Let us commence our service this
evening by singing together hymn number 515. The tune is Nottingham
485. Holy Ghost, we look to thee. raise the dead, the captive free,
from the mighty take the prey, teach the weak to watch and pray. Hymn 515. O make us, we love
to hear thee, Grace that ever can be free. From the night he took the break. It's the week Rock and grave. Now in old Bethlehem's grave,
? Lift some hosts in heaven above
? ? Night and night, and truth impart ? ? To this young king
? ? Give me thy calling will ? ?
Thou my gracious well fulfilled ? Wicked soldier, make them cry
Jesus made me all right now All thy mornings change for gain. Light in the oceans dimly gleam. Day in day O'er the ramparts we watched,
were so gallantly streaming? Lying in the church to rest,
After all the pain, distress, Branded, helpless, lost and gone
Sacrificed, deserted, sung Lamb of God, sell to Jesus free,
Lord, and give us intercest. Guide us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil. ? There and there it circled the
night ? ? And the evening to death raised
high its voice ? And with an important song, Days
to join the family strong. Let us read together from the
Holy Word of God in the Acts of the Apostles in Chapter 4. The Acts of the Apostles, Chapter
4. And as they spake unto the people,
the priests and the captain of the temple and the Sadducees
came upon them, being grieved that they taught the people and
preached through Jesus the resurrection from the dead. And they laid
hands on them and put them in hold until the next day, for
it was now eventide. Albeit many of them which heard
the word believed, and the number of the men was about five thousand,
and it came to pass on the morrow that their rulers, and elders,
and scribes, and Anas the high priest, and Caiaphas, and John,
and Alexander, and as many as were of the kindred of the high
priests, were gathered together at Jerusalem. And when they had
set them in the midst, they asked, by what power or by what name
have you done this? as the healing of the man by
the gate, beautiful. Sorry, I've lost my place. And
when they had set them in the midst, they asked them, by what
power or by what name have you done this? Then Peter filled
with the Holy Ghost said unto them, ye rulers of the people
and elders of Israel, If we this day be examined of the good deed
done to the impotent man, by what means he is made whole,
be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel,
that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified,
whom God raised from the dead, even by him, both this man stand
here before you, doth this man stand here before you whole.
This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which
has become the head of the corner. Neither is there salvation in
any other, for there is none other name under heaven given
among men, whereby we must be saved. Now when they saw the
boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned
and ignorant men, They marvelled, and they took knowledge of them,
that they had been with Jesus. And beholding the man which was
healed, standing with them, they could say nothing against it.
But when they had commanded them to go aside out of the council,
they conferred among themselves, saying, what shall we do to these
men? For that indeed a notable miracle
hath been done by them is manifest to all them that dwell in Jerusalem,
and we cannot deny it. But that it spread no further
among the people, let us straightly threaten them that they speak
henceforth to no man in this name. And they called them and
commanded them not to speak at all, nor teach in the name of
Jesus. But Peter and John answered and
said unto them, whether it be right in the sight of God to
hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye. For we cannot
but speak the things which we have seen and heard. So when
they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding nothing
how they might punish them. because of the people, for all
men glorified God for that which was done. For the man was above
40 years old on whom this miracle of healing was showed. And being
let go, they went to their own company and reported all that
the chief priests and elders had said unto them. And when
they heard that, they lifted up their voice to God with one
accord, and said, Lord, thou art God, which has made heaven
and earth and the sea and all that in them is. Who by the mouth
of thy servant David has said, why do the heathen rage and the
people imagine vain things? The kings of the earth stood
up and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord, against
his Christ, for of a truth against thy holy child, Jesus. whom thou
hast anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles,
and the people of Israel, were gathered together, for to do
whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done. And now, Lord, behold their threatenings,
and grant unto thy servants that they, with all boldness, they
may speak thy word, by stretching forth thine hand to heal, and
that signs and wonders may be done by the name of thy holy
child Jesus. And when they had prayed, the
place was shaken where they were assembled together, and they
were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word
of God with boldness. And the multitude of them that
believed were of one heart, and of one soul, neither said any
of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own,
but they had all things common. But with great power gave the
apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great
grace was upon them all. Neither was there any among them
that lacked, for as many as were Possessors of lands or houses
sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold,
and laid them down at the apostles' feet. And distribution was made
unto every man according as he had need. And Joseph, who by
the apostle was surnamed Barnabas, which is being interpreted the
son of consolation, a Levite, and of the country of Cyprus,
having land, sold it, and brought the money, and laid it at the
apostles' feet. May the Lord bless thee, reading
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 bow before thy great majesty. We come in all our need as poor
sinners before thee. We come, O Lord, to confess our
sins and our wanderings and our backslidings and our ill manners
in this wilderness journey. We come, Lord, to express the
truth of thy word. The heart is deceitful above
all things, and desperately wicked. And Lord, we feel it to be so.
How often we have to agree with the dear apostle, O wretched
man, that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death. Keep us from sin and from its
power and from its influence. And though sin lives in us, may
we not live in sin, but may we live to him that died May we
be surrendered to the Crucified One. And Lord, this evening hour,
as we gather round the Word, may the grace of our Lord Jesus
Christ, and the love of God our Father, and the sacred fellowship
of the Holy Spirit rest and abide upon us, that we may worship
thee in spirit and in truth. Oh, we do pray for thy grace,
Lord Jesus. We need it day by day. We do
thank thee that thou art full of grace and truth, full of wisdom
and understanding. Thou art the almighty, the infinite,
and the eternal Son of God. All power is given unto thee
in heaven and in earth. Therefore we would come to thee
and plead with thee that thou wouldst have mercy upon us, that
thou wouldst truly sanctify our hearts by thy good spirit, by
thy rich grace, that we may visit Calvary where the Lamb was slain,
that we may see our sin put away and divine justice satisfied,
that our hearts may be filled with admiration and adoration
and praise for the fullness of that grace that is in Christ
Jesus. that dear suffering Saviour,
the man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. All we do pray, most
gracious Lord, that Thou in Thy great mercy would bless us with
some clear views of the glory of His person and the fullness
of His grace and the wonder of His redeeming power. And may
we see also and feel sweetly the love of our eternal Father, that we may follow the Lord Jesus
and be drawn to him. None come except the Father drawn. May we know those sweet drawings
tonight. We thank thee for the divine
person, power and grace of the Holy Ghost. We pray that thou
wouldst pour him upon us. Dwell therefore in our hearts,
O blessed spirit of truth. Truly convince us of our sins,
and lead to Jesus' blood, and to her wandering eyes reveal
the secret love of God. Oh, we do pray, most gracious
Lord, that thou wouldst have mercy upon us, that thou wouldst
bless us, that thou wouldst favour us as a church and as a congregation
with thy sweet presence. We do thank thee for our brethren
and sisters in Christ, We do thank thee for all thy tender
mercies and loving kindnesses that have passed before us in
the way. We do thank thee, dear Lord Jesus, thou art a God that
hears and answers prayer. We thank thee for Calvary, where
the lamb was slain, where sin was put away, where divine justice
is satisfied. We thank thee for the glories
of Christ, for the holy life he lived as a man under the law,
fulfilling an honour in magnifying that holy righteous law that
we have broken and minimised, he has magnified and honoured.
Oh, we thank thee for the law fulfilled in Jesus Christ. Honour,
glory and majesty be unto his name forever and ever. We thank thee that there is a
new and living way whereby poor sinners can approach unto Thee.
We thank Thee for our little house of prayer. We thank Thee,
Lord, for the liberties that we enjoy in being able to freely
gather together around Thy Word. We thank Thee, most gracious
Lord, for our brethren, the deacons, give wisdom, grace, and help
to each one. We pray Thy blessing upon the
little ones and the children. We thank Thee for them. We pray
thy blessing upon the dear young friends, that they may be brought
to living faith in Jesus Christ. We thank thee for them. We pray
for the prodigals that have wandered away, that thine arm may be outstretched,
thy power may be made known. We do humbly beseech of thee,
that for thy great name's sake. O most gracious Lord, we do pray. that thou wouldst bless us indeed
as a church and as a congregation. Bless all in the midst of the
journey of life. Be gracious and have mercy upon
each one. O Lord, we do beseech thee for
thy great name's sake. And that we do pray to be made
more spiritually minded, our heart and our affections set
upon things apart. We do pray that when the enemy
comes in like a flood, the spirit of the Lord will lift up a standard
against him. Whether he comes as an angel
of light to deceive, or whether he comes as a roaring lion to
devour, we pray to be delivered from his power and from his influence,
O Lord, we do beseech thee. O Lord, we do pray that thou
would remember all of us in the evening time of life journey,
and that may we each be graciously prepared for that great day,
when we shall soar through tracks unknown and see thee on thy judgment
throne. Lord, thou hast said in thy word,
there is a time to be born, and there is a time to die. And while
our days on earth are lengthened, may we give them, Lord, to thee.
We do humbly beseech thee that we may live to the honor, glory,
and praise of thy great and holy name. and been able to do that
which is right in thy sight. Send out the glory and light
of the gospel into this village. Grant an ingathering of precious
souls and a building of the wall of Jerusalem. Wilt thou not revive
us again, O Lord? O make bare thine holy arm in
the gospel. Send out thy light and thy truth.
Pull down the strongholds of Satan. set up the kingdom of
the Lord Jesus in the hearts of sinners. O Lord of hosts,
O God of Israel, O Thou that dwellest between the cherubim,
shine forth, we do humbly beseech Thee. 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 go back from Thee. And O Lord God,
But we do pray that thou wilt remember all in affliction, and
be Jehovah Rophi, by healing hand, by support in mercies may
be given. And oh, we do pray that most
gracious Lord, that thou would remember thy servants, grant
them the fresh anointing of thy spirit, and signs to follow the
preaching of the word, May there be a spirit of power. May there
be a godly increase. May there be a building of the
walls of Jerusalem. Hearken, O Lord, we do beseech
thee for thy great name's sake. O Lord, we do pray that thou
in thy precious mercy would revive thy work, would make bare thine
holy arm, was lift the light of thy countenance upon us. And as we've entered upon another
year of time, we pray, most gracious Lord, that thou wouldst fulfil
thy promises here. I will bring thy sons from far
and thy daughters from the ends of the earth. Come and touch
one's lips with the live coal from off the heavenly altar.
We ask for Jesus Christ's sake, Amen. Let us now sing together hymn
number 27. The tune is Nearer Home, 83. Come Holy Spirit come, let thy
bright beams arise, dispel the darkness from our minds and open
all our eyes, cheer our desponding hearts, thou heavenly paraclete,
give us to lie with humble hope at our Redeemer's feet. Hymn number 27. Let all thy people rise. Dispel
the darkness of the night, and open all our eyes. Here on this holy cross, our
heavenly Father meet. ? Glory be to the Father, and to
the Son, and to the Holy Ghost. ? ? And the home of the brave ? ?
And the home of the brave ? Good news comes to the sea ? And to have a ring every day
? ? Lest he break my heart no more ? O come, O come, Emmanuel, and
ransom captive Israel Turns the mighty flood, Fiddle,
the Prince of Peace, Tis the life-giving self for us, ? Distant, behind the snow ? ?
We will rest, thy God, every hour ? ? And we'll repaint the
moon ? Give us this day our daily bread. O'er the land of the free and the home
of the brave? Thy faith and gracious care Thou
seek'd with Thy strength in Hades' fair That our lives, for God, may
dream, May share your favor, and praise your love, And love
this humble creed. really feeling to need the Lord's
gracious help. I will direct your attention
to the Acts of the Apostles in chapter four, and we'll read
verse 31 for our text. The fourth chapter of the Acts
of the Apostles, verse 31. And when they had prayed, the
place was shaken where they were assembled together, and they
were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word
of God with boldness. And when they had prayed, may
the Lord grant that we may be a praying people. Look at what
happened here when they had prayed. One of the hymn writers, he speaks
sometimes that we complain of our lot or of our pathway. And
he makes this comment, where far more breath thus vainly spent,
to heaven in supplication sent, Our cheerful song would often
be, hear what the Lord has done for me. And when they had prayed. We notice this in the Acts of
the Apostles, it's very prominent. When Peter and Silas were in
prison, and we read at midnight, they prayed and they praised
the God of heaven. and the wonderful act of God
in answer to their prayers and their praises. They were set
free, they were set at liberty, they were delivered, delivered
from the hand of the jailer. You see, these things are written They're written for our instruction, that we should pray. The Lord
Jesus Christ himself said, men are always to pray and not to
faint. In the Acts of the Apostles in
chapter 16, we read of Paul and Silas in prison and It says in
verse 23, and when they had laid many stripes upon them, they
cast them into prison, charging the jailer to keep them safely,
who having received such a charge, thrust them into the inner prison
and made their feet fast in stocks. And at midnight, Paul and Silas
prayed and sang praises unto God, and the prisoners heard
them. And suddenly there was a great
earthquake so that the foundations of the prison were shaken and
immediately all the doors were opened and everyone's bands were
loosed and the keeper of the prison awakening out of his sleep
and seeing the prison doors open he drew out his sword and would
have killed himself supposing that the prisoners had been fled
and Paul cried with a loud voice saying to thyself no harm for
we are all here And he called for light and sprang in and came
trembling and fell down before Paul and Silas and they brought
them out and said, sirs, what must I do to be saved? And they
said, believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved. You see the wonderful power of
God. But the point is this, answers
to prayer, answers to prayer. men are always to pray. And this is, of course, a spiritual
exercise. And of course, it needs the power
of the Holy Ghost to rightly pray. And when they had prayed,
the place was shaken where they were assembled. And so here,
as we've read together, they were brought before the elders
of the Jews, the leaders of the Jews, And we find in verse 23,
and being let go, they went to their own company and reported
all that the chief priests and elders had said unto them. When
they heard that, they lifted up their voice to God with one
accord, all that the Lord would give us, this oneness in prayer. I've often looked at that beautiful
little Psalm, Psalm 133. And it speaks of the brethren
dwelling together in unity. And it goes on to say, there
the Lord commanded the blessing. And this is what we see here,
these fruits of the Spirit in the lives of the brethren in
the early church. Verse 24, when they heard that,
they lifted up their voice to God with one accord, and said,
Lord, thou art God, which has made heaven and earth and the
sea and all that in them is. You see how they speak so beautifully. Quote in Psalm 2, I often quote
it myself, you see how the kings of the earth stood up, the rulers
were gathered together against the Lord, against his Christ. And we live in the same days
when men love darkness rather than light just as it always
has been for their deeds are evil but we need to pray we need
to pray that the lord will enlighten you see when it says here about
how they were gathered together against christ in verse 28 for
to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined if before
to be done it was all predetermined by God, by God the Holy Ghost. The power would be poured forth. It was determined that Christ
would suffer, bleed, and die for the sins of his people. And
on the third day, he would rise again. And this is what the Jews
objected to, because in the name of the Holy Child Jesus, they
were preaching the doctrine of the resurrection, that Christ
died. And on the third day he rose
again, and they commanded them that they were not to speak in
this name. Not to speak in this name. But
you see, my beloved friends, if these should hold their peace,
their very stones would cry out. Oh, that the Lord would give
us, as it says here in the verse of our text, and they spake the
word of God with boldness. with boldness. It says in this
chapter, 5,000 added, 5,000 men. That's not counting women and
children. On the day of Pentecost, in chapter two, 3,000 men. That's
in a very short period, 8,000 people called by divine grace. But truly, the spirit was poured
from on high. You know, it says in the prophecy
of Isaiah, until the Spirit be poured upon us from on high.
You know friends, nothing is done without the glorious divine
person and power of the Holy Ghost. How we need to pray that
the Holy Ghost may be poured forth. And the other thing here, you
notice as we read in verse 13, now when they saw the boldness
of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and
ignorant men, they marveled. And they took knowledge of them
that they had been with Jesus. You see, they marveled at the
eloquence of the apostles as they preached the gospel and
more at the boldness of the apostles as they preached the gospel of
Jesus Christ under the power of the Holy Ghost. And when they
had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled. Isn't
this what we need when they were assembled together? We need the
outpouring, how we need to pray for the outpouring of the Holy
Ghost in the day in which we live. And quite rightly, we mourn
to see our little congregations are diminishing and chapels closing.
And we rightly mourn because of that. But you know, in a moment
the Lord could turn that around. Could pour forth his blessed
spirit. Could arise in Zion, make bare
his holy arm. You see, the point that seemed
to rest upon me today as I was thinking about this word is the
vital need of the Spirit of God Christ promised it to the disciples,
that after he was ascended up on high, behold, I send the promise
of my Father upon you. The promise of his Father was
the Holy Ghost, that divine effusion of the Spirit on the day of Pentecost,
when the apostles spoke with great power, unction, I remember
reading, or rather hearing Mr. Ramsbottom speaking of A.B. Taylor
at Manchester. He followed Gadsby as the pastor
at Manchester. And there was an old lady that
he knew who actually sat under the ministry of A.B. Taylor.
And she said, the men today preach the same truths, but there isn't
the power. See, that's what's missing. It's
the same truths, but there isn't the power, there isn't the unction
that there was under A.B. Taylor, under William Gadsby. The power of the Holy Spirit
poured forth. Isn't that so what we need in
the day in which we live? Oh, that we may be given wrestling
prayer, that we may have indeed outpouring of the Spirit and
when they had prayed the place was shaken where they were assembled
together and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost and they
spake the Word of God with boldness, with boldness. You see I often
think of that word the Apostle speaks in the Corinthians. If
the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who should prepare himself
to the battle? How vital it is that we that
minister the gospel should do so in a clear, understandable
way. The Apostle Paul, he said, I
would rather speak five words and be understood than thousands
of words and not be understood, or that that may be our desire,
our longing, you know that the Holy Spirit, that divine person,
that's who he is, a divine person, the third person in the Blessed
Trinity, says in the Corinthians now the
Lord is that spirit and where the spirit of the Lord is there
is liberty that divine person of the Holy Ghost the Lord Jesus
Christ was fully anointed by the Spirit of God it says in
John 3 without measure without measure and when the Lord Jesus
commenced his earthly ministry. It says in, he quotes from Isaiah
chapter, he read from the scriptures in Isaiah chapter 61. The spirit
of the Lord God is upon me because the Lord hath anointed me to
preach good tidings unto the meek. He has sent me to bind
up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and
the opening of the prison to them that are bound. This is the anointing of the
Holy Ghost on Jesus Christ. And when he'd read these three
verses, he said, today is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.
Christ was anointed by the Holy Spirit to preach the everlasting
gospel and to heal many that are sick. It was by the divine
power of the Holy Ghost to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord
and the day of vengeance of our God, and to come for all that
mourn, to appoint unto them that morning's iron, to give unto
them beautiful 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. The Lord Jesus in his teachings,
speaking of the Holy Spirit, the Comforter, he says he will
take of the things of Jesus and reveal them unto you. That's
what the Holy Ghost does. It says there in those teachings
of Christ, when he, the Spirit of Truth, is come, he will reprove
the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment. It's the divine
work of the Holy Ghost. And that is what he will do.
And those of his servants that are anointed with the Spirit,
this will be the fruit of the ministry. There will be a convincing
of sin, of righteousness, a realisation that we're a sinner, and a realisation
that God is righteous. And what a disparity there is
between a poor sinner and a holy, holy God who will not at all
acquit the guilty. And this is what the Holy Spirit
will teach. In the heart, in the soul of
those that he enters into their hearts. And of judgment. He will convince you that there's
a day of judgment. You must answer. that the judgment
seat of Jesus Christ, now the Holy Spirit will convince you
of that. You'll believe it, you'll know it because he will convince
you of it. And then Christ says, he will
testify of me. He will testify of me. So he
will take of the things of Jesus and reveal them unto you. in the prophecy of Isaiah, in
chapter 11, it speaks there of the divine anointing of our Lord
Jesus Christ by the Spirit of God. It starts that chapter,
and there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and
a branch shall grow out of his roots. Notice the branch is written
with a capital B. It's because it is speaking of
the person of the Son of God manifest in the flesh. And it
says you shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse. Christ
himself says in Revelation chapter 22, I am the root and offspring
of David, the bright and morning star. And that's what is meant,
the offspring of David is meant there. a rod out of the stem of Jesse,
and a branch shall grow out of his roots. Now listen to what
it goes on to say about Christ being anointed by the Spirit.
And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him. And the Spirit
of wisdom and understanding, and the Spirit of counsel and
might, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord,
shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the Lord, and
he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove
after the hearing of his ears, but with righteousness shall
he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the
earth, and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth,
and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked, and
righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness
the girdle of his reins. Then it speaks of the effect
of that. The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the
leopard shall lie down with the kid and the calf and the young
lion and the fatling together and a little child shall lead
them. This is by the divine anointing and power of the Holy Ghost. When the Spirit is poured upon
us from on high, Christ is preached because that is part of the ministry
of the Holy Ghost to exalt a precious Christ. to set Christ before
us in all his suitability as a saviour, as a redeemer, as
a deliverer, as that one that is able to save unto the uttermost
all that come unto God by him. And when they had prayed, oh
my beloved friends, may we pray. Wrestling prayer can wonders
do, bring relief in deepest straits. can force a passage through iron
bars and brazen gates. And when they had prayed, prayer's
a weapon for the feeble. It is weak as souls that wield
it best. They greatly feel their need.
They greatly feel the need of power. Surely that is what the
dear apostle means in the Philippians when he says that I may know
him in the power. his resurrection by the divine
power of the Holy Ghost the power of the resurrection that's what
he wanted didn't want just to hear about the resurrection he
didn't just want to understand intellectually about the resurrection
he wanted to feel the power of the resurrection in his own soul
is that what we desire and when They had prayed. The place was
shaken where they were assembled together. And they were all filled
with the Holy Ghost. And they spake the word of God
with boldness. With boldness. This is what comes
from the power of the Holy Ghost. It's not a fleshly confidence.
It's a true spiritual Confidence, it's called the confidence of
faith. You see, my beloved friends, isn't that just what we need?
That confidence of faith. The Apostle Paul, writing to
the Hebrews, he speaks of it. Cast not away therefore your
confidence, which has great recompense and reward. We need the Holy
Ghost to strengthen our faith. to reveal the things of Jesus.
It's what he does. That's his work. It's only he
that can do that, in that living, vital way, is to reveal the things
of Jesus. We read in chapter two here in
the Acts, and when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they
were all with one accord. Notice again what we read in
our text. They were of one accord in one
place, and suddenly there came a sound, from heaven as of a
rushing mighty wind and it filled all the house where they were
sitting and there appeared unto them cloven tongues as of fire
and it sat upon each of them and they were all filled with
the Holy Ghost and began to speak with other tongues as the Spirit
gave them utterance. You see how the outpouring of
the Holy Ghost accomplished this, the power of the Holy Ghost.
This, the apostles, just the same with Christ. But when they
wrought miracles, it was by the power of the Holy Ghost. The divine power of the Spirit. When he is poured forth. Now
it's the same personally in the soul. In personal experience. It's as the Holy Ghost is poured
into the heart. and the spirit of power is known
in the heart. And a realization of our emptiness
and our poverty and our insufficiency, but then equally a realization
of the fullness that there is in Christ. A fullness resides
in Jesus, our head, and ever abides to answer our need. Oh,
my beloved friends, and when they had prayed, the place was
shaken where they were assembled together and when they had prayed. Oh, that this may take hold of
us by the Spirit so that it will bring us together in one place
at one time to pray, to wrestle, to watch unto prayer, to watch
for answers of prayer, to watch for signs to follow the preaching
of the word, That's what happens when there's
real prayer. There's a watching onto it. There's
a waiting for the fulfillment of it. The prayer of faith is
made and it's fulfilled. And when they had prayed, the
place was shaken where they were assembled together. And they
were all filled with the Holy Ghost. and they speak the word
of God with boldness. That means with confidence, with
confidence. It's like I was just saying,
what the apostle speaks of, if the trumpet gives an uncertain
sound. Often, friends today, we hear
preaching that is I'm in an ari, and possibly this, possibly that,
possibly something else. Dear friends, the trumpet should
give a certain sound. A certain sound, not ifs and
buts. But the gospel of Jesus Christ
is yay and amen. It is divinely certain. And so
should our preaching be. It's only the Lord that can bless
it. But you know, all that we may
pray for this and and how your minister needs you to pray for
him that there may be indeed the power of the holy ghost in
the study and in the pulpit he needs both for the word of god
to be opened and then in the preaching for the word of god
to be sealed into the heart we need to pray for it and for the
word of God to be opened to the heart and to the understanding.
It's only the Holy Ghost that can do that, that can give that
real, true spiritual understanding. You know the Apostle Paul in
the first epistle to the Corinthians and in the second chapter, he
speaks of the mighty power and grace of the Holy Ghost. He quotes
to us in verse 9 from the prophecy of Isaiah, But as it is written,
I have not seen nor ear heard, neither have entered into the
heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that
love him. But God hath revealed them unto
us by his Spirit. For the Spirit searcheth all
things, yea, the deep things of God. For what man knoweth
the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him.
Even so, the things of God knoweth no man, but the spirit of God. Now we have received, not the
spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God, that
we might know the things that are freely given to us of God,
which things also we speak not in the words which man's wisdom
teaches, but which the Holy Ghost teaches, comparing spiritual
things with spiritual. I believe that what that means
is comparing one part of the Word of God with another part
of the Word of God. Comparing spiritual things with
spiritual. But the natural man receiveth
not the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness
unto him. Neither can he know them. because
they are spiritually discerned. But he that is spiritual judgeth
all things. Yea, he himself is judged of
no man. For who hath known the mind of
the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of
Christ. You know, the Holy Spirit dwells
in the heart of every believer. It is only by that indwelling
of the spirit that we are taught of God. As the spirit of God
enlightens us, as he enlightens us to our lost condition, and
he convinces us of sin. He does. He convinces us of sin,
of righteousness, and of judgment. In the third chapter of the first
epistle to the Corinthians and verse 16 the Apostle says, know
ye not that ye are the temple of God and that the Spirit of
God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple
of God, him shall God destroy, for the temple of God is holy,
which temple ye are. You see, the indwelling of the
Holy Ghost makes us the temple of God. the temple of God, because of
the indwelling of the spirit of God in the heart. And where
he dwells, he will work, he will enlighten the mind, the heart,
the soul. That new sacred creation, the
spirit of God dwelling in the heart, the new man of grace,
the new man of grace. You know, it says, doesn't it,
in John's epistle, first epistle, that the new man sinneth not.
The new man sinneth not. This is the great conflict in
the true believer. There's the new man of grace,
there's the old man of sin. The new man of grace loves holiness
and righteousness and Christ, And the Father, he loves the Father, Son and
Holy Ghost. They are revealed to him by the
Spirit. It's a very distinct thing that the true believer
knows is that distinct love of the Father, of the Son and of
the Holy Ghost. These three are one. It's a precious
thing when the Spirit of God, what does Paul say when he writes
to the Romans for God has sent forth the spirit of his son into
our hearts crying Abba father There's a revelation there of
the triune Jehovah That the the Holy Ghost will end in the heart
And of course these three are one Father son and Holy Ghost
are one you can't you can't just have the presence of one of these
divine persons, we have the presence of them all. I often draw your attention to
that verse in John 14 and verse 23. Jesus answered and said unto
him, if a man love me, he will keep my words, and my father
will love him. and we will come unto him." Notice
that, we. Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.
We will come unto him and make our abode with him. Father, Son,
and Holy Ghost. God has sent forth the Spirit
of his Son into our hearts, crying, Abba, Father. In that same chapter
where there was some confusion with the apostles, and the Lordly
Discourses with Philip. In verse 8 it says, Philip saith
unto him, Lord, show us the Father, and it sufficeth us. Jesus saith
unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou
not known me, Philip? He that hath seen me hath seen
the Father, and how sayest thou then, Show us the Father? Believest
thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in thee? The words
that I speak unto you I speak not of myself, But the Father
that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works. Believe me, that I
am in the Father, and the Father in me, or else believe me, for
the very works sake. This sacred oneness that comes
from that divine influence and power of the divine person, of
the Spirit of God. My mind, it just goes to John
17. in those beautiful prayer, that prayer of our Lord Jesus
Christ, how he prays for his people. Verse nine, I pray for
them. I pray not for the world, but
for them which thou hast given me, for they are thine, and all
mine are thine, and thine are mine, and I am glorified in them.
Now, I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and
I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine
own name, those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one,
as we are. Oh, to feel more of this oneness,
more of this union, more of this communion. While I was with them
in the world, I kept them in thy name. Those that thou gavest
me, I have kept. None of them is lost, but the
son of perdition. That, of course, is Judas Iscariot,
that the scripture might be fulfilled. And now come I to thee, and these
things I speak in the world, that they might have my joy fulfilled
in themselves. You see, and then he says in
verse 23, I in them, thou in me, that they may be made perfect
in one, that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast
loved them as thou has loved me. Father, I will that they
also whom thou hast given me be with me where I am, that they
may behold my glory which thou hast given me, for thou lovest
me before the foundation of the world. What a beautiful prayer,
isn't it? That desire, that longing, that
will, Father, I will. It's a divine will. It's certain. It's a perfect will. It's certain. Father, I will. That they also whom thou hast
given me be with me where I am. It mirrors those wonderful words
of Jesus right at the beginning of John chapter 14. Let not your heart be troubled.
You believe in God, believe also in me. In my father's house are
many mansions. If it were not so, I would have
told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go to prepare a place
for you, I will come again, that where I am, there ye may be also. And when they had prayed, the
place was shaken where they were assembled And they were all filled
with the Holy Ghost. And they spake the Word of God
with boldness. And the multitude of them that
believed were of one heart and one soul. Neither said any of
them that aught of the things which he possessed was his own,
but they had all things common. You see, my beloved friends,
the effect of the power of the Holy Ghost, the Spirit of Christ. the spirit of your eternal Father. Look at that, all things common. And with great power gave the
apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus and great grace
was upon them all. You know, friends, oh that we
could see such a day. You know, the Lord has blessed
us as a little church and congregation with the spirit of love and union. and commute, O that he might
increase it more and more. Open thy mouth wide and I will
fill it. May the Lord add his blessing. Let us now sing together hymn
number 29, The tune is Rubin 725. I'll read the first two verses,
we'll commence singing at the third verse. Descend from heaven,
celestial dove, with flames of pure seraphic love, our ravished
breasts inspire, fountain of joy, bless Paraclete, warm our
cold hearts with heavenly heat, and set our souls on fire. Breathe on these bones so dry
and dead, thy sweetest, softest influence shed, in all our hearts
abroad, point out the place where grace abounds, direct us to the
bleeding wounds of our incarnate God. Hymn number 29, commence
singing at verse three. She now lay at the door. After all this, the end is nigh. The end of this day. He is born. He is born at last. From which birth Thou tainted
Thou torn, Let it raise the fire in your
head while you let out We'll tell the Father in that
day And thou shalt witness what we say where kingdoms fall freely. Teach us the world to reign and
rule, And since my God is lowly, Thou
wilt not tread on me. Pray that, O Lord, that we too
may They feel the effect of Jesus'
death. ? Like Thine ? ? And with Thine
mother and Thine son ? ? Father mysteriously ?
God rest forever all. Earth and heav'n both come with
praise. In it Thou art the sinner's bread. We love Thee as Thou do. 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.