Let us commence our service this
afternoon by singing together hymn number 56 The tune is Wiltshire
268. I'll read the first two verses
and we'll commence singing at verse three. Let every open ear
attend and broken heart rejoice. The trumpet of the gospel sounds
with an inviting voice. Ho, all ye hungry, starving souls
that feed upon the wind and vainly strive with earthly toys to fill
an empty mind. Hymn 56, commence singing at
verse three. ? The wisdom of His word ? ? Has
no denying deed ? ? And with no longing ? ? Have His eyes
? How rich the patron saint! Keep that path for living streams,
and pioneer men and I. Dear evening, when your beauteous
wish-grace hath never died, He has brought love and mercy
here in ev'ry town. Salvation in a brother's arms,
like clouds of milk and wine. ? And make it full ? ? We'll work
with mighty hand ? ? To keep our common dawn ? that will not mind your sin. The naked and the blind, O'er the land of the free and
the home of the brave? O'er the ramparts we watched,
were so gallantly streaming? ? My Lord, how ever ? ? Love was
in my eyes ? ? Deep as a well ? ? When trillions flowed ? ? And love that's hard to see ?
? The heavenly angels ? ? Hark
the herald angels sing ? ? O'er the land of the free ? ? And the home of the brave ? Let us read together from the
Holy Word of God in the Gospel according to Luke. and chapter 19. Luke's Gospel, chapter 19. And Jesus entered and passed
through Jericho. And behold, there was a man named
Zacchaeus, which was the chief among the publicans, and he was
rich. And he sought to see Jesus, who
he was, and could not for the press, because he was little
of stature. And he ran before and climbed
up into a sycamore tree to see him, for he was to pass that
way. And when Jesus came to the place,
he looked up and saw him and said unto him, Zacchaeus, make
haste and come down, for today I must abide at thy house.' And
he made haste, and came down, and received him joyfully. And
when they saw it, they all murmured, saying that he was gone to be
guest with a man that is a sinner. And Zacchaeus stood, and said
unto the Lord, Behold, I call the harp that Behold, Lord, the
half of my goods I give to the poor, and if I have taken anything
from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold. And Jesus
said unto him, This day is salvation come to this house, forasmuch
as he also is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man is come to
seek and to save that which was lost. And as they heard these
things, he added and spake a parable, because he was nigh to Jerusalem
and because they thought that the kingdom of God should immediately
appear. He said, therefore, a certain
noble man went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom
and to return. And he called his 10 servants
and delivered them 10 pounds, and said unto them, Occupy till
I come. For his citizens hated him, and
sent a message after him, saying, We will not have this man to
reign over us. And it came to pass that when
he was returned, having received the kingdom, then he commanded
these servants to be called unto him, to whom he had given the
money, that he might know how much every man had gained by
trading. Then came the first, saying,
Lord, thy pound hath gained ten pounds. And he said unto him,
Well, thou good servant, because thou hast been faithful in a
very little, have thou authority over ten cities. And the second
came, saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained five pounds. And
he said likewise to him, Be thou also over five cities. And another
came, saying, Lord, behold, there is thy pound, which I have kept
laid up in a napkin. For I feared thee, because thou
art an austere man. Thou takest up that which thou
layest not down, and reapest that thou didst not sow. And
he said unto him, Out of thine own mouth will I judge thee,
Thou wicked servant, thou knewest that I was an austere man, taking
up that I laid not down, and reaping that I did not sow. Wherefore
then gavest thou not thy money into the bank, that at my coming
I might have required mine own with usury? And he said unto
them that stood by, Take from him the pound, and give it to
him that hath ten pounds, And they said unto him, Lord, he
hath ten pounds. For I say unto you that unto
every one which hath shall be given, and from him that hath
not, even that he hath, shall be taken away from him. But those
mine enemies, which would not that I should reign over them,
bring hither and slay them before me. And when he had thus spoken,
he went before ascending up to Jerusalem. And it came to pass,
when he was come nigh to Bethphage and Bethany, at the mount called
the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples, saying,
Go ye into the village over against you, in the which at your entering
ye shall find a colt tied, whereon yet never man sat. Loose him,
and bring him hither. But if any man ask you, why do
you loose him? Thus shall you say unto him,
because the Lord hath need of him. And they that were sent
went their way, and found even as he had said unto them, and
as they were loose in the colt, the owner thereof said unto them,
why loose ye the colt? And they said, the Lord hath
need of him. And they brought him to Jesus,
and they cast their garments upon the colt, and they set Jesus
thereon. And as he went, they spread their
clothes in the way, and when he was come nigh, even now at
the descent of the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples
began to rejoice, and praise God with a loud voice for all
the mighty works that they had seen, saying, blessed be the
King, that cometh in the name of the Lord, peace in heaven
and glory in the highest. And some of the Pharisees from
among the multitude said unto him, Master, rebuke thy disciples. And he answered and said unto
them, I tell you that if these should hold their peace, the
stones would immediately cry out. And when he was come near,
he beheld the city and wept over it, saying, If thou hadst known,
even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong
unto thy peace, but now they are hid from thine eyes. For
the days shall come upon thee, that thine enemies shall cast
a trench about thee, encompass thee round, and keep thee in
on every side, and shall lay thee even with the ground, and
thy children within thee. and they shall not leave in thee
one stone upon another, because thou knewest not the time of
thy visitation. And he went into the temple and
began to cast out them that sold therein and them that bought,
saying unto them, It is written, My house is the house of prayer,
and ye have made it a den of thieves. And he taught daily
in the temple, But the chief priests and scribes and the chief
of the people sought to destroy him and could not find what they
might do, for all the people were very attentive to hear him. May the Lord bless that portion
of his own precious word and grant unto us a spirit of real
prayer. Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty,
which is an art, an art to come, we do desire to bow before thy
sovereign majesty, that thou art the prince of the kings of
the earth, God over all and blesses forevermore. We read of thee
in the word, thus saith the high and lofty one that inhabiteth
eternity, whose name is holy. O most gracious Lord, we are
unholy. but we do thank thee for those
wonderful words of grace. For there is one God and one
mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus, who gave
his life of ransom for all to be testified in due time. Oh, we thank thee for the wonderful
grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. We thank thee that he is the
way, the truth, and the life and that we come to thee in his
precious name, and we plead his precious merits. We plead what
he has done. We thank thee for what the Lord
Jesus has done in reconciling poor sinners unto thee, in making
a new and living way into the holy place. We thank thee that
he was made of a woman and made under the law, that he might
redeem them that are under the law. Oh, we thank thee for the
redeeming love of our Lord Jesus Christ. We thank thee that the
word was made flesh and dwelt among us, and may we this afternoon
behold his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,
full of grace and truth. We thank thee, most gracious
Lord, for that holy life of Jesus Christ, fulfilling and honouring
thy holy law, magnifying thy holy law, bringing in everlasting
righteousness. We thank Thee for that glorious
sacrifice of Calvary, where the Lamb was slain, where sin has
been put away, where divine justice is satisfied. Oh, we thank Thee
for the blood of Jesus Christ, God's Son, that cleanseth us
from all sin. We thank Thee that He died for
our sins and rose again for our justification. and we thank thee
that he has bodily ascended into heaven, and we have indeed a
great high priest who has passed into the heavens, Jesus, the
Son of God. We pray, Lord, this afternoon
that we may be led into thy truth, and that thy word may be a living
word. It may be open to our heart and
to our understanding, and it may be sealed into our hearts
with the Holy Ghost. We do humbly beseech thee. We
pray that it may be with us as it was with the dear Apostle,
for our gospel came unto you not in word only but in power,
in the Holy Ghost and with much assurance. We pray that it may
be so today, that the word of truth may be opened, that the
Lord Jesus may be exalted, that poor sinners may look and live.
May the power that brings salvation be exerted in the We thank thee
that through our Lord Jesus Christ we know our Heavenly Father.
O most gracious Lord, what a tremendous privilege. My God, my Father,
blissful name. O that thou wouldst fill our
hearts with gratitude and with thanksgiving for the wonderful
glories of Christ. We pray that thou wouldst bless
us as a church, as a congregation, Remember our brethren, the deacons,
and bless them indeed. We do humbly pray thee. Remember
each one of our brethren and sisters in Christ Jesus, and
graciously, Lord, help us to love each other, serve each other,
and bear each other's burdens. And, O Lord, remember the little
ones and the children. Have mercy upon them. Put thy
holy fear in their hearts. We do humbly pray thee. Remember
the dear young friends as they stand on the threshold of life's
journey. Preserve and keep them from the
temptations in this world, from the temptations of Satan, from
the power and dominion of sin, and bring them to living, vital,
saving faith in Jesus Christ, that they may follow thee and
serve thee in their day and in their generation. Remember parents
as they bring up their children that they may be brought up in
the nurture and admonition of the Lord. Remember the families
as they gather round the Word of God and pray over it. O Lord,
we do pray that it may be so, that in the family there may
be the reading of the Word and prayer made, for all things are
sanctified by the Word of God and prayer. We pray, most gracious
Lord, that there was Remember each and every one in the midst
of the journey of life and undertake for each one and graciously deliver
us from the temptations of the wicked one and the power and
the dominion of sin. Deliver us from the snare of
the fowler and from the noise and pestilence. Remember, Lord,
we do beseech thee that those of us in the evening time of
life's journey and graciously be with us even unto death. He will be our guide even unto
death. Gracious God, prepare us for
that great day when we shall soar through tracks unknown and
see the on thy judgment throne. And we think, O Lord, of this
day in the past year and the passing of our dear beloved wife. And we pray that thou wouldst
graciously be with us still We thank Thee that we sorrow not
as others that are without hope. O most gracious Lord, we pray
that Thou wouldst remember each one of us and remember dear Mrs
Field and graciously bless her in her great age. We do beseech
Thee. Remember all Thy servants as
they labour in word and doctrine upon the walls of Zion and set
them free and at liberty. And we pray thee, the great Lord
of the harvest, to send true labourers into the harvest. We
pray, most gracious Lord, that the glory, light, and power of
the gospel shined at this village, and the surrounding villages
and hamlets, and the word of the Lord distributed may, O Lord,
be richly blessed of thee, and produce an abundant harvest in
due season. Lord, do hear us, we humbly beseech
thee, And bless us, we pray thee. We pray for any with any special,
particular case. They've come up onto the house
of the Lord, and we pray that they will meet their cases. And
come and open thy word to our heart and to our understanding.
Come and shine into our souls with the light of the glory of
God in the face of Jesus Christ. We do humbly beseech thee. Remember us for good. and be
with us now as we turn to thy holy word, and come and touch
one's lips with the live coal from of the heavenly altar, we
ask for Jesus Christ's sake. Amen. Let us now sing together hymn
number 629. The tune is Old 148, 552. The
Lord will feed the poor, nor shall their fare be mean. Rich blessings are in store in
Grace's magazine, from which rich treasure Christ will feed
the hungry soul that feels his need. Hymn 629. ? All hail King Adonai ? ? No child
of heav'n beneath ? ? With mercies all restored ? ? In grace and
mercy ? ? From which the chosen Christ
can flee ? ? And from which all that fear him shall flee ? ? O'er triumphant still have come
? ? And on that mercy strong ? ? The new and the young have
come ? ? The Lord may reach them all ?
? Angels and ghosts are with us now ? ? God will be still
with us now ? ? Came to save the lost ? ? God
really changed his mind ? ? Yes, so sad he withdrew us ? ? He
will not be found again ? We'll be nations forever brave,
And glorify the Lord. Greatly feeling to need the Lord's
gracious help, I'll direct your attention to the gospel according
to Luke and chapter 19, and we'll read verse 10 for our text. Luke chapter 19, verse 10. For the Son of Man is come to
seek and to say that which was lost. what wonderful works of grace,
of love, of mercy, are seen in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We see it here with Zacchaeus,
how the Lord sovereignly called him by divine grace. And we see the fulfillment of
what is spoken of here, the Son of Man is come. Firstly, before
we come to the context, I want to just look at these first few
words of our text. The Son of Man is come. What
a wonderful truth that is. The Son of Man is come. The Lord Jesus Christ. David,
he's speaking in a prophetic way in Psalm 80, and in the closing
verses of that Psalm 80, He prays, he said, let thy hand be upon
the man of thy right hand, the son of man, whom thou made is
strong for thyself. David was looking by faith to
the coming of Christ. And he's called the son of man. He's also called the son of God. As Paul says, when he writes
the epistle to the Romans, He is declared to be the Son of
God with power. All the names that are given
to Jesus Christ in Holy Scripture, they are divinely inspired, and
they open up to us the different facets, as you might say, of
his person, all of his nature. When the term Son of Man is used,
and I believe there are 72 times, in holy scripture when christ
is called the son of man mostly by himself indeed virtually every
reference to jesus christ and the day of judgment when he comes
to judge the world almost every reference to the day of judgment
christ is called the son of man you find it in the book of daniel
And there, Daniel, under divine inspiration, he calls him the
son, I saw one like unto the son of man. So, if he's called
the son of man, and also called the son of God, what is the significance
of these things, these titles or names that are given unto
Jesus Christ? These different names, do you
think of what It's said in the book of the Proverbs, the name
of the Lord is a strong tower and the righteous runneth into
it. The name of the Lord. David in the closing verses of
Psalm 72 where he speaks so beautifully of the Lord Jesus Christ as being
the King. And he says, blessed be the name
of the Lord forever and ever. The name of the Lord. And of
course, the clear reference. How many different names are
there? He's called Jehovah Jesus. And the apostle, he takes that
up in Hebrews and he says, Jesus Christ, the same yesterday and
today and forever. That's a paraphrase on the name
Jehovah. Christ himself uses the same
in the New Testament there isn't the equivalent word in the Greek
for Jehovah. And so in the New Testament it's
paraphrased. And there is one of the paraphrases
when the Apostle says, Jesus Christ, the same yesterday and
today and forever. When Christ himself comes to
speak to his servant John. And he says to John, I'm Alpha
and Omega, the beginning and the ending, the first and the
last. I am He which is, and which was, and which is to come. The
name Jehovah. I am He which is, and which was,
and which is to come. He's the eternal God. He's the
Son of God. Or as we looked at the other
week in that lovely well-known verse in John. For God so loved the world, He
gave His only begotten Son. And that word only begotten.
What does it mean? I always think it's so very beautifully
put in the hymn, the Christmas hymn that we often see. Begotten,
not created. He's the eternal son of God. Or as it says in Proverbs chapter
eight, I was set up from everlasting wherever the earth was. You see,
begotten, not created. He is of the same nature of his
Father, which is eternal. From everlasting to everlasting,
thou art God. There's never been a time where
there's not been the Son of God. Because God is eternal. He's
the eternal Son of the eternal God. Indeed, in the opening passages
of The Gospel according to John, it speaks very beautifully of
the divine nature of the Son of God, of the eternal nature
of the Son of God. In those first five verses of
John's Gospel, I think it was J.C. Ryle, he said, if you move
one comma or one full stop in those five verses, you'll introduce
some terrible heresy into the Church of God. Just listen carefully. in the beginning was the word
that is speaking of the divine nature of the son of god in the
beginning was the word you might say how do you know it's speaking
of the divine nature of the son of god well just listen to verse
14 and the word was made flesh and dwelt among us and we beheld
his glory the glory as of the only begotten of the father full
Grace and truth in the beginning was the word and the word was
with God that work that term in the beginning means from all
eternity and The word was with God and the word was God The
same was in the beginning with God all things were made by him
and without him was not anything made that was made In him was
life and the life was the light of men and the light shineth
in darkness, and the darkness comprehended it not. You see,
so clearly speaks of the divinity of the Son of God, the only begotten
Son of the Father. And so that, in some simple little
way, explains to us the term the Son of God, the Eternal Son,
of the Eternal Father. But then, we have this term,
the Son of Man. And the term, or the name, the
Son of Man, speaks of His holy human nature. That the Son of
God assumed in the womb of the Virgin Mary. You see, we have
in our text, for the Son of Man is come. That's when He came
to Earth. He existed from all eternity,
the Son of God. But when he assumed human nature,
this other title is given to him, or name, the Son of Man.
The Word that was made flesh and dwelt among us. That sacred,
holy human nature that the Son of God assumed. The Holy Ghost
overshadowed the womb of the Virgin Mary. And it says here
in Luke, that holy thing that shall be born of thee. The virgin
birth of Jesus Christ is something that is absolutely vital. It's
vital. Every child born into this world
was born in sin and shaped in iniquity. We have the same nature
as our parents, which is a fallen nature. That's why it says in
the psalm, born in sin. shapen in iniquity. We receive
that fallen nature from our parents. But this man, it's a lovely term
used especially in the Hebrews, isn't it? But this man, the man
Christ Jesus, is something profoundly different. A virgin shall be
with child. Jerry Meyer, he says about a
woman shall encompass a man. Who has heard such a thing? Who
has seen such a thing? Of course it's referring to the
virgin birth of Christ. But it was vital that it should
be. Because that holy human nature was holy. It wasn't defiled with
sin. The Lord Jesus was sent here
upon earth, the Son of God became a man, took a holy human nature
into union with his divine nature. becoming bone of our bone and
flesh of our flesh. I think it's in Hebrews chapter
2 that the dear Apostle Paul he opens so beautifully to us
the Lord Jesus Christ in his incarnation and he says there
that he was made a little lower than the angels. He speaks He's quoting to us,
of course, from the book of Psalms. Thou madest him a little lower
than the angels, verse 7. What is it to be made a little
lower than the angels? What does he mean? In the first
chapter he makes it very, very clear, and in this second chapter,
that he took not on him the nature of angels. He didn't come as
an angel. He came as a man, a real man. He speaks here of Adam first,
and he says, Thou madest him a little lower than the angels.
Why is that term used? What does it mean, he's made
a little lower than the angels? Well, the angels are pure spirits
created by God. God is an infinite, eternal spirit
that ever has been and always will be. The angels are pure
spirit, but they were created by God. But man, he has a spiritual soul
and he has a physical body. And that is what is meant a little
lower than the angels. The angels can go from one place
to the other, can go through walls and everything, but man
has a physical body. The body is called the dwelling
place of the soul. As it's clearly recorded in the
Book of Genesis in the creation of man upon the earth how that
God formed the physical body of Adam from the dust of the
earth and then when he had Created that physical body of Adam. We
read this and God breathed into him the breath of life And man
became a living soul a living soul And this is what makes man
different to all the beasts of the earth. He has what is called
a reasonable soul. You might say, why is the term
reasonable soul? Because it is the seat of our
reason. That is what gives us the intelligence
and reason that we have. It comes from our soul that we
were created with. But when Adam fell, the hymn
writer says it, doesn't he? He ruined all his future race.
The seeds of evil once brought in increased and filled the world
with sin. What a solemn fall that was,
wasn't it? Alienated from God because of sin. God had said
to man that the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely
die. That is the fruit of the tree
of good and of evil. Thou shalt surely die. Thou madest him A little lower
than the angels, thou crownest him with glory and honor, and
did set him over the work of thy hands. God set Adam over
the work of his hands. It's clearly recorded in the
book of Genesis. Thou hast put all things in subjection
under his feet. For that he put all in subjection
under him, he left nothing that is not put unto him. But now
we see not yet all things put unto him, but we see Jesus. but
we see Jesus who was made a little lower than the angels in other
words he became a man and it tells us why he became a man
for the suffering of death the son of God in his divine nature
cannot die the son of God in his divine nature cannot suffer
he's God he's pure infinite spirit but the son of man the Son of
God manifest in the flesh, in that holy human nature, he could
suffer, he could bleed, and he could die. And that is why he
assumed that human nature, that in the room and place instead
of his people, he would suffer, bleed, and die for his people. But we see Jesus, who was made
a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor
that by the grace of God he should taste death for every man for
it became him now he speaks of his divine nature for it became
him for whom are all things and by whom are all things in bringing
many sons unto glory to make the captain of their salvation
perfect through suffering and uh he quotes here from the
old testament Verse 12, I will declare thy name unto my brethren. This is from Psalm 22. In the
midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee. And again,
he's quoting from scripture, I will put my trust in him. And
again, behold I and the children which God hath given me. Now
look how he speaks so beautifully here concerning the incarnation
of the Son of God for as much then as the children. What does he mean when he uses
the term the children? He means the Church of God. He
means all that the Father had given to Christ. For as much
then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself,
that's the Son of God, likewise took part of the same. That through
death, and notice the connection between the assuming of human
nature and death. That through death. he might
destroy him that had the power of death, that is the devil. Verse 16, for verily he took
not on him the nature of angels, but he took on him the seed of
Abraham. Wherefore in all things it behoved
him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a
merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God to
make reconciliation for the sins of the people. For in that he
himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succor them that
are tempted. The Bible tells us very clearly
that God cannot be tempted of evil. So the Son of God in his
divine nature couldn't be tempted. But the Son of God in that sacred,
holy, human nature, he could be tempted. He was tempted. And
the apostle says in the Hebrews, he was tempted in all points
like as we are, yet without sin. Tempted in all points like as
we are, yet without sin. And the word of God is very clear. He did no sin. Neither was guile
found in his mouth. He was spotless. And the hymn
writer says, doesn't he, spotless. innocent and pure, our great
Redeemer stood, while Satan's fiery darts he bore, and did
resist to death. For the Son of Man is come."
What a glorious truth. What a wonderful truth. The Son
of Man is come. And it tells us here also why
He has come. For the Son of Man has come to
save that which was lost. that which Adam lost when he
fell into sin. When Adam and Eve fell into sin,
they were cast out of the Garden of Eden. They were alienated
from God and from godliness. The fall of man, my beloved friends,
was a tremendous fall. And the apostle says to us in
Romans chapter 5 that death passed upon all men death passed upon
all men what a fall it was and now my beloved friends the only
hope of a poor sinner is the glorious person of Jesus the
Son of God that was manifest in the flesh Jesus the Son of
God that came to redeem his people He came to live for his people.
He came to suffer for his people. He came to die for his people. I was saying to the deacons in
the vestry, I remember one particular time, Isaiah 53 is a chapter
that I'd read many, many times. But I'm reading it on this particular
occasion. Those words stood out so powerfully
entered into my soul, a man of sorrows, a man of sorrows, and
acquainted with grief. This man of sorrows, Jesus, the
eternal son of God, he came to suffer, bleed, and die for his
people. And as the apostle puts it so
clearly and beautifully in Galatians chapter four, that he was made of a woman,
made under the law. When the Son of God assumed human
nature, he came under the law. The Bible, clear, the law was
made for man. And when Christ, the Son of God,
became a man, he came under the law, made of a woman, made under
the law, that he might redeem them that are under the law.
Now, how would he redeem them? for the Son of Man is come to
seek and to save that which was lost. How would he save them?
How would he save them? That was in that human nature
that belonged to the Son of God. It was his own personal human
nature. It never had any separate existence to him. Immediately
that the Holy Ghost overshadowed the womb of the Virgin, the Son
of God assumed. human nature. It was his own
personal human nature. That union that was made between
the divine and the human, it's an eternal union. It will never
be dissolved. It will never be dissolved. What
a precious truth that is. Even in death it wasn't dissolved.
There was no separation between the divine and the human. The hymn writer puts it this
way, the Lord of life experienced death. The man of sorrows and acquainted
with grief, he experienced death. You know, I think it's in the
Prophet Zachariah, it speaks there very beautifully concerning
the sufferings of our Lord Jesus Christ and concerning what was
accomplished by our Lord Jesus Christ. And we read in Zechariah
chapter 13 and verse 6, and one shall say unto him, what are
these wounds in thine hands? Then he shall answer, those with
which I was wounded in the house of my friends. Awake, O sword,
against my shepherd. This, of course, is the Father
speaking of the Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. Against the man. Notice the emphasis, against
the man that is my fellow. As the Son of God is co-equal
and co-eternal with the Father and with the Holy Ghost. Against
the man that is my fellow, saith the Lord of hosts. Smite the
shepherd. and the sheep shall be scattered, and I will turn
my hand upon the little ones. This is the man of sorrows, for
the Son of Man is come to seek and to save. To seek and to save. His name shall be called Jesus,
for he shall save his people from their sins. That's why he's
called Jesus. That's the meaning of the name.
Jesus, he shall save his people from their sins. Jesus the Savior,
Jesus the Redeemer, Jesus the Almighty Savior, Jesus the Almighty
Redeemer. Jesus, the one that is able to
save to the uttermost all that come unto God by him, seeing
he ever liveth. He has the power of an endless
life. power of an endless life, he
says to his disciples, because I live, ye shall live also. He's speaking there of what he
would do in the salvation of his people. He suffered and he
bled and died because the Father laid upon him the iniquity of
us all, and that is why he went to Calvary. In the epistles,
the apostle, he says he took our sins and he nailed them to
his cross. Christ took our sins. The Father
laid upon him the iniquity of us all. That's why he suffered. He himself was holy and pure
and righteous altogether. He did no sin, neither was guile
found in his mouth. You know, friends, death had
no claim upon the person of Christ, upon the Son of Man. He was sinless. As the Word of God states very
clearly, the wages of sin is death. The gift of God is eternal
life. Through Jesus Christ our Lord,
the wages of sin is death. He did no sin. You may say to
me, why then did he suffer? Why did he bleed? Why did he
die? For the sins of his people. The Eternal Father He took our
sins and He laid them on His Son. He imputed them unto Christ
as if they were His own sins. That's why He suffered. That's
why He bled. That's why He died. He was wounded
for our transgressions. He was bruised for our iniquities. The chastisement of our peace
was upon Him and with His stripes we are healed. For the Son of
Man is come to seek and to say My beloved friends the Savior
That that precious blood is shed on Calvary It cleanses from all
sin The dignity and the power and the worth of the sacrifice
of Christ is in this that he's the Son of God He's the Son of
God He is declared to be the Son of God with power You know
in in I often point it out to you because it's something that
has been made exceedingly sweet and precious to me. But in Hebrews
chapter 9, the apostle, he speaks there of the sacrifice of Christ. And he says, verse 11, he's following
on from speaking of all the sacrifices and offerings under the Jewish
dispensation of the Old Testament. But then he goes on, he says,
but Christ, be in common high priest of good things to come
by a greater more perfect tabernacle he means he's referring to the
sacrifices and offerings in the tabernacle worship but then when
he says a greater more perfect tabernacle he means the son of
God assuming human nature that word tabernacle it's the same
it's translated from exactly the same word When it says in
John 1, he dwelt among us. The word was made flesh and dwelt
among us. Elsewhere, that is translated,
tabernacled among us. He lived among us as a man, the
son of God. This is what makes his person
so unique. But, he says, neither by the
blood of goats and of cows, but by his own blood, He entered
in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption
for us. For if the blood of bulls and
of goats and the ashes of an heifer, sprinkling the unclean,
sanctify it to the purifying of the flesh, how much more,
how much more shall the blood of Christ who through the eternal
spirit, I do not believe there it means the Holy Ghost, it means
the divine nature of the Son of God, who through the eternal
spirit, offered himself without spot to God, purged your conscience
and dead works to serve the living God. Look at the illustration
that we have in the Levitical dispensation, you have an altar,
and then on the altar you have a sacrifice. That altar, in a
typical sense, represents the divine nature of the Son of God. The sacrifice on the altar represents
the human nature of the Son of God. He offered his sacred, holy,
human nature on the altar of his divinity. He offered himself
a complete sacrifice. The Son of God manifest in the
flesh. How much more All my beloved
friends, the dignity worth of the blood of Christ, of the sacrifice
of Christ, is this, He's the Son of God. It's of infinite
value, it's of infinite worth. There's power in that precious
blood that sweeps away the sins of the whole church of God. I
am the way, the truth, and the life. No man cometh unto the
Father but by me. How much more shall the blood
of Christ who through the eternal spirit offered himself without
spot to God purge your conscience and dead works to serve the living
God. He goes on in Hebrews chapter
10 and he speaks there that concerning the sacrifice of Christ in verse
12 but this man after he had offered one sacrifice for sins
forever sat down the right hand of God from henceforth expecting
his enemies to be made his footstool for by one offering he has perfected
forever them that are sanctified perfected forever eternally safe
eternally secure in the Lord Jesus Christ I love those the
way the apostle speaks in his epistles and it probably stands
out most prominently in the epistle to the Ephesians but he uses
these terms constantly and continually whether he's speaking of doctrine
experience or practice he constantly uses these terms in him through
him unto him by him everything is centered in the glorious person
of our Lord Jesus Christ. It's like the disciples on the
Mount of Transfiguration, when Christ was transfigured before
them, and they heard the voice of the Father, this is my beloved
Son, in whom I am well pleased. But, you see, and when the cloud
had lifted, they saw no man save Jesus only. You know, friends,
is your religion like that? No man save Jesus only. Jesus only can save. Jesus only
can redeem. Jesus only has made a new and
living way into the holy place. Jesus only has fulfilled God's
holy righteous law. Jesus only can offer that perfect,
pure and spotless sacrifice that redeems his people. It's Jesus
only. For the Son of Man is come to
seek to save that which was lost that which was lost oh what a
wonderful truth then that we have in our text let us look
now for a moment at Zacchaeus because this is a beautiful illustration
given to us who he was and behold there was a man named Zacchaeus
which was chief among the publicans and he was rich. The publicans
were tax collectors and they well knew, everybody knew how fraudulent
the tax collectors were. And it says here he was not only
just a tax collector, he was chief among the publicans. This
man, probably the most unlikely man you would ever think that
would be saved and redeemed. And he was rich, and he was rich. And you see here, and he sought
to see Jesus, who he was, and could not for the press, because
he was little of stature. And he ran before and climbed
up into a sycamore tree to see him, for he was to pass that
way. What a surprise that must have
been. when the Lord Jesus came under
that sycamore tree and when Jesus came to the place he looked up and saw him and said unto him
Zacchaeus make haste and come down make haste and come down
for today I must abide at thy house you see my beloved friends
the Lord calls What in our idea would be unexpected. He was the chief among the publicans. He was very rich. And yet the
Lord called him by divine grace. Make haste and come down. You see, and when they saw it,
that's the multitude, they all murmured, saying, That he has
gone to be a guest with a man that is a sinner. A man that is a sinner. You know,
Jesus is just the same today. The Pharisees said on another
occasion, this man receiveth sinners and eateth with them.
And they meant it in a derogatory way. But you know it's blessed
truth, it's sacred truth. This man still receives sinners.
This man now sits at the right hand of the Father. For such
an high priest have we who is passed into the heavens, Jesus
the Son of God. He sits at the right hand of
the Majesty on high. This man, this glorious holy
God-man, the man Christ Jesus, exalted at his Father's hand,
still receives sinners. He does. We quoted those lovely
words this morning. the words of Christ 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 it's the rest of faith what
in the finished work of Christ the glorious person of the Son
of God manifest in the flesh this man receiveth sinners and
eateth with them and when they saw it they all murmured saying
that he was gone to be a guest with a man that is a sinner.
Oh my beloved friends, blessed be God, he still does. Sinners are welcomed still to
Christ, the sinner's friend. Is it Gatsby in one of his hymns,
a vilest sinner out of hell that lives to feel his need is welcomed
to the throne of grace, the Saviour's blood to plead. And Zacchaeus
stood. Now this This all happened and
this is a wonderful thing. These things happen in a moment.
Look at Saul of Tarsus when the Lord stopped him on the road
to Damascus. He was blind for three days and
he then got up and was baptized in the name of Jesus Christ and
immediately he preached Christ in the synagogues of Damascus.
Look at the change, the dramatic change. the Lord's servant who
has been with us this past week from Sheboygan in the USA. He
told us, did he not, one evening this week how that a woman that
had been attending at his chapel, she witnessed the baptising and
she so despised the ordinance. She absolutely despised it. She
thought it was awful and she felt such enmity rise up in her
heart. And as he baptized the person,
as they were coming up after the water, in a moment she saw
a risen Christ, rising from the dead, and all the enmity was
taken from her heart, and a complete change came about. You see, it's
exactly what happened with Zacchaeus. Chief among the publicans, a
very rich man, running before Christ up in the tree, When Christ
comes underneath, he looks up. Now look at what happened. Look
at the effect of the grace of God that reached into the heart
of Zacchaeus. It was an effect that was immediate.
What we see here, my beloved friends, is what we call the
doctrine of repentance, the experience of repentance. You see, Zacchaeus
stood and said unto the Lord, Behold, Lord, the half of my
goods I give to the poor. This is repentance. It's a very
practical grace. The half of my goods I give to
the poor, and if I have taken anything from any man by false
accusation, I restore him fourfold. And Jesus said unto him, this
day is salvation come to this house for as much as he also
is a son of Abraham. Oh, what wonderful grace. What
wonderful grace. This man, so unexpectedly turned
round to follow the Lord. And the fruits of repentance
immediately manifest in his life. You see, and we have it here
in the latter part of the previous chapter. It seemed to stand out
to me. Again, it was where he was here in Jericho. verse 35
in chapter 18, and it came to pass that as he was come nigh
unto Jericho, a certain blind man sat by the wayside, begging,
and hearing the multitude pass by, he asked what it meant, and
they told him that Jesus of Nazareth passed by. Something was revealed to him.
He cried, saying, Jesus, thou son of David, Have mercy on me,
the son of David, meant the Messiah, that was promised at the time
of David, there shall not fail thee a man to sit upon thy throne. This poor blind beggar had had
something revealed to him of who Jesus Christ was. He'd heard
that he could make the blind to see, the deaf to hear, the
lame to walk. So he cried out, Jesus, thou
son of David, have mercy on me. And they which went before rebuked
him. that he should hold his peace,
but he cried out so much the more, thou son of David, have
mercy on me. We were speaking this morning,
was we not, of seeking. Seeking the Lord. To keep seeking,
to persevere in seeking, not to give up in your seeking the
Lord. The Lord waits to be gracious. But just listen to this, because
it's something so wonderful. Jesus stood in another gospel
it says he stood still and Jesus stood it was the cry of a poor beggar
a poor destitute man sitting by the wayside begging for charity
and Jesus stood what a wonderful thing the Son of God the creator
of the heavens and the earth The Almighty, at the cry of a
poor beggar, stood still. And Jesus stood and commanded
him to be brought unto him. And when he was come near, he
asked him, saying, What wilt thou that I shall do unto thee? And he said, Lord, that I may
receive my sight. And Jesus said unto him, Receive
thy sight, thy faith, has saved thee, and notice, and immediately
he received his sight and followed him, glorifying God. And all
the people, when they saw it, gave praise unto God. For the
Son of Man is come to seek and to save that which was lost. Oh, that the Lord would grant
that these things may sink deep into our hearts. to realise that
Jesus still saves poor sinners. Look unto me, all ye ends of
the earth, and be ye saved, for I am God, and there is none else. May the Lord add his blessings. Let us now sing together hymn
number 669. The tune is Toulon 778. Poor sinners sunk in sin's tremendous
cell, Tormented with the fiery darts of hell, On Jesus' call,
though wretched be your case, He came, the lost, to seek and
save by grace. Hymn 669. O come, O come, O come, O come, In England all to sing God save
the Queen. Chains by and chains all before,
And God's wrath, lo, with terror kills no soul. Jesus is the sinner's friend,
and he has answered all the Lord's prayer. ? Have not bound for joy ? ? Nor
can behold them ? ? Nor to satisfy ? ? Ah, Jesus, ah, Jesus, ah, Jesus, ah, Jesus ? Passed through the storm and
pain, And laid there in vain, With the ocean's crown. ? Then at birth had an offspring
free ? ? Of guilty Mary on the dying's knee ? ? And guilty I am but as they could
be ? ? Heaven proved His mercy, suffering with me ? 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.