Let us commence this afternoon's
service with hymn 330, Tune Carlyle 17. Your hearts, ye trembling saints,
down from the willows take. Loud to the praise of Christ
our Lord bid every string awake. Hymn 330, Tune Carlyle 17. ? Oh, say can you see ? ? By the dawn's
early light ? ? Come take the praise of Christ
the Lord ? ? With every string of grace ? ? Heav'n and earth
adore thee ? We are not far from home And nearer to the house
of God We have come This day shall soon begin Stronger
and brighter shall The present things to a place
to come shall precious love remind. The time of birth will come Then we shall clearly see, Not
only that He shed His blood, How He shall save the weak. Carry His ledger of men, Waiting,
appointed hour. Wait till the bright moon of
your soul I am His loving power. Blest is the man of God, Whose
mind is pure, Omni. Who waits for Thy salvation?
Who shall Thine salvation be? May the Lord help us to continue
to read in the Acts of the Apostles. And we read this afternoon chapter
15. Chapter 15 in the Acts of the
Apostles. And certain men, which came down
from Judea, taught the brethren and said, except ye be circumcised
after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved. When therefore
Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension, and disputation with
them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas, and certain other
of them, should go up to Jerusalem unto the apostles and elders
about this question. And being brought on their way
by the church, they passed through Pharnacia and Samaria, declaring
the conversion of the Gentiles, and they caused great joy unto
all the brethren. And when they were come to Jerusalem,
they were received of the church and of the apostles and elders,
and they declared all things that God had done with them. But there rose up certain of
the sect of the Pharisees which believed, saying that it was
needful to circumcise them and to command them to keep the law
of Moses. And the apostles and elders came
together for to consider of this matter And when there had been much
disputing, Peter rose up and said unto them, Men and brethren,
ye know how that a good while ago God made choice among us
that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel
and believe. and God which knoweth the hearts,
there them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as He did
unto us, and put no difference between us and them, purifying
their hearts by faith. Now therefore, why tempt ye God,
to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples which neither our
fathers nor we were able to bear. But we believe that through the
grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved even as they. Then all the multitude kept silent
and gave audience to Barnabas and Paul, declaring what miracles
and wonders God had wrought among the Gentiles by them. And after
they had held their peace, James answered Sion, Men and brethren,
hearken unto me. Simon hath declared how God at
the first did visit the Gentiles to take out of them a people
for his name. And to this agree the words of
the prophets as it is written. After this I will return and
will build again the tabernacle of David which is fallen down,
and I will build again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up,
that the residue of men might seek after the Lord, and all
the Gentiles, upon whom my name is called, saith the Lord, who
doeth all these things. known unto God are all his works
from the beginning of the world. Wherefore my sentence is that
we trouble not them which from among the Gentiles are turned
to God, but that we write unto them that they abstain from pollutions
of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and
from blood. For Moses of old time hath in
every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues
every sabbath time. Then pleased it the apostles
and elders with the whole church to send chosen men of their own
company to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas, namely Judas, surnamed
Barnabas, and Silas, chief men, among the brethren. And they
wrote letters by them after this manner. The apostles and elders
and brethren send greeting unto the brethren which are of the
Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia. For as much as we
have heard that certain which went out from us have troubled
you with words, subverting your souls, saying, ye must be circumcised
and keep the law, to whom we gave no such commandment. It seemed good unto us, being
assembled with one accord, to send chosen men unto you, with
our beloved Barnabas and Paul, men that have hazarded their
lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. We have sent therefore
Judas and Silas who shall also tell you the same things by mouth. For it seemed good to the Holy
Ghost and to us to lay upon you no greater burden than these
necessary things that ye abstain from meat offered to idols, and
from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication, from which,
if ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well. Fair ye well. So when they were dismissed,
they came to Antioch, And when they had gathered the multitude
together, they delivered the epistle, which when they had
read, they rejoiced for the consolation. And Judas and Silas, being prophets
also themselves, exhorted the brethren with many words and
confirm them. And after they had tarried there
a space, they were let go in peace from the brethren unto
the apostles, notwithstanding it pleased Silas to abide there
still. Paul also in Barnabas continued
in Antioch teaching and preaching the Word of the Lord with many
others also. And some days after Paul, after
Paul said unto Barnabas, let us go again and visit our brethren
in every city where we have preached the Word of the Lord and see
how they do. And Barnabas determined to take
with them John, whose surname was Mark. But Paul thought not
good to take him with them, who departed from them from Pamphylia,
and went not with them to the work. And the contention was
so sharp between them, that they departed asunder one from the
other. And so Barnabas took Mark and
sailed in unto Cyprus. And Paul chose Silas and departed,
being recommended by the brethren unto the grace of God. and he went through Syria and
Cilicia confirming the churches. May the Lord own and bless the
reading from his infallible Word. May the Lord help us to pray. most holy, and eternal, and sovereign,
and ever-living God, there who art eternally the same. No variableness, Lord, with Thou,
Nor shadow of turn. Thou art the same yesterday,
today, and forever. I am the Lord, I change not. Therefore, ye sons of Jacob,
are not consumed. And so, Lord, we venture again
to wait upon Thee in the service this afternoon, thanking Thee
for the return of the Lord's day, thanking Thee for the service
this morning. And Lord, we must not deny Thy
goodness, for without Thee we can do nothing. But Thou hast
not left us, Lord, in confusion, but Thou hast granted thy divine
help, so that thy word goes forth from sabbath to sabbath, and
from week to week, accomplishing thy will and purposes in the
hearts of thy dear people, who have been brought to saving believe. So Lord as we continue in word
and doctrine and faith and practice may we have opened unto us further
the sacred treasure house of thy divine truth. Oh Lord, may there be that hungering
and thirsting for the living bread, for living water, to satiate
our souls, to keep our souls alive, and to help us to wait
upon Thee continually, in thy word, and in prayer, and in meditation. O Lord, do help us to wait upon
thee, my soul. Wait thou only upon God, for
my expectation is from him. and the expectation, Lord, of
the righteous shall not be cut off. Oh, do fulfil thy known
word in our hearts and in our lives and upon our spirit and
in our souls that we might be established and settled Upon
that one glorious foundation stone, the Lord Jesus Christ,
the rock of ages, cleft for thee, let me hide myself in thee. And so Lord, we do pray that
thou wilt remember us unitedly as we are gathered together now
for the service this afternoon. Oh, we thank thee, dear Lord,
for the help and strength sufficient to present our bodies before
thee in the house of God, which is our reasonable service so
to do. and for strengthening us, Lord,
and enabling us to come once more amongst our dear friends,
thy dear people, thy church here at Lambethurst. We thank thee, Lord, for the
continuation of the ministry here. We thank, Lord, of the
former pastor, Mr. Jabez Field, and then following
his death, the supplies, the ministers that supplied this
pulpit. And then, Lord, after a season,
Thou didst raise up our dear brother Jabez to fulfil the office
of pastor here. So there is that wonderful continuance
in the ministry of the Word and the same precious truths are
preached Sabbath by Sabbath. And hey, there was that desire
with thy people in Antioch that the same truths might be preached
unto them the next Sabbath day. O thy people, Lord, need the
truth every Lord's day. Yea, every day, regardless of
whether we meet in thine earthly courts or not. O may we know
the sanctifying influence and power of thy good spirit in the
word and in prayer, as our homes are sanctified by the word of
God and prayer. And so, Lord, do help us to wait
upon them continually, and to be as dear Mary, sitting at Jesus'
feet to hear thy word. O Lords, we confess that sometimes
we're so burdened and are troubled by many things, lawful things,
Lord, that occupy our mind and time. and seem, Lord, to burden
and trouble us. But oh, may we know what it is
to lay these things aside and to choose that better path which
shall not be taken from us, and to seek first the kingdom of
God and thy righteousness. And then all these other things,
these earthly things, important in their own place, shall be
added unto you. And thus, Lord, do help us to
put thee first. And then everything, Lord, will
be in its proper place, and in good order. For thou, Lord, art
a God of order, and thou hast decreed that all things should
be done decently and in order. And thou, Lord, do we pray thee,
help us to further wait upon thee in thy word to die. May
it prove to be a word in season for the exercised family of God,
who come seeking proportion for their souls, who do not just
come out of custom or because it is the Lord's day. that they
come out of necessity, seeking the Lord, that he would speak
to them through thy word and confirm the sign with signs following. Thus, Lord, thy weight in people
blessed, Crown thy gospel with success. Crown, Lord, the gospel
here with good success. Through the ministry of their
dear pastor, who watches for their souls, who seeks their
spiritual favour and blessings, as the elder brother, as the
father to the son, and to grant that he may see signs following
his ministry here, that he doth not labour in vain, or spend
his Strength and Lord. May he be strength and Lord. Thou knowest the affliction that
he labours under, more or less. And yet Lord, he is strong in
the Lord, and in the power of thy might. And so do be with
him in body, mind and soul. Be with him today at Chippenham
and return him home. The long journey in peace and
safety, for safety is of the Lord. Now Lord we are exalted
to pray one for another. And we pray for those who know
affliction and trial and difficulty and perplexity. Whatever, Lord,
it is, the path thy people walk in, may it be that when thou
hast tried us, we shall come forth as gold. And so, Lord, do continue. to
strengthen our dear friend Mr. Pfeiffer in his office here and
also in his office of serving the Church of God as he has done
for many years as Secretary of the Gospel Standard Trust. And help our other dear brother
who serves on the committee as well. that wisdom and understanding
might be granted in all matters. And also the Bethesda committee,
Lord, in these difficult times and the decisions they have to
take. Oh, grant them that wisdom that
cometh down from heaven. And to remember again, we pray
thee, our sister, Mrs. Collins. Thou knowest, Lord,
that which she has passed through during the past week, that major
operation. We thank thee for bringing her
safely through. And now, Lord, the time to recover
and to be restored. and to be healed. May she be
favoured thus, and blessed thus, so that she may have the God-given
benefit following the operation. O Lord, and may there be that
sanctifying effect of the truth given to her in this affliction,
and to know that in all our afflictions, thou, Lord Jesus, wast afflicted. Remember, Lord, each one from
the youngest to the eldest who attends this cause of truth,
And may each one be graciously helped in the responsibilities
that they have in life's pathway, and in serving their masters
in whatever way that service is. May they do it, Lord, as
unto thee, and be favoured and blessed. with good success, for
them that honour me, I will honour. And Lord, we read in thy word
of those able men who feared God, who had committed to them
responsibilities In Zion, in the Church of God, and in society. Now dear Lord, we pray that they
will remember us as a nation. We are exhorted to pray for king
and country, for the government, and those that rule over us.
Oh Lord, that we could really see that they fear God and desire
to walk according to their commands and precepts. But Lord, it seems
it is not the case that the deceit of their own hearts And the vanities
of this world and the wisdom of this world seems to be the
order of the day. And Lord, we see the sad and
solemn and degenerate state and condition we are in as a nation. But Lord, we thank Thee that
Thou didst preserve Sodom and Gomorrah for the ten righteous
found therein. And we pray that they will lengthen
out our gospel liberties and that we might live that life
of peace within the towns and cities and
nation. And Lord that they will lengthen
out thy goodness to us For the elect's sake, who tremble at
thy word, in whose spirit there is no guile, and for the elect's
sake, the remnant's sake, thou wilt spare us as a nation, and
save us from our enemies, and be gracious unto us. Now, Lord, do further bless the
singing of the sacred hymns. May the services today be a means
of grace unto our waiting souls. And help us, Lord, to further
wait upon thee in the ministry of thy word. We ask all for Jesus'
sake, with the forgiveness of our every sin and that fervent
desire to glorify and magnify the name and person of God the
Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost. God bless it forevermore. Amen. Let us sing together hymn 462. come Rhonda 902 guide me O thou great Jehovah
pilgrim through this barren land I am weak but thou art mighty
hold me with thy powerful hand bread of heaven feed me now and
evermore. Hymn 462, tune Cum Ronda 902. O'er the ramparts we watched,
were so gallantly streaming? And the rocket's red glare, the
bombs bursting in air, I'm ? A crystal fountain ? ? Quench
the fever ? ? Strain to cry ? ? Can a cry of grief ? ? Help me heal
the pain? ? Namo'valokiteshvaraya Namo'valokiteshvaraya We the children of God The land of the Lord, with thy
precious gifts of sight. and else with exhaustion will
we certainly come a-breaking. Praises, songs of praises I will
ever give to Thee, give to Thee I will ever give Again, dear friends, we turn
to the 14th chapter in the Acts of the Apostles and we read verses
21 and 22. When they had preached the gospel
to that city and had taught many They returned again to Lystra
and to Iconium and Antioch confirming the souls of the disciples and
exhorting them to continue in the faith that we must through
much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God. The ministry then, as we said
this morning, of Paul and Barnabas was a ministry of the Spirit. And this is clearly seen because
when they had preached the Gospel to that city and had taught many,
there was preaching and teaching. And that's the operation of the
Spirit of God in the hearts of a minister. And it was magnified
in the fullness and greatness of it in the person of Jesus
Christ. He preached repentance in chapter
4 in Matthew. And then in chapter 5, then he
taught the people. You see, dear friend, the operation
of the Spirit will open the mouth of the minister to preach and
then open their heart for that divine teaching. Why? Because we need it. We need it. And the ministry of Jesus Christ
was a complete, perfect, entire ministry. for the salvation of
the Church of God. And we are to follow in His steps
in every part of life and in the Church of God and indeed
in the ministry. A balanced ministry is a ministry
of the Spirit. And friend, the reason being
because we need divine teaching and we need divine preaching
to be confirmed so that the matter is settled in our heart, that
we have an interest in the finished work of Jesus Christ. And this
is how the Lord makes us manifest, through his word, and then blessedly
confirms it. And thus we know it is of God. Now we have the case of the sower
and the seed, Four different characters heard the Word preached. Four different characters. And
there's only one character, out of four, that knew divine confirmation. The other three heard, but there
was no effect. They heard through the hearing
of the ear. Faith cometh by hearing, and
hearing by the Word of God. But that hearing was frustrated
and hindered and blocked by the things of time and sense, the
love of the world, the lust of the flesh, and other things. And it choked the world, and
it wasn't profitable. They heard, but they were never
confirmed, because they never received it by faith. But those
that did hear, and received it by faith, what blessed confirmation. I will multiply you some thirty-fold,
some sixty, some a hundred. There's confirmation. Seek for
it, friends, as you journey on, because it is a sweet and blessed
manifestation and proof that we are amongst the people of
God. So, preaching the gospel to that
city, and they taught many, then they returned. Well, confirming. What's to be confirmed? The soul. The soul. You and I, beloved
friends, and you've heard it many times before, we possess
a soul and our soul is of the same character and nature of
God who breathed into man the breath of life and he became
a living soul and our souls will live forever. God is eternally
the same. I am the Lord, I change not. It is he that liveth and believeth,
liveth and was dead, and behold I am alive again forevermore. Evermore. And our souls will
live forevermore. The same character and nature
as God himself. because he breathed into man
the breath of life. Oh, the vast difference in between
God's created creatures and the animal kingdom. Vast difference. Now, dear friends, our souls
need to be confirmed. Indeed, they do, because of the
vast importance of Our soul. The vast importance. And the
Lord set before us that vast importance. What would it profit
a man if he gained the whole world? Gained the whole world. Now, by nature, our heart is
covetous. And you may have coveted this,
or coveted that, or covered someone's house, or their car, or their
land, whatever. But what is that compared to
the world? What is it? But that sets before
us the importance, the value of our soul. If you possessed
the whole world, it would never compare to the value of your
soul. Never. Now our soul, all souls
are mine, the Lord said. Our souls are the Lord's. The
Father and the Son, all souls are mine, the Lord said. And
our soul needs to be confirmed. Of course in the resurrection
morn, we will be reunited body, mind and soul and spirit. At
the resurrection we shall change our vile body that it might be
changed into His glory, like unto His glorious body. But with
regard to our time state here below and living on this earth,
then we need to give that due concern about our soul. Friends, how short we all come. We're like Martha, we're cumbered
about much serving. Many things seem to burden our
spirit. But friends, our soul is of vital
importance. It needs confirming. Has your
soul been confirmed, friends? What is the word upon which He
has given you to hold? This will be your comfort in
your affliction. And friends, when you come into
deep affliction, you will need a word, and you will need the
Lord to confirm you, because you'll be brought into depths.
Oh, friends, in a moment. And we have no matter of life. Oh, in an hour. brought down
so quickly in body, mind and soul. And the reality of life
and death is there before us. We need the Lord to come and
confirm us. Dear Jonah was in the whale's
belly, out of the belly of hell cried I. What depths he came
into, But he said, yeah, well, I'll look again. I'll look again,
dear Lord. I've looked before, and I'll
look again for thou to confirm me. And the Lord did confirm
him when the wild vomited out yonder on the dry land. And what
was the confirmation? Salvation is of the Lord. That was a confirmation. Blessed
confirmation, wasn't it? The Lord so favoured him in his
souls, he was brought forth and in that belly, the belly of hell
cried out, he's going to look again. If you read in that second
chapter all the depth that he came into, friends, you can hardly
begin to comprehend it. But he said, I'll look again.
I'm cast out of thy sight, dear Lord, but I'm going to look again,
because I've looked before. And so he can look again, here,
if you receive the word in the gladness of it, they that gladly
received his word, then the Lord will confirm it. This is the attribute of Jehovah,
this is the ways of God, this is the purposes of God in establishing
his dear people in the faith, because the Lord wants his dear
people to be established and settled upon that one glorious
foundation stone, the rock of ages, rock of ages, which is
the Lord Jesus Christ. Well, dear friends, the soul
of the disciple. Is your soul, is my soul the
chief concern? Can you go through a day without
being concerned about your soul? Many people in this land, friends,
they think they'll die, when they die, and then what do they
do? Off to the crematorium. Why do
they do it? Because they think it'll destroy
everything, including their soul. It never will. It never will. No. And sometimes, some people
have some very strange, mysterious thoughts concerning death. And I believe it's Satan's deceiving
in their heart. I remember years and years ago
and in my work and there was this very elderly lady and she
lived at East Peckham and she said to me, I don't want to be
buried in that cemetery, she said. Why? Because it lays so wet there
in the winter. So wet down there. I mean, what
ever has that got to do with death and the soul? Totally ignorant
of the soul. Totally ignorant. And yet possessing
one. And that's the sad state of nature,
friends, in the hearts of unbelievers. They have no understanding, no
thought, no concern. about the most vital possession
they have. What shall a man give in exchange
for his soul? But the Lord confirms the soul
and then you feel that rising up from the depths of the earth
as the Lord brings down. He kills, but he makes alive. He bringeth down to the grave
and he lifteth up. You see, this is the Lord's confirming,
friends. You're not left in darkness and
distress. You're not left in a case and
situation where you feel all is gone. The Lord comes again
and brings his word with power and lifts you up and confirms
your soul. And then you're established and
go on your way Rejoicing in the Lord. So, you see friends, may
we today remember and ponder and consider our soul. The most important thing in our
lives, isn't it? Because everything else has got
to be left. Everything else has got to be left. We've got to
leave it. The place thereof shall know us no more forever. that our soul will live eternally
the same. Now I do feel that that Satan's
deceivings in this dreadful cremation destroy everything, body, soul
and mind and spirit. What a deception. But the devil
is a deceiver. He deceived our first parents
and he's been deceiving people ever since. What a mercy, friends. He hasn't deceived us. He can't
deceive the elect, no. Why? Because of the truth of
God, confirming the souls of the disciples. There another thought comes,
Gideon. He wanted the fleece wet and he wanted the fleece
dry. He didn't feel equal to that
which the Lord had commanded he should do, to deliver the
children of Israel from the Midianites. He didn't feel equal to it. My
family is poor in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father's
house. Go, and the Lord will be with thee. But he wanted a
confirmation, a confirmation. And when he received it, the
fleece wet and the fleece dry. Couldn't undertake that responsibility
apart from confirmation. And friends, you'll need and
feel to need this in all the exercises of your soul. When
I was exercised about the ministry I needed, the Lord laid the foundation
stone in my heart. Never lost, never been removed,
it's there to die. the foundation stone upon which
the ministry, my ministry is founded upon, the eternal Word
of God. But I needed it confirmed, and
the Lord did. The Lord did. The Lord confirmed
it again and again and again, until I could not contain The
wonderful blessing of the Lord in speaking. The Lord opened
my mouth for Him. I didn't. The Lord laid the exercise
in my stone and I knew what the Lord had done. When the Lord
did it, I knew what He had done. And that's many, many years ago
now. You see, it's the same today
if it hasn't changed. That is the foundation stone.
The Lord confirms it. from His precious Word. So, and
you'll need a word of confirmation, friends, in your experience,
as you wait upon the Lord in the exercise of your soul. Seek for a confirmation. Don't move,
act, in any matter, until it's confirmed in your soul. You're
on safe ground, friends. On safe ground, solid ground,
certain ground. And when you have the fleece
wet and the confirmation, then you can go forward. And so you
see, a child of God is never presumptuous. No. You're waiting upon the Lord
in this matter. Confirm in the souls of the disciples. So what is a disciple? A disciple really is a follower of Jesus Christ. That's a disciple. You follow
Christ, our glorious leader. You follow him. We should follow
his steps. Oh friends, as you wait upon
the Lord, you follow Him. And that is a true disciple of
Jesus Christ. Now ye shall know the truth,
and the truth shall make you free. This is what we read in
John, and the Lord He that is with me, the Father
hath not left me alone. No, I and my Father are one.
For I do always those things that please Him. As he spake
these words, many believed on him. Then said Jesus to those
Jews which believed on him, if ye continue in my word, continue,
Well, you see, our text speaks, exhorting them to continue. If you continue in my word, then
are ye my disciples indeed. Indeed, in practice, in practice,
following me. And ye shall know the truth,
and the truth shall make you free. Gospel liberty. true disciples. Oh, what a favour to be following
the Lord Jesus Christ and not to be following the devil. Oh, friends, you see, these are
beautiful considerations, aren't they? To be a follower of the
meek. Come unto me, the Lord said. Who are ye that labour
in a heavy laden I will give you rest, take my yoke upon you,
the yoke of love, and learn of me. Why, for I am meek and lowly
in heart, you shall find rest for your souls, rest for your
souls, in following Christ. Come unto me, the gospel invitation. Come, it's a beautiful word,
friends, isn't it? To come, to come. What's the alternative? What's
the complete opposite? Depart. Depart. The gospel has many gracious
invitations. And then, at that great day,
the great judge of the whole earth, the shepherd who would
divide the sheep from the goats, the sheep on his right and the
goats on the left, and he'll say to the sheep, come. Ye blessed
of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation
of the world. But to the wicked, he'll say,
depart. I never knew you. The vital importance there of
our soul, confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting
them. Exhortation is another part of
the gospel ministry. It means to beseech, earnestly
beseech one, or church, a body of believers,
exhort them. Don't leave them just their own
thoughts and wise but give them that sound instruction, beseech
them, lay the weight and responsibility upon their spirit, exhort them,
what to do to continue in the faith. Because you see, in the
day of tribulation, in the depths to which the Lord's people may
be brought, Satan's always very busy. Satan, my malicious foe,
rejoices to see me sunk so low. And when things are difficult
and trying and hard, Satan will be there. He's a whisperer. He's
a great whisperer. He'll say, you've got all this
affliction, all these trials and difficulties. Give it all
up. Give it all up. Turn back. Many have turned back
before. Giving it all up. That's what
Satan will tell you to do. Oh, he's a liar. He's a deceiver. And he comes with his whisperings. And friends, give it all up. Does Satan tempt you to give
up and call no more on Jesus' name? Friends, if you've been
exhorted under the ministry, you'll never be able to turn
back. because turning back is to petition. A confirmed soul
can't do that. They need gracious exhortation
in the conflict to which they are subject to continue. Now friends, it's one thing to
commence in Christian experience. It's one thing to commence in
the ministry. It's another thing to continue. It's another thing to continue.
Because we are in tribulation. And tribulation, friends, is
what it says. It's tribulation, it's trial,
it's sorrows, it's griefs, it's burdens, it's anxieties. All
the things that constitute the tribulation of this life in your
heart and pathway, and your need to be exhorted to continue, to
press on, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of all
true things. Now what did the Lord say to
his disciples after he'd been on the mount of temptation? He said this to his disciples
later on, ye are they who have continued with me in my temptations. Now these temptations are relative
to the soul. to your soul's standing, to your
soul's experience. That's where Satan tempts the
Lord's people. And those temptations constitute
the trial of faith. Now, you see, continue in the
faith. These temptations, as I say,
are the trial of your faith. And you need that grace to continue. The Lord Jesus did. He continued. He continued to the end. And
all his dear people will continue to the end. But we need much
exhorting, much encouragement exhorting them collectively where
he'd been to these places and had opposition. Nevertheless, they will continue. They are the generation serving
God. They are a witness to the truth. And so you must continue. There's no other way, friends. No going back. No. Oh, you'll need all the grace
and all the strength that the Lord gives to you to enable you
to continue. I'm sure there are those of you
here this afternoon who know exactly what I say and understand
it because of your own experience. your own pathway. You see, dear
friends, we are here to serve the Lord. While our days on earth
are lengthened, may we give the Lord to thee. And dear David
served the Lord in his own generation. He served the Lord as King of
the United Kingdom for 40 years. Seven and a half years in Hebron
and 33 years in Jerusalem. Now friends, he needed to be
exhorted to continue. Why? Because he had a bitter
enemy, a dreadful enemy, a wicked enemy. Through jealousy, Saul
hated David. He did all he could to destroy
him. David said, I shall one day fall. by the hand of Saul, but he never
did. He never did fall by the hand
of Saul. The Lord preserved him, whether
so ever he went, and he continued by the grace of God. But it wasn't
easy, friends. If you read in the book of Samuel,
that the opposition that David encountered, especially from
Saul, in particular, and other enemies as well. Shimei was another. Cursed David. But you see, amidst
it all, friends, he continued. Because the Lord did. David's
greatest son. David's greatest Lord endured. He set his face as a flint. Unmoved. Going up to Jerusalem. And he
knew exactly what would happen at Jerusalem. He knew exactly
what would happen. That he'd be condemned to death
and crucified at Golgotha. He knew. But he went with his
eye fixed. No going back. Forward to Jerusalem. He continued. And therefore his
dear people continue through the Lord Jesus Christ. Every
spiritual experience that the Lord's people know flows from
Christ. He's the sum and substance of
all true vital godliness in the lives of God's dear people. And
the other thing is this, dear friends. that the pathway you
are led in will lead you to Christ. Oh, it may seem a mysterious
path that you're in, but the purpose is it will lead you to
the dear Redeemer. Every path that the Lord's dear
people walk in will lead you to Christ. And friends, we've
proved it of late I perhaps could be permitted to give a little
personal word here. I had to go in December to a
London hospital to have a special scan on my heart. And you had
to go into the scanner backwards, head first. I did and after a while the rheumatologist
came to put more things into my arm and I said to him, is
that it now? Oh no, it's only half way through. So back I go into the scanner
and I said, could I have another pillow? Oh no, he said, you can't
have another pillow. Your head will be touching the
top of the skin. So I went back in head first, just my feet hanging
out the end. And after a while I felt, I don't
feel I can bear this anymore. It seemed too much to endure. as I laid it. My mind and spirit was directed
to the cross of Christ in a moment. Christ was on the cross for six
hours and I was in that scanner for 55 minutes. The Lord seven
times longer on that cross. for my sin, for your sin. And this was it. Here, deal with
the cross. And that was the sacred, friends,
of my endurance. And I was in there for 55 minutes. I had never endured apart from
Christ. I was led by the Spirit in that
scanner to go Godfrey. Oh, what a Now I'd known for
many years, of course, that Christ was on the cross for six hours,
but I'd never felt upon my spirit that length of time, never, until
I was in that span of myself. You see, friend, whatever path
you walk in, it'll lead you to Calvary, to the cross of Christ,
to the dear Redeemer. What a confirmation. What a confirmation. Led by the Spirit of God, they
are the sons of God. You see, dear friends, the ways
of God are paths fainting out, but all the wonder of them. And
these things, friends, will endear you to Christ and the glory of
his cross. Oh, we preach not ourselves,
but Christ Jesus the Lord. And like the Apostle Paul, he
determined to know nothing among you at Corinth, save Jesus Christ
and Him crucified. He wouldn't be involved in all
those sad things that had taken place in the former day. No,
I determined to know nothing among you, save Jesus Christ
and Him crucified. Well, exhorting them to continue,
to continue. Wonderful continuance. Let's
see if it ends to continue. Oh, it is. What a confirmation
to be amongst the people of God, to continue in the faith, the
faith. Oh, the faith of God's elect
is wonderful. Faith, you see, is a holy reality. It's a holy substance. We read
in Hebrews 11, now faith is the substance of things hoped for. Hoped for. Hope. The God of hope. The evidence
of things not seen. You haven't seen it, it's not
fulfilled. but you have the certainty of
it. And the patriarchs of old all
died in faith. They died in the faith of the
advent of Christ. And you can take Father Abraham,
you can take Noah. The Lord told them what to do.
And by faith, Noah being warned of God, of things not seen as
yet, The flood hadn't come, but God had told him it would, and
he believed it, and he built an ark to the saving of his house.
It was by sight, because he knew what was coming. God had told
him. You see, this is the one, and we know, friends, what's
going to take place. We know the world is going to
be destroyed by fire. We know the end of all things
is coming. We know it, because the Word
of God declares it, and we believe it by faith. Our first parents,
or the patriarchs in this particular, they believed in the first advent. Now we believe in the second
advent. It's coming, friends. The day
of the Lord is nigh at hand, we read. The Lord will come. And so, we walk by faith. It's easy to walk by sight, friends,
but it's a different thing to walk by faith. Vastly different. You can't do it apart from a
word from the Lord. As I said this morning, faith
receives every word that Jesus spoke, every word. What a wonder
it is that not one Word that proceeded from the lips of Christ
ever fell to the ground. It fell in some poor sinner's
heart. And all the miracles that Jesus
did, this beginning of miracles did Jesus of Nazareth, Jesus
of Nazareth, and manifested forth his glory. Every miracle then
that Christ fulfilled was a manifestation of his glory. And what was the result? Many
believed on his name. Many believed on him when they
saw the miracle. It glorified God. This beginning
of miracles to Jesus and Cana of Galilee manifested forth his
glory. And that's why people believe,
the Lord's people believe, because of what the Lord had done and
what the Lord has said. And so faith is a wonderful gift,
a wonderful grace, enabling you to do that which you cannot do
yourself. And faith works with its blessed
partner, love. Faith only worketh by love, dear
friends. So we need love, the love of
Christ in our soul, to constrain us. And faith with its fair partner,
love, are in complete harmony and oneness for the benefit and
the blessing of the children of God. As indeed all the precious
fruits of the Holy Spirit of God are. We read this morning
the disciples when they left Antioch they shook off the dust
of their feet against them and came to Iconium and the disciples
were filled with joy and with the Holy Ghost. Now joy is a
precious fruit of the Holy Spirit of God. So this gracious continuance
and in the faith, and that we must, that we must, we must,
the word of God is very clear, friends, very certain, we must,
through much tribulation, enter into the kingdom of God. We must. There's no other way
to the kingdom, friends, Apart from, through, through tribulation. You've got to pass through it. You can't, if I should very reverently
speak, you can't bypass it. Some of our towns have bypasses. You don't have to go through
the town, you can bypass it. But friend, you can't bypass
tribulation. No, you have to pass through
it. We must. It's sure, it's certain. Why? Because the Lord Jesus did.
The Lord Jesus did. He passed through great tribulation,
sorrows and griefs, burdens and cares. Oh, the opposition of
the ungodly, the opposition of the religious leaders of the
died. Oh, now is my soul troubled. A man of sorrows and acquainted
with grief. Tribulation. But it's the way
to the kingdom. The kingdom of God, which is
the kingdom of heaven. Now the Lord has a kingdom of
grace here on this earth. the church of the living God,
Zion its name. But this is the kingdom of God,
the kingdom of heaven, leading to eternal glory. In other words,
there's a Lord said, if ye suffer with me, we shall be glorified
together. Suffering, this tribulation is
for the Lord's sake. The Lord suffered due to our
sin. We suffer for Jesus' sake. This is the way to heaven, friend,
and no other way, no other way, no other name given unto heaven,
whereby we must be saved. Well, time will not permit us
to continue further, but may these blessed truths rest with
divine power upon our spirit, that we may be sweetly confirmed
that their names are written in the Lamb's Book of Life. Below that, I cannot just bring
the words now, the Lamb's Book of Life, and to know that we
have an interest in that finished work. And the Lord Jesus uttered
on the cross, it is finished. And he bowed his sacred head
and gave up the ghost. The work of salvation was done,
complete finish. Well, may we each have a sacred
interest in that finished work. Amen. It is closed by singing hymn
616, tune Stockwood 501. Precious Jesus, must it be, is
it thy all wise decree, that afflictions must attend, Zion
to her journeys end. Hymn 616, tune Stockwood 501. Hmm. Precious Jesus, how we weep Is
it time you wiped it clean? that which thou hast sent forth
shall come to pass in time. As the age of ages travels we
have been through it And I shall be here, O Christ,
with you in fair night and day. His affliction is their lot,
and His affliction is their lot, and His affliction is their lot, and
His affliction is their lot, and His affliction is their lot,
and His affliction is their lot, and His affliction is their lot,
and His affliction is their lot, and His affliction is their lot,
and His affliction is their lot, and His affliction is their lot, and
His affliction is their lot, and His affliction is their lot,
and His affliction is their lot, and His affliction is their lot,
and His affliction is their lot, and His affliction is their lot,
and His affliction is their lot, and His affliction is their lot,
and His affliction is their lot, and His affliction is their lot, and
His affliction is their lot, and His affliction is their lot,
and His affliction is their lot, and His affliction is their lot, O'er
the land of the free and the home of the brave? Hear the angels' solemn, sweet-sounding
voice, Hail the nations with her praise. Every night brings something
new. Doesn't trouble to bring new. In sum and truth they will keep
the faithful truth. Shall it o'er the ancient earth,
With the mercy Christ shall come. They will steal his sheep, The
riches of the land. Nature, which is and is not,
hath put us out of the way. And who made this choice to make? Had they fear of all things to
say? The reproaches of his truths,
closing all the gates of time. And now may thy grace, Lord Jesus,
the Father's love, the communion of thy Holy Spirit, be with us
all now and forevermore. Amen. Amen.