May God be pleased to bless us
together this evening. Let us turn to the book of Psalms,
Psalm 127, and we'll read the first verse. Psalm 127, and reading
the first verse. Accept the Lord, build the house. Lay labour in vain, build it.
Accept the Lord, keep the city. The watchman waketh but in vain. How clear it is in the word of
God that it is essential that we know and observe and realise
the work of the Lord. The work of the Lord in our own
soul. work of the Lord in the church,
how necessary it is. We cannot rely upon anything
less than the work of God. And so we see the psalmist here
says, accept the Lord. Unless it is the Lord, it will
not prosper. It will not be of true benefit. But if it is from Almighty God,
if it is God who builds the house, then there will be indeed a great
and a glorious blessing. The Lord, except the Lord build
the house. Of course the analogy is that
his people are buildings, built a spiritual house. Those whom
the Lord deals with, those whom the Lord speaks to, Those whom
the Lord corrects, those whom the Lord encourages, they are
those who the Lord deals with. And unless there is the evidence
of that in our spiritual life, then, you see, what does the
Word say? They labour in vain. It's of
no benefit. It's of no true avail. There
must be the blessed evidence of God's work except the Lord
build the house, they labour in vain that build it. So every effort of poor sinful
man to produce his own salvation, to build his own spiritual house,
will fail. Indeed it will fall. We have
the parable, don't we, in the New Testament about the man that
built his house upon the rock and the man that built his house
upon the sand. And there was a tremendous difference
when the storms came. Until that time, they both seemed
to be adequately built. The one on the sand was pretty
easy building, not difficult to dig in sand, is there? And
that's what the one who was unwise, he built his house upon the sand
and everything appeared fair until the storm came and the
rain came and the wind blew and it fell down and great was the
fall of it. Whereas on the other hand, the man that built his
house upon a rock and in the account in Luke we read that
he dug deep, it wasn't just a shallow dig, he dug deep and got down
to rock, a solid foundation. And then when the storms came,
the rain came, and the floods beat upon the house, it fell
not. Because it was founded upon a
rock, because it was founded upon Christ. And therefore our
religion, our building, must be founded upon Christ. If it's
not, it is in vain. Hymn writer says, what think
ye of Christ is the test. And so it is. What value do we
put on Christ? What do we think of him? We've
all read about him, haven't we? Many times. We've heard his name
spoken of many times. Perhaps in the world blasphemously. And again, when we hear the Lord's name taken in vain?
Does it just rub off, or does it touch our heart? And do we
hate to hear the name of the Saviour taken in vain? Now if
that is true, surely that is an evidence of the gracious work
of the Spirit building our spiritual house. Except the Lord build
the house, they labour in vain. that build it. And of course
we have in the Word of God that wonderful account of the building
of the temple. It wasn't built in five minutes.
It was quite a small building relatively. It took seven years
to build. And something like 150,000 people
were involved in the building. But what was so important and
so relevant was that everything was manufactured off-site. Everything was prepared so completely
accurately, so when it came to be fitted, it all fitted together
perfectly. And that, I believe, is true
with regard to the Church of God and individually. The Lord
deals in that way, that there's much preparation needed Much
preparation needed in our spiritual life. Much preparation needed
in the church's spiritual life. But what a wonderful thing it
is to know that the Lord is the great master builder. And he
prepares each part to fit perfectly. And if we indeed are part of
that great building, And that part has, again, several parts,
perhaps many, many parts. And yet the Lord prepares each
part. And what does that mean? That
means the hand of the Lord has to be upon us to fashion us,
to mould us, to smooth us down, to calm us down, take off rough
edges so that we are then a perfect fit. Sometimes that needs a lot
of work. Sometimes we do need a lot of
work. Sometimes we're rebellious, perhaps
not apparently outwardly but inwardly. We wriggle, we're not
happy with So much work having to be done to make us conformable
unto His image. That's what it comes down to.
The great and glorious work of God is to make us conformable
unto His image. Remember how the Apostle Paul
desired that. Great concern it was to him that
he might be made conformable unto His image. And of course
that means that the Lord will produce that work in us so that
we are Christ-like in our demeanour, in our attitude, in our actions,
in our words. What a blessing it is then to realise that the
Lord is building the house. And remember, unless the Lord
does, it'll be in vain. It'll be in vain. And it'll be
in vain really for this very important reason that we will
claim some of the merit ourselves. We read that well-known chapter
in the Ephesians really for the reason towards the end of that
chapter but nonetheless at the beginning or coming down to the
8th verse where the Apostle tells us, for by grace are you saved
through faith and that not of yourselves. It is the gift of
God and how important it is that we do realise that God's grace
is not of ourselves. We can't work ourselves up into
some kind of religious feeling or religious situation which
we might think is acceptable to God. We are dependent upon
His glorious grace. The hymn writer has it right,
sovereign grace. or sin abounding. It's a good
theme, isn't it? The grace of God. And here we
have, the Apostle tells us, not of works lest any man should
boast. We would very quickly boast of
what we had done for our salvation. How good we'd been, we'd followed
this way and followed that way, we were obedient in this and
obedient in that. God will have the glory and he will show us
that it's all of his work, except the Lord build the house. They
labour in vain that build it. And then to know, for we are
his workmanship. We are his workmanship. Well,
this evening, do we know that God has worked upon us and in
us? And with the evidence of God's
work, not our work, God's work. And God's work is that which
you and I could not do ourselves anyway. It's God's work. And so we're told therefore we
are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works,
that's the effect of the work of God in the soul, is to produce
good works for his honour and for his glory. Again, that's
another proof of the Lord's work. When there are those good works
which are put forth, which God hath before ordained,
that we should walk in them. The Lord's given us a wonderful
word of God to instruct us and to direct us into those things
which we should do and not follow those things which are of the
flesh. And so he tells us, then he says,
wherefore remember that ye being in time past Gentiles
in the flesh. That means those who were not
converted. Do we look back? Do we look back
in our lives to a time when God worked in us? When the building
was begun. The building was begun. The building of our spiritual
life. God began it. We didn't begin it. We couldn't
begin it. We couldn't begin it because
we were spiritually dead. And to think and to bless God,
if we have that wonderful evidence that He, the gracious God, looked
upon us, why should He? Nothing in us. It's because of
His electing love. It's because that He would predestinate
us to be His children, to serve Him, and to know that it was
Almighty God that was building the house, and that we are not
labouring in vain. All the efforts of people to
produce their own salvation, many think they can, and here's
a solemn word, they would labour in vain. Today, many people have
a very small Bible, have a few verses that they like, and a
few verses which fit into their scheme, and they don't read the
whole Word of God. and how important it is that
we do read the whole Word of God, because therein we see the
whole counsel of God, and therein we see the whole plan of God,
and therein we see the whole glory of God, and it's revealed
throughout the blessed pages of Scripture. Accept the Lord,
build the house, and as we read together in this chapter towards
the end about this building, And he tells us, now therefore,
ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens
with the saints and of the household of God. Well, is that true of
us tonight? Are you and I no more strangers? Do we understand when we hear
God's people speaking of the things of God? Are our hearts warmed? Do we
rejoice in what we hear? And are we thankful to know that
we feel then an echo in our heart and we can join in with those
things which are being spoken about? And it is therefore a
wonderful evidence that we are no more strangers. but we are
part of this great building, this great building which God
is erecting. And we are no more strangers
and foreigners. We were at one time, we have been, all of us
have been strangers and foreigners, but if there's been that great
change, the Lord has begun His work, His building, then can
we not say, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household
of God. Can we say, I love to meet among
them now. We love to meet amongst the people
of God, the church of God. You know, it's the evidence that
we have passed from death to life because we love the brethren. The church of God, they are our
best friends and our kindred. It's a wonderful evidence of
God's work in our heart because There is that unity in desiring
that Christ Jesus is lifted up and exalted, and that he is spoken
of, and that we bless and praise his great and glorious name for
all that he has done in redeeming our lost soul. But, fellow citizens
and saints, with and of the household of God, this building, this dwelling,
to find there the people of God, We join together. We're united
to them. And what unites us? Christ. That's what unites the Church
of God. Nothing else. It won't be all the socialising. It won't be all the frivolous
things. It'll be the joining together
in Christ. That'll be the root and the bottom
of it. to be joined together in Christ,
to know that we are therefore on this rock, Christ Jesus. Accept
the Lord, build the house, lay labour in vain, but build it. And so this evening, oh bless
God if we have some evidence that we are part of his building,
built upon the Lord Jesus Christ. Here we have this wonderful statement,
20th verse, built upon, those who are fellow citizens with
the saints, are built upon the foundation of the apostles and
prophets. And it's a foundation which all
of God's people are built upon. What is it? Jesus Christ himself
being the chief cornerstone Oh, tonight, my friends, can we look
back? Can we see? Have we the evidence
that our religion is built upon the Lord Jesus Christ? Because if it is, there's unity. There's unity. And the apostle
says, in whom all the building, not part of it, all the building,
all God's people, fitly framed together groweth unto an holy
temple in the Lord, in whom ye also are built together from
the habitation of God through the Spirit." What a statement
that is, isn't it? What do we see? We see the Spirit's
work leading us to Christ, showing us that our foundation is none
other than the Saviour himself. On Christ, the solid rock, I
stand. All other ground is sinking sand. Well, tonight, my friends, are
we on that firm foundation? It's a foundation which will
never move because Jesus Christ, the same yesterday and today
and forever. If you and I are on that rock,
we shall never be moved. Remember what the Psalmist said,
David said in the 40th Psalm, he brought me up also out of
a horrible pit and a miry clay and set my feet upon a rock. and establish my gains, and put
a new song in my heart, even praise unto our God. Many shall see it. Yes, the evidence
of God's work. Those who are amongst the blessed
people who are part of this true building which the Lord is raising. There is the evidence. There's
the evidence in our lives. We see a change. God's people
are looking for changes in people. They're looking to see that there
has been the beginning of this heavenly building. They're on
the lookout, they're praying for it, and they rejoice when
they see the evidence of God's work. Except the Lord build the
house, they labour in vain that build it. What a blessing it
is then if you and I have the wonderful favour to know that
God is dealing with us and that the building is being erected. The people of God are dealt with
by the Spirit of God so that they grow spiritually, so that
the building progresses. Yes, there is an advancement
insofar that we find that we know more of ourselves and we
know more of the great and glorious work of God and we see more and
more of the amazing truth in his electing love and in his
choice and in the plan of salvation and it flows together and we
rejoice in it in this building because it forms part of the
heavenly building part of the heavenly structure, and it is
the Lord's work. Well, when the Lord comes and
He begins this building, there is a lot of, we might say, groundwork
to be done. There's a lot of clearance, a
lot of rubbish that has to be got rid of, a lot of weeds. Yes, perhaps Other things have
been placed there and the ground has to be cleared. What does
that really mean? That means we have to dispense
with our own righteousness, which is of the flesh. All that we
thought we were doing, we were perhaps counting up how we were
doing well in this and well in that, and the Lord comes and
as it were, clears it all away and prepares us for this gracious
building, his building, his building. And then to get down to this
good foundation, there is this digging down. This digging down
is not easy work. It's not easy work to find this
rock. There may be many times Disappointment
times perhaps when we're tempted to give up. But as this is the
work of the Holy Spirit, this will be blessed of God. And God will not leave us and
God will not forsake us until there is that wonderful evidence
of this good foundation. Except the Lord build the house. Well, what a mercy if you and
I have had the rubbish taken out. The rubbish which we were
perhaps relying upon to get us to heaven. We're relying upon
our works, not God's work. But when the Spirit of God comes
and truly works, it's His Spirit's work and it's not our work. And
therefore, that which has been our labour will have been in
vain. We'll have to lose it all. We'll
have to get rid of it, throw it overboard. And then the Lord's
work. And then when the foundation
is found, when we find the blessed Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ,
as the only way of salvation, we're then brought to that place
where we admire what God has planned, what God has done, what
God has said. We admire his great plan of salvation
and we're thankful to know that the Lord Jesus Christ did not
fail in that work which his Father gave him to do. I believe as
this building begins to be erected we are led more and more into
the great truths of the Gospel. And we see what an enormous cost
it was to deliver our soul from the wrath to come. It wasn't
just something of no consequence. The cost was enormous. And we will stand amazed because
we will be brought to realise we never deserved it. We never
deserved any favour and yet the Lord looked upon us Not that
we chose God, but that He chose us. Not that we loved God, but
that He loved us. Some people may pretend that
they love God, and yet they carry on their life as though there
was no God. They carry on pleasing themselves.
They have no desire to really please. the Lord God. And I believe when the Lord begins
this building, this building in our heart, our concern then
is to do the will of God. Our concern then is to please
God, not to annoy God, not to bring God's anger upon us, although
sometimes We are left to backslide, but our desire surely is that
the Lord will keep us, the Lord will direct us, and the Lord
will bless us. And so he then shows us the cost
of our salvation. Oh, what progress there is then
in this building. And surely we come and stand
on the same ground that John Newton did when he said, amazing
grace, how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me. That's a good description, isn't
it? And I believe the Spirit of God will convince us that
we are wretches undone. We walk contrary to our God.
The Lord doesn't cut us off, the Lord doesn't cast us away
as a comer of the ground, but his mercy has been toward us.
And that's why John Newton knew very well what grace he'd received
and how amazing it was. And of course he wasn't alone.
I believe the whole Church of God can concur with such statements
and be pleased to rejoice in those words and sing, yes, amazing
grace, how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me. I once was lost, but now I'm
found. lost. Our soul was lost. No life. The Lord came and found
us. He found us and He put us on
that rock and then He showed us something of the great truth
of the Gospel. Directed us to view Him, the
suffering Saviour, perhaps to see the prints of the nails in
His feet. in his hands, the wound in his
side, and to realise that all this was done for you and me. No small act was it. That great
sacrifice that Lord Jesus Christ gave, now this is part of this
great and glorious building. To instruct us in the things
of God and to lead us then to view the eternal happiness of
the Church of God, whereas we perhaps despised those who confessed
their poverty and their poorness and didn't have any time for
them. But as the Spirit of God shows us, we recognise they're
our best friends and our kindreds, because they have been shown
that which we are being shown, earns that unity of the Spirit
in building the house. Well, what a blessing it is then,
if we know the Lord is building our house. Well, the apostle
Peter, he had great reason, did he not, to praise God for that
which the Lord had done for him. And in the first epistle of Peter
and the second chapter, We read these words. He says, if so be,
well perhaps we'll start at the beginning of the second chapter.
Wherefore, laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies,
and envies, and all evil speakings. And we might say those were the
things that we had when we were building our own edifice. And
they were all there. God brings grace to lay them
aside and we come down, as the Apostle says, as newborn babes. That's a low place, isn't it?
As newborn babes desire the sincere milk of the Word that ye may
grow thereby. There's a beginning which is
low down. We don't suddenly jump in halfway
up. except we become as little children. The Lord says on several
occasions, you see, there's no life in us. As newborn babes
desire the sincere milk of the word, not something which is
frothy, not something which is light, but something which is
sincere. Oh, bless God for the sincere
word of God, that ye may grow thereby. There's
no grain without the sincere milk of the Word. For if so be
ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious, and the evidences
we refer to do show us the Lord is gracious, and therefore what
have we done? We've tasted of it, to whom coming
as unto a living stone that chief cornerstone, disallowed indeed
of men, but chosen of God and precious. And he says, ye also,
ye also, yes, sinful men and women, ye also, as lively stones. Why are we lively stones? It's
because of the work of the Spirit of God. which has brought us
into that position that the Apostle Paul began that second chapter,
and you hath he quickened. You hath he made alive who were
dead in trespasses and in sins. What's the result? Ye also as
lively stones. By the grace of God, can we not
praise God tonight if we have the evidence that we are lively
stones liably stones are built up, a spiritual house and holy
priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God
by Jesus Christ. He goes on, wherefore also it
is contained in the scripture, behold I lay in Zion a chief
cornerstone, elect, precious, and he that believeth on him
shall not be confounded. This blessed building of the
Spirit of God produces that wonder of true heartfelt belief. We believe in God because of
his work. Because of that which he has
done for us, we believe in God. We're drawn to him. We're shown
our situation and the building is being erected. I lay in Zion
a chief cornerstone who let precious, and he that believeth on him
shall not be confounded. What a mercy that is, isn't it?
You know we'll be confounded on many things that we believe
which are wrong, but we'll never be confounded if we believe on
the Lord Jesus Christ. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ
and thou shalt be saved. That was the answer, wasn't it,
to that Philippian jailer when he asked what he should do to
be saved? That was the answer. Oh, bless God, then, if we come
in that way. He goes on, wherefore it also,
it is contained in the scriptures. Behold, I lay in Zion a chief
cornerstone you let precious, and he that believeth in him
shall not be confounded unto you, therefore, which believe
he is precious. Well, precious means to be valuable. Is the Lord Jesus Christ valuable
in your sight and my sight? Do we value him as the pearl
of great price? Yes, you see, in that parable,
the man was willing to sell everything he had that he might purchase
this pearl of great price. How valuable. My friends, how
valuable is Christ? you and I are found in Christ,
we're part of this heavenly building, the value is such that there
will be an eternity of blessing before us. We can't possibly
evaluate what that means, but it is a most glorious consideration
and surely therefore unto you therefore which believe he is
Precious. What does Christ mean to us tonight?
Is he precious to you and me because of what he's done? Because
of his great salvation? Because he's redeemed our soul?
Because he's washed away our sins? Because he shed his precious
blood in order that our sins are atoned for? Is he precious? Is he precious or is it just
a name? or may you be a name which is
above every name. Now, as the Lord graciously erects
this building, believe Christ will be more precious. We will
be more vile in our own eyes. We won't be able to pat ourselves
on the back and say, well, I did well for that. We'll recognize
it's all of God's grace, and we'll rejoice in it And therefore
unto you which believe he is precious, but unto them which
be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the
same is made the head of the corner, and the stone of stumbling,
and the rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the
word, being disobedient, whereunto also they were appointed. But,
how many buts there are in the word of God, we read some of
them in that second chapter, but ye are, a chosen generation. Now when the Lord shows this
to us, we are a chosen generation. Oh my friends, the building is
being erected. We don't argue with it. We don't
say, well I don't think that's fair. We fall down before God
and we worship. We worship because of such a
truth as this. And it goes on, not only a chosen
generation but a royal priesthood and holy nation, a peculiar people
that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called
at you out of darkness into his marvellous light. What a light
it is, the light shining into our hearts. the buildings being
erected, the foundation is there, the light shone, it's God's light,
it's a glorious light which will never go out, which in time past were not a
people, no we weren't, but are now the people of God, which
had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy. Well, tonight, have we the evidence
then that we've obtained mercy? Except the Lord build the house,
they labour in vain that build it. It's the Lord we need. We need
to know that the Lord is building, it's his building, we're part
of that building and which one day every part of that heavenly
building will be fitted together And when the last saint is called
by his grace, the building will be complete and then time will
be no more. What a favour and mercy it will
be if you and I can rejoice tonight with the evidence in our heart
that God has worked in our soul so that he is building us. It's
not us. It's His work. We desire to praise
and to honour and to glorify His great name for that which
He has done in revealing ourselves as we are in the sight of God
in some measure and showing to us the blessings of being in
Christ. Accept the Lord, build the house.
They labour in vain that build it. Accept the Lord, keep the
city. Watchman waketh but in vain. Amen.