Okay. Okay. Commence our service this afternoon
by singing hymn number 480. The tune is Adoration, number
276. Up to the fields where angels
lie, And living waters gently roll, Fain would my thoughts
leap out and fly, But sin hangs heavy on my soul. Thy wondrous
blood, dear giant Christ, can make this world of guilt remove,
and thou canst bear me where thou fly'st, on thy kind wings,
celestial dove." Hymn number 480, tune Adoration number 276. To the fields where angels fly
And living waters gently roll, They heard my thoughts, they
flew out and fly ? And say I'm standing here on
my side ? ? I understood that I am Christ
? and make this world a better place. And help and clear the
world of fire. ? All my courage with Him still
has to die ? ? All my time gone to drown and
sing ? ? The glories of eternal sight ? ? What with the fainting
light red beam ? ? And it's secure for two by night
? ? That I have come to thee, my
God ? ? In dance and hymn of her lips,
too ? ? And it shall flow like sun and moon ? ? That had been part of God's plan
too ? ? When they might fight and rage
and rave ? I should perceive the noise thereof, and we can
hear it shaking me. ? The bread sinful hunters drowned
us whole ? ? Praise the King, our eternal King ? Let me but feel thy lovely face,
And all my passion allow and see. May the Lord help us in reading from
his most holy word. the book of the prophecy, sorry
friends, the gospel of Luke chapter 24. Luke chapter 24. Now upon the first day of the
week, very early in the morning they came unto the sepulcher
bringing the spices which they had prepared and certain others
with them. And they found the stone rolled
away from the sepulcher. And they entered in and found
not the body of the Lord Jesus. And it came to pass as they were
much perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in shining
garments. And as they were afraid and bowed
down their faces to the earth, They said unto them, why seek
ye the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen. Remember how he spake unto you
when he was yet in Galilee, saying the Son of Man must be delivered
into the hands of sinful men and be crucified and the third
day rise again. And they remembered his words
and returned from the sepulchre and told all these unto the eleven
and to all the rest. It was Mary Magdalene and Joanna
and Mary the mother of James and other women that were with
them which told these things unto the apostles. And their
words seemed to them as idle tales and they believed them
not. Then arose Peter and ran unto
the sepulchre And stooping down, he beheld the linen clothes laid
by themselves, and departed, wondering in himself at that
which was come to pass. And behold, two of them went
that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was from Jerusalem,
about three score furlongs, which is about seven miles. And they
talked together of all these things which had happened. And
it came to pass that while they communed together and reasoned,
Jesus himself drew near and went with them. But their eyes were
holden that they should not know him. And he said unto them, what
manner of communications are these, that ye have one to another
as ye walk, and are sad? And one of them, whose name was
Cleopas, Answering, said unto him, Art thou only a stranger
in Jerusalem, and hast not known the things which are come to
pass there in these days? And he said unto them, What things? And they said unto him, Concerning
Jesus of Nazareth, which was a prophet mighty indeed, and
word before God and all the people, and how the chief priests and
Our rulers delivered him to be condemned to death and have crucified
him. But we trusted that it had been
he which should have redeemed Israel. And beside all this,
today is the third day since these things were done. Yea,
and certain women also of our company made us astonished, which
were early at the sepulchre. And when they found not his body,
they came saying that they had also seen a vision of angels
which said that he was alive. And certain of them which were
with us went to the sepulcher and found it even so as the women
had said, but him they saw not. Then he said unto them, O fools,
and slow of heart to believe, all that the prophets have spoken. Ought not Christ to have suffered
these things, and to enter into his glory? And beginning at Moses
and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the Scriptures
the things concerning himself. And they drew nigh unto the village,
whither they went, and he made as though he would have gone
further. But They constrained him, saying,
Abide with us, for it is toward evening, and the day is fast
bent. And he went in to tarry with
them. And it came to pass, as he sat
at meat with them, he took bread, and blessed it, and break, and
gave it to them. And their eyes were opened, and
they knew him, and he vanished out of their sight. And they
said one to another, did not our heart burn within us while
he taught with us by the way and while he opened to us the
scriptures. And they rose up the same hour
and returned to Jerusalem and found the 11 gathered together
and them that were with them saying the Lord is risen indeed
and hath appeared to Simon. And they told what things were
done in the way and how he was known of them in breaking of
bread. And as they thus spake, Jesus
himself stood in the midst of them and said unto them, peace
be unto you. But they were terrified and affrighted
and supposed that they had seen a spirit. And he said unto them,
why are ye troubled? And why do thoughts arise in
your hearts? Behold my hands and my feet,
that it is I myself. Handle me and see, for a spirit
hath not flesh and bones as ye see me have. And when he had
thus spoken, he showed them his hands and his feet. And while they yet believed not
for joy and wondered, he said unto them, have ye here any meat? And they gave him a piece of
a broiled fish and of a honeycomb. And he took it and did eat before
them. And he said unto them, these
are the words which I speak unto you while I was yet with you,
that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the law
of Moses and in the prophets and in the Psalms concerning
me. Then opened he their understanding
that they might understand the Scriptures, and said unto them,
Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer,
and to rise from the dead the third day. And that repentance,
and remission, which is forgiveness of sins, should be preached in
his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And ye are witnesses
of these things. And behold, I send the promise
of my father upon you, but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem until
ye be endued with power from on high. And he led them out
as far as to Bethany, and he lifted up his hands and blessed
them. And it came to pass while he blessed them, He was parted
from them and carried up into heaven. And they worshipped him
and returned to Jerusalem with great joy and were continually
in the temple praising and blessing God. Amen. May the Lord bless a portion of his
holy word and grant real prayer. Oh Lord, do help us as we come
before Thee in prayer this afternoon. One says, I often say my prayers,
but do I ever pray? And do the wishes of my heart
go with the words I say? Lord, do enable us individually
in our private prayers And those of us, Lord, that are called
to public prayer, enable us, Lord, to approach unto Thee through
the merits of Thy dear Son. Help us, Lord, to approach, though,
with those feelings in the heart, Lord, that our religion is a
feeling religion. It is not a cold or calculated,
an academic religion, an academic thoughts and prayers. But rather,
Lord, that there are those feelings within. And, Lord, we pray as
prompted from within by the Holy Spirit, what a need there is
for it. I may as well kneel down, yes,
and worship gods of stone, as offer to the living God a prayer
of words alone. Oh Lord, save us from such prayer,
we do pray. We would have that real prayer
and exercise before Thee individually and collectively as we pray. And Lord, what a blessing it
is that there is the throne of grace, there is the mercy seat
where we can come and spread before Thee our complaints, our
concerns, our troubles, as we spoke of this morning, and all
these things. And Lord, one hymn writer says,
and we do thank thee, Lord, because there is a throne of grace. Well, Lord, may we be often on
our knees. May we be much in prayer. May we live out the exhortation
as Paul writes, pray without ceasing. And Lord, to remember
thee in prayer and thanksgiving at all times. So Lord, in everything
give thanks. And Lord, therefore we would
come Lord, as we ended in prayer this morning, but Lord, may we
come as helped in the earlier part of our prayer this afternoon
to praise God, from whom all blessings flow. And they truly
do. Blessings in Providence, blessings
in grace, blessings in the family, blessings in our soul, blessings,
Lord, amongst the friends here. They all flow, Lord, from and
a richness that is in the Lord Jesus Christ, the gifts that
he gives. We think the cattle upon a thousand
hills are thine, the gold and the silver are owned by thee,
and Lord, oh, we do pray that, oh, there may be that favour
seen upon the world. The glories of this latter house
shall exceed that of the former, says the Lord through the prophet, the walls, the temple of Jerusalem
was built again, the glories of this latter house. Oh Lord,
may we know the glories of this house of prayer. May the dear
friends prove it's a good spot to them. And Lord, may it be
such this afternoon. May the weakness and the poverty
and the a pathetic state of the minister before them, not to
prevent it from being a good spot this afternoon. We do pray. Lord, we do beg for their dear
pastor away at this time. We do plead that thou would be
mindful of him. We pray that thou would help
him in preaching this day. And Lord, also, as he is a hero
too, we believe. And Lord, do be with him in that
time away. and bring him home, Lord, across
the Atlantic safely later this week. And by granting, Lord,
those good flights and those safe journeys, I'll be with him,
Lord. And bless him, Lord, when he
comes amongst his own dear people again on the coming Lord's day,
according to thy gracious holy will. Lord, we do pray for it,
and we pray for thy blessing amongst them as a people. Oh,
that the favour of the Lord Jesus Christ will be known once again
here. And we know it has, Lord. We
know they are praying people, and we beg and plead that yet
thou will do wondrous things for them, whereof they are glad. And we pray, Lord, oh, where
there are those in captivity, thou will turn it again as the
streams in the south. Lord, we pray then, that thy
dear servant will be greatly blessed and favoured by the signs
following the ministry, that, Lord, he will bless thee for
what thou hast done. O Lord, we pray, we do pray,
that thou would really favour them in a remarkable way. Lord, even by the end of this
year, we do not set targets or times for thee, Lord, we cannot.
But as these thoughts come into our mind, we will pray them,
Lord, seeking that we might carry them, each of us carry them in
prayer. Lord, come. Oh, surely, the Lord
says in Revelation 22, Lord, wonderful word, surely I come
quickly. Oh, may it be so, Lord, the time
of favour, the time of pouring out, the time when Zion's children
shall come, the time of rejoicing, the time of honouring thee. Oh,
Lord, bring it to pass, we beg and pray. that Lord, there really
will be that song of thanksgiving amongst the friends. Yes, that
the hearts will be taken down from the willows then, loud to
the praise of Christ our King, bid every string awake. Oh, Lord, we pray that it will
be so in the midst here. And what we pray here, we pray
in the other courts of Zion. Lord, in our own chapel at Stathamhurst,
and we pray for dear Marcus this afternoon preaching to the friends
and also thou will bless that which was attended to this morning. Oh Lord, thou knowest and do
bless him indeed and favour the dear friends there. But Lord,
the gatherings across the globe this afternoon and this morning
and Lord, according to the time differential in Australia, Lord,
already gone. But Lord, do bless the word that
thy servant, Roland, Wheatley was able to preach to them in
their afternoon service. Lord, we pray though, those courts
of Zion we know nothing about, where the word is faithfully
preached across the globe. Those, Lord, that have to go
underground in their religion, in those nations where the Bible
is banned. Oh Lord, but do bless thy word. Do, Lord, truly favour those
that are dying with those good hearings, those times of favour,
those times of blessing. Lord, we pray. that even in these
days of small things, we shall prove that they are still days
of something. And that, Lord, that although
we know, Lord, and feel that thou dost have a controversy
with us for our waywardness, yet, Lord, may we still see the
signs following we do beg and pray. Do remember the dear deacons
here, Lord, bless them, Lord, in their responsibilities and
cares and prayers for the friends here. And Lord, we pray for that
help in the prayer meeting in the coming week for a friend
taking that. And we pray for our other friend,
Lord, as with his family, and we pray for them as they take
a few days leave. Watch over them with journey
and mercies and thy blessing. We do seek and remember them
for good. And we do pray, Lord, a prayer
of thanks, Lord, for those hymns that have been given out thus
far this day. And Lord, oh, what an encouragement
it is, Lord, when we see that flowing together. And Lord, we
do pray that thou would remember them, Lord, in their diaconate
duties. Remember each member of the church
and be with them. Remember those that are away
at this time and do bless them and their family, we pray. And
Lord, we Plead that thou will be with dear Ina, and Lord, we
thank thee that she's able to be with us this afternoon, and
we pray for her, Lord, for that strengthening grace, that help
day by day, and that blessing of the Lord upon her. Lord, do
be with her, we do plead. And how we do remember, though,
Lord, dear one, and how he spoke to us so encouragingly once,
and we have never forgotten it, Lord, at the time of our dear
mother's funeral, Lord, the words of comfort and consolation. And
Lord, oh, we do pray that, Lord, that these things are good to
remember. And Lord, we pray that thou would
raise up those amongst the young friends Lord, are to work in
Zion? Yes. O those that are standing,
why stand ye idle all the day? Go work in my vineyard. And Lord, may there be that exercise
in their hearts, that in thy time and way thou wilt bring
that to pass. Do yet send servants, Lord, to
preach. Lord, we would put it rightly,
but send the unwilling. Send the rebellious. Send those
that are far off, Lord, to go and proclaim thy name, because
thou would have brought them nigh by the blood of Christ.
Oh, yes, Lord. We pray thou would send the leaden-footed. But may they be sent with a thus
after, Lord. And they'll have to go, Lord.
They'll have to go, however leaden-footed, however weak and feeble they
feel to be. Lord, may it be seen yet. that
thou would send further men into the ministry. It's a burden of
one, Lord, as there were a few, a few years ago, and now, Lord,
we come to what feels to be a barren time. Oh, Lord, hear our prayers
amongst the churches. We do pray that souls will be
exercised. The Lord may be Lord. There's
one here, though, exercised regarding working in thy house in whatever
way. and they don't know why, and
they feel confused about it. Lord, we know what that is. How
many years before we were baptized, Lord, when there was that put
into our heart, here am I, Lord, send me. But send me where? Send me what to do? Ah, Lord,
thou wilt show thy people what thou wilt have them to do. Well,
we leave these prayers with thee, Lord, as we have felt led out
into it. And a soul knows if those prayers
touch them. Oh Lord, to bottle these things
up and to remember them as Lord, thy people do when these things
touch, as we might say, a religious nerve and we realize it's concerning
us. Oh Lord, we pray for the praying
women here. Oh, what an important thing it
is. read of the role that the women
come into the grave, and we read of their revelations that were
given to them. And we do not feel, Lord, that
we should discount the prayers of the women. And Lord, we pray
that there might be much prayer and exercise amongst them also. And those in the congregation,
Lord, praying and pleading for the same things as those in the
church, How remarkable when there is that oneness in the Lord Jesus. Well, may it be so here at Lamberhurst,
we do pray. And Lord, remember the different
generations. We pray for the young ones, Lord,
and we pray for them to be held up and held on in this slippery
slope, Lord, of this world. And do help them, Lord, in these
challenging, difficult days. Parents also, give them much
wisdom, help in those different things that come up these days,
and guide and direct their steps, and grandparents also. And Lord,
we do pray that thou will be with those in older age, and
bless and go before them, and those in the middle part of life,
the heat and burden as it is referred to, oh Lord, how much
they need thee. So Lord, we feel so many different
needs and concerns, Lord, be with the weak believers. They
hope they're believers, but they feel so weak in the faith. Oh,
Lord, we pray that they might be strengthened even this day
in the faith. Lord, there might be an emboldening
of grace. Only thou canst do it. Only thou
canst give us hope. Only thou canst give us belief.
Lord, we have to often say, Lord, I believe. Help thou mine unbelief. The Lord what a faither, when
thou dost occasionally give us that real faith, and that we
realise faith, if we have faith like a grain of a mustard seed,
it can move mountains. Lord, grant it to us. Be with
any that have medical things before them, appointments, or
perhaps things in the diary that they tremble over. Lord, grant
thy wisdom, knowledge, guidance, care, and loving support. And we pray this, that thou will
grant, Lord, all that they need. Lord, we pray that thou would
remember us in the land and nation as we sought this morning. Do
yet work in our midst. Raise us up rulers and leaders
that would desire to live by thy word. Lord, do yet grant
us those religious leaders, even in the Church of England, that
will desire the fullness of the scriptures and not to step away
from those things that are a little uncomfortable because of the
modern day that we live in. Lord, remember us for good. And
do, Lord, as we would pray for some of those MPs that have stood
up for those things. And we think of Miriam Cates
is one, I would think that's her name, but Lord, there's also
one or two others, and Lord, it's a concern to us. Because
they, Lord, are needed to stand by family values and jet, and
jet, Lord. Oh, as we see this rising move
towards the trendy modernism in so many ways, Lord. How sad it is, we pray that thou
would raise others up. Lord, and as it comes to mind,
and we wouldn't bring politics to the pulpit, but Lord, these
people that protest. Oh, these just stop oil. Lord,
what is it about? The world will not be destroyed. Oh, they fear for the future,
the world would destroy itself. It cannot destroy itself, Lord. How mistaken they are in those
things. Good intention that they might
be. Lord, one day, there is a day
coming when thou wilt burn up that which, all that is upon
the earth, and Lord, prepare us for that great day when thou
wilt come again and judge the world in righteousness. Solemn,
solemn times, Lord, are the last days that we must be living in.
Lord, remember us, we pray. But oh, Lord, we do plead that
thou would help us now as we turn to thy word. Blessed amongst
us this afternoon, open it up, Lord. Favour us, we plead, and
remember us each for good. Forgive our poor prayers. For
Jesus Christ's sake, amen. We continue our service by singing
part of hymn number 618, the tune is Warsaw, number 563. I'll read the first two verses
and we'll commence singing at verse three. The path that Christians tread
to reason's eye is strange. Through regions of the dead they
frequently must range. 10,000 monstrous beasts of prey
beset the soul by night and day. We must not learn God's truth
as schoolboys learn their task. Such knowledge is not proof against
illusion's blast. An empty knowledge bloats with
air, but dies when dreadful storms appear. From verse 3, hymn number
618, Petunia's Warsaw, number 563. ? To be born in heaven above ?
? In Jesus Christ the Lord ? ? In Jesus Christ the Lord ? ? O'er the hills and the plains
? ? O'er the hills and the plains ? ? O'er the hills and the plains
? ? O'er the land of the free and
the home of the brave ? ? And the home of the brave ? ? O'er
the land of the free and the home of the brave ? ? And all of his generation ? ?
With saints and prophets from each age ? The great temple, from which
I was sent, If as he packs it up, I return
up his coat and bites the twig, Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior,
our God and King. Then shall the nature cry, and
all the fish go. ? God save the Prince of Peace
? ? God save the Prince of Peace ? ? God save the Prince of Peace
? But it's not just this, it's
that this time we're not so reckless. ? Hush, Jesus, rest thy soul ?
? In heavenly peace abode ? ? That reigns for ages to come ? He touched the door. He touched the door. God of justice, who takes away
the sins of the world. Needing the help of the Lord
in hearing and speaking this afternoon, I would direct your
prayer for attention to Luke chapter 24, the chapter we read,
and verse 29. Verse 29 in Luke's gospel, chapter
24. But they constrained him, saying, abide with us, for it is toward
evening and the day is far spent. And he went in to tarry with
them. Just reading the verse before,
they drew nigh unto the village of Emmaus, whither they went,
and he made as though he would have gone further, but they constrained
him. saying, abide with us for it
is toward evening and the day is far spent. And he went in
to tarry with them. The gospel of Luke is a very
detailed gospel in the things that the Lord Jesus did. It is
said that Luke, Dr. Luke was a man who who likes
detail. Well of course we don't really
know that but it is a gospel in which there is more detail
in some ways than in others. We think of the chapters that
we read often at Christmas time of year regarding the birth of
Jesus and the detail recorded there. And also here This is
the only gospel in which we read of the two on the Emmaus Road. Well, leaving that to one side,
may the Lord help us to have a few thoughts around this wonderful
appearing unto these men, and how that they constrained him
before they even knew that it was Jesus. Now I think, friends, that these
two men, well, we say two men, we don't know that even. We know
there were two. We know there was Cleopas, and
Cleopas, it is considered, was one of the 70 apostles. But again, we don't know that,
and we must be very careful with any supposition. But we don't
know, and others have said it could be Cleopas' wife, so it
may not be two men, but there were two. And they were walking
from Jerusalem to Emmaus at the time of the Passover. And we
read that it was about seven miles, so a very reasonable walk. And as they walked, they talked
together of those things that had happened. Now, I just want
to stop here while we look at the background to this word.
Then they that fear the Lord spake often one to another, it
records in Malachi. And friends, we do need to talk
one to another. Amongst the church, the congregation
of the things of God has helped. And I know we wouldn't be glib
in this, and I know we need to be wise in it, but they talked
among themselves. You know, we can come in and
go out and have very little spiritual conversation one with another.
How wonderful it is when just a few things can be said. How
we found across the years, when we look back at some of the comments
that were made outside of chapel by some of the dear Lord's people
are now in heaven and we think, you were right. I'm glad you
said that. And we remember some of those
comments. Friends, it's come to mind, I
remember a dear saint at Staplehurst now in glory saying to me, we're
looking for some of you younger friends to come forward. Now,
you might have said that was a word, a presumptuous word. My friends, it's struck a chord
in my heart that we might pray to be rightly exercised about
the step of following the Lord in the ways of his house, two
of them, they speak of these things. But it came to pass in
verse 15, as we look at the background here briefly, that Jesus himself
drew near and went with them. What a beautiful thing, if each
time we worship, Jesus himself draws near and goes with us.
Friends, we're more than two here this afternoon, but what
a wonderful favour it would be to feel the Spirit going with
us, drawing nigh. But you see, there's this. This
is, their eyes were holden that they should not know him. And
I feel it's often in the pathway of the child of God that our
eyes are holden. We do not see him. It is only
afterwards, in looking back, that we realize the Lord was
with us there. It's only afterwards that we
realize that God was our refuge. Although that is a present tense
text, the one we spoke of this morning, it's as we look back
And we realize he was, why? Because our eyes are meant to
behold him. As they were here, they should
not know him. And of course he questions them.
And then he preaches to them. And they gave him much detail. And it's not till verse 25 that
we hear that Jesus speaks. O false and slow of heart to
believe. There is first words to these
two believers. Oh, if they are apostles, as
I say, we don't know much about them, friends. But I tell you
this, you often find that the names of those in the Scriptures,
the Greek name in the New Testament and the Hebrew for those in the
Old, you often find that it reflects what they were as characters.
Cleopas means glory to the Father. Oh, this was a man who we believe
had that real religion, founded, centered in Christ. But you see, he was a fool. He was slow of
heart. Yes, to believe all that the
prophets have spoken. Oh, they knew these things. You
know, I thought at the beginning of this chapter, How foolish
and how slow of heart were the disciples? You know, we often
hear that, read that, this chapter, don't we, around the Easter time. But you know, you think of it,
that third day he rose again and yet they didn't, it had been
clear to them that he would. He spoke to them that he would
rise again from the dead. But they were confused. Peter
was confused when he came to the grave and it was empty. and slow of heart to believe.
What a descriptor of you and me this afternoon, friends, if
we're honest. All that the prophets have spoken.
And then he begins at Moses, and he expounds all the scriptures.
Friend, what a short journey this seven-mile journey would
have been. How the time would have flown. And the friends,
I don't know you, young friends, if you've ever had those perhaps
on a Sunday round to tea or something, and you've heard them speaking
of the things of God, and you felt the time has gone quickly
as you've listened to them. You know, friends, I remember
years ago listening to those talk of these things, and oh,
it was a desire of our heart that we might know a little of
it ourselves. And the time quickly goes. Yes,
well, he expounded to them all things concerning himself. And
they drew nigh to the village. Now, you see, the journey was
over. But he made as if he would have
gone further in the road, further in the pathway, but they constrained
him. So may the Lord help us as we
look at the text, thinking of this first part really, that
constraining and abiding with us. And then later on to consider
the evening time of life and that tarrying with them. So,
this constraining, but they constrained him. Now, we quoted that text
this morning, and it is so. The love of Christ constraineth
us. Now, this word constrain, it
really means to compel. But when you look at it in the
dictionary, it also uses a word to force. And it sounds a strong
word, to force, but I believe this, when a sense of sin and
fraud forced me to the Saviour's friend, sinner's friend. He engaged to manage all by the
way and to the end. You see, we will be in forced
friends to be believers. We do not choose Him. He first
chose us and we choose Him in return. And That is a very clear doctrine.
And I feel, friends, where there is sometimes that encouragement
that all you have to do is believe. How can I believe except the
Lord show me and teach me? But friends, he will if we pray
to be shown and to be taught of him. And so, you see, they
constrained, compelled, forced him Encouraged whichever word
the force is at the stronger end of it, but I believe when
it comes to a poor sinner he constrains us by his love and
To follow him he constrains us to desire him and in that way
We will also constrain him We will not want him to leave us. I We will want him to be with
us even when we cannot feel that he's with us, but nonetheless
that he is going with us. We will be like dear Moses of
old, if thy presence go not with us, carry us not up hence. The Lord had already said, or
God had already said to him, my presence shall go with thee
and I will give thee rest. But Moses said, I cannot accept
thy presence, go with me. They constrained him. Now friends, one of the early
cases of constraining, compelling then in scripture, is the case
of Lot. Now, I was led to think about
Lot and I thought, You know, in a way, we're all living in
those places of great sin, aren't we? And we need to be removed
from them like Lot. We need to be removed away from
our sinful heart. We need the interposition of
the Holy Spirit to do so. But I thought of Lot there, and
as he was down in Sodom there, There came two angels to Sodom. They sat in the gate. Lot saw
them and he rose up to meet them. But he said this to them. He
said, turning, I pray you into your servant's house. In other
words, his house. Tarry all night. And they said,
no, we will abide in the street all night. And this, he pressed upon them
greatly. And I believe, friends, the poor
sinner, when they have known something of the Lord Jesus Christ
and given them that love towards Him, will desire that He stays
with them, that He is with them in those pathways that they have
before them, in spiritual things and in providential things. And so, We read this, he pressed
upon them greatly and they turned into him and entered into his
house. Yes, these that were to deliver this man and his two
daughters and his wife initially out of the land of Sodom where
those terrible sins were being committed which these days are
acceptable to men. how solemn it is. But friends,
we have to say there was a remarkable deliverance, but Lot, Lot wanted
them to constrain, to be with him, you see. And so that work
will be in our hearts, that the Lord would come in, that even
his angels, those that are sent, and friends, that can be his
servants, that can be his people. You know, Hebrews, and I just
say this to encourage you to be sociable. And I want to be right. We can
come into chapel, we can go home, and I'm not preaching to anybody
apart from myself, friends, in this, but to be sociable to others
in the things of God. There's a lovely word, and we
can pass it by in Hebrews, be not forgetful to entertain strangers. And I'm sure you do, friends,
if you get those come in here that are strangers. For thereby
some have entertained angels unawares. A constraining for
them to stay, to lunch, or whatever it is, that constraining. You
see, as he constrained us by his love, so he will constrain
us to show those right spirits to others, friends. You know,
you read the book of Mr. Stoutcald all the way and he
speaks of a man that turned up at his father's house when he
was a younger man. I think it was in the First World
War. This man turned up at the door
dressed in his khaki uniform and he said, his father said
to him, what did you want? And he said, well, I believe
I've been given this address as a relative of mine, as your
relative, a distant relative of my mother, or distant person
that his mother knew. And he said, I'm serving in the
army nearby. I wanted to come and say, speak
to you. Well, it transpired that he,
and they spent some time talking with him on the things of God.
He started talking about them, and they said to him, will you
read and pray? And he read and prayed, but he
said, I need to kneel down. So they knelt down, all of them,
and he said, Mr. Salco said that we felt there
was a sacred awe in his prayers. They then found out that this
man was a Mr. Ellis, who at that time was not,
was, exercise, but it was later sent out to preach and was passed
to at Worthing Chapel. But you see, they didn't know
him, he was a stranger, but it had come to their address. And
he said his father quoted that word about entertaining strangers. Friends, I want to speak rightly,
but true followers of the Lord Jesus will want to constrain
him to stay with them. Abide with me. Abide with me,
Lord. Abide with us. You, friends,
collectively, here, church and people, abide with us. Abide
with us, Lord. Do not leave us. Do not leave
us to continue our worship and go through it, but abide with
us, that we might know and feel thy sweet presence from time
to time. They constrained him. You say,
I can't constrain the Lord. My friends, it's a word of compelling. It's a word of encouraging. What it means is that you will
plead, you will beg, do not turn away thy face. Mine's an urgent,
pressing case. Lord, stay with me, be with me,
watch over me. Or us in the plural. Constrain him. Friends, there must be, there
must be that right working within us, that desire that the Lord
would abide with us. What a beautiful hymn, abide
with me, fast falls the even tide. Lord with me abide. It's a beautiful
hymn, isn't it? It was based upon this very text. The man that wrote it was Henry
Light, who died in 1847. He wrote the hymn in the summer
of 1847 and he died in the November. He knew he was in the evening
time of life, he was only 54. And he was a rector in the Church
of England, a godly talk man. And he He served, I think, at the village,
I think it was Branscombe down in Devon, but the point is this,
friends, it was written from when he had some thoughts upon
this word, abide with me. Beautiful word, often sung at
funerals, isn't it, friends? You know, we'll only abide with
him in glory if there's been some constraining upon us. Firstly,
he's constraining in us, that we, being sinners, are turned
to God through that work of conviction, through that work of repentance,
through that work of turning to Him. As Hosea speaks of that,
take with you words and turn to the Lord and He'll have the
poor soul to do it, but this we will constrain Him. Once we've
known the Saviour's love to stay with us, to be with us, to feel
that He is with us, Straining him. You see, I feel that there is that within
us, that nature will not have this man to reign over us. But
I believe he will bring us to desire to abide, that he would
abide in us. You see, the Lord Jesus says
this, I am the true vine, my father is the husbandman. But
you see, and he goes on to say, abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit
of itself except it abide in the vine, no more can ye except
ye abide in me. He that abideth in me, the same
bringeth forth much fruit. Well, we can only abide in him,
friends, as we request and desire that he will abide in us. It's a two-way thing, isn't it?
I want to ask you this question, when did you last constrain him? When did you last really get
on your knees and say, do not leave me, Lord, stay with me,
be with me in my soul's experience? Because you see these two dead,
And they didn't know it was Jesus at that time, but they knew that
their hearts burned within them. And friends, if you've known
a little heart burning within you, you will constrain him because
you're to feel a little of that love burning and you'll want
him to stay. Yes, it's a two-way thing. It
does. It must go. They constrained
him. You say, but I'm a poor, weak,
feeble sinner. I can't constrain the Lord. I
can't hold him down. What about dear Jacob? What constraining strength was
he given when he wrestled with the angel at the break of day? What constraining? And he says,
I will not let thee go except thou bless me. Friends, that's constraining
grace. I will not let thee go, Lord,
except thou bless me. I cannot let thee go in this
matter, Lord, unless thou bring it to pass. Bring it to pass
for me. The salvation of my soul, some
hope in thee, that hope in the wounded side of Christ. But you see that, it says in
the Genesis there that, let me go, let me go, says the angel. Sent by God, let me go for the
daybreak if he said I will not let thee go except thou bless
me And and we read this Thy name should be called no more Jacob,
but Israel for as a princess thou power we've got him with
men and this and has prevailed Lord give me prevailing grace
that I might constrain thee To stay with me friends these desires
that are in a sinner's heart that they are not left. And He
will not leave them. I will not leave you comfortless.
I will come to you. And furthermore, friends, He
will stay with you. I know, I know that when we really
feel the presence of the Lord in our hearts, that there are those times when
we desire that that presence should continue, but we feel
it and it is gone. But I feel sometimes this constraining,
I mean, perhaps an example to try and explain to the young
people that we sit in God's courts on a Lord's Day, but of an evening
to be able to feel that constraint, to still pray to the Lord that
we might not lose a little of the glow that we might have felt
in our souls during the day, that we might be able to go over
the things that have been spoken and speak one to another. You
know, friends, through the years, I do hope there's been a little
of that in our experience. And perhaps particularly of a
morning and afternoon service, that in the evening, you can
reflect. I know some of you go to another
service, and friends, we'd encourage you in that, but that reflection
upon God's Word. You see, do not. They constrained
him. So you constrain him. Lord, bring
back to my memory that which the dear servant spoke of this
day. Because of course, we hear the sermon and he's gone. They
constrained him. Well, what do we read? Jacob
called the name of the place Menul. I've seen God face to
face, but this, we read this, he blessed him there. He blessed him there. Well, you
see the favor of the Lord, but abide him, abide him with us. You see, John writes in that
way and now little children Abide in him abide in him Yes, the
anointing he goes on to say as well, which he have received
of him abide if in you Yes, and and he goes on to say
and you need not that any man teach you but As the same anointing
teacheth you of all things, so in other words, the anointing
of the Spirit upon you that abideth in you is the teaching that you
need and is truth and no lie. And even as it taught you, ye
shall abide in him. Because he abides in you, yes,
ye shall abide in him. Oh, that constraining. Friends,
that two-way work. Every soul that he's sought after
by the Lord. Jesus sought me when a stranger,
wandering from the fold of God, he to save my soul from danger,
interposed his precious blood. That's a constraining. And in
return, those sinners will constrain him. And that's what I want you
to take home and myself to ponder, friends. Are we constrainers? Because we need to be. We won't
be in glory otherwise. We must be those that constrain
and that desire that he should abide with us. Well, the time's
fast moving, so for it is toward evening. It is towards evening. Now they think that this was
about five o'clock in the afternoon. Friends, I don't know. One of
the commentators feels this and we leave it, but it's We know
this, that as soon as these men knew that it was Jesus, or these
two, they turned around and they went back and they traversed
that seven miles again. Can you imagine what that was,
the conversation then? But you see, we read that in
verse 33, they rose up the same hour and returned to Jerusalem
and found the 11 gathered together. But you see, the day is fast
passing. When I, when as a child, I laughed
and wept. Yes, time crept. When I became a man, time ran. You know the poem, Time in Eternity. Friends, there are those of us
that are must be towards evening. But really, with each of the
children of God, they don't know when the evening and the night
is. We need to be made ready, don't
we friends? The day is far spent. And you
know that little poem, it goes on to say, and then I shall find. Time God. Oh Christ. Has my soul been saved? And what
a thought that is. Perhaps I would encourage the
young friends to look that little poem up. When as a child, I laughed and
wept, time crept. And how true it is that in our
early days in life, time seems to creep past and we have those
memories of long, All of these long summer days perhaps in the
past, but then as we go on through life, how time flies. But time must come to an end.
You know, friends, we're not ready, are we? We need the Lord
to appear to make us ready. But that's why they wanted him
to abide with us. That's the very reason, because
it's toward evening. And I believe the exercise soul
as they come, to that time of life, towards their end, they
see the day coming that they will desire Him to remain with
them, they will desire really then to live in Calpas Him, that
closer walk with God. They will need it because they
see that they are not far from the time when they have to cross
the Jordan. Yes, my friends, They will be
concerned about how it will be with them in the swellings of
Jordan as we use that expression in God's word. And so it is that
they are burdened, they are exercised, they lay up much prayer, they
constrain him in that very matter because they need him to abide
with them. The day is fast bent. Oh, their
youthful days are past. The days of their espousals in
the things of God, as we refer to, they're gone. Those days where they perhaps
have known it, and it might be they walk now in much darkness.
It often is the case, although we need to be careful because
it's so individual with the children of God. But you see in the Song
of Solomon where it speaks of one going out to desire to find if I can find it where it says
yes the souls the church seeking Christ by night on my bed I sought
him who my soul loveth I sought him but I found him not how often
we're walking there but you see in the end the watchman couldn't
help Saw ye him whom my soul loveth? But it was but a little
that I passed from then, after then. Friends, and the time will
come again you'll find him, but I found him whom my soul loveth. I held him and would not let
him go. Oh, what a constraining of the soul that's on fire there,
friends. I would not let him go until
I had brought him into my mother's house. But you see, then there
is a time that the church has to walk alone. There's an absence,
he's absent from them, and they desire his presence again, and
they constrain him in prayer that he would come, come again
to them, because it's towards evening. I thought how beautiful
it is where the disciples would send the crowd away in the evening,
you know, in the desert place. It was evening. Yes, it was towards
evening. This is a desert place, the time
is now past. Send the multitude away, they
might go to the villages to get themselves fittles to eat. And Jesus said this beautiful
word, they need not depart. For sinner, you and I, we need
not depart, give ye them to eat. Yes, they constrained him. And the day is fast bent. Lord, with me abide, says the
hymn. Oh, what a desire that will be.
A hymn often sung, as I understand, in evening worship, but it'll
be the language of our hearts. Abide with us, abide with me,
which is towards evening. Yes, I can see the night coming.
The day is far gone, and our neighbors are far spent, but
do abide, abide with me. You know, in his early days,
Mr. J. H. Gosden, who was editor
of the Gospel Standard for a number of years and pastor at Maidstone,
Priory Chapel, Maidstone. In his early days, the Lord spoke
to him in this way, when we think of his constraining and abiding,
he said this, my son, give me thine heart, which you will read
in Proverbs. My son, give me thy heart. And he said, how do I do it,
Lord? How can I give him my heart? Well, it wasn't much longer than
the Lord spoke through the servant of God to him from Isaiah. And he said this, he said, I
have redeemed thee. Fear not for I have redeemed
thee, I have called thee by thy name. Thou art mine. And because thou art mine, thou
canst give me thy heart. Oh, what a word to take away
for us this afternoon. My son, my daughter, give me
thy heart. Because friends, our heart is
either in the world or it's towards the Lord Jesus Christ. And I
believe those that constrain him, those that need him to abide
with them, those that see that the day is fast bent, those that
are concerned regarding the evening, they will want to abide with
him. and to have that close walk with him. And they'll come to this. Oh my Jesus, thou art mine. With all thy grace and power,
I am now and shall be thine when time shall be no more. Thou revivest me by thy death,
thy blood from guilt has set me free. My fresh springs of
hope and faith and love. all in day but they constrained him saying
abide with us for it is toward evening the day is fast bent
and this beautiful word at the end which is such a positive
word for the believer he went into tarry with them now you
need to remember friends he was minded not to do that he was
he made a We must read these words carefully, but he made
as if he would have gone further in walking, that is, beyond the
village, as I see that. But now, through that exercise
and burden and constraining of these, he went into towing with
them. Yes, his work wasn't yet done.
He should yet be seen as breaking a bed. He should yet appear unto
them to show them who he was and reveal himself to them. But
he went in to tow ye with them. This speaks of such love. It
speaks of such mercy. Those who were fools and slow
of heart. He wanted to go and have to do
more with them. Friends, isn't this beautiful?
Isn't this the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ and his saving
love to poor, wretched, fallen, slow of heart sinners? It touches
your heart, my dear friends, doesn't it? Well, it does mine. Oh, it should do. You see, friends,
oh, he must have hidden his hands and his feet. I felt quite touched
when we read that verse 14, and when he had thus spoken, he showed
them his hands and his feet. And friends, I saw this. Each
believer will need to see his hands and his feet. Weep, oh,
my pierced hands and feet. It says in one of the hymns,
you'll know what that is, but, and you'll, Oh friends, you'll
want to stay close to the cross of Christ. You know, there's
much more in this text and we've barely scratched at the edge
of it this afternoon, but he went in to tarry with them. And
I believe if you desire him to tarry with you, friends, even
though you won't feel the fullness of his presence, you can't. We
can't live here below with that. Those of you that have known
those real blessings and favours, we couldn't live with them all
the time, friends. We just couldn't, but we need
him to withdraw in that sense, but we desire that he's with
us. We desire that he's watching
over us. We desire that he's walking with us in the paths
that we have to go. And I think this is the thing
here. And so he went into Towie with them. He will not, yes,
whom once he loves, he never leaves. What a summary to our
text, but lovesome to the end. Amen. with our service by singing hymn
number 1010. The tune is Lloyd, number 172. Father, what heir of earthly
bliss thy sovereign will denies, accepted at the throne of grace,
let this petition rise. Give me a calm, a thankful heart,
from every murmur free, the blessings of thy grace impart. and make
me live to thee. Hymn number 1010, Junius Lloyd
number 172. Of the water of the fleeting
bliss, Light of the new day-light, Accepted at thy first of grace,
let his petition rise. Give me a calm, a thankful heart,
? Alma Mater, Alma Mater ? ? Alma Mater, Alma Mater ? ? Alma
Mater, Alma Mater ? It's the sweet hope that thou
art mine, My life and death attend, My presence burn, Dear Lord, do be with us each as we
go home. Help us to consider the Word. Be with those that attend thy
courts this evening. Be with us each, Lord, we pray. And remember us for good. And
Lord, help the dear friends at the prayer meeting on Tuesday. And come up on Thursday, we beg. Now may the grace of the Lord
Jesus Christ and the love of God and the communion of the
Holy Ghost be with you all. Amen.