Okay. The notices for the coming week
are God willing as follows. Pastor will preach here next
Lord's Day at 10.30 and two o'clock. Also on Thursday evening at seven
o'clock, there'll be a prayer meeting here on Tuesday evening
at seven o'clock. The collections taken during
July amounted to 2,000 and £47.99. Donations to the book fund amounted
to £95.44. We sincerely thank you for your
support of this cause of truth. Let us commence our services
today by singing together hymn number 643. The tune is Pembroke
719. Again dear Lord we would be fed we
come to seek for living bread and feast on love divine Dear
Father, let thy presence be enjoyed by all thy family, and make each
face to shine. Hymn 643. ♪ Amen, amen, Lord.
♪ ♪ Amen, amen, Lord. ♪ We come to see your living grace,
and feel your love. Dear Father, may thy presence
be, and joy for all thy family. I'm willing each day to shine. In thee, O blessed Prince, we weep from
death, O'er the ramparts we watched,
were so gallantly streaming? And the rocket's red glare, the
bombs bursting in air, Where love and faith are made
so sweet, And sons from all their dreams ♪ May faith be strong ♪ ♪ And wisdom
strong ♪ ♪ And we give thanks as well ♪ ♪ We adore him still
♪ ♪ The glory now prevails ♪ ♪ The
new-made Jesus has come to reign ♪ ♪ Upon him live ♪ ♪ Is the home of the brave ♪ ♪
And the home of the brave ♪ ♪ Is the home of the brave ♪ ♪ In
the door ♪ ♪ The Lamb hath giv'n His word ♪ ♪ He is their soul
♪ ♪ The helpers of God's grace ♪ In ev'ry town a fiend will come,
And house shall fall, and leaves shall come, Let us read together from the
Holy Word of God in the book of the Revelation and chapter
7. The book of the Revelation Chapter
7. And after these things I saw
four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding
the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow
on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree. And I saw another
angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living
God. And he cried with a loud voice
to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and
the sea, saying, hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the
trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their
foreheads. And I heard the number of them
which were sealed. And there were sealed 140 and
4,000 of all the tribes of the children of Israel. Of the tribe
of Judah were sealed 12,000. Of the tribe of Reuben were sealed
12,000. Of the tribe of Gad were sealed
12,000. Of the tribe of Asser were sealed
12,000. Of the tribe of Nethilim were
sealed 12,000. Of the tribe of Manassas were
sealed 12,000. Of the tribe of Simeon were sealed
12,000. Of the tribe of Levi were sealed
12,000. Of the tribe of Issachar were sealed 12,000. of the tribe of Zabulon were
sealed 12,000, of the tribe of Joseph were sealed
12,000, of the tribe of Benjamin were sealed 12,000. After this I beheld, and lo,
a great multitude which no man could number, of all nations
and kindreds and people and tongues, stood before the throne, and
before the Lamb clothed with white robes and palms in their
hands, and cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our
God, which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb. And all the
angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders
and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces,
and worshipped God. saying Amen. Blessing and glory
and wisdom and thanksgiving and honour and power and might be
unto our God for ever and ever. Amen. And one of the elders answered
saying unto me what are these which are arrayed in white robes
and whence came they? And I said unto him, Sir, thou
knowest. And he said to me, These are
they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed
their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore
are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night
in his temple. And he that sitteth on the throne
shall dwell among them, They shall hunger no more, neither
thirst any more, neither shall the sun light on them nor any
heat. For the lamb which is in the
midst of the throne shall feed them and shall lead them unto
living fountains of waters, and God shall wipe away all tears
from their eyes. May the Lord bless that portion
of his holy 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 desire to bow before thy great
and thy glorious majesty and to call upon thy great and thy
glorious name. We desire to humble ourselves
before Thee, for Thou art in heaven and we upon earth, and
Thy word advises us, therefore let Thy words be few, for in
the multitude of words there want is not iniquity. Gracious
God, we desire to come in confession, for Thou art holy and we are
unholy. We are unclean and unrighteous
altogether, As the prophet of old declares, from the crown
of the head to the sole of the foot, wounds and bruises and
putrefying sores, there is no soundness in my flesh. And Lord,
we feel it to be so. We often have to confess with
the dear apostle, O wretched man, that I am, who shall deliver
me from the body of this death. sins against a holy God, sins
against his precious blood, his righteous laws. Lord we are full
of sin and we come like the Psalmist of old, have mercy upon me O
God, have mercy upon me. We feel to need that precious
mercy that is in Christ Jesus. We thank thee most gracious Lord
that though we are sinful and wretched and undone, and yet
thou art full of grace and truth, and we desire to come to thee
in that precious name of Jesus Christ, the only saviour of sinners. We desire to touch the hem of
his garment and to draw from that virtue that is in him. We
desire, O Lord, that we might catch a glimpse of yon lovely
man, that we might see that scene of matchless grace, tis Jesus
in the sinner's place. Lord, we come in all our need,
in all our insufficiency and poverty, to confess our sins
and our unworthiness of the least of thy tender mercies. Gracious
God, do look down upon us this day in thy Son, Jesus Christ. and do grant that the grace of
our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God the Father and the
sacred fellowship of the Holy Spirit may rest and abide upon
us, we do humbly beseech of thee. For Lord, without thee we can
do nothing, we are nothing, we have nothing. We can echo the
words of the hymn, nothing in my hand I bring, Simply to thy
cross I cling, Foul I to the fountain fly, Wash me, Saviour,
or I die. We pray, most blessed Spirit
of truth, That thou hast grant thy inward teaching and power
In our hearts and in our souls this day, That thou hast grant
that we may be Led and taught and guided and directed by thee
Thy word declares unto us, as many as are led by the Spirit
of God, they are the sons of God. And we pray that we may
have that witness even in our hearts today, that we are being
led of the Spirit of God and guided and directed by thee.
And Lord, we pray for that wonderful blessing that we read of in thy
word, for God has sent forth the Spirit of his Son into our
hearts. crying, Abba, Father, all that
we could have a sacred sense that we are indeed the children
of God, the sons and daughters of the Lord God Almighty. We
pray that thou would reveal thyself to us and bless us with light
and understanding in thy word. We pray that thou would come
and loose the preacher's tongue and unstop the deaf ears and
cause the blind to see Hear us, Lord. Make the lame to walk. Oh, we do pray that we may see
signs following the preaching of the word. And that we pray,
most gracious Lord, that thou wouldst bless us as a church
and as a congregation. We would remember each one of
our brethren and sisters in Christ in church fellowship. We pray
that we may grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord
and Saviour Jesus Christ. O Lord, deliver us from that
solemn spirit that we read of in the church at Laodicea, neither
hot nor cold. O most gracious Lord, deliver
us from that. Thou hast said in thy word, Woe
unto them that are at ease in Zion. Gracious Lord, we pray
to be delivered from that spirit of ease and slovenliness in the
things of God, but that thou wouldst exercise us unto righteousness
and unto truth, that we may be made more spiritually minded,
that our affections may be set upon things above and not on
things of the earth. We pray for grace to love one
another, to serve one another, to bear one another's burdens,
thereby fulfilling the law of Christ, We pray, most gracious
God, that thou wouldst bless the whole of our congregation,
that thou wouldst bless the little ones and the children as they're
brought into the sanctuary. Bless them, O Lord, with the
fear of the Lord, which is the beginning of wisdom. Bless the dear young friends
as they stand upon the threshold of life's journey. Bless them
with light and understanding in thy word. Bless them with
living faith in Jesus Christ. Bless them with that grace to
follow thee and to serve thee in their day and in their generation. Bless them in all the paths of
providence, guide and direct them, keep and preserve them. Grant that thou wouldst be with
them in their education, and give wisdom and understanding
and guidance and direction. Bless them, Lord, with future
employment. May they be guided by thee. And
bless them, Lord, with a partner in life's journey, one that shall
fear thy great and holy name. We pray that there may be a generation
raised up to call thee the Redeemer blessed. We pray, most gracious
God, that thou wouldst bless parents and give them wisdom
and help and guidance and direction. The family altar may be raised
in the home, the word of God read and prayer made. That spirit of worship and godly
fear may be in the homes. And, O Lord, we pray that thou
wouldst be with each and every one in the midst of the journey
of life graciously bless them and bring them to thy feet. We pray, most gracious Lord,
for the prodigals that have wandered from the way, that have turned
aside from following the Lord. Oh, we pray that thou would stretch
out thy almighty arm and cause them to be in want. Oh, Lord,
send out thy light and thy truth and return in thy power and in
thy glory, as thou usest to be in the sanctuary. We pray, dear
Lord, for each of us in the evening time of life's journey, that
thou wouldst grant thy divine support and blessing and help
and guidance and direction. We think of all those in affliction,
trouble, trial and perplexity and bereavement, and pray that
thou wouldst support, sustain and bless and help for thy great
name's sake. And, O Lord, we do pray that
thou wouldst guide us each safely unto thy heavenly kingdom. Deliver us from the temptations
of Satan, whether he comes as an angel of light to deceive
us, or whether he comes as a roaring lion to devour us. We pray to
be delivered. O most gracious Lord, only thou
canst deliver us. Thou hast promised in thy word
that when the enemy comes in like a flood, the spirit of the
Lord will lift up a standing against him. Bless our beloved
brethren, the deacons, and give grace, wisdom, and help in all
their responsibilities, not only here, but their many responsibilities
among the church of God. Help them, Lord, we do humbly
pray thee. But we pray, most gracious Lord,
that thou wouldst hear prayer for this village and the surrounding
villages and hamlets. We pray that many souls may yet
be gathered in. The glory and the light of the
gospel may shine forth. The strongholds of Satan may
be pulled down, and the kingdom of the Lord Jesus set up 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. Gracious God, incline thine ear. We long for a day of prosperity.
We long to see an engathering of precious souls and the building
of the walls of Jerusalem. We pray, most gracious Lord,
for all thy servants, as they labour in word and doctrine upon
the walls of Zion today, that they might know that fresh anointing
of the Spirit, that there may be mighty signs and wonders to
follow the preaching of the word, and that we may be determined
to know nothing among men, save Jesus Christ and him crucified. Lord, so bless us, we do humbly
beseech thee. Let thy work appear unto thy
servants and thy glory unto their children. O Lord, we do beseech
of thee for thy great name's sake. And O Lord God, we do pray
that thou wouldst bless our nation, give wisdom to our leaders, guidance
and direction in all matters. We're reminded in thy word by
me, King's reign, and Prince's decree justice. And we pray,
most gracious Lord, that we may leave these things in thy kind
and gracious hands, that thou wouldst raise one up to lead
this nation. We pray for our beloved Queen.
We lovingly commend her to thee and to the word of thy grace.
And we pray that thou wouldst bless the whole of the royal
household. Hear us, Lord, we do humbly beseech
thee. We pray for those who labouring
word and doctrine among the nations of the earth. We think of those
that go out from among us. We think of Ian Sadler as he
labours in India and Pakistan and Africa. Oh, we pray that
thou wouldst grant good success and supply all his many returning
needs for thy great namesake. And, O Lord God, But we do pray
that thou would bless the Savannah Education Trust and that great
work that they are doing in Ghana. Lord, bless them indeed. And
Lord, do remember the Mombasa mission in Kenya and graciously
bless the testament of thy servants there. We do humbly beseech of
thee. We pray, most gracious Lord,
that thou would fill our hearts with thanksgiving. Thy mercies
to us are new every morning, and great is thy faithfulness.
We thank thee for every mercy of thy kind providence. We thank
thee for thy goodness that has passed before us in the way.
We thank thee for our house of prayer. We thank thee for the
word of God. We thank thee for supplying all
our needs as a church and as a congregation. We thank thee. above all for Jesus Christ, for
the eternal word that was made flesh and dwelt among us. We
thank thee for the glory of his name and the wonder of his grace
and the fullness of his salvation. In him everlasting righteousness
has been brought in, the incarnate Son of God, that profound mystery
of godliness. We thank thee for the cross of
Calvary, where the lamb was slain, where sin has been put away,
where divine justice has been satisfied. Gracious God, fill
our hearts with gratitude, with praise and with thanksgiving
for the abundance of thy mercies and for thy great goodness. Come
and touch one's lips with a live coal from off the heavenly altar. Come and open the word of God.
Come and open our hearts to receive it. Make up in giving, where
we do so fail in asking, as we ask for Jesus Christ's sake. Amen. Let us now sing together hymn
number 419, The tune is Church Triumphant,
868. Just are thy ways, and true thy
word, Great rock of my secure abode, Who is a God beside the
Lord, or where's a refuge like our God? Hymn 419. ♪ God rest
ye merry, gentlemen ♪ ♪ Ye merry, gentlemen ♪ ♪ It's a good
day today ♪ ♪ Is the God beside the Throne
of heaven and earth. ♪ ♪ Gives me grace to reach on to
Him ♪ ♪ And while we're singing and while I'm crying ♪ ♪ And His salvation for my sake
♪ ♪ In this hand, blessed be my God, the
God of my life ♪ Man of Israel, head of our earth,
sweet Israel, peace, joy, comfort and peace. Faithful as brothers, so be it,
Unbred, so thy fathers be. ♪ The tremble at their mighty rage
♪ ♪ As the earth shall fall ♪ Day by day, hand in hand, through
you sing, Thy praise for me, world without end. I love thee, Satan, thy step-brother
and daughter, Mary. greatly feeling to need the Lord's
gracious help, I would direct your attention to the chapter
that we read, the seventh chapter of the book of the Revelation,
and we will read for our text, verse nine. The book of the Revelation, chapter
seven, verse nine. After this I beheld and lo a
great multitude which no man could number of all nations and
kindreds and people and tongues stood before the throne and before
the lamb clothed with white robes and palms in their hands. The language in the book of the
Revelation is exceedingly symbolic. It's a dangerous thing to try
and literally interpret it as it's written on the page. The
Lord has revealed through his servant John those things which
must shortly come to pass. And it's done in highly symbolic
language. If we look back through the history
of the church some of the most godly men have tried to interpret
the book of the revelation and they've actually made themselves
look very silly and so do we trying a literal interpretation. Fundamentally, what we have in
the book of the revelation it covers the period of time from
the first coming to the second coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. And that is the period of time
which we're in now. Thus far it's just over 2,000
years. But the great point that is in
the book of the Revelation is that though there will be great
enemies that will rise up against the church and at times completely
surround the church. So it looks as though the church
is going to be swallowed up by the evil and wickedness of those
that are around them. And yet according to the book
of the Revelation Christ will always appear for his people.
He will bring forth judgment unto victory. He will bear his
holy arm. Of course the wonderful example
is in the Old Testament with the Israelites and how many times
they were completely surrounded with their enemies and yet the
Lord delivered them sometimes in what appeared to be totally
utterly impossible circumstances and yet the Lord delivered them. There was an occasion I think
it was with Jehoshaphat And we read that the children of Israel
were like a little herd of or a flock of kids in the valley. And there was this great army
of the Ethiopians of 1 million men that came against them. But
the Lord overcome their enemies. The Lord delivered them from
their enemies. And you know fundamentally that
is the meaning of the book of the revelation it shows to us
that though much opposition will come to the Christian church
here on earth and yet they will always be victorious the Lord
will send them help and deliver them in his appointed time and
by whatever means he's fit to use you see so many people And
good people, they come to the book of the Revelation in what
we might say a speculative way. And they try to find out where
we are in history and what's going to happen. Is this... Has
this happened? Has that happened? Has something
else happened? I believe, my beloved friends, it's a wrong
thing to speculate about the Word of God. This blessed book,
the book of the Revelation, is written for the edification of
the church. and the fundamental message in
it is that the lamb will always be victorious however dark and
this of course comes to the people of God in a very personal way
and also to the church of God in a collective way that the
Lord will always deliver his people that lovely word in the
Prophecy of Isaiah when the enemy comes in like a flood Doesn't
say if the enemy comes in like a flood when the enemy comes
in like a flood the spirit of the Lord Shall lift up a standard
against him that standard is Christ the glorious eternal person
of the Son of God from everlasting to everlasting Jesus Christ,
the same yesterday and today and forever. That's the standard
that the Spirit of the Lord lifts up. That is what will deliver
your soul. Nothing else will. That is where
salvation is. That is where redemption is.
That is where deliverance is. You know, Peter, when he walked
on the sea, the Lord, he said to him, come, and he began walking
on the sea, And then we read that he looked down at the wind
and the waves which were boisterous and tempestuous. And he began
to sink. Joseph Hart, the hymn writer
says, pour not on yourself too long, else will sink thee lower. Look to Jesus, firm and strong,
mercy joined with power. You know, The glorious person
of our Lord Jesus Christ is lifted up, is exalted as a prince and
as a saviour. And that's the only place you'll
find deliverance in this glorious, precious Redeemer. If you just
look into the sixth chapter here, and in the second verse of the
sixth chapter, And I saw, and behold, a white horse, and he
that sat on him had a bow, and a crown was given unto him, And
he went forth, conquering and to conquer. Who is that person? It's Jesus Christ, the Eternal
Son of the Father. He had a bow. David, the sweet
Psalmist of Israel in Psalm 45, he prays unto him. He says, gird
thy sword upon thy thigh, O Most Mighty, and ride prosperously
because of truth and righteousness. You know, friends, How often
do we really wrestle with the Lord in prayer? You know, there's that lovely
word in the prophecy of Isaiah, as soon as Zion travailed, she
brought forth her children. How often do we travail? It's
a very painful, very laborious thing, travail. As soon as Zion travailed, wrestled,
Doesn't the hymn writer say, wrestling prayer can wonders
do. Bring relief in deepest straits. Prayer can force a passage through
iron bars and brazen gates. You know, the apostle, he gives
us an exhortation, doesn't he, in Hebrews chapter 12. Let us
lay aside every weight and the sin that does so easily beset
us and let us run with patience. the race that is set before us.
How? How? Looking unto Jesus, the
author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set
before him endured the cross, despising the shame thereof,
and is now set down at the right hand of the majesty on high. That is the glorious object of
faith. The person and work of our Lord
and our Saviour, Jesus Christ. And here, you see, it's these
words, may they excite us unto a greater diligence in prayer,
when we long to see the walls of Zion built, when we long to
see the ingathering of precious souls. I saw and behold a white
horse, and he that sat on him had a bow, and a crown was given
unto him, and he went forth conquering, and to conquer that is the first
thing that happens here on earth according to what we have spoken
of here Christ going forth throughout all the nations of the earth
you see in our text verse 9 after this I beheld and lo a great
multitude which no man could number of all nations and kindreds
and people and tongues stood before the throne and before
the Lamb clothed with white robes and palms in their hands." A
great multitude. You will notice of course that
in the previous verses there is a people specifically numbered. The 144,000. 12,000 for each
one of the tribes of Israel. So, what is the teaching here? There is, as the apostle says
in the Romans, an election according to the election of grace. There's
a people that have been chosen. And these 144,000, they represent
a very specific number. But then when we come into our
text, It says, after this I beheld and know a great multitude which
no man could number. So what is the teaching to us
here? Well I believe it's this, that
there is a people from every nation, every kindred, every
tongue, every tribe and every people on earth that were chosen
by the Father, that were redeemed by Jesus Christ at Calvary and
that will be sanctified by the Holy Ghost at the appointed time. It's a chosen people. Peter in
his epistle says you are a chosen generation. A royal priesthood. A chosen people. God has his
own people. And according to our text it's
a number that no man can number. And when we look into the Gospel
of Mark, and that divine commission that was given to the disciples
in the Gospel of Mark, and the commission to the Lord's servants,
go ye into all the world. You know friends, I've noticed
this over the years in the ministry, and I've seen it abroad in others
too, and the ministry goes to preach at
a particular place, The people will say, well, why has he gone
there? They're in error, they're loose, they're light, they're
this, they're something else. He shouldn't go there. And I've
noticed this over the years, the opposition there is to the
Lord's servants to go freely preaching the gospel of the grace
of God. And that opposition comes from
Satan, trying to hinder the work of God. And over the years, when
I've been to many different places, and in many different churches,
much to the criticism of many. But you know, my beloved friends,
that word has always remained with me, ever since I've been
in the ministry. Go ye into all the world. The Lord has his people everywhere,
and his servants must go and preach to them. He has them in
every nation, kindred, tongue, and tribe, and people. And therefore
his servants must go to every nation, kindred, tongue and tribe
and people as the Lord may lead them and guide them and direct
them to do so. And we should not try to hinder
them in doing that. Thou shalt not muzzle the ox
that pulleth the plough. We shouldn't try to muzzle the
Lord's servants to stop them doing this and to stop them doing
that. Or that the Lord would indeed
enlarge our hearts so that in our prayers we may beg of the
Lord to gather his people from the four corners of the earth.
In the beginning of this chapter in the first verse he said after
these things I saw four angels standing on the four corners
of the earth holding the four winds of the earth that the wind
should not blow upon the earth. What does it mean that God has
universal power? Universal power. And in the Word
of God, it's very clear that this universal power is on the
behalf of His people. He shall go forth conquering
and to conquer. And His almighty power, He's
God over all. and blessed for evermore. My
mind, in thinking about this number that no man can number
and then these 140,000, 44,000 of the children of Israel, my
mind has very much gone back to the promises that were given
to Abraham. Abraham, the promise of the coming
of Christ came through Abraham And my mind just goes to that
first promise which was in the twelfth chapter of the book of
Genesis. And there in the book of Genesis we read, Now the Lord
had said unto Abraham, Get thee out of thy country, and from
thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will
show thee. I will make of thee a great nation,
and I will bless thee, and make thy name great, and thou shalt
be a blessing and I will bless them that bless thee and curse
them that curse thee. But this is the point I wanted
to draw your attention to. And in thee shall all families
of the earth be blessed. See, many would try and constrain
that to just the Jews. No, all the families of the earth.
So, the apostle brings it out very clearly in the epistle to
the Romans. how that there's no difference
between Jew and Greek, bond or free. And God is the God of all
the earth. And the gospel of Jesus Christ
is to be preached in all the earth, among all nations. And the Lord through the, it
says in the Bible, through the foolishness of preaching, through
the foolishness of preaching, That is the principle means that
the Lord uses to gather his people unto Christ. When his servants
go forth preaching under the power of the Holy Ghost. The
Apostle in Romans chapter 9, he speaks of his great burden
for his brethren, his kinsmen according to the flesh. And he
speaks of the wonderful blessings there that they had and that
He says in verse 5, whose are the fathers of whom concern in
the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed forever.
Amen. And then he goes on and he makes
it very clear that not all Israel are of Israel. But there's a
spiritual seed in Israel. And he goes on, he says it in
the fourth chapter of the Romans, the spiritual seed of Christ
are the spiritual seed of Abraham. Some people would confine the
seed of Abraham just to that which is of the flesh. And the
Apostle he says here in Romans 9, it's not only that which is
of the flesh. There's a spiritual seed. Christ
came by the seed of Abraham into this world. And all that spiritual
seed of his is the spiritual seed of Abraham. Every true Christian
believer is a son or a daughter of Abraham through Christ and
in Christ and by Christ. You see, my beloved friends,
these things are written for our instruction. And as you go
through the ninth chapter of the Romans, in verse 24 he says,
even us whom he hath called not of the Jews only, but also of
the Gentiles. As he says also in Osea, Osea
is Hosea, I will call them my people, which were not my people,
and her beloved, which was not beloved. And it shall come to
pass that in the place where it is said unto them, ye are
not my people, there shall they be called the children of the
living God. And Isaiah also crieth concerning Israel, though the
number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, a
remnant shall be saved. For he will finish the work and
cut it short in righteousness, because a short work will the
Lord make upon the earth. And Isaiah said before, except
the Lord of Sabaoth had left us a seed, we had been as Sodom
and been made like unto Gomorrah. What shall we say then that the
Gentiles which followed not after righteousness have attained to
righteousness even the righteousness which is of faith? Oh my beloved
friends, that's the object of faith. The Lord Jesus Christ
in Holy Scripture is called Jehovah Sidkenu, the Lord our righteousness. The Lord our righteousness. And
that is what the believer receives. Through the inward teaching of
the Holy Ghost in the heart, the true child of God is taught
their sinfulness, is taught their wretchedness, is taught their
uncleanness, is taught that they're under the curse, they're under
the bondage of the law. But through faith in Jesus Christ,
they obtain salvation, redemption, they obtain an everlasting righteousness,
just as it says in our text, white robes, clothed in the glorious
and everlasting righteousness of our Lord and Savior Jesus
Christ. What shall we say then, that
the Gentiles which followed not after righteousness have attained
to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith? But Israel
which followeth after the law of righteousness, as of course
the holy law of the Ten Commandments, hath not attained to the law
of righteousness. Wherefore, because they sought
it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For
they stumbled at that stumbling stone. In quotes to us from Isaiah,
Behold, I lay in Zion a stumbling stone, and a rock of offense,
and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. What a
solemn thing if we stumble at Christ. We stumble at that glorious
eternal rock of ages. Because that is where righteousness
is, that is where salvation is, that is where redemption is.
In this glorious person of our Lord Jesus Christ, and it is
obtained by faith. And these souls that are born
again of the Spirit, and brought to know themselves as a poor
sinner and the Holy Ghost will lead them to Jesus Christ. I
am the way, the truth and the life and the Spirit of God leads
a poor sinner to Christ and to Christ only. And so in Christ
they obtain a righteousness by faith. That which they've probably
been trying to do for months or years that is to make themselves
better and to produce a righteousness, they come to the end of everything
of themselves. They come to a place of hopelessness. And they're totally finished. And then Christ is revealed as
the way, the truth and the life. And then they obtain a righteousness
which is by faith of the Son of God who loved me and gave
himself for me. You see, the Apostle goes on
in the 10th of the Romans. He says, brethren, my heart's
desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they might be
saved. For I bear them record that they
have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. For they being
ignorant of God's righteousness and going about to establish
their own righteousness have not submitted themselves unto
the righteousness of God. You know the publican in that
parable of our Lord Jesus Christ. I mean publicans were tax collectors. They were well known for being
fraudulent, wicked people. And then there's the Pharisee
in his day known as the leading light of the Jews and the most
godly, the most righteous of all the Jews. And the Lord Jesus,
he gives us a very stark picture. Here comes a Pharisee up to the
temple to pray. If you look at it, he didn't
pray at all. I thank God that I'm not as other men are. Even as this publican. I do this,
I do that, I do something else. What an awful religion to have.
There's plenty of Pharisees about today. They depend on their own
works and on what they are doing. They're no better than the Pharisee
in Holy Scripture. And then there's the publican.
He could not so much as lift his eyes up unto heaven, but
smote upon his breast, saying, God, be merciful to me, a sinner. That's how we have to come. That's
how the Spirit of the Lord leads a poor sinner to Christ. by showing us our lost condition,
and then working faith in the heart. I love that expression. The old Puritans used to use
it quite a lot, that the Lord works faith in the heart. The
Holy Spirit gives faith. Faith is the gift of God, and
he gives faith. And that faith looks alone unto
Jesus Christ for salvation. and here in the 10th chapter
the apostle he first speaks of those going about to establish
their own righteousness in the 3rd verse and then in the 4th
he says for Christ is the end of the law for righteousness
unto everyone that believeth. For Moses describeth the righteousness
which is of the law that the man which doeth those things
shall live by them. But the righteousness which is
of faith speaketh on this wise, say not in thine heart, who shall
ascend into heaven? That is, to bring Christ down
from above. Or who shall descend into the
deep? That is, to bring Christ again from the dead. But what
saith it? The word is nigh, even in thy
mouth and in thy heart. That is the word of faith which
we preach, that if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord
Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him
from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart, not
with the head, with the heart. Do you have a heart religion?
Is the Lord working in your heart? There are many, my beloved friends,
that have a head religion. The only time I ever heard Mr.
Joe Short of Chippenham preach was one Sunday evening at Pickhill
Chapel. And one thing he said, I've never
forgotten. If all your religion is above
your collar, you will go to hell. What did he mean? If your religion
is all in the head, we need a religion of the heart. For with the heart
man believeth unto righteousness. The heart is the centre of our
affections. That is where the Holy Spirit
works. It is. Whosoever believeth on him, shall
not be ashamed for there is no difference between the Jew and
the Greek for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call
upon him. That's essentially what is in
our text. Every nation, kindred, tongue,
tribe and people, none are excluded because of their race. No. For whosoever shall call upon
the name of the Lord shall be saved. O my beloved friends,
may we be among that number. And after this I beheld, and
though a great multitude which no man could number, of all nations
and kindreds and people and tongues, stood before the throne, and
before the Lamb, clothed with white robes and palms in their
hands. Clothed in white robes, prepared. There's a parable that
the Lord Jesus Christ gave of the wedding garment. In Eastern
countries it was customary that if somebody was invited to a
wedding they would send them a wedding garment. And so that when they came to
the wedding it could be seen that they were a true guest because
they had on a wedding garment. The Lord Jesus uses that by way
of illustration. And when he said that the great
supper of the Lamb, of course that's the end of time, the consummation
of all things. And there was one there without
a wedding garment. And the Lord said to him, Friend,
how came is thou in hither not having a wedding garment? How
came is now in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless. And the
Lord said, bind him hand and foot and cast him into outer
darkness. You see, my beloved friends,
it's essential that we have a wedding garment. It's essential that
we're clothed in the glorious everlasting righteousness of
Christ. that he becomes personally to us, the Lord, our righteousness. and fell before the throne on
their faces and worshipped God saying Amen. Blessing and glory
and wisdom and thanksgiving and honour and power and might be
unto our God forever and ever. You see we have a little glimpse
to the glorified church in that last great day bowing before
the throne It reminds us of that lovely word of our Lord Jesus
in 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 and receive you unto myself
that where I am, there ye may be also. There's that lovely
word in Psalm 45 when we read of the king's daughter which
is the bride of Christ, the church of God. It says the king's daughter
is all glorious within. Why? Because she's washed in
the blood of the Lamb. Her clothing is of wrought gold.
Why? Because she's clothed in that glorious everlasting robe
of the righteousness of Christ. I know I've often told you of
it. It's something that I will never ever forget. It was a time
of great trial. It was when my wife was having
our youngest child and she was very ill in hospital. I myself
had recently been very ill and you know the Lord drew near to
me one particular day. There were no words spoken. I
felt to be in the depths of trouble. There were no words spoken but
I was so blessed in myself. And it was the words of a hymn
that expressed the feelings of my heart. I'm blessed, I'm blessed,
forever blessed. My rags are gone and I am dressed
in garments white as snow. You know, friends, I look to
my sins and my sins could not be found, swallowed up in Christ,
gone forever, as far as the east is from the west. So far have
I removed thy sins from thee, O Israel." How far is the east
from the west? It's an infinite distance. And
that's how far the Lord has removed the sins of his people. In another
scripture in Micah he says, I've cast all thy sins into the depths
of the sea. What does it mean? Never to be
seen again. Into the depths of the sea. never
to be seen again, but clothed, you see, and before the Lamb,
clothed with white robes and palms in their hands. It says
here, if you look from verse 13, and one of the elders answers
saying unto me, what are these which are arrayed in white robes,
and whence came they? And I said unto him, sir, thou
knowest. And he said to me, these are they, which came out of great
tribulation and have washed their robes and made them white in
the blood of the Lamb. These are they which came out
of great tribulation and have washed their robes and made them
white in the blood of the Lamb. So here we have the blood and
righteousness of Jesus Christ. And it goes straight on in the
next verse, verse 15, therefore, that's what we call a connective
word, therefore, because they are clothed in the everlasting
robe of the righteousness of Christ, because they're washed
in the blood of Christ, therefore, there is no other reason why
you or I shall ever reach heaven but the blood and righteousness
of Jesus Christ alone. That alone will do. Therefore
are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night
in his temple. And he that sitteth on the throne
shall dwell among them. They shall hunger no more, neither
thirst any more, neither shall the sun light on them, nor any
heat for the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne. What
did John the Baptist say when he was speaking to his disciples
and Christ was walking? He said, Behold the Lamb of God.
which taketh away the sin of the world. Oh, my beloved friends,
that's the only place you will ever have your sin removed. It's in the Lamb of God, who
was slain from before the foundation of the world. There's that lovely
word in the first epistle of Peter, in
that first chapter, and how beautifully he speaks there. in verse 18,
for as much as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible
things as silver and gold from your vain conversation received
by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of
Christ as of a lamb without blemish and without spot, who verily
was foreordained before the foundation of the world and was manifest
in these last times for you. who by him do believe in God,
that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory, that your
faith and hope might be in God. Behold the Lamb of God, which
taketh away the sin of the world." It was through that glorious
sacrifice of Calvary that he took away the sin of the world.
That holy, pure and spotless life that he lived, fulfilling
the law of God in every jot and tittle that is the righteousness
of the people of God the perfect obedience of Christ to the law
it's an everlasting righteousness because he's the son of God it
would clothe the poor sinner forever to stand in the presence
of God this glorious everlasting robe of the righteousness of
Christ I love that the apostle Paul in the Epistle to the Philippians,
he speaks so beautifully there concerning the righteousness
of Christ. And he says in the third chapter,
in the eighth verse, in ninth, he says, Yea, doubtless I count
all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus
my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things and do
count them but done that I may win Christ and be found in him
not having mine own righteousness which is of the law but that
which is through the faith of Christ the righteousness which
is of God by faith that I may know him and the power that's
what we need friends it's the power it's not just to know about
these things you may have been brought up under the truth you
may be in a natural way well acquainted with the doctrines
of grace and with the word of God But what do you know in your
heart? What do you know of the power
of the truth reaching into your very soul? Oh, my beloved friends,
this is so vital. John Bunyan in The Pilgrim's
Progress, he speaks very solemnly of one that came up some other
way and he came to the gates of heaven and Bunyan says, I saw that from
the very gates of heaven there was a way to hell. There was
a way to hell. You see, my beloved friends,
do you have real religion? Does the spirit of God dwell
in your heart? Do you know yourself a poor sinner? And do you know Christ as the
only saviour of sinners? These, my beloved friends, are
absolutely vital truths of our most holy faith. Some people
would try and encourage those that know so much about and have
a head knowledge about religion and such like, they would try
and encourage them to, as it were, put Christ on. My beloved
friends, we need a religion which is of the heart. We need the
Holy Ghost to quicken our souls. We need the Holy Ghost to dwell
in our hearts. We need the Holy Ghost to give
us faith. in Christ and in Christ alone. I love that word in the
Ephesians, the Apostle joining those three persons of the Trinity
together, speaking of our Lord Jesus Christ is for through him
we have access by one spirit unto the Father. And that it
be the same access into heaven, into eternal glory. After this
I beheld and low a great multitude which no man could number of
all nations and kindreds and people and tongues stood before
the throne and before the lamb clothed with white robes and
palms in their hands and that for the lamb which is in the
midst of the throne shall feed them and shall lead them unto
fountains of living waters living fountains of waters and God shall
wipe away all tears from their eyes. May the Lord add his blessing. Let us now sing together hymn
number 837 to the tune Jonathan 356. Repent, awakened souls, repent. Hear the good tidings God has
sent of sinners saved and sins forgiven and beggars raised to
reign in heaven. Hymn 837. ♪ God bless his name ♪ ♪ God save
his king ♪ ♪ Save his people ♪ ♪ And all the nations of the
earth ♪ God's great wisdom, steady for
us, guide to renewal, come and bless us. Who hath made this whole world
true, And in it all hath spread his blood. It fills my heart to weep every
day. But see my strength and justice
stray. ♪ God keep their hearts so tender
and free ♪ ♪ And follow them where thou wilt be ♪ I've never lost in remission. And He that gave His Son to me,
And freely gave His soul away to me, Singing a gospel and rejoice.
Sing to the Lord with cheerful noise. His blood that breaks in the
heart of death, Who answered the call of Saul, Now may the grace of our Lord
Jesus Christ, the love of God the Father, the sacred fellowship
of the Holy Spirit, rest and abide with us each. Amen.