Let's have service this afternoon
by singing hymn number 976. The tune is Setting Sun, number
661. Jesus is a wise physician, skillful
and exceeding kind. Through him sinners find remission
and enjoy sweet peace of mind. This physician understandeth
orders of the soul, and no payment he demandeth when he makes the
wounded whole." Hymn number 976, tune is, Setting Sun, number
661. ? This nation, still for wond'ring
? ? See it rise ? ? We will see it rise ? ? We will see it rise
? ? And then once it is over ? It's a glorious compassion ? He reigns over all ? ? And the
riches of salvation ? ? He takes away the sins of the world ?
? This is the song that ends the
pain ? ? For peace on earth, love to serve ? ? And forgiveness,
peace on earth ? ? Many, many, many, many, many,
many, many, many, many, many, many, many, many, many, many,
many, many, many, many, many, many, many, many, many, many, many, many,
many, many, many, many, many, many, many, many, many, many,
many, many, many, many, many, many, many, many, many, many, many, many,
many, many, many, many, many, many, many, many, many, many, many,
many, many, many, many, many, many, many, many, many, many, many,
many, many, many, many, many, many, many, many, many, many, many, many, many,
many, many, many, many, many, many, many, many, many, many,
many, many, many, many, many, many, many, many, many, many, many, many,
many, many, many, many, many ? The glorious days, the sacred
days ? ? Do not say farewell, now be kind to me ? ? And raise
me from my death to life again ? Oh, say does that star-spangled
banner yet wave ? And your mercy containeth ? ?
We the children of Jesus ? ? Will reflect upon you ? Let us continue our reading in
the infallible word of God. We turn firstly to the book of
Job, and we read chapter 28, together with a few verses in
chapter three in the Proverbs. Firstly, chapter 28. in the book of Job. Surely there is a vein for the
silver and a place for gold where they find it. Iron is taken out
of the earth and brass is molten out of the stone. He setteth
an end to darkness and stretcheth out all perfection, the stones
of darkness and the shadow of death. The flood breaketh out
from the inhabitant, even the waters forgotten of the foot. They are dried up They are gone
away from men. As for the earth, out of it cometh
bread, and under it is burned up, as it were, fire. The stones
of it are the place of sapphires, and it hath dust of gold. There is a path which no fowl
knoweth, and where the vulture's eye hath not seen. The lion's whelps have not trodden
it, nor the fierce lion pass by it. He putteth forth his hand upon
the rock, He overturneth the mountains by the roots. He cutteth out rivers among the
rocks, and His eyes seeth every precious thing. He bindeth the floods from overflowing,
and the thing that is hid bringeth He forth to light. Where shall wisdom be found? Where is the place of understanding? Man knoweth not the price thereof,
neither is it found in the land of the living. The depths say, it is not in
me, and the seas say, it is not with me. It cannot be gotten for gold,
neither shall silver be weighed for the price thereof. It cannot be valued with the
gold of Ophir, with the precious onyx or the sapphire. The gold and the crystal cannot
equally an exchange of it shall not be for jewels of fine gold. No mention shall be made of coral
or of pearls, for the price of wisdom is above rubies. The topaz of Ethiopia shall not
equal it, neither shall it be valued with pure gold. Whence then cometh wisdom? Where is the place of understanding? Seen it is hid from the eyes
of all living, and kept close from the fowls of the air. Destruction and death say, We
have heard the fame thereof with our ears. God understandeth the
way thereof, and he knoweth the place thereof. For he looketh
to the ends of the earth, and seeth under the whole heaven, to make the weight for the wind
and he weigheth the waters by measure. When he made a decree for the
rain and a way for the lightning of the thunder, then did he see
it and declare it. He prepared it, yea, and searched
it out. And unto man he said, Behold,
the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to depart from evil
is understanding. And if you would kindly turn
to chapter 3 in the Proverbs, Chapter 3 in the Proverbs. And we'll read a few verses from
verse 13. Happy is the man that findeth
wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding. For the merchandise
of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof
than fine gold. She is more precious than rubies,
and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared
unto her. Length of days is in her right
hand, And in her left hand riches and honour. Her ways are ways
of pleasantness, And all her paths are peace. She's a tree of life to them
that lay hold upon her, and happy is every one that retaineth
her. The Lord by wisdom hath founded
the earth, by understanding hath he established the heavens. By his knowledge the depths are
broken up and the clouds drop down the deep. My son, let not them depart from
thine eyes. Keep sound wisdom and discretion. So shall they be life unto thyself
and grace to thine next. Then shalt thou walk in thy ways
safely. and thy foot shall not stumble. When thou liest down, thou shalt
not be afraid. Yea, thou shalt lie down, and
thy sleep shall be sweet. We'll leave the reading from
God's holy word there, dear friends. May the Lord own and bless his
own word that we have read now. May the Lord teach us how to
pray. O Lord, our sovereign and ever-gracious
God, in whom we live and move and have our being. Thou, Lord, in thy mercy have
kept alive our souls, kept us waiting upon thee as poor and
needy ones. O Lord, we do thank Thee for
the return of the Lord's day. We thank Thee for the habitation
of Thy house, the place where Thine honour dwelleth, the place
where Thou hast promised. to remember and to bless by waiting
people who come seeking for Jesus. For the hymn writer said, what
is the house to me unless the master there I see nor the six
days of toil of the past week have gone and we are favoured
to meet together in thine earthly courts the express purpose for
spiritual worship And Lord, we need the sacred influence of
thy good spirit to enable us so to do. For we can do nothing
spiritually in and of ourselves, but we can attain, Lord, to that
which thou dost require. By divine help, by divine power,
by the grace of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, O the dear Redeemer, who became
poor, that we through His poverty might be made rich. O do come, Lord, in Thine appointed
ways, and teach my soul to sing Thy praise, for Thou art dear
to me. We do pray, Lord, that they will
continue to help us in this and other service. Oh, we thank thee,
Lord, and pray that the services of the sanctuary may be a means
of grace and comfort and consolation unto thy dear people in their
spiritual exercises of soul, Lord, before thee, that they
may clearly see where they are, so that they may know that the
Lord is leading them and guiding them and directing them in that
narrow way of which we are great. The vultures I have not seen
and the lions' welts have not shrouded us. So narrow, Lord,
is that way that leads to eternal glory, and straight is the gate,
oh, and narrow is the way, and few there be, Lord, that find
it. Only thy dear people, Lord, find
it. Oh, what a mercy, Lord, if we
were ever favoured to find it. and to be put in it and to continue
in it having not turned back but pressing forward looking unto Jesus the author
and finisher of our faith So Lord, do help us to continue
by thy grace, Lord Jesus. Lead us by thy Holy Spirit. Lead us as in the Old Testament,
the pillar of cloud by day, the pillar of fire by night. to lead thy people safely through
the wilderness to the promised land, that land flowing with
milk and honey. We do thank thee, Lord, for those
four tithes, sips from Bethlehem's sacred well, Oh, one said in
the hymn, it sucks the sweetness of the strings. What must the
fountain be where saints and angels draw their bliss immediately
from them? Lord, we're tabernacled in bodies
of flesh and blood. We are naturally of the earth
earthy, but O Lord we do thank thee for thy quickening grace,
and pray that thou will quicken us again to call upon thy name,
to quicken us to wait upon thee in the services Grant, Lord,
as Jabez prayed, O that Thou wouldest enlarge my coast. O how we need, Lord, that enlargement
of heart, so that we may be enabled to continue in the ministry of
Thy Word. in word and doctrine, in faith
and practice. And O may thy word, Lord, have
free course and be glorified in the midst of the church, which
is the ground and pillar of the truth. For all things, Lord,
in this dying world are thine. And will all come to nothing,
will all be destroyed. But the things of God, Lord,
those things which cannot be shaken, will remain. The things of God will continue. The truth endureth forevermore. Oh, may thy word, Lord, still
go forth. We thank thee, Lord, it does. We believe it will. Oh, do crown thy gospel with
success. May our hearts be cheered, may
our faith be strengthened, our love increased. May we follow
Thee more closely, may we be true disciples of the meek and
lowly Lamb. To follow Thee, Lord, where Thou
dost lead, O we need, Lord, much grace. For Thou knowest the path
that each one treads, The heart knows its own bitterness, And,
Lord, those trials, those sorrows, those burdens, those griefs,
those crosses, those losses, O Lord, so hard for flesh and
blood. But, Lord, we prove the all-sufficiency
of Thy grace, Lord Jesus, day by day, week by week, month by
month, year by year. Help us then Lord to press on
for the righteous shall hold on his way. Again Lord in affection
and love we pray for this cause of truth. Praying for this witness
this God-wrought witness in this village, in this town, in this
area. Oh, we thank thee, Lord, that
when thou wast here on earth, thou didst go into the villages
and the towns and the cities. Yea, thou didst go where thy
people were, Oh, we pray that they will come where we are,
Lord, and bless us and favour us. We confess, Lord, we're unworthy
of the least of thy mercies. Yet, Lord, our worthiness is
in the Lamb of God. And so, Lord, in affection and
love we bear thy cause and interest here into thy kind and gracious
hands. Pray that thou wilt be with them
in all their matters, in all their concerns and exercises
of soul. Be with them personally, Be with
them unitedly, and oh may they be as the heart of one man in
the deep things of God. Remember their beloved pastor,
their dearly loved friend. Lord be with him. as he stands
upon the walls of Zion continually, as he stands before the people
here in his office as pastor to feed the church of God which
thou had purchased with thine own precious blood. May he know
what it is to dip his foot in oil to be acceptable to the brethren
and sisters in the Lord Jesus Christ. Oh, may there be that
continued, thus saith the Lord, that divine authority that comes
from the eternal word of God. May thy word, Lord, be attended
with divine power, accomplishing thy will in the hearts of those
that hear it. Remember the office bearers,
help them, Lord, in their office. Help them in their labours and
responsibilities within the beloved denomination. Remember the members
of the church, the members of the congregation, the young and
rising race, the dear children, each one, Lord, from the youngest
to the eldest. Do suit thy mercies, Lord, severally
and sovereignly to each one as they'll see it. and knoweth our
individual needs. And so, Lord, do go before us
in every untrodden step. Help each one to walk by faith
and not by sight. And so, Lord, do remember the
body of churches to which we are united. in the bonds of the
gospel, in the doctrines of our most holy five. One Lord, one five, one baptism. Oh Lord, do they unite and dear
thy banner, the banner of thy love over us. And may there be
that love to the brethren in the Lord Jesus Christ, that it
may abound more and more. And Lord, do help me to further
speak in thy great and holy name this afternoon. Oh, we feel,
Lord, from time to time especially, Like one of old, I am a child,
I cannot speak. But, Lord, thou didst put thy
word in the mouth of Jeremiah. It was sweet to his taste. And he opened his mouth wide,
thou didst fill it, and O Lord do fill my mouth with the good
things of the gospel and enable me to proclaim a sacred little
it is a little Lord when compared with the eternal ocean of divinity
it is a little here a little, there a little, line upon line,
precept upon precept. Oh, go on, Lord, in that work
which thou hast begun, and thou wilt perfect it to the day of
Jesus Christ. And so, Lord, be with us as we
further wait upon thee. We thank thee, Lord, for The
sun that doth shine, the warmth that is realised. We thank Thee for the light of
this day. We thank Thee for the light of
the Gospel day. And oh, we thank Thee for every
spiritual blessing from Christ Jesus our Lord. Oh, we're pleased. The Father, that in Him should
all fullness dwell. Oh, what a fullness, Lord, an
eternal fullness. Oh, we cry that we might draw
a little from that sacred fullness. Now, Lord, to remember Thy people
in their in other causes of truth, in their tribulations, and in
their trials and difficulties. Again we pray for the cause of
Hanover, that cloud that is over that cause. Oh Lord, the things
that have overtaken them, too taken by death. one elderly lady,
one young man. O Lord, the sovereign ruler of
the skies, ever gracious, ever wise, all my times are in thy
hands. All events at thy command, Lord,
do sustain our dear friends in their immeasurable loss. Comfort and heal the brokenhearted. Now, Lord, to help us to praise
thy glorious name. For all thy mercies and all thy
truths say, O what shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits
toward me? And now, Lord, do make up and
give him where I fail to us. O Lord, One feels the poverty
of their prayers, our prayers. But Lord, we thank Thee for Thy
prayer, that Thou didst pray for all Thy dear people the prayer
of Christ. Oh, to have an interest in that
sacred prayer Do hear us, O Lord, in heaven,
thy dwelling place, and when thou hearest, dear Lord, do mercifully
forgive and pardon every sin, as we ask all for Jesus' sake. Amen. We continue our service by singing
hymn number 1107. The tune is Home, number 349. When some sweet promise warms
our heart and cheers us under every care, it is the Spirit's
gracious heart to take that word and fix it there. that turn our hearts away from
love of sin and hateful strife. His all-creating beams display
the dawn of everlasting life. Hymn number 1107, tune is Home
number 349. O say can you see, by the dawn's
early light, The. O say does that star-spangled
banner yet wave O'er the land of the free and the home of the
brave? ? In a dream of glory ? ? The world
shall see ? ? And heaven shall know ? ? His glory in the highest
? O'er the land of the free and
the home of the brave? This day my prayer is as fond
as ever. ? And wave o'er the land ? ? That
our fathers' land ? ? That our fathers' land ? ? That our fathers'
land ? O come, O come, O come, O come, O'er the land of the free and
the home of the brave? ? In our mercy ? ? We so freely
? ? Sacrifice ? ? And in our faith ? ? We bear ? This afternoon, dear friends,
by the help of God, I would direct you to the chapter we read in
the book of Job, chapter 28. And I bring before you the 28th
verse. 28th chapter in the book of Job
and verse 28. And unto man he said, Behold, the
fear of the Lord, that is wisdom. And it departs from evil is understanding. I realize, beloved friends, that
under the power of the Holy Spirit, then we could have continued
with the text that we had this morning. But there is a beautiful
parallel between this chapter and the chapter in the Proverbs that we read this
morning. And furthermore, the Lord Jesus
Christ is so blessedly set forth in this verse that we have now
desired to bring before you. And pray that there may be a
sacred union and oneness in the word this morning and the word
this afternoon. Because really, dear friends,
you cannot separate the two. They're joined by God. And what
God hath joined together, man can't put asunder. And so it's
so good and edifying to the Church of God to be led by the Lord
in these various sacred truths and the sacred conclusion. What is it? Well, it's Jesus
Christ and Him crucified. This is what it is. Now in this
chapter, the question was put, where can wisdom be found? What
a question. and friends, who could give the
answer? Only God. Man didn't know. No. Where is the place of understanding? Man knoweth not the price to
him, neither is found in the land of the living. And all these
cases that are brought before us, hid from the eyes of all
living, kept close from the fowls of the air, Ah, then did he see
it and declare it. He prepared it, yea, he inserted
it. And then the Lord tells man where
wisdom is. And friends, it's the same
today. Only the Lord can give wisdom. And that grace enables
us to understand the sweet and the blessed and the edifying
and instruction of the truth as it is in Jesus. So, here we have then these words,
and unto man he said. What a mercy, friends, that God,
the eternal God, who from everlasting and to everlasting, who is high
and lifted up, His train filled the temple. Isaiah had a vision
of His glory, of His majesty and power. John the Divine had
the sign and fell feelingly at his feet as dead. And yet God, the great, eternal,
sovereign Lord of heaven and the creator of this earth, speaks
to man. Oh friends, does he speak to
you? unto man, he said. Oh, it's one
of the great miracles, friends, that the Lord performs in conveying
to man his love and his grace and his goodness and his mercy.
And what a favour, friends, it is if he's made known this to
you as he speaks Because the Lord makes himself known to his
dear people by speaking. One said, speak the word only,
and thy servant shall be healed. And so the Lord speaks, and the
Lord gives a hearing ear and a wise and understanding heart
to what the Lord speaks. You know, it's a gracious exercise
of soul, friends, to wait upon the Lord, to hear what God the
Lord will speak. Now, man by nature is given to
talk. In the multitude of words, there
one does not sin. And that's man, full of vain
talk. The Lord's people know what it
is to wait upon the Lord, to hear His voice, and to desire
that the Lord would speak to them comfortably. Speak ye comfortably unto Zion,
and cry unto her that her warfare is accomplished, that her sin
is pardoned. For she hath received of the
Lord's hand double for all her sins. Poor sinners, double blessings. Friends, wonderful isn't it? Indeed it is. And you see, this
is what the Lord has promised, this is what the Lord has done.
Double blessing for poor needy sinners. Now friends, unto man,
he said. Ah, to hear the voice of God
speaking to us. I wonder, dear friends, the last
time you hoped the Lord spoke to you, you might say, well,
how would I know? Well, I believe the Lord speaks
to His dear people in a greater measure in and through His Word. As you read the Word, as you
hear it preached, and as it's attended with power, it's the
Lord speaking to you. It's the Word of the Lord to
you. It's the Word of the Lord to
me. The Word of the Lord. And this
sacred, holy Word liveth and abideth forever. And it's sealed
upon the heart by the Spirit. And friends, it abides and it
remains. And what does it do? It's a comfort
to you in your affliction, as it was to David of old. Oh, speak,
Lord. for thy servant hear it." Oh,
it's a good thing to have a hearing ear and a wise and understanding
heart. So, the Lord is telling us very
clearly, very beautifully, behold, the fear of the Lord, that is
wisdom. Behold, there's something to
consider. Whenever the word behold is spoken,
there's something to consider in the book of Job. But now,
behold, my witness is in heaven. My record is on high. Oh, this was God's testimony
to dear Joe. But now, behold. Yes, Joe, your witness is in
heaven. Your record is on high. Your
name is written in the Lamb's Book of Life. Oh, what a divine... Now that didn't spare him from
trouble. That didn't spare him from adversity. It didn't spare Him from affliction,
but it was His comfort in His affliction. And friends, as the
Lord speaks to us through His Word today, it's our comfort
and consolation in our adversities and trials and difficulties,
whatever they may be. And the Lord knows, friends,
and so do you know. Because the heart knows its own
bitterness, and a stranger into medley, not with the joy. Oh, you know your heart, friends. No one else can see it. Man seeeth
the outward appearance. God looketh at the heart. He knows your inmost feelings. He knows the sorrows and griefs
of your heart. You see, friends, and His spoken
word will be a comfort and consolation to you. This is why we wait upon
the Lord day by day in His Word, because you need the Lord. And
you need Him every day, and you need Him all day. You need Him
continually, because without Him you can do nothing. Oh, is the Word of God a precious
fountain of truth to you? Because it sustains and upholds
the child of God in whatever pathway they are brought into,
the grace of God is all-sufficient. All-sufficient. Oh, you may feel
And the Lord brings you into a matter unexpectedly and unlooked
for. And oh, friends, your poor peevish
heart says, oh, however shall I endure with this? However shall
I continue with this? Friends, you've got to prove,
and we have to prove, and we do prove what the Lord has said. My grace is sufficient for thee. Now, it's one thing to say it.
It's another thing, friends, for the Lord to speak it to your
heart. Because that will be sufficient
in the day of adversity. That will sustain you. That will
uphold you. The sustaining grace of God through
His Word is a wonderful experience. It holds you up when you fear
your sink. Or when Satan tells you, you're
going to sink now under this. This will finish you. This will
be the end of you. And then you'll realize what
you are. Just a hypocrite in Zion. But
friends, you see, Satan's a liar. And Satan tempts the people of
God. And you may feel your path of
temptation is so unique to you. No one else on the face of the
earth has ever walked this path. But friends, all God's people
do. There is no temptation taken you, but is known to all men. It's known by man. There's no
temptation you can walk in. But it's not known, it's known
by others. You see, God is faithful. He
will not suffer you to be tempted. Above that you're able. But will,
with the temptation, make a way of escape. You may be able to
bear it. Now this way of escape, where
is it? From the eternal truth of God. That's the escape. Job
said he escaped by the skin of his teeth. Friends, you see the
Lord makes a way where there seems to be no way. Look at the
children of Israel at the Red Sea. Oh, friends. Oh, their poor peevish heart. Oh, that we'd stay back in Egypt
and never ventured out. We're in such distress now. circulated by the enemy and he's
saying from whatever shall we do, where can we go? Speak. Speak. Unto the children of Israel. They go forward. So friends, that's what you've
got to do and that's what I've got to do. Go forward. All the Lord can make a way He
made a way for the children of Israel to go through the Red
Sea. It was a way of deliverance. It was a way, friends, of the
exercise of faith. That's what it was. By faith,
they passed through the Red Sea, as by dry land. You see, dear
friends, how the man, he said, behold the fear of the Lord. Now the child of God is under
the exercise of the fear of the Lord. But that doesn't stop Satan
attacking the child of God. Dear Joe feared God and eschewed
evil. Now this fear is not a servile
fear. Servile fear is like a slave
and the master has to whip them but they don't work properly
or hard enough. That's a servile fear, a slave,
afraid, in terror of the master. But this fear in our text is
nothing like that at all. It's a filial fear. a loving,
tender fear as a child to their father and like the child of
God before the Lord. You fear the Lord. There's a
reverence, a godly fear, a gracious fear. You desire to walk in His
ways. in His truth, in His commands,
in His precepts, in His statutes, because that filial, loving fear
doesn't want to offend or grieve your heavenly Father, the Lord,
our Father which is in heaven. You want to walk in accordance
with His will, with His commands, because of this filial fear. Now, the fear of the Lord. Do
you possess it, friends? Do I possess it? It can only
come from heaven. Oh, those in the scriptures,
how they feared the Lord, those godly characters. Look at dear
Joseph. What did he say to his brethren?
This too, for I fear God. He feared God. That didn't save
him from trouble, did it? No, that didn't save him from
deep spiritual exercise. The word of the Lord tried him.
But, in all his ways, the fear of the Lord was there before
his eyes and in his heart. Now what was that? Wisdom. That's wisdom. And this wisdom
comes from heaven. It's not an earthly wisdom. An earthly wisdom that man by
nature possesses is devilish, sensual, carnal. This wisdom in our text comes
from heaven. And where is it found? In Christ. Now, of course, you could say,
well, in the Proverbs, where we read concerning Wisdom, you
could say, well, it's Solomon. Yes, yes. It was Solomon as well,
but in the greater dimension, it's Solomon's Lord. Solomon
prayed, ask what I should give thee. Ask what I should give. I wonder, friends, what you would
petition the Lord for if the Lord said to you tonight, ask
what I should give thee. And he asked for wisdom and understanding. Because there was a great multitude
of the Israelites, and he was the king, just been appointed
to office. And all these people, he felt
his spirit overwhelmed. The Lord said, ask for knowledge.
He wanted wisdom and understanding to know how to conduct all his
matters in the fear of the Lord. And friends, the Lord gave it
to him. He gave him wisdom and he gave him understanding and
he gave him more than he asked. Thou shalt have riches and honour. You see, friends, the Lord was
pleased with what he asked. And why did he ask what he did?
Because the Lord made him wise. Because he possessed the fear
of the Lord. Because he was a child of God,
he was loved to God for all eternity. When He was born, the testimony
was, the Lord loved Him. The Lord loved Him. Friends,
if the Lord loves you, you'll be brought to fear the Lord. Now this will control, this will
cause a temperance in your heart and life. Oh friends, where the
fear of the Lord is, Could you utter one word against God? Could you? Never. Never. Never. In all what Job passed through,
in all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly. Why? Because of the fear of the
Lord. It controlled his heart. It controlled his lips. It controlled
his tongue. It controlled his life. And friend, it's the same today.
The same today. You will walk humbly before the
Lord under his tender filial fear. And that is, that is wisdom. You see, dear friends, very blessedly
set forth. It's nothing, can I say reverently,
nothing complicated, nothing scientific. It's the sacred,
holy, simplicity of the Gospel. It is wisdom, the fear of the
Lord, Oh, those godly characters who feared the Lord. And friends, you see, we need
to know this as we journey on continually, because it's the
only way whereby we can serve the Lord acceptably. What did Moses say concerning this matter in writing to the,
in the book of Deuteronomy. In keeping to the statutes and
precepts of the Lord, he said, keep therefore and do them. For this is your wisdom and your
understanding in the sight of the nations which shall hear
all these statutes, and say, Surely this great nation is a
wise and understanding people." Well, dear friends, that is what
dear Moses wrote concerning this matter to the people of God.
Oh, wisdom! Well, you won't find it, friends,
in the avenues and corridors of man's power. No. You'll find it in the heart of
a true child of God. And isn't it lovely and edifying
to see and be with those who fear the Lord? You see, come
out from among them, be you separate saith the Lord, and touch not
the unclean thing. How can one who fears the Lord
be in the company of those that fear not God? You can't. You've got to be with your own
people, those that fear the Lord. You can't be doing with those
that do not fear God. You can't at all, you need to
be with the Lord's people. The Lord gives wisdom. And friends,
wisdom is needful and necessary. And it will save your soul. It'll take you to heaven. The Lord brought a parable before
us. Ten virgins, five were wise. Five were foolish. Those five
wise virgins went in to the marriage supper of the Lamb, and the door
was shut. They were made wise unto salvation. The foolish went off to buy oil. Their lamps had gone out. When
they came back, Lord, Lord, open to us. I never knew you, never
knew you. With the wise virgins, all together. And yet, five feared God and
five did not fear God. It's a separation, isn't it?
And you see the cross of Christ separates. Christ was crucified
and two malefactors, one either side. One was made wise unto
salvation. The other riled on Christ. You see friends, Christ is the
separation. His people are on the right hand
and the wicked are on the left. Now the preaching of the cross
is to them that perish foolishness, foolishness. Yes, it means nothing
to them. But unto us we are saved. It is the power of God unto salvation. Oh, you love the Gospel. It's
the power of God in the Gospel. It's salvation. It's wisdom. Because the Lord has made unto
us wisdom. Because the Lord Jesus, I said
about Solomon being wise, and he was. And friends, he exercised
that wisdom. You know, this is another point
here, isn't it? If the Lord gives you this tender
filial fear and makes you wise, that will not lay dormant, that
will be exercised. The Lord will exercise that.
It'll have to be exercised in your life. Because you'll be
brought into a matter where you've got to exercise wisdom. It was
so with Solomon. Immediately the Lord spoke. Then
there came those two harlots to him, and there they said a
contradiction, one with the other. And Solomon has got to determine
who's speaking the truth. Bring a sword. And friends, it's
the same with us today. We need the sword of the Spirit,
which is the Word of God. Nothing else will do. Nothing
else will do. And the wisdom of God will exercise
His sword. Not of divine justice, but the
sword of divine truth. Justice is not ours, it's God's. But the sword of the Spirit is
given to His people to be able to exercise wisdom in the fear
of God in difficult matters that the Lord brings us into. Oh friends,
this beautiful wisdom. How wonderful it is. Now, where
is it seen in all its fullness? Well, it's seen in Christ. This is where it's seen. And
this, you see, blends with this morning. The Lord Jesus Christ,
who in the days of His flesh, when He had offered up prayers
and supplications with strong crying, and tears unto him that
was able to save him from death and was hurt in that he feared. Here we have the glorious person
of Christ as the man Christ Jesus in the days of his flesh, crying
supplications, crying and tears unto God and was hurt because
he feared God. He feared God the Father in that
holy, holy, holy filial fear as the son to the Father. Though he were a son, yet learn
to obedience by the things which he suffered. There it is. There's the sacred submission. There's the fear of the Lord
in all its beauty, in all its fullness, in all its blessedness
was heard in that that holy filial fear of reverence,
obedience, submission to God his Father. As I said this morning,
they are one, they are equal, and yet here in his humanity,
you see, oh the sacred submission, the glorious filial fear You
see, friends, all these sacred truths lead us to Christ. They
lead us to Christ. There's nowhere else. Nowhere
else at all. Only Christ and then crucified. Oh, friends, and the sacred wisdom
of God. You see, the wisdom of God revealed
and made known in this great mystery. So, friends, all that
Christ did here below rendered obedience to God his father. And where the fear of the Lord
is in exercise in our soul, then we shall render obedience unto
Christ. We shall render obedience to
him. Now look at dear Abraham. And of course through Abraham
you have the chosen seed. You have the elect of God. And Our dear father Abraham waited
years for the fulfillment of the promise. Years and years
he waited, then it was fulfilled. There, the trial. Take now thy son, thine only
son whom thou lovest. No mention of the other son,
thy Hagar, no mention of Ishmael, Take now thy son, thine only
son, the child of promise, the child of promise, and go up to
Mag Mariah and offer him there for a sacrifice. And he went
in obedience. Oh, and what did the Lord render?
Oh, in blessing I will bless thee, in multiplying I will multiply
thy seed as the stars of heaven. Now I know that thou fearest
God, saying, Thou hast not withheld Thy Son, Thine only Son, from
me. You see, friends, the fear of
the Lord, he walked in obedience. As he walked in obedience, he
saw Christ die. He saw Christ die. Abraham rejoiced
to see my dying, and was glad. When did he see Christ die? On
Mount Moriah, when he took Isaac there. And he saw that ram caught
in the thicket. He saw Christ die, friends. He spoke of it, or the Lord spoke
of it, concerning him. And that's why the religious
leaders of the day said to Christ, Well, you're not 50 years old
yet. How do you know anything about
Abraham? Before Abraham was, I am who? The eternal deity of
Christ. And you see it right through
the scriptures, friends. Time after time after time. The sacred humanity of Christ. And the sacred deity of Christ. You can never separate the two.
They're one. in the glorious person of Jesus
Christ. This is what we preach. Christ
Jesus the Lord. There's nothing else, friends,
to preach. Nothing else, only Christ. And
only the Lord Jesus, friends, can satisfy your soul. Only the Lord Jesus can come
where you are. Only the Lord Jesus can pour
in the oil and wine of the gospel. Only the Lord Jesus can See,
you're in those thoughts and desires only the Lord knows. So you need the Lord Jesus, friends,
in everything. And you see, he became a man,
a real man. He knew those sore temptations
in the wilderness. He knew what it was to be wearied
with the journey. He knew what it was to weep at
the grave of Lazarus. In all your, you see, path, He's
a merciful and gracious high priest in things pertaining to
God. And so, you see, the filial fear
of the Lord. Oh, we just desire to follow
Christ. He is the way, the truth, and
the life. He leads the children of God
to eternal glory, because then the prayer that he prayed, you
see, will be fulfilled. that those whom thou hast given
me will be with me where I am. The Lord is with us here on the
earth and the Lord's dear people will
be with him forever. I hath not seen, he hath not
heard, neither hath entered into the heart of man the things which
God hath prepared for them that love Him. So the filial fear
of the Lord, you see, renders that love to the Lord. If you fear the Lord, you'll
love Him. And if you love Him, friends,
your desire to do according to His good pleasure. So the fear
of the Lord, that is wisdom. Dear Timothy, was favoured with
wisdom, that as from a child, and we think of the young people
and the children in our chapels, as from a child they have known
the scriptures which are able to make thee wise unto salvation. Wise. So dear friends, You see,
the fear of the Lord will lead us continually to Christ. That is wisdom. And this wisdom
is divine, it's spiritual, it's God-honoring. And you read of
it, friends, in the book of James, and perhaps I can just light
upon that and bring before us the sacred quality and the beauty
and the wonder of this wisdom because to know a little of it
in our own soul will be wonderful indeed. So we see how the Lord
affects this in a wonderful way. Yes, my Bible on that particular
page has a few torn pages, and so
let me just refer to the Bible here in the pulpit. I just want to bring these things
before us, friends, before we come to a close, because it's
very confirming to those who fear God that this is the case. The wisdom that is from above,
heavenly wisdom, is first pure, then peaceable, then gentle,
and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without
partiality and without hypocrisy. And the fruit of righteousness
is so, in peace of them that make peace. So the virtue, of
this sacred wisdom and it's all found in Christ, pure, peaceable,
gentle, easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits,
without partiality, with no partiality with Christ, none at all, without
hypocrisy. Oh friends, this is the wisdom
that God gives to those who fear His name. It is wisdom. And so you possess these virtues
that are found in their fullness of measure in Christ. So really, it's possessing Spirit
of Christ. Friends, it's confirming, isn't
it? Any man, if not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His. No greater blessing, is there,
to possess the Spirit of Christ, to be Christ-like. Well, dear
friends, this is the fear of the Lord. And to depart from
evil is Understanding. Well, that we might have an understanding
heart. Consider what I say, Paul said
to Timothy. And the Lord gave the understanding
in all things. They're an open tea. They're
understanding. That they might understand the
scriptures. This is the apostles. further
open their understanding. Why? So they could go further
in a deeper dimension in the ministry. They'd preached before
for three years when Christ was with them. Now there's a deeper
dimension to their ministry. Christ is risen. They can preach
of risen and exalted Saviour. Yes, oh friends, and this is
how the Lord works today with His servants. He brings them
by experience into further understandings of the deep things of God. And
it's like an added dimension to their ministry. This is how
one continues. There's no continuing without.
Oh, that thou wouldst enlarge my coast. This is what Jabez's
desire was. A greater dimension, a deeper
dimension, an understanding of the deep. things of God. Well, dear friends, I see the
time has gone this afternoon as well. We shall sing now, God
willing, concerning this filial fear and where it was seen in
all its beauty and glory in the person of Jesus Christ, whom
having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto
the end. May the Lord add his blessing
to his own precious word. For Jesus' sake. Amen. We conclude our service by singing
hymn number 255. The tune is Burnham, number 311. Happy the men that fear the Lord,
they from the paths of sin depart, rejoice and tremble at his word,
and hide it deep within their heart. They in his mercy hope,
through grace, Revere his judgments, not contemn. In pleasing him
their pleasures placed, and his delight is placed in them. Hymn number 255, the tune is
Burnham, number 311. you In the heav'nly heaven, all men
to God's house in heaven, ? Give to us, O Canada ? ? Our
proud and free land ? O say can you see, by the dawn's
early light, O'er the ramparts we watched,
were so gallantly streaming? And the rocket's red glare, the
bombs bursting in air, Gave proof through the night that our flag
was still there. ? Which from the cross thy cross
has borne ? ? Which from the cross thy cross has borne ? O Lord, we do humbly beseech
of Thee that there will Own and bless all that have been
attended to in thy filial fear here today. May thy word have an abiding
place in our hearts, and may we walk in thy tender fear. Favour us with wisdom, godly
understanding, and favour us at the end of our journey, to
see Thee face to face. Dismiss us with Thy favour. Take us on our journey in safety
and peace. And may Thy grace, Lord Jesus,
the Father's love, the communion of Thy Holy Spirit, be with us
all now and forevermore. Amen and amen.