Let us commence our service this
afternoon by singing together hymn 119. The tune is Mount Pleasant,
191. Great God, from thee there's
naught concealed. Thou seest my inward frame. To
thee I always stand revealed, exactly as I am. Hymn 119, tune
Mount Pleasant, It comforts me, there's no drowsiness,
I am satisfied in my prayer. To Thee I always shall prepare,
exactly as I am ? Let earth be full of thy blood
? ? Spirit of the Father, come to me ? Oh, say does that star-spangled
banner yet wave O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave? ? Christ is coming for me ? ? Christ
is coming for me ? God save thy king, God protect
thee, In harm's darkening night, ? Let each of us sing ? ? Let each
of us sing ? ? Let each of us sing ? ? Hail the crown ? ? Everlasting
crown ? ? God shed his grace ? ? On earth as it is in heaven
? Day, day, day, O'er the town,
Where is my home and my home? Thank you for watching. Out of the boundless abyss In
this earth I can shine I live Let us read together from the
Holy Word of God in the Acts of the Apostles and chapter 20. The Acts of the Apostles, chapter
20. And after the uproar was ceased,
Paul called unto him the disciples and embraced them and departed
for to go into Macedonia. And when he had gone over those
paths, and had given them much exhortation, he came into Greece. And there abode three months.
And when the Jews laid wait for him, as he was about to sail
into Syria, he purposed to return through Macedonia. And there
accompanied him into Asia, Sopota of Berea, and of the Thessalonians
Aristarchus and Secundus and Gaius of Derbe and Timotheus
and of Aesir Tychicus and Trophimus. These going before tarried for
us at Troas and we sailed away from Philippi after the days
of unleavened bread and came unto them to Troas in five days
where we abode seven days. And after the first day of the
week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul
preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow, and continued
his speech until midnight. And there were many lights in
the upper chamber where they were gathered together. And there
sat in a window a certain young man named Eutychus, being fallen
into a deep sleep. And as Paul was long preaching,
he sunk down with sleep and fell down from the third loft and
was taken up dead. And when Paul went down and fell
on him and embracing him, said, trouble not yourselves for his
life is in him. When he therefore was come up
again and had broken bread, and eaten and talked a long while,
even till break of day, so he departed. And they brought the
young man alive and were not a little comforted. And we went
before to ship and sailed unto Assos, there intending to take
in Paul, for so had he appointed, minding himself to go afoot.
And when he met with us at Assos, We took him in and came to Mytilene,
and we sailed thence and came the next day over against Chios,
and the next day we arrived at Samos, and tarried at Trogilium,
and the next day we came to Miletus, for Paul had determined to sail
by Ephesus, because he would not spend the time in Asia, for
he hasted if it were possible for him to be at Jerusalem the
day of Pentecost. And from Miletus he sent Ephesus
and called the elders of the church. And when they were come
to him, he said unto them, you know, from the first day that
I came into Asia, after what manner I have been with you at
all seasons, serving the Lord with all humility of mind, and
with many tears and temptations which befell me by the lying
in wait of the Jews, and how I kept back nothing that was
profitable unto you, but have showed you and have taught you
publicly and from house to house, testifying both to the Jews and
also to the Greeks, repentance toward God and faith toward our
Lord Jesus Christ. And now, behold, I go bound in
spirit unto Jerusalem, not knowing the things that shall befall
me there. Say that the Holy Ghost witnesseth in every city, saying
that bonds and affliction abide me. But none of these things
move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might
finish my course with joy. and the ministry which I have
received of the Lord Jesus to testify the gospel of the grace
of God. And now behold, I know that ye
all among whom I have gone preaching the kingdom of God shall see
my face no more. Wherever I take you to record
this day, I am pure from the blood of all men, for I have
not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God. Take
heed therefore unto yourselves and to all the flock, over the
which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church
of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. For I know
this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in
among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall
men arise speaking perverse things to draw away disciples after
them. Therefore watch and remember
that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn everyone
night and day with tears. And now brethren, I commend you
to God and to the word of his grace which is able to build
you up and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified. I have cuffed it no man's silver
or gold or apparel. Yea, ye yourselves know that
these hands are administered unto my necessities and to them
that are with me, that were with me. I have showed you all things,
how that so labouring you ought to support the weak and to remember
the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed
to give than to receive. And when he had thus spoken,
he kneeled down and prayed with them all. And they all wept sore
and fell on his Paul's neck and kissed him, sorry most of all
for the words which he spake, that they should see his face
no more. And they accompanied him unto
the ship. May the Lord bless thee. reading
of his most precious word and grant unto us the spirit of real
prayer. Almighty, most merciful and eternal
God of heaven, we read of thee in thy word, holy, holy, holy,
Lord God almighty, which is an art, an art to come. We desire
to bow before thee. Thou indeed art the high and
lofty one that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy. And we do
desire to worship them, Father, Son and Holy Ghost, that one
true God. We desire the sacred power, grace
of the Holy Ghost to truly convince us of our sin and lead to Jesus'
blood. and to our wandering eyes reveal
the secret love of God. Oh, to know that divine leading
and power of the Holy Ghost as we gather together around thy
word this afternoon. Oh, we do pray that we may be
favoured to know those sacred divine drawings of our Heavenly
Father, drawing us unto his best beloved and all-glorious Son.
For Lord we read in thy word that no man can say that Jesus
Christ is Lord but by the Holy Ghost and we pray then for that
power of the Holy Ghost, that power to believe, that power
to lay hold. Oh we do pray that we may indeed
have faith and repentance and godly sorrow for sin and that
precious laying hold of Jesus Christ. We think of what we just
sung together to see instead of me as seen when I approach
to God. May we have a feeling sense of
that here this afternoon as we gather round thy holy word. We do pray, most blessed spirit,
that thou would graciously work. We think of thy word, thy promise.
I will work and who shall let it? Who shall hinder it? Gracious
God, let us see thy work, let us see thy power, let us see
thy glory as thou usest to be in the sanctuary. Grant that
the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God our Father
and the sacred fellowship of the Holy Spirit may rest and
abide upon us for thy great namesake. We pray that we may labour as
together in the Gospel. And just as the dear Apostle
gathered together those elders of Ephesus, may we gather together
from time to time and may the Word of the Lord have free cause.
And as he ministered, O Lord, at that time into the night,
O we do pray that we may be fervent in spirit, that we may press
on and press forward and enable to preach the word and be instant
in season and out of season, that would deliver us from the
temptations of Satan, and that whether he comes as a roaring
lion to devour us or whether he comes as an angel of light
to deceive us, we pray to be delivered from his power. Lord,
deliver us from temptation. Our Father which art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be
done, on earth as it is in heaven, we do humbly beseech of them. Help us to forgive one another.
We may be enabled to forgive those that trespass against us
and that we may also know that forgiving love of our Heavenly
Father in his Son Jesus We do pray, most gracious Lord, that
thou wouldst bless us as a church and as a congregation, that thou
wouldst work mightily and powerfully and effectually among us to the
great glory of thy holy name. We do humbly beseech thee. Oh,
we do pray that thou in thy precious mercy wouldst hearken and that
thou in thy great mercy wouldst bless the little ones and the
children. We thank thee for them. And we
pray that thou wouldst bless them indeed with that rich grace
that is in Christ Jesus. And we pray that thou wouldst
bless the young friends, that thou wouldst work mightily and
powerfully and effectually in their hearts. Bring them to living
faith in Jesus Christ. Make them true followers of thee
and of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.
Oh, do bless our young friends and grant the fulfilling of that
wonderful promise. instead of thy father shall be
thy children, whom thou mayest make princes in all the earth.
Oh, do grant that it may be so, most gracious Lord, for thy great
namesake. Oh Lord, we do pray that thou
in thy great mercy wouldst remember them in all the paths of providence,
guide and direct them, whether it's in their education or in
any future employment, And maybe, Lord, regarding a partner in
life's journey, 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 do pray
Thy blessing upon parents, that wisdom and grace may be given
to bring up their children in the nurture and admonition of
the Lord. We pray thy blessing upon all in the midst of the
journey of life, that they may be richly blessed of thee. We
do humbly beseech thee, show us thy ways, teach us thy paths,
make us more spiritually minded, set our affections on things
above and not on things of the earth. Those of us, Lord, that
are now in the evening time of life's journey, we pray that
thou would graciously Guide us safely unto thy heavenly kingdom,
that thou, as the outward man perishes, that thou wouldst renew
the inner man, that we may be renewed by thy spirit and by
thy grace, and prepared for that great change which must come
to each one of us. And, O Lord, we do pray that
thou wouldst remember our brethren, the deacons, and give grace and
wisdom and help, cause prodigals to return, O Lord, we long to
see the prodigal's return. We long to see thy power and
thy glory as thou usest to be in the sanctuary. Arise, arise,
O God of grace, into thy rest descend, thou in the ark of thy
strength, and let thy priests be clothed with salvation, and
thy saints shall shout aloud for joy. Lord, abundantly bless
the provision of thy house and satisfy her poor with bread. O Lord, we do beseech of thee.
Gather others also unto us here. Send out thy light and thy truth
into this village and the surrounding villages and hamlets. Grant thy
richest blessing to rest upon the gospel of Jesus Christ. Grant the pulling down of the
strongholds of Satan. and the setting up of the kingdom
of the Lord Jesus. Grant that the word preached
may be in power in the Holy Ghost and with much assurance. We do
humbly pray thee. And the word that goes out on
the internet, grant thy richest blessing upon the spread of thy
word throughout the nations of the earth. We do humbly beseech
of thee. O Lord, we do pray. Remember
all in any trouble. or trial, or perplexity, or sorrow,
or sadness, or bereavement, those that walk the path of affliction
with their loved ones, we pray that thou wouldst help them and
undertake for them. O Lord, we do thank thee for
thy holy word. We thank thee for the gospel
of thy grace. We thank thee that thy word is
a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path. We thank thee,
Lord, it is an unerring guide, and that may always be our constant
question, what saith the scripture? That we may be, O Lord, walking
in that way that thou hast ordained and purposed in thy word. We
do humbly beseech of thee, and grant us each a tender conscience.
We thank thee for Jesus Christ, the glory of the incarnation
of the Son of God, the eternal word that was made flesh and
dwelt among us. We thank thee, O Lord, for all
thy tender mercies in Christ, the law fulfilled, everlasting
righteousness brought in in that holy life, and divine justice
satisfied, a new and living way made into the holy place through
that crucified, saved, through that precious sin-atoning blood,
through that Saviour that died for our sins and rose again for
our justification. Gracious God, we thank Thee.
We thank Thee for a Saviour that has bodily ascended into heaven
and sitteth at Thy right hand. O most gracious Lord, such an
High Priest have we, who is passed into the heavens, Jesus, the
Son of God. Lord, we ask these favours and
these blessings in his precious name, and for his name's sake,
come and touch one's lips with a live coal from off the heavenly
altar. We ask for Jesus Christ's sake. Amen. Let us now sing together hymn
number 816. The tune is Zoar Chapel. Sorry,
it's hymn number 155. The tune is Zoar Chapel, 816. The fountain
of Christ assists me to see the blood of our priest, our crucified
King. which perfectly cleanses from
sin and from filth, and richly dispenses salvation and health. Hymn 155, tune Zor Chapel, 816. Oh, say does that star-spangled God rest ye merry, gentlemen.
? With the heavenly host ? ? Hosanna
in the highest ? ? Hark, the herald angels sing ? ? Shepherds quake at the sight ? ? Yesterday's sunbeam ? ? Will
appear in us ? ? Now the brightness here ? ? In us dawns ? ? O'er the free and the home of
the brave ? ? O'er the land of the free and the home of the
brave ? Christendom is such That thousands
can tell The power of His love Which brings me away ? Lord, let me stand there ? ?
A part of the house ? ? Lord, forever can I stand ? ? Stand
proud there ? ? His sons and saints go ? ? Their
colors be white ? ? With him on the earth ? ? Watch him and
be glad ? This is the day, this is the
day, this is the day, ? Which Thou didst foretell ? ?
Thou, Lord, in nature ? ? And didst do Thyself ? ? In Thy people
found ? ? God in heav'nly glory ? ? Eternally
reign ? ? Eternally reign forevermore ? ? Written in our spirit ? ? Center
plan for hope ? ? The hope to be filled ? ? The greater good of all ? ? His strength on earth revealing
? ? And him on earth living ? ? Israel, thou who art with me ? ? Let
my hope be found ? ? Distant, safe and near ? ? Come,
child, it's my dear ? ? And more than fair ? ? Thou, Elphaba,
dear ? ? The meaning and beauty ? ? Of
those who have lived ? ? Live from the truth they'll bring ? ? And just
as true ? ? Has never been found ? ? It takes
time to stay ? ? It'll never be found ? ? The world can't
unsee it ? ? In the truth divine ? ? You can
search for the things ? ? That never cease to be ? Greatly feeling to need the Lord's
gracious help, I would direct your attention to the Acts of
the Apostles chapter 20 and we'll read verse 28 for our text. The Acts of the Apostles chapter
20, reading verse 28. Take heed therefore unto yourselves
and to all the flock over which the Holy Ghost hath made you
overseers, to feed the Church of God, which he hath purchased
with his own blood. The particular part of the verse
is the last clause that has rested on my spirit, which he hath purchased
with his own blood. We have the interesting narrative
here of the dear apostle as he travels throughout Asia and the
present day Turkey and on his way to Jerusalem. And the wonderful things that
were done. What a wonderful day that was.
Paul's preaching. He says of himself that he laboured
more abundantly than all and he meant all the disciples. As
he travelled, he was the apostle to the Gentiles, appointed so
by the Lord. It says here in the Acts of the
Apostles and how that the Lord would show him what great things
he must suffer for my name's sake. As he went about to preach
the everlasting gospel of Jesus Christ. He had many hindrances,
he had many persecutions, many troubles, many trials. He says in the epistle to the
Corinthians that he was delivered from so great a death. There were many times when he
was stoned, when he was whipped, as a punishment under the Roman
Empire. And yet, he carries on. It reminds us of that lovely
word of the Apostle in writing to the Philippians, he said,
this one thing I do, I press toward the mark, to the
prize of the high call of God in Christ Jesus. And he says
again in the Philippians that wherever he went Christ is preached. What a mercy, the preaching of
Jesus Christ. He says doesn't he when he writes
to the Corinthians we preach Christ crucified to the Jews
a stumbling block, to the Greeks foolishness, but to them that
are called the wisdom of God and the power of God. That's
what those that are called, they're called to see that Jesus is the
Son of God. They're called to see that Jesus
is able to save to the uttermost all that come unto God by Him.
They're called to see that though they are unrighteous, in Him
they are righteous. You see, it's a very sacred thing,
isn't it? When the Lord blesses the Word, blesses the world. Here, when
he gathers together the elders of the church at Ephesus, it
says in verse 17, and from Miletus he sent to Ephesus and called
the elders of the church. And when they were come to him,
he said unto them, you know from the first day that I came unto
you, came into Asia, after what manner I've been with you at
all seasons, serving the Lord with all humility. in the Corinthians
where we're told what it was or one of the things that humbled
the dear Apostle. We know he had imprisonments
and he had strikes, very many, but there was one thing that
he mentions in the Corinthians. He said, I had a thorn in the
flesh. I had a thorn in the flesh. Maybe one and another here, you
have a thorn in the flesh. Something that you can't get
rid of something that you can't move And it gives us a little intimation
as to what that thorn in the flesh was he says a messenger
of satan To buffet me It was with him all the time. It was
like a festering storm And there's no doubt that when he went to
preach the gospel it was there It hindered him He said, I besought
the Lord thrice to remove it from me. But we know, we do not
read at all that the Lord ever removed it. But we do read this,
my grace, this is the word of the Lord, the word of Jehovah
unto Paul, my grace. That's the grace of our Lord
Jesus Christ. My grace is sufficient for thee.
My strength is made perfect in weakness. And that is what Paul
had to prove every day. And every hour of every day,
he felt his need. And you know, that's what the
Lord does with us. He brings us to feel our need.
He brings us to feel our helplessness. He brings us to feel our insufficiency. He does. It's a mercy if he does. Some people are afflicted with
depression and they get very depressed and very cast down.
There's many of the Lord's people are like that. It's an affliction
common to man. But the Lord, he helps them.
There's no doubt that Paul, he felt like that when he felt that
fall in the flesh. So painful, so trying, day by
day. My grace, the grace of our Lord
Jesus Christ, my grace is sufficient for thee. My strength is made
perfect in weakness. You know, to prove the Lord's
strength, we have to know our weakness. And sometimes we know it under
that conviction and convincing work of the Holy Ghost in the
heart. Then we know our sinfulness. We know the corruption of our
heart, our fallen nature. We know as it bubbles up within. There used to be a minister at
the Dicker Chapel, Mr. Hickmott. That's before Mr. Tyler was there. And apparently, he used to say
in his prayer in the pulpit, keep the lid on the pot and he
meant of course his own wicked sinful heart he felt it was bubbling
up with corruption and sin and unrighteousness and that was
a great affliction to him and it is to the Lord's people when
you feel the corruption and sin of your heart it's like a thorn in the flesh
now he had a messenger of satan to puffy him It's very painful,
you know, friends, when Satan comes with his temptations, whatever
way it may be. The mystery is he knows what
to tempt you with. He knows what the weakness is
in your character. And he knows how to bring his
temptation. And we're told in the Word of
God that Satan comes in two ways. One, as an angel of light to
deceive. In other words, he makes himself,
that's in the Corinthians, the Apostle speaks of that. And he's
speaking of ministers. There are those that are angels
of light. Satan's angels of light. To deceive
the Lord's people. if it were possible. And then
Peter says, he comes as a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. But when we know these temptations,
it humbles us. It brings us love. It casts us
down. Shall I ever get to heaven? I'm
such a wicked, sinful person. And so it is. So he says here in verse 19,
serving the Lord with all humility of mind, with many tears and
temptations, which befell me by the lying in wait of the Jews.
The Jews were constantly trying to destroy the Apostle Paul.
They hated him. He was one of them. He says himself,
I was a Pharisee of the Pharisees and he was converted by the almighty
power of God's grace. The Lord stopped him on the road
to Damascus. That would have run through the
land of Israel and through the tribes of the Jews. This man
that was so bitter against Jesus Christ and against all his followers,
he's now become a preacher among the Christian churches. It was
something that was so remarkable. Serving the Lord with all humility. And he could testify in verse
20, and how I kept back nothing that was profitable unto you,
but I've showed you and I've taught you publicly and from
house to house, testifying both to Jews and also to the Greeks,
repentance toward God. Oh, my beloved friends, these
are the fundamental truths of our most holy faith. There can
be no real faith without real repentance. They're both the
wonderful graces of the Spirit of God. Repentance is literally
when the Spirit of God, by His power and grace, turns us round. In the Acts of the Apostles,
it's called repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus
Christ. And this is what he speaks of
here. Repentance toward God and faith
in our Lord Jesus Christ. Do we have repentance? Do we have faith? The Lord Jesus
Christ, speaking of repentance, he says in his teachings, except
ye repent, you shall all likewise perish, except you repent, you
shall all likewise perish. Or how vital it is that by the
grace of God we repent of our sins and turn away from those
sins and forsake those sins. That's what repentance is, it's
to forsake and turn away from those sins and faith. These These wonderful graces
of the Spirit of God, repentance and faith, they are vital to
salvation. And they are given by the Holy
Ghost. They are given by the Holy Ghost.
Repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ. This is what the Apostle's ministry
was. This was the foundation of his
ministry. He says he could say to them,
wherefore, in verse 26, wherefore, I take you to record this day
that I am pure from the blood of all men, for I have not shunned
to declare unto you all the counsel of God. And he gives them now
an exhortation unto the elders of the church at Ephesus. Take
heed therefore unto yourself, and to all the flock over the
which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, and to feed the
church of God." This was the exhortation to the elders of
the church. There's no doubt among those
elders there would have been ministers, there would have been
deacons, the elders of the church, the office bearers in the church.
Take heed therefore unto yourselves and to all the flock, over the
which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers. Now, the Apostle
Peter in his first epistle, he makes this point, we are not
lords over God's heritage. When he speaks here of an overseer,
he says we're not lords over God's heritage. We shouldn't
lord ourselves. over the Lord's people in a controlling
way. We're not lords over God's heritage
but we're overseers and one of the responsibilities of the elders
to feed the church of God. Then we know what it is the church
of God is fed on, the bread of life, Christ said,
I am the bread of life. Christ said, I am the water of
life. Christ is the wine of the kingdom.
So this is what the church of God is fed on. Feed the church of God. And then we have this beautiful
last clause of the verse which really drew me here. Feed the
church of God which he, that is God, hath purchased with his
own blood. The blood of God. You might say
well that's a contradiction, God is a spirit. God is a spirit
and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in
truth. So now you're speaking of the
blood of God. Ah, but we must look at the mystery
in the glorious person of Christ. The Lord Jesus Christ is God
manifest in the flesh. The Son of God assumes human
nature. In the womb of the Virgin we
read the Holy Ghost overshadowed the womb of the Virgin Mary And
he said that holy thing by that he means the seed of the woman
You know when the Holy Ghost overshadowed the womb of the
Virgin Mary He sanctified the seed that he'd
taken from her and immediately The Son of God assumed it. He became bone of our bone, flesh
of our flesh. He became a real man. There is
one God and one mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus,
who gave his life a ransom for all. It was necessary that it
had to be a virgin birth. Why was that? All the seed of Adam have sinned.
As the Bible says, we all have sinned and come short of the
glory of God. But this man, the holy God man,
the man Christ Jesus, was not born by natural generation. It
was a divine act of the Holy Ghost. And therefore it says
that holy thing which shall be born of the, now in the Lord
Jesus Christ, we see the Son of God and the Son of Man. Both
those terms are scriptural terms. The term the Son of God refers
to his divine nature. The term the Son of Man refers
to his human nature. But the point I want to make
is that we see one person with two natures. The one person
is the Son of God, but he assumed human nature. We do not see two
persons. That would be utter confusion.
We don't see a divine person and a human person. That's why
it's important that we make this emphasis that as soon as the
Holy Spirit overshadowed the womb of the Virgin, the Son of
God assumed her seed. It never had any existence separate
to the Son of God. that union that was made in the
womb of the Virgin is an eternal union, it was never to be dissolved. That holy thing, the glorious
person of the Son of God manifest in the flesh and it was his precious
blood and as it says in our text which he had purchased with his
own blood. You think of that well-known
text that we often quote from 1 John and chapter 1, the blood of Jesus
Christ, God's son, cleanseth us from all sin. All the power, all the efficacy
of the blood of Christ is in this, he's the son of God. There's
no confusion between the divine and the human. No. The divine
doesn't become human and the human doesn't become the divine.
There are two natures. And that precious blood that
was shed by Jesus Christ on the cross of Calvary was pure. It
was holy. And it cleanses. It cleanses
from all sin. From all sin. Not just some sin,
from all sin. These little words are exceedingly
important, from all sin. And there is the efficacy and
power in the blood of Christ to cleanse from all sin. My mind,
it just goes to that, again, very well-known word in 1 Peter
and chapter 1. And we read there, from verse
18 for as much as ye know that you were not redeemed with corruptible
things as silver and gold from your vain conversation received
by tradition from your fathers but with the precious blood of
Christ as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. There the apostle
is highlighting the Levitical dispensation when the lamb that
was to be offered as a sacrifice had to be without blemish and
it was really important. Why? Because it typified Christ
who himself was without blemish. But with the precious blood of
Christ as of a lamb without blemish and without spot who verily was
foreordained before the foundation of the world and was manifest
in these last times for you." God, God made a covenant. God in eternity past made a covenant. We read in the words of Jesus
Christ in Proverbs chapter 8 and it says, I was set up from everlasting. Never shall I forget those words.
when they were made a living word in my very soul. I had such
a revelation of Christ. I was set up from everlasting.
The devil had been tempting me that he was not the son of God.
But when I had that clear revelation, I was set up from everlasting,
wherever the earth was, before the mountains were brought forth.
And as the apostle says, who verily was foreordained, before
the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last
times for you, who by Him, that's by Christ, who believe in God,
that raised Him up from the dead and gave Him glory, that your
faith and hope might be in God. The faith in Jesus Christ is
a faith in the eternal God. It's faith in His almighty power.
It's faith in His infinite wisdom. The Lord Jesus Christ is the
Eternal Son of the Eternal Father. And it says, doesn't it, in the
Word, I was set up from everlasting. And if we look at John chapter
1, and we read there of the wonderful divinity of our Lord Jesus Christ,
and I think perhaps John, in the most clear way, It is very
clear on the divinity of Christ. In the beginning was the Word.
The term the Word, the name the Word, refers to the Son of God. In the beginning was the Word,
and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. So we see the
divinity of Christ. The same was in the beginning
with God. All things were made by him, and without him was not
anything made that was made, In him was life, and the life
was the light of men, and the light shineth in darkness, and
the darkness comprehended it not. Think of those words of
Jesus, I am the light of the world. I am the light of the
world. What a glorious light. John the
Baptist, he said he was not that light. but was sent to bear witness
of that light. That was the true light, which
lighteth every man that cometh into the world. He was in the
world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him
not. He came unto his own, and his
own received him not. But as many as received him.
Wonderful thing, if we've received Christ in our hearts. Have you received Christ in your
heart? This is something that is absolutely
vital, friends, to receive Christ in your heart. But as many as
received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God,
even them that believe on His name. To receive and to believe
is the same thing. It's made very clear in that
verse, isn't it? And then it tells us why they
believe. in the verse 13, which were born,
not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will
of man, but of God. And the Word, this speaks of
the wonderful doctrine of the incarnation of the Son of God,
and the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us. And we beheld
his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,
full of grace and truth. Full of grace and truth. This saviour, this holy God-man,
as the Athanasian Creed declares, very God, very man. That's Christ. Very God, very
man. Truly God, truly man. That's
what it means. That word very there, It means
certainly, definitely. It's similar to the word Amen.
It's definitely God. He's definitely
man. In one person. That is the mystery. And the apostle says when he
writes to his son Timothy in the faith, great is the mystery
of godliness. God was manifest in the flesh.
See, my beloved friends, that's how Lord Jesus Christ holy God
man and to be worshipped. Oh that
the Lord may bring us by his Spirit in faith and repentance
to worship our Lord Jesus Christ which he hath purchased. There's
a ransom price to be paid wonderfully illustrated, you
know, in the book of Ruth. Boaz, a mighty man of wealth,
is a beautiful type of our Lord Jesus Christ. He is. Ruth is a beautiful type of a
coming sinner. And Boaz that mighty man of wealth, he
was able to redeem. It was a law in Israel, a Levitical
law, that if somebody lost their lands, etc., through bankruptcy,
that if there was somebody, a near of kin, that could pay the redemption
price, then they could deliver them from their bankruptcy and
their lands would all be restored. And now, Boaz is such a beautiful
type of our Lord Jesus Christ. He said to Ruth, fear not my
daughter, all that thou requirest I will do for thee. You think
of Jesus, fear not my daughter, all that thou requirest I will
do for thee. Lord with my burden I begin,
I will remove this load of sin all that thou requirest, I will
do for thee. Our Lord Jesus Christ. You see,
feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own
blood. The Lord Jesus offered his sacred
sin-atoning sacrifice on the cross of Calvary to redeem and
to deliver his people from sin and Satan's power. And not only
does it deliver them from sin and Satan's power, it does so
by satisfying all the demands of divine justice. The Lord demanded,
the soul that sinneth it shall die. So the Lord Jesus Christ
died for his people. It says in one place, he was
made a curse for us. What does it mean? It means our
sins and our iniquities were laid upon Him. And that is why
He suffered and bled and died on the cross of Calvary. The sin of the Church was laid
upon Him. One hymn writer says, my sins,
not in part but the whole, were laid on Him there. They were. Oh, that wonderful sacrifice. or sin for uncleanness in the
glorious person of our Lord Jesus Christ. We read in Hebrews chapter
nine, but Christ be in common high priest of good things to
come by a greater and more perfect tabernacle that speaks of his
human nature, not made with hands that is say not of this building,
neither by the blood of goats and a calf, but by his own blood. He entered in once into the holy
place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. Oh, the preciousness
of the blood of Christ. By his own blood, he ended in
once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption. Not only did Boaz redeem Ruth
and all that she had, but he married her. She became
his wife. The hymn writer says she became
his bride. And so does a poor sinner. They
become the bride of Christ. Come hither, I will show thee
the bride, the Lamb's wife. The church, adore, the King's
daughter is all glorious within. Her clothing is of wrought gold.
She's all glorious within because she's washed in the precious
blood of Christ and cleansed from all her sin. She's clothed
in wrought gold because she's clothed in that glorious everlasting
robe of the righteousness of Jesus Christ. For if the blood
of bulls and of goats and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling
the unclean sanctifies to the purifying of the flesh. How much
more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal spirit
offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience
from dead works to serve the living God? For this cause he
is the mediator of the New Testament, that by the means of death, that
were under the First Testament, they which are called might receive
the promise of eternal inheritance. It's an eternal inheritance.
He goes on, he says in verse 18, whereupon neither the First
Testament was dedicated without blood. For when Moses had spoken
every precept to all the people according to the law, he took
the blood of calves and of goats with water and scarlet wool.
He sprinkled everything. the shedding of blood there shall
be no remission of sins. You think of the Israelites when
they came to the door of the tabernacle and they brought a
sacrifice with them. What met their eyes? A bloody
sacrifice on the altar. The priest with his hands full
of blood, blood pouring down the sides of the altar and it
spoke to them. without the shedding of blood,
there can be no remission of sins. Oh, my beloved friends,
how precious is the blood of Christ, which he had purchased
with his own blood, with his own blood. Wonderful truth, isn't
it? You know the apostle in Ephesians
chapter one, He speaks there of the glory of Christ, and he
says in verse 7, in whom we have redemption, through his blood,
the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace, wherein
he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence, having
made known unto us the mystery of his will. You see, through
the precious blood, the forgiveness of sins. That's the only place,
my beloved friends, where you will find the forgiveness of
sins. It's in the precious blood of
Jesus Christ, God's Son. The apostle in the third chapter
of the Romans, he speaks there very beautifully of the blood
of Jesus Christ. He speaks of the law, he says,
therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified
in his sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin. But
now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested,
being witnessed by the law and the prophets. Even the righteousness
of God, which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon
all them that believe, for there is no difference for all have
sinned and I'm sure of the glory of God being justified by his
grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom
God has set forth to be appropriation through faith in his blood to
declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are
passed through the forbearance of God. Redemption through the
blood. And we have that lovely word
in the Jewish Passover. They used to take the blood of
the lamb, sprinkle it and paint it on the side posts of the door.
And when the destroying angel came through the land of Egypt,
the children of Israel were all in their houses and they were
eating that pastoral lamb. Beautiful type of Christ. And
they were sheltering beneath the blood. And the Lord said,
when I see the blood, I will pass over you. Oh, the blood
of Jesus Christ, when I see the blood. That's what that Passover
now speaks of. In the Corinthians, the apostle
says concerning Christ, our Passover, when I see the blood, I will
pass over you, says, till Jordan's icy waves divide, and land my
soul above, which he hath purchased with his own blood. It will be
in eternity, when we shall worship in heaven above, and that we
shall consider, and this is, We are clearly, this is revealed
to us in the word of God. We read in Revelation chapter
five and verse nine, they sung a new song saying thou art worthy
to take the book and to open the seals thereof for thou was
slain and has redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every
kindred and tongue and people and nation. and has made us unto
our God kings and priests, and we shall reign on the earth.
You see, this is what will be the song in heaven, saying with
a loud voice, worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power
and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing,
which he had purchased. with his own blood. May the Lord
add his blessing. Let us now sing together hymn
number 1156 and the tune is Belmont 101. what sacred fountain yonder springs,
up from the throne of God, and all new covenant blessings brings,
it is Jesus' precious blood, hymn 1156, tune Belmont 101. O'er the ramparts we watched,
were so gallantly streaming? And the rocket's red glare, the bombs bursting in air, O night divine, O night divine,
O night divine, O night divine, O night divine, ? And God's glorious
song of freedom's song ? ? Till Jesus rest his life. ? I take this hand which leads
away, I take And the pilgrim in heav'n is
slain In Jesus' precious blood. ? O Christ, descend ? ? Rescind
for me ? ? In heaven's high throne of heaven ? ? And from thy throne
of heaven ? ? We bring this precious precious
blood ? ? O take my soul, O take my soul, O take my soul ? And pray for them to reign with
joy Now may the grace of our Lord
Jesus Christ, the love of God the Father, the sacred fellowship
of the Holy Spirit, rest and abide with us each, both now
and forevermore. Amen.