The notices for the coming week
are God willing as follows. Mr. John Rosier will preach here
next Lord's Day at 10.30 and 2 o'clock. There will be a prayer
meeting here on Tuesday evening at 7 o'clock. There will be no
service here on Thursday as it is the TBS meeting at Tunbridge
Wells where Mr. Graham Tutor is expected to speak
at seven o'clock. We hope you'll feel constrained
to support Friends at Tunbridge Wells. Let us commence our services
today by singing together hymn number 579. The tune is Sheffield
235. Salvation, O my soul, rejoice! Salvation is of God. He speaks
and that almighty voice proclaims his grace abroad. Hymn 579, Tune
Sheffield, 235. Salvation, O my soul, rejoice!
Salvation is of God! He speaks and that almighty light
proclaims his praise about. How wonderful, how grand the
fact, How dear the test can be! ? Till dest'ry grave I'm buried
? ? And from sin's depths I'm raised ? Turn, O Thou Starry Night, and
fill forever now Who shall then pass over to heav'n with love
from Zion? ? Tossed up and moved him to proclaim
? ? That sure he just and good ? ? Had known his worth ? And spake the name of the Father,
King, and Son. Nor is the shorty short of heart,
Be not vain, and be brave. No less than a divine purpose
to die for me. Out of the Spirit's touch, and
Jesus He reveals. to men oppressed with sin and
those before their sorrow fills. As we live on and walk in faith,
In the Holy of Holies, And Zion shall be Let us read together from the
holy word of God in Paul's epistle to the Hebrews and chapter 10. Hebrews chapter 10. For the law, having a shadow
of good things to come, and not the very image of the things,
can never, with those sacrifices which they offered year by year
continually, make the comers thereunto perfect. For then would
they not have ceased to be offered because that the worshippers
once purged should have had no more conscience of sins. But in those sacrifices there
is a remembrance again made of sins every year. For it is not
possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away
sins. Wherefore, when he cometh into
the world, he saith, sacrifice and offering thou wouldst not,
but a body hast thou prepared me. In burnt offerings and sacrifices
of sin thou hast had no pleasure. Then said I, Lo, I come. In the volume of the book it
is written of me to do thy will, O God. Above, when he said, Sacrifice
and offering and burnt offering and offering for sin, thou wouldst
not, neither has pleasure therein, which are offered by the law.
Then said he, lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away
the first, that he may establish the second, by the which will
we are sanctified, through the offering of the body of Jesus
Christ once for all. And every priest and his daily
ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can
never take away sins. But this man, after he had offered
one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down on the right hand of
God. from henceforth expecting till
his enemies be made his footstool. For by one offering he hath perfected
forever them that are sanctified. Wherefore the Holy Ghost also
is a witness to us, for after that he had said before, this
is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith
the Lord. I will put my laws in their hearts,
and in their minds will I write them, and their sins and iniquities
will I remember no more. Now where remission of these
is, there is no more offering for sin. Having therefore, brethren,
boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new
and living way which he hath consecrated for us, through the
veil, that is to say, his flesh. And having an high priest over
the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full
assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil
conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold
fast the profession of our faith without wavering, for he is faithful
that promise. And let us consider one another
to provoke unto love and to good works, not forsaking the assembling
of ourselves together as the manner of some is, but exhorting
one another, and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. For if we sin willfully, after
that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth
no more sacrifice for sin. but a certain fearful looking
for of judgment and fiery indignation which shall devour the adversaries.
He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three
witnesses. Of how much sore a punishment,
suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy who hath trodden underfoot
the Son of God and hath counted the blood of the covenant wherewith
he was sanctified an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the
Spirit of grace. For we know him that hath said,
Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the
Lord. And again the Lord shall judge
his people. It is a fearful thing to fall
into the hands of the living God. but call to remembrance
the former days, in which after ye were illuminated, ye endured
a great fight of afflictions, partly whilst you were made a
gaze in stock, both by reproaches and afflictions, and partly whilst
you became companions of them that were so used. For ye had
compassion of me in my bonds, and took joyfully the spoiling
of your goods, knowing in yourselves that ye have in heaven a better
and an enduring substance. Cast not away therefore your
confidence, which hath great recompense of reward. For ye
have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of
God, ye might receive the promise. For yet a little while And he
that shall come will come, and will not tarry. No, the just
shall live by faith. But if any man draw back, my
soul shall have no pleasure in him. But we are not of them who
draw back unto perdition, but of them that believe to the saving
of the soul. May the Lord bless the reading
of his own precious word and grant unto us a spirit of real
prayer. Holy, holy, holy, Lord God almighty,
which is an art, an art to come, we bow before thy glorious majesty,
the high and lofty one that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is holy. Gracious God, we come in that
only way that we can come, as poor sinners, in the name of
Jesus Christ. We have no hope in ourselves.
We are all as an unclean thing. We go forth from the womb speaking
lies and hypocrisy. In sin did our mothers conceive
And we desire, O Lord, to come in that wonderful name of Jesus
Christ. There is one God and one mediator
between God and man, the man Christ Jesus, who gave his life
of ransom for all to be testified in due time. Oh, that there may
be that testimony today of the wonderful glories of Christ and
of his grace and his love and mercy and his power to save. We pray that the grace of our
Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God our Father and the sacred
fellowship of the Holy Spirit may rest and abide upon us. We
read that as many as are led by the Spirit of God they are
the sons of God. So we pray that this day we may
be led of the Spirit of God, guided into thy truth, and that
thou wouldst put thy words in our mouth, and that the word
may be as it was with the dear apostle at Thessalonica, for
our gospel came unto you, not in word only, but in power, in
the Holy Ghost, and with much assurance. Gracious God, do incline
thine ear, humbly beseech thee and grant that the word may be
with divine power. Bless us as a church and as a
congregation. We thank thee for the safe return
of our friends who have been away for rest and change, and
may they be bettered for that rest and change. We pray, most
gracious Lord, that thou wouldst Bless our brethren, the deacons,
and give needed grace, wisdom, and help in all their responsibilities. Each of the members of our church,
we pray for each one that thou wouldst bless them indeed and
help us to love each other, serve each other, bear each other's
burdens, thereby fulfilling the law of Christ. And we think of
that law of Christ, by this shall they know that ye are my disciples
because ye have love one to another. Lord, increase our faith. Increase
our love. We pray, most gracious Lord,
that we may see additions to the church, precious souls gathered
in. We pray that there may be additions
to us as a congregation, precious souls gathered in from this village,
and the surrounding villages and hamlets, and the fulfilling
of the sweet promises of thy word, I will bring thy sons from
far, and thy daughters from the ends of the earth, and they shall
come. O most gracious Lord, we pray
that we may see Zion's offspring come, that we may be given that
patience to wait thy perfect work, Let thy work appear unto
thy servants, and thy glory unto their children. O Lord, we do
beseech thee. We pray that prodigals may return,
and thy mighty grace may be seen in this, when they shall come
and tell to sinners round what a dear Saviour they have found.
Hear us, Lord, we humbly beseech thee, and bless our assembly
together. We do humbly pray thee. the little
ones and the children. We love to hear them and see
them in the sanctuary. Do bless them, put thy holy fear
in their hearts, an unctuous light to all that's right and
a bar to all that's wrong. We pray that thou would bless
the dear young friends. Lord, we lovingly commend them
to thee and to the word of thy grace. Bless them indeed, O Lord,
we do beseech thee. for thy great name's sake. We
pray that thou wouldst bring them to living faith in Jesus
Christ, guide them in all the matters of providence, whether
it's to do with their education or whether it's to do with a
partner in life journey or any future employment. We pray that
they may be enabled to commit their way unto the Lord and trust
also in him and he shall bring it to pass. Remember, O Lord,
we pray each of those in the midst of the journey of life,
in particular parents, Lord, remember them as they bring up
their children, that they may be enabled to do so in the nurture
and admonition of the Lord. And gracious God, we pray that
thou wouldst bless the family worship, and thou wouldst encourage
fathers indeed to take the family worship and to read and pray
in the family. Hear us, Lord, for all things
are sanctified by the word of God and prayer. We pray, most
gracious Lord, that thou wouldst send a day of real prosperity
Remember those of us in the evening time of life's journey, we pass
the allotted time of man upon the earth and we pray that thou
would remember us for good and prepare us for that great day
and that great change which must take place. Prepare me, gracious
God, to stand before thy face. Thy spirit must the work perform,
for it is all of grace. Gracious God, we pray for dear
Ina in her great age, and that thou wouldst bless and undertake
for her. And as the outward man perishes,
may the inward man be renewed day by day. And, O Lord God,
we do pray that thou wouldst remember all thy servants as
they labour in word and doctrine upon the walls of Zion, set them
free, set them at liberty, Grant mighty signs and ones to follow
the preaching of the Word. Grant the settlement of pastors
among the churches. And we pray Thee, the great Lord
of the harvest, to send true labourers into the harvest to
build the walls of Jerusalem and send real prosperity. Turn
us again, O God of hosts, and cause Thy face to shine, and
we shall be saved. Let thy hand be upon the man
of thy right hand, the son of man whom thou madest strong for
thyself. So will not we go back from thee? O gracious God, visit us with
thy great salvation. We do humbly beseech thee. We
pray for the charities to which we affiliate, the editors of
our magazines, the secretaries of the societies, the committers
as they gather. Oh, that the wind of the Spirit
may blow. May the power that brings salvation
be exerted in the word. May the strongholds of Satan
be pulled down and the kingdom of the Lord Jesus set up in the
hearts of sinners. Remember the churches up and
down our nation. Wherever thy people gather, wherever
thy servants stand, Lord, strengthen them. and send real prosperity. Remember our nation, those that
rule over us. Remember them for good, O Lord,
and give them wisdom and guidance and direction. We live in truly
solemn days when the spirit and power of Antichrist is so prevalent
in our society and sweeping through the nations of the earth. Lord,
thou hast promised that when the enemy comes in like a flood,
the spirit of the Lord will lift up a standard against it. Lord,
lift up the standard of thy word and of thy servants and gather
in precious souls into Zion and strengthen Zion. We do humbly
beseech of thee. We pray for our King that thy
rich blessing may rest upon him and the royal household. those
rich blessings of Thy grace. We pray, most gracious Lord,
that Thou in Thy precious mercy would remember those who labour
in word and doctrine among the nations of the earth. We would
especially remember those that go forth from us. And we pray,
O Lord, that Thou would remember Ian Sadler and that great work
in so many countries that he is doing. We pray that thou would
supply all his needs, and strengthen and help him. We do humbly beseech
thee. Grant good success to his labours. Remember the Mombasa mission
and thy servant there, and grant, Lord, the ingathering of precious
souls, and remember the Savannah Education Trust, and that great
work in the Christian schools in Ghana. Lord, bless them indeed. We do humbly beseech thee. and
arise, O Lord, and send out thy light and thy truth, even as
thou hast said in thy word in every nation, kindred, tongue,
and tribe, and people. And, O Lord, we do thank thee
that thou sittest king forever, and there is nothing too hard
for thee. We thank thee for the wonderful
glory of the incarnation of the Son of God, even our Lord Jesus
Christ. We thank Thee for His holy life,
when He was made of a woman made under the law, that He might
redeem them that are under the law. We thank Thee for Calvary, where
the lamb was slain, where sin was put away. Lord, in Thy glorious
person everlasting righteousness had been brought in for Thy people.
and a new and living way is made into the holy place. We thank
Thee for the blood of Jesus Christ, God's Son, which cleanseth us
from all sin. Oh, hear us, Lord. We humbly
beseech Thee. We thank Thee for our house of
prayer. We thank Thee for the Word of
God. We thank Thee for the liberties
that we enjoy in being able to meet together around Thy Word
on Thy holy day. Lord, we thank Thee that Thy
mercies to us each are new every morning, and great is Thy faithfulness. And we would record Thy lovingkindness,
and Thy goodness, and Thy mercy. Be we all in affliction, trouble,
trial, and bereavement, support, sustain, strengthen, and help. Come and touch one's lips with
a live coal, From off the heavenly altar, we ask for Jesus Christ's
sake. Amen. Let us continue our worship by
singing together hymn number 558, The tune is Daniel 459. Sweet the name of Christ must
be, from and to eternity, for it pleased the Father well, fullness
all in Christ should dwell. Hymn 558, tune Daniel 459. ? The day of Christ must be ? ?
Come unto His heavenly King ? ? Who repeat the power of the Lord ? ? For us, Lord, they truly should
know ? ? Jesus did this, bearing that cross ? ? In my soul, Jesus
Christ ? ? Ever save my soul from sin and death ? ? From which we live ? ? Angels
sing it every hour ? ? Here anointing of the Lord ? I have joy and peace in heaven. ? Christ will be ? ? And I shall
his glory see ? ? Ever in rejection be ? Oh, say does that star-spangled
banner yet wave Jesus' name will praise him most. What a blessing God can give! ? God be praised ? ? The truth
shall reign ? ? Ever living, ever living on high ? ? And for day to build it high
? ? And its love without end share ? ? And its love without
end share ? ? Make this day ? ? With all thy
joys ? ? Live in privilege ? ? Make it rejoice ? O come, let us adore Him, O come,
let us adore Him, Seeking the Lord's gracious help,
I direct your attention to the epistle to the Hebrews, chapter
10, and we'll read verses 12, 13, and 14 for our text. Hebrews, chapter 10, verses 12
to 14. But this man, after he had offered
one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down on the right hand of
God, from henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his
footstool, for by one offering he hath perfected forever them
that are sanctified. But this man, what a beautiful
emphasis, but this man, this unique man, unique in this sense,
he was holy. The only holy man to walk here
upon earth. Adam, no sooner had he been created,
he fell into sin with his wife Eve. But this man, This holy
God-man, he did no sin. Neither was guile found in his
mouth. This is the other unique thing
concerning this man. He is God and man in one person. I think it's in Jeremiah. We
read, Who hath heard such a thing? who has seen such a thing the
eternal Son of God from everlasting to everlasting and yet he assumed a wholly human
like nature he became bone of our bone and flesh of our flesh
we read it together here in the previous verses in this chapter
and it says in This is a quotation from the Psalms in verse 5. Wherefore,
when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering
thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me. A body hast thou prepared me.
Now, it is recorded probably most clearly in the Gospel of
Luke, how that Christ became incarnate. The Son of God was
made flesh. It says doesn't it, in the first
chapter of John's Gospel. And the Word. That's referring
to the divine nature of the Son of God. And the Word was made
flesh. And dwelt among us. And we beheld
his glory. The glory as of the only begotten
of the Father. Full of grace and truth. The angel Gabriel said unto Mary,
that holy thing that shall be born of thee. Adam was created without sin.
So was Eve. But they fell into sin. And then
all their posterity is sinful. You see we receive our sin from
our parents. We don't. That's what it means
when it says born in sin. It's from our parents. And sin
did my mother conceive me. What a terrible thing the fall
was when man fell into sin. Corrupted everything in this
earth. but this man, the man Christ
Jesus. In that first beautiful promise
in Genesis in chapter 3, where the promise is made about bruising
the serpent's head and he shall bruise thy heel. Serpent of course
being Satan. But then we read that the Lord
God, he slew animals, shed blood, And he used the skins to cover
Adam and Eve. They'd sewn fig leaves together.
The Lord gave them animal skins to cover their nakedness. But
for those animal skins, they had to be slain. Blood was shed. There's a beautiful image there
of the glory of Christ. And that is what is revealed
in these things. Of all the creatures God has
made, there is but man alone that needs a covering, not his
own. You see, my beloved friends,
these things are written for our instruction. That glorious
covering of the righteousness of Jesus Christ. Thy righteousness
is an everlasting righteousness. Sacrifice and offering thou wouldst
not. He's speaking here of course
of the holy law of God. So look at verse 8. He's quoting
from Psalm 40. Sacrifice and offering and burnt
offerings and offerings for sin thou wouldst not. Neither hath
pleasure therein which are offered by the law. In the Old Testament,
Levitical dispensation. You think of the millions and
millions of sacrifices during that period of time. that were
offered unto God, not one could take away sins. Isaac Watts in that beautiful
hymn, not all the blood of beasts on Jewish altars slain could
give the guilty conscience peace or wash away the stain, but Christ
the heavenly Lamb bears all our sins away, a sacrifice of nobler
name and richer blood than they. says here in verse four of this
chapter, for it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of
goats should take away sins. It's not possible. They couldn't
do that. They were merely typical. They
pointed, they pointed to the coming of Christ and what he
would do. You see, but this man, It was John the Baptist that
said, didn't he, when he was speaking to his disciples, pointing
to Jesus Christ and, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away
the sin of the world. You think that every day in the
Jewish church, there was a lamb that was slain every single day,
representing Christ. But they could not take away
sins. says here in the beginning for
the law having a shadow. If you think of a shadow, there's
no substance there. It's a shadow of good things
to come pointing to Christ. The good things to come was in
this man, this glorious holy God man, the man Christ Jesus. You know when the sacrifices
were put on the altar and it actually alludes to it here in
the fourth chapter of the epistle to the Hebrews and it says here
in verse 12 in chapter 4, for the word of God is quick, that
means living and powerful and sharper than intuitive sword,
piercing even to the dividing asunder of the soul and spirit
and of the joints and marrow and is a discerner of the thoughts
and intents of the heart. Now I understand that one of
the meaning of that is a sacrifice on the altar was opened up by
the priest so that he could look right down into the inmost parts
of that animal on the altar that was being sacrificed. And what
the apostle does here is opens up in a spiritual way. Neither
is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight but
all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of Him with whom
we have to do." The Lord sees right into every heart. Everything
is opened unto Him with whom we have to
do but this man. It goes on there in chapter 4
following on from those solemn words and it says, that we have
a great High Priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus
the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. Though you are
so sinful, I am so sinful, corrupt and unrighteous, there is a glorious High Priest,
an almighty Saviour, just as we have in our text, sitting
at the right hand of the Father, For we have not an high priest
which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities,
but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly
unto the throne of grace. Why? Because Jesus sits there,
that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of
need. But this man, this glorious,
holy, God-man, the man Christ Jesus. Again, in the verse 9,
he quotes from the Psalm 40, a prophecy concerning Christ,
and it's Christ that is actually speaking. Then said He, Lo, I
come to do Thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that
He may establish the second by the which will, We are sanctified,
separated through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once
for all. There's a great emphasis in the
Hebrews on this word, once. Now once in the end of the world,
he appeared to put away sin by the offering of himself. You
know, we've pointed that None of the Jewish sacrifices could
take away sin or put away sin. But this one sacrifice of Christ
has put away the sin of the church forever. But this man, after
he had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down on
the right hand of God. This man. now sitting at the
right hand of God. The Holy God man. He's finished the work that he
came to do and the fact that he sat down on the right hand
of God. I think there's only two occasions
in Holy Scripture when we read of Christ standing in heaven.
One is when Stephen was stoned to death and he saw the Lord
standing to receive him into heaven. And the other is in the
fifth chapter of the Revelation. There was a lamb standing in
the midst of the throne. Apart from that, every time we
read of Christ, he is sitting. What does it mean? What is the
significance of it? His work is finished. His work
is accomplished. His work is fulfilled. That is
what is meant by it and that is what is the teaching to us
that Christ has finished his work. He said to his father,
I've finished the work thou gavest me to do. Of all that thou has
given me, I've lost none. But this man, he was faithful
in everything he did. He was holy in everything he
did. You and I have broken God's holy
righteous law. And we still break God's holy
righteous law. The soul that sinneth it shall
die. That's the sentence of God's
holy righteous law. But this man, he did no sin. He never broke God's holy law. He said himself, I come not to
destroy the law, but to fulfill it. And that is exactly what
Christ has done. He's fulfilled that holy righteous
law that you and I have broken. and he's fulfilled it as a substitute
in the room and the place and the stead of his people. How glorious is that holy life
of Jesus Christ. How glorious that is. And it's
so fundamental to the doctrine that is found in Holy Scripture.
I heard of a man saying a little while ago, a minister, and he
made this statement. And friends, it is so erroneous
and wrong, is that the life of Christ is nothing. The death
of Christ is everything. Oh my beloved friends, he totally
missed the point. The life of Christ and the death
of Christ is everything. That life of Christ is his obedience
to the law. That's why the Apostle makes
that emphasis in Galatians 4, made of a woman, made under the
law, that he might redeem them that are under the law. He fulfilled
the law for his people. That's why he makes that emphasis,
I come not to destroy the law, but to fulfill it, to honor it. That lovely prophecy in Isaiah
42, speaking of Christ, he will magnify the law and make it honorable. That's exactly what Christ has
done for his people, but this man. But then, having lived that
holy, pure and spotless life, he then sacrificed that holy,
pure and spotless life. Divine justice demanded a perfect
sacrifice. It did. that sacrifice that would
atone for the sins of the church had to be holy, it had to be
pure, it had to be righteous. Nothing short of that would atone
for sins. Hence the father sent his son. Think of those beautiful words
of grace in John 3, God so loved the world He gave His only begotten
Son that whosoever believeth in Him shall have eternal life. In Him is life. You might say
but you're talking about His sacrifice, you're talking about
His death. But equally let us talk not only
of that perfect sacrifice that atoned for the sins of His people
but on the third day He rose again. He had destroyed death
and him that had the power of death, that is the devil. It's
what Christ has done for his people. He's done what no other
man could ever do. He lived a holy life. Then he sacrificed that holy
life. But this man, after he had offered
one sacrifice for sins forever, there was only ever the need
of this one sacrifice. Look at the closing verses of
chapter 9 here in the Hebrews. And he says there, verse 24,
For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands,
which are the figures of the true, that means the holy of
holies, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence
of God for us. I think those are the sweetest
words, aren't they, in Holy Scripture. Now to appear in the presence
of God for us. For us. Now, look what he goes
on to say, nor yet that he should offer himself often as the high
priest entered into the holy place every year with the blood
of others, For then must he often have suffered since the foundation
of the world, but now once in the end of the world hath he
appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself." Or the
holy sacrifice. Some would have it that it was
only the body of Christ that was sacrificed. But listen to
those glorious words in Isaiah 53, when thou shalt make his
soul an offering for sin. He offered his holy human body
and soul as a sin atoning sacrifice unto his father and that the
church is received in that sacred sacrifice of Christ. And as it is appointed unto men
once to die But after this the judgment, so Christ was once
offered to bear the sins of many and unto them that look for him
shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation. When he comes again, he comes
without sin. You see, we've read it here together. Their sins and their iniquities
will I remember no more. When our Lord Jesus Christ was
in the Garden of Gethsemane, when it says He being in agony
sweat as it were great drops of blood falling down to the
ground, what does it mean? Those awful sufferings, sorrows,
agonies. Why? Sin. The sin of the church was laid
on Him. Sin of the whole church taken
by our gracious Eternal Father and it was laid on His Son. Isaiah 53, He laid upon Him the
iniquity of us all. But this man, that's why he suffered. And he did suffer, not only in
Gethsemane, at the hands of Herod, Pilate, the high priest, he suffered,
he was mocked, scourged, crucified. We cannot even begin to contemplate
the terrible agonies and sufferings of our Lord Jesus Christ. But
if you and I ever get a view by faith of Calvary where the
Lamb was slain, you will then begin to understand a little
of what sin really is. and what it cost the Holy Son
of God to redeem us. You know, it says here in the
Hebrews, He did no sin. So, death had no claim whatsoever
on the glorious person of Jesus Christ. The wages of sin is death,
He did no sin. You might then say, why did he
suffer and bleed and die if he did no sin? We read in Isaiah himself took
our infirmities. He took our sins. He took our
sins. And he suffered in our room,
in our place and in our stead. He was wounded for hours. transgressions. He was bruised
for our iniquities. The chastisement of our peace
was upon him and with his stripes we are healed. You know friends
that is why the Lord Jesus invites his children to the Lord's Supper,
to remember the tremendous cost of salvation. to remember how
it is that we sit there around the Lord's table. Because Jesus
loved us with an everlasting love. Because Jesus lived a holy
life on our behalf. Because Jesus suffered, bled
and died for our sins. He poured out his soul unto death.
He shed every drop of his precious blood. The blood of Jesus Christ,
God's son, cleanseth us From all sin, from all sin, it does
indeed. But this man, after he offered
one sacrifice for sins forever, you see, but it doesn't end there,
does it? Sat down on the right hand of
God, from henceforth expect until his enemies be made his footstool.
For by one offering, he hath perfected forever them that are
sanctified. Now, to be sanctified, there's
various ways of looking at it, of being sanctified. The church,
in a proper doctrinal sense, was sanctified by the Father
when he chose them. He chose a people from every
nation, kindred, tongue and tribe and people. He chose them in Christ. And
in that sense, they are sanctified by the Father. When he separated
them from the rest of the whole of the human race, he separated
a people. He chose a people. Isn't that
very beautiful where our Lord Jesus Christ, he speaks of it
in, I love the prayer of Christ in John 17. because it so beautifully
sets before us precious doctrine. These words spake Jesus and lifted
up his eyes to heaven and said, Father, the hour has come. Glorify
thy son, that thy son also may glorify thee, as thou hast given
him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to
as many as thou hast given him. And this is life eternal, that
they might know Thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom
Thou hast sent. You see, those as many as Thou hast given
Him, sanctified by the Father, and as the Word of God states,
chosen in Christ. In that eternal covenant bond. The father gave the church to
Christ. Before the world began. We read
it several times in the epistles before the foundation of the
world. A people were given to Christ. By his eternal father. He saw them ruined. And listen
to what the hymn writer says, he saw me ruined in the fall.
Yet love me notwithstanding all. He saw us ruined. Our Eternal
Father did. And He purposed in that eternal
covenant to redeem His people and to save His people from their
sins. And He gave His people to Christ. And Christ agreed in that sacred
holy compact or covenant between them that He would redeem them. The Son of God, He purposed in
those eternal decrees that he would be made of a woman and
made under the law. He would come to this sin-cursed
world and live as a man under the law. And fulfill it on the
behalf of his people. And not only that, then that
holy, sacred humanity that the Son of God assumed, He offered
it. He offered it. This one glorious offering. of Christ on Calvary. And I think
it, again in chapter 9, he speaks so beautifully, he starts the
first 10 verses of chapter 9, speaking of the old covenant,
but then in verse 11 he said, but Christ being come and high
priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect
tabernacle, he's now comparing Christ to the tabernacle in the
wilderness, a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made
with hands, that is to say, not of this building, neither by
the blood of goats and of calves, but by his own blood he entered
in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption
for us. For if the blood of bulls and
of goats and the ashes of an heifer spring to the unclean,
sanctifies the purifying of the flesh how much more shall the
blood of Christ who through the eternal spirit that's his divine
nature offered himself without spot to God purge your conscience
from dead works to serve the living God. Oh that precious
blood of Christ that cleanses from all sin you know, one very
peculiar, and I found that the temptations of Satan, the Lord
uses them to teach us. And when I was brought into Gospel
Liberty, I was greatly blessed, greatly blessed, I cannot express
to you the overflowing, I was like nathalized, satisfied with
favor, full of the blessing of the Lord. But on the very following
day, after that happened, Satan came. He said, but this is all
just emotion. This is just religious flesh,
what you're experiencing. He said, you've never been washed
in the blood of Christ. Do you know friends, that brought
me into great deep exercise of soul. It did. You've never been
washed in the blood of Christ. You're not a child of God. This
is not real what you're experiencing. And in much prayer unto the Lord,
it was the lines of the hymn that broke the snare of that
temptation. Every blessing, every favor freely
flows through Jesus' precious blood. And do you know, friends,
it completely broke the snare. I saw that all the blessings
that I'd ever received came through the blood of Jesus Christ. It's
wonderful when the Lord, He says, I will deliver thee from the
snare of the fowler and from the noisome pestilence. And when
the Lord comes and delivers His people, He delivers them. You see, it goes on in chapter
9, in verse 22, And almost all things are by the law purged
with blood, and without shedding of blood is no remission. It
was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the
heavens should be purified with these, but the heavenly thing
themselves with the better sacrifices than these. For Christ is not
entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the
figures of the true, but into heaven itself, now to appear
in the presence of God for us. But this man, after he had offered
one sacrifice for sins forever sat down on the right hand of
God. From henceforth expect him till
his enemies be made his footstool, for by one offering he hath perfected
forever them that are sanctified. Perfected forever. Hymn writer says, doesn't he,
through sufferings perfect, now he reigns, perfected forever. He's speaking here of the Church. Them that are sanctified, they
are made perfect in Christ. The Apostle puts it another way
in the Ephesians, ye are complete in him. Now that word translated
there complete is exactly the same as the word perfect. You're
perfect in Christ, you're complete in him, we're accepted in the
beloved. Oh my beloved friends, this is
the place where salvation is, this is where redemption is,
this is where deliverance from sin is. Are there those of you
here, what a wonderful mercy it is if you are indeed Burdened
with your sins, your iniquities, your unrighteousness. You labour
under such a sense of your sinfulness, your wretchedness, your uncleanness,
your unrighteousness. And it's a burden to you. It's
a heavy burden to you. Our Lord Jesus Christ, he speaks
to you. What does he say? Come unto me. Come unto me. All ye that labour,
and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon
you, and be united to Christ. Take My yoke upon you, and learn
of Me. For I am meek and lowly in heart,
and ye shall find rest for your souls, resting in the blood of
Christ, resting in the righteousness of Christ. Just as Christ now
rests from His labours, So the believer does in Christ. Rest
from all their strivings to fulfill the law, to live a holy life,
something that they find impossible to do. There's a rest in Christ. Let all fruitless searches go
which perplex and tease us, but desiring naught to know but a
bleeding Jesus. That's where the rest of faith
is. The blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all sin. That's
the rest of faith. We're righteous in His righteousness. In His righteousness. You know,
the Apostle, he argues it closely both in the Galatians and in
the Romans. He argues very closely how the
righteousness of the believer It is the righteousness of Christ. He says in the Romans chapter
4, he speaks of Abraham, how he lived by faith. You see, he
says, and as it is written, verse 17, and as it is written, I have
made thee a father of many nations. That's the promise to Abraham
through Christ of the blessings of Christ to many nations. Before
him whom he believed, even God, who quickneth the dead and calleth
those things which be not as though they were. Who against
hope, this is Abraham, who against hope believed in hope that he
might become the father of many nations according to that which
was spoken, so shall thy seed be. And being not weak in faith,
he considered not his own body, now dead. When he was over a
hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sarah's womb,
he staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief, but
was strong in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully persuaded. What a wonderful thing when you
and I are fully persuaded that what he had promised he was able
also to perform, and therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness. Now it was not written for his
sake alone that it was imputed to him, but for us also, to whom
it shall be imputed, that is the righteousness of Christ,
if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead,
who was delivered for our offences and was raised again for our
justification and therefore being justified by faith. We have peace
with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. To be justified is to
be declared free from sin. That's the very meaning of the
word justification. To be justified is to be without
sin. You might say, how can that be?
I'm such a sinner in Christ. in Christ. Good men there are,
but be it known, their goodness dwells in Christ their head,
resting by faith in what Christ has done, in his fulfilling of
the law, in his righteousness. And it's imputed, it's given.
The Father imputes it. But what a tremendous exchange,
wasn't it? in that the Father took our sin and laid it on His Holy Son. He imputed it to His Son Jesus
Christ as if it was His own sin. That is why He suffered. That
is why He bled. That is why He died. But He suffered
and bled and died for our sins but rose again. for our justification,
therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God,
we're declared free from sin, justified in Christ. I've often told you, at the time
of great blessing and that hymn that was made so sweet and precious
to me, under the sense of that blessing, I'm blessed. I'm blessed, forever blessed.
My rags are gone and I am dressed in garments white as snow. You know, friends, that happened
36 years ago. I shall never forget it. I shall
never forget it. I looked for my sins and my sins
could not be found. I was justified. in my risen
Saviour. My sins were left in His grave,
never to be remembered again. My sins. It's a very personal
thing, isn't it? Therefore, being justified by
faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
by whom also we have access by faith into this grave wherein
we stand and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Rejoice
in hope of the glory of God. That which is in our Lord Jesus
Christ. There is salvation in none other.
There is none other name given unto heaven whereby you must
be saved but the name of Jesus Christ. Why is it couched in
words like that? Because the gospel and the divine
command go into all the world preaching the gospel unto every
creature. to declare that the only saviour in this world is
Jesus Christ. It doesn't matter where you live,
it doesn't matter what tribe you belong to, there's only one
way of salvation. There is none other name given
under heaven, whereby you must be saved, but the name of Jesus
Christ. This is the name the Father loves,
to hear his children please, and all such pleadings he approves
when offered in his name. But this man, after he had offered
one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down. You see, having risen
from the grave, he then led them out as far as unto Bethany, lifted
up his hands and blessed them, and they watched him bodily ascend
into heaven. Sat down, on the right hand of
God. For by one offering he hath perfected
forever them that are sanctified. Sanctified? We've spoken of the sanctification
by the Father. They're sanctified in the cross
of Christ, in the sufferings of Christ. He's removed their
sins, they're sanctified in the life of Christ, in the sufferings
of Christ, in the death of Christ, in the resurrection of Christ,
in the ascension of Christ, so they're sanctified. That's what
the Apostle means in the Corinthians when he is made unto us. Wisdom,
sanctification, sanctified in Christ. And they are sanctified
by the Holy Ghost. when the Holy Ghost enters their
hearts, quickens their soul, convinces them of their sin,
and reveals unto them that Jesus is the way to God, they are sanctified
by the Holy Ghost. So, we sung in our first hymn
of the Trinity, you see, they're all involved in the salvation,
in the sanctification, the Holy Spirit when he quickens a poor
sinner, he lives in their heart, he dwells in their heart, he
sanctifies them. All to know that sanctifying
power of the Holy Ghost in our hearts. And the true conviction
of sin and the sense of our unworthiness and then the Holy Spirit work
in faith and revealing Christ. And we're sanctified by the Spirit
in Christ. You see, for God has sent forth
the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, Abba, Father. For this man, after he had offered
one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down on the right hand of
God, from henceforth expecting till his enemies had made his
footstool, for by one offering he had perfected forever them. are sanctified. May the Lord
add his blessing. Let us now sing together hymn
number 120. The tune is Newcastle 194. With joy we meditate the
grace of our high priest above, His heart is made of tenderness,
his bowels melt with love. Hymn 120, tune Newcastle 194. O come, O come, all ye faithful
joyful and triumphant O come, O come, all ye faithful joyful
and triumphant ? God made the sin of the living
? ? In the hands of evil men ? He learns what so temptations
be, He learns what so temptations be, now and then as well. ? God's faultless angel ? ? Scent
of pure ? ? With grace redeem us all ? ? Our stranger's hurry
does he go ? O say does that star-spangled
banner yet wave O'er the land of the free and the home of the
brave? In the days of good offerth,
O come, ye bright and dear, And in this leisure, feel so fresh And in His measure, fills a fract
of care. Remember, bless. He'll never quench the smoking
flames but raise it to a flame. The bruised and weeping never fade. ? Her beauty break beneath the
bright stars ? ? And her happiness reigns ? ? And let us sing her
praise ? ? His mercy and his love ? ? We
shall obtain him, we pray ? ? We shall obtain him, we pray ? Now, may the grace of our Lord
Jesus Christ, the love of God the Father, the sacred fellowship
of the Holy Spirit, rest and abide with us each. Amen.