Let us commence our service this
evening by singing together hymn 752. The tune is Abends 275. Nature with open volume stands
to spread her maker's praise abroad, and every labour of his
hands shows something worthy of a God. Hymn 752. Tune A bends, 275. Which for we love the column
stands To spread the famous praise abroad And every neighbor of His hand,
chose something worthy of the cross. ? Out in the plains that bears
his band ? ? His brightest hope of glory shines ? ? Here on the
cross His anxious flow, and precious love, and crimson glow. By the sweet wonders of that
cross Where did the Saviour come and die? And how blessed I My spirit flows
from His dear wounds and bleeding sight. I would forever speak his name. It sounds terrible to me, it's
awful. If angels joined Let us read
together from the holy word of God in the Gospel
according to Luke and chapter 12. Luke's Gospel chapter 12 and
we'll read down to verse 40. In the meantime, when there were
gathered together an innumerable multitude of people In so much
that they trove one upon another, he began to say unto his disciples,
first of all, beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees, which
is hypocrisy. For there is nothing covered
that shall not be revealed, neither hid that shall not be known.
Therefore whatsoever ye have spoken in darkness shall be heard
in the light, and that which ye have spoken in the ear in
closets shall be proclaimed upon the housetops. And I say unto
you, my friends, be not afraid of them that kill the body, and
after that have no more that they can do. But I will forewarn
you whom ye shall fear. Fear him, which after he hath
killed hath power to cast into hell. Yea, I say unto you, fear
him. Are not five sparrows sold for
two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before God? And even the very hairs of your
head are all numbered. Fear not therefore, ye are of
more value than many sparrows. Also I say unto you, whosoever
shall confess me before men, him shall the Son of Man also
confess before the angels of God. But he that denieth me before
men shall be denied before the angels of God. And whosoever
shall speak a word against the Son of Man, it shall be forgiven
him, but unto him that blasphemeth against the Holy Ghost, it shall
not be forgiven. And when they bring you unto
the synagogues and unto magistrates and powers, take ye no thought
how or what things ye shall answer or what ye shall say, for the
Holy Ghost shall teach you in the same hour what ye ought to
say. And one of the company said unto
him, master, speak to my brother that he divide the inheritance
with me. And he said unto him, man, who
made me a judge or a divider over you? And he said unto them,
take heed and beware of covetousness. For a man's life consisted not
in the abundance of the things which he possessed, And he spake
a parable unto them, saying, the ground of a certain rich
man brought forth plentifully. And he thought within himself,
saying, what shall I do? Because I have no room where
to bestow my fruits. And he said, this will I do.
I will pour down my barns and build greater. And there will
I bestow all my fruits and my goods. And I will say to my soul,
Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years. Take thine
ease, eat, drink, and be merry. But God said unto him, Thou fool,
this night thy soul shall be required of thee. Then whose
shall those things be which thou hast provided? So is he that
layeth up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God. And he said unto his disciples,
therefore I say unto you, take no thought for your life what
you shall eat, neither for the body what you shall put on. The
life is more than meat and the body is more than raiment. Consider
the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap, which neither have
storehouse nor barn, and God feedeth them. How much more are
you better than the fowls? And which of you, with taking
thought, can add to his stature one cubit? If ye then be not
able to do that thing which is least, why take ye thought for
the rest? Consider the lilies, how they
grow. They toil not, they spin not. Yet I say unto you that Solomon
in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. If then God
so clothed the grass, which is today in the field and tomorrow
is cast into the oven, how much more will he clothe you, O ye
of little faith? And seek not ye what ye shall
eat or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind, For all
these things do the nations of the world seek after, and your
Father knoweth that ye have need of these things. But rather seek
ye the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added unto
you. Fear not, little flock, for it
is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom, so that
ye have And give alms, provide yourselves back, so its wax not
old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief
approacheth, neither moth corrupteth. For where your treasure is, there
will your heart be also. Let your loins be girded about,
and your lights burning, and ye yourselves like unto men that
wait for their Lord. when he will return from the
wedding, that when he cometh and knocketh, they may open unto
him immediately. Blessed are those servants whom
the Lord, when he cometh, shall find watching. Verily I say unto
you, that he shall go at himself, and make them sit down to meet,
and will come forth and serve them. And if he shall come in
the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them,
so blessed are those servants this known. If the good man of
the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would
have watched, and not have suffered his house to be broken through.
Be ye therefore ready also or the Son of Man cometh at an hour
when ye think not. May the Lord bless the reading
of his own precious word and grant unto us a spirit of real
prayer. Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty,
which is, and art, and art to come, We desire to bow before
thy glorious majesty, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, the only
true God, the creator of the heavens and the earth, and the
sustainer of the universe. We bow before thee, O Lord, and
desire to worship thee. And thou hast instructed us in
thy word that them that worship thee must worship thee in spirit. and in truth. We pray that we
may be granted such worship at this evening hour. We come before
thee, O Lord, as the poor fallen sons and daughters of Adam. We
are born in sin, we are shapen in iniquity, we are unrighteous
altogether. From the crown of our head to
the sole of our foot, wounds and bruises and putrefying sores,
There is no soundness in my flesh. We often have to come like the
dear apostle, O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver
me from the body of this day. But we do thank Thee, O Lord
God, for that wonderful provision that Thou hast made in the glorious
person of Thine only begotten Son, our Lord and Saviour Jesus
Christ. We thank Thee for that profound
mystery of godliness, of God manifest in the flesh. We thank
Thee, most gracious Lord, for the holy life He lived and the
holy law He fulfilled and magnified. Lord, we do thank Thee that in
that perfect obedience of our Lord Jesus Christ is the righteousness
of Thy people. that glorious everlasting robe
that covers thy people, covers all our nakedness. Lord, we pray
that we may be clothed upon with it, that we may be enabled to
say, I'm blessed, I'm blessed, forever blessed, my rags are
gone, and I am dressed in garments white as snow. Oh, we do thank
thee, O Lord, for that glorious everlasting robe Jesus, thy blood
and righteousness, that my beauty are my glorious dress. Oh, we
do pray that we, this evening hour, as we gather round thy
word, that that glorious righteousness may be a divine reality unto
us by faith. We thank thee for the suffering
and death of our Lord Jesus Christ. We thank thee for that holy sacrifice,
acceptable unto the Father, that has redeemed thy people, that
has delivered them from sin and Satan's power, for in that he
suffered and bled and died for our sins, and that he rose again
for our justification. His precious blood was shed,
that blood that cleanses from all sin, And we desire to come
before thee with a thankful heart for that precious blood of our
Lord Jesus Christ. What is that name that speaks
for me in heaven's high courts above? And from the curse has
set me free. It is Jesus' precious blood. Oh, we thank thee then for that
sin-atoning sacrifice. of our Lord Jesus Christ on the
cross of Calvary, that he gave his life of ransom for all to
be testified in due time. Lord, we thank thee that a door
of hope is open wide in Jesus' bleeding hands and side. We thank
thee that he rose again for our justification and that our sins
were buried in his grave, never to be seen again. As thou hast
said in thy word, their sins and their iniquities will I remember
no more. Lord, we do thank thee that he
is to come again and stand upon the earth and he will gather all nations
before him and sit upon that throne of eternal judgment, and
it will separate his people from the rest of the world, the sheep
on his right hand. We thank thee, most gracious
Lord, for that glorious hope of eternal life. And Lord, we
think of what a wonderful, sacred thrill will pass through the
hearts of thy people when they hear that voice. Come, ye blessed
of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation
of the world. Oh, we do thank thee for our
Lord Jesus Christ, for what he has done so perfectly. And we
think also, Lord, of the solemn words to those on his left hand.
Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire. prepared for
the devil and his angels. O Lord, we do pray that thou
wouldst exercise each one of us, from the youngest to the
eldest, as to the reality of the day of judgment, as to the
reality of our Lord Jesus Christ, the King of glory. I give unto
my sheep eternal life. We thank thee, Lord, that it
is so, and we pray that We may ever be thirsting after that
eternal life. And as we're exhorted in thy
word, for they looked for country whose builder and maker was God.
They were pilgrims here below. And Lord, may we be pilgrims.
And may we be followers of thee and of those who through faith
and patience inherit the promises. We pray, most gracious Lord,
that thou would remember us as a church and as a congregation
and richly bless us. Bless us with light and understanding
in thy word. Bless us, Lord, with what the
dear apostle desires, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened. Bless us with the knowledge of
ourselves as poor sinners. And bless us with the knowledge
of Jesus Christ as the only saviour of sinners. Deliver us from the
temptations of Satan. Deliver us from the power and
dominion of sin. And though sin lives in us, may
we not live in sin, but may we live to him that died. May we
be surrendered to the crucified one. O Lord, do hear us, we humbly
pray thee for thy great namesake. Remember the little ones and
the children that gather with us on the Lord's day. Lord, we
love to see them and hear them in the house of God. And we pray
that thou would richly bless them in their young and in their
tempting years. May the fear of the Lord, which
is the beginning of wisdom, be placed in their hearts. May it
please thee to guide and direct them. Bless our dear young friends. Bless them with that rich grace
that is in Christ Jesus. Bless them with faith in his
name. Bless them with grace to follow
thee and serve thee in their day and in their generation.
Fulfill that wonderful promise. Instead of thy father shall be
thy children, who now may make princes in all the earth. Lord,
we do thank thee for all thy tender mercies, thy loving kindnesses. We do pray Most gracious God,
that thou would remember parents and give wisdom and grace, guidance
and direction in all matters, that they may be enabled to bring
up their children in the nurture and in the admonition of the
Lord, we do humbly beseech thee that a generation may be raised
up to call thee the Redeemer blessed. Lord, let thy work appear
unto thy servants and thy glory unto their children. cause the
prodigals to return, those that have wandered away. Work mightily,
Lord, work powerfully, work effectually to the great glory of thy name.
And oh Lord, we do pray that thou wouldst give real repentance,
godly sorrow for sin and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. Lord, we We pray to be made more
spiritually minded that our heart and our affections may be set
upon things above. We pray to be delivered from
the temptations of Satan, who goeth about as a roaring lion
seeking whom he may devour, who also goeth about as an angel
of light seeking whom he may deceive. We pray to be delivered
from the power of Satan, Thou hast said in thy word a wonderful
promise, when the enemy comes in like a flood, the spirit of
the Lord will lift up a standard against him. We pray to be delivered
then, O Lord God, from all the ways of sin and of unrighteousness. We pray for grace to love thee
and serve thee and follow thee in our day and in our generation.
Remember all in the midst of the journey of life and undertake
for each one and graciously work in their hearts. And, O Lord,
we do pray that thou wouldst remember those of us that are
now in the evening time of life's journey, and we pray to be graciously
guided and directed by thee, and that thou wouldst teach us
thy ways and lead us in thy paths. We do humbly beseech of thee. We pray, most gracious Lord,
that the glory, light, and power of gospel truth may shine into
this village. Many, many precious souls may
be gathered from this village and from the surrounding villages
and towns. Precious souls may be gathered
unto thee. Oh, do hear us, Lord. We long to see thy work and thy
power and thy glory as thou usest to be in the sanctuary. Do hear
us, Lord, remember all thy servants that labour in word and doctrine
upon the walls of Zion, set them free, set them at liberty, grant
mighty signs and wonders to follow the preaching of the word. Oh,
do hear us, Lord, we pray thee, and we pray thee, the great Lord
of the harvest, that thou would send true labourers into the
harvest, that thou wouldest build the walls of Jerusalem, and that
thou wouldst prosper the little hills of Zion up and down the
land, that instead of a declension, we may see a building up. Instead
of a falling away, we may see others gathered. Oh, do hear
us, Lord, we humbly pray thee. We thank thee for all thy tender
mercies, thy loving kindness, thy great goodness that has passed
before us each in the way. We thank thee, most gracious
Lord, For Jesus, the Way, the Truth and the Life, we thank
Thee that Thy mercies to us are new every morning and great is
Thy faithfulness. While our days on earth are lengthened,
may we give them Lord to Thee. Remember, O Lord, our government
and give wisdom to those that rule over us. Lord, we read in
Thy Word that the King's heart is in the hand of the Lord, and
as rivers as water, he turneth it with us, however he will.
We thank thee, Lord, that is so. Bless our king and the royal
household with that rich grace that is in Christ Jesus. Turn
us again, O God of hosts, and cause thy face to shine, and
we shall be saved. We do thank thee by thee, king's
reign and prince's decree justice, and we thank thee for the words
of our Lord Jesus Christ, all power is given unto me in heaven
and in earth. Lord, we pray that thou wouldst
now be with us as we turn to thy holy word, that thou wouldst
touch one's lips with the live coal from of the heavenly altar,
that thou wouldst breathe thy word into our hearts. We ask
with the forgiveness of all our many sins, for Jesus Christ's
sake. Amen. Let us now sing together hymn
698. The tune is Calverdon 676. Pause, my soul, and ask the question,
are they ready to meet God? Am I made a real Christian, washed
in the Redeemer's blood? Have I union to the church's
living head? Hymn 698, tune Calverdon 676.
? Oh, say can you see by the dawn's
early light ? ? What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last
gleaming? ? I love you. ? Have I heard of a his spirit
? ? Nearer, my God, than a friend? ? ? Trust in all eternity ? How sweet the sound that saved
a wretch like me! ? In either love or chastity ?
? Let them go where they may go ? ? And my soul be comforted ? ?
In the comforts of His breast ? ? He will tell me when the
storm is gone ? ? From His face ? ? And His spirit
ever to save you be ? O'er the land of the free and
the home of the brave? Rightly feeling today, the Lord's
gracious help, direct your attention to the chapter that we read,
the 12th chapter in the gospel according to Luke, and we will
read verse 31 for our text. Gospel according to Luke chapter
12 verse 31. But rather seek ye the kingdom
of God, and all these things shall be added unto you. It's a word of direction. It's also a word of admonition. We have a tendency to be very
earthbound, and the things of this life tend to ploy about
us. The Lord Jesus here, it says
in the beginning of the chapter, in the meantime, when there were
gathered together an innumerable multitude of people, insomuch
that they trod one upon another, he began to say unto his disciples,
first of all, Beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees, which
is hypocrisy. You know, my beloved friends, we can soon become Pharisees. We can soon slip into hypocrisy, making things look what they're
not. speaking things that make us
look good and leaving those things that make us look bad. The great
crying sin, my beloved friends of the Pharisees, was they sought
to keep the outward man clean. They sought, as it were, their
religion was before men. And that everything of their
focus was before men. And hypocrisy. What the Lord Jesus says here,
both his disciples and to that great multitude, innumerable
multitude of people, for there is nothing covered. That's what
the Pharisees always did, they covered things up. with a cloak. For there is nothing covered
that shall not be revealed. What does the Lord Jesus mean?
Well, sometimes things that we cover up will be revealed in
this life and the Lord will make sure that they will be revealed. For there is nothing covered
that shall not be revealed. It shall be seen openly and clearly.
But not only is it referring to the things in this life, but
it's referring to the day of judgment. There's nothing covered
that shall not be revealed. Thoughts of everyone shall be
made manifest. There's coming a day of judgment
and the Lord Jesus here in this context, he says in verse four,
And I say unto you, my friends, be not afraid of them that kill
the body, and after that have no more that they can do. But
I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear. Fear him, which after he
hath killed hath power to cast into hell. Yea, I say unto you,
fear him, fear him. Just as the Pharisees did everything,
as it were, to be seen of men, they had no thought of what God
could see. The Lord Jesus, he speaks to
us very solemnly of the Pharisees, doesn't he? He gives us that
parable here in the Gospels of the Pharisee and the publican. Two men went up to the temple
to pray. The one a Pharisee, the other
a publican. Publicans were tax collectors. And they usually
took far more from the people and kept it to themselves. And
they were very rich men. It speaks of it in several places
in holy scriptures, how rich men they were. But they came
about their wealth in a dishonest way. The Pharisees were the most religious
people of their day. The most religious, outwardly. The most zealous, outwardly. They stood in judgment on everyone
else. That was one of the marks of the Pharisees, to stand in
judgment on everybody else. When these two men went up to
the temple to pray, in actual fact, the Lord Jesus says of
the Pharisee, he praying with himself. What a solemn thing
that is. When you think you're praying
to God, are you praying with yourself? The Pharisee was, and
that is what the Lord Jesus exposed. He was praying with himself.
He thought he was praying to God. But in actual fact, there's
not an ounce of prayer in what he said. I thank God that I'm not as other
men are, even as this publican. He was so self-righteous. That's
one of the marks, my beloved friends, of the Pharisee. Self-righteousness. Hypocrisy. Covering up things
that were wrong. and covering it in a veneer of
religion making it all look as though it's all very good but
in actual fact it was downright deceitful but then the poor publican
and we read of him really he could not so much as lift his
eyes up onto heaven but smote upon his breast saying God be
merciful to me a sinner and the judgment of our Lord
Jesus Christ. This man went down to his house
justified rather than the other. My beloved friends, do we have
any sinners in this chapel tonight? See, when he the spirit of truth
is come, He will convince the world of sin, and if the Spirit
of Truth had truly come to your heart, you would know in some
measure that you're a sinner before a holy God. He will convince
of sin, of righteousness, that is that God is righteous and
holy, His law is righteous and holy, and the Holy Spirit will
convince us of that. The Holy Spirit, when he comes
to the heart of a poor sinner, that poor sinner knows that one
day they will appear at the judgment seat of Jesus Christ who has
given account before the eternal God. That is the divine work
of the Spirit in the heart of a poor sinner. He will convince,
strong word, actually says reprove, but the margin says convince
the world of sin. of righteousness, of judgment. And you know, my beloved friends,
when the Spirit of God comes to the heart, in that beginning
of the work of grace, when he quickens the soul into life,
there's a realization of our emptiness, our poverty, and there's
a beginning to seek. And how do we seek? By prayer.
We read of Saul of Tarsus on the road to Damascus, when the
Lord Jesus spoke to him from heaven. And what do we read? Behold, he prayeth. Behold, he prayeth. Every truly born again soul prays. They pray out of a sense of need. You see, here the Lord Jesus
in verse three, he says, therefore, whatsoever ye have spoken in
darkness shall be heard in the light. And that which ye have
spoken in the ear in closets shall be proclaimed upon the
housetops. And I say unto you, my friends,
be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have
no more that they can do. And then he goes on, he says
in verse six, are not five sparrows sold for two farthings? And not
one of them is forgotten before God. Those little sparrows, sold
for two farthings, something of very little value. None of them is forgotten. before
God, those little sparrows. Even the very hairs of your head
are all numbered. Fear not, therefore, you are
of more value than many sparrows. You see, my dear lovely friend,
you just think of that. On Sunday evening at Chard, we
tried to speak from that word in Esther. That night could not
the king sleep. what appears to be a very little
thing, which we would not take any notice
of. But the king couldn't sleep because
the Lord wouldn't let him sleep. Because Haman was just coming
to take Mordecai, ask the king for the life of Mordecai the
Jew. And the king couldn't sleep So they brought the books of
the Chronicles and it was read before the king that Mordecai
the Jew had preserved the king's life from two men, two chamberlains
that were ready to take the king's life. And he said, what has been
done for Mordecai? And they said, nothing. And he
said, is there any in the court? And in the court was Haman, seeking
the life of all the Jews. and specifically at that time
seeking the life of Mordecai. And before Haman could ask for
what he wanted, the king said to him, what shall we do unto
the man that the king delighted to honour? And Haman in his proud
heart thought the king surely wouldn't delight to honour anyone
but me, so he said let the royal crown be brought, and the royal
apparel, and the royal horse, and let him be paraded through
the streets of Shushan, the city of Shushan, and a herald to go
before him, saying, thus shall it be done unto the man whom
the king delighted to honor. You know, my beloved friends, what a solemn day that was for
Haman, the Agagite. And even his wife and his friends
said to him, if Mordecai be a Jew, before whom thou hast begun to
fall, thou shalt not prevail. Even the wicked people knew that
God was the God of the Jews. You see, my beloved friends,
but even the very hairs of your head are numbered. God controls
all things. With heaven and earth at his
command, he waits to answer prayer. And we see that in these places,
in the Word of God, we notice that in Esther, the name of God
is not once mentioned. It's the only book in the Bible
where the name of God is not mentioned once. But the old Puritans
used to say the finger of God is on every page. And how true
that is. but even the very hairs of your
head are all numbered. We don't think anything of the
hairs of our head, do we? Fear not, therefore, you have
more value than many sparrows. He's speaking here specifically
to his disciples. Then he speaks of confession.
Verse eight, also I say unto you, whosoever shall confess
me Before men, him shall the Son of Man also confess before
the angels of God. What a wonderful, precious thing,
my beloved friends, when we're able to give a good confession before men of what the Lord has
done for our soul. Whosoever shall confess me before
men, him shall the Son of Man also confess before the angels
of God. What does it mean, before the
angels of God? We read in the prophet Jude,
I think it is, that Enoch, he saw the Lord coming with 10,000
of his saints and all the holy angels. You see, when the Lord
comes a second time. And then in verse nine, he says,
but he that denies me before men shall be denied. before the angels of God, he
that denieth me. The Lord Jesus here in this chapter,
he speaks of covetousness, gives them a parable of the rich man.
He said in verse 15, take heed and beware of covetousness. My
beloved friends, we are covetous. It's spoken of in Holy Scripture.
has been a root evil. It's in the heart of every one
of us. The holy law of God declares
thou shalt not covet, but in each one of our hearts is a spirit
of covetousness by nature. That's the old man. The old man
of sin is covetous by its very nature. You see this man He says, take heed and beware
of covetousness, for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance
of the things which he possesseth. We lay great store on the things
that we possess. We do. We're proud of the things
that we possess. That's rooted in our very nature.
And we're never satisfied with the things that we possess. We
all want more. That's what rooted in our very
nature. With that solemn words spoken
by Paul when he writes to Timothy, and covetousness, which is idolatry. It's idolatry. Oh, that the Lord would impress
these things upon each one of our hearts and minds. The ground of a certain rich
man brought forth plentifully, and he thought within himself,
saying, what shall I do? Behold, I have no room where
to bestow my fruits. And he said, this will I do.
I will pull down my barns and build greater, and there will
I bestow all my fruits and my goods. And I will say to my soul,
soul, that's much goods laid up for many years. Take thine
ease, eat, drink, and be merry. But God said unto him, what a
different judgment there is from the eternal God. But God said
unto him, thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of
thee. What a solemn thought, isn't
it? This night, thy soul shall be required of thee. It was this
verse that really led me to our second hymn. Pause, my soul,
and ask the question, are they all ready to meet God? Am I made a real Christian, washed
in the Redeemer's blood? Are you made a real Christian?
That's the emphasis of the hymn writer. Or are we like the Pharisee,
that just has a facade of Christianity, an outward covering of Christianity. That's the solemn thought, isn't
it? Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee.
We read in Ecclesiastes, and God require it, that which is
past. God requires, requires an answer. We must all appear at the judgment
seat of Jesus Christ to give account of the deeds done in
the body, every single one of us. Thou fool, this night thy
soul shall be required of thee. Then who shall those things be
which thou hast provided? So is he that layeth up treasure
for himself, and is not rich before God. But rather seek ye
the kingdom of God. And all these things, what are
these things? They're providential things. The Lord here is promising
that he will give you everything needful and necessary to take
you safely and honourably through life. You know, sometimes we think that
we can make a better job of that, don't we? We can get this, we
can get that, we can get something else. The Lord Jesus here, He said
unto his disciples, verse 22, Therefore I say unto you, take
no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, neither for the body, what ye
shall put on. The life is more than meat, and the body is more
than raiment. Then he turns to the realms of
nature. Consider the ravens, for they
neither sow nor reap, which neither have storehouse nor barn, but
God feedeth them, how much more are ye better than the fowls? Sometimes we get tossed to and
fro. The Lord Jesus, he says, take
no thought for the morrow. Let the morrow take thought for
the things of itself. We're always taking thought for
the morrow. But he says, take no thought for the morrow. And
which of you, by taking Thought can add to his stature one cubit. If he then be not able to do
that thing which is least, why take his thought for the rest?
See, our lives become so, as it were, taken up, we're getting
this, we're getting that, we're getting something else, we're
getting on, we're accumulating riches. It's covetousness, my
beloved friends. So that we forget the things
of our soul. We forget the things of eternity.
We forget the things that really matter. We forget the day of
judgment. We forget that we're only here.
As David said, my life is but a handbreadth. Consider the lilies, how they
grow. They toil not, they spin not. I say unto you that Solomon in
all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Then, God,
so clothe the grass which is today in the field and tomorrow
is cast into the oven, how much more will he clothe you, O year
of little faith? And seek not what you shall eat
or what you shall drink, neither be of doubtful mind, for all
these things do the nations of the world seek after. Your Father,
a wonderful word, isn't it? What a precious word of grace.
And your Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things,
but rather seek ye the kingdom of God, and all these things
shall be added unto you. These are the first things, the
kingdom of God. Lord Jesus, when he speaks to
Nicodemus, he said to Nicodemus, you must be born again. Nicodemus,
misunderstanding the words of Jesus, he said, how can a man
go again into his mother's womb and be born again? And the Lord
Jesus said, except a man be born of water and of the spirit, he
cannot enter the kingdom of heaven. He cannot enter the kingdom of
heaven. Just think of those words. Go back to our hymn we just sung.
Am I quickened by his spirit? Live a life of faith and prayer,
trusting wholly to his merit, that's the merit of Jesus, casting
on him all my care. But rather, rather than being
so taken up with the things of this life, to be taken up with
the things of the life which is to come but rather seek ye
the kingdom of god oh i would that the spirit of god would
take these solemn admonitions and seal them into your heart
to realize the things that are the most important like that
rich man he I will pull down my barns and build greater, and
there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods, and I will say
to my soul, so are there as much good laid up for thee. Well then,
how the human mind reasons is, then I can seek God, when I've
got all these things. But how God reasons, but rather
seek ye the kingdom of God, and all these things, that is providential
things, shall be added unto you. Do we have our priorities right? This is the great thing. Is the
Lord first? In another one of the Gospels,
it says, seek ye first the kingdom of heaven and my righteousness
and all these things, all providential things. But we get so as it were,
taken up with the things of this life, and we get in this and
get in that, and worrying about this and worrying about that. But the Lord says, take no thought
for the morrow. Let the morrow take thought for
the things that ye have, but rather seek ye the kingdom of
God. And all these things shall be
added unto you. Fear not, little flock, beautiful,
tender, loving words of our Lord Jesus Christ. Fear not, little
flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you a kingdom. You know, we've just been saying
how we seek to accumulate this and accumulate that and like
the rich man and he built greater barns and greater barns and had
greater wealth and greater wealth. But what does the Lord Jesus,
what is the very advice the Lord Jesus gives? Sell that ye have
and give alms. Provide yourselves banks which
wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where
no thief approacheth, neither moth Corrupted, for where your
treasure is, there will your heart be also. Where is that
heart? Where is that heart? Are we seeking the kingdom of
God? Are we seeking the welfare of
our soul? Let all fruitless searches go,
which perplex and tease us, but desiring not to know, but are
bleeding, Jesus, all fruitless search, all covetousness, which
is rooted in our very nature, covetousness. I often think of
the words of the dear Apostle Paul, as he writes to his son
Timothy in the faith and he warns him against covetousness and
he warns the people in his church against covetousness and you
see my beloved friends these things are so important He speaks of the wonderful glory
of Christ in 1 Timothy 6 and he says, I give thee charge in
the sight of God who quickeneth all things and before Christ
Jesus who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession that
thou keep this commandment without spot unrebukable until the appearing
of our Lord Jesus Christ which in his times He will show who
is the blessed and only potentate, the King of Kings and Lord of
Lords, who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no
man can approach unto, whom no man has seen or can see, to whom
be honour and power everlasting. Amen. And then he continues on,
having spoken of the wonderful glory and the exalted Christ,
he says, charge them, that are rich in this world, that they
be not high-minded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the
living God who giveth us richly all things to enjoy, that they
do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute,
willing to communicate, laying up in store for themselves a
good foundation against the time to come that they may lay hold
on eternal life. Charge them. You see, my beloved
friends, I was looking at that word this afternoon in Corinthians. But ye know the grace of our
Lord Jesus Christ, that though he were rich, yet for your sakes,
for our sakes, he became poor. That's the grace of our Lord
Jesus Christ. our sakes he became poor that's
the grace of God I know it's opposite absolutely opposite
to how our mind works but we've got a fallen nature a corrupt
nature and what we think of is accumulating
and having a great store but the Lord he speaks in just the
opposite way he does sell that he has and give alms, provide
yourselves bags, which wax untold, a treasure in the heavens, that
faileth not, when no thief approacheth, neither must corrupt it, for
where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. I remember hearing of a very
rich man, I believe it was a man that had made a profession, and
all he could talk of on his dying bed was his investments and his
money. What a solemn record that was
of that man. He was going to die. As Job says,
and the Apostle also writes to Timothy, we brought nothing into
this world and it's certain we shall carry nothing out. And
he says, who shall those things be when you're gone? But rather
seeking the kingdom of God and all these things shall be added
unto you, for where your treasure is, there will your heart be
also. Let your loins be girded about, your lights burning, and
ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their Lord, when he
will return from the wedding, that when he cometh and knocketh,
they may open unto him immediately. Notice the emphasis, open to
him immediately. Just it says in the verse 14
that we read together, be you therefore ready also for the
son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not. How many times
do we read in the New Testament? Behold, I come as a thief. Why is it spoken so many times?
Because when Jesus comes, it will be suddenly. When we're
not looking. You just think of the Lord Jesus
in the parable of the ten virgins in Matthew 25 and those ten virgins
represent the whole of the professing church of Jesus Christ. Mark what I say, the professing
church of Jesus Christ, those that have made a profession of
religion that confess faith in Jesus Christ and His eye is perfect. But what does he tell us? Five
were wise. Five were foolish. The wise had oil in their lamps. The foolish had no oil in their
lamps. What does that mean spiritually? The wise had grace. Oil in scripture
represents grace, even the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. And
that oil represents the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Five
had oil in their lamps. They were ready. Five had no oil in their lamps. They all professed the name of
Christ. They were all baptized, if you want to put it in that
way. They all sat at the Lord's table, they made an open profession
of the name of Jesus Christ, that they were followers of Jesus
Christ, and yet five were wise, five had grace, five had no grace,
had no grace. Many shall say unto me in that
day, Lord, Lord, and I will say unto them, depart from me, I
never knew you. Would you just think of that?
Very certain these things are. Let your loins be girded about
and your lights burning, but ye yourselves like unto men that
wait for their Lord, when he will return from the wedding,
that when he cometh a knocking, they may open unto him immediately. Are you ready? Are you ready? Am I ready to meet God? Blessed are those servants whom
the Lord when he cometh shall find watching. Verily I say unto
you that he shall gird himself and make them to sit down to
me and will come forth and serve them. And if he shall come in
the second watch or come in the third watch, and find them so
blessed are those servants. And this know that if the good
man of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he
would have watched and not have suffered his house to be broken
through. Be ye therefore ready also for the son of man coming at
an hour when ye think not, but rather seek ye the kingdom Who is the king in the kingdom
of God? The glorious person of our Lord
Jesus Christ. The apostle Paul, writing to
Timothy, when he speaks to Timothy of his call by grace, and he
suddenly breaks out, having given his confession of faith to Timothy,
it makes him think on the glorious person of our Lord Jesus Christ.
And He says, now unto the King, eternally mortal and invisible,
the only true God, be honour and glory everlasting. Amen. Everlasting, amen. The wonderful
glory of the eternal Son of the Father that was manifest in the
flesh, the King of glory. And so He is. He suffered, He
bled, He died to redeem His people and to save them from their sins. He put away their sins. He nailed
their sins to His cross. He suffered and bled and died
for our sins. And then He rose again for our
justification. He left our sins in the grave.
That's the wonderful glory. Come, behold the place where
the Lord lay. He is not here. He is risen.
He has destroyed death and him that had the power of death,
that is the devil. He has. Oh, my beloved friends,
What a mercy to have in heaven a glorious Savior. You know,
a glorious Savior has gone, I go to prepare a place for you. And
if I go to prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive
you unto myself. When he says you, he means those
who've been called by divine grace. Those who've been brought
to live in faith in Jesus Christ. Whosoever shall confess me before
men, him shall the Son of Man also confess before the angels
of God. That's what he means when he's
speaking of those that follow him, those that serve him. But
rather, seek ye the kingdom of God. And these things, these
providential things, all these things shall be added unto you. Fear not, little flock, for it is your father's good
pleasure to give you the kingdom. And in the light of that, because
we have an eternal kingdom, sell that ye have, give alms, provide
yourselves bags which waxen and old, a treasure in the heavens
that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupted.
For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. May the Lord add his blessing. Let us now sing together hymn
257. The tune is Alstoe 330. Ye humble souls, complain no
more. Let faith survey your future
store. How happy, how divinely blessed
the sacred words of truth attest. Hymn 257. tune also 330. God of souls, how great Thou
art! Make haste, surveying the future sight. Showered with holy, holy grace,
The sacred blood of truth attest. In the endless songs of proud
and pride, His eyes draw not your hope derived. In pain they close, There came
to store of triumphs The bearers of kingdom youth. The King and Lord in excellence where health and peace and joy
unite, where undivided love The King and Queen Let the end of time, sweet heavenly,
drowns away the sacred love and truth sustained A miracle forever
must remain. Extend your eyes with rapture
here, The glorious ember died for you. The piper turns the pipe to raise,
To crowns of joy and songs of praise. ? Jesus to thee I bring my prayer
? ? Revealed for all my interest ever ? ? Cannot crumble the rhythm ? ?
This music I shall hold dear ? ? Shall last to the end of
time ? Now may the grace of our Lord
Jesus Christ, the love of God the Father, the sacred fellowship
of the Holy Spirit, rest and abide with us each both now and
for evermore. Amen.