I commence our service this afternoon
by singing hymn number 615. The tune is Corinth, number 669. Sinners called by grace and blessed
with a living faith in Christ must not think to be caressed
by a world of sin and vice. Satan's agents cannot love the
Savior's choice. Let this thought the Christians
strengthen. Jesus' name is life and peace. Angels have not skill to mention
half his wisdom, power, or grace. Souls that trust him soon shall
see him face to face. Hymn number 615. The tune is
Corinth number 669. ? Hail to thy gracious person ?
? With the healing light in Christ's eyes ? ? A small thing to be
confessing ? ? I'm not one of those infant lights ? ? Sages,
sages, sages, sages, sages, sages ? ? Satan's agent ? ? And Lord
of the sacred joys ? ? When this broken vision shattered ? ? His wisdom, his might, and peace
? ? Angels have no skill to mention ? ? Of his wisdom, love, or grace
? Souls that trust him, souls that
trust him, soon shall see him face to face. ? When they suffer for a season
? ? For the name of Christ their Lord ? ? And at times they never
reason ? Why smash the roots of angels? Sir, he'll teach them, Sir, he'll
teach them, and the home of the brave? Happy Easter! ? Take this sinner ? ? Attend you
to Jesus' sake ? ? He who endures ? ? Lies the winner ? ? All victory
shall partake ? ? Jesus will march ? ? Jesus will march ?
? And the song shall be heard ? ? I am born of God, make them patient,
? ? Jesus is their Son to be. ? Lordest angels, darkest nations,
wake up, start the time of day. May we ever, may we ever live
and try, dear Lord, to be. to the Book of Psalms number
103. If I'm reading this afternoon, the
Book of Psalms number 103. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and
all that is within me, bless his holy name. Bless the Lord,
O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, who forgiveth all
thine iniquities, who healeth all thy diseases, who redeemeth
thy life from destruction, who crowneth thee with lovingkindness
and tender mercies, who satisfieth thy mouth with good things, so
that thy youth is renewed like the eagle's. The Lord executeth
righteousness and judgment for all that are oppressed. He hath
made known his ways unto Moses, his acts unto the children of
Israel. The Lord is merciful and gracious,
slow to anger and plenteous in mercy. He will not always chide,
neither will he keep his anger forever. He hath not dealt with
us after our sins, nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. For as the heaven is high above
the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him. As far as the east is from the
west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us. Like as a father pitieth his
children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him. For he knoweth
our frame, he remembereth that we are dust, As for man, his days are as grass,
as a flower of the field, so he flourisheth. For the wind
passeth over it, and this is gone, and the place thereof shall
know it no more. But the mercy of the Lord is
from everlasting to everlasting, upon them that fear him, and
his righteousness unto children's children, to such as keep his
covenant, and to those that remember his commandments to do them. The Lord hath prepared his throne
in the heavens, and his kingdom ruleth over all. Bless the Lord,
ye his angels, that excel in strength, that do his commandments,
hearkening unto the voice of his words. Bless ye the Lord,
all ye his hosts, ye ministers of his, that do his pleasure. Bless the Lord, all his works
in all places of his dominion. Bless the Lord, O my soul. May God bless to us that reading
from his holy word and may he teach us each how to pray. Kind and gracious, Most merciful
Lord, we once more gather in this house of prayer. Lord, once
more we need thy help here in our worship. Lord, we pray, Lord,
that thy presence and thy blessing might be made known here this
afternoon. That thou followest thy blessing,
those things spoken in thy name this morning. Lord, we pray and
beseech thee that thou water the word that has been sown,
that it may, Lord, bring forth much fruit to thy honour and
thy glory. And Lord, we pray that this afternoon
thy word may find an abiding place in our hearts, that we
may be prepared of thee to receive the word that thou would have.
have brought before us this afternoon. We pray for that application
of thy spirit. Lord, that thou seal it into
our hearts. May it remain there and abide
there as that nail in a sure place. Pray, Lord, that thou
work that word in our hearts that we may be both hearers and
doers of the word. Lord, we do ask that thou would
have mercy upon us and grant us, Lord, thy presence, that
we may behold thee, that we may hear thy voice. Lord, you speak
to those that desire and to those that have no desire. Lord, may
none of us, Lord, go away unmoved, but may thy presence and thy
blessing make that vital difference in our worship this day. Lord, we do thank thee for the
multitude of thy mercies. We ask, Lord, that thou continue
thy favour Lord, we pray that thou supply every need according
to thy riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Lord, do deliver us from
the influences of Satan. Lord, do keep our hearts and
minds, draw them to thyself. Lord, lift us above the dying,
changing things of this life. Lord, do speak peace and pardon
into troubled hearts. Lord, we ask thy help to each
of the friends. Thou knowest, Lord, each path.
We think of the children, we pray for them, we thank thee
for them, Lord, and to pray that thy blessing might be upon them
each, that thou would call them by thy grace while they are still
young in life. that it may please thee, Lord,
to bring them out of darkness into the marvellous light of
the gospel. Pray that thou deliver them from the power and dominion
of sin. Lord, we pray that thou help
them in the various things that they face. Be with any who have
exams at this time of year. Lord, we pray that their eyes
might be up unto thee. In those times of testing, Lord,
we pray that that they may put thee to the test, proving that
thou art a prayer-hearing and answering God. Grant, Lord, that
they may have their eyes up unto thee, that which this psalmist
said may be true of them. I will lift up mine eyes unto
the hills, for whence cometh my help? My help cometh from
the Lord, which made heaven and earth. Lord, though they may
feel at times to be on their own, Lord, may they prove that
thou art with them, that unseen helper. Lord Jesus, we do pray
that thou be that faithful friend to them each, one that sticketh
closer than a brother, that loveth at all times. Lord, do grant
them thy gracious leading in the choices and decisions that
they have before them. Lord, if they're spared and their
days are lengthened out, Lord, we pray that thou bring them
together one with another in friendships and relationships.
Lord, we pray that thou be at the centre of all things. and
that thy gracious influence might be upon them, and that they may
commit their way unto the Lord. Trust also in him, and he shall
bring it to pass. We pray, Lord, that thou bring
to pass that which is needful and necessary. Pray, Lord, that
thou guide and keep them, that they may not wander off into
the ways of sin, but they may be found Lord, in the Father's
house. And we pray, Lord, that this
rising generation may prove to be that golden generation in
the hearts of whom thy grace and thy love will be made known. Oh, we pray, Lord, that there
may be many pillars in the church of God and many who are made
and fixed in the house of God, in that building not made with
hands. Oh Lord, we pray that thou work
mightily, pouring out thy spirit, Lord, upon this generation. There
may be that turning unto thee and a reviving of true worship
in days to come. Lord, that this nation may be
subject to thy mercy and thy love, that many may be brought
out of darkness into the marvellous light of the gospel. So help
us, Lord, we pray. Bless parents and help them.
Lord, thou knowest all things. Now knowest, Lord, all the pressures,
all the difficulties that arise. Lord, all the things that press
on our time, all those things that weigh heavy upon us. Lord,
how needful Thou art in our day-to-day lives. Lord, we prove that without
Thee we can do nothing. O Lord, do not leave us neither
forsaken Lord, you fulfill that promise. Do confirm us in the
way. Lord, do grant us frequent visits
of thy special love and care and notice. Lord, may those that
have once tasted, handled, and felt once again prove thy love. in their hearts. Say again to
my soul, I am thy salvation. Lord, we do ask that thou guide
and direct those that have matters before them that are seeking
thy direction. Lord, may they hear thy voice
confirming them in the way. This is the way. walk ye in it. Lord, we pray that thou be with
any who feel passed by, any who feel out of the way, any who
may feel, Lord, coldness and deadness in their
hearts. Lord, any who feel to be walking
in darkness and have no light. Lord, you remember them and Lord,
may their hearts go out after thee and find thee precious in
the wanting and in the finding. Oh Lord, we pray that thou in
due time reveal thyself and hasten that time when they may know
that glad hour. And we pray that Christ might
be revealed and made precious, that he may be the altogether
lovely one, again or for the first time. Lord, our lowest,
we pray then be with those that attempted Those who feel overwhelmed
with the wave after wave of temptation that rolls over. Any who feel, Lord, the hardness
and ruggedness of the way, may they prove that their shoes shall
be iron and brass. And as their days, so shall their
strength be. Lord, we pray that thou will
keep us by thy grace. Keep us from bringing reproach. Bring us along the pilgrimage
journey in that right way. Lord, leave us not to go in our
own strength, in our own wisdom. But Lord, keep us ever clinging
and cleaving unto thee. Oh Lord, we pray that thou may
bear thy holy arm and that thou would force that passage through. Lord, we pray that thou would
make a way where there seems to be no way at times and make
all thy mountains a way for us. And Lord, may we be found at
the end of our days. in glory at last. Lord, do deliver us from unbelief,
from any pride. Oh Lord, deliver us from the
sinful inclinations of our hearts. Oh Lord, do have mercy upon us. Remember our older friends, be
with them and help them. Lord, there is the weariness. There are the infirmities. There are those things, Lord,
which are hard and difficult. The things that age, increasing
age brings. The outward man and woman perishes. May the inner be renewed day
by day. Lord, we pray that that thou
confirm them each. And Lord, grant them that at
evening time in life it may be light with them, that thy light
might shine brighter and brighter, leading them home to glory. Lord,
do grant that they may know and feel that thou art with them.
that thou wilt take them by the right hand and lead them through
the passage of death into heaven at last. So Lord, do prepare
us each for that great and awesome day. Lord, though it may take
us by surprise when that day comes, yet may we be made ready,
prepared of thee for whenever that day must come. Oh Lord,
leave us not to be unprepared. Lord, do prepare us by thy spirit. Oh that we may be, Lord, made
right and made ready that when that time comes that we find our Lord Jesus Christ, our good
and glorious shepherd, going on before through those deep
waters. Lord, do remember us then with
the favours that thou barest unto thy people, and visit us
with thy salvation, and grant us, Lord, the blessings of the
riches of thy grace. Lord, you supply every need in
providence. Lord, thou knowest each need. Do supply the needs of this church
and people, and do provide for their pastor continually, we
pray. And we pray, Lord, do accept
our thanks for all that thou hast done, both here and in the
church of God, Lord, we have much to discourage on the one
hand, but Lord, oh, if we are brought to see the many favours
that are ours. Lord, thou hast not taken thy
spirit from this nation. There is still a praying remnant
who sigh and cry for the abominations done in the land. and there is
no famine of hearing the word of God. And Lord, Thou art still
granting pastures to the churches. And Thou art still, Lord, blessing
Thy word. We pray, Lord, that Thou art
send out more labourers into the harvest. And Lord, that Thou
art pour out Thy Spirit and fill the chapels with seeking souls. Lord, that Thou art Turn and
shower down blessings from on high, and Lord, do glorify thyself
in our day. And so Lord, we thank thee for
all thy many mercies to us, and pray that thou continue to be
mindful of us, though we deserve not the least of thy notice.
Lord, in and of ourselves, we are sinners. We come short of
the glorious God, but we look to our Lord Jesus Christ. To whom else can we go? Thou
hast the words, dear Lord, of eternal life. May we hear those
words this afternoon, and may we be blessed with eternal life. Through Jesus Christ our Lord,
in whose name we ask these petitions, and for his sake alone. Amen. We'll continue our service by singing
hymn number 1028. June is Windsor, number 441. Come hither, ye by sin distressed,
and hear the Saviour's faithful word. Soon ye shall enter into
rest, and know that he's your conquering Lord. Does Satan tempt
you to give up, and call no more on Jesus' name? Cast not away
your little hope, Hum hither and behold the Lamb. Hymn number
1028, the tune is Windsor number 441. O hear my plea, my sinning distress,
and hear my sinning prayer. To be a shepherd, To be a shepherd,
? The truth that keeps your glory,
O Lord ? ? God in the east ? ? And Christ in the west ? O'er the land of the free and
the home of the brave? Whose broad stripes and bright stars through
the perilous fight O'er the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly
streaming? ? We give him glory through the
day of sin ? ? Christ shall reign forevermore ? O say can you see, by the dawn's
early light, ? New things to do ? ? From Israel
? ? Here on the land ? ? God be with us today ? ? And
with thy spirit guide us ? ? For evermore to glory be ? In Jesus Christ the Savior between,
Only He is living and strong and true. O'er the ramparts we watched,
were so gallantly streaming? And the rocket's red glare, the
bombs bursting in air, ? This he has done for me this
time ? ? This he hath done for me this time ? ? This he hath done for me this time
? will you turn with me to the
book of Psalms number 103. And with the Lord's help this afternoon,
I'll speak to you from the 10th verse. Psalm 103, verse 10. He hath not dealt with us after our sins, nor rewarded
us according to our iniquities. Psalm 103 and the 10th verse. He hath not dealt with us after
our sins, nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. This you may feel is a beautiful
text this afternoon, but maybe one that you feel no part of,
no part in. Friends, we will begin with the
part that every single one of us in this chapel has in this
text. And it's those two words, our
sins. This text may, at this present
moment, draw a line through this chapel this afternoon, but those
two words gather all of us in. our sins. He hath not dealt with
us after our sins. You see, because every one of
us are sinners, without exception, we have all sinned and come short
of the glory of God. The text may be a wonderful and
precious promise and encouragement to the child of God, and it is,
but there is something in it, and there may be a solemn reminder
or a solemn warning to every one of us, our sins. I wonder if there's anything,
known in your heart of your sin, if we know anything of our sin. If your religion and my religion
is real, this will be taught us, that we will know something
of it, our sin. This is knowledge, isn't it? Vital knowledge. This knowledge
is a precious gift when it is given this side of the grave. Our sin. Friends, if you and
I live and die and we know nothing of our sin, what a solemn thing
that is. Why is it solemn? Because if
when you come to the end of your days and you know nothing of
your sin, and nothing is known to you of you being a sinner
in the sight of God, what a solemn thing when all of this timed
state comes to an end. And at that great and awesome
day you find that knowledge. That there is a God in heaven.
That we have sinned and come short of his glory. That having
been made in his image, we have so sinned right through our lives. And we have had no regard of
our creator. and that which was upon mankind. To love God and to keep his commandments,
we have known nothing of it, nothing of our failings, nothing
of our sin, nothing of our shame. Then what a beginning, that never-ending
eternity, a realization being brought to bow at the feet of
Jesus, to confess that he is Lord of all, to the glory of
God, and then to be cast into outer darkness. No, to that place
reserved for the devil and his angels, where God is not, and
where it is an everlasting and eternal punishment for sin. Friends, your minds have already
switched off, having heard this so many times before. But friends,
these things are so solemn. So solemn. Our sin. You know, what is your life? What is my life? It's but a vapour, isn't it?
It's a short expanse of time. We're living in time, aren't
we? Time has a beginning and time
has an end. And it is in this thing that
we call time, it is in this time whereby the grace
of God is made known. It is in time that the Church
of God is being called by grace. It is in time that sinners are
being brought out of the darkness that they're born in, the darkness
of unbelief and sin. They're brought out of that darkness
in time and they are brought into a knowledge of the Lord
Jesus Christ as their Saviour in time They're brought to pray
to God in time. And they find him merciful and
gracious in time. When time is no more, there is
no more finding him. I wonder if we really understand
this. It's an extremely solemn thing. makes me tremble to even
say it. But when time is no more, the
mercy of God will not be found. Friends, there's a word on my
mind to bring before you, and it's a solemn word. And it's
in Hosea chapter 10, and it's verse 12. Sow to yourselves in
righteousness, reap in mercy, break up your fallow ground,
for it is time to seek the Lord, till he come and reign righteousness
upon you. Time to seek the Lord. There's not one of us, there's
not one one of mankind that will never be able to say, we have
no time. You and I this afternoon, you
can't say you had no time. Time's been given. Time's a precious
gift. How often we waste time. Do we redeem the time because
the days are evil? Do we redeem the time? Time has
been given. It is in time that the Lord is
to be found. And yet, how we fritter time
away. How often we've misspent time. I can look back to many, many
years in my life, and God was in very few, if any of my thoughts,
What a waste of time, if you think of it in that sense. Many,
many years seeking the pleasures of sin for a season. What a waste
of time. What a source of continual regret,
on my part that is. The sermons I sat through of
faithful preaching of my late pastor, I wasted that time. I was filled with seeking pleasures
in the world, seeking prosperity, seeking to make something, to
be something. No seeking of the Lord. You may
say, well, yes, but that's because the Lord hasn't begun with you.
Correct. You're absolutely right. But
that doesn't make me feel any better. And that will not be
a hiding place in the eternity that is spent in hell for those
that have wasted the precious gift of time. It will be one
of the biggest regrets. May the Lord bring these things
as a reality to us. Friends, we are all on the brink
of a never-ending eternity. There's just a mis-breath between
time and eternity. We're to leave this chapel, if
it's the Lord's will, at the end of this service, and most
of us will get into a car and we'll drive somewhere. And will
we make it home? Will we make it to our next place
where we intend to go? Friends, how stands the case? My soul with thee. When you get
in your car, when you go about your life, Oh, has the Lord brought you to consider something
of your latter end? Oh, that word in Osea, that it
is time to seek the Lord. Well, time has been given. I
wonder if you and I will be among those that seek the Lord. Seek the Lord while he may be
found. says the Word of God, call upon
him while he is near. Let the wicked forsake his way
and the unrighteous man his thoughts. Let him turn unto the Lord. Friends,
this is such a solemn thing, isn't it? Our sins. Our sins. We're told in the Word of God,
your sins have separated between you and your God. The Lord's
hand is not shortened that it cannot save, neither is his ear
heavy that it cannot hear, but your sins, my sins, your sins
have separated between you and your God. That's what sin does. It is abhorrent in the sight
of God. Sin is exceeding sinful in the sight of God. Our sins,
And we've all got it, from the youngest to the eldest. Our sin,
our sin. The text says, our sin, our iniquities. Our sins, our iniquities. Those
rebellions against God. those transgressions against
His holy law. Sins, sins of ignorance, still
sin. Sins against light and knowledge,
still sin. Our friends, you and I, we're
in a body of sin and we will ever be in a body of sin until
the day of our death. A born-again sinner, is still
a sinner. When a soul is born again of
the Spirit of the Lord, it does not stop sinning. So what does stop? Well, something comes to an end. When that soul is born again,
sin is then different. As the Lord begins and continues
that work of grace, that soul that's born again, something
will be revealed and taught, and that is that soul's sinnership. And they will acknowledge, they
will know that they have sinned. David, when he backslid he went
on in that sin for a number of months until the Lord sent Nathan
to him, the prophet and Nathan spoke that little
parable and David's heart rose up in judgement in hearing of
that little parable, that account and then there came the application
Thou art the man. What happened to David? Well, he fell under that word. And what was his language? I
have sinned against the Lord. Not Uriah the Hittite. Yes, he had. He had. He'd taken that man's wife. He'd
arranged for his death. I have sinned against the Lord.
That's who we sinned against. I have sinned against the Lord.
Oh, that's true knowledge, isn't it? An understanding. I have sinned against the Lord. And another effect of that, of
the new birth, and there's many and numerous effects of the new
birth, but another one is this. That soul will acknowledge that
God is just in condemning their sin. They won't be able to shrug it
off. There will be that acknowledging
that God is just and right and that his righteous law has
been broken by them. And doesn't the hymn writer sum it
up? This is strong language. And
if my soul were sent to hell, thy righteous law approves it
well. There's an understanding that
God is right and true and just in condemning them because they
have sinned against him and acknowledging that that sin and what it deserves
that there is punishment for sin and the sinner is brought
to own not only their sin but the just punishment The dying thief said, and we
indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deed. This man has done nothing amiss. There is a vital teaching. Our sin, who the sin is against,
what the sin deserves, Because it is a rebellion against God. It is totally against what he
would command. And the wages of sin is death. The wages of sin is death. What
your sins and my sins earn, what they deserve, what our wretched
lives polluted with sin deserve is to be ended and our souls
to be cast into hell fire. What a solemn thing. Eternal punishment is what's
deserved. That's the just and righteous
punishment. But our text this afternoon is remarkable, isn't it? He hath not dealt with us after
our sins. This is David writing. He doesn't say, he hath not dealt
with me, although he could have done, but he says us. And in saying us he speaks of
more than himself. In fact he speaks of the entire
Church of God from Adam to the end of time. Us. Us. He's speaking of the blessings
of God toward a group of people, us. The many made righteous through
Jesus Christ, whose sins are put away at Calvary in the shedding
of his precious blood, us. Now, I wonder, I wonder if there's
a few this afternoon and the our sins It is as far as you
are. Oh, but now you say, oh, I want
to be among the us. David and his men, David and
his people, David and the church of God. I want to be among the
many made righteous. I want to be among the us. The
ones that he has not dealt with us after our sins. nor rewarded us according to
our iniquities. It's our sins, our iniquities. But it's us, isn't it? What about you? And what about
me? What group are we in? Are we
in David's group? Are we reasons to hope? that
we're numbered among the us here, spoken of, for there's only two groups,
aren't there? There's the us that David speaks of, or the
them, which aren't in this text. In the blessings of the text,
they're in the solemn and most serious part our sins, our iniquities,
us as sinners, but what about us who are not dealt with us
after our sins? Us whom the Lord has dealt differently
with. Oh friends, is that your desire
to be numbered among them? Maybe it's after you the sweet
persuasion that despite all your sin, and shame and all your fear and
all your unbelief. There's a little hope in your
heart that you can creep in with David, with Manasseh, with Amiri
and come low at the feet of Jesus and find compassion The compassion
of God through the eternal Son of God. He. He. Oh, it's He, isn't it? It's He. He. Who is this He? Saul? In the days of David? No. Is
it Saul that he's escaped from? No. What is it? Who is this He? This is the Lord God Almighty. He who should deal with us after
our sins. He who should banish us for an
ever-ending eternity to hell with the devil and all his angels. who we have so basely and vilely
sinned against. He, who in former days we've
had no time for, had no regard for, had no love for, had no thoughts
for. He. He hath not It's not he hath dealt with us,
he hath not dealt with us. How can this be true? How can
he not deal with us after our sins? How can he not reward us
according to our iniquities? How can you, those of you this
afternoon who feel something of your sin and guilt and know
and feel the Lord is just to condemn you to hell, How? How can he not deal with you? You know it must be dealt with.
Every sin will be dealt with. There's not a sin that will not
go unpunished. Do we understand this? If there's an us, whose sins
are not to be punished on them, then who is this and how is this
possible? Who is this that can speak such
a word? He has not dealt with us after
our sins, well what has he done with it then? If He's not to deal with you
and me according to what His word, His declares will be done, the wages of sin is death, sin
must and will be punished, how can the Word of God say He's
not dealt with us after them? Who has been dealt with after
them? If you're not to be dealt with
them, dealt with, according to your sin. If God is not to deal
with you according to your sins, how your sins deserve, how can
this be possible? Well, it's because somebody has taken it. Somebody has taken
your place. Somebody else has become responsible
Somebody else has become your substitute. Somebody else has
stood in for you. Somebody else has been made willing
to be dealt with on your behalf. Somebody else has stepped in
and said, deal with me after their sins and don't deal with
them after them. but deal with me according to
thy holy law." Who is this He then? Well, in these great transactions of
covenant love and mercy, it is our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. He has been dealt with after
the church of God's sin. He was made to be sin, who
knew no sin. He was completely free from sin,
innocent, innocent, sinless, spotless, holy and pure. But according to the holy will
of God, he was made to be sin. And how was he made to be sin?
Because God took all of the sin of his people. And as you might
laden an ass or a mule and put a great burden on its back, so
in that same way, the sin of the church of God was taken from
off of them and laden on him. loaded on him. And that is why and how it's
possible that God has not dealt with David and the us that he
speaks of after their sin. Not because he's brushed it aside,
swept it under the carpet as it were, said don't worry about
that, Now he's put someone else in
the place. He's chosen one to stand in for
them. Not one for each one, one man
for the whole Church of God. One man. His own dear Son, the
Eternal Son of God. The coming of our Lord Jesus.
that great work of salvation, the redemption, the putting away
of sin, the blotting of it all out, the making of peace between
God and His Church, the reconciling between the two that were so
far off, God and man, in Jesus Christ. They're reconciled, they're
brought together, they come together. The Church of God in Jesus Christ
are one. He is the head, many members
of the body, and they're made perfect and whole in Him. He,
He was dealt with after their sins. He was taken. He was led out of the city. He
was taken to Mount Calvary. It was He who was nailed to the
cross. It was without the shedding of
blood, there is no remission of sins. And He let out that
precious blood. A fountain was opened in the
wounds of Jesus Christ for sin and for uncleanness. A precious fountain that washed
away all sin. Oh, may it be for you and I. He has not dealt with us. according that he hath not dealt
with us after our sins, nor rewarded
us according to our iniquities." It's that precious truth of substitution,
isn't it? Behold a scene of matchless grace. What is this matchless grace
that's displayed? Jesus in the sinner's place. Heaven's brightest glory sunk
in shame that rebels might adore his name. Oh, this dealing not
according to our sins, not rewarding us, not giving us the wages due
unto us, which is death. It is that putting away of sins
It is that paying of the price of our Lord and Saviour Jesus
Christ. It is the very substance of the
Gospel of Jesus Christ. He hath not dealt with us. And there's hope, isn't there?
There's hope for the sinner in this precious truth, there's
hope in the gospel of Jesus Christ and there's hope for sinners
in their body of sin as they're waiting for that great change
to come that death will bring and time will be no more. He
has not dealt with us after our sins and will never deal with
us after our sins. those that were laid on the Lord
Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane, that which he bore into the judgment
hall and carried to the cross at Calvary, and that which was
put away. Friends, it will never be made
known again. He's taken our sin and it's cast
into the sea. It's cast behind his back. It's
remembered no more. It's taking it right out of the
way. On that day, they lay, didn't
they, the priest's hands, he laid them on the head of the
scapegoat. And he confessed his sins and
the sins of the people. And that goat was then led out
of the camp and into the wilderness by the hand of a very fit man
and it was it was taken away into the wilderness it was never
seen again into the land of forgetfulness oh such a beautiful thing isn't
it as a scapegoat the lord jesus taking the sin right out of the
way blotting it out as a thick cloud our sins and a cloud our
transgressions. And he says, return unto me,
for I have redeemed thee. There is a taking it out of the
way, and a way made, a way made through this world, a path of
faith and prayerful dependence upon the Lord, a looking forward
in hope, a praying for more assurance, Friends, do not rest. Those of
you that have a little hope in the Lord Jesus, pray on that
you might know more and more. Oh, friends, what a great day,
a day of our death is. What need we have to be prepared
for it? Who can prepare us but the Lord? Oh, may none of us be left to
that great day to have to deal with all these sins ourselves. Friends, if the Lord Jesus Christ
didn't deal with our sin, if he hath not dealt with us, if
our sin was not laid on him, if it wasn't among those many
sins that were put away at Calvary, friend, what an awful thought.
an awful thought, what a prospect lies before, to be made a true
believer, washed in the Redeemer's precious blood, brought into
a concern over our sin, brought to see our danger, see that our
sins demand a punishment and be by the grace of God, brought
to see the hope for sinners in Jesus Christ and Him alone. Our sinners in time, fleeing
to Him for refuge, fleeing to Him for His mercy, coming to
His feet in prayer, like the publican who could not so much
as lift his eyes to heaven, such was his guilt, and shame and
sin that smote upon his breast, saying, God, be merciful to me,
a sinner. He says, I will, he will regard
the prayer of the destitute and not despise their prayer. Oh,
the mercy, the love, the glorious, free and sovereign grace that
is bound up in Jesus Christ for poor, guilty, wretched, undone
sinners. Sinners can say, and none but
they how precious is the Saviour. And to you therefore which believe,
He is precious. I wonder, you answer it yourself. Is He precious to you? Is He? In the wanting of him, he's precious.
Is he precious? Is he precious in the finding?
Is he precious to you? Do you have that religion of contrasts? On the one hand, you see all
your guilt and shame and sin, and on the other hand, you see
the glorious person and work of Jesus Christ. And your heart
goes out after him, Oh, I could from all things parted be. You
can't bear the thought. Never, never, Lord, from Thee.
You can't live without Him. You can't die without Him. You
can't do without Him. Must have Him. Oh, if I'm to
be found in heaven. Oh, if I'm to be found right
at last. Must be Jesus. Jesus only. He hath not doubt. There is a people that are saved
with an everlasting salvation. And there are many, many sinners
made righteous, but is a remnant according to
the whole number of mankind, but there's many. And what should
concern you and I? It's me, Lord. Am I one of them? Am I? Am I among those? Am I one of these us? I don't
deserve it. I know I don't deserve it. I'm
a great sinner. A 500-pence sinner, maybe, you
feel to be. The Word of God says, the blood
of Jesus Christ, His Son, cleanseth us from all sin. Oh, that makes
you one of the us. Washed in the Redeemer's blood.
Be clothed with His righteousness. Everything that seems so wrong
in your life, in your soul, look into the Lord Jesus, everything's
so right. Everything's finished, everything's
perfect. Everything's complete. Lord then
press toward a mark for the prize of the high calling of God in
Christ Jesus. Now may the Lord draw you and
draw me and grant us wisdom to know, true wisdom to know what
to do with that knowledge. Be made wise unto salvation,
the knowledge of sin, the wisdom of God when it's given, brings
a soul to flee to the Lord Jesus, to find refuge there, because
he has not dealt with us after our sins, nor rewarded us according
to our iniquities. Amen. We conclude our service this
afternoon by singing hymn number 761. The tune is Richmond Street,
number 394. Show pity, Lord. O Lord, forgive. Let a repenting rebel live. Are not thy mercies large and
free? May not a sinner trust in thee? My crimes are great, but don't
surpass the power and glory of thy grace. Great God, thy nature
has no bound, so let thy pardoning love be found. Hymn number 761,
the tune is Richmond Street, number 394. ? Is born the Lord to thee ? ?
And shall be blessed ? ? Evermore be ? ? The power of thy mercy, God,
can free ? ? Make all who trespass in thine trust in thee. ? ? Thy cross shall break ? ? And
the curse shall pass ? ? The power and glory ? ? Of thy grace
? ? Wait for thy nature as the ground
? ? Surrendered like a midnight cloud ? ? Then wash my soul from every
sin ? ? And make my guilty conscience clean ? Give, O my God, the heaven-light,
and what salvation may my past ? Thy gift is shape ? ? And strength
of rest ? ? Against thy foe ? ? Against thy grace ? ? Oh, say does that star-spangled
banner yet wave ? ? O'er the land of the free and the home
of the brave? ? ? Christ the Lord be with you ?
? Sing with me to thy birth ? ? Thy powers prevailing ? ? Spirit
just in death ? and give my soul, O Christ, heaven
to help thee, my righteous Lord, have mercy on me. ? Yes, they but may stay in the
Lord ? ? His service will o'er bring them life ? Good night, old star, sleep well
on his bed. Sun shows up, water paints his
head. Dear Lord, do forgive all that
thy pure and holy eyes have seen amiss in our worship here this
day. Do take us each home in peace
and in safety. And now may the grace of our
Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God the Father and the fellowship
and the communion of the Holy Spirit rest and abide with us
each now and for evermore. Amen.