Let us commence our service this
afternoon by singing together hymn number 195. The tune is
Binford 300. Assist my soul, my heavenly king,
thy everlasting love to see, and joyful spread thy praise
abroad, as one through grace that's born of God. Hymn 195. tune binford 300. I saw my heavenly King Come heaven,
come earth, still love to see ? When on yonder spread ? ? The
great red rose ? ? That once were fresh ? ? And full of love
? As part of the will of man, I
shall do anything that we can. O'er the land of the free and
the home of the brave? In their trembling for our fate,
And sovereign power of compass, This day I saw in open eyes that
all I am am God of love. Take this vow, my soul, of strain,
To make this world a better place. ? And I will rest in silent rest
? ? And there I will rest for a while ? ? O come, all ye faithful ? ? Joyful
and triumphant ? ? O come, all ye faithful ? O Son of God. ? From death pointed ? ? Thou shalt
come ? ? Come homeward ? ? O come ye to Bethlehem ? ? My home ? ? My broken heart ? ? And spilling
blood ? ? And I as one ? ? At sorrow's thought ? And shall my soul try comfort
wise, To enter the country in the skies. ? And in that moment I felt ? ?
She had taught us all of God's love. ? Let us read together from the
Holy Word of God in Paul's epistle to the Ephesians, chapter 2. Ephesians, chapter 2. And you hath he quickened who
were dead in trespasses and sins. wherein in time past you walked
according to the course of this world, according to the prince
of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the
children of disobedience, among whom also we all had our conversation
in times past, in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires
of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature the children
of wrath, even as others. But God, who is rich in mercy,
for his great love wherewith he loved us, even when we were
dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ. By grace
ye are saved, and hath raised us up together, and made us sit
together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages
to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness
toward us through Christ Jesus. For by grace are ye saved, through
faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not of
works, lest any man should post. For we are his workmanship, created
in Christ Jesus unto good works. which God hath before ordained
that we should walk in them. Wherefore remember that ye being
in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called uncircumcision
by that which is called circumcision in the flesh made by hands, that
at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the
commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise,
having no hope and without God in the world, but now in Christ
Jesus, ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the
blood of Christ. For he is our peace, who hath
made both one and hath broken down the middle wall of partition
between us, having abolished in his flesh the enmity even
the law of commandments contained in ordinances for to make in
himself of twain one new man so make in peace and that he
might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross having
slain the enmity thereby and came and preached peace to you
which were afar off and to them that were nigh, for through him
we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father. Now therefore,
ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens
with the saints, and of the household of God, and are built upon the
foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself
being the chief cornerstone in whom all the building fitly framed
together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord, in whom ye
also are builded together for an habitation of God through
the Spirit. May the Lord bless the reading
of his own precious word and grant to us a spirit of real
prayer. Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty,
which is an art, an art to come, we desire to bow before thy holy
majesty. We desire a spirit of godly fear
as we bow before thee and a spirit of reverence that we may reverently
worship thee and that we may reverently approach unto thy
Glorious Majesty, we've read together, O Lord, some very precious
truths in thy holy word, especially concerning our Lord
Jesus Christ, for through him we have access by one spirit
unto the Father. We thank thee for that access,
that door of hope that is open wide in Jesus' bleeding hands
and side. We thank Thee for the glorious
everlasting robe of the righteousness of Christ. And we thank Thee
for the precious sin-atoning blood that He shed on Calvary. We thank Thee for the incarnation
of the Son of God, that He was made of a woman made under the
law, that He might redeem them that are under the law. Oh, we
thank Thee for Jesus Christ, for the eternal word that was
made flesh and dwelt among us. And may we this afternoon behold
his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,
full of grace and truth. We thank thee for every mercy
of thy kind providence. Thy mercies, O Lord, are new
every morning. Great is thy faithfulness. And we read in thy word, faithful
is he that calleth you who also will do it. And we do pray that
we may be given that grace to continually wait upon thee, continually
to watch unto prayer. We come as poor sinners, Lord.
Nothing in my hand I bring. Simply to thy cross I cling.
Foul are to the fountain fly. Wash me, Saviour, or I die. Gracious God, all we do pray
that we may be accepted in the Beloved, that we may be complete
in Him. We pray that this afternoon,
as we gather round Thy Word, we may touch the hem of His garment
and draw from that sacred fullness that is in Him. There may be,
Lord, one and another here in the congregation who, like that
dear woman, have come to the house of God, if I might but
touch the hammer of his garment, or that it might be the appointed
time when some poor sinner may touch thee, may draw virtue from
thee, the virtue of thy precious blood, the virtue of thy glorious
righteousness, and that thou wouldst be made Jehovah Rophi. I am the Lord that healeth thee. Heal us Emmanuel, here we are,
waiting to feel thy touch. Deep wounded souls to thee repair,
and Saviour, we are such. Lord, we come in all our need,
in all our emptiness, in all our poverty, in all our insufficiency,
in all that deep and solemn sense, that which I would, I do not,
and that which I would not, I do. And oh, wretched man that I am,
who shall deliver me from the body of this death? I thank God
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Oh, we thank thee, Lord Jesus,
for what thou art. Thou art the all in all of thy
people. Thou art the very centre, sum
and substance of all our hopes and all our desires. In thee
there dwells a treasure all divine. A matchless grace has made that
treasure mine. And Lord, we would bow in thanksgiving,
in praise unto thee for that wonderful mercy. We pray thy
blessing upon our brethren, the deacons. Grace, wisdom, and help
may be given to them in all their responsibilities. And we pray
for each one of our brethren and sisters in church fellowship.
We pray that we may love each other, serve each other, bear
each other's burdens, thereby fulfilling the law of Christ.
That we may esteem each other better than ourselves to be.
Lord, give us that grace, we do humbly beseech thee, to take
the lowest place, to be nothing, and to be willing to be nothing. When is it, brethren, all agree,
and let distinctions fall, when nothing in themselves they see,
and Christ is all in all. Lord, we pray that thou hast
blessed the little ones, and the children as they come into
the sanctuary, put thy holy fear in their hearts, and answer as
light to all that's right, a bar to all that's wrong. Lord, remember
them, we beseech thee. Raise up a seed that will call
thee the Redeemer, blessed. Remember each one of our young
friends. We lovingly commend them to thee and to the word
of thy grace. which is able to build them up
and to grant them an inheritance among them that are sanctified.
Lord, we pray that thou wouldst bring them each to living, vital,
saving faith in Jesus Christ, that they may become true followers
of thee and of those who through faith and patience inherit the
promises. So bless our young friends be
with them in all the paths of providence, guide and direct
them in all matters, graciously grant them a partner in life's
journey, and that they may be heirs together of the grace of
life. Do hear us, Lord, we humbly beseech
thee. And thou art that great God who
did bring Ruth unto Boaz, and to Rebekah unto Isaac, and thou
art the able to do these things today, so we lovingly commend
them to thee. We pray, O Lord, for the prodigals
that have wandered away from the house of God, that have no
desire to meet among thy people. We pray that thou wouldst cause
them to be in one, and cause them to return. Lord, what a
rejoicing there would be to see the prodigal's return. O gracious
God, may we see such a day. May we see thy power and thy
glory as thou usest to be in the sanctuary. And thou hast
promised in thy word, I will work and who shall let it? Grant that the glory and power
and light of gospel truth may shine into this village and into the surrounding villages
and hamlets, that many, many, many precious souls may yet be
gathered in. Oh, do hear us, Lord, we humbly
beseech thee, and grant a day of real prosperity. Grant an
ingathering, grant the pulling down of the strongholds of Satan,
the setting up of the kingdom of the Lord Jesus, in the hearts
of sinners. Oh, grant, Lord, we beseech thee,
hear our petitions and send real prosperity. And we pray, most
gracious God, that thou would remember all in the midst of
the journey of life and graciously undertake for each one, give
parents wisdom in bringing up their children and graciously
bless. We do humbly beseech thee. And
we do pray that we may be delivered from evil. Deliver us from evil,
for thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory. Deliver
us by thy sovereign power. Bring us, O Lord, to saving faith
in Christ. Grant us a closer walk with him,
a calmer heavenly frame, a light to shine upon the road that leads
me to the Lamb. Oh, do hear us, Lord. We do humbly
beseech thee. Help us to present our bodies
a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable unto thee, which is
our reasonable service, and that we be not conformed to this world. But may we be transformed by
the renewal of our mind, that we might know what that good
and perfect and acceptable will of the Lord is. Oh, do hear us,
Lord, in heaven, thy holy dwelling place, and when thou hearest,
O Lord, forgive. Remember, O Lord, those of us
that are in the evening time of life's journey. And as the
outward man perishes, may the inward man be renewed day by
day, and that we may be graciously prepared. Each one of us may
be prepared. for that great day when heart
and flesh shall fail. Remember all thy servants as
they labour in word and doctrine upon the wars of Zion. Grant
them the fresh anointing of thy spirit and the signs to follow
the preaching of the word. May the power that brings salvation
be exerted in the word. May the quickening operation
of the Holy Ghost be seen. We do humbly beseech them. O
Lord, we do pray that thou, in thy great mercy, would send true
labourers into the harvest. Many of thy servants are of great
age, and Zion is minister and brought low. Few run with trumpets
in their hand to sound alarm by seeing thou. O Lord of hosts,
O God of Israel, O Thou that dwellest between the cherubims,
shine full. Let Thy hand be upon the man
of Thy right hand, the Son of Man, whom Thou madest strong
for Thyself. So will not we go back from Thee? O gracious God, do incline Thine
ear. We humbly beseech Thee. Do be
with us now as we turn to Thy holy Word. Come and open thy
word to our hearts and to our understanding. Open our ears
and our eyes, blessed Holy Divine Spirit. Oh, do work wonderfully,
powerfully, and effectually in the hearts of poor sinners. We
ask for Jesus Christ's sake. Amen. Let us now sing together hymn
number 216. The tune is Henfield, 712. Lord, come in thy appointed ways
and teach me now to sing thy praise, for thou art dear to
me in all the openings of thy love, in coming from thy courts
above, prove I was dear to thee. Hymn 216, tune Henfield 712.
? Higher, more cherished ? ? As
it came through church in my breast ? ? For the whole hill
to greet ? Hail! Hail! Hail! Hail! Hail! Hail! ? In the river flowing fast ? ?
Gladdened were we that day, O God, ? ? To God excels us all. ? ? And my humble symphony ? ? I
am your true creation ? ? Please don't leave ? ? My living in
you alone ? ? Gracious Lord, have mercy on
us ? ? We do not deserve thy mercy ? ? Earth is my home, my home forever
? ? Heaven's my loving paradise, my paradise forever ? O come all ye faithful joyful
and triumphant ? God is safe ? ? From future mischief
? ? Shepherds quake with joy ? ? The Lord shall reign, God is safe ? ? The Lord
shall reign, God is safe ? And the rocket's red glare, the
bombs bursting in air, ? When in God's hands ? ? The poor
can feel the rising light ? ? The only enlightened one ? ? Through my life I'll sing a ritual
? ? And if my friends have good rituals ? ? I'll give you charming
pearls ? of thy grace. Shepherds, hear
our song of praise. ? Holy, holy, Lord Jesus ? ? Merciful,
gentle, everywhere ? ? Evermore we adore you, Lord Jesus ? Greatly feeling to need the Lord's
gracious help, direct your attention to the chapter that we read,
the second chapter of Paul's epistle to the Ephesians. And
we will read verse eight for our text. Ephesians chapter two, verse
eight. For by grace are ye saved, through
faith and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God. For by grace are ye saved. How clearly, how beautifully the apostle sets
before us here free and sovereign grace. by grace are ye saved. What does grace mean? I often feel as ministers we're
guilty of just assuming that the congregation knows what words
mean and what we mean. We get so used to our strict
Baptist phraseology and the certain way that we put things. And we
just assume that everybody here knows exactly what we mean. And I feel we're quite wrong
and quite remiss in that. And we do need to explain the
things that we say and put in a simple way what is meant. The first time grace is mentioned
in the Holy Scriptures is in the book of Genesis. I believe
it's in Genesis chapter 6. And Noah found grace in the eyes
of the Lord. That's the first mention of grace. And if Noah had not found grace
in the eyes of the Lord, then the whole of this world would
have been destroyed. was only he and his family that
were saved when the Lord brought those solemn judgments upon the
earth because it says that the wickedness of man was great and
it repented God that he had made man upon the earth. Then we have
that little verse but Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord
Does that mean that Noah was better than anyone else? No,
it doesn't. It doesn't mean that at all. Grace is not given because we're
better. Gatsby in one of his hymns, he
says, the vilest sinner outside of hell that lives to fill his
need is welcomed to the throne of grace. the Saviour's blood
to plead, because it's all of grace. In the first chapter here
of the Ephesians, it very clearly lays out, it says in verse 3,
blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who
hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places
in Christ. according as he hath chosen us. See, this choice was of grace. It was because of the grace of
God that he chose a people to redeem and to deliver from sin
and Satan's power according as he hath chosen us in him before
the foundation of the world. We're just some in primeval glory
when? It was before men or angels were
made. According as he hath chosen us
in him before the foundation of the world that we should be
holy and without blame before him in love. That is why Noah
found grace and his sons and their wives because of the grace
of God. The actual word grace means the
free, unmerited favour of God. That's the meaning of the word
grace. The free, unmerited, I'd like to emphasise that, we cannot
merit God's esteem, we cannot merit His mercy or His grace
because we're sinners. If you look at the first verse
in chapter two, and you hath you cook, and who were dead?
Spiritually dead. The scriptures are very clear,
the dead know not anything. So when we were yet dead in trespasses
and in sins, we knew nothing spiritual because we were dead. That means spiritually dead.
And that is how you and I are born. spiritually dead, in trespasses and sins. We all have sinned because we
were born in sin. We all have sinned and come short
of the glory of God. And this grace, my beloved friends,
is the sovereign grace of God. We believe in free and sovereign
grace, according as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation
of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before
him in love, having predestinated us unto the adoption of children
by Jesus Christ to himself according to the good pleasure of his will. That's the reason we find grace
according to the good pleasure of His will. You know it's made
very clear in holy scriptures and the Lord Jesus particularly
in His own teachings makes it very clear in that the church on earth, the visible
church on earth is a mixed multitude. They're mixed. Why? Because many
are called but few are chosen. These are the teachings of our
Lord Jesus Christ. Many sit under the sound of the
gospel and they hear the sound of the gospel. They hear the
call of the gospel. They hear that Jesus is the friend
of sinners. They hear that Jesus is the way
to God. But few are chosen. Many respond to that call in
the preaching of the gospel. But then the Lord Jesus tells
us that in the church of God, Half are wise virgins, and half are
foolish virgins. In the parable of the wheat and
the tares, you have the true wheat, and then the enemy of
sown tares. Again, it's the church of God. And the great and solemn thing
is, my beloved friends, Are you, am I, a wheat or a tare? The wheat is that true soul of
the seed in the heart. The tares, I've been the enemy,
I've done this. Many shall say unto me in that
day, Lord, Lord. And I will say unto them, you
depart from me, I never knew you. They thought they were Christians,
they thought they were going to heaven. You see friends, It's a very
searching thing, isn't it? Very separating. The teachings,
my late brother Timothy, I often remember he used to say to me,
I do find the teachings of Jesus Christ extremely searching and
separating. And they are. He warns us, many
are called, but few are chosen according as he hath chosen us
in him before the foundation of the world, that we should
be holy and without blame before him in love. Grace, absolutely
all of grace, having predestinated us unto the adoption of children. What a wonderful thing, the adoption
of children. to be given to Christ, to be chosen in Christ, before
the foundation of the world. Having predestined us with the
adoption of children by Jesus Christ, to himself, according
to the good pleasure of his will, of his will. for by grace are
ye saved through faith and that not of yourselves. You know, friends, a minister needs to be very careful
in the way he addresses the congregation. He should never give the impression
that it is you yourselves can accept Christ, of your own will, of your own
volition, because that is of grace. That is the gift of God. That is what faith is. Faith,
when it is given, looks to Christ. Faith unites to Christ. which hope we have as an anchor
for the soul. It's anchored in the precious
blood and righteousness of Jesus Christ. It says it here, that you hath
he quickened who were dead in trespasses and sins. And that
is why we believe is because we're quickened, we're given
life. We're born again. Those, and it still happens today,
they say, well, the Lord knew who would choose him, who would
accept him. But that is not what the Bible
tells us. God, our Heavenly Father, chose
a people before the foundation of the world. He chose them unto
life, unto immortality, in Christ. I know I often refer you to it
but that lovely prayer of our Lord Jesus Christ in John 17. These words spake Jesus and lifted
up his eyes to heaven and said, Father the hour has come glorify
thy son that thy son may glorify thee, as thou hast given him
power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as
many as thou hast given him. And that is very clear, friends,
isn't it? And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the
only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. Precious
doctrine is contained in that short passage there in the prayer
of Christ. For by grace are ye saved. You know, having predestinated
us and chosen in him before the
foundation of the world. What are the evidences? What
are the evidences of being chosen. There's only one, there's only
one to be called, to be called. You know the Apostle in Romans
chapter 8, he beautifully sets before us there that this divine
order and some very lovely things he writes in Romans 8 verse 28
and we know that all things work together for good to them that
love God to them who are the called notice the order to them
who are the called according to his purpose for whom he did
foreknow he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image
of his son that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Then he says some very sacred
things here. Moreover, whom he did predestinate,
them he also called, and whom he called them he also justified,
that is to be declared to be without sin, and whom he justified
them he also glorified. What shall we say to these things
if God before us who can be against us. He that spared not his own
son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with
him also freely give us all things? Who shall lay anything to the
charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? It
is Christ that died, yea, rather, that is risen again, who is even
at the right hand of God. also maketh intercession for
us. Who shall separate us from the
love of Christ shall tribulation or distress and so he goes on
and he makes it very clear that nothing he says in verse 38 I
am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities,
nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height,
nor depth, nor any other creature shall be able to separate us
from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. The eternal, sovereign love of
God in Christ Jesus our Lord. He says here, wherein in time
past ye walked according to the course of this world, according
to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now
worketh in the children of disobedience, among whom also we all had our
conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling
the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature
the children of wrath. even as others. That is us by
nature. We are the children of wrath.
But God, and you know friends this is where all real religion
starts, but God who is rich in mercy. That's where it flows
from. For his great love were with
he loved us. God so loved the world he gave
his only begotten son that whosoever believeth in him shall be saved.
But God who is rich in mercy for his great love. You know,
friends, we often concentrate on the love of Christ. Quite rightly, we should. He
gave himself for us. He loved us and gave himself
for us. But just think of the love of
the Father in choosing us. in choosing us, in giving us
to his Son. We just read in John 17, all
that thou hast given me. And we read elsewhere, all that
the Father giveth me shall come to me and him that cometh unto
me I will in no wise pass down. Now he says here, even when we
were dead in sins have quickened us together with Christ. We were saved in Christ. In the epistle to the Romans,
chapter five, God commendeth his love toward us in that while
we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Quickened in those eternal
counsels of the Lord Jehovah, given to Christ. before the foundation of the
world, even when we were dead in sins,
hath quickened us together with Christ, by grace are ye saved,
by grace, entirely all of sovereign grace, and hath raised us up. Now we come to as we said at
the beginning you hath he quickened that he means to give life who
has raised us up blessed and holy is he that hath part hath
part in the first resurrection revelation chapter 20. What is
the first resurrection? Well it's the same as the beginning
of the chapter you hath he quickened it's when the holy ghost enters
the heart of a poor lost ruined dead sinner dead in trespasses
and in sins, and you and I can do nothing spiritually until
the Spirit quickens our soul, until we're brought to realise
our lost condition, our need, our great need of salvation,
of redemption. You hath he quickened, see, and
hath raised us up together. by the new birth and made us sit together in heavenly
places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come, you just
think of that, in the ages to come, in eternity to come, that
in the ages to come, he might show the exceeding riches of
his grace and his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus, for
by grace are ye saved. Through faith, and we're instructed
in Hebrews, Hebrews chapter 11, for without
faith it is impossible to please God. For he that cometh unto
God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of them
that diligently seek Him. And you and I can't believe like
that until the Holy Spirit enters into our hearts. We're dead. We are spiritually dead. And
until the Spirit quickens us, we remain spiritually dead. See, this is what I mean when
I say the minister must be careful not to imply that you have it
within your power as a dead sinner to suddenly believe in Jesus
Christ. We need the quickening power,
the divine operation, as the Lord Jesus himself said, ye must
be born again. Except a man be born of water
and of the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of heaven. utter impossibility. And that
quickening, that divine core, comes to those that were chosen. For by grace are ye saved through
faith. Faith is how we believe. It's
through faith and by faith that we believe. Now again, in the
Word of God, it's faith that worketh by love. Faith, my beloved
friends, is not just an intellectual thing. No. It's in the heart. It works by love. If it was an
intellectual thing, there'd just be a cold, well I accept Jesus
Christ, I accept what he said in his word and therefore I'm
a believer, I'm a follower of Christ. But there's more to faith
than that. There is the divine work of the
Spirit in the heart. And when he quickens there is
a sense of our emptiness, our poverty, our insufficiency, our
hopelessness. then the other evidence of being
quickened, we pray. Even the dying thief in the closing
hours of his life, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy
kingdom. And the answer from Christ, today
shalt thou be with me in paradise. Today shalt thou be with me in
paradise by grace. And if ever there was an instance
of grace, it's the dying thief. John Bunyan, he says, I think
it's in the Holy War, that there's only one dying thief, lest we
should presume, and there's only one dying thief, lest we should
lose hope. but there is still a dying thing,
who without any works of his own was redeemed and saved. And you and I, if we're rightly
taught of God, you will realize that it's not by faith. It says
in the next verse, verse nine, not of works, lest any man should
boast. You see, friends, We get this
idea into our head that if I do this, if I do that, if I do something
else, if I make myself better, then God will accept me. But no friends, we can't make
ourselves better. We can't work for our salvation. No. Everything we touch and do
is stained and dyed with sin. He says here in verse 10, for
we are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works
which God before ordained that we should walk in them. Wherefore remember that ye being
in time past Gentiles in the flesh who are called on circumcision
by that which is called the circumcision in the flesh made by hand. that
at that time he were without Christ, being aliens from the
commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise,
having no hope and without God in the world. But now there's
a change. Why? Because you are equipped.
But now think of what you were. and think of what you are now.
Is there a change? Is there a change? But now in Christ Jesus, ye who
were sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ,
the blood of Jesus Christ, God's Son. He says in chapter one,
verse seven, in whom we have redemption through his blood,
the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of his grace whereon
he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence. You see, it's all of grace, that
precious sin-atoning blood that is revealed by the Spirit unto
a poor sinner For he is our peace, who is Christ, who hath made
both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition
between us, having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even
the law of commandments. Christ has delivered the church
from the law of commandments, contained in ordinances that
is the ceremonial law, for to make in himself of twain one
new man, so make him and that he might reconcile both unto
God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby. It's Christ that has done everything.
We are his workmanship. It is what Christ has done. It's
what Christ has fulfilled. Christ himself said, I come not
to destroy the law, but to fulfill it. And that is what Christ has
done for his people. He's fulfilled, he's honoured,
he's magnified the holy law of God. On the behalf, in the room, in
the place, in the stead of his people. That's what Christ has
done. It's a wonderful thing, you know,
when these things are discovered unto you. Christ is revealed,
Christ is made precious. Christ becomes the altogether
lovely one. His precious blood becomes supremely
attractive. His glorious righteousness does.
That he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross,
having slain the enmity. The carnal mind is enmity to
God, is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. It's what the apostle teaches
us in Romans. and that he might reconcile both
unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby,
and came and preached peace to you which were far off and to
them which were nigh. Preach peace. Peace by his cross
as Jesus made the church's ever-living head unto you that were far off. through the peace-speaking blood
of Jesus Christ that reconciles a poor sinner unto God, and that
precious blood of Christ has satisfied all the demands of
divine justice which stood against the sinner, and that precious
blood has satisfied. I came and preached peace to
you which were far off, and to them that were nigh, I believe
he's referring to the gentiles which he says which were far
off and to them which were nigh he's referring to the jews for
through him we both that's jew and gentile for through him we
both have access by one spirit unto the father see the wonderful
divine work of the holy trinity the father chose The Son redeemed,
the Holy Spirit sanctifies, for through Him, that's Christ, we
both have access by one Spirit unto the Father. It's a wonderful
thing to have that spirit of adoption, to have that access
unto the Father. The Lord Jesus in teaching his
disciples to pray, he says, when you pray, say, our Father, which
art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will
be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our
daily bread, for through him we have access by one spirit
unto the Father. Now, therefore, you are no more
strangers and mercy, you are no more strangers and foreigners. That's what the Gentiles were
reckoned to be to the Jews, they were strangers and foreigners.
But in Christ he says here, now therefore you are no more strangers
and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and of the household
of God. fellow citizens with the saints,
and are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets,
Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone. Upon this
rock, that is Jesus Christ, upon this rock I build my church,
and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. They'll try, but they will not
prevail against it. Jesus Christ himself, being the
chief cornerstone, in whom all the building, that's the church
here likened to a building, in whom all the building, fitly
framed together, groweth up unto an holy temple in the Lord. That's the whole church of Christ,
an holy temple in the Lord. in whom ye also are builded together
for an habitation of God through the Spirit. Oh, the wonderful
divine work of grace in the heart of the believer. For by grace
are ye saved through faith and that not of yourselves. It is
the gift of God. It is the gift of God. My mind,
it just goes to the teachings of our Lord Jesus Christ, and
as I've said before, they're very searching, but they're also
very encouraging. When the Spirit makes them living
in our hearts, we have it here in Luke chapter
11, And he says in verse 5, and he said
unto them, which of you shall have a friend and shall go unto
him at midnight and say unto him, friend, lend me three loaves.
For a friend of mine in his journey has come to me, and I have nothing
to set before him. And he from within shall answer
and say, trouble me not. The door is now shut, and my
children are with me in the bed. I cannot rise and give thee.
I say unto you, though he will not rise and give him, yet because
he is his friend, yet because of his impotunity, he will rise
and give him as many as he needed. And I say unto you, ask these
wonderful words of grace from the lips of Jesus, And I say
unto you, ask, and it shall be given you. Seek, and ye shall
find. Knock, and it shall be opened
unto you. For everyone that asketh receiveth,
and he that seeketh findeth, and him that knocketh, it shall
be opened. If a son shall ask bread of any
of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? Or if he
ask a fish, Will he for a fish give him a serpent? Or if he
shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? If ye then, being
evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much
more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them
that ask Him? What wonderful words of grace.
Your heavenly Father, give the Holy Spirit to them that ask
him. For by grace are ye saved through
faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God. May the Lord add his blessing. Let us now sing together hymn
number 984 to the June Greaves, 342. Hark how the gospel trumpet
sounds, Christ and free grace therein abounds. Free grace is
such a sinner's bee, and if free grace, why not for me? Hymn 984 Tune Greece 342. Christ can regret their incompetence. Regret is not a sin. Free grace to such as sinners
be, And if free grace Then, in free grace, then, in
free grace, I doth adore Thee. The Saviour died, and I His child, Lord, can all sinners back to
God? He died to set her captive free. He died to set her captive free. And by my side. And by my side. And why, my soul, and why, my
soul, I love thee? The blood of Christ can beat
itself, to cleanse and heal the sinner's sins. Where streams e'er of the rich
and free, Where streams e'er of the rich and free, Stand by
my side, stand by my side, And why my soul, and why my soul,
why not to Thee? But Jesus gave them all to us
To guide them with his righteous hand The road is spotless, full and
free And why, my soul, Stand by my soul, and by my soul
cry the glory. Angel of my pride, Christ is
here. And through incredible strife, And sing of grace so rich and
free. And sing of grace so rich and
free. And say, my soul. Now may the grace of our Lord
Jesus Christ and the love of God the Father and the sacred
fellowship of the Holy Spirit rest and abide with us each,
both now and forevermore. Amen.