The collections taken here today
are for the support of the Christian Institute. Let us commence our
service this evening by singing together hymn number 1152. The
tune is Bishop's Thought 104. Fountain of mercy, God of love,
how rich thy bounties are, the rolling seasons as they move,
proclaim thy constant care. Hymn 1152. ? Fountain of mercy
? O Father, how rich thy bounties
are, the more this season's past they were. Percame thy constant care, And in thy nursing of the earth,
The sower hit the grain. Thy goodness, Father, is sacred
word. and sent the earth herein. Thus raised with heaven's power
on high, ? The pounds in guilty grow ? ? The faithful star ?
? The stars do shine ? ? The mountains rise ? ? These various worlds ? ? Is torn
apart ? ? But troubles swell and break ? ? But kindly heart
? Where the stripes are done, and
the deep hills are plain, May all men bless thy gracious
way, Thy throne of nature host, Sick time and hopeless life we
forget. Summer or winter, fair, from the Holy Word of God. We'll
read together Paul's first epistle to the Thessalonians, chapters
two and three. First epistle of Paul to the
Thessalonians, chapters two and three. For yourselves, brethren, know
our entrance in unto you that it was not in vain. But even
after that we had suffered before and were shamefully entreated,
as you know at Philippi, we were bold in our God to speak unto
you the gospel of God with much contention. For our exhortation
was not of deceit, nor of uncleanness, nor in guile, but as we were
allowed of God to be put in trust with the gospel, even so we speak. Not as pleasing men, but God,
which trieth our hearts. For neither at any time used
we flattering words, as ye know, nor a cloak of covetousness,
God is witness. Nor of men sought we glory, neither
of you nor yet of others, when we might have been burdensome
as the apostles of Christ. But we were gentle among you,
even as a nurse cherisheth her children, so being affectionately
desirous of you, we were willing to have imparted unto you not
the gospel of God only, but also our own souls, because ye were
dear unto us. For ye remember, brethren, our
labour and travail, for labouring night and day, because we would
not be chargeable unto any of you, we preached unto you the
gospel of God. Ye are witnesses, and God also,
how holy and justly and unblameably we behaved ourselves among you
that believe. As ye know how we exalted and
comforted and charged every one of you, as a father doth his
children, that ye would walk worthy of God who hath called
you unto his kingdom and glory. For this cause also thank we
God without ceasing, because when ye received the word of
God, which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of
men, but as it is in truth the word of God. which effectually
worketh also in you that believe. For ye brethren became followers
of the churches of God which in Judea are in Christ Jesus. For ye also have suffered like
things of your own countrymen, even as they have of the Jews. who both killed the Lord Jesus
and their own prophets, and have persecuted us. And they please
not God, and are contrary to all men, forbidding us to speak
to the Gentiles that they might be saved, to fill up their sins
all way. For the wrath is come upon them
to the uttermost, But we, brethren, being taken from you for a short
time in presence, not in heart, endeavored the more abundantly
to see your face with great desire. Wherefore we would have come
unto you, even I Paul, once and again, but Satan hindered us. For what is our hope or joy or
crown of rejoicing are not even ye in the presence of our Lord
Jesus Christ at his coming, for ye are our glory and joy. Wherefore, when we could no longer
forbear, we thought it good to be left at Athens alone, and
sent Timotheus, our brother and minister of God, and our fellow
labourer in the gospel of Christ, to establish you, and to comfort
you concerning your faith, that no man should be moved by these
afflictions. For yourselves know that we are
appointed there unto. For verily, when we were with
you, we told you before that we should suffer tribulation,
even as it came to pass, and ye know. For this cause, when
I could no longer forbear, I sent to know your faith, lest by some
means the tempter have tempted you, and our labor be in vain. But now when Timotheus came from
you unto us, and brought us good tidings of your faith and charity,
and that ye have good remembrance of us always, desiring greatly
to see us as we also to see you. Therefore, brethren, we are comforted
over you in all our affliction and distress by your faith. For now we live, if ye stand
fast in the Lord. For what thanks can we render
to God again for you? For all the joy wherewith we
joy for your sakes before our God, night and day, praying exceedingly
that we might see your face and might perfect that which is lacking
in your faith. Now God himself and our Father
and our Lord Jesus Christ direct our way unto you. And the Lord
make you to increase and abound in love one toward another and
toward all men, even as we do toward you. to the end he may establish your
hearts, unblameable in holiness before God, even our Father,
at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints. May God bless that reading from
his holy word and help us each in prayer. eternal, ever-living Lord God
in heaven. We would seek to bow before thy
majesty and holiness as we come before thee now in prayer. We
do thank the heavenly father for thy beloved son and for that
throne of grace for poor, needy sinners to approach unto a holy,
heart-searching God. We thank thee for that access
in the gospel of thy grace and for the liberty and the freedom
which comes in believing in thy only begotten son. We do pray
that thou would help us and may we truly thank thee and praise
thee this night for all of thy goodness and thy mercy. Thy mercy
is no end. We do pray that thou would help
us to truly worship thee in spirit and in truth. We do thank thee
for this occasion, a thanksgiving service. We do pray that thou
truly grant us that spirit of thankfulness. We do pray that
we may know something in our lives of those spots and places
where our hearts truly go out toward thee. in prayer and praise. And may it be as it was with
the psalmist, what can I render unto the Lord for all his benefits
toward me? Lord, we are such poor sinners. Lord, we are poor and needy. and some feel it and some maybe
do not feel it yet. But all we do pray that each
one of us may be brought to truly know something of our own hearts
in the light of thy holiness and thy majesty. And may we truly
know something of that poor and needy spirit. And Lord, we pray
that we may be brought low at thy feet. And we pray that we
may find that forgiveness at the feet of Jesus. We may, as
it were, turn out the tents of our hearts and lay before thee
all our faults. and pray with the publican who
could not so much as lift his eyes unto heaven but smote upon
his breast, saying, God, be merciful to me, a sinner. We do pray that
thou remember this church and congregation. We pray for them
each. Lord, you bless them and be with
them. May there be that time to look
back with thankfulness of all the many mercies. Lord, we are
called to live in difficult days. And Lord, thy people are told
and warned in thy word that it is through much tribulation that
we do thank thee that amongst the sorrows of the way that there
are times where our sorrows are interspersed with joys and for
these we thank thee and praise thee and Lord we do pray that
thou keep us in that close walk with thee Lord, we pray not for
trouble, but we pray that Thou sanctify the trouble that Thou
art pleased to bring us into. And we do pray that it may bring
us closer to Thee. and thus draw us away from the
world which lies in sin around us. We pray that our affections
may be set on things above. And Lord, that our hearts and
minds might be raised above the dying things of this life. And
though, Lord, we live in this dying, changing world, We do
pray that we may have our eyes ever toward Thee. Lord, do draw
each by Thy grace. We think of the young children
and the young people. We pray for them. We thank Thee
for them. And pray, Lord, that Thou be
pleased to bless them in calling them by Thy grace while they're
young in life. that thou put thy gracious hand
upon them, that thou steer their young feet into that right way,
that straight and narrow way which leads to eternal life.
We pray that thou keep them from wandering off into the world
and to the things of the world. We pray that thou put thy spirit
within them, that the fear of the Lord may be put within them,
that which is the beginning of wisdom. And Lord, we pray that
thou guide and keep them in all things. Be with those who are
returning to school soon and those that have new things, changes
in their lives. Lord, those with maybe what seems
to be mountains before them, decisions to be made. Lord, we
do pray that thou guide and direct them. And may they prove the
power of prayer. May they prove the comfort and
the consolations of God are not small. And may they prove that
thou art gracious in giving wisdom to them that lack wisdom. And
oh, we do pray that thou reveal thyself as their saviour and
their friend. And Lord, that thou bind them
close to thee, and leave them not, neither forsake them. We
ask, Lord, that thou bless them in bringing them together in
suitable friendships and relationships. And Lord, may they grow up to
be pillars in the Church of God, mothers in Israel, a seed to
serve thee, to call thee the Redeemer blessed. We ask then
that thou remember them, and pour out thy blessing upon this
rising generation, that the Church of God may truly flourish and
prosper, in days to come. Lord, we do pray that for parents,
Lord, you grant that wisdom and grace and patience and help that
we need. And Lord, with the various challenges
there are and the difficulties and the pressures of the world
around and the pressures of life, we pray that thou will graciously
sustain and help. And Lord, may we each be found
leaning harder and harder upon thee, find thee that sure support,
that constant and all-supporting friend. And we pray that thou
bless us and help us each. Lord, we pray for older friends
with their various needs and concerns. Lord, they've seen
many changes, no doubt. And Lord, as they look to the
future, they wonder how much more of their lives is yet to
unfold. We pray that thou be with them
and help them, that their last days may prove to be their best
days, that thou go on to be gracious further still, and lead them
to the fountains of living water, and reveal their place and part
in thy one family, and that thou reveal thy son, the Lord Jesus
Christ, and give them that assurance that when they pass through the
waters that thou be there for them, to lift them up, to bear
them through, to bring them safely into heaven. Lord, would you
pray then that thou would grant true living faith for each one
of us, that thou would exercise that faith, that thou would increase
our faith, and that the love of God may dwell richly in our
hearts, and the peace of God may rest upon us and the Lord
Jesus by faith may dwell in our hearts that it might be Christ
in you the hope of glory. We pray then that thou pour out
the Holy Spirit to take of the things of Jesus to reveal them
to us to be present in our hearts, to prompt us, to enable us, to
move us, Lord, to reign and rule, that grace may reign in us and
for us, that we may will and do of thy good pleasure. Lord,
who keep us as the apple of thine eye, hide us each beneath the
shadow of thy wing, Lord, do lift up the light of thy countenance
upon us and bless us with that true peace. Do remember us, Lord,
as churches, as the one church of God throughout this land and
indeed throughout the earth. Lord, thou knowest all thy dear
people. We know not them, Lord, but thou
knowest all, and all are dear unto thee. And we do pray that
thou remember thy one true church, and Lord, that thou bring an
end to suffering, and Lord, that thou support those that are in
persecution, and comfort those that are cast down, and supply
the needs, the bodily needs, the temporal needs, as well as
the needs of our souls. Lord, we do pray that thy grace
and thy goodness will find out that way for us and make a way
in all things. Deliver us from the power of
sin and Satan. Help us to walk worthy. Lord,
may we not be found with a proud spirit, with dwelling and resting
in our own wisdom. Lord, you keep us low at thy
feet, with our eyes looking up unto thee. May we ever have that
single eye, that one aim, Lord, bless the church here with thy
presence. Lord, unite them in one heart
and one mind to serve the living God. Do bless their pastor, thy
servant here. Be with him, Lord, and strengthen
him and help him week by week. As he comes in and out among
the people here and as he labors in other churches, Lord, we pray
that thou be with him and follow it with thy blessing. May it
be the Lord working with him, confirming the word with signs
following. Comfort him in the path he is
walking, Lord, we pray. A path of loneliness, not of
his own choosing. That, Lord, thou be that sweet
comforter to him. My presence shall go with thee,
and I will give thee rest. and do give him rest from the
temptations of the wicked one. And may he rest in those everlasting
arms of love and mercy. And so help us, Lord, we pray. Grant us truly thankful hearts
for the gathering together here this evening. Grant us thankful
hearts for the opportunity to meet in peace and in safety. Thankful, Lord, that we are free
from restrictions. Lord, we pray that there may
be that leading to fountains of living water. We see the dryness
of the ground around us naturally. We're in a dry and thirsty land.
Lord, we pray that thou would touch our hearts. that we may
know that well of springing water. We may dip our cups and drink
of that river of thy pleasure. We ask these things, we seek
the pardon of every sin and forgive the poverty of our prayer. May
everything of thee remain from our worship, anything not of
thee forgotten. We ask, Lord Jesus, in thy name. Amen. Let us now sing together hymn
number 1052. The tune is Isaac 788. Redeemer, whither should I flee,
or how escape the wrath to come? The weary sinner flies to thee,
for shelter from impending doom. Smile on me, gracious Lord, and
show thyself the friend of sinners now. Hymn 1052. O'er the ramparts we watched
were so gallantly streaming? And the rocket's red glare, the
bombs bursting in air, In her eyes to thee, O shelter from
impending pain. I am myself a friend of sinners
now. And so, my friends, my wordless dear, I seek thy every joy in thee. Be Thou both life and light to
me. Ignore the envious trade Jesus,
my humble soul, would claim despised and cruelly fight with thee. With thee is vowed to die and live, This prayer and this
ambition mine, living and dying to be thine. There for us and to the grounded
world I hope in our hearts resist this strain and life deriving
from thy blood, ever to wonder for a king. I shall be on thee, and no other
Lord but thee. will you turn with me to our
reading the first epistle of Paul to the Thessalonians and
chapter two. With the Lord's help this evening
I will speak to you from verse 13. The first epistle to the Thessalonians,
chapter two, verse 13. For this cause also thank we
God without ceasing, because when ye received the word of
God, which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of
men, but as it is in truth the word of God which effectually
worketh also in you that believe. The first epistle of Paul to
the Thessalonians, chapter two and verse 13. For this cause
also thank we God without ceasing because when ye received the
word of God, which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the
word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which
effectually worketh also in you that believe. The letters of Paul are not set
out in date order. The first one recorded Romans,
not being the first of Paul's letters. This is understood to
be the first of Paul's letters that we have recorded in Holy
Scripture. And you'll find if you turn in
your own time, you'll find reading in Acts 17, you'll find recorded
there Paul going and preaching to these in Thessalonica, and there was great success attending
to the preaching of the word. What I mean is the Lord abundantly
blessed that the preaching of the gospel on Paul's visit there. So much so that it was only a
short visit and yet a church was established, a gospel church. And he preached unto them Christ
Jesus. And we're told in Acts 17, and
some of them believed and consorted with Paul and Silas, that is
of the Jews. So there were some of the Jews
that were graciously called by grace under the preaching of
the gospel there. And we're told also that some
of the devout Greeks, a great multitude believed, and of the
chief women, not a few. And so there was this church,
a gospel church established at Thessalonica. And it is evident
in reading the two epistles, particularly in the reading of
this first one, of the love that Paul had toward the church here. And I wonder if you and I have
that same love. not necessarily, many of you
are not preachers, ministers of the gospel, but a love, a
love in your heart toward the church of God, wherever that
may be, the true church of God, that there's that love of God
that unites true believers one to another. And it's evident
here, Paul was only a number of weeks with them and yet he found a love in his heart
toward them. And yet, as it is, and we shouldn't
be surprised by it, Here we find another illustration of the fury
and anger of the Antichrist. Where there's preaching of the
gospel, where there is a planting of a gospel church, there will
be those that have their hearts touched with the love of God
and there will be those that have enmity against God. And Paul, is accosted and he's
driven out of Thessalonica. He's met with much opposition.
And we are told that there was an uproar where he was staying
and they assaulted the house of Jason and sought to bring
them out to the people and he is found fleeing and went to
Berea with Silas and then on to Athens. But you see there
were those that went after him to pursue him and hound him,
such is the opposition. And dear friends, so it is. Because
the preaching of the gospel, it separates. It's not the preacher that separates,
it's the gospel of Jesus Christ. It separates the word of God.
It's quick and powerful, sharper than a two-edged sword. It cuts
both ways. And there is a separating effect. And the church of God called
by the grace of God out of the world are found receiving the
preaching of the gospel under the influence of the Holy Spirit
in their hearts. The very same preaching can have
the effect of raising resentment and bitterness and hatred. And
the Lord Jesus was despised and rejected of men. He was a man
of sorrows and he was acquainted with grief. And if you and I
are true disciples of his, we should expect no different from
the world. Well, Paul is is concerned. He has a love for
those at Thessalonica. He has had to leave, but his
heart is still with them. And in the third chapter we read,
we're told that he could no longer forebear. We thought it good
to be left at Athens, and they send Timotheus. back to Thessalonica
to visit the Church of God there and to find out their standing. And what loving concern we see
here in the Apostle Paul. And this letter is written following
Timothy's return to Paul. He is now writing this letter,
and it's a letter expressing his gratitude to the Lord, thankfulness
to the Lord, to hear of their faith, to hear of their love,
the love they have in their hearts toward God and their love toward
Paul and his, as his is to them. And then we, and so we come to
our text. for this cause also. Thank we God without ceasing. He has a thankful heart. He's thankful to God without
ceasing. And what is it? What is the source
of this thankfulness, this gratitude to God? It's because when you
receive the word of God, from them through the preaching and
reading of it, that they received it not as
the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God. The word of God. And this is
a joy. This is a joy to every, every
gospel minister. It is a joy to your pastor. It's
joy in his heart when he hears of the receiving of the word. As he
perceives, as that made known to him, that those that hear
the preaching here are profiting from it. I didn't say enjoying
it. So profiting by it, profiting
from it. As the ministry, the preaching
of the gospel, the preaching of the whole counsel of God under
the influence of God is applied, that there is a teaching and
instructing in knowledge, in the truth, and that there is
this receiving. There's hearing and then there's
receiving. And he says that they heard him
preach and read the word of God. And they received it. And they received it. He speaks
of how they received it. They received it as the word
of God. This might seem a small point
and maybe it seems trivial that I'm laboring on this point, but
it is the word of God, not the word of men. And the preaching
of the gospel, the preaching of the cross of Christ, the preaching
of the word of God. I wonder, If there are some of
you here, all of you here and listening, have you ever been thankful for
the Word of God, for the preaching of the Word of God? It's a thanksgiving
service. We thank the Lord for His blessing
upon the seed that was sown in readiness for the harvest that
has just been gathered in. And in that natural way, we're
thankful as we see the seed being sown, we should give thanks. Pray that the rain may fall upon
the earth. Pray that the Lord will bring
it forth to grow. Pray that it may grow up and
bring forth A bountiful, a bountiful crop and pray that the harvest
then might be gathered in safely and it not be destroyed before
it can be gathered into the barn. Well, that's on the natural things
of the harvest but what of the preaching of the word? that the
seed that is sown through the preaching of the word and the
reading of the word, week by week, the laboring in the word. He that goeth forth weeping bearing
precious seed, precious seed. The precious seed is the word
of God, isn't it? You know, there's seed and there's
precious seed. I remember speaking to a farmer
and he said, he pointed to me, to a barn. It's full of grain. And he said, what's that? He said, that's wheat. That's
wheat. It's already sold. It'll be taken
throughout the year and and it will be collected and used. And took me to another barn and
there's a smaller pile and I said, what's that? He said, it's, he
said, that's precious seed. I said, well, what's the difference?
It looks exactly the same. It's the same, isn't it? He said,
well, he said, that's reserved. That's to be replanted. He said,
I'll have someone come in and they'll take that seed and they'll
dress it. And it'll be dressed, it'll be
prepared for replanting. And he said, that's precious
seed. And I thought, well there, there
it is. You know, there's words of books.
And there's words spoken by men. And that's, it's like the seed. But then there's precious seed.
and it is one precious book. There are many books and many
valuable books in the world, but this is the greatest of all
books, isn't it? The holy, infallible word of
God, life-changing, between the covers of this book, under the
influence of God, the power to change, to change a life, the
power that is upon the word of God, when God applies it to the
heart of a person, what a change it can make, what an effect,
how precious then becomes this precious book, when there is
that power of God attending the word. And Paul saw the effect
of it. And those at Thessalonica that
formed that early church, they received it. They received the
word. We're told elsewhere that faith,
faith mixed with hearing. Faith mixed with hearing. Oh, that is what will make the
difference. You can hear, and you can sit, and you can hear.
You can't deny it. You may not have understood. You may not remember any of it,
but you've heard. If God gives you faith, when
you hear the reading and the preaching of the word, and faith
is mixed with your hearing, then what a difference, what a difference. And what thankfulness on both
parts. The preacher's thankful. He's
thankful to be helped through preaching another service, but
that's not enough. When I first went out to preach,
I felt such gratitude to the Lord for help through. the first sermon I preached and
the first Lord's Day I preached. But then as you go on it's, but
where's the blessing? Where's the effect? Where's the
signs following? Is the Lord working with me,
confirming the word with signs following? This is the burden
of the pastor, the minister, this is the burden of your pastor.
that the burden of every true servant is to be useful labourer,
serving the living God, and the Lord prospering the Word, and
applying the Word, giving it the power, we speak of the word
unction, giving it that power, divine power, almighty power,
they heard it come out of Paul's mouth and no doubt Silas but
he says he received it not as the word of men and this is why
he's thankful They received it not as the word of men, but as
it is in truth, as Paul knew it to be. So they were made and
shown and revealed to them that it was the word of God. It's through the foolishness
of preaching that God will, is pleased to make known these things. no flesh or glory in his presence. Paul is not glorying in his own
labors. The Lord's servants don't glory
in their preaching. They glory in God and what God
will do with his own word and how he will apply it to the hearts
of men, women, boys and girls. And what true joy was in Paul's
heart. He says, this cause also thank
we God without ceasing. Now when Timothy returned, Timothy
returned with good news. They were still holding fast. Though Paul and Silas had had
to depart, yet they were still holding fast as that early church
at Thessalonica and it rejoiced him in his heart and he gave
thanks that they had received the word
of God which they heard of them, he says, or heard of us, ye received
it, not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of
God. And as I said, this is an unspeakable
mercy, and one I pray we never lose in our land, copy of God's
own word in our own language. You know there are those that
aren't favoured to have a copy of the full word of God in their
own language. We have been greatly favoured
and the Lord's blessing has been upon it throughout the years
and I wonder this evening is there are those here who can
truly give thanks for some of God's word that still is precious
to them. They may have forgotten what
the minister said, but the text that he mentioned, or the text
that he preached from, the words that were quoted came with power. and there is a preciousness even
now. There's a savor, a savor from
the Word of God which still abides in the memory. And I wonder if
you and I are thankful enough for those times when the Word
of God has done something moved us in some way, helped us in
some aspect, done something in our little lives. The word of
God, he says, which effectually worketh also in you that believe. There's a hearing of the word,
there's a receiving of the word, And then there's the effect of
it. The effect of it. It had an effect. And really,
you know, Paul's... The testimony of the effect is
on the report of Timothy when he returns. And it's a good report
he brings. and the effect of the preaching
of the Word. It's had an abiding effect. And though Paul, the minister
who delivered the preaching of the Word, is taken from them,
the Lord is with them. And his Word is with them. And
the Holy Spirit is with them. And the Word of God is dwelling
in them. And it's having an effect. And
though it may not be as they would like, maybe they would
like a minister week by week, yet there, there, in their midst,
God is pleased to dwell and to bless his word and to feed them
from his word. And this is the effect that it
has. that it still unites them together and it binds them together
in love and in union. It effectually worketh also in
you that believe. And I thought, what does effectual
mean? So I looked up the word effectual. One of the definitions I saw
was effectual. Successful in producing a desired
or intended result. Effectual. There is success in producing
a desired or intended result. So what is What is the desired
and the intended result of the word of God to the believer? Because he said it is the word
of God which effectually worketh also in you that believe. There's an intended result God's
word will not return to him void, but it will prosper in the thing,
it will prosper in that which he please, it will prosper in
the thing where to he sends it. The word of God. It is intended
for the believer. to build them up, to bless them,
to help them, to comfort them. It is intended to be a great
blessing to them. It reveals to them that the holy
will and mind of God, it reveals the Lord Jesus Christ to them. to the believer as God's eternal
son. It is that the Word of God reveals
the will of God, the purposes of God in creation. It reveals
his plan. It reveals the fall of man. The explanation for the state
of the soul of the believer is explained in the opening chapters
of the Word of God. Adam's fall. There's the explanation
for the total depravity that the Church of God is born in
this side. Before that call by grace, the
Church of God, every believer is born dead in sin. Think of John the Baptist who
leapt in the womb of Elizabeth, the voice of Mary coming into
the house. But dear friends, man is born in sin and shapen
in iniquity. Without the word of God, Oh,
what a dark and solemn place it would be, wouldn't it? God is pleased, has been pleased
to reveal the total depravity of man and reveal his holy displeasure
and reveal how it grieves, it grieves him It's hatred against
sin. All these things, dear friends,
are revealed. And under the influence of God,
for the believer, it has an effect. The effect being this, that it is applied to them. And those things are shown in
their own hearts. There is that light shone in
which reveals, grace reveals, the mercy of God in revealing
the filth and corruption of the heart. And then God is revealed. God is revealed as their God. God of all, God over all. A God whom they have sinned,
rebelled against. A God who is greatly displeased
with sin. Some accountability is impressed
upon the heart. I have sinned. The finger pointing is turned
within. And to the believer, the Thessalonians and every true
believer, the same is to be known. I have sinned. I have come short
of the glory of God. My life is ruined in sin. My
sins separate between me and God. I'm accountable for my actions
and for my thoughts. And I am full of sin. And in great or less measure,
every believer must know something of it. There's no, I'm not putting
down an order of things, but there are some clear evidences
of the effect, the intended, the intended result the desired
result, God's intention of making these things known to his people
is to make them sick of themselves and be brought to flee to him
for help. Because in the word of God is
both sin and salvation. And in the preaching of the word
of God, it is to be sin and salvation. And it is a religion of contrasts. It is darkness and light, good
and evil, sin and salvation. And there is then the the salvation made known, the
mercy of God, the mercy of God. For this cause also thank we
God without ceasing because when we receive the word of God which
he heard of us, received it not as the word of men but as it
is in truth, the word of God. which effectually worketh also
in you the belief. And how needful we are, aren't
we, of the power of God upon his word in salvation. That he will take the black letters
on our white page, that he'll take the things uttered and spoken
by men, and apply them as divine power, so that there will be
some balm in Gilead, some hope for the hopeless, some help for
the helpless, that the Lord Jesus might be revealed in his person
and work, that there is, dear friends, the law, that the law,
as Paul says to the Romans, It cannot save for what the law
could not do because of the weakness of the
flesh, we are told. For what the law could not do
in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own son
in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, condemned sin in
the flesh. And the Lord Jesus came as a
real man, God's eternal Son, made of a woman, made under the
law to redeem them that were under the law. He came, He came
It behoved him to be made like unto his brethren. He had to
be made like unto his brethren. A real man. He was made under
the law. He obeyed the law. He kept the
law. He honored the law. He made it
honorable. In the keeping of it, he made
the law honorable. And he lived a life that no man
could live because he was free from sin, holy, undefiled, separate
from sinners. And this is the power of God
and the wisdom of God. God sending his own son to do
what no man could do, but what what mankind stands in great
need of, a perfect life, a sinless life. And Jesus Christ lived
it. Yes, a man of sorrows, but no
sin. Yes, acquainted with grief, but
no sin. And he lived a life spotless,
free from sin, a life acceptable before God and before the people. A life that was demanded and
expected from the law. A life that merits a place in
heaven. He lived it on behalf of his
people. He lived that life as he might give it down. He gave
it as a sacrifice. He laid it down as a sacrifice. He offered it up. He offered
it up. Put to death to save his people. Dear friends, these are great
and profound things. The preaching of the cross of
Christ Oh, the power of God upon the cross of Christ and the preaching
of it. The influence, the things that
it has accomplished in the life of poor sinful men, women, boys
and girls. The change that the gospel has
made. When a poor sinner's been wandering
wandering in the world, swallowed up in a life of sin, and the
mercy of God has graciously intervened, and there's been that stopping,
and that hand upon their lives, and they're brought into a realization
there is a God, and that they are accountable for their wicked
life, and they can't make themselves right. But God, in his infinite
love and wisdom and mercy, has provided for them a way whereby
they might be made right. A way back to God through the
precious blood of Jesus. That which should be forever
banished, cut off and cast off forever, banished to hell forever,
there is a way back. Even from the very brink as it
were, of hell and how many brands have been plucked from the burning
through the precious, sin-atoning death and sufferings of Jesus
Christ and the preaching of them and the reading of them and as
God has applied that person's individual interest in his son's
death and sufferings. So much so that they are brought
to die with Christ and rise again in newness of life. Born again
of the spirit of God. No living in a body of sin. No
struggling maybe day by day in temptation. Struggling with their
own, the old nature that they're still dwelling in yet confident
in God, confident in his word, trusting in the Lord Jesus Christ
and his precious blood, that when they pass through the waters
and that great change comes upon them, that it will come upon
all, yet for them, Oh, that great change will be to be found in
heaven forever. And there's a prospect and there's
a good hope of it. And the men of Jehoshaphat and
the men of Judah, they heard the prophet tell them of the
successful outcome and told them of the valley of Baraka, the
valley of blessing. And faith was given to Jehoshaphat
and those men of Judah and they went out and they sang the praises
of God on the way to battle. And this is the calling of the
believer here below. Dear friends, it's to sing the
praises of God. It's to sing the song, the believer's
song. of redemption through blood of
the Lord Jesus Christ. Worthy the lamb that was slain. They sing it now before the great
change comes in sweet and holy expectation. In the assurance
that faith gives. They sing it as they expect it. because God has promised it so. He said, I will never leave thee,
nor forsake thee. And to remind them again and
again, and to keep them in a thankful and a free, a free spirit, he
takes them again to Calvary. He takes them again to the cross. He takes them again that they
might hear those blessed words, it is finished. And he takes
them again to the empty tomb and he shows them again, come
see the place where the Lord lay. He is not here, he is risen. He is risen. And he leads them
out as far as to Bethany. and he again lifts up his hands
and he blesses them and he gives them a little view of an ascending
saviour leading captivity captive, their great forerunner going
before them into glory and there they view him by faith sitting
and they prove him, they prove him there by praying, by praying
and they prove him there for them as he answers their prayers,
their prayers. And so, there is this effect. And the effect is peace. May
the peace of God, which passes all understanding, keep your
hearts and your minds. May you be blessed with times
of true thankfulness and gratitude. for his many tokens. Do not forget
providence. Beloved friends, do not forget
grace. Oh, the thankfulness, the gratitude. Every time we gather at the tables
of church, do this in remembrance of me, it's a thankful ordinance,
isn't it? We meet with grateful hearts,
gratitude to the Lord. Why? Why should he notice little
me in all his great concerns? Why should he notice and care
and love for little me? For this cause also, thank we
God without ceasing. Because when you receive the
word of God, which ye heard of us, you received it not as the
word of men, but as it is in truth the word of God, which
effectually worketh also in you that believe. Amen. After the benediction we will
sing the doxology. Let us now sing together hymn
number 11. The tune is Sabbath Day 836. Thy mercy, my God, is the theme
of my song, the joy of my heart and the boast of my tongue. Thy
free grace alone from the first to the last has won my affections
and bound my soul fast. Hymn number 11. My hope is that beam of my soul,
the joy of my heart, and the rest of my time. My free grace and I'm from the
first to the last Has found my affection and now I'm so fast
There's one life we shall take and why it's so false of heaven's claim from heav'n. Its glories now sing, and its
wonders foretell. Jesus, my friend, when we part
upon the trail of wonder, channel of mercy for me. ? Have mercy on me ? ? Great Thou art, I sing, mercy
on me ? ? Have mercy on me ? would produce little after despair. Confer thy forgiveness, my spirit
revive, and be that first wave may still peace
be alive. And may that first wave may still peace be alive.
? My mercy is more ? ? Element
for my God ? ? Which wonders to deliver ? God rest ye merry, This hope, by Thy goodness, might
alter the crowd, and winter the praise of And weep to the praise of the
mercy I found. The door of thy mercy stands
open all day. To the poor and the needy they
all cried away. No sinner shall ever be empty
set back, who comes seeking mercy, For Jesus' sake. Who comes seeking mercy, For
Jesus' sake. Great Father of mercies, thy
goodness I know, and the covenant love of thy crucified Son. All praise to the Spirit, His
grace was divine, Pardon and righteousness mine. Seize mercy and pardon and righteousness
mine. Now may the grace of our Lord
Jesus Christ, and the love of God the Father, and the fellowship,
and the communion of the Holy Spirit, rest and abide with us
each, now and for evermore. Amen. Let us sing our usual doxology,
which is the last verse of hymn 220. The tune is Celeste, 736. This God is the God we adore,
our faithful, unchangeable friend, whose love is as large as his
power, and knows neither measure nor end. It is Jesus, the first
and the last, whose spirit shall guide us safe home, We'll praise
him for all that is past and trust him for all that's to come. God is the God we adore, a faithful,
unchangeable friend. His love is as loud as his power, And thy goodness,
pleasure, no end. Dear Jesus, at last I'm at last
Whose Spirit shall guide us, say, O! We'll praise Him for
all that is past, And trust him for all that you can.