our own souls because if that is so that we
know then the Lord Jesus Christ did come and did die to redeem
our souls we have been the wonderful benefactors of this power but
also in power not the word only but also in power we must add
those together we cannot go one without another and in the Holy
Ghost so it's a great blessing for us today if we have the favour
and the evidence of the work of God in our hearts. That's a great difference isn't
it? It's between the work of God in our head and the work
of God in our hearts. It's a vast difference and yet
you see many people do not realise the significance of that situation. To know that there is that great
difference but what a mercy It is. You know in the 8th chapter
of the Acts of the Apostles, we read about a man who is referred
to as Simon the Sorcerer. And we're told there was a certain
man called Simon, this is in the 8th chapter, in the 8th verse,
or 9th verse, who bewitched the people of Samaria, giving out
that himself was some great one. To whom they all gave heed, from
the least to the greatest, saying, This man is the great power of
God. And to him they had regard, because
at a long time he had bewitched them with sorceries. But when
they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom
of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both
men and women. Then Simon himself believed also.
And when he was baptized, he continued with Philip, and wondered,
beholding the miracles and signs which were done. Now, if you
read that and don't continue with the account, you might think,
well, there was a man, obviously a man who was blessed by God,
and obviously a man who was favoured. Well, as we read on in this eighth
chapter, we read of those who, and when they were These are
people, apostles coming to Jerusalem, had received the word of God.
They sent unto them Peter and John, who, when they came down,
prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Ghost. For as yet he was fallen upon
none of them, only they were baptized in the name of the Lord
Jesus. And they laid their hands on
them, and they received the Holy Ghost. And when Simon saw that
through laying on of the apostles' hands, the Holy Ghost was given
he offered them money saying give me also this power that
on whomsoever I lay hands he may receive the Holy Ghost and
then Peter told him very straightly thy money perish with thee because
thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with
money thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter and this
is the point for thy heart is not right in the sight of God. His heart is not right in the
sight of God. Well, further on in this same
chapter we read the account of Philip and the eunuch. You may remember that Philip
was commanded to go toward the south to a place called the desert
and the geyser And he went, and he found an Ethiopian, a eunuch
of great authority under Kandese, queen of the Ethiopians, who
had the charge of all her treasure, and had come to Jerusalem to
worship, was returning, and sitting in his chariot, reading Isaiah
the prophet. Well, that's Isaiah the prophet.
Now, just to pause there, that's a good example, isn't it? The
man had been to worship, he was going home, He wasn't saying,
I've done my duty. He was reading the word of God. He wanted to read the word of
God. It was food to his soul. He hadn't just done some bodily
exercise, which prophet is little, but he was concerned. And the
spirit told Philip to go and join himself to the chariot.
Philip ran to him and heard him reading the prophet Isaiah and
said, understand this thou what thou readest. And he said, how
can I? Except some man should guide
me. He desired, Philip, that he would come up and sit with
him. Again, it's lovely to see a person,
an eminent person, who is honest in the things of God. He didn't
pretend he knew what was being read. He asked that someone would
guide him. And the place of the scripture
which he read was this. He was led as a sheep to the
slaughter. And like a lamb done before his shearer, so opened
he not his mouth. In his humiliation, his judgment
was taken away. And who shall declare his generation,
for his life is taken from the earth? And the eunuch answered
Philip and said, I pray thee, of whom speaketh the prophet?
This, of himself, or of some other man? Then Philip opened
his mouth and began at the same scripture and preached unto him,
Jesus. and obviously Philip in this
word that he spoke to the eunuch included baptism because as they
went on their way they came to a certain water and the eunuch
said see here is water what hath hindered me to be baptized I've
read this for this very next verse which tells us and Philip
said if thou believest with all thine heart thou mayest that
wasn't a condition of the work in his head that's what had happened
with the sorcerer he just believed in his head and he as Peter said
he hadn't believed in his heart well this man you see was asked
did he believe in his heart and he answered and said I believe
that Jesus Christ is the Son of God he commanded the chariot
to stand still and they went down both into the water both
Philip and the eunuch and he baptized him when they came up
out of the water the spirit of the Lord calls away Philip the
eunuch saw him no more but what happened to the eunuch? he went
on his way rejoicing rejoicing what in? the power of God to
his heart a blessing that is and how important it is it's
a wonderful illustration really those two characters of the one
who believed in his head the sorcerer and one who by the grace
of God believed in his heart so tonight it's a good thing
if you and I have the wonderful evidence that the power of God
by the Holy Ghost has come and given us that grace to believe
in our heart and the effect that it has upon us the effect it
had upon the unit was to go on his way rejoicing it wasn't something
of no consequence it was of great importance he went on his way
rejoicing well it's good for us tonight isn't it if you and
I have the evidence of this work of God in our hearts, in our
souls and perhaps we can look back and remember an occasion
when we went on our way rejoicing at the goodness of God toward
us in revealing to us our need of a Saviour and then directing
us to the Lord Jesus Christ just like this unit was directed by
Philip to the Lord Jesus Christ he preached unto him Jesus and
that is the difference Jesus, you see, will not just be then
an historical figure. He'll be to you and to me the
name which is above every name. At the name of Jesus, every knee
shall bow. Well, I sometimes say, you know,
every true Christian will bow down before Jesus on this earth. The last day, everyone will bow
down before Jesus, all those who have not received Him will
also bow down every knee will bow what a blessing it is for
us tonight if we are amongst those while on this earth who
bow down before Jesus acknowledging that He is our Lord and that
He is our Master and that won't be a mere lip service it will
come from our heart because by the Holy Spirit we've been blessed
with that faith to believe in a crucified Saviour and what
is that? it's the power of God it's the power of God which has
produced that wonderful favour and that wonderful change and
so tonight let us again examine ourselves as to whether we are
recipients the wonderful evidence of the power of God in our hearts
to reveal unto us the preciousness of the Lord Jesus Christ dying
upon the cross to redeem our souls and I'll just say this
what was the effect on the eunuch the first opportunity he was
baptized he didn't make excuses he received the blessing of God
in his heart and therefore he said, here is water, what doth
hinder me to be baptised? well how good it would be you
know in the day and age in which we live when many are brought
to that position bow down before Almighty God having received
the work of God in their heart by power from on high and has
given them that grace to desire to follow the wonderful example
of a Saviour Himself and all those true believers who desire
to put on Christ. What has He done for the eunuch? He died to atone for his sins. What has He done for you and
me my friends? Has He died to atone for our sins? Is He a great
and glorious Saviour? Is He therefore worthy of our
praise worthy of exhortation worthy of our obedience to the
pattern that is laid before us we have the Word of God, don't
we? it is complete from Genesis to Revelation we're not to tear
bits out we don't kind of walk or agree with our little life
we're to humbly walk before our God We don't want to be deceived,
do we? You know the Apostle Paul, he
tells us in the first chapter of the Epistle of Paul to the
Romans and the 16th verse we read, For I am not ashamed of
the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God unto salvation
to everyone that believeth. well how good it is if you and
I can truthfully concur with that statement and to acknowledge
that it has an application to our lives well the Apostle he
was not ashamed was he? you think what he had to endure
in his life he had much opposition didn't he? but he pursued the
narrow way didn't go backward he didn't depart from it no he
took up his cross he counted it a joy and he counted it a
privilege the unit went on his way rejoicing to know there was
a great and glorious Savior who had died to atone for his sins
what a mercy for us today if we know the wonderful evidence
of this power of God revealing to us the glorious Saviour and
His sin-atoning death. Now, as I said earlier, is it
nothing to you that passed by? Until the Holy Spirit applies
the Word with power, it will be just like that. Nothing to
us. We'll hear it. It may just abide
in our head. We may have a good knowledge,
but it won't have touched our hearts. But praise God if it
has. It has touched our hearts. so that we give the evidence
the Lord has indeed blessed us and the word of God has come
and entered into our very hearts. The Apostle wrote many encouraging
words to direct us in the right way and in the first epistle
of the Corinthians and the second chapter and the fourth and fifth
verses we read and he tells us what his preaching was like.
First let me tell you, let me start earlier. Second verse. For I determined not to know
anything among you save Jesus Christ and Him crucified. Is that what you love to hear?
You love to hear the gospel of Jesus Christ and Him crucified? This indeed is the gospel for
our gospel came not unto you in word only but also in power
And here is power, for I determined not to know anything among you,
save Jesus Christ and Him crucified. And it tells us I was with you
in weakness and in fear and in much trembling. And my speech
and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom,
but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, the power of God. And it tells us why, that your
faith should not stand in the wisdom of men but in the power
of God oh that's a wonderful truth isn't it? if God gives
us faith God gives us faith to believe it's the faith that God
has given us it's not the faith that man has spoken about it's
the faith that God has given us your faith should stand in
the wisdom of God not in the wisdom of men but in the power
of God albeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect yet
not the wisdom of this world nor the princes of this world
that come to naught but we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery
even the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the world
unto our glory which none of the princes of this world knew
for had they known it they would not have crucified the Lord of
glory and he goes on It's written, I have not seen nor ear heard,
neither have entered into the heart of man the things which
God has prepared for them that love him. See that's the glorious
prospect set before those who know the wonderful blessing of
the power of God in their hearts. It's not reserved for those who
only have a head knowledge, but it is reserved for those who
understand this great truth for our gospel came not unto you
in word only but also in power and so tonight shall we ask ourselves
the question has the glorious gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ
the saving gospel the precious gospel come with power into our
hearts and produced life within so that no longer are we dead
we're spiritually alive all things take on a different aspect all
things become new we're a new creature old things are passed
away what a blessing it is to have the evidence then of this
power of God in our hearts well only you can answer before God
only I can answer before God if that has been granted by the
Holy Spirit so that we are amongst those who do know this power
which has produced a change within a change within it's changed
our lifestyle it's changed the way we think it's changed the
way we act you see there's a vast blessing in this wonderful work
of the Holy Spirit to know that this Gospel has come not only
in word only but also in power it goes on of course and in the
Holy Ghost the Holy Spirit is the most blessed one who does
this work in our hearts shows us the light of the Gospel it's
a wonderful thing isn't it? because the Lord Jesus tells
us He is the light of the world without Him spiritually revealed
it is darkness and what does this do? and in the Holy Ghost and in
much assurance perhaps we live in a day where people shy away
from the word assurance and people perhaps are too timid to acknowledge
what God has done for them but you know the Apostle Paul He
tells us so very clearly. He said, I know whom I have believed. And I think that's a very true
statement. And I think the whole Church of God, if they are pressed,
would have to say, by the grace of God, I know whom I have believed. I know that this great and glorious
Saviour has died to atone for my sins. This great and glorious
Saviour has kept me, has kept me. The Apostle Peter in his
epistle, the first epistle, he tells us this great truth and
he says in the fifth verse, who are kept by the power of God,
through faith, under salvation, ready to be revealed in the last
time. And he says this, wherein ye
greatly rejoice. it is something to greatly rejoice
if the Holy Spirit has blessed us with his power within our
hearts to reveal the Lord Jesus Christ to us where he greatly
rejoice but he does go on as a balancing though now for a
season if need be ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations
at the trial of your faith, being much more precious than the gold
that perishes, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto
praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ,
whom having not seen ye love, in whom though now ye see him
not, yet believing ye rejoice with joy unspeakable, and full
of glory the reason? because this light because this
blessing because this evidence is an eternal blessing and therefore
it brings this great joy and this great rejoicing joy unspeakable
and full of glory what a wonderful favour it is then if tonight
we have this great blessing that The Lord has come, not only in
word, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much
assurance. Because we are then blessed with
the evidence of the work of God in our souls. And we shall be,
I'm sure, very desirous to testify of the great mercy and the great
love of the Lord Jesus Christ as such an unworthy sinner. Because one thing, I'm sure,
occurs when the Lord reveals with power from on high our lost
condition and directs us to the Saviour. We say, Why me, O blessed
Lord? Why such a wretch as I, who must
forever lie in hell, were not salvation free? And that will,
my friends, show to us the love of God to our souls. Hymnwriter has it right, doesn't
he? When he said, on such love my soul still ponder. Love so great, so rich, so free,
say whilst lost in holy wonder why, O Lord, such love to me. Hallelujah! Grace shall reign
eternally. what a mercy tonight if you and
I know this in some measure the love of Christ to sinners and
the love of Christ to you and me because you and I will want
to know it personally it'll be lovely to hear other people speak
of it but you know you'll need to know it and I'll need to know
it personally we'll need to know that Jesus Christ has loved us
with everlasting love and with loving kindness has drawn us
he's drawn us by his power his power to redeem us blessed be
God what a wonderful favorite is you know the Apostle when
he wrote the Hebrews he tells us in the 10th chapter and the
well perhaps the 19th verse having therefore brethren
boldness to enter into the holiest. How? By the blood of Jesus. No other way. The only way to
enter into the holy place, the blood of Jesus, by a new and
living way, which he has consecrated for us through the vial, that
is to say his flesh. And having a high priest over
the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart see it's
a true heart not a false heart not just a head knowledge with
a true heart in full assurance of faith God gives us this blessed
assurance as we have the evidence of his love toward us and the
evidence of that gracious work of the Spirit in our hearts full
assurance of faith having our hearts sprinkled from an evil
conscience and our bodies washed with pure water let us hold fast
the profession of our faith without wavering you see the devil is
very active what he wants you to do is to waver and turn away
from the things of God but if he tries that tell him Christ
has died he rather is risen again he hates that truth he hates
it but my friends you and I will bless God for it because there
rests our hope of eternal life for our gospel came not unto
you in word only but also in power and in the Holy Ghost and
in much assurance well tonight I hope we all can examine ourselves
carefully before God because God knows our hearts and it's
a blessing if you and I can come and as it were open our hearts
to God because He understands He understands better than anyone
else yes to come before our God and open our heart to Him and
to seek earnestly that we may indeed not have a false evidence
but a clear evidence that this word is true in our hearts but
also in power unto you came the word not the word only but also
in power and in the Holy Ghost and in much assurance it goes
on as you know what manner of men we were among you for your
sake they did know of course what the Apostle Paul was so
tonight May all of us, by the grace of God, go on our way rejoicing
in what God has done. And if we can't go on our way
rejoicing, let's pray earnestly to our God that he will work
powerfully in our hearts that we may be able to rejoice in
that great and glorious work of salvation within us. Amen.