The notices for the coming week
are, God willing, as follows. Mr. Joseph Rupp will preach here
next Lord's Day at 10.30 and two o'clock. Pastor will preach
here on Thursday evening at seven o'clock. And there'll be a prayer
meeting here on Tuesday evening at seven o'clock. Let us commence
our services today by singing together hymn 202, the tune is
Mount Pleasant, 191. Now may the Lord reveal his face
and teach our stammering tongues to make his sovereign reign in
grace the subject of our songs. Hymn 202, tune Mount Pleasant,
191. May the Lord reveal His face, and angel spirits, to make us your
friends, praying in praise. The subject of the song. As he doth subject man in life,
and sustaineth all that is safe, God is made man glorious by ? Of our exalted King ? ? Of our
exalted King ? ? Peace be with you ? Gave proof through the night
that our flag was still there. We never once did part. We never once did part. O come, O come, O come, O come,
O come, O come, O come, He says, God of great and great,
Thee, O child of the King, We all shall love thee still. Oh, say does that star-spangled
banner yet wave O come, O come, O come, O come,
O come, to Bethlehem. Let us read together from the
Holy Word of God in the Book of Proverbs and Chapter 2. The second chapter of the Book
of Proverbs. My son, if thou wilt receive
my words and hide my commandments with thee, so that thou incline
thine ear unto wisdom and apply thine heart to understanding.
Yea, if thou cryest after knowledge and liftest up thy voice for
understanding, if thou seekest her as silver and searchest for
her as for hid treasure, then shalt thou understand the fear
of the Lord and find the knowledge of God. For the Lord giveth wisdom,
out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding. He layeth
up sound wisdom for the righteous. He is a butler to them that walk
uprightly. He keepeth the paths of judgment
and preserveth the way of his saints. then shalt thou understand
righteousness, and judgment, and equity, yea, every good path. When wisdom entereth into thine
heart, and knowledge is pleasant unto thy soul, discretion shall
preserve thee, understanding shall keep thee, to deliver thee
from the way of the evil man, from the man that speaketh froward
things, who leave the paths of uprightness to walk in the ways
of darkness, who rejoice to do evil and delight in the frowardness
of the wicked, whose ways are crooked and they
froward in their paths, to deliver thee from the strange woman even
from the stranger which flattereth with her words, which forsaketh
the guide of her youth, and forgetteth the covenant of God. For her
house inclineth unto death, and her paths unto the dead, none
that go unto her return again, neither take they hold of the
paths of life. that thou mayest walk in the
way of good men and keep the paths of the righteous. For the
upright shall dwell in the land and the perfect shall remain
in it. But the wicked shall be cut off from the earth and the
transgressors shall be rooted out. May the Lord bless the reading
of his own precious word and grant to us a spirit of real
prayer. Almighty, most merciful and eternal
God, Father, Son and Holy Ghost, Lord, teach us how to pray and
for what to pray. For we know not what to pray
for as we ought But may the Spirit make intercession for us. We
do humbly pray thee. Lord, we do pray that we may
come to thee as thou hast instructed us. Our Father which art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as
it is in heaven. O most gracious Lord, we do pray
that thou wouldst bless us then with the spirit of adoption.
We thank thee for our Lord Jesus Christ, for through him we have
access by one spirit unto the Father. And we do thank thee
for that access, through that glorious sacrifice of the cross
of Calvary, through that glorious everlasting righteousness of
our Lord Jesus Christ, He is our only hope, and all our desire
is before thee, Lord. Our groanings cannot be hid from
thee. We mourn over our sinfulness,
the corruption of our heart, the uncleanness of our nature.
We prove what the prophet of old declares, from the crown
of the head to the sole of the foot, wounds and bruises and
putrefying sores. There is no soundness in my flesh. And Lord, we prove it to be so.
And we prove it to be so continually. We think of the prayer of thy
servant Solomon in the dedication of the temple. And every man
shall know the plague of his own heart. And Lord, we certainly
know that. And we often Find a companion
in the Apostle Paul in Romans 7. That which I would, I do not. That which I would not, I do.
I find a law within my members that when I would do good, then
evil is present with me. Lord, we pray to be delivered
from sin and from its power. 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. And may the grace
of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God our Father, and
the sacred fellowship of the Holy Spirit rest and abide upon
us as we gather round thy word today. Grant that there may be
a living power, a divine unction that shall attend the word of
God as we gather here today. it may be with us as it was with
the dear apostle as he met with that little group in the place
where prayer was wont to be made and we read of Lydia whose heart
the Lord opened or we do pray that that may be so today that
there may be the opening of hearts that the light of divine truth
may shine into those hearts that we may see our darkness,
our sinfulness, and then we may be brought to look out of self
unto Jesus Christ, the only Saviour of sinners, and look to his precious
blood that was shed on Calvary's tree, that blood that cleanses
from all sin. May we feel its cleansing power,
we do humbly pray thee. may we be clothed upon with that
glorious everlasting robe of his righteousness to cover our
nakedness. And oh, most gracious Lord, we
do pray that thou in thy precious mercy would remember us then
as a church and as a congregation. Remember our brethren, the deacons,
and give grace, wisdom, and help in all their responsibilities
here and elsewhere. Remember each one of our brethren
and sisters in church fellowship, and graciously, Lord, unite us
together still in thy holy fear. We do humbly beseech thee. And
O Lord, we do pray that thou, in thy precious mercy, would
remember the little ones and the children, and put the fear
of the Lord, which is the beginning of wisdom, into their hearts,
in their young, and in their tending years, and that we may
see the fulfilling, O Lord, of that wonderful promise, instead
of thy fathers shall be thy children, whom thou mayest make princes
in all the earth. Lord, we do pray that thou wouldst
so bless our young friends, that there may be a generation raised
up to call thee the Redeemer blessed. and that thou would
bring them to living, saving faith in Jesus Christ, that they
may become true followers of thee and of those who through
faith and patience inherit the promises that there may be a
seed that shall follow on to know the Lord, we do humbly beseech
thee. And Lord, we pray that thou would
cause the prodigals to return and thy wonderful grace to be
seen in this, we do humbly beseech thee for thy great name's sake. We pray that the light and glory
of the gospel may shine into this village and the surrounding
villages and hamlets and precious souls may be gathered unto Christ
and that we might see thy work. Let thy work appear unto thy
servants and thy glory unto their children, O Lord, we do beseech
thee for thy great name's sake. Remember all in the midst of
the journey of life and have mercy upon each one and graciously
grant that they may follow on to know the Lord. O gracious God, we do pray that
thou wouldst work mightily and work powerfully. Lord, we can
be found sitting in chapel, O Lord, and yet still as far from God
as sheep can run. Oh, we do pray that thou wouldst
fulfil thy promises, that thou wouldst bring our sons from far
and our daughters from the ends of the earth. Oh, do hear us,
Lord, we pray thee, May there be those pricking thorns to hedge
their way. Be with parents and give grace,
wisdom, and help to bring up their children in the nurture
and admonition of the Lord. And graciously bless the families
as they gather for divine worship. Grant thy sacred presence, we
do humbly pray thee. And oh Lord, we do pray that
thou in thy great mercy was to remember those of us that are
in the evening time of life's journey. And we begin to feel this cottage
shake. We are but earthen vessels. We
must needs die and be as water spilt upon the ground that cannot
be gathered again. And Lord, it is according to
thy divine appointment we pray to be graciously prepared for
that great change that must come to each one of us. We must soar
through tracks unknown and see thee on thy judgment throne. Lord prepare us for that great
day and now my God prepare my soul for that great day and wash
me in thy precious blood. Take all my sins away. O most gracious Lord, we do pray
that thou wouldst truly wash us and cleanse us from all iniquity. And we pray, O Lord, that thou
in thy great mercy wouldst remember all thy servants as they labour
in word and doctrine upon the walls of Zion and set them free
and at liberty today. And we pray thee, the great Lord
of the harvest, that thou would send true labourers into the
harvest. Oh, to hear us, Lord, in heaven,
thy holy and thy blessed dwelling place, we do beseech thee. And we do pray that thou would
send prosperity. Oh, we do so long for the prosperity
of Zion. We can say, O Lord, with the
sweet psalmist I've loved, the habitation of thy house and the
place where thine honour dwelleth. And we do pray that we may have
been able to follow on. And that we do pray, most gracious
Lord, that thou would remember that there are causes of truth
up and down the land, wherever thy servants stand, wherever
thy people gather, sometimes in twos and threes and sometimes
in greater numbers. Pour forth thy blessed Spirit,
graciously build the walls of Jerusalem, and may thy servants take pleasure
in her stones and favour the dust thereof. And Lord, instead
of a declension and the closing of chapels, we pray, that there
might be a building up, that there might be an in-gathering, that there may be a building
of new places of worship, that there was poor forth thy spirit
in this day in which we live. Lord, we look at the world around
us and we see the spirit of Antichrist and the power of it in our parliament,
all around us, Lord. We do pray that thou wouldst
arise. Thy church, O Lord, is likened unto a grain of mustard
seed, and it will grow, and it will spread, and the birds of
the air shall live in its branches. Lord, we pray that thou wouldst
so bless thy church, that there might be a growth, that there
might be a building up, that there might be an ingathering.
Thou hast said, I will yet be inquired of the house of Israel
to do this thing for them. I will increase them with men
like a flock. Lord, may we see such a day.
We do humbly beseech thee. We long for thy appearing. We
long for that day of power. Lord, we do pray for our own
little group of churches, that thou wouldst graciously hear
prayer and that thou wouldst return unto Jerusalem with mercies,
that thou wouldst blow with the wind of the Spirit among the
churches, that we may see the further settlement of pastors
and the building up of thy church and the renewing of thy people,
and that gracious determination to know nothing among men, save
Jesus Christ and him crucified. Lord, we do pray that thou wouldst
hear prayer for all in affliction, trouble, and trial, and perplexity,
and graciously bless them. We do pray for thy great namesake. We do pray, most gracious Lord,
that thou wouldst bring those in darkness into light, those
in bondage into liberty, those far off, may they be made nigh.
Lord, we pray for all in authority over us, that wisdom and help
may be given to each one. We pray, most gracious Lord,
that thou in thy precious mercy Hear prayer for our king and
the royal household that thy rich grace may be planted there,
and the fear of the Lord may be seen there. We do humbly pray
thee as a witness to thy wonderful power to save. And thou hast said, O Lord, in
thy word, by me king's reign and prince's decree justice.
Lord, we do pray. Thou and thy precious mercy would
bring to naught the counsels of the ungodly, and graciously
bring peace where there is war. Lord, thou alone are able to
do these things. It's all in thy gracious hand,
and we do desire to bow before thee, and to humbly acknowledge thy
greatness. Great is the Lord, greatly to
be praised, and his greatness is unsearchable. Remember those
that labour in word and doctrine among the nations of the earth.
We think of Ian Sadler and that great work that he does, supply
all his many returning deeds. We remember, O Lord, the Mombasa
mission and thy servant there, that thou wouldst graciously
help them there and grant good success to their labours. And
Lord, we remember also the friends in Ghana, in the Savannah
Education Trust. Lord, we pray that thou would
bless their work there and supply all their needs. And Lord, we
do pray for truly thankful hearts, for the abundance of thy mercy.
Thank thee for our little house of prayer, We thank Thee for
the open Bible. We thank Thee that Thou art God
over all and blessed for evermore. Thou art God alone. We thank
Thee for Thy infinite love, mercy and grace in Jesus Christ, the
glory of the incarnation, the wonder of the law, magnified
and honoured, and everlasting righteousness brought in, in
the glorious person of Thy Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ, thanks
be unto God for his unspeakable gift. And, O Lord, we do thank
thee that he died for our sins and rose again for our justification,
and is now bodily ascended into heaven, and that we have indeed
a great high priest who is passed into the heavens, Jesus, the
Son of God. O gracious God, do hear us we
pray, and do be with us now as we turn to thy holy word, and
do come and touch one's lips with the live coal from off the
heavenly altar. For Jesus Christ's sake. Amen. Let us continue our worship by
singing together hymn 255. The tune is Burnham, 311. Happy the men that fear the Lord,
they from the paths of sin depart, rejoice and tremble at his word,
and hide it deep within their hearts. Hymn 255. tune Burnham 311. ? Rejoice and be glad, O Israel
? ? The grace to take you there ?
? When you're gone, gone, gone ? ? Give peace to my heart and mind ? ? Now and in my dreams
? ? Praise Him ever ? ? His triumph
in heav'nly song ? ? Praise Him ever ? O say does that star-spangled
banner yet wave O'er the land of the free and the home of the
brave ? And the rose of Christ was as
in the beginning of the world ? Ever free from the chains that
we've been given. Greatly feeling to need the Lord's
gracious help, I would direct your attention to the prophecy
of Isaiah, in chapter 50, and we'll read verses 10 and 11 for
our text. The prophecy of Isaiah, chapter
50, verses 10 and 11. Who is among you that feareth
the Lord, that obeyeth the voice of his servant, that walketh
in darkness and hath no light? Let him trust in the name of
the Lord and stay upon his God. Behold, all they that kindle
a fire, that compass yourselves about with sparks, walk in the
light of your fire, and in the sparks that ye have kindled,
this shall ye have of mine hand, ye shall lie down in sorrow. In these two verses they are
very distinct one from another. So This morning, I will speak from
verse 10, and God willing this afternoon, I will speak from
verse 11. We have two very distinct verses
and subjects here. Who is among you that feareth
the Lord, that obeyeth the voice of his
servant? The fear of the Lord is the beginning
of wisdom. So we're told in the book of
Proverbs. I read that second chapter of
the Proverbs because especially in the beginning of it, much
teaching there concerning what the fear of the Lord really is. We read that it's the beginning
of knowledge. And we read there in, we read
it together, chapter two, my son, if thou would receive my
words and hide my commandments with thee. This is a person with
the fear of the Lord so that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom
and apply thine heart to understanding. This is the fear of the Lord.
will bring a person to do this. By nature we all are spiritually
dead and the dead know not anything and the natural man cannot receive
the things of the Spirit of God for they are spiritually deserved.
But if we have the fear of the Lord, which is the beginning
of wisdom, we shall seek to please God. will seek to please God. The
hymn writer speaking of the fear of the Lord he says it's an unctuous
light to all that's right and a bar to all that's wrong. So a person with the fear of
the Lord has a tender conscience and that desire to follow the
Lord that desire to hear his voice, that desire to keep his
commandments, to do that which is right in his sight. And so
the point is made here in Proverbs 2, so that thou incline thine
ear unto wisdom and apply thine heart to understanding, yea if
thou cryest after knowledge, this is one of the marks of the
fear of the Lord, There is a hunger and a thirst for knowledge, for
understanding. There's a felt sense when the
Spirit of God enters the heart and quickens the soul, there's
a felt sense of need. We read of Saul of Tarsus on
the road to Damascus, behold he prayeth. And we pray, truly
pray, when we have a sense of need. We pray because we need
something. This is not just a formal prayer, or a form of prayer, but it's
the very longings of a living soul. There's a desire after
the Lord. Yea, if thou cryest after knowledge,
and liftest up thy voice for understanding. If thou seekest
her as silver and searchest for her as for hid treasure, then
shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge
of God. Seek and ye shall find. Ask and it shall be given unto
you. it shall be opened. These are
the teachings of our Lord Jesus Christ, the encouragement to
these seeking souls, to seek, to look, to watch, to wait. The fear of the Lord. For the
Lord, it says in verse 6, Proverbs 2, for the Lord giveth wisdom,
out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding, He layeth
up sound wisdom for the righteous. He is a buckler to them that
walk uprightly. He keepeth the paths of judgment
and preserveth the way of his saints. Then shall thou understand
righteousness and judgment and equity, yea, every good path. The Lord Jesus, he puts it in
a slightly different way. when it encourages poor sinners
to look. Think of that lovely word and
it's Christ that is speaking in the prophecy of Isaiah chapter
45 verse 22. Look unto me. Look unto me. The person speaking is the Lord
Jesus Christ. Look unto me and be ye saved
o'er the ends of the earth for I am God and there is none else. It says here in verse 10 of Proverbs
2, when wisdom entereth into thine heart, and knowledge is
pleasant unto thy soul, discretion shall preserve thee, understanding
shall keep thee, to deliver thee from the way of the evil man.
This is the fear of the Lord when it's in exercise in the
heart. Do we have the fear of the Lord? It's a wonderful thing to be
given the fear of the Lord. Though thy beginnings be small,
thy latter end shall greatly increase. It may be that It's
with you, one of the hymn writers, those feeble desires, those wishes
so weak, tis Jesus inspires and bids thee still seek. Who is among you that feareth
the Lord? You know, friends, without this
fear of the Lord, there is no life, spiritual life. Jesus said, when he the spirit
of truth is come, he will reprove the world of sin, of righteousness,
and of judgment. When he comes, when he comes
to a sinner's heart, who is among you that feareth the Lord? There's a beautiful passage that
we find in the Prophet Malachi and the third chapter and it
speaks of those that fear the Lord. In Malachi chapter 3 verse
16, then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another. And the Lord hearkened and heard
it. and a book of remembrance was
written before him for them that feared the Lord and that thought
upon his name, them that feared the Lord. He says here in verse 17, and
they shall be mine, them that feared the Lord. This wonderful
fear It's a wonderful thing. It's
a precious gift. There are two types of fear spoken
of in Holy Scripture. There is the slavish fear which
comes under the law. The terrors of God's judgment.
The terrors of the anger of the Lord. The terrors of hell fire. They come in a slavish way. But this is not the fear of the
Lord that we have in our text. So you have this slavish fear
of the Lord which comes from the curse of the law and brings
terror into the heart. But this is not the fear that
is in our text. The fear that is in our text
and that we read of in the Proverbs is called the filial fear of
the Lord. It works by love. Not by terror. That's the distinction between
law and grace. The law brings terror. Moses
couldn't bear the things that he heard. There were thunderings
and lightnings. And it said even Moses did fear
and tremble. That's the holy law of God. That's
not the fear in our text though. It's the filial fear of the law.
It's that desire to seek Him. It's that desire to have knowledge. It's that desire for wisdom.
It's that desire for grace. They that feared the Lord spake
often one to another. How often those of us here that
feared the Lord How often do we speak one to another? I've
proved it many times over the years, friends, that there is
much profit when the Lord's people speak to one another on spiritual
things than they that feared the Lord
speak often one to another. It's a means of grace. and the Lord hearkened and heard it and a book of remembrance
was written before him for them that feared the Lord and that
thought upon his name. You just think of that. Them that feared the Lord and
that thought upon his name. Maybe some of you here, you think
on his name. That thought upon his name. You
consider here how low the Holy Spirit comes to them that thought
upon his name. Can't speak of anything great
and profound in experience, but you think upon his name. And they shall be mine. And they
shall be mine, said the Lord of hosts in that day. when I
make up my jewels. Those wonderful jewels, the children
of God gathered from every nation, kindred, tongue and tribe and
people. The Lord calls them his jewels. They're precious to him. The other word here, I will spare
them. I will spare them. Precious truth
you know. as a man spareth his own son
that serveth him. You see, then they that feared
the Lord and that thought upon his name. Maybe in your own personal
experience you can't seem to get any higher than that, that
thought upon his name, but you're still in that word they shall
be mine, they shall be mine. And this fear of the Lord will
bring you to desire to walk in the Lord's commandments. Who is among you that feareth
the Lord, now that obeyeth the voice of his servant? do not believe this means a prophet
nor do I believe it means a preacher well it does mean a preacher
it means the preacher of preachers the Lord Jesus Christ in Isaiah
chapter 42 we read of our Lord Jesus Christ and that is what
is here in this text it says in Isaiah 42 behold my servant whom I uphold. This is the glorious
person of the Son of God that was manifest in the flesh, the
word that was made flesh and dwelt among us. Behold my servant,
whom I uphold, mine elect. The church is chosen in Christ. That's why he's called the Father's
first elect, mine elect. in whom my soul delighted. This
is the Eternal Father speaking of his only begotten son that
was manifest in the flesh. Behold my servant. We read in
Philippians chapter 2 that he took upon him the form of a servant
and was made in the likeness of man and being found in fashion
as a man humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even
the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly
exalted him and given him a name that is above every name, that
at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven,
of things in earth, of things beneath the earth. Behold my
servant whom I uphold, whom I uphold. Think of those occasions in the
life of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God manifest in the
flesh. Think of him after his baptism
when he was led of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted
of the devil for 40 days and 40 nights. He had no food or
water. And temptation is very spiritually
weakening. Those of you that have known
it will know that that is very true. But what do we read? When the
devil departed from him, there appeared an angel from heaven,
strengthening him, whom I uphold. Behold my servant whom I uphold. Think of our Lord Jesus Christ
in the Garden of Gethsemane. Now what was done in the Garden
of Gethsemane? He laid upon him the iniquity
of us all. That was what was done in the
Garden of Gethsemane. Our gracious, eternal Father
took the sin of the church and he laid it or he imputed it unto
his Son, Jesus Christ. And that is why he suffered and
bled and died. our sins he was wounded for our
transgressions and bruised for our iniquities but I want to
just speak here it says whom I uphold I want to speak of Gethsemane
where he took our sins and where the weight and the burden of
those sins that were laid upon him Father, if it be possible, let
this cup pass from me. This cup of suffering, of agony. And it says, and he being in
an agony, under the weight of the sin of the church, he being
in an agony, sweat as it were, great drops of blood falling
down to the ground. Then we read this, and there
appeared an angel strengthening him. Of course, The Son of God
in his divine nature needed no strengthening. He's the eternal
Son of God. He's almighty. He's omnipotent. But that sacred, holy, human
nature that he assumed in the womb of the Virgin Mary, it's
in that nature that he suffered and bled and died. It's in that nature that he bore
our sins. Jesus, the Son of God. It was
his own personal human nature. Behold my servant, whom I uphold,
mine elect. All the church is chosen in Christ,
mine elect. All that the Father giveth me
shall come to me, and him that cometh unto me I will in no wise
cast out. Mine elect. in whom my soul delighteth. There are twice in Holy Scripture
in a very specific way the baptism of our Lord Jesus Christ in the
River Jordan by John the Baptist. There's a glorious revelation
of the Trinity there. We see the Lord Jesus being baptized by John the Baptist,
the Son of God. John the Baptist said to him,
suffer it to be so now, for thus it becometh us to fulfill all
righteousness. Friends, it is a righteous thing
to be baptized in the name of the Father and of the Holy Spirit
and of the Son of God. It's a righteous thing. It's
following Jesus. by an elect in whom my soul delighted."
And what do we read there? When the Lord Jesus was baptized.
John the Baptist, he says that the Lord had revealed to him,
upon whom he saw the Spirit descending like a dove. And John says that
he witnesses that he saw the Spirit of God in the form of
a dove as he brought the Lord Jesus up out of the water, alighting
upon him. and he heard a voice from heaven
that is the voice of his eternal father this is my beloved son
in whom i am well pleased mine elect in whom my soul delights
we read in holy scripture that the lord is well pleased for
his righteousness sake well pleased with his son on the Mount of
Transfiguration when he took Peter, James, and John. It's a very interesting, friends,
and instructive. He took Peter, James, and John
with him in Gethsemane. He took Peter, James, and John
up into the Mount of Transfiguration. And the Lord was transfigured
before them and there appeared Abraham and Moses and speaking
with the Lord Jesus Christ on the Mount of Transfiguration.
That is what Peter refers to in his epistle how that he beheld
the Lord. But they saw the Lord speaking
with Moses and with Elijah. on the Mount of Transfiguration. Then they came into a cloud and
they heard the voice from heaven. That's the voice of the Father.
This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased. To me, Elijah represents the
prophets of the Old Testament. Moses represents the law. The
law came by Moses. The Old Testament is the Law
and the Prophets and that is what is represented there but
what the Lord is revealing to us and to Peter and James and
John was you've heard what Moses said, you've heard what Elijah
said. Now hear what my son has to say. God who at sundry times spake
in time past under prophets has spoken unto us now by his Son,
Jesus Christ. He said, this is my beloved Son,
in whom I am well pleased, mine elect, in whom my soul delighted. I have put my spirit upon him.
And it speaks here so beautifully, he shall not cry, nor lift up,
nor cause his voice to be heard in the street. A bruised reed
shall he not break, who Jesus. How kind, how compassionate he
is to poor seeking souls. A bruisive reed that bows down,
that cannot lift itself up. You know, when the Lord brings
his children perhaps into dark, perplexing, sorrowful things,
darkness in their soul, bondage in their soul, because that's
what we have in our text. Who is among you that feareth
the Lord, walketh in darkness. But we must look, behold my servant. Sometimes, like this smoking
flax, that may be your spiritual experience at this time. It's
just smouldering. There's no flame, there's no
light. Smoking flax. Is that how you feel in your
soul at this time? There's a smoke, which probably
represents incense, as we spoke of it just recently, ascending
to heaven. Do you pray? Do you seek? Do
you search? Do you feel your sins? Do you
feel darkness? Do you feel bondage? Because you feel and know these
things, it's the evidence of life in your soul. Who is among you that feareth
the Lord, that obeyeth the voice of his servant? Obeying the voice
of Jesus? Are you obeying the voice of
Jesus? This do in remembrance of me? For as often as ye eat
this bread and drink this cup, ye do show the Lord's death until
he come. Jesus said, if ye love me, keep
my commandments. Who is among you that feareth
the Lord, that obeyeth the voice of his servant, the voice of
Christ, the voice of Jesus, follow me. He walked past the receipt
of custom where Matthew Levi was. And he said, follow me. And immediately he followed him. He came to the sycamore tree
in Jericho and he looked up, Zacchaeus, come down. Zacchaeus
come down and immediately he came down and received him joyfully
and went into his house and had a feast. He was a rich man. We
see the wonderful fruits of salvation there. In Zacchaeus, who is among you
that fears the Lord, that obeyeth the voice of his servant, that
walketh in darkness and hath no light? walketh in darkness
and hath no light. You know friends, the Lord's
people do come into these places, walk in darkness and they have
no light, no light. Job, he says in chapter 19 of the
book of Job, He says his kinsfolk failed,
his brethren are far from me, my acquaintance are verily estranged
from me, my kinsfolk have failed, that my familiar friends have
forgotten me, they that dwell in mine house and my maids count
me for a stranger, I'm alien in their sight, I called my servant,
he gave me no answer, I treated him with my mouth, my breath
is strange to my wife, though I am treated for the children's
sake of mine own body, Yea, young children despise me. Look at
where Job got to. All my inward friends abhorred
me, and they whom I love turned against me. Who is among you
that feareth the Lord, that walketh in darkness? Poor dear man of
God. But you know, in the midst of
that, as we carry on down that chapter 19, says in verse 23, oh that my
words were now written, oh that they were printed in a book,
that they were graven with an iron pen and led in the rock
forever. But then the little hand of faith stretches out in
the midst of all his desolation and all his affliction, for I
know that my Redeemer liveth and that he shall stand at the
latter day upon the earth. And though after my skin, worms
destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God. He was
looking to the resurrection of the body. I actually believe
there's a twofold sense here, friends, that we can open those
words. Though after my skin, worms destroy
this body, that is Job's personal body, that when he died, he would
return to dust. And then on the resurrection
day, Yet in my flesh, that is in this human nature, shall I
see God when I'm resurrected, whom I shall see for myself and
when I shall behold. But I believe there's also another
angle to look at that. And though after my skin, worms
destroy this body, in my flesh shall I see God. whom I shall
see for myself in my flesh, the incarnation of the Son of God. Is that what Job saw? In my flesh
shall I see God, the glorious person of the Son of God manifest
in the flesh, whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall
behold, and not another, though my brains be consumed within
me. You see, my beloved friends,
Again, my mind was rather drawn to chapter 23 in the book of
Job. And we see the darkness and the
bondage that Job was in. If you look at chapter 23, verse
eight, behold, I go forward. He is not there. Who's he looking
for? The Lord. Behold, I go forward. but he is not there. And backward,
but I cannot perceive him. On the left hand where he doth
work, but I cannot behold him. He hideth himself on the right
hand that I cannot see him. You know we interpret in Solomon's
song, and I believe it's true to interpret it here, that his
left hand is under my head and his right hand doth embrace me.
Left hand blessings are providential blessings. Right hand blessings
are those rich spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ
Jesus. He says in verse nine, on the
left hand, where he does work, but I cannot behold him in providence. And then he said, he hideth himself
on the right hand in grace. Is that where you feel to be
at this time? But I cannot see him. But then again, the little hand
of faith, but he knoweth the way that I take. When he hath
tried me, I shall come forth as God. I shall come forth as
God. Neither have I gone back from
the commandment of the lips. esteem the words of his mouth
more than my necessary food. But he is in one mind. This great
God, this sovereign Lord Jehovah, the sovereign ruler of the skies,
he is in one mind and who can turn him? Job was in the midst
of trouble. And what his soul desireth, even
that he doeth. for he performeth the thing that
is appointed for me and many such things are with him. This is so true friends, the
truth of God, it really is and it is written for our instruction,
who is among you that feareth the Lord, that obeyeth the voice
of his servant, that walketh in darkness and hath no light, Let him trust. Let him trust
in the name of the Lord and stay upon his God. Job says in the book of Job,
though he slay me, yet will I trust in him. Yet will I trust in him. Faith. That's what it is to trust. Trust
in him at all times ye people. Wait patiently for him. We are instructed in Hebrews
chapter 11, faith is the substance of things hoped for yet not seen. Hoped for yet not seen. You can't see them. It's in darkness. You can't see. By reason of darkness. in your
soul, in your heart. But it is speaking of those that
fear the Lord. It's not speaking of a person
that doesn't fear the Lord, but those that do fear the Lord.
Walking in darkness and have no light, let him trust. Looking unto Jesus, casting all
your care upon him, for he careth for you. The Apostle says in
Hebrews chapter 10 I believe it is concerning this trust and
waiting upon the Lord and casting all your care upon
Him and looking unto Jesus. This is the exaltation in the
Word of God. and he says cast not away therefore
your confidence Hebrews chapter 10 verse 35 cast not away therefore
your confidence what confidence? the confidence of faith you can
look back to a time when you had light you can look back to a time when
the Lord was precious You can look back to a time when
you felt such a love to the Lord, such a desire after his name. Notice it says here, the name
of the Lord. We read again in the Proverbs,
the name of the Lord is a strong tower and the righteous runneth
into it. It's a strong tower. David says, and this is what
it is to trust in the Lord. Thou art my rock and my fortress,
my strong and my high tower, and unto thee shall I continually
resort. Cast not away therefore your
confidence with that great recompense of reward, for ye have need of
patience. Ye have need of patience. In the epistle of James we read,
let patience have her perfect work. Patience. We read of patiently enduring. And you feel the need of patience. It's not something that grows
on nature's barren soil. You have to ask the Lord to give
you patience. For ye have need of patience. There's some instruction here,
friends. For ye have need of patience, that after ye have
done the will of God, ye might receive the promise. You've got
to walk by faith. You've got to go forward by faith. We read of the Lord's servant
Abraham in Hebrews 11 verse 8 by faith Abraham when he was called
to go out into a place which he should after receive for an
inheritance obeyed that's the obedience of faith and that's
what it's speaking of in our text he went out not knowing
whether he went he went in faith that's what it is to go in faith
not knowing whether he went. You have to take a step in faith,
trusting in the Lord. One hymn writer says, doesn't
it, but trusting his righteous character, trusting Jesus Christ,
trusting in his precious blood, trusting in his glorious righteousness,
trusting in his faithfulness, trusting in that glorious truth,
Jesus Christ the same yesterday and today and forever. You might say well I can't go
forward I don't know what's around the corner. My beloved friends
that is what it means to walk by faith. Not knowing what's
around the corner but trusting in the Lord. not knowing whither he went,
by faith he is sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange
country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs
with him of the same promise, for he looked for a city which
hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God. Through faith
also Sarah herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered
of a child, when she was past age because she judged him faithful
that promised. The Lord will never forsake his
people. I will never leave thee nor forsake
thee. Fear not, I am with thee. Be
not dismayed, I am thy God. I will help thee, yea, I will
uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness. It's what
the Lord has promised to do for his children. Therefore sprang there even of
one, and him as good as dead, so many as the stars of the sky
in multitude, and as the sand which is by the seashore innumerable.
These all died in faith." They all died in faith, trusting in
the Lord. We have that quotation at the
end of Hebrews 10. Verse 37, for yet a little while,
and he that shall come will come and will not tarry. Now the just
shall live by faith. But if any man draw back, my
soul shall have no pleasure in him. But we are not of them who
draw back unto perdition, but of them that believe to the saving
of the soul. We read of Abraham that he hoped
against hope. Hoped against hope. It says in verse 17 of Hebrews
11, by faith Abraham when he was tried offered up Isaac and
he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten
son of whom it was said that in isaac shall thy seed be called
accounting that god was able to raise him up even from the
dead he trusted therefore he placed his son right in the hands
of the lord exactly what the lord had told him to do accounting
that god was able to raise him from the dead What a wonderful thing it is,
my beloved friends, to have faith, to have faith, to trust. The Philippian jailer, he said he was, the man was desperate,
he was about to fall on his soul. And he said to Paul, what must
I do to be saved? And what was Paul's answer? Believe
on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved. To trust
in the Lord. Let him trust in the name, that
glorious everlasting name of Jesus Christ. Let him trust in
the name of the Lord and stay upon his guard. The name of the
Lord is a strong tower and the righteous runneth into it. May the Lord add his blessing. Let us now sing together hymn
number 722. The tune is Hawkhurst, 469. What am I? And where am I? Strange myself
and paths appear. Scarce can lift a thought on
high, Or drop one heart-feeling tear. Hymn 722. Tune Hawkerst. 469. ? May thy triumphs again ? ? Set
every heart on high ? ? Lord of all, Lord of all ? and I feel I'm not alone. I have
always been true, and I will always be true. ? From Thee, O Death, O Fire ?
? Stars, O Heaven, Thine I bow ? ? Enter the words in my breath
? ? Teach me to trust and to my breath ? ? When I am in need be there ? Is the evening time at hand,
When heaven and earth rejoice, And the sun in his action takes
away the chains of sin. May the Lord in thee appear,
give thee light and joy and rest, By the way I would begin To lead
to this coming day. His love is rich and free. Jesus,
let me feel thy power, And thy soul will bring to thee 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. Amen.