The notices for the week. If the Lord will, pastor will
preach next Lord's Day at 10.30 and two o'clock. Pastor will
also preach on Thursday evening at seven o'clock. There will
be a prayer meeting on Tuesday evening at seven o'clock. May the Lord help us to commence
the worship of God today with hymn number 684, the tune Omnipotence
200. Of cistern waters art thou sick,
and loathes the mire they bring? Then hither stretch thy thirsty
neck, and taste Living Spring. Hymn 684, tune Omnipotence 200. and waters of the sea, and birds
of the green. Then with a stretch of thirsty
hand, ? And takes the heav'nly stream
? ? As pain that it should grow narrowed ? ? When you exult and
turn ? ? And God be God, my God is God ? ? Praise to thee, God of God ? When truth bursts like
this, it makes a fortune too. His words are fond with every
ear. ? With eyes full of song ? ? Hark the herald angels sing ?
? O'er the land of the free ? ? And the home of the brave ? ? Is free from sin and trial and
troth ? ? Is the hill that's the willow ? ? Is the willow
that's the willow ? the heavenly king, and by his spirit praise. He draws the thirsty to his spring,
urging ? And sing his praise ? ? God, for me, I thy secret touch
? ? O man, for thy chastisement ? From the Holy Word of God, We'll read together the Acts
of the Apostles, Chapter 20. The Acts of the Apostles, Chapter
20. And after the uproar was ceased,
Paul called unto him the disciples, and embraced them, and departed
for to go into Macedonia. And when he had gone over those
paths, and had given them much exhortation, he came into Greece,
and there abode three months. And when the Jews laid wait for
him, as he was about to sail into Syria, he purposed to return
through Macedonia. And there accompanied him into
Asia, Sopater of Berea, and of the Thessalonians, Aristarchus
and Secundus, and Gaius of Derbe and Timotheus, and of Asia, Titicus
and Trophimus, These going before tarried for us at Troas. And we sailed away from Philippi
after the days of unleavened bread, and came unto them to
Troas in five days, where we abode seven days. And upon the
first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break
bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow,
and continued his speech until midnight. And there were many lights in
the upper chamber where they were gathered together. And there
sat in a window a certain young man named Eutychus being fallen
into a deep sleep. And as Paul was long preaching,
He sunk down with sleep and fell down from the third loft and
was taken up dead. And Paul went down and fell on
him and embraced him and embracing him said, trouble not yourselves
for his life is in him. When he therefore was come up
again and had broken bread and eaten and talked a long while
even till break of day, so he departed. And they brought the
young man alive and were not a little comforted. And we went
before to ship and sailed unto Assos, there intending to take
in Paul, for so had he appointed, minding himself to go afoot. And when he met us, met with
us at Assos, we took him in and came to Mytilene. And we sailed thence and came
the next day over against Chios. And the next day we arrived at
Samos, and tarried at Progolium, and the next day we came to Miletus. For Paul had determined to sail
by Ephesus, because he would not spend the time in Asia. For
he hasted, if it were possible for him, to be at Jerusalem the
day of Pentecost. And from Miletus he sent to Ephesus
and called the elders of the church. And when they were come
to him, he said unto them, ye know from the first day that
I came into Asia, after what manner I have been with you at
all seasons, serving the Lord with all humility of mind and
with many tears and temptations, which befell me by the lying
in wait of the Jews, and how I kept back nothing that was
profitable unto you, but have showed you and have taught you
publicly and from house to house, testifying both to the Jews and
also to the Greeks, repentance toward God and faith toward our
Lord Jesus Christ. And now, behold, I go bound in
the Spirit unto Jerusalem, not knowing the things that shall
befall me there, save that the Holy Ghost witnesseth in every
city, saying that bonds and afflictions abide me. But none of these things
move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might
finish my course with joy, and the ministry which I have received
of the Lord Jesus to testify the gospel of the grace of God. And now behold, I know that ye
all among whom I have gone preaching the kingdom of God shall see
my face no more. Wherefore I take you to record
this day that I am pure from the blood of all men. for I have
not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God. Take heed therefore unto yourselves and to all the flock over the
which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers to feed the church
of God which he hath purchased with his own blood. For I know
this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in
among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall
men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples
after them. Therefore watch and remember
that by the space of three years, I ceased not to warn everyone
night and day with tears. And now, brethren, I commend
you to God and to the word of his grace, which is able to build
you up and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified. I have coveted no man's silver
or gold or apparel. Yea, ye yourselves know that
these hands have ministered unto my necessities and to them that
were with me. I have showed you all things,
how that so laboring ye ought to support the weak. and to remember
the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, it is more blessed
to give than to receive. And when he had thus spoken,
he kneeled down and prayed with them all. And they all wept sore
and fell on Paul's neck and kissed him. sorrowing most of all for
the words which he spake, that they should see his face no more. And they accompanied him unto
the ship. May God bless to us that reading
from his holy word. May he help us each in prayer. kind and gracious and most merciful
and eternal Lord God in heaven. We come into this house of prayer
this Lord's Day morning and seeking a spirit of true reverence and
godly fear. As we gather ourselves around
thy word this Lord's Day morning, We do pray thy blessing and thy
presence to be made known here this day. Grant us, Lord, we
pray, that thou lift up the light of thy countenance upon us, and
that thou shine with light, life, and liberty into each heart. Grant, Lord, we pray thy Holy
Spirit. We seek, Lord, that there may
be that pouring out of the Holy Spirit of God here this day. In our hearts and upon the worship
here this day. Grant, Lord, that we may find
drawn out from us that prayer and praise. and a spirit of true
thanksgiving. And Lord, we pray that we may
not mock Thee in our assembly, but that we may have, Lord, that
honest heart before Thee. For Thou seest us, Lord, exactly
as we are. Nothing is secret or hidden with
Thee. Lord, man looketh upon the outward
appearance, that God looketh on the heart. We pray then that
thou would help us and send us that help that we need. For Lord,
thou seest our need. We are poor sinners and we come
to worship a holy, holy, holy God. Lord, we confess that we
are sinners by nature. and at our best, disdained and
died with sin, and our all is nothing worth. And Lord, we stand
in need of thy gracious help. Lord, that thou look upon us
with thy divine compassion. Lord, that thou forgive us our
many sins, the sins that are mixed with our worship, that
the sins that are in our prayers, Lord, We pray that thou cover
with a mantle of thy forgiving love all that is amiss in our
worship and in us each, in our lives and in our hearts. We pray that in thy great compassion
that thou would open thy gracious hand and satisfy thy poor with
bread We seek for living bread. We seek, Lord, for that food
for our souls. We seek for thy word to be made
powerful and effectual in our hearts. And we seek thy honour
and thy glory, that we may lose sight of each other, and that
we may see no man save Jesus only, that in his dear face we
may see the whole of the Godhead shining. And so, Lord, we pray
that Thou would be one in our midst, that dear Lord Jesus,
Thou would present Thyself here in our assembly, and that Thou
would glorify Thy great and holy name. May we be brought down
to Thy feet And Lord, may we view those nail-pierced
feet, and may we find written there our pardon and our peace
with God. Lord, do show us our needs as
sinners. Lord, what need we have of those
precious and life-giving wounds Oh, what need we have of a saviour
of sinners. What need we have of that precious
blood which cleanseth us from all sin. We pray, Lord, that
thou would teach us each our need and lead us to thyself as
the answer to all of our needs. And there are those, Lord, who
have needs in providence, There are those, Lord, that have needs
in their day-to-day lives. Those that have their concerns,
those cares. Those, Lord, that have those
burdens. Lord, Thou knowest the need of
each. And we do pray that we may be
brought in all our need. Lord, we pray that we may not
think in our ignorance and foolishness that we can manage the smaller
things. Lord, may we, Lord, be found
heeding the exultation, casting all your care upon him, for he
careth for you. Cast thy burden upon the Lord,
and he shall sustain thee. O Lord, we pray that thou wilt
grant us then that true wisdom which casts all on the dear Saviour
of sinners. Those things that we have today
and tomorrow, those things in providence, Lord, how much more
those things concerning our never-dying souls, the things of grace. O may, Lord, all those cares
be cast on thee, and in our casting prove thy care of us. O Lord, do reveal them thy particular
love and care toward us each. the secret love of God. May we
find it springing up, Lord, in hearts that maybe feel dry and
barren and dead. Oh, we pray, Lord, that there
may be a living fountain of water bubbling up and overflowing and
turning the wilderness into a fruitful field, bringing
joy and peace and the love of God in Christ Jesus. So help us each, Lord, we pray. Do remember this church and congregation. Do remember their dear pastor,
Lord, preaching at Heathfield this day, granting my watchful
care Lord, may he be under the shadow of the Almighty. And Lord,
we pray that thou own and bless his labours there. And we pray,
Lord, that thou bless his labours here week by week. And may there
be the signs following the preaching of the word. And do encourage
him, Lord, and strengthen his hand as he seeks to sow the word
of life. Oh, Lord, may it be that as he
goes forth weeping, bearing precious seed, that he shall doubtless
come again rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him. Lord, do
supply his need, thou knowest his pathway. Lord, be with him
in that path he now is walking. Lord, we pray that thou would
comfort him and sustain him. And Lord, ever be with him feelingly. May he, Lord, ever feel that
thou art with him. And may that same prayer be,
Lord, for each. Oh, may each feel thy presence. Lord, we ask that thou remember
the church here. Do bless and be with and strengthen
and help them. Do unite them together. Do bind
them together in the bonds of love and peace. Do pour out thy
spirit upon them. O Lord, may they continue steadfast
unto the end. Lord, do add to them from the
congregation we pray. And Lord, we ask that thou build
them up in their most holy faith. And build them up in numbers
if it could be thy will. and glorify thyself here in the
gathering in of sinners, in to hear the word of God. Lord, we
pray, remember the congregation and add to them from this village
and surrounding district if it could be thy will. We pray, Lord,
that thou build up the church of God in our day and generation. Lord, that thou glorify thyself
in the conversion of sinners, in, Lord, the new birth. Oh, we pray that there may be
sinners born again of the Spirit of God, and that conversion of
them being witnessed publicly for thy honour and glory. And
may there be, Lord, those constrained by thy love to take up their
cross and to follow thee. Lord, it is that love of Christ
that constrains, and Lord, we pray that that love may be poured
out in abundance. Lord, we ask then that thou remember
this cause of truth, and Lord, we pray that the same for each
of the hills of Zion, up and down this land and indeed, throughout
the earth. And remember the ones and twos,
Lord, we pray. And do encourage those, Lord,
that feel to be alone. Lord, thy people are scattered
throughout the earth, and that, Lord, all are dear unto thee.
The majority are unknown to us, but oh, we pray for them each,
Lord, that thou wouldst send that help day by day. And Lord,
that thou would encourage and help and strengthen the Church
of God. Lord, we are called to witness
in a dark and difficult day. And yet, Lord, thou has given
us so many tokens, so many blessings, so many exceeding and precious
promises in thy word. We pray that those promises may
be sealed into each of our hearts by the power of the Holy Spirit. Lord, do remember us then, we
pray, that as Satan seeks to come in like a flood, may the
spirit of the Lord lift up a standard against him. May it be thus far
and no further. May the tide of sin and iniquity
be turned back. O Lord, who may bear thy holy
arm, wilt thou not revive us again, that thy people might
rejoice in thee? Show us thy mercy, O Lord, and
grant us thy salvation. Lord, who deliver us from the
will and way of Satan. Lord, you overturn those things
which are wrong in our nation. Lord, you work in the heart of
our king and the royal household and those in positions of authority
and influence. Lord, you work in the heart of
the common man. May, Lord, thy work appear. Oh, Lord, we pray thee. here
in heaven, thy dwelling place. And when thou hearest, Lord,
do forgive. Lord, we have sinned and come short. As a nation,
we have for the most part departed from thee. And Lord, there are
laws that have been brought in which are contrary to thy holy
word. O Lord, we pray that thou change
these things Oh, may there be, Lord, a changing of many hearts,
a turning from idols to serve the living God, desiring to hear
the word of God, putting the things of God first. May there
be a spirit of godliness and spiritual prosperity poured out,
Lord, and glorify thyself and change these things that are
wrong and grievous in thy sight, and forgive us, Lord. Lord, do
not reward us according to our iniquities, but oh, look in thy mercy and
compassion upon us, and bring us back unto thee, we pray. So help us, Lord our God, Oh,
there are many things that seem impossible for us. We come with
great petitions. Great is our need that, Lord,
thou art great in majesty, wisdom, and in thy love and compassion. Oh, do thou it for thy great
name's sake, we beseech thee. Lord, may we not limit thee because
of our lack of faith. Lord, forgive us our unbelief,
and forgive us, Lord, our every sin, and grant us that gift of
faith, and increase our faith, we pray, that we may come boldly
unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find
grace to help in time of need. Forgive us then our every sin,
and Lord, forgive us the poverty of our worship, and forgive,
Lord, anything amiss in this prayer. May those things which
are of thee remain and abide with us, and everything else
be forgotten that's not of thee. We ask these things, Lord Jesus,
in thy worthy and precious and all-prevailing name. Amen. Hymn 184, Stockton, 913. A fullness resides in Jesus our
Head, and ever abides to answer our need. The Father's good pleasure
has laid up in store a plentiful treasure to give to the poor. tune stockton 913. ? To God is praise so right ? ?
In Jesus' name ? ? And the world rejoices ? ? What so proudly
we hailed ? Let me at this time, let me at
this time, let me at this time, let me at this time, let me at this time, let me at
this time, let me at this time, let me at this time, let me at this time, let me at
this time, let me at this time, let me at this time, let me at this
time, let me at this time, let me at this time, let me at this
time, let me at this time, let me at this time, let me at this time, let me at
this time, let me at this time, let me at this time, let me at this time,
let me at this time, let me at this time, let me at this time,
let me at this time, let me at this time, let me at this time, let
me at this time, let me at this time, let me at this time, let me at this
time, let me at this time, let me at this time, let me at this time, let
me at this time, let me O say can you see, by the dawn's
early light, What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming,
Whose broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous fight,
O'er the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly streaming?
? His fullness shall fill us ?
? Till earth and sky arise ? ? His blood shall chill us ? ? And
make us arise ? ? The Virgin of our hearts ? ?
Our God she is ? ? Still holy is her name ? ? God in grace
ever praise ? ? His peace be upon us ? ? We thank
and sing ? ? He has heard ? ? We thank and sing ? ? All who are
weary ? ? Lord, have mercy on us ? ? Some
may trust thee alone ? ? Some may fear your grace ? ? Some
may trust thee alone ? ? As stations and portals ? ? To
our silent salvation ? ? O come, all ye faithful ? ? Joyful and triumphant ? Which so proudly we hailed, at
the twilight's last gleaming, Whose broad stripes and bright
stars through the perilous fight, O'er the ramparts we watched,
were so gallantly streaming? ? And when we are fainting ? ?
And ready to die ? ? Whate'er befall'd him ? ? His grace will
show ? Will you turn with me to Paul's
epistle to the Philippians, chapter four. With the Lord's help this morning,
I'll speak to you from the verse 13. Paul's epistle to the Philippians,
chapter four, verse 13. I can do all things through Christ
which strengthens me. Paul's epistle to the Philippians
chapter 4 in the 13th verse. I can do all things through Christ
which strengthens me. the context of this wonderful
and powerful statement by the Apostle Paul. The context is
contentment, really. He speaks of the, in the preceding
verses, verse 11, not that I speak in respect of want, for I have
learned in whatever state in whatsoever state I am therewith
to be content. The Lord has taught his dear
servant, as he will with each of his dear children, contentment. And it's a vital and essential
lesson for us each. And may the Lord be pleased to
teach every one of us to be content. There's lots of discontent around,
isn't there? But friends, that isn't the spirit
of Christ, is it? That is the spirit of the world.
It is this contentment. The apostle speaks and writes
elsewhere, godliness with contentment is great gain. He says in verse
12, I know both how to be abased and I know how to abound. He
had been led in his experience in a religion of contrasts, in
a path of contrasts. At times he was abased, brought
very low in circumstances and maybe in spirit. But he also
knew the opposite. He knew what it was to abound
and to feel what he had more than he needed. His cup, as it
were, was running over at times with the goodness and the mercy
and the love of God. And these things are found, witnessed
and evidenced in things in Providence, as the Lord is intertwining the
things of Providence and Grace, so the Apostle found. He says, I know both how to be
abased and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things
I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound
and suffer need. I can do all things through Christ,
which strengthens me. You see, there's a secret to
the contentment. There's a secret, isn't there,
to this being content. He's satisfied, and his satisfaction
has its source in the Lord Jesus Christ. I can do all things through
Christ, which strengthens me. We don't want to take this verse out of context. We don't want
to take it in such a way in isolation that we make it the all things
unlimited. in its scope. But friends, there
is a broadness to these all things. I can do all things. It didn't mean that Paul was
invincible. Yes, in his ministry, the Lord
was pleased to used him in a remarkable way. And at the hand of the apostle,
there were those miraculous things done. But friends, this is a
word of comfort and encouragement to the reader of this epistle. The church at Philippi and the
Church of God to the end of time. And the Apostle Paul tells us
where his help came from, where his strength, where the resolve
that he had was given, who it was that gave it, who it was
that maintained it, who it was that was holding him up, bearing
him through, And what it was, I can do all things. I can do
all things through Christ, which strengthens me. Maybe this morning there are
things in your life and mine and you think you can't do them. You think you can't endure these
things. You think you can't bear these
things. You think these things are too
heavy, too hard, too difficult. And the Lord will have it, have
it so at times. Friends, these things, His presence,
His help, His support, the Lord will have us pray for it, will
have us seek for it. He will be inquired of by the
household of Israel to do these things for them. that the promises
of God are precious. But friends, they're precious,
yes, in the reading of them, but how much more precious in
the praying over them, as we're exercised concerning them, as
we're made to pray for them, to be fulfilled. when we go to
the throne of grace in our need, as sinners, with a, thou hast
said, Lord, I can do all things through Christ. Without me ye can do nothing,
said the Lord Jesus. Paul says, I can do all things
through Christ. Without him, He can't endure, he can't continue. Without him he's not content.
He's a man of like passions as you and I. He's the enemy of
souls, ever present, ever seeking to frustrate, to overturn, to
disrupt his mind, to frustrate him in his calling, in his walking
it out of a profession. And in his particular calling
of the ministry, he was brought to prove first
the need that he had himself, the need of the Lord's presence,
the need of the Lord himself, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ,
the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, the blessed
trinity of persons, essential and vital. If anything was to
be done to the honour and glory of God, if anything by way of
a profession was to be walked out that would be God honouring,
it was vital and essential that the Lord of hosts was with it. And you know, you can read right
through the word of God. And this is a common theme, isn't
it? How vital and essential the Lord
is to his poor people. Moses, if thy presence go not
with me, carry us, the children of Israel, carry us not up hence. If thy presence go not with me, It was vital that the Lord must
be with him if he was to continue, if he was to lead the children
of Israel through the wilderness to the border of the promised
land. My presence shall go with thee,
and I will give thee rest. The promise of the Lord. I can
do all things through Christ which strengthens me. It was really in the reading
in my meditations for the service this morning, it was in reading
of the Acts of the Apostles chapter 20 that the Lord seemed to lay
the word of the Apostle on my mind to bring to you this morning. That passage, a well-known passage
in the Acts of the Apostles. We read, didn't we, together
that Paul was mindful that the Lord had brought it into his
mind and into the mind of others that there was a path of difficulty
lying before him. And yet, go he must. The Lord had put it in his heart
to walk this path. The Lord had called him to it.
Wasn't it one of his own choosing? It was one of the law's determinations. And the Apostle Paul, he was found willing. We have that word, don't we?
Thy people shall be willing. When? In a day of thy power. I wonder if that's what you and
I need. The day of His power to make us willing. A day of
the power of God upon us. To make us willing. To give us
that will. To move our hearts. To move our
minds. to move our feet, maybe to move
our lips. Thy people shall be willing in
a day of thy power. Let me, the Lord, lay these things
to our hearts. We might take up the burden of
prayer, a day of the power of God, sinners made willing, wrought
upon by the Holy Spirit, The power of God as it is revealed
in the personal work of Jesus Christ. You see friends, the
Apostle Paul in our text says, I can do all things through Christ. He's at the center of it. He's
at the root of the matter. He's the foundation of it. He's
the enabler. It is that. It is Christ. The foundation. And there is
power. The power of God is made known
when Christ is revealed in the heart of a sinner. The power
of God is made and revealed. Made known and revealed. As Christ
is revealed, Christ is made precious. And the love of God, the love
of God. You might think that it's the
rod of God that makes the people of God willing. Well, friends, at times the Lord
does chastise and does lay the rod, but the rod is not the means whereby the
Lord constrains his people. The word of God sets before us
that truth, the love of Christ constraineth. And it is love. The gospel is founded, has its
source in the love of God. without the love of God revealed
and made known. There is no power in the Gospel.
The Gospel is a witness and proclaims the love of God toward poor and
worthy sinners. And you can see the love of God
in the sending forth of His only begotten Son into this world
of sin. It has love written over it.
in great letters of pure gold. The love of God, sending His
Son, for God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten
Son. That's love, isn't it? Giving
His only begotten Son to be a sacrifice for sin, to live a life on behalf
of His poor unworthy people. To lay that life down. To so
freely lay it down. To shed that precious blood. There's no love like it, is there? Greater love hath no man than
this. The man lay down his life for his friends. And dear friends,
the Apostle Paul, by the grace of God, taught this. Christ had
been revealed. The Apostle Paul was revealed
to the Apostle Paul on the road to Damascus and in those days
of his blindness that the Apostle Paul had the Apostle Paul revealed
to himself as he'd never had done before. And he had Jesus of Nazareth
Jesus, this one who he had beforehand despised and rejected, he had
this glorious man, Jesus Christ, revealed as he'd never, never
seen him before. And friend, when that takes place,
oh, there's an effect. There must be an effect. It can
never fail to produce an effect. And, you know, with the Apostle
Paul, it was a great revelation. For the Apostle Paul, for Saul
of Tarsus, to be found humbled before Jesus of Nazareth. Friends, we do not, I do not
believe we fully understand What a great work that was in him. But we are told, aren't we? May the Lord glorify himself
as we read the testimony of the Apostle Paul. He had been persecuted in the
church of God and in his own words he had been seeking to
waste it. bring it to nothing, lay it waste, until the Lord intervened. And
on the road to Damascus he did. Saul, Saul, wasn't why persecutest
thou my followers, my friends? Me, why persecutest thou me? When you, if you are brought
to view your sin as being that which is against your
God, the God of heaven and earth, oh, there is nothing like it.
Oh, there's nothing like it. And the effect on the Apostle
Paul was immense. Oh, the change, the conversion
of that man, and how he proved, didn't he, that power of God. You know, love I much, I've much
forgiven. That's what the Apostle Paul
would say if he was here this morning. You ask me, You say
why I love him so much because he has forgiven me and done so
much for me. Born so much, dealt with so much
on my behalf, suffered so much because of my sin. Love I much,
I've much forgiven. Oh may you each pray. May the
Lord lay it on your hearts. Those of you that Oh, you feel
this morning maybe to know so little, maybe to love little. Oh, may the Lord lead you more
and more into his sufferings and sin atoning death. And in
so doing, maybe you see there that it was for you May the Lord
confirm it into your heart. And then the love of Christ will
rise up. Oh, how it's like a springing
well, isn't it? The love of Christ. When a poor
sinner's brought to the foot of the cross, what do they find? Love and grief, my heart dividing. while upon the Lamb I gaze."
Well, there the love of Christ was made known. And that love,
it moved the Apostle Paul. And may it in measure move you
and I. Well, it's the only thing, isn't
it, that can move such heart so stubborn and determined wills
of ours, but the Lord does. He does constrain,
and He does move, and He does draw, and He draws sinners by
the inward working of the Spirit, and brings them out, and He brings
them on in the way and he brings them home to himself. The Apostle
Paul, in our reading, was at the point of his farewell to
the church at Ephesus. And he says, and speaks in verse
19 of something of himself, how he'd been serving the Lord with
humility of mind with many tears and temptations which befell
me by the lying in wait of the Jews, continue opposition against
him. Satan at his right hand resisting
him. This wasn't an easy path. Walking in the love and in the
fear of the Lord, dear friends, it isn't an easy path. May we
not kid ourselves. The way is through much tribulation. There's nothing in the Word of
God which will teach you that it's a path of ease and pleasantness
and peace through the wilderness. Friends, it's a waste house howling
wilderness. It's with dangers, many dangers,
seen and unseen. Oh, it isn't, and don't we find
the enemy of souls seems to be present and at every hand, and
how much more so when a poor sinner takes up his cross and
seeks to follow the Lord. How much more so. But we have
the promise. I will never leave thee, nor
forsake thee. Oh, that's a precious promise,
isn't it? Oh, that was burnt into the heart of the Apostle.
I can do all things through Christ. How and why? Because he has said,
I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. He has reasons. He's not just plucking these
precious things out of thin air. They're based on on the precious
promises of God. They're yay and amen in Christ
Jesus. And the Apostle Paul had proved
them and was still proving them. And he goes on as he speaks to
the elders at Ephesus. He says, behold, I go bound in
the spirit. He's absolutely bound by the
Spirit. He must go. It is with Him. The will of the Lord
has been made known. He must go through with this.
I go bound in the Spirit unto Jerusalem, not knowing the things
which befell me there. But go he must. The Lord has
put it in his path. Has set it before him as an open
door. And through it he must walk. That the Lord is gracious. You know, friends, there's a
precious word, isn't there? When he put forth his sheep,
what follows? goeth before them. You know, may the Lord open that
up to us each. The real meaning of that. When
he put forth his sheep, he goeth before them. What does that mean? What it
means is that there is the promise of
the Lord going before when he puts his people forth in a way. It isn't putting them forth,
putting them into a path, calling them to walk a certain walk,
calling them to walk out a certain path, and then, as it were, following
behind, being at a far off, letting them go alone, ahead in their
own strength, and in their own direction, and in their own wisdom. When he put forth his sheep,
he goes before, as the good shepherd, as it's written in John chapter
10. I am the Good Shepherd. He goes
before His sheep. And I say this this morning to
you, each one of you, is He putting you forth? Is He putting you
forth? Has He put you forth in a path? And if He's put you in that path,
He must go before you. He's promised it. Well, you know,
friends, again, precious word, isn't it, that? It's one the
Lord will have us continually plead. The Lord thou hast said. You know, they're there, friends,
and they're not there just to be, you know, tucked away in
the cupboard, these precious promises. to be at the forefront
of our minds. To be sought and prayed over
continually. To be active in this. The Lord will keep us, I'm sure,
in this. Praying these and pleading these
promises. And at times, the strength your
strength will feel to have all expired. And at times you might feel that
you can't see him before you. And at times you may feel that
you are going alone. But down you must go on your
knees. Again you must plead the promise. And how If the Lord gives you
a word of direction, makes known and intimates to you His will
concerning you, and gives you some grace to take up that and
follow through with it, oh, may He in abundance pour upon you
His Spirit and continually shed abroad in your heart his love
and give you that same determination as the apostle, I can do all
things through Christ which strengthens me. It is Christ that strengthens
so that he can do all those things and can go through with all the
things and can endure all those things. It is Christ that is
the strength of the Apostle, and it's Christ that is the strength
of the Church of God, and it's Christ that must be your strength
and mine, if we're to ever walk in His ways and follow His commands. Paul goes on to say, say I know, not knowing the things
that befall me there, say that the Holy Ghost, this is verse
23 in the chapter we've read, Acts 20, say that the Holy Ghost
witnesses in every city saying that bonds and afflictions abide
in me. And there are those that say,
Paul, it's going to be trouble. And you find it. You read the
next chapter. There were those that tried to
stop him. the Holy Spirit had intimated and said, the next
chapter, Acts 21 verse 4, we're told they find apostles, find
disciples, he says, we tarried there seven days and said to
Paul through the Spirit that he should not go up to Jerusalem. The Spirit of the Lord wasn't
saying he shouldn't go to Jerusalem. But the Spirit of the Lord revealed
to them that Paul was to suffer at Jerusalem. And they took it
upon themselves. And they tried to stop him. Don't
go up. And then even those that went
with him. Even the writer, I'm sure, of
the Acts of the Apostles, the physician Luke, We're told in the next chapter,
that chapter 21, that when he says, and when we heard these
things, both we and they of that place, they sought him not to
go to Jerusalem. That's verse 12. Verse 13, then
Paul answered, what mean ye to weep and to break mine heart?
For I'm ready not to be bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem. for the name of the Lord Jesus. When he would not be persuaded,
we ceased, saying, the will of the Lord be done. I can do all
things through Christ, which strengthens me. Or maybe there
are those, maybe it's godly friends, and they're saying, don't do
this. Trying to put you off. Oh, friends, may the will of
the Lord be done. We go back to our reading of
chapter 20. Verse 24, but none of these things move me. Oh, wonderful thing if that could
be you and me. None of these things. None of
the ill tidings that I might hear. None of the threatenings
of the enemies of God. None of the difficulty of the
way ahead. None of the hardness, the ruggedness
of the way. None of the poverty and maybe
the shame that might come for the name of Jesus. None of these
things move me. Neither count I my life dear
unto me. so that I might finish my course
with joy and the ministry which I have received of the Lord Jesus
to testify the gospel of the grace of God. None of these things
move me. Oh, how can he say this? How
can he seem so detached from all the opposition and all the
difficulty and all the trouble How can he be so serene amidst
tempestuous motion? It's because the Lord is with
him. With Christ in the vessel, I smile at the storm. Oh, that
takes more than natural courage, doesn't it? More than wishful
thinking is needed to carry you through some of these storms,
isn't it? Who can carry you through? Who
can bear you up? Who can lift you above the reach
of all those things that would pull you back and pull you down
and put you off your course? Who is it that can raise you
up? Who is it that can mount you
on eagle's wings and bear you above the reach of all these
inferior things It is on the wings of love, isn't it? On the
wings of love, we come to a close. But we have, don't we, in 1 Corinthians
13, that beautiful discourse on the word charity, that sacrificial
love. And here we have, don't we, In verse four, charity suffereth
long and is kind. Charity envieth not, charity
vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, does not behave itself unseemly,
seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil, rejoiceth
not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth. This is it, verse
seven. in connection with our text this
morning. Charity, it beareth all things, believeth all things,
hopeth all things, endureth all things. What is it you need this
morning? Something to endure? Something
to bear? Feeling to have no hope? the love of God as revealed in
Jesus Christ. Oh, may you seek that the love
of God might be poured out upon your soul, the love of Jesus
Christ toward his poor and worthy people, the love of God toward
you. Oh, that the Lord might make
known his love, that it might be Yea, I have loved thee with
an everlasting love. Therefore, with loving kindness
have I drawn thee. He's drawn you by the bands of
love. He's drawn you and he's constrained
you and he's compelled you to take this path, take up your
cross. Oh, and he will be the one Because
charity never faileth. Love never fails. The love of God never fails. It's everlasting love. An everlasting
love, it has no beginning or end. Eternally loved. Love before the foundation of
the world. Love for all that is to come,
all eternity. Oh, may the love of God be revealed. And in revealing it to us each,
may we find that we can say, I can do all things through Christ,
which strengthens me. Amen. Hymn 904, Tune Colwyn Bay, 903. O Lord, with shame I do confess
my universal emptiness, my poverty and pride. I cannot keep thee
in my sight, nor can I think one thought aright, unless thy
spirit guides. Hymn 904, tune Colwyn Bay, 903.
? Lord, shake my head of rest ?
? My innermost hope and dearest ? ? I've always been there for
thee ? ? My melody in deepest pain ? ?
Oh, can I think of who am I? ? ? The rest my spirit knows
not ? I cannot find my good side, Nor
can I find my good side, Nor can I find my good side, Nor can
I find my good side, Nor can I find my good side, Nor can I find my good
side, Nor can I find my good side, Nor can I find my good
side, Nor can I find my good side, Nor can I find my good
side, Nor can I find my good side, Nor can I find my good
side, Nor can I find my good side, Nor can I find my good
side, Nor can I find my good side, Nor can I find my good side,
Nor can I find my good side, Nor can I find my good side, Nor can
I find my good side, Nor can I find my good side, Nor can
I find my good side, Nor can I find my good side, Nor can I find
my good side, Nor can I find my good side, Nor can I find my good side, Nor can
I find my good side, Nor can I find my good side, Nor can I find
my good side, Nor O'er the ramparts we watched,
were so gallantly streaming? And the rocket's red glare, the
bombs bursting in air, Gave proof through the night that our flag
was still there. ? And ever, God's will to thee
be ever true, ? ? The God we serve will shine evermore. ? ? And I have waited by the day
? ? But he hath waited so dearly ? ? And more than still has died
? Then let this mighty Jesus be
our own salvation, helpfully creating man and being. ? Thy praise, O Christ, exalt ?
? With hymns of happiness roll ? ? And hymns of praise exult
? 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 forevermore. Amen.