Let's have service this evening
by singing together hymn number 1053. The tune is Love Divine,
893. Love divine, all love excelling,
joy of heaven to earth come down, fixing us thy humble dwelling,
all thy faithful mercies crown. Jesus, thou art all compassion,
pure unbounded love thou art. Visit us with thy salvation. Comfort every sinking heart. Hymn 1053, tune Love Divine 893.
? The divine ordination ? ? Joy
of heaven to us proclaim ? Fix in us thy comfort,
and in thy meekness bestow. Jesus, thou art all compassionate,
unbounded love of God. Fitting us with thy salvation,
Come, Lord, and we'll sing with pride. It only by patience, in true
love, can a hope arise. Let us holy faith bear it, To
find thy promised rest. Take away the love of sin, Emmanuel,
and owe me nothing. ? Let your pilgrimage be finished
? ? And turn me away ? ? Hail thee, O value ? They shall come and glory may
be, Let us see the cross, They shall come and be secure by me. Change all your fears to glory
days in every turn of age. Let us read together from the
holy word of God in the first epistle of John and chapter four. The first epistle of John, chapter
four. Beloved, believe not every spirit,
but try the spirits, whether they are of God, because many
false prophets have gone out into the world. Hereby know ye
the Spirit of God. Every spirit that confesseth
that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God. And every
spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh
is not of God. And this is that spirit of antichrist,
wherever ye have heard, that it should come. and even now
already is it in the world. Ye are of God, little children,
and have overcome them because greater is he that is in you
than he that is in the world. They are of the world, therefore
speak they of the world, and the world heareth them. We are
of God. He that knoweth God heareth us. He that is not of God, heareth
not us. Hereby know we the spirit of
truth, and the spirit of error. Beloved, let us love one another,
for love is of God, and every one that loveth is born of God,
and knoweth God. He that loveth not, knoweth not
God, for God is love. In this was manifested the love
of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son
into the world, that we might live through him. Here in his
love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent
his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God
so loved us, we ought also to love one another, no man has
seen God at any time if we love one another God dwelleth in us
and his love is perfected in us hereby know we that we dwell
in him and he in us because he hath given us of his spirit and
we have seen and do testify that the father sent the son to be
the savior of the world Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the
Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God. And we have known
and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love, and
he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him. Herein is our love made perfect,
that we may have boldness in the day of judgment. Because
as he is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love, but
perfect love casteth out fear, because fear hath torment. He
that feareth is not made perfect in love. We love him, because
he first loved us. If a man say, I love God, and
hateth his brother, he is a liar. For he that loveth not his brother
whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? And this commandment have we
from him, that he who loveth God love his brother also. May the Lord bless the reading
of his precious word and grant to us a spirit of real Almighty, most merciful and eternal
God, we do pray for grace to bow before thy great majesty,
to call upon thy great and holy name. We pray to be led and taught
and guided and directed by thy good spirit at this evening hour. We pray for those divine drawings
of our heavenly Father, that we may have that evidence that
we're loved with an everlasting love. Therefore with loving kindness
have I drawn thee. And we do thank thee, O Lord,
in days past. We have known those sweet drawings
unto our glorious and eternal Saviour. And we've known those
divine leadings of the Holy Ghost revealing the person, power and
grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of the Father,
who was manifest in the flesh. We thank Thee for that glorious
revelation of Thine everlasting love and mercy in the person
of Jesus Christ. We thank Thee for the incarnation
of the Son of God, the Word made flesh and dwelling among us.
We thank Thee for the holy life He lived, and for the holy law
He fulfilled and honoured and magnified. We thank Thee for
Gethsemane, where our gracious, eternal Father laid upon Him
the iniquity of us all. Oh, we thank Thee that He took
our sins and nailed them to His that he suffered and bled and
died for the sins of his people. We thank thee that he was wounded
for our transgressions and bruised for our iniquities and the chastisement
of our peace was upon him and with his stripes we are healed. O Lord God, we do thank thee
for these fundamental truths of our most holy faith. We do
thank thee that having destroyed death and him that had the power
of death, having risen from the grave, our Lord Jesus has victoriously
entered into heaven. Those everlasting gates have
lifted their heads and the King of glory has gone in. Who is
this King of glory? Our Lord Christ. Lord, we come
tonight together to worship thee, our great high priest who sitteth
at the right hand of the Father. We thank thee for the fulfilling
of that precious promise, the Lord said unto my Lord, sit thou
at my right hand until I make thine enemies thy footstool.
Oh, we do thank thee for the eternal love of our eternal Father,
in the wonderful decrees of salvation, in the everlasting covenant of
grace. We thank thee for the electing
love of the Father, for the redeeming love of the Son, for the sanctifying
love of the Holy Ghost. We thank thee that these three
are one, one blessed, infinite, almighty and eternal God. And as we come together tonight,
that we desire that collective worship, that we may bow in adoration
before Thee, the Lord Jehovah, from everlasting to everlasting
Thou art God. Thou art the high and lofty One
that inhabits this eternity, whose name is Holy. And Lord,
we are unholy, we are unclean, we are unrighteous altogether.
Oh, but most gracious Lord, we come to thee in that precious
name of Jesus Christ. We come and seek and hope to
find a portion for our soul. We come with that desire, like
that dear woman of old, if I might but touch the hem of his garment,
I should be made whole. We come to feel the healing power
of the gospel of Jesus Christ. We come, most gracious Lord,
with that desire to his name. Thou hast said in thy word, whatsoever
ye ask in my name, I will do it. So we come, Lord Jesus, in
thy name, before our eternal Father, and we ask that thou
wouldst grant thy presence and thy power and thy blessing here
in the sanctuary tonight. And as the word of the Lord goes
online, we pray that it may be richly blessed of thee, that
it may be down to the great honour, glory and praise of thy holy
name. O Lord, do hear us, we pray thee,
for thy great name's sake. We pray, most gracious Lord,
that thou would remember us as a church and as a congregation,
Remember our beloved brethren the deacons and if needed grace,
wisdom and help in all their responsibilities here and elsewhere. We pray that thou would remember
our little group of churches. Remember the charities to which
we affiliate and the editors of our magazines, the secretaries
of our societies, the committees as they gather. May they be given
divine wisdom and help. But above all, may the wind of
the Spirit blow. May the power that brings salvation
be exerted in the word, in the little causes of truth up and
down our land. May there be a reviving, a renewing,
a replenishing, an ingathering, a return of the prodigals. How
we long, O Lord, to see these things. Let thy words appear
unto thy servants and thy glory unto their children. We do humbly
pray thee, fulfil that wonderful ancient promise, instead of thy
fathers shall be thy children, whom thou mayest make princes
in all the earth. May the light and power of gospel
truth shine into this village and the surrounding villages
and hamlets and may many, many, many precious souls be gathered
May thy name be honoured and glorified. May the Lord Jesus
Christ be exalted as a prince and as a saviour, for to give
faith and repentance and remission of sins. May the gathering of
the people be unto thee. And O Lord God, we do pray that
thou would remember our little congregation, have mercy upon
us and graciously work among us to the great glory of thy
name, that the fullness of thy grace may be displayed in this
house of prayer, in the drawing of precious souls unto Christ.
Lord, we pray that thou would bless the little ones and the
children brought into the sanctuary, that thou would bless them with
the fear of the Lord, which is the beginning of wisdom. We pray
that thou would bless the young friends and give them guidance
and direction in life journey and grant that they may be brought
to living faith in Jesus Christ and they may become true followers
of thee and of those who through faith and patience inherit the
promises and grant them that grace to seek first the kingdom
of heaven and thy righteousness and all these things shall be
added unto them. We pray, most gracious Lord,
that thou wouldst so work in our midst to the glory of thy
great name. We pray, O Lord God, that thou
wouldst remember parents and give wisdom and grace and help
to bring up their children in the nurture and admonition of
the Lord, be with them in family worship, in the reading of thy
word and prayer to be made. O gracious God, do incline thine
ear, we humbly beseech thee, and have mercy upon us, we pray
thee. And Lord, we pray that thou,
in thy great mercy, would remember all in the midst of the journey
of life, that thou wouldst graciously set our affections on things
above, that thou wouldst deliver us from the temptations of Satan,
whether he comes as a roaring lion to devour, or whether he
comes as an angel of light to deceive, we need thee to deliver
us from his power and from his influence. And we plead that
precious word when the enemy comes in like a flood, the Spirit
of the Lord will lift up a standard against him. Oh, that glorious
standard. of the Lord Christ may be lifted
up in all his glory, in all his suitability, as a saviour, as
a redeemer, an almighty saviour, an almighty redeemer. And O Lord
God, we pray for those of us in the evening time of life's
journey and its attendant infirmities and weaknesses. We would especially
remember our dear aged sister, Mrs Field in her great weakness
and pray that thou wouldst draw near to her, that thou wouldst
bless her, that thou wouldst support her and sustain her for
thy great namesake. Remember her for good. Lord,
she's part of our family and we pray that thou wouldst bless
her. She's a mother in Israel and we pray that there may be
fruit brought forth to the honour, glory and praise of thy great
and holy name. We pray, O Lord, for all thy
servants as they labour in word and doctrine upon the walls of
Zion, that thou would set them free and set them at liberty,
and give that gracious determination to know nothing among men, save
Jesus Christ and him crucified. And enable thy servants to study,
to show themselves workmen approved of God, rightly divide in the
word of truth. Hear us, Lord, we humbly pray
thee. We pray, O Lord, that thou wouldst
grant the settlement of pastors in the churches, and that thou
wouldst rebuild, renew and revive thy people in these dark and
solemn days when Antichrist has so much power that is manifested,
and the wicked and the evil on every hand. pray for our leaders
that they may be given true wisdom that comes from above. And we
pray for our King, we pray for his healing, his restoration,
if it is thy heavenly mind. But above all we pray for his
spiritual welfare, that he may be blessed of the, that he may
see King Jesus, the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. Bless
him Lord. Bless the royal household, Lord.
We're exhorted to pray for all in authority over us. Give wisdom
to magistrates and judges. Lord, hear us. We humbly pray
thee for thy great namesake. And in the midst of all these
things, and the wars and the commotions going on in the earth,
thousands taken from time into eternity, we pray that thy overruling
hand may be seen. Thou sittest in the heavens.
Thou art he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth, and
the inhabitants thereof as grasshoppers. Thou art he that worketh all
things after the counsel of thine own will. We pray for grace to
leave these things in thy hand, and we pray that we may not become
over surfeited with worries and concerns about the things going
on in the world, but that we may have that single eye of faith
to behold the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords, the mighty
God, the everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace, and to remember
His words to us, all power is given unto me in heaven and in
earth. Oh, gracious God, Do incline
thine ear and do bless us, and do undertake for us as a church
and as a congregation, and do gather in precious souls, and
do bring our sons from far and our daughters from the ends of
the earth. Arise, arise, O God of grace, into thy rest descend,
thou and the ark of thy strength, and let thy priests be clothed
with salvation. and thy saints shall shout aloud
for joy, O abundantly bless the provision of thy house, and satisfy
her poor with bread. We do humbly beseech of thee,
we thank thee for every mercy of thy kind providence, and we
pray that thou wouldst come and touch one's lips with a live
coal from off the heavenly altar, that thou wouldst grant a hearing
ear and a wise and an understanding heart, we ask for Jesus Christ's
sake. Amen. Let us now sing together hymn
number 582 to the tune Calvary. 676. High beyond imagination is the
love of God to man. Far too deep for human reason,
fathom that it never can. Love eternal richly dwells in
Christ the Lamb. In 582 the tune is Calverdon Oh, say does that star-spangled
banner yet wave O'er the land of the free and the home of the
brave? ? Hosanna in the highest ? ? Hosanna
in the highest ? O come all ye faithful joyful
and triumphant O'er the land of the free and the home of the
brave ? And its waters rilling flow ?
? Ruling as she from her nature springs below ? He took children not for friends,
Neither youth, nor youth's friends. He will never, never, never,
ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever,
ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever,
ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever,
ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever,
ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever,
ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever,
ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever,
ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, Greatly feeling to need the Lord's
gracious help, I'll direct your attention to the chapter that
we read, the fourth chapter of the first epistle of John. and
we'll read for our text verses 9 to 11. First Epistle of John, chapter
4, reading verses 9 to 11 for our text. In this was manifested
the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten
Son into the world, that we might live through him. here in his
love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent
his son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God
so loved us, we ought also to love one another. In this was manifested the love
of God toward us. There are some fundamental doctrines
of our most holy faith that are found in this chapter. Indeed, the Apostle, when he
begins the chapter, he says, Beloved, believe not every spirit. That's a very important word.
Believe not every spirit, but try the spirits, whether
they are of God. And he gives us some very clear
markers here as to how we try the spirits to see if they are
of God. And the reason he gives this
warning but because many false prophets have gone out into the
world. And the first marker he gives
us is found in verses 2 and 3 and they are very fundamental markers.
Hereby know ye the Spirit of God, every spirit that confesseth
that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is God. Then he gives us a marker here
and every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come
in the flesh is not of God and this is the spirit of Antichrist
whereof ye have heard that it should come and even now already
is it in the world, even in the days of the Apostle John. The
Apostle John is believed to have outlived all the other disciples,
the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ. He lived to be in his
90s, even though he suffered much persecution. He was on the
Isle of Patmos, for the name and witness of Jesus Christ.
He was exiled there by the Roman emperor. And yet the Lord maintained him
in the church of God. But he gives us here some very
clear teaching. Hereby know ye the spirit of
God. See in the first verse, try the
spirits. Hereby know ye the spirit of
God. Every spirit that confesses that
Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God. There are those two terms that
are used mainly in scripture to describe who Jesus Christ
is. On the one hand, there is the
Son of God, that's who he is, And on the other hand, there
is the term, the Son of Man, which points to his humanity. The one points to his divinity,
the other points to his humanity. And as we've often explained
to you, the Athanasian Creed, which is very beautiful and simple. And it says, concerning the person
of Christ, very God, very man, in one person, very God, very
man. So according to what we have
here in verses two and three, especially in verse three, it
speaks of those that deny that Jesus Christ was a true man.
There are those even in the day in which we live that deny that
Jesus Christ was a true man. And here we have the answer.
Every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come
in the flesh is not of God. And that is how we are to try
the spirits. And this is that spirit of Antichrist. Wherever you have heard that
it should come and even now already is it in the world. You see, my beloved friends,
try the spirits. He says, believe not every spirit,
but try the spirits, whether they are of God. Because many
false prophets have gone out into the world. And then the
other fundamental marker, the way that we are to try the
spirits is in verse 15. Whosoever shall confess that Jesus Christ,
Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God. So two fundamental things in
our faith, and they all relate to the glorious person of Jesus
Christ, the eternal Son of God, that was manifest in the flesh. And if there are those that deny
his Godhead, then we're to reject that, we're to try the Spirit,
see if they'd be of God. And anybody that rejects that
Jesus is the Son of God, and there are many that do, and equally,
as many as reject that the Son of God was a real, true man,
that is the spirit of antichrist. And you see, there are many false
prophets that have gone out into the world So he's given us here
a warning and he's setting down certain markers as to what we
are to believe. And just on this point friends, there are in scripture errors
which are explained and opened, an erroneous view of the doctrine
of truth. And there is also another exceedingly
solemn thing, heresy. Now as far as I can discern,
heresy is any body that denies certain fundamental things concerning
the Godhead. It's very clear in Holy Scripture,
it's very clear in this first epistle of John. If you look
in chapter 5 and verse 7 For there are three that bear record
in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost. And these
three are one. That is one of the fundamental
doctrines. It's one of the foundation doctrines
of our most holy faith. And if we err in anything to
do with the Godhead, the divinity of the Father, of the Son, of
the Holy Ghost, the true humanity of Jesus, the Son of God, when
He became flesh and dwelt among us. If we deny any of those things,
then we are in heresy. And a person that is in heresy
is a person who is not enlightened. He that is in heretic He says
in the, I think it's in the epistle of Titus, he that is an heretic
reject. He says after the first and second
admonition, so we're to admonish them and we're to say that that
is completely erroneous and wrong, the views that you hold. And
if that person continues in that particular heresy, then we are
to reject them. They are to be ejected out of
the church as being completely out of the secret. So all that
the Lord would make us, we looked in Titus, didn't we, on Lord's
Day, and it speaks there so clearly of sound doctrine. We're to be
sound in the faith. There's a great emphasis that
is laid in the holy scriptures have been sound in the faith. Now the other fundamental thing
in this chapter, this fourth chapter of the first epistle
of John, is the apostle, he discourses greatly on the love of God. Again, a fundamental doctrine
of our most holy faith. God That is God our Eternal Father,
God so loved the world, He gave His only begotten Son. That's
the Son of His love for all eternity. We believe and firmly believe
that Jesus is the Eternal Son of God. His nature is eternal. That's what the term only begotten
means. As the hymn writer puts it, begotten
not created. And that is the eternal son of
God. Begotten, not created. And there are a number of occasions
in the word of God. It's in our text here. In this
was manifested the love of God toward us. because that God,
that is God, our eternal Father sent his only begotten Son into
the world that we might live through him. You see, the love of God, and it's eternal love. It says
here in this chapter, God is love. In verse 16, God is love. that is an attribute of the eternal
God. I remember years ago now reading
a discourse by John Owen on the love of God and he mentioned
this God is love and he says he is essential and eternal love
in his very being and he said actually this truth proves to
us the doctrine of the Trinity For love to be manifested, to
be exercised, there has to be more than one. And he said this
doctrine of the eternal love of God, that God is love, proves
to us that there is more than one person in the Godhead. We have the Father, the Son,
and the Holy Ghost. And clearly it lays out in Holy
Scripture, the Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things
into his hand. The Father loveth the Son, and
hath given all things into his hand. What for? For the church,
for his chosen people. The Father chose a people before
the foundation of the world, and that people he gave to his
only begotten Son. And that is what is alluded to
in Proverbs chapter 8, when it says, and my delights with the
sons of men. And what does he mean? What the
father had given him, divinely chosen from the ruins of the
Adam fall, given to Christ before the foundation of the world.
And they were given to Christ that he would redeem them and
deliver them from sin and from Satan's power. All my beloved
friends, if Jesus was not the Son of God, however could we
be confident in our eternal salvation? It's because He is the eternal
Son of God that we can be absolutely confident in our eternal welfare. Loved, with an everlasting love. Loved with an everlasting love.
Oh, the love of God, which is sung in the hymn of Gadsby. High
beyond imagination is the love of God to man. Friends, it's
an eternal love. Think of that lovely word, that
well-known word in Jeremiah chapter 31 and verse 3. Yea, I have loved
thee. with an everlasting love. Therefore,
with loving kindness have I drawn thee." It must be referring to
the Father. We read in John's Gospel, none
come except the Father draw. Never forget, my beloved friends,
that there is a co-equal love in the Godhead the love of the
Father, the love of the Son, and the love of the Holy Ghost.
And the Father himself loveth his people. They're loved with
an everlasting love. Christ says in the discourse
of his, the valedictory discourse in John 14, 15 and 16. Valedictory means the
last discourse before his sufferings. But what does he discover to
us there, in there? The love of the Father. You know,
the reason that there is so much confusion on this particular
wonderful truth is because Satan is at work. Satan tries to confuse our minds. Satan tries to convince us that
the father is angry and you cannot approach to him. There is no
love in him. That's what the devil tempts
you. There's no love in the father. that he's angry with the wicked
every day, that if you approach him he will deal with you very
severely. This is the devil's temptations. And it shouldn't surprise us.
You think of the immediate disciples of Christ, they were very confused
on this particular issue. Satan sows the seeds of doubt,
just as he did with Adam and Eve. He does it with the Lord's
people. And if He did it with the immediate
disciples of our Lord Jesus Christ, how much more will He do it with
us? Now my beloved friends, may the
Lord, in His infinite mercy, convince and show you that the
Father loves you and that He loves to hear from you. This
is what the devil wants to do. He loves to hear from you. In this was manifested the love
of God toward us, because that God, this is of course God our
Eternal Father, because that God sent His only begotten Son
into the world that we might live through Him. Herein is love,
not that we loved God, but that He loved us. That's our Father's
eternal love. He loved us. And he gave us to Christ. But the root of our love to God
comes from the Father himself. If you look at verse 19, we love
him because he first loved us. That's where all real religion
starts there. And where there is real religion,
where there is a real spirit of faith, there's love. And faith that work is by love.
It works by love. God is love. And that's the whole
burden of this chapter. God is love. And those that know
God, in and through our Lord Jesus Christ, they love. They
have a faith that works by love. You know, if we only have a letter
faith, not truly wrought by the Spirit, there's no love. There's no love,
it's just the letter. It's just the bare letter of
truth. I'd give an assent to the bare letter of truth. But
that's not true faith. lays hold of Christ, loves Christ. Look at David. What does he say? I love the Lord because he has
heard my voice, the voice of my supplications. I love the
Lord. Oh, my beloved friends, let us
not be ashamed of owning our love to our heavenly Father. That's what the devil wants to
do. There is no greater comfort, there is no greater consolation
than to feel the love of your eternal Father and to express
it, and to express it. And still, in her hymn, and that
desire of her heart, my God, my Father, blissful name, Oh
may I call thee mine. Blissful name. What comfort. What peace. What consolation.
What strength. When we feel that spirit of adoption. For God has sent forth the spirit
of his Son. Look at there, the doctrine of
the Trinity. For God, the Father, has sent forth the spirit, the
Holy Ghost, of his Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. For God has sent
forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, Abba, Father,
in other words, My Father. Father is the translation from
the Greek, Abba is the translation from the Hebrew. You see, these
things are written for our instruction. In this was manifested the love
of God toward us because that God sent his only begotten Son
into the world that we might live through him. We read in the Word of God, he
that hath the Son hath life. He that hath not the Son of God
hath not life. Very clear statements of the
most fundamental faith. They are. He that hath the Son
hath life. You want to feel it more, don't
you? Beloved, let us love one another,
for love is of God. The Lord Jesus said in his teachings,
I believe it's found in John chapter 15, and what does he
say there? By this shall they know, and
by they he means the world, by this shall they know. What do they know? That you are his children. How?
Because you have love one to another. This is what manifests
the love of God here on earth among his people, is the spirit
of love that dwells among his people. It says here in the previous chapter, chapter 3,
it says we know that we are passed from death unto life because
we love the brethren, in verse 14 of chapter 3. Evidence that
we are a child of God, we know that we are passed from death
unto life because we love the brethren. He that loveth not
his brother abideth in death. Whosoever hateth his brother
is a murderer, and ye know that no murderer hath the eternal
life abiding in him. Hereby perceive we the love of
God, because he laid down his life for us, and we ought to
lay down our life for the brethren. Solemn searching things here,
friends. But whoso hath this world's good,
and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of
compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him. That's
a very certain word, isn't it? It should search our hearts. James, he touches on exactly
the same thing, about a man having this world's goods. and he says
to somebody in great need and he knows of that need and then
he says the Lord will provide, go forth, he said the Lord will
provide and he giveth him not that which he needeth. What did
the Spirit say there? How well is the love of God in
that man that can actually see one of his brethren or sisters
in Christ in great need See, whoso hath this world's good,
and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of
compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him. My little
children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue, but
in deed, and in truth. And hereby we know that we are
of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him. You know in that word in Romans
chapter 12, the first two verses, the Spirit of God speaks to us
as being the children of God and there's a gospel word, I
beseech you therefore brethren, you see the gospel doesn't drive
It draws, it draws in love. I beseech you therefore, brethren,
by the mercies of God. What does he mean by that? By
the mercy that you and I have received from your heavenly Father,
who loves you with an everlasting love, who has redeemed you from
all adversity, who has delivered you from the curse and condemnation
of the law. who has brought you into the
glorious liberty of the children of God. You see my beloved friends,
to present your bodies, this body, a living sacrifice. What does it mean by that? Well,
it certainly does not mean that we should sacrifice our body. What it means is, is that a whole
life Everything that the Lord has given us should be sacrificed
to him. Freely you have received, freely
give. Doesn't the Apostle in the Epistle
to the Corinthians, he says, you know the grace of our Lord
Jesus Christ, that though he were rich, yet for our sakes,
He became poor. You see, my beloved friends,
Christ has given us a pattern. And that wonderful mercy that
has touched your heart, may it touch your wallet, may
it touch everything that you have, present your bodies, your
life, everything that you have. But what does the Apostle say
in another place? What have you that ye have not
received? Whatever you have. You might think to yourself,
well I've worked for it. I've accumulated it. What have
you that ye have not received? The Lord's given it to you. And
he's made you a steward. what is given to you and therefore
we're to present it a living sacrifice to be given to be given
to be laid out I beseech you therefore brethren by the mercies
of God that you present your body just like Jesus did for
you consider what Jesus did for you and consider what the words
of our text this was manifested the love of God toward us because
that God sent his only begotten son into the world that we might
live through him. Hearing his love, not that we
loved God but that he loved us and sent his son to be the propitiation
for our sins. You see that word propitiation
It's a very similar word to the word atonement. Christ offered
an atonement. The sacrifice of Christ on Calvary
atoned for the sins of his people. And this word propitiation, it
refers in some Bibles, in particular the New Westminster Bible, the
marginal reference has to propitiation, the wrath-ending sacrifice. of
Jesus Christ on Calvary. It's a propitiatory sacrifice. It paid for the sins. Jesus laid
down his life for his friends. I have power to lay my life down. I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received
of my Father. I lay down my life for my friends.
And therefore, as the word of God says, that we should lay
down our lives for our brethren. Here is love. Not that we love
God, but he loved us and sent his son to be the propitiation
for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us,
we are also to love one another. To love one another. What a precious
thing when we are enabled to love one another. You know there's
that beautiful word that we have in Paul's epistle to the Ephesians
in chapter 3. Again he speaks there of the
love of the Father. He says in verse 14, Ephesians
3 verse 14, For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our
Lord Jesus of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is
named, that he would grant you according to the riches of his
glory. You know, friends, just before
we continue, just let us look again at what we've just read.
For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father. You know, the
devil may tempt you that you can't do that because you're
such a poor sinner. Just think of this word. The
next time the enemy tempts you that you can't, just think of
what we've just read together. For this cause I bow my knees
unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, of whom the whole family
in heaven and earth is named, that he would grant you, according
to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by
his Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your
hearts by faith, that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,
may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth
and length and depth and height, to know the love of Christ which
passes knowledge." What does he mean? He speaks there of the
length and breadth and depth and height. It passes knowledge.
It's beyond our comprehension. high beyond imagination. It's
the love of God to man. It's beyond our comprehension.
It's infinite love. It's eternal love. It's almighty
love. It's a love to his people personally. It is. Of whom the whole family,
you know if you're a member of a family you have a father. That's
the meaning here. Of whom the whole family in heaven
and earth is named, that he would grant you, according to the riches
of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the
inner man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith, that
ye, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend
with all saints what is the breadth and length and depth and height,
to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge that ye might
be filled with all the fullness of God. Now unto him that is
able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think,
according to the power that worketh in us, unto him be glory in the
church by Christ Jesus through all ages, world without end. Amen. We say the eternal love. of God in Christ. The eternal love of our Heavenly
Father. We always say in the benediction,
don't we, the love of God. That's the love of the Father.
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. The communion of the Holy Ghost.
These three are one. One blessed, infinite, almighty
and eternal God. you know, the Holy Spirit. He
directs the Apostle Paul in Romans chapter 5 to speak of this wonderful
love of God. And he says in chapter 5, but
God commendeth his love. Speaks in the beginning of that
chapter, therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with
God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom also we have access by
faith into this grace when we stand and rejoice in hope of
the glory of God. But what does he go on to say? He says in verse six, for when
we were yet without strength, that means before we were born,
when we yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the
ungodly. for scarcely for a righteous
man will one die, yet perventure for a good man some would even
dare to die. But God commendeth his love toward
us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us. What a thought it is, what a
commendation of his eternal love in that while we were yet sinners
Christ died for us. much more than being now justified
by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. For if
when we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death
of his son, much more being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. And not only so, but we also
join God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received
atonement, that sacred atonement for sin, that sacred cross of
Calvary where sin was put away, where divine justice was satisfied,
where God and sinners were satisfied. You see a great satisfaction
there was to the father when he beheld the sacrifice of his
son and he received in that sacrifice of Christ, the whole church,
gathered from every kingdom, nation, tribe and tongue in the
whole world, they're all met in Christ. Their sins met upon
Christ and his holy sacrifice has redeemed them, has delivered
them. Oh, my beloved friends, May the
God of all grace open our hearts and our minds to behold the wonders
of redeeming love and this was manifested the love of God toward
us because that God sent his only begotten son into the world
that we might live through him. Here it is love. Not that we
loved God, that's not the important thing, but that he loved us and
sent his son. to be the propitiation for our
sins. Beloved, if God so loved us,
we are also to love one another. I believe it's in the book of
Deuteronomy and if I remember correctly it's in the seventh
chapter where we read of the eternal love of God to his people
and how that it was because he loved them. If you look here at verse 6 in
Deuteronomy 7. For thou art an holy people unto
the Lord thy God. The Lord thy God hath chosen
thee to be a special people unto himself above all people that
are upon the face of the earth. Now listen to this humbling statement.
The Lord did not set his love upon you nor choose you, because
ye were more in number than any people, for ye were the fewest
of all people, but because he loved you. That was the only
moving cause of the love of God reaching your heart and my heart,
because he loved you. And because he would keep the
oath which he had sworn unto your fathers, hath the Lord brought
you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you out of the house
of bondage from the hand of Pharaoh. Oh, my dear beloved friends,
may the Lord give us a little further meditation on the eternal,
infinite, almighty love of God in Christ. May the Lord add his
blessing. Let us now sing together hymn
number 1014. The tune is Rudland, 991. Brethren, let us walk together
in the bonds of love and peace. Can it be a question whether
brethren should from conflict cease? Tis in union, hope, and
joy and love increase. Hymn 1014. The tune is Rudland
991. Let us all together lift our
hearts to God and peace. Let it be a question Ever, ever true, the home of
the brave. ? Stay with me, dear friend ? ?
Stay with me, dear friend ? ? I'll be home when you'll be free ?
? I'll be home when you'll be free ? And on every time they
said, is to hold them in our truth. If he points us, if he cuts us,
we, you and I, are from his blood. When we think Thou, O Jack-o'-lantern,
Best to give, best to give, Let ambition wander, wander, free
your heart and shine through it. Far e'er we live, far e'er we
live, O'er all that I know, I know thee. ? When the teacher's in his bosom
? ? And hath unfit herself to be ? ? When the teacher for another ? ? Son of God, so
heavenly free ? ? Hark, the herald angels sing ? ? Glory, glory,
hallelujah ? ? In excelsis Deo ? Now, may the grace of our Lord
Jesus Christ, the love of God the Father, the sacred fellowship
of the Holy Spirit, rest and abide with us each, both now
and for evermore. Amen.