Let us commence our service this
evening by singing together hymn 981, tune is Almondberry, 278. Why should I yield to slavish
fears? God is the same to endless years. Though clouds and darkness hide
his face, he's boundless both in truth and grace. Hymn 981. Why should I yearn to stay this
year? God is ever slain to endless fear. Love, love and goodness guide
His ways. Give boundless praise, truth and praise. O Lamb of God, who takest away
the sins of the world, who takest away the sins of the world, O
Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world, If love
and righteousness fail us today, Then cause for disorder not their
way. Help me reveal my sin and birth,
Teach me my human foster death. And help me in my darkest frame,
To build my love's all Jesus name. Good glories ever, sung from
heav'n, When they with love and light prevail, Who'd be mixed up, such mercy's
lost, And yet redeemed by so O come, all ye faithful, joyful
and triumphant O come, all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant
O come, all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant O come, all ye faithful, joyful
and triumphant O come, all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant O come, all ye
faithful, joyful and triumphant O come, all ye faithful, joyful
and triumphant O come, all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant O come, all ye
faithful, joyful and triumphant O come, all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant O come,
all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant O come, all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant
O come, all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant O come, all ye faithful,
joyful and triumphant O come, all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant
O come, all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant O come, all ye faithful, joyful
and triumphant O come, all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant O come, all ye faithful, joyful
Praise shall our gospel be triumphant, And may God's promise bright
come true. Let us read together from the
holy word of God in Paul's epistle to the Hebrews and chapter 13. Hebrews chapter 13. Let brotherly love continue. Be not forgetful to entertain
strangers. for whereby some have entertained
angels unawares. Remember them that are in bonds,
as bound with them, and them which suffer adversity, as being
yourselves also in the body. Marriage is honourable in all,
and the bed undefiled, but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge. Let your conversation be without
covetousness, and be content with such things as ye have.
For he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee,
so that we may boldly say, the Lord is my helper, and I will
not fear what man shall do unto me. Remember them which have
the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God, whose
faith follow, considering the end of their conversation, Jesus
Christ the same, yesterday, and today, and forever. Be not carried about with divers
and strange doctrines, for it is a good thing that the heart
be established with grace, not with meats. which have not profited
them that have been occupied therein. We have an altar, whereof
they have no right to eat which serve the tabernacle. For the
bodies of those beasts whose blood is brought into the sanctuary
by the high priest for sin are burned without the camp. Wherefore
Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood,
suffered without the gate. Let us go forth therefore unto
him without the camp, bearing his reproach. For here we have
no continuing city, but we seek one to come. By him, therefore,
let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually. That
is the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to his name. But to do
good and to communicate, forget not. for with such sacrifices
God is well pleased. Obey them that have the rule
over you, and submit yourselves, for they watch for your souls,
as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy
and not with grief, for that is unprofitable for you. Pray
for us, for we trust we have a good conscience in all things,
willing to live honestly. But I beseech you the rather
to do this, that I may be restored to you the sooner. For the God
of peace that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that
great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting
covenant, make you perfect in every good work to do his will,
working in you that which is well-pleasing in his sight, through
Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen. And I beseech you, brethren,
suffer the word of exhortation, for I have written a letter unto
you in few words. Know ye that our brother Timothy
is set at liberty, with whom, if he come shortly, I will see
you. Salute all them that have the
rule over you and all the saints. They of Italy salute you. Grace
be with you all. Amen. May the Lord bless that
portion of his own precious word and grant to us the spirit of
real prayer. Holy, holy, holy. Lord God Almighty, which is an
art, an art to come. O Lord, we feel our sinfulness. We feel the corruption of our
heart, the uncleanness of our nature, as we seek to bow before
thy great majesty. We have to say feelingly with
the dear apostle, O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver
me from the body of this death. Oh, we pray that we may know
that glorious deliverance by faith in Jesus Christ at this
evening hour as we gather around the word. And may we prove the
truth of those words when the enemy comes in like a flower.
The spirit of the Lord will lift up a standard against him. May
that standard be lifted up tonight even our Lord Jesus Christ, for
Thou hast given a banner to them that fear Thee. Oh, we pray that
tonight there would be Jehovah Nissi, the Lord, our banner. Gracious God, we do pray that
Thou wouldst draw near to us, unworthy as we are, unclean as
we are. We think of those wonderful words
this man receive his sinners and eat his wither. What a great
mercy, what encouragement to come and to look unto Jesus,
casting all our care upon him, for he careth for you. Oh, that
we may truly feel that word as we gather round thy word tonight,
and that thou, Lord Jesus, cares for us, loves us with an everlasting
love. Oh, we pray. that thou wouldst
indeed grant those divine drawings of our Eternal Father, drawing
us unto thy only begotten Son, even our Lord Jesus Christ. And
thou hast said in thy word, I will draw them with the cords of a
man, O that glorious holy God-man, the man Christ Jesus, O that
we may be truly attracted unto him, that we may by faith lay
hold upon him, that we may touch the hem of his garment, that
we may draw from that sacred fullness that is in him. For,
Lord Jesus, thou art the eternal Son of the eternal Father, able
to save to the uttermost all that come unto God by thee, seeing
thou ever livest. O thou art that great high priest
who is passed into the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God. And that we think of what thou
hast offered, even thy own sacred sacrifice on Calvary. Gracious
God, oh, we do pray that we may plead those sacred and precious
merits of Jesus Christ, his precious blood, his glorious righteousness. Oh, we pray to be clothed upon
with that everlasting robe of the righteousness of Jesus Christ
We pray to be washed in that precious sin-atoning blood of
our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for our sins and rose again for
our justification. We do thank thee for the person
and work and power and grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. We
thank thee for the gift of the Holy Ghost. We thank thee for
the love of our Eternal Father, Oh, we do pray that thou wouldst
come unto us at this night, that thou wouldst speak to our hearts.
Draw my soul to thee, my Lord. Let me love thy precious word.
Oh, that thy word may be a lamp unto our feet and a light unto
our path. May the power that brings salvation
be exerted in the world. May sinners be converted unto
thee. May the Lord Jesus be exalted,
set before us in all his suitability for poor needy sinners. Lord,
we do pray that thou would visit us with thy great salvation. And that we would indeed say
with the dear apostle, thanks be unto God for his unspeakable
We do pray that thou wouldst bless us as a church and as a
congregation, and that thou wouldst work mightily, powerfully, and
effectually among us. Let thy work appear unto thy
servants and thy glory unto their children. O Lord, we do beseech
thee signs to follow the preaching of the word. We pray for the
little ones and the children, that they may be blessed of thee
as they're brought into the sanctuary. We pray for each one of the dear
young friends that they may know thy blessing and the sweet drawings
of our Eternal Father and the divine leading of the Holy Spirit
and the sacred presence and power and grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. May they experience that grace
in their hearts. That they may be enabled to say,
my hope is built on nothing less than Jesus' blood. and righteousness. We pray that thou wouldst be
with our young friends in all their concerns, in all the things
that burden them, and that thou wouldst be gracious unto them,
and that thou wouldst deliver them, deliver them from the temptations
of Satan, deliver them from the power and dominion of sin, deliver
them from the allurements of this vain world, Gracious God,
bless our dear young friends, guide and direct them in every
path of providence. Unfold thy will and thy purpose
unto them. Grant them a partner in life's
journey, one that fears thy great and holy name, that they may
be able to walk together in the things of Lord, we pray that
thou would graciously help them in their education, give them
wisdom and understanding. We do humbly pray thee. We pray,
most gracious Lord, that thou would find them suitable employment.
Lord, we lovingly commend them to thee, to the word of thy grace,
which is able to build them up and to grant them and inheritance
among them that are sanctified. Remember parents, give them wisdom,
give them grace, guidance and direction. Grant that thy word
may be a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path. Grant
that we may walk in the light of thy word, in the light of
thy countenance. We do humbly beseech of thee.
Grant us a closer walk with thee, a calmer heavenly frame, a light
to shine upon the road that leads me to the land. Gracious God,
incline thine ear. We do pray thee, may it please
thee this night that there was a needs be for him to go through
Samaria. May that be so this night. And
the word of the Lord may enter with divine power into some poor
sinner's heart. Oh, we do pray, most gracious
Lord, that thou wouldst remember the prodigals, cause them to
return. Only thou art able to do this,
and we earnestly petition that thou wouldst do it, that thou
wouldst work. Even as thou hast promised, I
will work, and who shall let it? Remember, oh Lord, we pray
thee, Those of us in the evening time of life's journey, graciously
undertake for us and bless us. We do humbly pray thee for thy
great name's sake. We pray that most gracious Lord,
for dear Ena at home, bless and be with her, support and sustain
her, strengthen and uphold her, and prepare her for that great
change. Lord, remember that Jacob and
Inika in Holland bless them indeed with that rich grace that is
in Christ Jesus. Guide and direct them in that
right way. Lord, remember us each and grant
that we may be enabled to lay aside every weight and the sin
that does so easily beset us and that we may run with patience
the race that is set before us. Looking unto Jesus, the author
and finisher of our faith, Lord, remember us for good, but for
thy great name's sake. We do pray, most gracious Lord,
to remember this village, the surrounding villages and hamlets
and farmsteads. Send out thy light and thy truth,
compel them to come in. Help us to be true witnesses.
We do humbly beseech thee. for thy great namesake, gather
from this village. Oh, we do pray that thou wouldst
bring our sons from far, and our daughters from the ends of
the earth. Even as thou hast promised, they shall come from
the north and from the south, from the east and from the west.
Oh, that we may see such a day, a building up, a reviving, a
renewing, a replenishing, Remember all, O Lord, in the path of affliction
and trouble and trial and perplexity. Help them. Help them to look
to Thee. Help them to cleave to Thee.
Help them to cast all their cares upon Thee. For Thy great name's
sake. Remember all Thy servants as
they labour in word and doctrine upon the walls of Zion. Set them
free. Set them at liberty. And for
where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty, and grant
that liberty in the ministry of the Word. Signs to follow
the preaching of the Word. Hear us, Lord. We do humbly beseech
you, let thy hand be upon the man of thy right hand, the Son
of Man, whom thou madest strong for thyself. So will not we turn
back from thee. We pray thy blessing, dearest
Lord, that it may rest upon our nation, that thou would stem the tides
of iniquity, wickedness and uncleanness that roll down our streets, that
fill our schools, the immorality, the unrighteousness. Gracious
God, hear the cries of thy little remnant. Send out thy light and
thy truth. powerfully work, effectually
work, rebuild thy Zion, renew thy people, we do humbly beseech
of thee. Lord, we thank thee for every
favour and every blessing. We thank thee that thou art God
over all and blessed forevermore. We thank thee, most gracious
Lord, for the glorious person of our Lord Jesus Christ, His
incarnation, His life as a man here upon earth. Gracious God,
we thank Thee for that holy life and everlasting righteousness
brought in for Thy people through that holy life. We thank Thee
for that holy sacrifice, sin put away, divine justice satisfied,
God and sinners reconciled. We thank Thee that He rose again
for our justification. He has ascended up on high. He's
entered heaven and made a new and living way into the holy
place. We thank Thee, Lord Jesus, for Thy mercy, Thy grace, Thy
loving kindness. We thank Thee that we have a
great high priest, that we can come and unburden our hearts
to Thee. Touch with the sympathy within,
he knows our feeble frame. He knows what sore temptations
mean, for he has felt the same. Do come and touch one's lips
with the live coal from off the heavenly altar. Do come, most
gracious Lord, and breathe the word of God into our heart. We ask all for Jesus Christ's
sake. Amen. Let us now sing together hymn
number 232. And the tune is Zor Chapel. 816. Be gone unbelief, my Saviour
is near, And for my relief will surely appear. By prayer let
me wrestle, and he will perform. With Christ in the vessel, I
smile at the storm. Hymn 232, tune Zor Chapel 816. O come, O come, O come, O come,
O come, O come, to Bethlehem. With voice in the desert, I smile
at thee. ? O God be my way ? ? Tis He is
my guide ? ? Tis mine to obey ? ? Tis His strength of mind
? ? Thou tis earthly brother ? ?
And creator of heaven ? ? The word he hath spoken ? ? Shall
draw thee near ? ? His love in time past ? ? O'er
all things be true today ? ? He'll leave me at last ? ? In time
of tears ? Peace be given, be sure, I shall
be with you. Love comes in good measure. ? It's a little strange ? ? In what a foreign land ? ? When
strangers once shared a land ? Christ, Lord, and King, said,
And He hath taught me to trust in His name. ? That Thou shalt uphold me ? ?
Till earth begins to shake ? ? I should have been gone away ? ? Upon
lowly space ? ? Temptation of faith ? ? Need of weaker flesh
? ? He is our salvation ? I know from this world, In a tribulation
that's harder, ? The patient has come ? ? Her
hope can come to thee ? ? Wait ye then, my child ? ? Let sinners
die in thee ? His way was now shrouded, and darker than light.
Did Christ my own Son, and shall I ? Take to them thy peace ? ? Shepherds,
go find them ? ? The little pristines ? ? The little pristines ? Though pained, though compressed,
Mercy's with all of us. Mercy's with all of us. greatly feeling to need the Lord's
gracious help, I would direct your attention to Hebrews chapter
13, and we will speak from verses five and six. Paul's epistle to the Hebrews
chapter 13, verses five and six. Let your conversation be without
covetousness, and be content with such things as ye have.
For he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee,
so that we may boldly say, the Lord is my helper, and I will
not fear what man shall do unto me. The Apostle here, he gives various
exhortations unto the brethren, unto us. And exhortations to love. He opens
a chapter, let brotherly love continue. Makes us think of the
words of our Lord Jesus Christ. By this shall they know that
ye are my disciples because ye have love one to another. And the other exhortation here, be not forgetful to entertain
strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares. What an exhortation. That is
to each one of us, be not forgetful. entertain strangers or that we
may be enabled to put into practice these precepts of the gospel
because that's what they are and it flows from brotherly love
and you know that brotherly love doesn't just mean the people
at chapel, the people of your families, it means There's a
brotherhood of mankind. God made of men of one blood,
we read in the Acts of the Apostles. It's whoever you come into contact
with that is your brother. Same exhortation we find in the
law of God. Rather than an exhortation, it's
a commandment. And the Lord Jesus, he encapsulates
at those commandments himself. Thou shalt love the Lord thy
God with all thy heart, with all thy mind, and thy neighbor
as thyself. And thy neighbor as thyself.
You see, that is what Jesus Christ did himself. And we profess to
be followers of Jesus Christ. Does our life, is it consistent
with the life of Jesus Christ. It's very searching, isn't it? Is our life consistent with the
life of Jesus Christ who went about doing good? He was not
weary and well doing. He was full of acts of kindness,
compassion, tenderness, healing the sick, binding up the brokenhearted. That's what Jesus did. Do we
seek to do the same? Do we? He fed the 5,000, the
4,000, and others also. They were acts of love, compassion,
and kindness of our Lord Jesus Christ. How far do we emulate
that life of our Lord Jesus Christ? Do we live according to the same
rule? Do we have the same purpose in
our heart? Purposing to do these things,
so that the whole bent of our mind is that way. Remember them that are in bonds,
as bound with them, and then which suffer adversity as being
yourselves also in the body. We're to empathize, sympathize,
with those that are in trouble and trial and bonds and adversity
as being yourselves also in the body. Put yourself in their place. What would you want to be done
if you were in their place? The Lord Jesus in his teachings,
he very much and pointedly speaks of this. do unto others as you
would be done unto. So we should always put that
person less fortunate than ourselves, we should put ourselves in their
shoes and consider what would you like someone to do for you
if you were in that condition. These are the sacred precepts
of the gospel. Happy is he that keepeth them. He gives a word concerning marriage,
is honorable in all, and the bed undefiled, but whoremongerous
and adulterous, God will judge. Or that we may be honorable in
all things. We have a heart, as the apostle
actually says in one of the epistles, full of adulterous, That's our
heart by nature, covetous, unrighteous. That's our fallen nature, that's
our old man. And if you're a truly spiritual
person, your old man will trouble you. Your old man will perplex
you. Your old man will bring you into
bondage and darkness. The old man with his deeds, which
are corrupt. or that the Lord would deliver
us from these things and graciously guide us and direct us. Let your conversation be without
covetousness. In another epistle, the apostle
says, and covetousness, which is idolatry. What a solemn, thing
it is that our hearts are covetous it's what is called in holy scripture
a root evil it's rooted in our old man this spirit of covetousness
and the apostle as he calls it idolatry the holy ghost calls
it idolatry oh what a solemn thing you wouldn't go and bow
down to an idol would you Oh no, you wouldn't go down and
bow to the sun or the moon or the stars. But I guarantee that you cannot
say that you do not have covetousness in your heart. It's rooted in
every one of us. Absolutely rooted in us. You know in the first epistle
of Timothy, And the apostle there, he speaks of covetousness and
he says also, verse 6, but godliness with contentment is great gain. Contentment and covetousness
are diametrically opposed. They are. Literally. They are complete opposite. Covetousness
arises from a lack of contentment with what we have. We want more,
we want more, we want more. And that is our nature, covetous,
which is idolatry. But godliness with contentment
is great gain. For we brought nothing into this
world and it is certain we can carry nothing out. and having food and raiment,
let us be there with content." Oh, to know more of this contentedness
and less of this covetousness. But they that will be rich. Notice
the wording because it's so often misquoted. They that will be
rich, not they that are rich, but they that will be rich. And
that is the whole object of their life, to get rich. but they that
will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish
and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money, again,
a text that is often misquoted. It's often said money is the
root of all evil. No, nothing wrong with money
in and of itself. The love of money is covetousness. The love of money is the root
of all evil, which some, while some haven't coveted after, they
have erred from the faith. They've erred from the faith.
What a solemn thing, and pierce themselves through with many
sorrows. But thou, O man of God, flee these things. Follow after righteousness. Godliness,
faith, love, patience, meekness. Fight the good fight of faith.
How often are you overcome with this spirit of covetousness?
But the exhortation here is to fight, to oppose it. Fight the good fight of faith.
Lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called and hast
professed a good profession before many witnesses. He goes on here
in verse 17, charge them that are rich in this world, that
they be not high-minded. Riches make us high-minded. Nor
trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth
us richly all things to enjoy, that they do good that they be
rich in good works, ready to distribute, just like we read
in the Acts of the Apostles on Tuesday night, that all things
in common, ready, that they do good, that they be rich in good
works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate, laying up in
store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come. that
they may lay hold of eternal life. Let your conversation be
without covetousness and be content with such things as you have.
As I've already said, these two things are diametrically opposed
to one another, covetousness and contentment. Oh, that the
Lord would grant us that godliness with contentment, which is great
gain. Let your conversation be without
covetousness and be content with such things as ye have. For he
hath said, I will never leave thee nor forsake thee. What a wonderful Precious word
is, for he has said. God, the eternal God, for he
has said. Of course, the apostle here is
quoting from the Old Testament. There are several places, of
course, in the Old Testament where this is true. When David
gave charge to Solomon, when he would become king in the place
of David, He says that he will never leave thee, he will never
fail thee, he will never forsake thee. When the Lord spoke to
Joshua after the death of Moses, be strong and of a good courage,
and he says to him that I will not fail thee, I will not leave
thee, I will not forsake thee, that's what he said to Joshua.
And what the apostle is doing here is reflecting what God has
said in his word. His word is eternally the same.
For he has said, may it be a word in season to us here tonight,
for he has said. God has said it, God has promised
it. For he has said, God has said,
I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. You know, sometimes
it's reflected in the hymns that we've sung together and sometimes
we we do indeed have an evil heart of unbelief we do not believe
that God will do this or God will do that but we must remember his word
we must read his word must study his word must meditate in his
word must seek profit in his word and see what he has said
What he has said must be fulfilled. God has said it. And it will
be fulfilled. And it will be accomplished.
What has God said to you? What has God spoken to your heart?
What has God breathed into your soul? You see, I will never leave
thee. The Lord said to his servant
Jacob, I will not leave thee until I've done that which I've
spoken to thee of. Maybe there's something that
is placed in your way, what God has put in your heart, something
that you've got to do, some path of obedience to walk in. You
see, and what the Lord is saying here, you may be thinking, well,
what if this, what if that, what if something else? For he has
said. You think of that way that the
Lord has promised. The Lord has spoken to you. Think
of that word to Jacob, I will not leave thee until I've done
that, which I've spoken to thee of. I will never leave thee,
nor forsake thee. In our last hymn that we shall
sing tonight, apparently in the original language, the never
is three times. And that's reflected in our last
hymn, I'll never, No, never, no, never forsake. See, the Lord
will not forsake his people and he gives these promises and he
speaks them in such a way to emphasize, I will never leave
them, never leave them, nor forsake them. Oh, that the Lord may breathe
this into your heart, that he may encourage you in the unknown
way that the Lord has laid before you. that way that you've got
to walk. And you know you've got to walk
it, but you're holding back. Remember this precious word,
I will never leave them. So when you walk in this path,
when Joshua was entering in onto the promised land and he crossed
over Jordan, and as he crossed over Jordan, they were right
by the city of Jericho, And that wonderful act of God in parting
the waters of Jordan and the children of Israel went across
on dry land. And then we read that the captain
of the Lord of hosts met with Joshua. It's a wonderful account
there in the fourth chapter of Joshua, how the captain of the
Lord of hosts, that's Christ himself. He revealed himself
unto Joshua. and that Joshua prostrated himself
before him when he revealed himself. You see, what was Jesus saying
to him? Same as what he says here in
this 13th chapter of the Hebrews, Jesus Christ the same yesterday
and today. The Lord that gave you that promise,
the Lord gave you that word of direction, he doesn't change. And he says here, I'll never
leave you, I'll never forsake Him. I'll never, no never, no never
forsake. He's promised. It's His holy
word. It's His holy word. You know,
there is that exceedingly well known promise in Isaiah chapter
41. And in verse 10, fear thou not,
for I am with thee. Be not dismayed, for I am thy
God. I will strengthen thee, yea,
I will uphold thee, yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand
of my righteousness. You see these yeas, yes, certainly. It's as if the Lord is piling
on one word after the other, They're to encourage you. For He has said, I will never
leave thee, nor forsake thee. And Jacob, you know, he proved
it so evidently, didn't he? I will not leave thee until I've
done that which I've spoken to thee of. The Lord will do it. or that the Lord may give you
grace to walk it. To walk it. Here in Isaiah 41, he goes on,
he says in verse 13, And I, the Lord thy God, will hold thy right
hand, saying unto thee, Fear not, I will help thee. Fear not
thou worm Jacob and ye men of Israel. I will help thee, saith
the Lord. and thy Redeemer, the Holy One
of Israel. I, the Lord thy God, will hold
thy right hand. For he hath said, I will never
leave thee, nor forsake thee. What a word, isn't it? I will
never leave thee. think because of this or because
of that or because of something else that the Lord will break
his promise. He'll never break his promise.
Nothing will cause him to break his promise. Yea, I have loved
thee with an everlasting love. Therefore, with loving kindness
have I drawn thee. You're drawn to Christ. You see
a loveliness in Christ. You see a beauty in Christ. You
see a loveliness in his house among the people of God. I'd
love to meet among them now before thy gracious feet to bow. You
see a beauty and a loveliness in the sacred ordinances of God's
house. There's something there that
is so precious to your soul. Oh, that the Lord would enable
you, says here in this 13th of Hebrews in in verse 13 let us
go forth therefore unto him without the camp bearing his reproach
for here have we no continuing city but we seek one to come
see in the previous chapter he says in the first verse there
let us let us lay aside every weight and the sin which doth
so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that
is set before us. There's only one way you can
run this race. There's only one way you can
walk in this path that the Lord has given you to walk in, and
it's found in verse two of chapter 12, looking unto Jesus. That's the only way you'll run
this race. looking unto Jesus, the author
and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before
him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at
the right hand of the throne of God. For consider him which
endured such contradiction of sins against himself, lest ye
be wearied and faint in your minds. You see, and he says in
verse five, and ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh
unto you as unto children. My son, despise not thou the
chasing of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him.
And then we have this lovely word, for whom the Lord loveth,
he chasteth. You know, the devil would love
you to believe that the Lord is angry with you. Therefore
He's chastening you. This has gone wrong, that's gone
wrong, something else has gone wrong. And you say, well the
Lord is angry with you. No, He's not. It's gone wrong. You're under His chastening hand.
Why? Because He loves you. Because
He loves you with an everlasting love. Therefore with loving kindness
He has drawn you. That's why. You see, were to
think it not strange, concerning the fiery trial, which is to
try you as though some strange thing happened on you. It's not
a strange thing. This is the why. The master trod. No sooner had our Lord Jesus
Christ been through the waters of Bactria, he was led of the
spirit into the wilderness. to be tempted of the devil for
40 days and 40 nights. You see, my beloved friends,
we have a wicked enemy, we have a wicked heart, we have a corrupt
nature, but we have a God who is full of compassion. Touched
with the sympathy within, he knows our feeble frame. He knows
when you're overcome with unbelief. He knows our feeble frame. He
knows what sore temptations mean, for He has felt the same. Oh,
that the Lord would grant that this may be a living word in
our hearts, for He has said, I will never leave thee, nor
forsake thee. I will never leave thee, nor
forsake thee. Can he say than to you he has
said, you who unto Jesus for refuge have fled? What more can
he say? I will never leave thee nor forsake
thee. Oh, that the Lord would grant
that these things may truly lay hold of us. My mind, it just
goes to that again. A beautiful promise that the
Lord speaks to his tried and tempted people. In Isaiah chapter
43 verse 2, when thou passest through the waters, I will be
with thee. And through the rivers they shall
not overflow thee. When thou walkest through the
fire, thou shalt not be burned, neither shall the flame kindle
upon thee. For I am the Lord thy God. the
Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour. I gave Egypt for thy ransom,
Ethiopia and Seba for thee. You see, I will be with thee. And through the rivers they shall
not overflow thee. You may have many fears because
of this or because of that or because of something else. And
those fears can sometimes be overwhelming fears. But the Lord would not cause
them to overwhelm you. As the sweet Psalmist of Israel
said, lead me to the rock that is higher than I. That rock is
Christ. He's higher. It's that eternal rock of ages.
When Christ speaks to Peter and to us today, upon this rock, as Christ himself,
on his precious blood and righteousness, on his glorious Godhead, on his
sufferings and death, the eternal Son of the eternal Father. How that he has put away sin
by that glorious offering of the cross of Calvary. How he
has lived for his people and fulfilled the Lord and magnified
it on their behalf. There's nothing for you to do,
poor sinner. Christ has done it all, everything. It's accomplished, it's fulfilled.
The law is fulfilled by Christ on the behalf of his people.
Divine justice is satisfied by Christ in that glorious sacrifice
of the cross of Calvary. It's all in him. You are complete
in him. We are accepted in the beloved.
He has entered into death itself and swallowed up death in victory
and brought life in immortality to life through the gospel. Jesus
has already done it. He's already done it. It's finished. Salvation's work is done. It's accomplished. It's fulfilled. I am the way, the truth, and
the life. No man cometh unto the Father
but by me. But by me, for he hath said,
I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. He's Jesus Christ
the same yesterday, and today, and forever. He remains eternally
the same. His love is eternally the same. His grace is eternally the same. I the Lord change not, therefore
ye sons of Jacob are not consumed. Jesus Christ the same yesterday
and today and forever. For he has said, I will never
leave thee, nor forsake thee, so that we may boldly say, the
Lord is my helper. I will not fear what man shall
do unto me. The Lord is my helper. I will
not fear. Oh, that the Lord would exercise
faith in each one of our hearts to realise this precious truth,
the Lord is my helper. And the Lord is that unchangeable
one. And his grace, it's unfathomable. His love, his mercy, it's unfathomable. It's unchangeable. It's immutable. He cannot change his mind so
that we may boldly say, the Lord is my helper. As it says here
in the Hebrews, for such an high priest have we, who is passed
into the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God. And what does he
go on to say immediately after that? Let us therefore come boldly
unto the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy and find
grace to help in time of need. And so he will be with you, as
you view all the unknown way. You view those things and their
perhaps many fears. You know when those women, they
came up to the tomb on the first day of the week, early in the
morning while it was yet dark. And they said on the way, who
shall roll us away the stone? And maybe there's something in
your pathway. And it's a similar thing. Who
shall roll us away the stone? When they got there, the stone
was already rolled away. So you will prove it to be so.
When you get there, the stone will already be rolled away.
Christ was already risen. Death had been swallowed up in
victory. Come, see the place where the
Lord lay. He is not here, he is risen,
he's risen. We worship a living Christ, a
Christ that has the power of an endless life, a Christ that
is able to do abundantly more than we can even ask or think.
He's almighty, all powerful, with heaven and earth at his
command. He waits to answer prayer. What
a mighty God, what a mighty Saviour. He says to you, come unto me,
all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn
of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, and ye shall find rest
for your souls. You'll find rest for your souls
in that way that the Lord has laid before you. And it's as
you walk in that way, you will find rest for your souls. Why?
United to Christ, yoked to Christ, in union with the Lamb, from
condemnation free, the saints forever lasting were and shall
forever be. See, he says there in verse 13,
let us go forth therefore unto him without the cap, bearing
his reproach, for here have we no continuing city, but we seek
one to come. We seek a city that is yet to
come, whose builder and maker is God. Oh, my beloved friends,
may the Lord give you that willingness. Thy people shall be willing in
the day of thy power. May the Lord give you that willingness
to follow the Lord and master Jesus Christ, casting all your
care upon him. And he says here in verse 20,
now the God of peace that brought again from the dead our Lord
Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep through the blood of
the everlasting covenant make you perfect in every good work
to do his will. You know what his will is because
he's spoken to you. To do his will. Working in you
that which is well pleasing in his sight through Jesus Christ
to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen. Let your conversation
be without covetousness, and be content with such things as
ye have. For he hath said, I will never
leave thee, nor forsake thee, so that we may boldly say, the
Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto
me. May the Lord add his blessing
to these few remarks. Let us now sing together hymn
number 329, the tune is Promise 832. how firm a foundation, ye saints
of the Lord, is laid for your faith in his excellent word.
What more can he say than to you he has said, you who unto
Jesus for refuge have fled? Hymn 329, Tune Promise 832. ? The Lord is faithful ? ? No pain
can be as except confirmed ? ? Oh God and Mary say thanks to you
? ? Gave proof through the night
that our flag was still there ? In sickness and in health, He
comforts his maiden, The hungry riddle. O'er the land of the sea, That
thy days have been o'er, Shall thy strength build thee, Dear Lord, I am with Thee, for
only Thou didst make. I, I am Thy God, and will still
give Thee praise. How strengthened we have thee,
and close thee to stand. Upheld by thy righteous army,
earth, heaven, and It is true that He waters my
foe, Thee to care. Where'er it floods, God's love shall not be her welfare. ? Oh, I will be with thee ? ? Like
troubles to rest ? ? And sanctify to thee thy peace ? ? Let peace
prevail ? When through the hurry trials
of faith shall die, Thy grace, O sufficient, shall be thy supply. The flame shall walk with thee,
my only desire. Thy draw still comes to, and
my hope to refine. ? Kneel down to the grave ? ? For
my people shall prove ? ? My sorrowing eternal ? ? Have came
down to me ? And then, glorious shall thy
temples adore, Thy hands, they shall still in thy bosom behold. Thirst for that love Jesus had before He was. I will not, I will not ? Deserved
to be first ? ? Next on the road ? ? Thou should have never to
stay ? ? Thou never thought to stay ? Now, may the grace of our Lord
Jesus Christ, the love of God our Father, the sacred fellowship
of the Holy Spirit, rest and abide with us each, both now
and forevermore. Amen.