The notices for the week. If the Lord will, Mr Paul Austin
will preach next Lord's Day at 10.30 and 2 o'clock. Mr Marcus Funnell will preach
Thursday evening at 7 o'clock. And there will be a prayer meeting
on Tuesday evening at 7 o'clock. May the Lord help us to commence
our worship today with hymn number 455, Tune Tibbetan 248. Once more we come before our
God, once more his blessing ask. O may not duty seem a load, nor
worship prove a task. Hymn 455, Toon Tiverton 248. ? To become before our Lord ? ?
And to His mercy cast ? ? Early may your duties be completed
? ? In that house ? ? Come, O Thine
inspirations ? ? Come and make me sustain ? to make a great
divine doctrine and put our souls in prayer. In this deep, cold world we live
? Late in an honest love ? ? Old
and precious to me ? ? I'll never forget you ? ? Reciprocate the cross ? To each thy blessings do, And
let the spirit thy servant shows, ? Keep the refreshment of the day
? ? Stay to yourself with love ? Let ev'ry tongue come out and
say, Thou who art God and King. Revive the past with ambitions, the Godhead hope divine. God bless America! God bless America! God bless America! God bless America! God bless America! reading from God's holy word
this morning you'll find in the book of Hebrews the book of Hebrews
chapter 11 we'll begin reading at verse 17 and we'll read into
chapter 12 the first four verses we'll begin reading book of Hebrews
chapter 11 and verse 17 by faith Abraham when he was
tried offered up Isaac and he that had received the promises
offered up his only begotten son of whom it was said that
in Isaac shall thy seed be called accounting that God was able
to raise him up even from the dead from whence also he received
him in a figure. By faith, Isaac blessed Jacob,
and Esau, concerning things to come. By faith, Jacob, when he
was a dying, blessed both the sons of Joseph, and worshipped,
leaning upon the top of his staff. By faith, Joseph, when he died,
made mention of the departing of the children of Israel, and
gave commandment concerning his bones. By faith, Moses, when
he was born, was hid three months of his parents, because they
saw he was a proper child, or beautiful child, and they were
not afraid of the king's commandment. By faith, Moses, when he was
come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter,
choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to
enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season. Esteeming the reproach
of Christ, greater riches than the treasures in Egypt. For he
had respect unto the recompense of the reward. By faith he forsook Egypt, not
fearing the wrath of the king, for he endured, as seeing him
who is invisible. Through faith he kept the Passover
and the sprinkling of blood, lest he that destroyed the firstborn
should touch them. By faith, they passed through
the Red Sea as by dry land, which the Egyptians are saying or attempting
to do were drowned. By faith, the walls of Jericho
fell down after they were compassed about seven days. By faith, the
harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not. when
she had received the spies with peace. And what shall I more say? For
the time would fail me to tell of Gideon, and of Barak, and
of Samson, and of Jephthah, of David also, and Samuel, and of
the prophets, who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness,
obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the
violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness
were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the
armies of the aliens. Women received their dead, raised
to life again, and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance
that they might obtain a better resurrection. and others had
trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn
asunder, were tempted, were slain with a sword. They wandered about
in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented,
of whom the world was not worthy. they wandered in deserts and
in mountains and in dens and caves of the earth. And these
all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the
promise, God having provided some better thing for us, that
they without us should not be made perfect. Wherefore, seeing
we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses,
let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily
beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set
before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our
faith, who, for the joy that was set before him, endured the
cross, despising the shame and is set down at the right hand
of the throne of God. For consider him that endured
such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied
and faint in your minds. Ye have not yet resisted unto
blood, striving against sin. Leave the reading of God's holy
word there, and may we each be helped now to Truly pray. O most holy, merciful and almighty Lord God,
we bow now before thee in prayer at the start of this and other
Lord's Day, at the start of this morning's service. Lord, we gather today. We have each made the effort
to assemble ourselves together. But Lord, thou knowest the reasons
why. For we look on the outward appearance and thou lookest upon
our hearts. and knowest whether we have come
today to feed upon thy word, whether we have come hungering
and thirsting after righteousness, whether we have come with that
desire to know thee the only true God and Jesus Christ whom
thou hast sent, or whether we have come just because it is
what we have always done, whether we come because we do not want
to offend anybody, or whether we come broken, with a contrite
heart and with that true desire to praise and honor and glorify
thy holy name. Lord, we know that where two
or three are gathered together in thy name, there will be in
the midst. And we believe that there are more than two or three
here today. with that true desire to worship
Thee. So Lord, may we not be presumptuous
to say that Thou wilt be with us. For Lord, we each need Thee,
whether it be as we sit and listen or whether it be as we stand
and speak. We cannot, Lord, go in our own
strength. So if there has not been prayer
yet this morning for the services of today, may there be prayer
now. Impress upon our hearts the importance
of our need of thee. The importance of that safety
in the precious blood of Christ. Our need to be clothed in that
robe of righteousness. and the understanding that this
Lord's Day may well be our last. And as a year goes by since we
were last here, many changes take place in each of our lives,
some expected and some unexpected. And yet, Lord, we pray that throughout
our lives, we may have that constant desire to grow in grace and in
the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. So this morning, Lord, we come with one thing in common, that
we are sinners. Those that have come short of
thy glory, those who are condemned by the law, Yet Lord, may we be set free. May we be set at liberty. May
we be indeed those with that knowledge that Christ is in us,
the hope of glory. Lord, we get so forgetful of
what we have. So we come with that right thankfulness
this morning. for the privilege that we have
to worship, for the freedom that we have to do so in our land. And that, even though there may
be those that do not know thee in this building this morning,
we have each to this time been kept. So Lord, we would desire
that we may know more than that. For Lord, it is no good just
being kept. Lord, we need thee. May we cry
with the hymn writer, Jesus is the one thing needful. I, without
him, perish must. So we thank thee for thy day,
a day of rest, a day that is set apart to worship thee. But Lord, may it be a day today
where we look to that heavenly rest, that glory to come, that proper rest. We'll be no
longer encumbered with affliction and sin and trial. We will see
Thee face to face, where we will indeed experience true joy. We pray
that everyone here may desire it. There be those here this
morning dead in trespasses and sins. We pray, create in them
a new heart. renew a right spirit within them.
Take away that heart of stone, give that heart of flesh, so
that they may indeed be found seeking thy face. Those who have
come in this morning who are seeking thee, long to know thee. Lord, may today they find rest
in thee. And Lord, those that do know
thee and desire to know thee more, open their eyes wider,
fill their hearts more fully. May it be a day where we have
to say with the psalmist, my cup runneth over. Lord, those
times are few and far between, but may it be a time where we
indeed are full. And yeah, as we look at ourselves,
we see ourselves full. of sin, full of the pleasures
of the world, full of those things which so try us. Draw our eyes
away, we pray today. Lord, we need Thee. Thank Thee for maintaining this
cause of truth. We pray for the pastor here in
his continual labours amongst them. May there be real prayer
for him. May they truly be held up. May
he have those encouragements from time to time. May he truly
be feeding the flock before him. May they be united together more
and more. And as he leads them on this
journey of life, Lord, we pray that he may be a true under shepherd. We thank thee for his faithful
ministry to them. May it truly be owned and blessed
and used of thee, so that there may be those that are brought
in to join with them to worship here, and that there will be
those added to the church too. Lord, we pray that there may
be that real increase. And Lord, as we come this morning,
we pray for him as he preaches to the friends at Swayvesey today.
May the word that he has with him to bring before them be of
thee. And wherever thy servants, those
that preach the word, Lord, today in our churches or in any place
of worship where thy word is faithfully preached, we beg that
thou will be with them. That today in this land, it may
be truly a day where there is so much praise going up to thee.
And Lord, we marvel as we think of thee earth revolving, and
those throughout this earth worshipping thee today in different lands
at different times. Lord, may thy praises be continually
sung throughout this earth. So Lord, be with this place today.
Be with the deacons, help them in their many responsibilities
and needs. Lord, be with them all. Be with
all the church members too. And Lord, we desire that what we see, Lord, in this
place, we may see in other places. The young people brought forward,
those added to the church, Lord, yet there is room. We pray that
where that work has begun, Lord, it will be pressed home. For
Lord, there is thy word to be followed. There is thy name to
be glorified by the open profession. May we see it. Lord, we would
pray for this locality. Lord, we see so many properties
round about, we drive through many villages, we drive through
many towns and we see so little desire to worship Thee. Lord,
help us to search our hearts to see if we are right. Help
us to search our hearts to see if we are ashamed of Jesus. Grant unto us those opportunities
in our daily lives as we meet with various people to speak
well of thee. Lord, we pray, help us to take
our light out from under the bushel and to put it on a candlestick
so that, Lord, we may profess thee. Lord, it is thy work, but
means are used. And Lord, may the means be used,
we beg. And as we gather at the means
of grace today, the preaching of the word, Lord, in that, whether
it be those here in person or those that may be listening today
or those that may listen at a future date, Lord, apply the word with
power by thy spirit so that it may do real good. We pray for
all the children and young people here today. Lord, we are thankful
to see them and help us to preach clearly and faithfully so that
they may understand what is being preached today. For Lord, they
have those souls that need to be saved. And may they, even
while they are very young, pray. Help them to pray as they go
to bed at night. Help them to pray as they get
up in the morning. Help them to seek thy face. Lord,
do keep them in their varying pathways. Those that are at school,
those that are educated at home, be with them all. And Lord, as
they go through varying stages, open those bright doors for them.
Guide and direct them and keep them. but may they fear the Lord
in the years of their youth and remember their creator. Pray
for the young people as they may be going into employment,
as they are in employment, as they may have varying changes
in their lives, that they may above all seek first the kingdom
of God. Pray for parents here this morning. Help them in the many responsibilities
that there are, the many things that have to be juggled in daily
life, the many burdens and responsibilities and cares and concerns that can
crowd in. We pray do grant wisdom, grant
grace, grant that help. Pray for those that are older
in years here too, Lord we would pray for those that are beginning
to feel the weakness in body and in mind as the years pass
by. And yet, Lord, may there be that
sweet assurance that it is well with them, and will be well when
called to die. And may there be that desire
to depart and to be with Christ, which is far better. But whether
young or old, Lord, may we be prepared. We'll pray for Mrs. Field in the pilgrim home at
Tunbridge Wells today. Do be with her in this new pathway
for her for these next two weeks. Lord, may it be an appointed
time And may it even be a time of blessing for her soul as she
gathers there. Help the church here to help
one another. May there truly be that bearing
of one another's burdens and so fulfilling the law of Christ. Lord, we will pray for all those
that labour in thy name today. We will pray for Tim Parrish
at Heathfield today. Do help him be with our family
there and all the congregation. Lord, what we pray for here,
we pray for there, that we may see those signs following the
preaching of the word. Lord, we do not seek to entertain.
We seek to edify the people. We seek to lead them to thee.
We seek, Lord, great things, but we ask a great God. We pray
for our nation at this time, Lord. have seen in the past few
days the gathering of the most powerful leaders in the world
together. Lord, but may they have that understanding given
to each of them that they are but men and women and that thou
art the one true and living God. There is much evil, much wickedness
in the world, Lord. There is much confusion, much
we do not understand. There is much news, there is
much information. But Lord, may the information
we truly seek be found in the book before us. And Lord, then
we can look with Habakkuk. Then we can look with Isaiah.
Then we can look with Jeremiah. Then we can look with Daniel.
Then we can look with the Apostle Paul and look at everything round
about us. And yes, be troubled, and yet
be looking, knowing that the sovereign Lord is over all. But may we see it in our little
gathering today. May we see thy hand upon us.
May we know the power of thy blessed spirit, applying thy
words so that we do not go home as we came. Lord, may we be those
good ground hearers today. And for that, dear Lord, we need
the hearts to be prepared. Prepare them, Lord, we beg. Lord,
we need help in sowing the seed. But Lord, One may plant, one
may water, but thou alone canst give the increase. Give it, Lord,
we pray, if it be thy will. So take away all distracting
thoughts, give the people those ears to hear, and give us every
word to speak. Lord, empty us of self, fill
us with thy precious truth, and come, we pray. Come, Holy Spirit,
come. Let thy bright beams arise and
dispel the darkness from our minds and open all our eyes. So help us each, we beg. Forgive
all that we have asked wrongly, that which we've forgotten to
pray for. Lord, may it have been prayed for by those before us
and do make up in giving where we do fail in our asking. For
we ask all in and through the precious name of our Lord and
Saviour, Jesus Christ. Amen. Let us now sing Hymn 692 to the
tune Milgate 372. If Solomon for wisdom prayed,
the Lord before had made him wise, else he another choice
had made, and asked for what the worldlings prize. Hymn 692 to Millgate 372. Strong in the before, wisdom
brings. When I look in awe, help me in my woes. Thou'st the hour that the joys
of man hath brought forth the world in triumph. ? In Christ his people stand ?
? For Christ is risen from the dead ? ? When he saved us ? I will not forgive you. I will not forgive you. Master, save us, what Thou wilt. Lord, I would take that ordinary
path. I pray to Thee to free me from
guilt, and free from sin and Satan's power. ? Of thy presence, Lord, in power
? ? Oh, of thy goodness, Lord, in power ? Still excites her within my heart
And brings me back to my room ? Give me to read my God and Savior
? ? And from my joy to atone my sin ? There's love within our heart,
with knowledge, heart, and breath, and death. And this request I ask no more. Now to thy death the peace is
mine. ? Glory to the newborn King ? Dear Lord, to help us each here
this morning, both in the preaching and the hearing of the word,
I'll ask you to turn to the portion that we read together. And as
a text, we will try and take the first three words in Hebrews
chapter 12 and verse 2. Hebrews chapter 12 and verse
2. Looking unto Jesus. I'll read again from the beginning
of the twelfth chapter. Wherefore, seeing we also are
compassed about or surrounded with so great a cloud of witnesses,
let us lay aside every weight and the sin which doth so easily
beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set
before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our
faith, who, for the joy that was set before him, endured the
cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand
of the throne of God. As we have read these verses
together this morning, you children will have noticed,
I'm sure, There were two words that kept on coming up in that
eleventh chapter. And it was these two words, by
faith. By faith. And what the Apostle Paul is
trying to set before us in this portion, in this twelfth chapter,
is that that is how we are to walk in this life. For if you look at that first
verse in chapter 12, he speaks, doesn't he, of there being a
race to run. Let us run with patience the
race that is set before us. This morning, We are all running
that race. We are all taking part in that
race. We are on a journey. And at the end of that race,
there is a prize. There is Christ himself. There is glory. And so, Paul, in writing, here,
had this concern that many of the people he looked upon were
faltering, were failing, were flagging, were tiring in the
race. And maybe there are some of you
here this morning who likewise feel to be tired in this race,
weary in this race. So as the Lord may help us today
to look at what we should be turning away from every way and
the sin which doth so easily beset us and therefore what we
should be looking to. looking unto Jesus. This word looking, it is an interesting
word. It is actually only used once,
I believe, in the New Testament. It is a word that is made up
really of two words. from and see. So it indicates to us a looking
away from something to something else. Looking unto Jesus. And you children can appreciate
this point, I'm sure. If someone, your parent says
to you, look at that over there, your eyes have to move from one
thing to another. your focus has to change, your
attention moves from one thing to another. But, in your life
and in my life, we only really look at something that we want
to look at. If we're not interested in a certain thing in our lives,
if we're not really interested in nature or if we're not really
interested in cars or something like that, we will not put our
focus on it. But if we see something which
we view as precious, Something which we see as necessary, something
which delights us, we'll look to it, won't we? And this is
what Paul is saying to us here this morning. Lay aside every way. Look away from every way and
the sin which doth so easily beset us. But before we look specifically
at these two points being the weight and the sin, we need to
emphasize the us in this first verse. Let us lay aside every
weight. Let us run with patience the
race that is set before us. We need to be careful in our
lives. And I need to use my words wisely,
that we don't blame God. Because we can sometimes left
to ourselves say, Lord, remove every weight. Lord, remove the
sin which does so easily beset us. And we do nothing about it. We carry on in the same pathway,
and we are ensnared by the same things, whether legal, the weights,
or that which is illegal, the sin. And we carry on, carry on,
and then wonder why we fall. Wonder why we falter in the race. Wonder why we've fallen flat
on our face again. Now, I am not in any way saying
that we should not pray. Far from it. But I find it very
instructive what the Lord taught his disciples. In Matthew, chapter
26. Maybe it's not 26, I can't find
it, but the chapter where he says, watch and pray. Yes, there must be prayer. Yes,
prayer is a great weapon in the hand of the believer. But dear
friends, there's to be that watching too. There is to be that taking
guard. There is to be that being vigilant.
And you know, if there is something in your life this morning that
you know is causing you to stumble, that you know some sin you may
be constantly falling into, and you have it within your power,
to remove yourself from that situation or to alter the course
that you're in and you do nothing about it, don't be surprised
if you fall again. We go near the flame and then
wonder why we constantly are burnt. We play around the edge
of the trap and wonder why we got ourselves stuck again. Let
us, dear friends, where we have the power to do so, lay aside. and run. But let us look specifically
at what these weights and these sins are. Let us lay aside every
weight. Something which takes up our
time, too much of it. Our resources, too much of it. Our strength, too much of it. Not wrong. The Lord doesn't command
that thou shalt not regarding it, but it's weighing us down. It's weighing us down. And in looking at this, thinking
upon this Friday and Saturday this week, it struck me, seemed
to be every, every chapter pretty much I turned to in Luke's gospel,
spoke about these weights. And my mind first off went to
Martha and Mary. In Luke chapter 10, what do we
read about Martha and Mary? As they went, Jesus entered into
a certain village. A certain woman named Martha
received him into her house. She had a sister called Mary,
which also sat at Jesus' feet and heard his word. But Martha
was cumbered or distracted about much serving." Nothing wrong
with serving. Nothing wrong with doing that
which is good and honoring to the Lord. Nothing wrong with
helping one another. Nothing wrong with what Martha
was doing. But what was wrong, it consumed
her. It had distracted her. It had
taken over. Easily happens, doesn't it? Comes
along, grows in us in this position we may have, our work, family
matters, church matters even. Is it distracting us from looking
unto Jesus? And so many of the parables speak
about it, don't they? In chapter 8 of Luke's Gospel,
we have the parable of the sower, don't we? The parable of those
many grounds that that seed fell upon. Verse 14. that which fell among thorns
are they which when they have heard go forth and are choked
with cares and riches and pleasures of this life. I do not want to
concentrate on the riches and pleasures at this moment but
the cares, the waits. Do you know what it is to have
heard the word to profit on the Lord's day. Monday morning comes, the alarm
goes, straight into another working week, and what's happened? That
little seed, which fell on good ground, or what you thought was
good, suddenly, the thorns have sprung up, the figure of this
life has now choked the word. the weights. Now, dear friends,
this doesn't mean that we just shut ourselves away. That doesn't
mean that we just find the nearest monastery and depart from everything
in this world, no. No. But do we need to adjust our
focus? Do we need to see where we are? Are our eyes not looking
unto Jesus. Are they looking to the next
job? Are they looking to the next
concern? The thorns, they soon spring
up. You know, I spent a few moments
in the garden earlier this week and it amazed me. The thorns,
the brambles in the garden. Some of them metres long, just
sneaking through everywhere. Such a picture that is, isn't
it? Such a picture. Don't really realise it's there
until you see one end of the bramble. You grab hold of it and you pull
it and you find that that bramble goes on and on and on. May we be given eyes to see those
weights. those weights in our lives. Let
us lay aside every weight. But Jesus carried on in his teaching
in Luke. Further warnings there were to
Luke chapter 12 verse 15. He said unto them, take heed
and beware of covetousness. For a man's life consisteth not
in the abundance of the things which he possesseth. And yet, I find myself, and maybe you
too do, you too, you do as well. You find yourself consumed with
what you possess. ever remember, can't take any
of it with you. Whether you live another 80,
100 years, whatever you've earned, whatever you've gathered, it'll
all be gone. It's a weight that will be removed
at some point. May it not cause us to falter
in the journey of life. We could go on, but time is moving
on and so must we. But those cares, those trials,
are they turning us away from looking unto Jesus? We have in this hymn book many
hymns, don't we, which touch upon this theme. Be still, my heart. These anxious
cares, To thee are burdens, thorns, and snares. They cast dishonor
on thy Lord and contradict his gracious word. You may say, well,
you don't know where I am. No, I don't know where you are.
But can you not say, he who has helped me hitherto will help
me on my journey through and give me daily cause to raise
new Ebenezers to his praise? What was Newton getting at in
that hymn? He was getting at this, wasn't
he? Take your eyes away from those weights. Fix them on Jesus,
that one who has helped you, who has promised he will continue
to help you, and his promises never fail. Let us lay aside
every weight and the sin which doth so easily beset us. Have you got a besetting sin
or a sin that continually grabs you? What grace is needed to walk
uprightly, but do we truly beg of the Lord that he will keep
his restraining hand upon us? Do we truly desire to have a
closer walk with God, a calm and heavenly frame, a light to
shine upon the road that leads us to the Lamb? Or actually,
do we quite like the sins of this world? There is to be a
putting off and a putting on. Paul says that, doesn't he, in
so many places, or similar points, that putting off and putting
on. The mortification of the flesh
as it is labelled elsewhere and as John Owen wrote much about.
Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth. Put
to death, destroy he says, that which is wrong. fornication,
uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, or strong
desires, and covetousness, which is idolatry. You say, well that's
not a problem of mine. I'm not a fornicator, or unclean,
or have inordinate affections. Oh, but he carries on. For which
things sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience,
in the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them.
But now ye also put off all these, anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy,
filthy communication out of your mouth, lie not one to another,
and so on. We're guilty, aren't we? We're
guilty. But what are our prayers like? Do we lay that besetting sin
before the Lord and say, Lord, do we daily plead to be kept
from it? Do we do all that we can in our
strength to flee from it? Or do we actually just keep on
going? Keep on going in the journey? Saying, well, Lord, it's 100%
Up to you, dear friends. It's a solemn place to be tinkering
with temptation. May we pray as the Lord taught
his disciples, lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from
evil. But I did not want to dwell too
long on on those outward sins, what I wanted to focus on is
this sin, which is probably the greatest hindrance in the race
of this life. It is that which is opposite
of faith. It is the sin of unbelief. What does Paul say, Hebrews 3,
12? Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil
heart of unbelief in departing from the living God. Not a heart
of unbelief, an evil heart of unbelief. Are we taking heed this morning? that evil heart of unbelief. We see the exact opposite of
unbelief in those many characters that Paul set before us in Hebrews
11, don't we? We see in them those that walk
by faith. Maybe you have a Red Sea before
you, this morning. Maybe you have got the sea before
you, the mountains either side, the enemy behind. You cannot see the way through. Where are your eyes? Are they looking onto Jesus?
Or are they looking at the sea? Are they looking to the sea or
the one that created the sea. What did the children of Israel
say? They lifted up their eyes and behold, the Egyptians marched
after him. They were sore afraid. And the
children of Israel cried out unto the Lord. And they said
unto Moses, because there were no graves in Egypt, hast thou
taken us away to die in the wilderness? Wherefore hast thou dealt thus
with us, to carry us forth out of Egypt? Is not this the word
that we did tell thee in Egypt, saying, let us alone, that we
may serve the Egyptians? What were they doing? They weren't
looking, were they, to God? They were looking at the impossibility,
so-called, of their situation. What did Moses say? Fear ye not. Stand still and see the salvation
of the Lord. That's what we're to do, dear
friends. Stand still. Trust the Lord. Because we want to walk by sight,
don't we? And not by faith. We want to have the next day,
week, month, and year mapped out. And to know where we're
going, what we'll be doing, and all the problems that will arise,
and all the solutions that will come. The Christian pathway, the Christian
race, is to look with that precious eye of faith, looking unto Jesus. But as time is moving, I must
get onto this looking unto Jesus. Looking unto him. This isn't just a one-off look. Look unto me and be ye saved
through the ends of the earth. For I am God and there is none
else. Yes, there is that looking. But the child of God that is
born again will look because he is precious
in their sight. Look because he is more precious
far than all the world can offer. They won't be looking unto Jesus
because of what he can give them. But they'll be looking unto Jesus
because he is the giver of those gifts. For his person and not
just for his work. Looking unto Jesus. And my thoughts go quickly to the lamentations of Jeremiah.
And in that book, you know, it is such a... He was in a difficult place, wasn't
he? Everything seemed to be against him. All our enemies have opened
their mouths against us, he said. He was cast down. But he could also see in it,
it's of the Lord's mercies that we are consumed. because his
compassions fail not. And although he was in great
grief and distress and bewailed the condition of himself and
of Zion, yet he could still see the mercies of the Lord. He was
still looking unto Jesus. And that's where the believer
gets strange. Paul says in Romans 8, if God
be for us, who can be against us this morning? Who can separate
us from the love of God? Who can? Who is he that condemneth? Are you persuaded this morning
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 what? Christ Jesus our Lord. So only as we are given those
eyes of faith to look to Christ Jesus our Lord, that there will
be that inward persuasion, there will be that continual hope that
it is well with me, and therefore, will be well when called to die,
because we will see it's not of our own good works we are
saved. It's not of anything that we do that merits his mercy and
love and compassion. It is because he has loved us
with an everlasting love, therefore with loving kindness has he drawn
us. Looking unto Jesus. Looking unto that crucified one. Because you may have many needs providentially,
but you all have one need. That is to be made right, to
be made ready, to be cleansed from your sin. And that can only
be through looking unto Jesus. Looking unto the God-man that
cried, my God, My God, why hast thou forsaken me? Looking unto
Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up
the ghosts. Looking unto Jesus, looking unto
his wounded hands and feet and side, looking unto that blood-cleansing
stream, looking to that perfect Lamb of God. Beholding the man. Turned up that hymn in the vestry
earlier. Ye that pass by, behold the man. The man of griefs condemned for
you. The lamb of God for sinners slain. Weeping to Calvary pursued. See there his temples crowned
with thorns. His bleeding hands extended wide. His streaming feet transfixed
and torn. the fountain gushing from his
side. O thou, dear suffering Son of
God, how does thy heart to sinners move? Sprinkle on me thy precious
blood. Help me to taste thy dying love. Is that where you're looking
this morning? Looking unto Jesus? Because that's where you'll be
looking if you truly see what you are, that you've seen You've
come short of His glory, yet in a crucified Saviour there
is indeed that way made. Is He precious to you as you
look upon Him this morning, looking unto the crucified Saviour? But dear friends, we don't just
look to a crucified Saviour, do we? we look to a risen Saviour. That's where Peter looked in
his first epistle. 1 Peter chapter 1 verse 3. Blessed be the God and Father
of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy
hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus
Christ from the dead. to an inheritance incorruptible
and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven
for you, who are kept by the power of God. How? Through faith
unto salvation, ready to be revealed in the last time. Have you got that evil heart
of unbelief this morning? Look to what the Word of God
says. Don't trust in your fickle, feeble
feelings. Draw near by faith to what the
Word of God proclaims. If Jesus once did on thee shine,
Jesus is forever thine. and He will keep His people by
the power of God through faith. Keep those eyes, dear friend,
fixed on that lively, living hope. Keep those eyes fixed on
one that has overcome death. O death, where is thy sting?
O grave, where is thy victory? It has been overcome by Jesus. Look unto Him. Look unto Him. Look unto him, that one that
said, I am the light of the world. That one that today can shine
into your dark heart and warm it and comfort it and bless it. Looking unto Jesus. But one other way which Paul
stresses in Hebrews, we look unto Jesus who intercedes for
his people. He is able also to save them
to the uttermost that come unto God by Him, seeing He ever liveth
to make intercession for them. You say, my prayers are so poor.
How can I come before this holy God? You come by looking unto
Jesus. You come by bringing your needs
to Him. You don't come in your own strength.
You say, but sometimes I can't even get any words out. That
doesn't matter, because He doesn't look upon the words. He looks
upon the heart. He doesn't look upon the sacrifice. He looks upon the heart that
gives a sacrifice. And if you've got that broken
and contrite heart this morning, looking unto Jesus, dear friends,
you have faith. You have faith. You've got nowhere
else to flee. My only hope's in thee. He is
able. He is able. He is willing. doubts no more. This dear God-man
is now seated at the right hand of God the Father, and he is
not just an untouchable God. He is one that himself has suffered
being tempted. Therefore he is able also to
succour, to give strength to you this morning that are tempted. So come boldly, dear soul, to
the throne of grace. Come boldly to the throne of
grace, looking unto Jesus. Looking unto Him. He is the author
and the finisher. The Christian pathway is not one of these. The Christian pathway is full
of many trials and we have to prove that there are mighty enemies
without but much mightier within. But we can be confident of this
very thing that he which hath begun a good work in you will
perform it until the day of Jesus Christ. And it is for us to press
toward the mark, with those eyes fixed upon him, to see such love. On such love my soul still ponder. Is that what you are looking
to? That love to be found in our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ,
the author and finisher of our faith, looking to that one who
for the joy that was set before him he endured the cross so that
you a poor unworthy sinner does not have to suffer the righteous
wrath of God but by looking with the eyes of faith to see the
friend of sinners Christ is the friend of sinners be that forgotten
ever a wounded soul and not a whole becomes a true believer. So you
may be laid aside by every weight and the sin which doth so easily
beset you, but dear soul, look up, take those eyes away
for a season from everything round about you and everything
within you and look unto Jesus. We may not have long left here.
We may have many years left here. The race, dear friends, is a race of endurance. The race
is not a sprint. The race is hard. But there will be those times. when the race is, I was going
to say easy, but we could say manageable. And it's so clearly set before
us in these first two verses. It's when we lay aside the weights and the sins. And when we look unto Jesus,
So as we close this morning, we close with this question. Are you looking unto Jesus? Are you looking unto that brazen
serpent, that one that is lifted up? That one that can heal his
people? Or are you looking to the world
to satisfy? Are you looking to your upbringing to save you?
Are you looking at your gathering in chapel every week to help
you? None of it will. We need the
eyes of faith to look unto Jesus. May it be so for us each. Amen. We'll close this morning with
hymn 1055, tune Russo 687. Come ye souls by sin afflicted,
bowed with fruitless sorrow down. By the broken law convicted through
the cross behold the crown. Look to Jesus, mercy flows through
him alone. Hymn 1055, tune Russo 687. I believe so twice in afflicted,
And with fruitless sorrow downed, My love broken, Convicted through
the prostrate of the crown. Look to Jesus. Look to Jesus. Nothing much good in the world. Sweet as honey to pilgrims we'll
be, ? Night to new day ? ? Of our lives ? ? Oh, which springs
in deserts dreary ? ? Is a rest for the weary ? All who taste it, All who taste
it, Shall to rest immortal rise. Godly eyes that see him, best
he is there in his voice. Best they know the ? The souls that trust Him ? ?
And in Him the world rejoices ? ? It's the one best ? ? It's
the one best ? Nithyananda, Nithyananda, Nithyananda Not to sing the rest remaining,
Nor to count up short what's for. And they talk of everything But
they cannot tell it all They'd believed it, awaited it,
but it overwhelmed them. O most holy and gracious Lord
God, may we be overwhelmed by thy word, overwhelmed by thy
mercy, overwhelmed by thy person. And Lord, may it be the case
that we can each come in with the last lines of that hymn,
faith believes it and hope expects it. Lord remove the evil heart of
unbelief and fix our eyes upon Jesus. Bless that which has been of
thee this morning, that which has been of ourselves Lord do
forgive. Help each one again this afternoon
we beg. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ,
the love of God the Father, the fellowship of the Holy Spirit
be with us each. Amen.