The collection taken here today
is for the support of the Christian Institute. Let us commence our services
by singing together hymn 1151. The tune is Salzburg 861. Great Sovereign Lord, what human
eye amidst thy works can rove, and not thy liberal hand despise,
nor trace thy bounteous love. him eleven hundred and fifty-one,
to Salzburg eight hundred and sixty-one, It's suffering, Lord, of human
eye, Amidst thy worst campground. And naught by April and death's
sky Nor trace thy bounteous love. Each star that builds the heavenly
frame, On earth each maddered cloud, Midland, thou to men of fame,
of great and bounteous gong, The lessons we drink of Him give,
repeat in various ways. Reach them, proud deletion, Lord,
at Thee. The poor foe shall shout Thy
praise. O fields and pastures tender,
Of man and beast I care, Thy praises still, Thy praises
still, Thy praises still, Thy praises still, But I'm a human, I can change. A human, a thought conceives. The greater benediction of Thy
praise, If the whole world so boldly see, The death of Austin has not spared,
Which there has been the prophet's son, And in Him the endless life prepares
For souls by sin and death Let us read together from the
Holy Word of God in the Book of Psalms, reading Psalm 118.
The 118th Psalm. Psalm 118. O give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good, because his mercy
endureth forever. Let Israel now say that his mercy
endureth forever. Let the house of Aaron now say
that his mercy endureth forever. Let them now that fear the Lord
say that his mercy endureth forever. I called upon the Lord in distress,
The Lord answered me and set me in a large place. The Lord
is on my side, I will not fear. What can man do unto me? The
Lord taketh my part with them that help me, therefore shall
I see my desire upon them that hate me. It is better to trust
in the Lord than to put confidence in man. It is better to trust
in the Lord than to put confidence in princes. All nations compass
me about, but in the name of the Lord will I destroy them.
They compass me about, yea, they compass me about, but in the
name of the Lord I will destroy them. They compass me about like
bees, they are quenched as the fire of thorns, for in the name
of the Lord I will destroy them. Thou hast thrusts all of me that
I might fall, but the Lord help me. The Lord is my strength and
song and has become my salvation. The voice of rejoicing and salvation
is in the tabernacles of the righteous. The right hand of
the Lord doeth valiantly. The right hand of the Lord is
exalted. The right hand of the Lord doeth valiantly. I shall
not die, but live and declare the works of the Lord. The Lord
has chastened me sore, but he hath not given me over unto death.
Open to me the gates of righteousness. I will go into them and I will
praise the Lord. This gate of the Lord into which
the righteous shall enter. I will praise thee for thou has
heard me and art become my salvation. The stone which the builders
refused is become the headstone of the corner. This is the Lord's
doing. It is marvelous in our eyes.
This is a day which the Lord hath made. We will rejoice and
be glad in it. Save now, I beseech thee, O Lord.
O Lord, I beseech thee, send now prosperity. Blessed be he
that cometh in the name of the Lord. We have blessed you out
of the house of the Lord. God is the Lord which has showed
us light by the sacrifice with cords, even unto the horns of
the altar. Thou art my God, and I will praise
thee. Thou art my God, I will exalt
thee. Oh, give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good, for his
mercy endureth forever. May the Lord bless his holy word
unto us and help us to approach unto him in prayer. Oh Lord, as we have gathered
together this afternoon the express purpose of giving thanks unto
thee, and praising thy great and thy most holy name. Lord,
we plead that thou wouldst give us a truly thankful heart. For
we have to prove, Lord, by nature. The answer to the hymn we've
sung together is, know I, know I will see the wonders of thy
grace. Know I will see that thou hast
made the heavens and the earth, and all that there in them is.
No, I will see thy guiding hand in Providence, and be bought
to confess by anything in nature that thou art too wise to her,
and all too good to be unkind. Lord, we plead this afternoon
thou wouldst grant us the eye of faith, faith by which we believe
the heavens and the earth were created by thee, and faith which
sees thy hand in all circumstance of our life. faith which confesses
that we are utterly unworthy of the least of thy mercies,
poor vile wretched sinners, but faith which beholds all thy goodness
to us despite all our wretchedness, despite all our sin, in everything
that we eat of, in everything that we partake of. And Lord,
we plead this afternoon that thou wouldst grant unto us once
more the eye of faith, the heart of faith that would receive these
things, And, Lord, that tongue that would confess to thine honour
and thy glory. For this is the Lord's doing,
and marvellous in our eyes. O Lord, we would desire that
thou wouldst have mercy upon us and deliver us from the wretched
heart of unbelief, that thou wouldst deliver us, Lord, from
our blindness by nature. That thou wouldst be pleased
this afternoon to bring all thy mercies before us. The cause,
Lord, that we might have brought to remember is thy goodness to
us in providence over another year, the rolling seasons, thy
constant care and protection over us, the provision, Lord,
of our every need, the answers to our prayer. But all above
all else, Lord, there might be some here this afternoon that
have to give thee thanks for mercy of the grace in Jesus Christ. Lord, that testimony, this poor
man cry, And the Lord heard him and delivered him out of all
his distresses. Lord, for Jesus and his precious blood, for his
glorious righteousness, for that truth that he was once dead,
but now is risen again and ascended and glorified and lives forever
to make intercession for us that come unto thee by him. O Lord,
we plead that Jesus this afternoon might be the centre and the object
of our praise. O Lord, that we might be crowning
his head with honour and with glory, and giving, Lord, thee
the thanks. O that thou didst see us when
strangers wandering far from thee, enemies, and didst spare
not thine own dear son, but was pleased to bruise him, that sinners
might live, that through him we might find access unto thee,
and though we who once are far off, now make nigh. Lord, we'd
ask that thou wouldst grant us that broken heart, that contrived
spirit, that sacrifice which thou will not despise, that praise,
Lord, might truly wake for thee in Zion this afternoon. Oh, Lord,
that thou wouldst draw near to warm our hearts, grant us, Lord,
the blessed ministry of the Spirit, that he might take the things
of Jesus and reveal them unto us. And Lord, that thou wouldst
help us unitedly, oh, to come and to truly give thee praise.
Lord, may we not be left to be the note out of tune in Lambeth's
chapel this afternoon. Oh, we plead, Lord, that thou
wouldst deliver us from anything that would keep back part of
the price, anything that would keep back from giving thee the
glory in all things, anything that would keep back from giving
thee thanks, concerning all matters in our life, the things, Lord,
which we call good, the things that we call bad, the things
that we can understand, the things we cannot understand, that, Lord,
truly thou art good, and therefore thou are worthy to be praised.
And so, Lord, we plead this afternoon that thou wouldst help us truly
to rejoice in thee. Lord, we'd ask that thou wouldst
give help in the preaching of the word, help us to rightly
divide the word of truth, Keep us, Lord, as we are of our holy
things. May we not be left to utter anything which is erroneous,
Lord, anything which may lead thy little ones astray. Lord,
we'd ask that thou wouldst help us to preach Jesus, and that
he might be glorified, that it might be his name that's lifted
up, and, oh, that we might see no man save Jesus only. Lord,
we'd ask that thou wouldst give help in the dead, and bless,
Lord, the dear pastor here, and uphold him in his labors. as
we gather, Lord, this afternoon to expressly thank thee for a
natural harvest. Oh, we plead, Lord, there might
yet be thou spiritual harvest here. There may be those, Lord,
that have to give thanks this afternoon for those times through
another year when they have truly gleaned here in the gospel field,
when our heavenly bow has let drop some handfuls of purpose.
Lord, we plead that thou wouldst make this place a rich gospel
field through another year. and that thou wouldst bless,
Lord, thy servant and each of thy servants that enter this
pulpit in the preaching of the word here, that many souls might
be blessed and that much might be done to the honour and the
glory of thy great and thy most holy name. Bless, Lord, the deacons,
uphold them as a church. Lord, unite them together each
time they gather. Keep them united when they are
separated one from another. Help them, Lord, to bear one
another's burdens, to walk together in love, to exhort one another,
to rejoice in one another, and to pray for one another. Lord,
those are gathering with us this afternoon. Oh, we plead, Lord,
that in gathering together, we might find that oneness, that
which unites us. Lord, it might be Jesus all in
all. Bless, Lord, thy servant gathered
with us this afternoon. We'd ask thy blessing upon him.
Lord, each one that gathers, each cause of truth represented.
Remember them, Lord, each for good. Oh, we long, Lord, to see
that reviving in Zion, we long to see the harvest sheaves. Lord,
what a wonder it is when we see the work of grace in the year,
and in the fall corn in the year, and see, Lord, thy saints ripen
for glory. Oh, Lord, that we might see more
of it, that we might have those eyes open to see thy marvelous
work of grace, and that, Lord, we might know it in our own hearts
this afternoon, for Lord, another year. We know not, Lord, how
many harvest seasons we may be spared to see, but prepare us,
Lord, for our end. Prepare us, Lord, for that great
harvest day. Oh, the Lord, that we might be
truly ripened. Lord, it's thy sovereign work,
but oh, that we might know, Lord, that work going on in our hearts
this afternoon to bring us down. and to exalt a precious Christ,
that we may truly be enabled to say, my hope is built on nothing
less and in nothing more than Jesus' life and righteousness. Lord, we ask that thou wouldst
remember us for good here this afternoon. Lord, have mercy upon
our nation. Lord, the wonders that thou does
not cut off our nation, that thou does not cut off sinners
in their sins. But Lord, the sun continues to
shine upon the righteous and upon the wicked. Lord, we plead,
oh, that thou wouldst not harden thy people, Lord, under thy mercies,
but thou wouldst keep us, Lord, ever mindful of the fact that
we are utterly unworthy. Lord, that we might not be left
to think of ourselves more than we ought to think. But Lord,
as we see, oh, so many in our day and generation hardened under
thy mercies and carrying on boldly in sin, Lord, that we might truly
tremble. There might be a warning unto
us, that thou wouldst, O Lord, keep alive the work of grace
in our souls. Keep us, Lord, looking alone
unto thee. But Lord, we'd ask in our land that thou wouldst
yet have mercy. Oh, could it be thy good pleasure that was
yet blessed thy word in our land and nation and through the nations
of the earth, that we might see Lord Emmanuel's offspring come.
We might see thy sons and daughters brought from the ends of the
earth and gathered in, and Lord, may it be so Even he, oh, revive
thy work in the midst of the years, make them in wrath, remember
mercy. Bless, Lord, each one that's
gathered. Remember any that are not gathered, Lord, those that
are detained for lawful reasons, work and family and other concerns,
Lord. We plead that they might be without
hunger and thirst in their hearts. They might be looking up unto
thee. Lord, have mercy on any that could be here but won't
be here. Oh, Lord, we'd ask that that would Truly break hard hearts
this afternoon, making them feel their utter unworthiness for
thy mercies, and to trace, Lord, all thy mercy that thou hast
not cut them off and put them in hell. Bring them, Lord, to
that mercy that is in Christ. Gather, Lord, with those who
may gather with us this evening. Lord, we plead that thou wouldst
grant journey and mercies, and that the days spent in thy house
might be better than a thousand. It might be a foretaste of that
eternal day of thanksgiving in glory above, and Lord, that we
might find that true note of praise within our hearts this
afternoon, as kings and priests unto thee. Oh, we would rejoice
in him who loved us and gave himself for us. Wash us, Lord,
throughly from all our sins, take away all our iniquities,
receive us graciously and love us freely. We'd ask it all for
Jesus Christ's sake. Amen. Let us now sing together hymn
number 696. The tune is Old 148. 552. Within these walls, dear Lord,
display thy matchless grace, thy constant aid afford, and
show thy smiling face, and may thy blessed family enjoy salvation,
full and free. Hymn 698. Tune old one hundred, five hundred
and fifty two. Within this frozen door Display thy matchless grace,
Thy constant gain of power, And show thy smiling face, And pay
thy blessed Come e'er, dear, enjoy salvation,
full and free. Come, may thee channel three, His glorious family proud, Set
captive sinners free, And wandering sinners found, Displayed the The wonders of wisdom will teach
the children of Sheba. May watchmen taught of God, Jehovah's
lovely care, Proclaim the Saviour's power, our vanquished guilty
dear, and made offensive our upheav'n, and made offensive
all its horror, In order to help me this afternoon
and grant you prayer for attention, I direct you to a text you'll
find in the portion of God's word read together. The book
of Psalms, Psalm 118. I'm reading again of verse 24. The 118th Psalm, I'm reading
the 24th verse. This is the day which the Lord
hath made. We will rejoice and be glad in it. This is the day
which the Lord hath made. we will rejoice and be glad in
it. The psalm that our text is found
in this afternoon speaks of the day of impossibilities made possible. It speaks of the power of God,
it speaks of the Lord's work. And this is the conclusion of
the Lord's people as they survey what God has done. They have
to say this is the day which the Lord hath made, we will rejoice
and be glad in it. There's only one place for the
crown to be put. There's only one to whom the
honour belongs, and it is to the Lord. In the direct context
of the psalm, some would tell you they believe this psalm is
one of the psalms that was written when the children of Israel were
restored out of exile. We read of all the nations being
against them, but they put their trust in the Lord, and the Lord
delivered them. Oh friends, truly, those poor
are children of God who had been taken captive and led down into
Babylon and been there those 70 years, but to prove the Lord's
word had not failed. I know the thoughts I think towards
you, thoughts of peace and not of evil to give you an expected
end. They hadn't grown any more worthy in Babylon. They hadn't
grown any better in Babylon. But the Lord, full of mercy,
full of tender compassions, the Lord who had not changed, was
pleased to bring them again into the land, to restore them again
to Jerusalem, to see Jerusalem again built. And all those who
were gracious, those who were exercised, would they not have
had to say, this is a day which the Lord hath made. We will rejoice
and be glad in it. Friends, if you know anything
of what it is to be restored as a backslider, I believe you
will have to acknowledge the fact is not your work which has
restored you. It's not you returning to the
things of God, but it is a day which the Lord hath made and
we will rejoice and be glad in it. And perhaps there's some
of you here this afternoon who feel coming into the Lord's house,
this is how you have to come. This is a day which the Lord
hath made. We will rejoice and be glad in
it. He's been pleased to restore unto you the joy of his salvation,
to bring you back from your wanderings, to bring you again to rejoice
In his name, this is a day which the Lord hath made. We will rejoice
and be glad in it. There is one impossibility. We
also know this psalm was traditionally sung, is still traditionally
sung at the Passover, the feast of remembrance of the Lord bringing
his people out of the land of Egypt in that Passover night.
And oh, what language appropriate to that. As we hear the voice
of the eldest child, the eldest son singing in this psalm, the
blood over the doorpost, I shall not die, but live and declare
the works of the Lord. Oh, friends, what an impossibility.
Oh, the years of trouble in Egypt, the plagues that the Lord had
sent, but Pharaoh's heart hardened. Now, perhaps it was that question,
shall we ever come forth? Oh, is there any hope that will
ever be delivered? But this is a day which the Lord hath made.
Ah, friends, by blood upon the doorposts, the Lord brought his
people out by his outstretched arm. Oh, you see, we have to
be taught this is a day which the Lord hath made when the Lord
delivers us. Oh, Josh, Gideon had to be brought down, his great
army had to be reduced. Ah, friends, they go out with
the lights hidden by clay pots and there they break the clay
pots and the light shines forth and they cry, the sword of the
Lord and of Gideon and the enemy flee. Our friends, the battle
is the Lord's, not man's. This is a day which the Lord
hath made. And there in Egypt, our friends, they didn't come
out by their own strength. They didn't come out by their own wisdom.
They came out by the blood of another, the blood of the lamb
upon the doorpost. That's what brought the children
of Israel out of Egypt. Fundamentally, the blood upon
the doorposts are divided between the Egyptians and the Israelites
and saved and spared the Israelites and destroyed the Egyptians and
spoiled them. This is the day which the Lord
hath made. Now, friends, this afternoon, have you known the
Lord's deliverance? The Lord's deliverance, perhaps
in Providence, in possibilities. But the Lord has appeared. This
is a day which the Lord hath made. Oh, friends, have you been
facing death for the precious blood of Jesus? Oh, finding that
shelter beneath that precious blood is life. You find he hath
abolished death, and brought light and immortality to power.
And you've seen I shall not die, but live, and declare the works
of the Lord. The Lord hath chastened me sore,
but hath not given me over unto death. This is a day which the
Lord hath made. We will rejoice and be glad in
it." And then friends, thirdly, we know this psalm is a psalm
of prophecy. Oh, it speaks ultimately of the
Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. In so many ways that we find
the language of the psalm taken up when Jesus rides into Jerusalem
there upon the ass and the people cry out Hosanna unto the son
of David, they're quoting this psalm. Now friends and there
in the same chapter in Matthew you'll find Jesus quotes this
psalm, the stone which the builders refused has become the headstone
of the corner. And again this is a subject that the apostles
take up When they are brought before the rulers to explain
themselves. This is the Lord's doing. Why? Because the stone
which the builders rejected is become the headstone in the corner.
Friends, Jesus, he came unto his own, his own received him
not. Rejected. Rejected by sinners still today. As the hymn writer puts it, the
proud, the self-righteous. They come near, but they think
him nothing worth. despised and rejected of men, a man of sorrows
and acquainted with grief. And what can we say of ourselves?
We hid our faces from him. We hid our faces from him. Oh,
but the stone which the builders rejected, the stone which the
builders refused, has become the headstone of the corner.
Our friends, risen triumphant, and they're the power of the
resurrection, the power of the resurrection made known in the
hearts of the Lord's people. Oh, the blessed ministry of the
Holy Spirit, he takes the things of Jesus and reveals them unto
us, no longer rejected. But now we have to weep over
a once crucified Jesus. We have to weep over him that
we have despised and rejected, weep over him that was bruised
and wounded for our transgressions. Now we say, Jesus is precious. Ah, friends, if that day has
come in your life, then do you not have to say, this is a day
which the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in
it. The resurrection, resurrection power in your life, that you
were once dead, are now made alive again. You were once lost,
found. You to whom Jehovah said, Ken,
you meant nothing. But now Jesus is precious. This is a day. which the Lord
hath made, we will rejoice and be glad in it." And so, friends,
our text speaks about that which is impossible, being made possible. It speaks of God's work. This
is a day which the Lord has made, not a day made by man. Now, friends,
not a day which we can bring to pass, utterly helpless in
this day. We can't make natural days. We
may measure natural days, but we can never make a day. Now,
friends, God made days. He set the moon and the stars
and the sun in their courses. He divided the light from darkness
and sent forth those orbs to rule day and night. And he called
it day. The evening and the morning were
the first day. God saw it was good. Our friends, we cannot
make the day. Hezekiah knew what impossibility
it was for the sun to go backwards. Our friends, an impossibility
too for it to go forwards. Hezekiah said it would be harder
for it to go backwards rather than forwards, and so it went
backwards. This is a day the Lord hath made. Friends, God makes a natural
day and we cannot set its bounds. We cannot change it. We may fiddle
with our measurement of time. We may next month put our clocks
backwards. We may in the spring put them
forwards, but we cannot change the days. The day which the Lord
hath made. Friends, there is God's work.
A man cannot put his finger to it, man cannot touch it. Well,
if you've got a day in your life, a day in providence, a day in
grace in which you have to say, this is a day the Lord has made,
he will have all the glory because it's his work, it's his doing. This is the Lord's doing, it's
marvelous in our eyes. Our friends, these are the days
which the Lord has made, the days which he has all the glory
for, the days which you have to say, I've done nothing towards
it, I could not bring it to pass. I could not make that impossibility
away, I could not cause it to happen, but it is the Lord. This
is a day which the Lord hath made. And that's where the emphasis
is. This is a day which the Lord
hath made. Now, our friend, it's evidence
to be God's work because it's an impossibility with man, but
it's possible with him. And it's as impossibilities become
possible that we have to say, this is a day which the Lord
hath made. impossible with man but this is God's work he's done
it a light thing our friends an easy thing with him it testifies
to the fact this is a day which the Lord has made we'll rejoice
and be glad in it our friends have there been those impossibilities
are those impossibilities our friends are you certain this
afternoon that the only way that impossibility will be taken away
is as the Lord puts forth his hand, as he puts his finger on
the matter and causes the mountains to flow down and causes that
impossible to be as nothing before him and then it will be the day
which the Lord has made and you'll rejoice in it and be glad. Not
only in possibilities but oh friends to see the mercy and
the grace of God in his dealings with us and to have to say this
is the day which the Lord has made. God doesn't deal with us
as men deal with us. Oh, David was born to say he'd
rather fall into the hands of God than to fall into the hands
of man. Now, friends, his mercy cannot
be measured. His mercy is so great. Oh, have you been brought to
see the mercy and the way the Lord has dealt with you in providence
and in grace? And you've had to say, this is
not the day of man. This is not the mercy of man,
this is God's mercy. And therefore it is the day the
Lord has made. Who will rejoice and be glad
in it. You did not deserve that mercy. Nothing in you deserving
of goodness. The goodness of God towards you.
But God is good. More full of grace than you are
of sin. More merciful, friends, than you could ever imagine.
When he appears in all his mercy, in all his goodness, Friends,
when it melts your heart, your unworthiness and His great grace,
then you have to say, it is the Lord. It is the Lord. This is
a day which the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in
it. You see, friends, these days
they have the fingers of God all over them. The fingerprints
of God, His handiwork stamped on them from beginning to end.
And therefore we have to say, this is a day which the Lord
has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it. Our friends, here's
wisdom. Oh, do you have to say this afternoon,
this is a day the Lord has made because of his wisdom in the
matter, not the way that you would have proposed, not the
way that you would have chosen. Our friends, you'd never have
thought of it, but here's wisdom. Oh, he's timing perfect. The
way that he's brought things to pass, the way that he's worked
them together. If you'd had your way, our friends, how different
the outcome would be, but you can see the Lord's wisdom in
the matter. And you have to say, this is a day that the Lord has
made. He is too wise to err and all too good to be unkind. Because
you see his wisdom in the matter, the perfection of his timing,
the wonders of the way he works, bringing together things which
may have happened many years ago, but happened in order to
bring the events of today to pass. This is a day the Lord
has made. Friends, we could not have proposed
it. We could not have planned it. but it's God's doing, and
we trace his wisdom in the matter, and therefore we say, this is
a day the Lord has made. We rejoice and be glad in it.
Ah, friends, his faithfulness. Oh, does his faithfulness in
his dealings with you declare this is a day which the Lord
has made? Ah, you see, friends, those Jews
that we've already mentioned that went down into captivity,
they didn't believe the word of God towards them. Oh, Jeremiah
was sent to tell them, that they should settle down because the
captivity would be 70 years. They should build their houses
and marry and be given in marriage and plant their vineyards because
they were going to be there for 70 years. All the false prophets
said they would be back quickly. But the word of the Lord said
70 years. I know the thoughts I think towards
you, said the Lord. Thoughts of peace and not of
evil to give you an expected day. Well, friends, 70 years
later, when things may have seen utterly impossible, another emperor
upon the throne, Cyrus, of whom we really read nothing that would
confirm us in saying that he was a godly man, but he was a
man used by God. And there the Lord is pleased
to let his people go, to bring them back into the land, to give
them favour in the eyes of those who are not godly. Now, friends,
the Lord's doing, faithful, to his word, heaven and earth shall
pass away, but my word shall not pass away. Our friends, a
change in your life has been drawn through. Our lives through
various scenes are drawn, and victory thrice been gained, but
thy eternal thought moves on, my undisturbed affairs. Our friends,
you have to prove this afternoon the Lord is faithful. You've
forgotten the word. You foolishly thought the word
would never be fulfilled. But our friends, when it's fulfilled,
You're reminded, the Lord spoke of it. No, he spoke of it exactly. This is a day which the Lord
has made. Now, friends, his faithfulness in his dealings towards you declare,
this is the day the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be
glad in it. Can we come also, friends, to
his righteousness, to his holiness? I often have to go to Eli. Now,
friends, when those solemn tidings were brought to Eli, what did
he say? It is the Lord. It is the Lord. Let him do what
seemeth him good in his sight. Now, friends, Eli was come to
fall before a righteous, before an utterly holy God, a God who
will not acquit the sinner, a God who will not let the wicked get
away with it. Now, friends, is the Lord dealing with you in
righteousness this afternoon? Is he dealing with you in holiness?
Is he chastising you for your sins? Now, friends, are you visiting
the wicked? You may love them, but they're
sinners. You have to say before his righteous
dealings with them, before his holy dealings with them, this
is a day which the Lord has made. This is a day which the Lord
has made. Our friends, this rejoicing and being glad in it is not the
levity of the world, but I believe the Lord's people do have to
rejoice, even in the holy righteousness of God. Our friends, even in
his holiness, as it would cut the sinner off. as it makes you
tremble, but it's the Lord, it's the Lord. Great in majesty, in
power and dominion, and so, our friends, you have to put your
mouth in the dust to rejoice and to be glad in him, that he
is holy, that he is pure, that he is righteous and holy and
righteous in his dealings towards you, a sinner. This is a day
which the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in
it. You see, friends, the Lord's people are left in no doubt.
This is the day which the Lord hath made, not man. Because the
fingerprints of God, the attributes of God are seen throughout the
day, from dawn to dusk, the whole day. Ah, the Lord's doing. This is the Lord's doing. It's
marvellous in our eyes. This is the day which the Lord
hath made. Ah, not man. This is God's work. Holy. Righteous, God's faithful work. Ah, friends, God's work of mercy
and grace. Ah, friends, God's work of power.
The impossibility made possible. This is a day which the Lord
has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it. Well, friends,
that brings us to ask the question, who is it that says this? Who
is it that says this? Oh, Jesus solemnly says, he that
hath ears, behear, let him hear. Ah, friends, we could say, he
that hath eyes to see, let him see. Have you ever come to say,
this is a day which the Lord has made? I could not help but
be struck by your opening hymn, that our great sovereign Lord,
what human eye amidst thy works can rove, and not thy liberal
hand despise, nor trace thy bounteous love. Well, friends, the answer
to that question is, nobody. Nobody. By nature, we will never
say this is the day the Lord has made. By nature, God is not
in all our thoughts. Friends, by nature, we're enemies
of God. We hate God. We do not believe that he's working.
We do not want to see his hand. We're afraid of his righteousness.
Perhaps I shouldn't say we're afraid of his righteousness,
but we don't want his righteousness. We do not think we need his mercy
and his grace. We think we can get by on our
own. Oh, we believe. Though we may not say it, that
ultimately everything is fate and luck and fortune, just as
the world. Now, friends, we, if we're able
to say this afternoon, this is a day which the Lord has made,
I'm certain of this. There was a day in our life as
we were born, dead in trespasses and sins, when we would not have
said it. It would not have been the language
of our soul because we could not see it. Blind by nature you
see to these things. Blind to seeing the fingerprints
of God, upon his dealings with us. Our friends, blind to the
way he works. And therefore it is, as Cooper
puts it, blind unbelief is sure, is certain, always wither. And
scan his works in vain. Our friends, and say, our God
is not here. And say that God has forgotten
and that he is being ungracious towards us. Our friends, there's
unbelief in poor Jacob. The Lord's people come back there
at times. Isaiah 40, hath God forgotten? Our friends, scanning
his works in vain, blind unbelief. You've still got an old nature
and I've still got an old nature and that old nature will not
believe. It's still blind unbelief. And it scans his work in vain.
It gets up in the morning and it surveys the day. And it cannot
say this is the day the Lord has made. Our friends, and it
may even solemnly look back over the day and God's mercies and
God's grace, but old nature still will not believe. Ah, friends,
do you have to wrestle against old nature? Do you have to mourn
over old nature? Oh, that I had not of myself.
Oh, is there something in you now that does see? Your eyes
have been opened. Ah, friends, you once were blind,
but now you see. And what do you see? This is a day which
the Lord has made. Ah, friends, the wonders of His
works, the wonders of His strength and power, the wonders of His
mercy and His grace, the wonders of His wisdom and faithfulness,
Now, friends, the wonder of His holiness. Holy, holy, holy, Lord
God Almighty. Oh, it brings you to worship.
Now, friends, you see it now looking back over the years of
unregeneracy. And you have to say regarding
those days in your life, this is a day which the Lord has made
spared you. Now, friends, that He did not
deal with you according to your sins deserved, but He watched
over you when Satan's blind slave you sported with death. Now,
friends, this is a day which the Lord has made and you mark
the day in your life, the appointed time, which rolled on apace,
not to repose, but to call by grace. Our friends, that day,
the day when the Lord was pleased to breathe life into you, our
friends, you began to see differently, you began to feel differently.
You began to feel your unworthiness. You began to marvel at the fact
that you were not in hell. You began to marvel at the fact
there was food upon the table and clothes to put on your back
and a place to live. because you are undeserving of
the least of them, you're a sinner. You're a sinner. Now, friends,
can you remember the day when the Lord first opened your eyes
to see His mercy and His grace towards you in Jesus? Now, friends,
brought to say, yes, now I know to see, to see the Lord of life
and glory, the Father's own dear Son, sent into this world to
suffer and to bleed and to die for you. Our friends, did you
not have to then say, this is a day which the Lord has made?
Our friends, many days since. Have your eyes been opened to
say this? This, you see, is the language
of faith. Our friends, faith will not see.
Unbelief will never say that God created the heavens and the
earth. It's by faith we believe He created
the heavens and the earth. It's by faith we believe that
He made the natural day and night, the sun and the moon. to rule
by day and to rule by night. Our friends, it's by faith and
by faith alone that we see in all His dealings with us, it
is the Lord. It is the Lord. Great things
in little things, the tiny circumstance in your life, this is the Lord's
doing. And marvellous in our eyes, this is a day which the
Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it. Our friends,
can you rejoice this afternoon because the Lord has been pleased
to give you faith, because he's been pleased in his mercy and
grace to give you grace, to give you a new heart. Now, our friends,
to open your blind eyes and unstop your deaf ears and bring you
to know him, whom to know, his life eternal, such that you can
now say, this is the day which the Lord has made. We'll rejoice
and be glad in it. Now perhaps there's one here
this afternoon that's saying, well, how do I know if I've got
this faith? Oh, faith is so essential. We
read it in the word of God. Our friends, no faith, no life,
no faith, no salvation. How will I know if I've got this
faith? Well, friends, our text says, this is a day which the
Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in
it. Our friends, that's faith. We
will rejoice and be glad in it. This is a day which the Lord
has made. That's the response of faith
in the soul. Where there's faith in exercise,
where faith sees God in control, where faith sees God working,
where sense and sight and reason come to an end, then we have
to say it is the Lord. Then we will rejoice. We will
not be able not to rejoice. It troubles me greatly the spirit
which seems to have crept in amongst us, it almost seems to
speak as though rejoicing is something foreign to real religion. Our friends, we must always have
a long face and a heavy heart. Our friends, that's not the work
of faith, the work of unbelief, not the work of faith. It speaks
of a very solemn place to be in this afternoon, if you've
got no reason to rejoice. Our friends, if you're one of
the Lord's people and you closely examine yourself, Why is it you
don't rejoice? What is the cause of these seasons
of a lack of rejoicing in your life? It's unbelief, isn't it?
It's unbelief. It's scanning his work in vain.
No, friends, it's looking to your own strength and proving
you've got none. It's looking to the help of others and proving
they don't come to help you. Proving that the matter is too
great for you and not looking unto the Lord. No, friends, that's
what casts us down. That's what delivers us over
to fears and blackness and darkness. But ah, when faith surveys the
scene and says, it is the Lord, when faith surveys the scene
and says, ah, this is the day which the Lord has made. Ah,
friends, we will rejoice and be glad in it. What does that
mean? It means that we will rejoice
and be glad in it in times of trouble. This is a day which
the Lord has made. Ah, friends, the trouble hasn't
come by chance. The darkness hasn't descended
by fate, it's the Lord. And the Lord knows you in it.
Oh, you see, dear Micah could say, rejoice not against me,
O mine enemy. When I am down, I will arise. When I sit in darkness,
the Lord will be a light unto me. Our friends, he could rejoice,
you see, in that darkness, because this was a day the Lord had made.
The Lord knew where Micah was. The Lord had made darkness and
light, and the Lord had been pleased to bring Micah into that
darkness. But Micah, by faith, could rejoice
in that fact. This was a day the Lord has made.
The darkness hadn't come by chance. The Lord hadn't forgotten Micah,
he knew exactly where Micah was. The day and the night, says the
psalmist, are alike unto thee. Now our friends, Micah was not
hidden from his God and therefore he could rejoice and he could
say to his enemy, rejoice not against me, O mine enemy, when
I sit in darkness, I shall arise. Habakkuk, now our friends, what
a dark place he saw. No harvest, no harvest thanksgiving,
no harvest to give thanks for. Now our friends, no olives upon
the trees, Carves in the stall, everything dead and desolate.
But what is a bacchic found doing? He's held holding a Thanksgiving
service. He's held telling them to bring
his harp and he'll sing unto the Lord. Why? Because this is
a day which the Lord has made. Hasn't happened by chance. God
is still faithful. His word must still be fulfilled.
He cannot lose a bacchic. He cannot lose his people, and
therefore a backer can rejoice. Oh, come to the New Testament,
dear Paul and Silas. Our friend's there in prison.
Unbelief says, Lord, thou hast sent me to preach the gospel.
Thou hast brought me to Philippi. Thou hast appeared to bless the
Word, and now I'm in prison. Oh, but faith says, the Lord
knows. Faith says, the Lord has brought
me here. Faith says, the Lord has prepared this bench in the
prison for me. The Lord has put these handcuffs upon me. Our
man could not touch me, but for the Lord, this is a day which
the Lord has made. And so what do we find Paul and
Silas doing, rejoicing and being glad in it at midnight? Our friends,
the darkest hour. The hour when you expect that
everyone, your friends will be in bed. They'll have given up
on you. They'll have given up hope of getting you out tonight.
So they've gone to bed. The time when you may think that
the prayer meeting for you has ceased. Perhaps they remember
the days when the church was gathered together to pray for
the release of Peter, but are now at midnight. The Lord's praying
people have gone to bed too. But our friends, they're the
most helpless hour, the darkest hour of the night. Paul and Silas
have reason to rejoice. Why? Because God is in control. This is a day which the Lord
has made. So at midnight they sing psalms
unto the Lord and what happens? Now friends, the Lord hears,
the Lord accepts their praise, the Lord delivers. You know friends,
we so often put it the wrong way round. We say I will sing
praise when the Lord has delivered me. The Lord says sing praise
unto me as a delivering God and I will deliver you. I will not
put you to shame when you sing praise. Our friends, old nature
says I cannot praise Him until He delivers me. What happens
if He doesn't deliver me? There'll be shame upon my head.
My friends will say that you were singing praise unto Him
and He didn't hear you. Our friends, God will never be
put to shame and God will never put His people to shame. Our
friends, you have no need to fear this afternoon of praising
the Lord. If you can say this is a day which the Lord has made,
we will rejoice and be glad in it. The Lord will hear your praise,
accept it. Our friends, He will deliver
you. He will deliver you. It's a terrible tendency amongst
us to put things the wrong way round. I was only saying, I think
on Lord's Day morning to my own people, the Lord says, if you
love me, keep my commands. But our friends, how many of
us say, ah, we will only keep his commandments
if he tells us that he loves us. But our friends, if you love
me, keep my commands. We have to examine ourselves.
That's where it begins. Do I love the Lord or not? Is
there any love in my heart to the Lord Jesus? Could I give
up on the Lord Jesus? Could I bear to be separated
from him if ye love me, keep my commandments? Ah, friends,
we have a duty to praise our delivering God. We have a duty
to praise our God who knows, who understands, who is able
to deliver. And oh, friends, in giving that
debt of praise, How often we have to prove He does deliver.
He doesn't put us to shame. Well, friends, there are the
Lord's people, Paul and Silas, the Lord's servants in prison.
But this is a day which the Lord has made. We will rejoice and
be glad in it. Now, friends, a searching question
this afternoon. Can you say this is a day the
Lord has made? It's easy. Oh, friends, easy
when everything's going well. Easy when everything's going
your way. Easy when there's no trouble
in life, no cloud upon the horizon. But our friends, we have to prove
it's not so easy because they are the times so often hardened
by the Lord's mercies, we take them for granted. We're forgetful
that this is a day the Lord has made. But our friends, can we
say it? No, when everything's against
us, when all these things are against us. You know, dear Job
there, he could not see the Lord. He could not even perceive it.
for he's not just seeing but he could not even perceive him
it almost seemed as though faith could not perceive him either
although faith was active in the heart of joe when he said
i go forward and backward to the left and to the right but
i cannot find him but faith says he knows the way that i take
and when he has tried me i shall come forth as gold now this is
the day which the lord has made the lord gave the lord has taken
away blessed be the name of the lord Rejoice and be glad in it. Oh,
you see, friends, this afternoon, if you've got faith, you'll have
to rejoice. You'll have to rejoice. You'll
have to praise Him in the fire. You'll have to praise Him in
the darkness. Oh, friends, you'll have to rejoice in Him because
your circumstances have changed. Your experience has changed,
but He hasn't changed. He's still the same. Still is
full of grace and truth. Still is full of mercy and love. Still righteous, still holy.
still faithful, an unchangeable God. Now you see, friends, the
reason to praise Him doesn't change. All the while you only
praise Him for what He gives you. Oh, friends, your religion
will come very far short. How often we fall into that.
We only praise Him for what He gives us. We only praise Him
for the blessings He pours upon us, but friends, He is worthy
of praise. If he should take everything
away from you today, our friends, if he should cut off all your
mercies, all his mercies towards you, he would still be the same.
And if you praised him, friends, when he gave you everything,
if you praised him when he blessed you, there is no reason in him
for not praising him when he takes everything away from you
because he is still the same. This is a day which the Lord
has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it. Well, friends,
it's easy this afternoon in one way for me to tell you you should
be rejoicing. But, oh, we have to prove how utterly unable we
are to rejoice as a commandment. Oh, friends, we would not preach
law this afternoon. We must come to the gospel. Oh,
what is it that will make you rejoice is this, is faith, as
faith is enabled to take hold upon the Lord, enabled to see
Him when sight cannot see Him. Oh, friends, when you cannot
see His path in the sea, You cannot understand His dealings
with you, but faith believes. And as faith is strengthened
to believe and is strengthened to be enabled to say with Paul,
for I know, I know that all things work together for good, to them
who love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose.
Ah, friends, then we will rejoice. Oh, we must not begin at the
wrong end of the text, and I don't want to begin at the wrong end
of the text this afternoon. Oh, if I tell you that it's a
Thanksgiving day and we must rejoice, you'll find it a legal
work. And you know, friends, I know
what these Thanksgiving occasions are as a legal work. I've got
to go and preach, and I've got to preach a Thanksgiving sermon.
Now, friends, how legal it is to try and make yourself give
thanks, how hard it is to make yourself rejoice, but when the
Lord is pleased to draw near. Now, friends, when faith gets
a sight of him, then it's no hardship to enter into his gates
with thanksgiving and into his courts with praise. Now, friends,
Two services of a Thanksgiving day is not enough. Oh, that's
where we want the Lord to bring us this afternoon. This is a
day which the Lord has made. Our friends, we might see the
Lord in the day. We might truly feel regarding
the harvest. This is not just the work of
the farmers. It's not just the hard work of
those that labour in the harvest. We should be thankful for them
and we should give thanks to them. We see a society which
grabs and takes so much for granted. Our friends, that we might not
be like that, but ultimately, oh, that we might become to behold
our Lord, that we might behold our Lord Christ, the Lord and
Savior Jesus Christ. If faith gets a glimpse of Him,
our friends, then we will say, this is a day the Lord has made. We will rejoice. We are rejoicing
in it. Oh, it's impossible, isn't it,
to get a sight of Jesus and not rejoice if you're a child of
God. And so, friends, that's really where I want to come.
for the remainder of the sermon, this is the day which the Lord
has made. Now friends, can we see the Lord
in the days that he has made? Because it's seeing the Lord
that will bring us to rejoice, that will bring us to be glad
in the day. This is the day which the Lord
has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it. We would just
begin there with creation. We said, now the Lord created
the day, the day and night. Ah, friends, have you ever beheld
the glory of the Lord in His creation? Ah, friends, when faith,
you see, sees the hand of the Creator, beholds His handiwork,
it brings us to praise, doesn't it? When we come in with the
language of Psalm 8, O Lord, our Lord, how excellent is Thy
name in all the earth. When we behold the wonders of
the heavens, the glory of His handiwork, and are brought to
say, what is man that Thou art mindful of him, and the Son of
man that Thou shalt visit him. Our friends, truly then we come
to praise. We rejoice and are glad in that
day. It's a day of creation. As I
was just thinking coming along, the day of creation, you know,
friends, we read something very beautiful in Jeremiah's prophecy
concerning the new covenant. God says sooner he will break
the covenant of day and night than he will break his covenant
of grace with his people. Now, friends, day and night,
they roll around certainly, don't they? Day and night. Can you
ever remember a day when the night did not come or a night
when the day did not break? This is a day which the Lord
has made. Now, friends, he set the bounds of the day and night.
They're certain. They continue revolving. They're in the Lord's
hand. This is a day which the Lord has made. Now, you know,
friends, that's one thing the evolutionists cannot explain.
They may try and explain how we've come forth out of some
mass, but they cannot explain are the wonders of the revolving
seasons and day and night. Yes, the world revolves around
the sun and the moon goes around the earth, et cetera. They know
all that. Our friends, they can explain
the mathematics of it, but how it came to be together in that
way, in order to produce that mathematics, they cannot explain. This is a day which the Lord
has made. We rejoice and be glad in it. Our friends, it's certain,
you see, unchangeable. There's one thing certain in
your life. Night will come this evening,
day will come tomorrow. Yes, there is that certainty
and in saying that we would not pass over it is appointed unto
men once to die and after that the judgment. But you know, friends,
you don't know what will happen certainly between now and nightfall. You do not know what will happen
towards tomorrow morning. But I can be certain of this,
that the night will fall this evening and the sun will rise
tomorrow morning. We can give you the exact times.
Now, friends, unless the Lord comes first, this is a day which
the Lord has made. Now, friends, have you ever come
to rejoice in it, as you've beheld the Lord in it, as you've found
that sweetness, the night falling, another evidence of the certainty?
Yet has he made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things
ensured, because sooner the covenant of day and night should cease
than that he should take his love away from me." Our friends,
what a blessed thought. We will rejoice and be glad in
it. You know, perhaps some of you,
the older friends, they seem to fear the night, restless nights,
the nights when perhaps things always seem out of proportion
and seem so great. But our friends, if you can get
a sense of this, as you go to bed at night, another night,
another evidence of the certainty of the covenant of grace, Will
you not be able to say, concerning that night, this is the night
which the Lord hath made? We will rejoice and be glad in
it. Although my house be not so with God, yet it be made of
me, an everlasting covenant ordered in all things inshore. We want
to come for a moment to the Passover, our friends, that day which we've
already spoken of again. This is a day which the Lord
has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it. Our friends, there
were the Israelites, the firstborn of every household, on death
row. The destroying angel was going
to pass through the land. Our friends, these things were
heard. They were published in Israel.
Every household must know about it. Can you imagine for a moment
what the eldest son in the household felt as he heard the news? Tonight,
tonight, the destroying angel is going to pass through and
the firstborn of every household will die. what blackness, what
darkness, but our friends are the voice of hope. But the Lord
has given instruction, we must take a lamb, the firstborn, for
the firstborn. Now that lamb must be taken,
one for a household, must be slain, the blood must be put
upon the doorpost. As the sun watches the preparation,
of course, although I've said tonight, our friends, there were
days of preparation for this. The lamb had to be proved to
be without blemish. They had to take the lamb and
keep it for a few days to check that it was without blemish,
because the lamb must be without blemish. But then the day came
when the lamb was to be slain. Our friends, that very night,
the destroying angel would pass through. But oh, the eldest son
watches as the Father takes the blood and puts it upon the lintel,
upon the doorpost. Now, friends, there is his home,
shelter beneath the blood. As long as he remains under that
blood, as long as he remains in the household with the blood
over the doorpost, he could sing. As he sits there that evening,
eating the roast lamb with his family, as he sits there partaking
of the Passover meal, he could sing, I shall not die, but live
and declare the works of the Lord. This is the day which the
Lord has made. Our friends, it sets before us
Jesus. Sinners in the bondage of Egyptian darkness, the blackness
of darkness forever, hell. Our friends, that's where we
are by nature, on the road to hell, a lost eternity. It may be tonight. But if Jesus
is set before you as the way of life, our friends, if you're
brought there today, to be revealed unto you by the Holy Spirit that
that blood upon the cross of Calvary was shed for you, blood
for the remission of sins, blood which cleanses from all sin.
Now, friends, if that blood should be applied to the doorpost of
your heart, applied to your conscience by the Holy Spirit, then you'll
truly be enabled to say, this is the day which the Lord hath
made. We will rejoice and be glad in
it. Oh, friends, have you got a day
in your life like that? Do you have to look back and
say, oh, it was the Lord's work? It was His doing, it was marvelous
in our eyes. The day that He revealed it to
you, the day that He applied that blood. Oh, do you have to
keep coming to that blood? As oft, as the hymn writer says,
oft my soul the sins assail me. Turn thine eyes to Jesus' blood.
He beneath the Spirit's sealing stands, thy great high priest
with God." Ah, friends, as often as you find a poor, sin-sick
soul sheltered under that blood, do you have to say, this is the
day which the Lord hath made. We will rejoice and be glad in
it. Have you had to come there today? Ah, friends, did you have
to come there this morning? A poor sinner again. Daily sins. To daily wash in Calvary's blood,
to daily have to look to Jesus. Oh friends you found that blood
still has power to cleanse from all sin. Have you had to prove
even today this man receive his sinners and eateth with them.
Oh friends you have to prove he ever lives to make intercession
for you. Wherefore he's able to save unto
the uttermost all them that come unto God by him. Do you not have
to say as you've come into the Lord's house this is the day
which the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in
it. Oh friends if you get a sense
of that I shall not die but live. And declare the wonderful works
of the Lord. Ah, friends, it will be the day
which the Lord has made. And I do want to emphasize, you
know, friends, that day is above every other day. Above every
other day. You know, I do not want particularly
to speak about myself, but that verse was made such a blessing
to me when I had my first cancer diagnosis. I shall not die but
live. But you know, friends, I found so many people misunderstood
the blessing that I'd had. I think they thought that I'd
had some word that I was going to be healed. But our friend's
healing didn't worry me. I didn't worry under that blessing
that I was going to die or not. But I was certain of this. I
got a place in heaven and would sing forever the glory of the
Lamb who loved me and gave himself for me. I shall not die, but
live and declare the works of the Lord. Friends, this is a
day which the Lord has made. Do you know that day, that day
above all other days, the day, friends, when your sins are gone,
the day when you have peace with God, the day when heaven is brought
before your eyes as yours, a kingdom and a crown through that precious
blood, this day, this day, this is a day which the Lord has made.
We'll rejoice and be glad in it. All you see, friends, closely
united to this is the resurrection. The stone which the builders
rejected has become the headstone of the corner. It speaks of him
who was once crucified but is now risen again and become the
first fruits of them that slept. If Christ be not risen, we are
of all men most miserable, but this is a day which the Lord
has made. You've been able to stare death
in the face and find that it's been abolished. You have abolished
death. You've been able to look in the
open grave and see Our friends, it's open. It cannot be closed.
Yes, they may put the earth back on, but the grave cannot be closed
for the Lord's people. He will not leave my soul in
hell, nor suffer his holy one to see corruption. Hope in the
resurrection. Our friends, a glorious hope
of certain resurrection, of a glorious resurrection to endless life
with him forever and forever. This is a day which the Lord
has made. Our friends, have you ever seen
your grave? opened by the death and resurrection of Jesus. If
you've ever seen your death swallowed up in victory by the death and
resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ, it will be. This is the
day which the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in
it. It's not your work. It's not the labour of your hands.
Our friends, it's Jesus. It's his finished work. His death
upon the cross at Calvary. His resurrection. The day of providence. You know,
friends, the two things go together. We find in the account of the
Passover, the wonderful uniting of the Passover and harvest. When they came into the Promised
Land, they were to keep the Passover, and the very next day, they were
to go in the fields and begin to gather the harvest. And that
was how the season went. The Passover came immediately
before the harvest. And of course the feast really
continues beyond the Passover day, the offering of the firstfruits.
Of course it speaks of the death and the resurrection of the Lord
Jesus Christ. Those two things are united.
And Christ's resurrection, his raising out of the grave, it
speaks of a harvest. Now friends, the firstfruits
are them that slept. Those two things cannot be divided.
But oh, when we think of Providence, the hymn writer puts it like
this, every grace and every favour comes to us through Jesus' blood.
Ah, you know, friends, the harvest, the natural harvest today. The
Lord only gives that harvest upon the earth because he's got
a people of grace. Ah, friends, because there are those who Jesus
died for. The world must continue till every one of those is been
saved with an everlasting salvation. And so even the natural harvest
hangs upon that day of grace, hangs upon the death of Jesus
upon the cross of Calvary. Now, friends, all your blessings
in providence, do you have to trace them back there? This is
a day which the Lord has made. Every grace and every favor comes
to me through Jesus' blood. But just to come to a moment
of the day of providence in your life, because the Lord's people
have a God of providence, and therefore they've got providences
to watch. Now, friends, have you had to say concerning those
days, this is the day which the Lord has made. Now, friends,
days that if you had it your own way, it would not be that
way. If you'd had your choice, it would not be that way. But
the Lord so sweetly reveals his fingerprints on the day. You
have to say, lost in wonder, love and praise, this is a day
which the Lord has made. Now, friends, can you remember
any time in your life when everything's been upside down, but you've
found in your heart that song of praise going on to him, sovereign
ruler of the skies, ever gracious, ever wise, all my times are in
thy hands. All events are like a march.
Yes, times of sickness, times of health, times of penury, times
of wealth, all in his hand. This is a day which the Lord
has made. We'll rejoice and be glad in it. Oh, friends, more
often, more often, those days when our hearts are softened,
softened by the Lord's hand in the day. And we have to say,
this is a day that the Lord has made. Can I just speak, friends,
concerning that day of death? Jesus says, I go to repair a
place for you, and if I go to repair a place for you, I'll
come again to receive you unto myself, the way I am. There you
may be also. He's appointed unto man once
to die, and after that, the judgment. Now, friends, there's a day we
cannot escape. But is it a day today that you can look forward
to and say, concerning that day, I'll let him come when he thinks
best. Why? Because it's a day that the Lord
has made. He's coming again to receive you unto himself, the
way he is. There you may be also. This is
the day which the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in
it. For it is a day you look forward
to. When this lisping, stammering tongue lies silent in the grave,
how we failed to rejoice in the Lord of the day here, how we
failed to rejoice in all his mercy, in his grace, his faithfulness,
his holiness, his righteousness, in all his dealings with us.
Oh, but when this lisping, stammering tongue lies silent in the grave,
then in a nobler, sweeter song I'll sing his power to save. Oh, friends, what a day that
will be. An endless day. The place where congregations
ne'er break up and sabbaths have no end. A day when we'll join
in that everlasting song. Oh, this is the Lord's doing.
Marvelous in our eyes. This is the day which the Lord
has made. we will rejoice and be glad in it. And oh friends,
what grounds of rejoicing to him who loved us and gave himself
for us. Have your eyes been opened this
afternoon? Oh friends, does faith get hold of any of these things?
Are you unable to say concerning your circumstance this afternoon,
it is the Lord. It is the Lord, let him do what
seemeth him good in his sight. It is the Lord, this is the day
which the Lord has made. Oh friends, come and rejoice
in it. You don't need telling, do you? You don't need telling. We will rejoice and be glad in
it. Rejoice so the storm clouds are still gathering. Rejoice
so the waves are still breaking over our head. Rejoice so I don't
understand what's going on. Rejoice so I cannot see how it's
going to work out tomorrow. But I know this. It is the Lord. It is the Lord. This is the day
which the Lord has made. Therefore, we will rejoice. I
will rejoice and be glad in it. Ah, friends. Is your hope this
afternoon built on nothing less than Jesus' blood and righteousness,
nothing less? Oh, friends, we must not hope
in anything less than that, but we don't need anything more than
that. Oh, is that where you're resting this afternoon, the day
which the Lord hath made, that day that Jesus died upon the
cross at Calvary, that day? Oh, friends, when he could cry,
it is finished, it is finished, and for salvation's in it, the
day when he rose triumphant, from the grave. Ah, friends,
the day when he led them out as far as unto Bethany, and he
lifted up his hands and blessed them. And while he was blessing
them, his hands still uplifted, he was parted from them. And
they tell them this same Jesus. Ah, Jesus Christ, the same yesterday
and today and forever. His hands still raised in heaven
in blessing. And he's coming again, coming
again to receive you unto himself the way he is. There you might
be also. This is the day. which the Lord
hath made. Ah, the day that he's brought
me, to rejoice in him. Oh, that day fixed in eternity
past. Ah, friends, that day, eternal
day, a covenant in all things and sure, that day brought to
pass in time. And ah, friends, the fullness
of that day and the eternal day to come, when lo at his feet
to fall, to join in the everlasting song, and crown him Lord of all. This is the day which the Lord
hath made, He is doing. Marvellous in our eyes. We will
rejoice and be glad in it. Amen. Let us now sing together hymn
number 167 The tune is Nearer Home, 83. Come, all harmonious tongues,
your noblest music bring. Tis Christ the everlasting God,
and Christ the man we sing. Tell how he took our flesh to
take away our guilt. Sing the dear drops of sacred
blood that hellish monsters spill. Hymn 167. to nearer home 83. Your boundless music bring Tis
Christ the everlasting God And Christ, the man we see Tell how
he took our pleasures To take away our gain of sacred blood that hellish
monsters spill. Alas, the cruel spirit and deep into his soul. And the rich cup of battle-gold,
their blood-dressed weapons The waves of swelling rain did o'er his person grow, The mountains of old, my Kira,
lay heavy on his soul. Out to the shades of death He
held his awful head Yet he arose to live and reign,
And death itself is dead. Now all the bloody sin The cross that dealt the toll,
Oh, and it shall take the Quisney, And all the pens at all. Where the Redeemer sits, I'm
on His Father's throne. The Father lays His vengeance
by, And smiles upon His child. And peaceful glories shine, with
uncreated grace, and bless his saints and angels'
eyes to everlasting grace. Lord, forgive all that's been
amiss in the worship of thy house this afternoon. Oh, may we truly
be enabled to say this is the day which the Lord has made.
Lord, help us to rightly rejoice and to be glad in it. Be with
us, Lord, in the interval of worship, seize in our conversation
with soul. May we know, Lord, that union
and communion with one another, I'm the Lord. And thus, oh, to
enjoy those things which earth cannot afford. Gather with us,
Lord, this evening, according to thy good pleasure. Give the
word, thy blessing upon the world, but may we know. Now the season's
sweet, because Christ is within the doors. Forgive us now about
every sin, we'd ask it all for Jesus Christ's sake. Now may
the grace of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, the love of God
the Father, the fellowship and the communion of the Holy Spirit,
rest and abide with us each, both now and for evermore.