May the Lord help us to commence
our worship this evening with hymn number 24, tune Belmont
101. Why should the children of a
king go mourning all their days? Great Comforter, descend and
bring some tokens of Thy grace. Hymn 24 Why should the children, O happy,
now mourning all their days? Great Barn Martyr, descend and
bring to Jocund's hall thy grace. The sun o'er dwelling o'er the
stage, The ceiling is of heaven, When will Thou banish my complaints
And show my sins forgiven? Assure my conscience all the
time. in the radiant bloom. And ever I witness with my heart
? The dark and cold of night ? ? And while the air is cold this night ? The better
joys to come. And thy soft wings, celestial
dove, In singing of heav'nly love. May we be helped to read this
evening from the prophecy of Isaiah, chapters 61 and 62. The prophet Isaiah, chapters 61 and
62. The spirit of the Lord God is
upon me, because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings
unto the meek. He hath sent me to bind up the
brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening
of the prison to them that are bound, to proclaim the acceptable
year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort
all that mourn, to appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give
unto them a beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning,
the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness, that they
might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that
he might be glorified. And they shall build the old
wastes, they shall raise up the former desolations, and they
shall repair the waste cities, the desolations of many generations. And strangers shall stand and
feed your flocks, and the sons of the alien shall be your ploughmen
and your vinedressers. But ye shall be named the priests
of the Lord, men shall call you the ministers of our God. Ye
shall eat the riches of the Gentiles, and in their glory shall ye boast
yourselves. For your shame ye shall have
double, and for confusion they shall rejoice in their portion,
therefore in their land they shall possess the double everlasting
joy shall be unto them for i the lord love judgment i hate robbery
and burnt offering and i will direct their work in truth and
i will make an everlasting covenant with them and their seed shall
be known among the gentiles and their offspring among the people
all that see them shall acknowledge them that they are the seed which
the Lord hath blessed. I will greatly rejoice in the
Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God, for he hath clothed
me with the garments of salvation. He hath covered me with the robe
of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments,
and as a bride adorneth herself with jewels. For as the earth
bringeth forth her bud, and as the garden causeth the things
that are sown in it to spring forth, so the Lord God will cause
righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations. For Zion's sake will I not hold
my peace, and for Jerusalem's sake I will not rest. until the
righteousness thereof go forth as brightness, and the salvation
thereof as a lamp that burneth. And the Gentiles shall see thy
righteousness, and all kings thy glory, and thou shalt be
called by a new name, which the mouth of the Lord shall name.
Thou shalt also be a crown of glory in the hand of the Lord,
and a royal diadem in the hand of thy God. Thou shalt no more
be termed forsaken, neither shall thy land any more be termed desolate. But thou shalt be called Hephzibah,
that is, my delight, and thy land Beulah, that is, married. For the Lord delighteth in thee,
and thy land shall be married. For as a young man marrieth a
virgin, so shall thy sons marry thee. And as a bridegroom rejoiceth
over the bride, so shall thy God rejoice over thee. I have set watchmen upon thy
walls, O Jerusalem, which shall never hold their peace day nor
night. Ye that make mention of the Lord
keep not silence, and give him no rest till he establish and
till he make Jerusalem a praise in the earth. The Lord hath sworn
by his right hand, and by the arm of his strength, surely I
will no more give thy corn to be meat for thine enemies, and
the sons of the stranger shall not drink thy wine for which
thou hast laboured. But they that have gathered it
shall eat it, and praise the Lord, and they that have brought
it together shall drink it in the courts of my holiness. Go
through, go through the gates, prepare ye the way of the people,
cast up, cast up the highway, gather out the stones, lift up
a standard for the people. Behold, the Lord hath proclaimed
unto the end of the world, say ye to the daughter of Zion, behold,
thy salvation cometh. Behold, his reward is with him,
and his work before him, and they shall call them the holy
people. redeemed of the Lord, and thou
shalt be called sought out, a city not forsaken. May the dear Lord bless the reading
of his holy word to us each, may he help us in prayer. Dear
Lord, as we come, O we do come pleading that thou would help
us once again as we come before thee, and before thy people,
and dear Lord to speak from thy word. O we do pray that we might
know the descent of the Holy Spirit upon us, that we might
receive something outside of us, and dear Lord we do pray
that thou would bless us as we come together. O may there be
a uniting Dear Lord, may we know that place of uniting, and may
our hearts burn within us. Dear Lord, we do pray that thou
wouldst help us each to confess our sins before thee, not publicly
as the Pharisee, Lord, on the street corner, but privately,
quietly, and really mean it. May we have those tears of contrition
and repentance, and may we have a heart that sorrows for what
we've done. May we know, dear Lord, what
it is to be found, knowing and feeling and... Dear Lord, what
we need is access. And without it, Lord, we stumble. Without it, we cannot get near
Thee. But what we need, dear Lord,
is to feel that Thou dost hear us and that we have that sweet
access to Thy heart. And oh, we do pray Lord, that
thou wouldst condescend to make thy word precious to us each
this evening. Oh, we do pray, Lord, for thou
knowest that we cannot make it precious ourselves. We cannot
give our own selves a soft heart or a tender heart. Lord, thou
knowest each of us by nature. We are so hard-hearted. We are
so wayward. We would turn from thee, dear
Lord. But, oh, we do pray that this evening that thou wilt condescend
to be with us and make one. May our thoughts, our hearts,
plant together. May our prayers be as one coming
up to thee, Lord. Oh, we do beg earnestly that
we might know the sweet confirmations and assurances in our heart that
thou wilt give to thy people. Lord, make them over to us and
make them as though they are ours personally. Oh, we do pray
for this spirit. and we do beg for this people,
do help them, do be with them and watch over them, both young
and old, we pray for them earnestly, Lord, that thou would keep them,
keep the young from going into other by-path meadows, going
into the world, being attracted by something in the world. Lord,
we pray that thy grace might touch their hearts while they're
young, that thou would keep them close to thee, keep them close
to thy word, Keep them close to the courts of God. Oh, we
do pray for this, dear Lord. And we honestly beg that thou
would watch over them and be with them. Help them in their
studies, help them in their employment. Open doors where they are needed
to be opened, Lord. And oh, we do pray that thou
would shut them where they need to be shut. And Lord, if we pray
wrongly, thou knowest how many times that we have asked thee
for something and thou hast not done it and we've been pleased,
dear Lord. that thou didst not open something
or close something. And so, dear Lord, may they be
helped to understand these things when disappointment comes, when
they have those heartaches. May they know that it comes from
above. May they know that it's all for
the best. Oh, we do pray, then, that thou
wouldst watch over and help each one. And we especially pray for
dear Uncle Jabe. Do remember him, Lord, and be
with him at home at this time, do strengthen him for the work,
and we do pray that there might be much prayer going up for him
in his loneliness, dear Lord. And as their pastor, oh, may
they be enabled to hold his hands up, even in secret, Lord, when
he is in the study room, when he's pouring over his Bible,
when he's on his knees. Oh, Lord, these are the times
that the prayer is needed as much as in the pulpit. And so
we do pray that thou would help them to pray on. Help them, dear
Lord, to come to thee continually. No prayer in the pew, no power
in the pulpit. Lord, oh, that we could understand
these things. That we could pray for one another.
And dear Lord, that we could truly esteem each other better
than ourselves to be. Oh, we thank thee for so many
mercies. We thank Thee for Thy kindnesses
toward us. We thank Thee for the supply
of our every need. But Lord, Thou knowest our need,
and it's so great. It's so great when we look at
it, Lord. But oh, we do pray that Thou
would come over all our need this evening. Whether it be in
providence or in grace, each one of us, may we know the kind,
sweet supply sent from heaven. May we realize and know that
blessed word that thy apostle said, my God shall supply all
your need according to his wishes in glory by Christ Jesus. Oh, that we might know the power
of it, dear Lord, within our own hearts. Keep us from sinning,
keep us from straying, keep us from doing anything that would
grieve thee, and keep us, dear Lord, close to thee. We do pray
for the deacons here, remember them, and bless them indeed and
help them. One away from us, him and his
wife, Paulie, Lord, we do pray for them. We pray that they would
help them to get better. And we do pray for them as they
have the burden of the material things, Lord. Do help them with
the visiting. Do help them in those many tasks,
those many things that come upon them. We pray that thou would
strengthen them, Lord, to these things. And each member of the
church, we pray for them. And may there be many more added,
such as shall be saved, as thy word says. That there might be
many to join this chariot. There might be many to come and
testify of what thou hast done for them. Among all ages, Lord,
we do pray. and we pray for our churches
up and down and throughout the country and throughout the world,
that thou would remember them and bless them and help them
to continue. And where there are those twos
and threes, Lord, we pray that thou would encourage them. And
oh, may these pastorless causes be raised, have a man raised
up to be over them, Lord. It is thy way. It is the teaching
that thou has taught. So we do pray that we might Pray
for it, and instead of these chapels closing and being sold,
dear Lord, we do pray that thou would keep the chapels open so
that we have those places of worship, so that we can come
and gather round our master's feet and tell of his wondrous
faithfulness. Oh Lord, we do not know what
the days ahead contain, but we pray that the prayers of the
godly that have gone before us and our prayers, that they might
be mingled at the throne of grace, that thou would help thy people
continually until the end of time. Lord, we beg for these
things earnestly, that our children and grandchildren might know
the sweet privileges that we know, and dear Lord, that they
might not take it for granted. We pray for thy servants as they
go forth this evening, Be with them, each one. Help them, Lord,
and strengthen them for the work. Make their hands strong, we do
pray, by the mighty God of Jacob. And oh, we do beg, Lord, that
something might be done in thy name. Something precious might
be brought forth. Something, dear Lord, that will
stand the test of time and eternity. Oh, we do pray. that these things
that are done in the chapels, these things that are done in
thy people's hearts, are not just for time. May we realise
it more and more, dear Lord. They are being done for eternity. We are being shaped for one place
or the other. Lord, we do beg that thou wouldst
make us right and keep us right. Make us earnest in these things. Lord, we do beg. Oh, and make
Christ precious to our hearts. May we continually ask, what
think ye of Christ? Not to point to another, Lord,
but to our own hearts. What do we think of thee? Where
are we in the race? Where is our path leading? What
do we know of thee? These are searching questions,
Lord, and they need to be answered. And as we come this evening,
may there be a few of these answers poured out upon us so that we
might go from this place rejoicing in the Lord. and not rejoicing
in ourselves. Bless our nation, Lord, and our
leaders. We do pray for them. In all the
turmoil, dear Lord, of their lives, we pray that thou wouldst
quicken them into divine life, that thou wouldst breathe into
them, that thou wouldst bring them to conviction, that thou
wouldst bring them to their knees. Lord, we need to see these things.
And then we will know that we are being ruled in the fear of
God. Oh, we do pray, Lord, that the
evil one, the adversary, might, and that thy people might realize,
but more so, dear Lord, that the world might realize that
thou hast complete control. Thou art over all. Thou art on
the throne. And thy people to realize that
they have a chained foe. Chained adversary and so we thank
thee for this law, but at times they'll know it We are so fickle
so feeble so weak We think that Satan has the upper hand Lord
forgive us in these things and forgive us where we grieve they
forgive where we pray a wrong if we ask a miss a dear Lord
forgive us in all those things that are not our us sweetly tasted
and touched by the Holy Spirit. For we know, Lord, that without
Thee we can do nothing. Everything centres in Thyself,
and so help us this evening. And Lord, bless us together.
Oh, may there be such a spirit of love descend upon us to help
us through and help us sing Thy worthy praise, Lord, and bless
it to our hearts. We do beg. And if any have gathered
not knowing thee, we pray that this might be the appointed time
to take the veil off of their heart and to open their eyes
and cause the blind to see and the deaf to hear. Lord, these
are great things. Do it for us. We ask all these
things in the name of Jesus. Amen. Hymn 686, the tune Rycroft Hall,
493. cast a look on me, give me sweet
simplicity, make me poor and keep me low, seeking only O come, O come, O come, O come,
O come, O come, ? In ev'ry strain ? ? Sickness
is near ? ? Take me now ? ? And lead me on ? ? Seek me now ?
? We praise thee, O God ? ? We
praise thee, O God ? ? We praise thee, O God ? ? Redeemed from
the miser's plight ? ? Redeemed from the scorn and praise ? ?
Redeemed from the miser's plight ? Satsang with Mooji ? Fast and tender ? ? For a sign
? ? If I live to die some day ? ? May we love thee ? ? At thy feet ? ? Make me like
? ? The angel child ? ? Of thy strength ? ? And wisdom strong
? In my life. In my life. Leaning on thy lovely breast,
We'll ever be at rest, at rest, In this world, the teachings
of God, learning from thy precious hand. In this world, O'er the land of the free and
the home of the brave? May the dear Lord help me to
say a few things from The prophecy of Isaiah, chapter 62, and the
last few words in verse 10, lift up a standard for the people. The prophecy of Isaiah, chapter
62, and the last few words in verse 10, lift up a standard
for the people. in verse 1 the dear prophet here
speaks it's almost like friends he's speaking on God's behalf
this is a message from God through the prophet for Zion's sake will
I not hold my peace the dear Lord Jesus himself how this covers
his life and the chapter that we read before friends it almost
prepares you doesn't it and that's what I like about the scriptures
and the way the Lord works, because there's a preparation. Before
you can ever enter any text, friends, there's a preparation
for it. You can't just go delving in and think that you know best. The Lord has set these in places. He's set them just right for
you and I, and He prepares the soul before you get into it. And we read that lovely life
of the Lord Jesus, how He's anointed to preach. and to still bind
up the broken in hearted. He's still doing it. He's still doing it. Isn't it
wonderful? Old Testament language. And he's
still doing it for you and me in this age. And he'll be doing
it as long as the earth shall live. He'll still be doing these
same things. Binding up the broken in heart.
Oh, what a tender God we have, don't we? And then he says, resign, say,
can one hold my peace? You know, there's a beautiful
little verse I found in hymn number 160, verse three. And this tells us a little, just
a little, of what the dear prophet is saying. 160 verse 3 it says,
dear dying lamb, thy precious blood shall never lose its power
till all the ransomed church of God be saved to sin no more. Now why is that so beautiful
friends? Because he won't keep silent. He won't keep quiet. He's going to keep, I will not
hold my peace. He will continually not hold
his peace friends. till all the church are safe
home, safe above the skies. Doesn't this give you a little
hope in your heart? Haven't you got that that springs
up? Is it for me? Is this something for me? So
we can see that the Lord is speaking here, but we can also see the
church. The church, the desires of the
church, the longings of the church, they're on the page, they show
us. what we should be longing for the conversion of souls longing
that those in darkness will be brought to light this should
be an exercise for us friends and I believe the moment you
know or have tasted anything out of the scriptures by the
Holy Spirit anything of Jesus you will long for others to know
it'll be something it's it's something that takes hold of
your complete life You want others to know! It's not insular. It's not, friends. We as creatures
are very insular and we want to keep that which we've got
and we think it's ours. We put our name to it, we hide
it away, we put it in a safe. That's ours! When you come to
the Gospel, if the Lord gives you anything, you want to tell
others. You will. You'll want to see
others born again. You'll want to see others...
Let me ask you a question. How many names do you bear at
the throne of grace when you pray? Just your own? Just all your own problems? Just
all your own bills? Just all your own things? No!
The life of God spreads your heart, friends. It spreads it
so that you're praying for many others. So we have the church's
desires here. We have the dear old prophet's
desires here. I'm just coming down to the text,
friends. Because as we walk through this beautiful vineyard, we can
see grapes hanging everywhere. And I don't really know which
way to look. There's so many clusters just hanging from the
vine. Every verse, every single verse, friends, has got a bottle
of wine hanging from it. The produce of grapes. The dear
Lord Jesus has set this in such a beautiful way, hasn't he? We
go down to verse 6, and he says, I have set watchmen. I've done
it. Not you. I've set them, and they
will not hold their peace. And what are they speaking of?
What are they speaking of, friends? The love and mercy of our God. That's what is to be declared,
isn't it? I know there's a rounded gospel.
I know there's both sides to it. I know there is, friends.
But once the Holy Spirit starts working in you, and you realise
your depth of sin, you won't ever realise the depth of it,
but he shows you a little bit of it, then the watchmen are
sent to give a hope in Christ, to tell you that there's hope,
to tell you that there's safety, to tell you that there's something
beyond what you feel already, something else. Lovely thought,
isn't it? Isn't it, friend? We're so backward,
aren't we? We're so silent, and the Lord
says, we're not to be silent. We're not to be silent. You know,
everybody thinks this is for preachers and ministers. Friends,
it's for all of us. You've got a neighbor, haven't
you? Do you ever ask them how they are? Do you? Oh no, we mustn't
do that. Oh no, we mustn't do that. That's
pushing it on them. No, friends. For Zion's sake, Will I not hold
my peace? Think how guilty we come in. How guilty we come in, friends.
If he was to ask us how many we've spoken to of the gospel,
not to push it on them, not to go knocking on doors. I don't
mean that, friends. I mean just a general something to do with
the Lord. You know, we fail. You fail. If you measure yourself against
this word, friend, you've failed. And I have, greatly. But then
just to come down and we go to verse 10, and it says, go through
the gates, go through the gates, prepare the way of the people.
This tells us the poor sinners, the four poor sinners, the gates
are open. The gates are always open, aren't
they? The Lord doesn't shut a gate
on a poor sinner. It's for the poor sinners to
enter. I'm talking about those who need it, friends. I'm not
talking about those that say they're sinners and they're not.
This chapter is for sinners that feel it, that know it, that have
been taught it. And it's a painful path. It's
not easy. It's not easy. But it's got to
be proclaimed. If you're a sinner, friends,
you will be so pleased that these gates are open. that there's
a way prepared. Well, like I was saying, there's
a way prepared for you to enter already, as guilty as you are. I never knew there was a way,
friend. I never knew there was a way. I didn't. Some people
say, well, we've always known there's a way. I didn't. I didn't. I didn't know there was a way
prepared to go back to God. And I sat in chapel for my baby.
I've been brought in in arms, and I didn't know there was a
way back to God. I didn't know. I thought every way was closed.
These words are so precious, prepare you the way of the people.
There is a way, dear friends, to come back to God. There's
a way to be found at his feet. There's a way to be near God.
It means so much if you've been there. And it's such a joyful
time when the Lord opens a way up to you and shows you that
there really is a way through what he's done, through him.
But I want to come to these words just briefly, cast up the highway,
take out all the stumbling stones, take out all those things that
inhibit and hinder you. You think of the Jews and the
Gentiles, friends, they couldn't worship together. You couldn't
get two people like a Jew and a Gentile worshiping together,
never been done. never been seen they wouldn't
get near each other until the love of Christ rests gently on
their heart and you see Jew and Gentile walking together and
the Lord says lift up a standard for the people lift up this standard
what a lovely text for us this evening because friends we need
something to look to You know, so often we look at self, and
it doesn't do us any good. It doesn't. You know, friends,
often during the day you dwell upon yourself, don't you? You've
lost your faith as you think. You don't know which way to turn.
And the more you look within, the darker it gets. It gets darker. And yet you still can't look
out. You still don't have the sense,
do you? Child of God. It's a glorious
sense that the Lord gives you. He's given you natural senses. He gives you spiritual senses
to look out, doesn't he? And it's only on occasions you
suddenly realize, don't you, why was I looking within? Why
was I looking at everything around me when I should be looking to
the standard? I should be looking to this glorious
standard that's been set up before the earth was made. a standard
for the child of God. The poor, hell-deserving sinner
has somewhere to look, somewhere to focus on. Friend, how many times have you
gazed at him? This glorious standard that's
been raised up. But I wanna look at it like this,
because it's a lovely word. Jesus said, he said, if I be
lifted up, I will draw all men to me. Do you know the text? Do you know the text? You say,
of course we do. Of course we know it. Do you?
If I be lifted up, I will draw all men unto me. What I mean
to say friends is, have you walked in the text? Have you been drawn
to it? Then he meant what he said. Then
he really meant what he said. He draws sinners to himself,
doesn't he? This standard is an old military
term and it was used in the forces, in old warfare. They used to,
if you go to the changing of the guard or whatever it is where
they do it in London, they have the colours, the standards of
the regiment and they have to parade it before they hand it
over and you know the goings on there where they take it and
then they've got it for another time and then they hand it over
again and it's the standard is so precious to the army it is
so precious friends and it's a field flag it's an
old term for a field flag a standard and what they used to do whenever
they were on land they would show this flag this standard
and Each division would have a standard and in a division
there could be up to 22,000 men marching at one time. But they
could all see something. They were all looking to the
same thing. They weren't looking to the people
in charge. They had to obey the people in charge. They were looking
to the man that was carrying the standard. And right out in
the front Of all these men was this standard, this flag flying. And that's where they marched.
The standard in the front. The standard didn't go behind
you. Never get in front of the Lord, friends. Never, ever try
and get in front of the standard. You'll be in trouble. You'll
be in trouble. And he'll lay something on you
so you have to get back. He will. You know, I read a little
thing about this, a little story about this Commanding officer
and the privates they were all marching and one or two of them
were trying to get up front of him He soon gave them a quick
prod and showed them their place and you know friends It's exactly
what the Lord to do to you and me He give you a little prod
in your body. You've got to get back He will
and you know it you know what he's done. You know, you were
racing ahead You know, you were trying to get in front of him.
He's the leader. He's the standard and you know
these standards what they did was They used to go in and conquer
places and then they would put the standard wherever it would
be seen, the field flag. And they would put it so that
all those coming into that area would know who had conquered.
And what did they have to do? What did they do? Did they go
and take the flag and throw it away? No, they respected the
flag. They respected the enemy's standard. And what did they do? They yielded
to them. They submitted to them because
they got there first. Now you can see where we're going,
can't you? You can see where we're going, can't you? All the
time the standard's flying, friends, there's a standard bearer, and
he's holding it up. I don't know whether one wears
a gun or takes a gun with him, I don't know that, but I do know
he's holding that standard up. If he's shot, do they trample
the standard and carry on? No. the next one by the standard
will pick it up. He'll pick it up and he'll march
onwards. For king and country, he'll march
onwards and if he falls, another one will be ready. You and I
have the guarantee our standard bearer will never fall. He will
never fall. He's going to carry that standard
for you and I till we get to glory, friends. All you've got
to do is follow. Just follow it. All the way. Yes, you lose sight of it. It's
not his fault, it's your fault. Because you look somewhere else.
You looked into some sin, you lost sight of him. You looked
across with some desire, some worldly lust, and you lost sight
of him. That's the reason you lose sight,
friends. He's always there. He's always carrying the standard.
He never puts it down. He's shot at, but he never falls. They're lovely. Isn't he a lovely
prince? Look how he was shot at. He still
carried the standard bearer. He still carried the standard.
Oh, what a bearer we have, don't we? And this standard is very
precious because it's been through a lot. It's been through a lot,
just naturally. If you look, when we went to
London to see the exchange over, I looked at that old standard
And I couldn't believe what a rag it was. I couldn't believe what
it looked like. I thought it would be beautiful.
No, friends, that's been with them. Wherever they went to war,
that's with them, friends. They don't make a new one every
time, they treasure the old one. It's a beautiful thing to them,
and yet to the public, it doesn't mean a lot. Christian, you see
what I'm saying? These glorious old truths stand
emblazoned for the sinner to look at. You ladies, some men
might know it, but you know how long it takes to embroider? You
know, my wife, when her siblings got married, she did these beautiful
embroideries and cross-stitches and all these sort of things.
And it took her ages. It took her so long, friends,
to do it. But they look lovely. If you
looked at the front of it, If you looked at the back, it looked
a mess. Complete mess. That's what your life is, isn't
it? Because you keep looking at the back. Because you keep
looking at the back, it looks like a mess. You look at the
front, and sometimes the Lord gives you a little look at the
front, and you'll see what he's doing. Your life being beautifully
put in place. Every stitch means something
to him, and he'll make it mean something to you. He'll show
you. He'll show you. That stitch was needed. I didn't
stitch that one on, I did that one on purpose, not by mistake.
Lay it to heart, friends, because these mean things, don't they? Lift up a standard. Lift up the
standard. Oh, the blessedness of it, friends. What is this standard of the
dear Christian got written on it? Well, I saw these standards
and they've got the shield of the regiment and they've got
ER or whatever it is, they've got these in gold written on
it. What's your standard got written
on it, friends? You think of the glorious standard that the
Redeemer's carrying, what's it got written on it? The blood
of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all sin. Oh, if you see
that, friends, if you see that, it'll do you good, it'll do you
good. What else has it got on it? It's got all the promises
and they're written in gold. But you know, friends, this standard's
got blood on it. It's not being washed. It's not
being washed. The standard bearer has got his
own blood on it. Friends, It runs down through
every promise. He stained the standard with
his own blood and put every promise in there. What a thought. You haven't got
a promise that hasn't got blood on it, friends. You haven't.
If you think you have, you haven't got a promise. You haven't got
it. It's a promise with blood. It
is. Because that's how he got them.
That's how he got them. They were given to him. Worthy,
worthy, worthy. They cry in glory to possess
every promise there is and to dispense them to whom he will. Are you and I sheltering under
this standard? Are you and I found here, friends?
are we really found here because whether you know it or not you're
called to fight every Christian is called to fight in some way
or another you and I will find that we are fighting even fighting
ourselves at times I want to come to the brazen
serpent friends but The Lord is so gracious how he
puts you under the banner of his love. I didn't think he was. I didn't
think he was. And nor will you when the Lord
starts with you. You won't think he's gracious.
No. You won't hold the hand that
is punishing you. Not for a start. You think he's
turned against me. He's turned against me. What
have I done? What have I done? And when he
shows you a little bit what you've done, then you realise. So it's not an easy thing to
come under this standard, friends. I'm not preaching you just join
up and walk. No. Every single one that is
found under this standard has come through a pathway. And they're
coming through a pathway. Who is this that cometh up from
the wilderness? Leaning upon her, but what's
she leaning for? Surely they've got strength of
their own. No, they haven't. They haven't. They haven't, friends. Surely they can manage a few
steps on their own. No, they can't. They have to
lean. They have to lean on him. I really believe, and I know
I'm not as old as some here, I really believe, friends, the
older you get, the harder you lean. You lean harder. You thought you were leaning
in the beginning, didn't you? He won't fall over. Lean hard
on him, friends. Lean hard on him. Lift up the
standards. Now, this glorious brazen serpent,
something to look at. You know, as you go through the
day here below, through your work day, through your college
day, through your university day, what do you look at? What takes up your time? What are you attracted to? The people in the wilderness,
they had one thing to look at all day. All day, for instance. The brazen serpent. It wasn't
for a few minutes. They had to look at the brazen serpent. They
were stung to death. I mean, I know it doesn't mean
a lot, does it, if we're not stung to death. It doesn't mean
a lot, does it, if we're not convicted of our sin. You know,
there were many unbelievers amongst them. There were many unbelievers. This beautiful Serpent had been
raised up on a pole, a brazen serpent that shone because the
sun cast its light upon it and yet they didn't believe it. They
were stung and they died. They died. They had the same
opportunity. They didn't have the same opportunity
because they were never to be saved. They could never look. Does it concern you? Am I a looker? Am I an observer? Looking unto
Jesus, who's it to? And the sin which does so easily
beset you, it's to you, it's to them. Isn't it? Laying aside every sin and everything
that lays weight upon us and looking unto Jesus and that's
all they could do. They could only look to the brazen
serpent as they were stung. I may have said it and you may
have heard me say it but it so struck me once They were stung
more than once. They looked, they lived, they
were stung again. They were all around them. All
these scorpions, all around them. And isn't that like you and I?
We sin, the dear Redeemer blesses us. What do you do? What do you
do? You know what you do, don't you?
Sadly. Back down on your knees again.
Confess the same old sin. Confess, confess, confess. Is
he merciful to you? Is he? Tell me, has he really
had mercy on you? Have you felt it in your heart?
Real mercy? Have you? And all they did was
look. Do you see? We don't know how
the sting affected them, but we know it was killing them.
But the moment they looked, They received everything they needed.
Everything. There was no bandages was there?
There was no medicine? There was nobody come along soothing
the place where you'd just been stung? No. Who was doing the
soothing? Who was doing the comforting?
Who was doing the loving? The dear standard bearer. Is it Rephidim where they came,
the people in the wilderness, and they came to a place where
there was no water? And the Lord told Moses to smite
the rock, smite the standard bearer. And out of him came forth
living waters, and they lived. And what did they call the name
of that place? Jehovah-Nissi. The Lord is my
banner, the Lord is our banner. Isn't it a wonderful thing to
be under something? You know, men want to be over
something, don't they? They all want to be over something.
They all either want to be over men or over firms or over something
just so they've got a sensible sense of power and pride. No
humility. You sung it in your first hymn,
didn't you? Look at the humility. To be under something. To be
under him. To be under the banner. To be
under his precious blood. That's the only way the Israelites
were safe, they were under. If they were above it, they didn't
get the benefit of it, but being under it. And it's a lovely thing to be
under the Lord's banner, isn't it? Under this standard. You know when the Duke of Wellington
conquered Napoleon, and they had a great feast afterwards,
and in this great banquet, were flags hanging of all the triumphs
and the victories of the Duke of Wellington and they all sat
round this great big table and they rejoiced at victory. He
was a conqueror. It pales into insignificance,
doesn't it, to be brought into the banqueting house and to see
the glorious flags of honour of our dear Redeemer. To see
that under every flag he has written victory. But friends,
in your life, could you say he's gained the victory? Is he the
conqueror? When the enemy comes in like
a flood, do they see the standard? When the enemy comes into your
heart, friends, does he see the standard? What does he do? He yields. He yields. You don't
know it, but he yields. He submits to the owner of the
place. He does, friends. Oh, here, Buffett,
you and me, he will. Because he knows who's in charge.
He knows whose colours are hanging in the heart. He knows a standard
bearer. Oh, do you know, friends, sometimes
do you really shake and tremble that he wasn't there at one time?
When you thought you were in charge, and you went hand in
hand with the adversary, you didn't mind if his colours were
hanging in your heart, did you? You didn't mind at all! to be under something. It reminds
me of that servant that came to the Lord from the centurion
lift up a standard. You know all the way through
the dear Redeemer's life everybody was lifting up the standard that
loved him. They did. He said don't go and tell anybody
and they all went and told everybody. Didn't they? He said tell no
man. They went out and told every
man. Didn't they? Because it was lifting him up.
Because that's what he does in the heart. But that man, he sent
that servant to Jesus and he said, my servant is sick at home,
and he said, I'm not worthy. This is it, friends, I'm not
worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof. He was under something,
wasn't he? What was he under? I am a man
under authority, and he knew who the Lord was. He made himself
known to him. This glorious standard-bearer
should be in our lives, friends. Now, just briefly, are you a
standard bearer? Take it home with you and think
about it. Are you a standard bearer at
home? Do those around you, your family,
your relatives, do they know whose standard you're under?
Do they? What about in the workplace?
What about in the world? Whose standard are we under?
Whose standard are we under, friends? Are we one thing in
the world and another thing when we come home? These are searching things, aren't
they? But they need to be sought out of our hearts. They need
it, friends, because these sort of things hide in our hearts.
They hide away. I'll be all right, I'll be all
right. No, the standard bearer doesn't go and hide in a tent
and think, well I'm not going to war, I'm not going, they can
all go, they're all armed, I'm not going. The standard bearer
is the first one ready to go. Are you? Am I? Are we ready to lift the standard
up at work? Are we? Are we ready to lift
the standard up at chapel? Are we? Don't ask me about things like
that. Or don't ask me about things about the Lord. No, don't This
is what's going on in their denomination. This is what's going on around
all the churches. Don't ask me about things like that. Friend,
they need asking. They need asking. And the trouble
is, the old preachers and the old deacons, they would ask.
Nowadays, we're too scared because the places are empty. We shouldn't
be scared, should we? We shouldn't be scared. We're
such a standard, should we? These beautiful things, aren't
they? His precious blood is a standard for us. to be found under it,
to be found shelter in there, to be found there, friends. It
means so much to the soul, doesn't it? Do you know, this is just something
I read about a missionary. They were out in a foreign country
and he was with this little band of people. They didn't have any
tents, they didn't have anywhere to lay down safely. So they laid
down on the ground. Now we don't know this sort of
life, do we? We've all got our houses and our homes and our
beds and our pillows, and yet these men were lifting up their
standard abroad. They were lifting it up, preaching,
speaking about the dear Redeemer. Not that they could convert people,
friends, but they were taking his word to the ends of the earth,
which they're doing today. Lift up the standard for the
people. Well, this little band of people, they all laid down
under the stars. And they all fell asleep. And in the morning, when they
woke up, they all looked round where they'd been sleeping. And
there were footprints of wild animals. And they'd walked in
between them and all around them. They didn't hurt them, friend,
because they were under the standard, under his precious So for each one of us when the
enemy does come in and I know some of you young ones don't
know this at the moment but I hope you remember these words one
day that when the enemy does come in like a flood and some
know that And he really does come in like a flood. You know,
we went to Rye Harbour and I was so shocked to see the sea coming
in as fast as it was coming in. I could not believe it came back
in like that. It was coming in like somebody
was pouring it out of a bucket at the end and it was just pouring
in. And I thought of the enemy coming in like a flood. Well,
we watched the harbour and the boats just lift off the ground
And the sea got deeper and deeper and deeper. But when the enemy
comes in like a flood, the spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard
against him. Then you'll know you're born
again. Then you'll know, friends, that
Christ is your all. Then you'll know you're on safe
ground. Then you'll know you're building
on the rock. Then you'll know your places are going to glory.
Then you'll know, friends, that you've been washed in his precious
blood. when the enemy comes in like a flood and doesn't take
you over. Doesn't take you over. Because
that's his aim, friends, to overcome and to conquer. But our dear
Jesus is there ready with the standard. He's ready to stop. He's ready to save. Friend, he's
so beautiful, isn't he? He's ready to save! The vilest
sinner out of hell that lives to feel his need is welcome. to the throne of grace, the saviour's
blood to plead. These will be such an important,
such important things one day. I know at times you think well
this can take second place because our poor flesh gets raised up
doesn't it and we think that other things are more important.
One day this is going to be more important than your very life.
It's going to be more important than you living today. I'd better leave it. But friends,
these things are so heartwarming, aren't they? If you know anything
about how the soldiers fought, how they fought, friends, hand-to-hand
combat, and the killing and the slaughter, but the flag was recovered. It was recovered. If they were
all slaughtered, the one aim was to get the flag so that another troop could have
it. Because the flag is honourable. Oh, friends, I can't tell you
how I feel. But to relay how honourable Christ
is, is beyond words. It's just beyond words, friends.
He is so honourable in what he's done. There's nothing he hasn't
done that's not honourable. Except it's the other way round
with him and you and I. They go in, man goes in and gets
the colours. The dear standard bearer came
in and got you. Unarmed, unarmed friends, he
came in and got his people. Out of the jaws of death, he
came in and got them. When they lay polluted, Ezekiel
says, when they lay in their filth and mire, the standard
bearer came in and put his arm round them all and picked them
up. And he said to them, It's just a few things to take home,
isn't it? May we dwell on these better things, friends, because
there's so much to take our poor hearts, so much to take our minds
away, isn't there? But if we could dwell just for
a few moments, it'll help you through the day, it will. You
remember next time, when the enemy's all around you at work,
or wherever it is, you remember to look to the standard, and
he's still walking ahead of you. He's still marching. What have
you got to do then? You've got to walk on behind
him. You've got to follow him. It's no good stopping in your
trouble, is it? Is that what you want to do? Lay down in your
trouble? We used to have a child. We used to take her to the supermarket.
And when she wanted something, she laid down and screamed. Wouldn't
do you any good, would it? Didn't do her any good. All it
was, we had to correct her in front of people. It's just the
same with the Lord, friends. We can't lay down and scream,
can we? We've got to up and follow him out to the place he's gone
to. We've got to, friends, and he'll
give you strength and boldness to do it. He will. And sometimes,
just sometimes, I know it's a favour if you know this, but just sometimes,
he glances over his shoulder and he mounts you, he mounts
you. He does. He just gives you a little look.
You're still coming. Still coming, are you? It'll
melt you. And what does it do? Instead
of you dropping to the floor, you run. You run. Nearer, nearer
to him, clinging. Hangs my helpless soul on thee. You want to be near him, don't
you? Sometimes you want to touch him, don't you? Don't you? You
can understand that, dear woman. I'd better leave it, friends.
But that dear woman, you can understand her touching him,
can't you? Oh, when the soul gets a touch.
You can't lift a standard up like this, can you? You can't.
You can talk about it, but you can't lift him up, can you? Because
their best, their best is stained with sin. Their all is nothing
worth. Their voice is weak. Their arms are feeble. How can
you lift a standard up like this? But it's something that we must
aim to do in our lives, mustn't it? Mustn't we? We must aim to
lift him high. We must. And exalt him, friends,
in your lives. Exalt him. Do everything honestly
and accurately and exalt a precious Christ so that they can truly
say they've been with Jesus. May the dear Lord forgive anything
that's been said of me. We'll close with hymn 876, the
tune Evening Hymn 732. when the chosen tribes debated
against their God as hardly treated, and complained their hopes were
spilt. God for murmuring to requite
them, fiery serpent sent to bite them, lively type of deadly guilt. Hymn 876 ? Christ in excelsis ? ? Christ
in excelsis ? ? Christ in excelsis ? ? God's own hand in true divine
hand ? ? Hardly stand, but steady to thy hand ? ? Thine be thy
pow'r ? Let me in. by these they should repenteth,
and then all has to repenteth. O let us pray in our hearts again,
That the time of Easter's bright I choose to stay. May your standards be joyful
still, Proudly we've been through the years of school, ? Give your silent last gesture
? ? Give it now as to all my beauty ? ? Give the gift of love ? ? Of true love ? ? Uncounted ?
? Every love ? ? Jesus Christ ? ? O sinner, sinner ? ? Who can bring ? ? Tears to the
bitter? ? ? Truly His cross ? ? Directs
their pain. ? ? Why should I ? ? Embrace and cherish ? ? My despair
? ? Love you and perish ? ? Loot my soul ? ? Close now to you ? Eyes and hands cannot partition
Words cannot worthy rendition ? Lord, all I have and less can
give than this. ? ? As we lift ? ? We hold the bounty
? ? Of the brave ? ? We lift ? ? With a laughing ? ? Sing it in the air ? Life's end was bright. Sing a lullaby of glory dying,
Sing in God's beneath Him crying, See is that earth and birds are
free. Look, ye sinners, gain that hunger. Look how deep your sin is. And now, dear Lord, we do so
thank Thee for Thy Word. Do bless it to us each, dear
Lord. May we carry it home with us,
may it not leave. Do help us each, dear Lord, in
the journey of life and prepare us each for thy day and for thy
coming. Lord, help us all. Be with thy
servant, the pastor here. Do bring him back. We do pray
on the Sabbath and remember thy people. Now may the grace of
the dear Lord Jesus and the love of God and the sweet fellowship
and communion of thy Holy Spirit rest, remain, and abide with
us now and forevermore.