Let us commence our service this
evening by singing together hymn number 480. The tune is Oswestry
387. Up to the fields where angels
lie, And living waters gently roll, Fain would my thoughts
leap out and fly, But sing hangs heavy on my soul. Hymn 480 Tune
Oswestry 385 ? To the fields where angels fly
? ? And in waters where we roam ? ? They put my soul in peace
? ? God shed Thine heavenly ? ? On
my soul ? ? Thy wondrous blood giveth life in Christ ? Take this toll of guilt free
from you And thou canst levy when thou
mightst All thy findings in this true time. ? How bright thy bonds now ? ?
Are passing by ? ? And glory so near ? ? To the sky above
? O'er glitt'ring streams these boughs of green, O'er districts
of old, fair and still, O'er life's The fire comes from Thee, my
God, Gives and never endures, Punishment, though I suffer not,
My helping hand, though I suffer not, Then they might find her, rage
and pray. I should have seen the noise,
now all Then we can hear her shaking
feet. Oh, what big thunders round us Praise to thee, Lord, eternal
King, ? Let me admire the lovely face ? ? And, O my love, shall
thou ever see ? Let us read together from the
holy word of God in the first epistle of John And chapter three. The third chapter in the first
epistle of John. Behold what manner of love the
Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the
sons of God, that therefore the world knoweth us not, because
it knew him not. Beloved, now are we the sons
of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be, but we know
that when he shall appear, we shall be like him, for we shall
see him as he is. And every man that hath this
hope in him purifies himself, even as he is pure. Whosoever
committeth sin transgresseth also the law, for sin is the
transgression of the law. And ye know that he was manifested
to take away our sins, and in him is no sin. Whosoever abideth
in him sinneth not. Whosoever sinneth hath not seen
him, neither known him. Little children, let no man deceive
you. He that doeth righteousness is
righteous, even as he is righteous. He that committeth sin is of
the devil, for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this
purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works
of the devil. Whosoever is born of God doth
not commit sin, for his seed remaineth in him, and he cannot
sin because he is born of God. In this the children of God are
manifest, and the children of the devil. Whosoever doeth not
righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his
brother. For this is the message that Ye heard from the beginning
that we should love one another, not as Cain, who was of that
wicked one and slew his brother. Wherefore slew he him, because
his own works were evil, and his brother's righteous. Marvel
not, my brethren, if the world hate you. We know that we are
passed from death unto life, Because we love the brethren,
he that loveth not his brother abideth in death. Whosoever hateth
his brother is a murderer, and ye know that no murderer hath
eternal life abiding in him. Hereby perceive we the love of
God, because he laid down his life for us. and we ought to
lay down our lives for the brethren. But whoso hath this world's good,
and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of
compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him. My little
children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue, but
indeed and in truth, and hereby we know that we are of the truth
and shall assure our hearts before him. For if our heart condemn
us, God is greater than our heart and knoweth all things. Beloved,
if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward
God. and whatsoever we ask we receive
of him because we keep his commandments and do those things that are
pleasing in his sight. This is his commandment, that
we should believe on the name of his son, Jesus Christ, and
love one another as he gave us commandment. And he that keepeth
his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby
we know that he abideth in us by the spirit which he has given
us. May the Lord bless that portion
of his own precious word and grant unto us a spirit of real
prayer. Almighty, most merciful and eternal
God. We do desire to bow before thy
great majesty, to call upon thy great, thy holy and thy eternal
name. We desire to come as poor sinners
before thee, lawbreakers, unholy, unrighteous, unclean. Lord, we painfully feel it. That
which I would, I do not. That which I would not, I do.
I find a law within my members that when I would do good, then
evil is present with me. And so, Lord, that conflict goes
on in the hearts of Thy people. Help us to love Thee, help us
to serve Thee, help us to follow Thee in our day. and in our generation. Grant that tonight the grace
of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God our Father, the sacred
fellowship of the Holy Spirit may rest and abide upon us. May
we experience in our very souls what we read in thy word. For
God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts crying, Abba,
Father. Oh, that we could know that sweet
spirit of adoption, to know that we are indeed the sons and daughters
of the Lord God Almighty. Oh, may we know and sweetly experience
those divine drawings of our eternal Father, drawing us under
his best beloved and all-glorious Son, for none can except the
Father draw. Oh, that we may wait upon thee,
that we may watch unto prayer, that we may be drawn, that we
may have the witness of thy spirit with our spirit. Yea, I have
loved thee with an everlasting love. Therefore, with loving
kindness, have I drawn thee. Oh, may we know that tonight.
We do. humbly beseech them. We pray
to be led of the Spirit of God, for as many as are led by the
Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. Oh, to know those divine
leadings of the Spirit in the poor and in the pure. Ears to hear, hearts to receive,
grace to walk, and at the grace to preach and to speak in thy
great name. Lord, each one of us is absolutely
dependent upon thee, whether it's the speaker or the hearer.
We need thy blessed spirit. We need thee to make one in our
midst. We thank thee for those lovely
words, where two or three are gathered in my name, there am
I. May we prove that tonight. that thou art here and with us.
O Lord, we do pray that thou wouldst graciously remember us
as a church and as a congregation. Remember our brethren, the deacons,
and give them grace, wisdom, and help in all their responsibilities
among us and among the churches. Help us, O Lord, to bear one
another's burdens, thereby fulfilling the law of Christ. Give us that
spirit of kindness, of empathy, of sympathy, one with another. And by this shall they know that
ye are my disciples, because ye have love one to another.
Oh, that that love may be manifested, that love may flow from heart
to heart, that love that covereth a multitude of sins. Oh, that
we could know more of that love, In our hearts, we do humbly beseech
of thee. Lord, we pray for each one of
our brethren and sisters in church fellowship. We thank thee for
them, wherever they may be at this time. We lovingly commend
them to thee and to the word of thy grace, which is able to
build them up and to grant them an inheritance among them that
are sanctified. Lord, we pray that thou, in thy
precious mercy, would grant signs to follow the preaching of the
word, and that we might see sinners come and tell the wondrous things
that thou hast done in their hearts, in their lives. Gracious God, incline thine ear,
we do humbly beseech of thee, and have mercy upon us, we pray
thee. Oh, we do pray, most gracious
Lord, the little ones, the children that are brought into the sanctuary.
Oh, we think of those lovely words, suffer little children
to come unto me, and forbid them not, for of such is the kingdom
of heaven. We thank thee for those words.
Indeed, those words encourage us to pray for the dear children
that the fear of the Lord that is the beginning of wisdom may
be placed in their hearts, and that the word of truth may be
a guide unto them. And we pray for the young friends.
Pray for them that they may be brought to living, vital, saving
faith in Jesus Christ, to know them, to serve them, to follow
them in their day, in their generation. Lord, speak to their hearts,
guide them in all the matters of providence, in their education,
in any employment, regarding a partner in life journey. Lord,
in all these matters, we lovingly commend them to thee and to the
word of thy grace, which is able to build them up and to grant
them an inheritance among them that are sanctified. We earnestly
petition thee for the prodigals that have wandered from the sanctuary,
that have wandered in paths of error and of unrighteousness. Lord, awaken them. Bring them
to realise their lost estate. Bring them to realise their sinfulness. Bring them to realise their need
of being prepared. Bring them to realise there's
a day of judgement. Bring them to realise that Jesus
is the way to God. Sin has to be forsaken and repented
of. Oh, that they would so awaken
our young friends and bring them to Jesus Christ, the only Saviour
of sinners. There may be those, Lord, that
are perhaps even living in this village that were brought up
under the sound of the truth, oh, that thou wouldst visit them
now. And what we think of that one,
O Lord, that we've recently read of, that when he was 100 years
old, remembering the sermon of his pastor and being truly convinced
of his sin and brought to saving faith in Jesus There's nothing,
Lord, too hard for thee. None are beyond thy power. Thou
hast said they shall come. I will bring them from the north
and from the south and from the east and from the west. Gracious
God, we long to see Zion's offspring come. We long to see thy work
and thy power and thy glory as thou usest to be in the sanctuary.
Lord, we pray for each in the midst of the journey of life,
and especially parents, that they may be given grace and wisdom
to bring up their children in the nurture and admonition of
the Lord. May we do nothing that will stumble
them or lead them astray. Lord, we do pray for grace to
be in samples unto the flock and unto our children. And gracious
God, we do pray that thou, in thy precious mercy, would remember
all in the midst of the journey of life. Lord, it's as we grow up and
get older that we become hardened in sin and hardened in unbelief. And thou hast solemnly warned
us and admonished us in thy word, be careful, lest there be in
any of you an evil heart of unbelief. In departing from the living
God, gracious God, put thy hand a second time unto the work.
Make bare thine holy arm in the gospel. Bring them to the feet
of Jesus as poor, penitent, needy sinners, made willing to follow
thee and to serve thee and to forsake all. and to lay aside
every weight and the sin that does so easily beset us. Lord,
let thy work appear unto thy servants and thy glory unto their
children. May the power that brings salvation
be exerted in the word. Those of us, O Lord, that are
now in the evening time of life's journey, we pray that thou wouldst
be gracious unto us. that thou wouldst make us more
spiritually minded and set our affections on things above and
not on things of the earth. Draw my soul to thee, my Lord. Let me love thy precious word.
Hear us, Lord, we do humbly pray thee. Have mercy upon us as a
church and as a congregation. Remember, dear Ina, in her great
age, and grant, Lord, that she may
know that gracious preparation, and at the appointed time an
abundant entrance into thy heavenly kingdom. And she may be able
to say, I know in whom I have believed. Gracious God, do hear
us, we pray thee. Remember any and any particular
trouble or trial, affliction, loss or cross, bereavement, Lord,
undertake for each one. We do humbly pray Thee for Thy
great namesake. We pray, most gracious Lord,
that Thou, in Thy great mercy, always remember this village,
and the glory, the light, and the power of the gospel may shine
into this village. The strongholds of Satan be pulled
down. The kingdom of our Lord Jesus
set up in the hearts of sinners. Let thy work appear unto thy
servants, and thy glory unto their children. O Lord, we do
beseech thee for thy great namesake. Oh, we think of those wonderful
words of promise, of grace. I will bring thy sons from far,
and thy daughters from the ends of the earth, and they shall
come. Lord, we believe they will. and
we watch for thy appearing. And what we pray for our little
house of prayer, we pray that each of the little houses of
prayer up and down our nation, where thy servants stand, where
thy people gather. Lord, we pray that thou wouldst
gather with them and that thou wouldst abundantly bless her
provision and satisfy her poor with bread. Hear us, Lord, we
humbly beseech thee for thy great namesake. We come as poor sinners. We have no claim, no right to
thy mercy, or to thy grace, or to thy love. But have mercy upon
us, O Lord, we beseech thee, in spite of all our sins and
our shortcomings. Return unto Jerusalem with mercies. O Lord, we do beseech of thee, We do thank thee for all thy
tender mercies. We thank thee for all thy goodness
that has passed before us in the way. We thank thee that thy
mercies are new every morning and great is thy faithfulness.
We thank thee for that wonderful and profound glory that there
is in Jesus Christ, that the word that was made flesh and
dwelt among Oh, that profound mystery of godliness of God manifest
in the flesh. The eternal son of the eternal
father. Gracious God, we do thank thee
for the glory of his name, made of a woman, made under the law,
that he might redeem them that are under the law. What a wonderful gospel, Lord.
What a glory there is in the holy person of Jesus Christ.
in his precious life, everlasting righteousness brought in for
thy people. Gracious God, we thank thee that
he sitteth king forever, king of kings and Lord of lords. We
not only thank thee for his holy life and his everlasting righteousness,
but for his holy, glorious sacrifice of Calvary. And sin has been
put away in that sacrifice. God and sinners are reconciled.
His blood cleanses from all sin. O most gracious God, fill our
hearts with gratitude, with thanksgiving. We thank Thee that in Him we
know the love of our eternal Father. Through Him we receive
the wonderful gift of the Holy Ghost. Come and touch one's lips with
a live coal from off the heavenly altar. Come and speak to our
hearts. Come and be mouth, matter and
wisdom unto us. We ask with the forgiveness of
all sin, for Jesus Christ's sake. Amen. Let us now sing together hymn
number 531. The tune is Mayford 367. Beloved of the Lord Most High,
let praises be your sweet employ. Ye sons of God, rejoice and sing
the honours of your Lord and King. The hymn is 531, the tune
is Mayford 367. ? To the Lord God's child ? ? Their
praises hear ? ? Your sweet echoing voice ? ? We chant your praise ? ? With
joy we stand still ? ? Here on earth's shore ? ? Your Lord and
King ? ? When all is calm, all is bright
? ? When all is calm, all is bright ? ? To you, the favorite of all creatures
? ? Long live the U.S.A. ? ? Whatever be your God in earth
? ? All you have is one God ? ? There is no light ? ? And we
will go in your house at night ? ? In every day we'll sing ?
? Teach us thy faith ? ? It's greater
now ? ? Than all these years ? ? And days gone by ? ? God's teaching ? In ev'ry darkened keep, His strength
in poverty can rest. Jesus, we come, Thou Child of
God, In the winter, we stop and pause,
we chase our hearts. Reconciled hands, a prayer of
love, Shaped reactions that never grow old. Dear Father, bless us with His
grace. Our children grow. Your son shall stand in the rain
with you, for you have Greatly feeling to need the Lord's
gracious help, I would direct your attention to the chapter
that we read, the third chapter in the first epistle of John,
and we'll read verses one and two for our text. Behold what manner of love the
Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the
sons Therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. Beloved, now are we the sons
of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be, but we know
that when he shall appear, we shall be like him, for we shall
see him as he is. It's the first clause of this
first verse that really rested on my mind. Beloved, what manner
of love the Father hath bestowed upon us. What manner of love, what sort
of love. There's so many different ways
that we could look at this. what we think of that exceedingly
well-known portion in the third chapter of John's Gospel, God
so loved the world, he gave his only begotten son. And when it
speaks there of God so loving the world, it means, as it says
elsewhere in the Gospels, that his people come from every nation,
every kindred, every tongue, every tribe, and every people. God so loved the world. And what
it means is not only do they come from all those different
places in the world and all those different tribes and people,
but there's only one savior. That's the vital meaning of that
word. It doesn't matter where you live. It doesn't matter what idol you
follow. Nothing matters but this one
thing. Jesus is the way to God and it doesn't matter where you
live and who you are, it doesn't matter what rank you are in life,
whether rich or poor or whether of great influence and power,
there's only one saviour, there's only one redeemer, there's only
one way to God. The Lord said to Martha, didn't
he, that Mary hath chosen that good path. He said to Martha
that thou art careful and troubled about many things, but Mary hath
chosen that good path. And he went on to say to her,
one thing is needful. One thing is needful. And that
is to be in Christ. That's the one thing needful.
that I may know him as the apostle himself says in Philippians 3,
that I may know him who Christ. It's a vital thing to know Christ,
to follow Christ, to serve Christ, to believe on the Lord Jesus
Christ and thou shalt be saved. He is the way, he is the truth. He is the life. And when it says
it, it says it in other places too, doesn't it? About the world. It doesn't matter, the apostle
speaks of bond or free, rich or poor. There's only one way. There's only one thing needful.
And one hymn writer says, I without it perish must. And that is so
true. If we don't have this one thing
needful, he that hath the Son hath life. He that hath not the
Son of God hath not life. It's very clear, isn't it? Very
solemnly clear in the Word of God. The vital need of Jesus
Christ. Beloved, You see, behold, what
manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us. You think of this manner of love. Let us look at it in this way,
it's eternal love. What manner of love, it's eternal
love. Think of that lovely word, Jeremiah 31 verse 3, yea, yes,
that's what it means, yes, yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting
love, therefore with loving kindness have I drawn thee, drawn to Christ. How are we drawn to Christ? By
the Father. It says in John's Gospel, none
come except the Father draw. How we need that drawing of the
Father to draw us to Christ. How we need the divine leading
and power of the Holy Spirit to quicken us and to enlighten
us to our need. And then for the Holy Ghost to
draw us and bring us closer to Christ by faith. To give us real
repentance, godly sorrow for sin, all flowing from this eternal
love. Behold what manner of love the
Father hath bestowed upon us. Oh, my beloved friends, may this
abide in our hearts. May we meditate a little on it.
Everlasting love. Eternal love. Eternal love. What a wonderful thought, isn't
it? Immutable love. Because it's
the love of God. The love of the Father, the love
of the Son, and the love of the Holy Ghost. These three are one. Infinite love. A three-fold cord
cannot easily be broken. No, this love of God to His people
is a three-fold cord. It's the Father, the Son, and
the Holy Ghost. These three are one. and they
are bound up with one desire and with one will and one purpose
and one love and that is that all that the Father giveth me
shall come to me and him that cometh unto me I will in no wise
cast out what manner of love how divinely certain this love
is it will reach the heart of all
that the Father has chosen And that is all that the Son has
redeemed. And that is all that the Holy
Ghost has sent to those that were chosen before the foundation
of the world. Chosen unto life, chosen unto
immortality. Doesn't the apostle rather beautifully
set this before us in the beginning of Ephesians? Beautifully does he speak there
of the eternal love, the infinite love of God. In chapter one,
verse three, blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus
Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly
places in Christ. Behold what manner of love, according
as he hath chosen us in him, before the foundation of the
world that we should be holy and without blame before him
in love, having predestinated us unto the adoption of children
by Jesus Christ to himself according to the good pleasure of his will.
Behold what manner of love, this eternal love of the eternal God,
the love of the Father, the love of the Son, the love of the Holy
to the praise of the glory of His grace wherein He hath made
us. Now it's He that has made us
accepted in the Beloved. Behold what manner of love. It's
the divine love of the Father which is eternal, that has redeemed
the people of God. He so loved the world in whom
we have redemption through His blood. the forgiveness of sins
according to the riches of his grace, wherein he hath abounded
toward us in all wisdom and prudence. You see, my beloved friends,
how everything, it is of divine grace, it's of sovereign grace. The hymn writer says, doesn't
he, sovereign grace or sin abounding. Oh, this eternal love, what manner
love. In my mind, the Apostle Peter,
in a very similar way, he opens his first epistle and he speaks
there again of the divine love of the Trinity, of the Father,
of the Son and of the Holy Ghost. Chapter 1 verse 2, elect according
to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification
of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkler of the blood of
Jesus Christ. Grace unto you, and peace be
multiplied. Blessed be the God and Father
of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy
hath begotten us again unto a lively, that's a living hope, by the
resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance
incorruptible and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven
for you are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation,
ready to be revealed at the last time. You see, wherein ye greatly
rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, during heaviness
through manifold temptations, at the trial of your faith, being
much more precious than of gold that perishes, though it be tried
with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at
the appearing of Jesus Christ. Behold, what manner of love the
Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the
sons of God. You know, this love, what manner
of love, Now, we've spoken of eternal love, and it's almighty
love. It's unchanging love. Think of that word, I believe
it's in Malachi. I the Lord change not, therefore
ye sons of Jacob are not consumed. He doesn't love you one day and
not the next. If once the love of Christ I
feel, Impressed upon my breasts the mark of that celestial seal
can never be erased One hymn writer says mine is
an unchanging love Now the other thing this love it's infinite
The word infinite means without measure And the love of God to his people
is without measure It's a love that will never change. Because he's a God that will
never change. So in that sense, it's immutable
love. It's immutable love. It cannot change. You know, what
a wonderful thing this love is. The love of God. Behold, what
manner of love. The Father hath bestowed upon
us this wonderful love. Now, it's almighty love. Powerful love. A love that overcomes
all obstacles. The love of Christ. And doesn't the apostle, when
he writes in one of his epistles, he says, Christ is shed abroad
in our hearts by the Holy Ghost. She's shed abroad in our hearts.
Oh, my dear beloved friends, may it please the Lord to make
known this love more fully unto us, that we may meditate therein
and upon this everlasting love, this unchanging love, this almighty
love, this infinite love, of our eternal God unto his people. We read in Holy Scripture of
the love of the Father, of the love of the Son, and of the love
of the Holy Ghost. We read also in Scripture that
these three are one. These three are one. And this
is that threefold cord, it speaks of it in Ecclesiastes. A threefold
cord cannot easily be broken, and this threefold cord of the
love of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost, it
can never be broken. It can never be broken. It's
everlasting. Oh, that the Lord would grant
us just a little meditation on this mighty love. Now, it says in the Prophet Zechariah,
And it speaks there of the mighty God and how he will visit Zion. But there's one little clause
that is so beautiful. He will rest in his love. Notice
that, in his love. Your love, my love, changeable. Sometimes hot, sometimes cold.
His love is eternally the same. It's always burning hot, it is,
toward his people. You know, you may sometimes be
tempted by the enemy. Perhaps you're under the Lord's
chastising hand and something's gone wrong and you think, well,
the Lord is angry with me. No, he's not angry with you.
Whom the Lord loveth, he chastened. It's because he loves you. He's
going to humble you. And in that humbling process,
you'll be kept. Kept, we've just read in 1 Peter
1 and it says there, kept by the power of God, through faith,
unto salvation, ready to be revealed at the last day. And this chastening
hand, which you feel you could do without, and which sometimes
the enemy will, as it were, tempt you that the Lord is angry with
you. He's gonna cut you off. He's not, He loves you. That's
why He's chastising you. That's why He's humbling you.
That's why He's bringing you to nothing. I don't know the trial that you're
walking in. I don't know the perplexing things that you may
be walking in. But I do know this, that His
love to you is the same. He is Jesus Christ, the same
yesterday, today and forever and in that sense my beloved
friends it's eternal love today now he loves you yesterday eternally
he loves you tomorrow eternally forever he loves you it's unchangeable
it's almighty love it's infinite love it's love that has no beginning
and no end it's a love that will hold you is. Isn't that lovely what the
hymn writer writes? Oh love that will not let me
go. He won't let you go. That's why he's chastising you,
that's why he deals with you, that's why he humbles you, because
he loves you. He will not let you go. Now behold
what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we
should be called the sons of God. Therefore the world knoweth
us not, because it knew him not, that is Christ. Beloved, now
are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall
be, but we know that when he shall appear, we shall be like
him. for we shall see him as he is,
when he shall appear, when Christ shall appear. And my mind, it
just goes to 1 Corinthians and chapter 15. It speaks here of
the eternal love of God to his people. And You know, the Word
of God is likened unto a seed. 1 Corinthians 15. And it says, verse 36, thou fool,
that which thou sowest, this is an ordinary piece of grain,
is not quickened except it die. And that which thou sowest, thou
sowest not that body that shall be, but bare grain. it may chance
of wheat or of some other grain. But God giveth it a body as he
hath pleased, it hath pleased him, and to every seed his own
body, all flesh is not the same flesh. You see, it speaks of
all these different types of things. Then he goes on in verse
42, so also is the resurrection of the dead. It is so, that is
the word of God is sown in the heart It is sown in corruption,
that is in our corrupt hearts. It is raised in incorruption. You see, the apostle says in
our text, we know not what we shall be, but we know that we
shall be like him. It is sown in dishonor. He's
speaking now of our death. Just as the seed sown in the
ground dies and then brings forth much fruit, So he says our death
will be like that. There's a glorious hope in the
believer's death. So is the resurrection of the
dead. It is sown in corruption. It is raised in incorruption.
It is sown in dishonor. It is raised in glory. It is
sown in weakness. It is raised in power. It is
sown a natural body. It is raised a spiritual body.
There is a natural body and there is a spiritual body and so it
is written that the first man Adam was a living soul and the
last Adam, that's Christ, was made a quickening spirit. How
be it? That was not first which is spiritual
but that which is natural and afterward that which is spiritual.
The first man is of the earth earthy, the second man is the
Lord from heaven. As is the earthy such are they
also that are earthy and as is the heavenly such are they also
a heavenly as we're born the image of the earthy we shall
also bear the image of the heavenly that's of christ this i say brethren
that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of god neither doth
corruption inherit incorruption behold i show you a mystery we
shall not all sleep but we shall all be changed in a moment, in
the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump, for the trumpets
shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and
we shall be changed, for this corruptible must put on incorruption, this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall
I put on incorruption and this mortal shall I put on immortality
then shall be brought to pass the sign that is written death
is swallowed up in victory in the chapter that we've read in
the this chapter in the third chapter of the first epistle
of john the son of god was manifested to destroy death and that is
exactly what he has done So then this corruptible shall have put
on incorruption, this mortal shall have put on minimal piety,
then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, death
is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin, and
the strength of sin is the Lord. But thanks be to God, which giveth
us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. You see, these
things are written for our instruction. Beloved, now are we the sons
of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be, but we know
that when he shall appear, we shall be like him, for we shall
see him as he is. You know, the sons of God. What a wonderful thing to be
a son or a daughter of the Lord God Almighty. And that is exactly
what happens with the Christian believer. They become a son or
a daughter of the Lord God Almighty. the Apostle Paul in the epistle
to the Romans in chapter 8, he speaks there concerning being
sons and daughters. It says in Romans 8 verse 11,
but if the spirit of him, you notice the spirit is written
with a capital S, it's the Holy Ghost, But if the Spirit of him
that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised
up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies
by his Spirit that dwelleth in you. Therefore, brethren, we
are debtors not to the flesh to live after the flesh. For
if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die, but if ye through
the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. For
as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of
God. There's the evidence, if we're
being led of the Spirit, that we are the sons of God. For you
have not received the spirit of bondage and of fear, but you
have received the spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.
The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit that we are the
children of God. And if children, then heirs.
Heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ. If so be that we
suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. You see the wonderful reality. You know, to be brothers and
sisters, which we are in Christ, we have the same Father. Just
as it is naturally, those are born to the same parents, your
brothers and sisters. You have a close bond. So everyone
that is born of the Spirit, brought to faith in Jesus Christ, chosen
by your eternal Father, your brothers and sisters, we have
the same Father. for the Father himself loveth
you. Loved with an everlasting love. What wonderful love, what wonderful
grace, what wonderful power. You know the Apostle in Galatians
chapter four, he speaks there of this wonderful love and power
of God in Christ. And he speaks there in the chapter
four. Now I say that the heir, as long
as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be
lord of all. For he's under tutors and governors until the time
appointed of the father. That's of course an heir to perhaps
a fortune or something like that. Even so we, when we were children,
were in bondage under the elements of the world. But when the fullness
of time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made
under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that
we might receive the adoption of sons. And because ye are sons,
I always think that's the most beautiful word, and because ye
are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son, that's
the Holy Ghost, into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. What the
Apostle is doing here, I understand that Abba is the Greek for Father. The other is the Jew, Father,
but we're one in Christ. Whether you're Jew or whether
you're Greek, whether you're Gentile or whatever you are,
we're one in Christ. with the sons and daughters of
the Lord God Almighty. But the point here is, and because
you are sons, that's why he's quickened your soul. That's why
he's convinced you of your sin. That's why the Spirit of God
is teaching you. Because you are sons, you hath
he quickened who were dead in trespasses and in sins. It's wonderful. Precious truth,
my beloved friends. And because ye are sons, God
hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying,
Abba, Father, wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a
son. And if a son, then an heir of
God through Christ, albeit Then, when we knew not God, he did
service unto them which by nature are no gods, but now. What a
wonderful thing, but now. After that ye have known God,
or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and
beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage. Oh, that may abide with us, and
because ye are such, The evidence of being a son or a daughter
is the spirit dwelling in your heart. That's the evidence. God has sent forth the spirit
of his son into our hearts, crying, Abba, Father. My mind was drawn
to the well-known word in 2 Corinthians chapter 6. and the last two verses
of that chapter, 2 Corinthians chapter 6 and verse 17, wherefore,
you say divine call, wherefore come out from among them, that's
the world, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not
the unclean thing, and I will receive you, and will be a father
unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the
Lord Almighty, saith the Lord Almighty. Oh, to know more of
this spirit of adoption, more of this blessed reality of being
a child of God. You know, one reason that the
devil tempts us and tries us to see whether we really are
a child of God is because This brings unspeakable comfort to
the heart of the true child of God, to know that they're a son,
they're a daughter of the Lord God Almighty. It's a very sweet
thing and it's something to be desired, to be sought after. Behold what manner of love the
Father hath bestowed upon us that we should be called the
sons of God. Therefore the world knoweth us
not, because it knew him not. Beloved, now are we the sons
of God, and it doth not yet appear that we shall, what we shall
be, but we know that when he shall appear, Christ, we shall
be like him. For we shall see him as He is. My mind was much drawn to Isaiah
chapter 56, and it speaks there unto the
Lord's people. Verse three, neither let the
son of the stranger that hath joined himself to the Lord speak,
saying, the Lord hath utterly separated me from his people.
neither let the eunuch say, behold, I'm a dry tree. For thus saith
the Lord, unto the eunuchs that keep my Sabbaths and choose the
things that please me and take hold of my covenant, even unto
them will I give in mine house and within my walls a place and
a name better than of sons and of daughters. I will give them
an everlasting name. that shall not be cut off. You see, what wonderful promises. An everlasting name. Because
he's given you everlasting life. Because he loves you with an
everlasting love. And by his grace you've become
a child of God. You're joint heirs with Christ.
Nothing can change that. or that we may lay hold of him. Behold what manner of love that
the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called
the sons of God. Therefore the world knoweth us
not, because it knew him not. Beloved, now are we the sons
of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be, but we know
that When he shall appear, we shall be like him, for we shall
see him as he is. May the Lord add his blessing
to these few remarks. Let us now sing together hymn
number 469, and the tune is St. Flavian,
220. My soul, this curious house of
clay, thy present frail abode, must quickly fall to worms and
thou return to God. Hymn 469. Tune St. Flavian, 220.
? Whose broad stripes and bright stars ? In the afternoon light, the prayer
and the wisdom devout. O say can you see, by the dawn's
early light, ? God's prayer to my lips shall
sing ? ? With you and I with Christ ? ? Nobody has prepared
for me ? the rapture in the skies. I feel it, the cold cloud did
shake, ? And go to sleep for ? ? That I my way ? ? Kind may
take ? ? To Him who is my hope ? Birth and death, thro' neglect
and awe, My rescued soul shall see. As of the shining of thy soul,
Death, thou hast lost thy sting. Dear Saviour, help us now to
sing, And from Thy Spirit's power, That we may always thankwish
Thee, 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, both now
and forevermore. Amen. Yeah. Yeah.