Alright, let's turn back to John
7. Our Lord was at the Feast of
Tabernacles. And verse 37 says, In the last
day, that great day of the Feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying,
If any man thirst, let him come unto Me and drink. He that believeth
on Me, as the Scripture hath said, out of his belly shall
flow rivers of living water. Verse 40 says, Many of the people,
therefore, when they heard this saying, said, Of a truth, this
is the prophet. Of a truth, this is the prophet. Just like many had said before. Just like many say right now. Right now. But the end of this,
verse 53 says, every man went unto his own house. They all left him. They all left
him. Now here's what I want to say
about this. We can say or others can say true statements about
our Lord. Very true statements. Very true statements. I know an unbelieving woman. who said to a believing woman,
I hate your God. That's what she told her, I hate
your God. And then she felt bad about it
and she wrote the believing woman a letter and she said, at least
we can both agree that Jesus is the Son of God. Now how do you respond to that? Turn with me over to 1 John chapter
4. 1 John chapter 4, look at verse
15. It says, Whosoever shall confess
that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in
God. That's what it says. The believing woman was trying
to tell the unbelieving woman about God's sovereignty. That's
what she was trying to tell her. This happened a few years ago.
She was trying to tell her about God's right to be God. She was trying to tell her about
God's right to choose whoever He will. Save whoever He wants to save. and only who He wants to save.
And the unbelieving woman said, I hate that. She said, that's
not my God. And then she said, I hate your
God. But, then she said, Jesus was the Son of God. What does that mean? Here's what author Pink said.
He said, words are cheap and worth little unless followed
by action. That's what he said. To say Jesus
is the Son of God, it's not to say that He's less than God. It's not to say that He is subject
to God. At least we can both agree that
Jesus is the child of God. It is to say that He is the equal
part of this Trinity. God Himself manifests in the
flesh. That's what it is to say that
this man Jesus is the Son of God. Now let's go back over to
our text in John chapter 7. Verse 40 says, Many of the people
therefore, when they heard this saying, said of a truth, This
is the prophet. Others said, This is the Christ.
But some said, Shall Christ come out of Galilee? Hath not the
Scripture said that Christ cometh of the seed of David, and out
of the town of Bethlehem where David was? So there was a division
among the people because of him. They said, Hath not the Scripture
said? They could quote the Scripture. They could quote the Scripture
while they rejected Christ. That's horrifying, isn't it?
That's horrifying. They knew the Word, but they
didn't know the Word Himself. They knew where He was supposed
to be born. They knew certain facts about Him, but they didn't
know Him. That is the horrifying part.
They didn't know Him. The Messiah was literally standing
right there in front of them. The actual God. And they couldn't
see Him. They couldn't see Him. Here's
our prayer, and this is what I hope and pray that the Spirit
is groaning for us. Open our eyes that we may see. Open our eyes, Lord, that we
may see. This is life eternal. that we
might know Him, truly know Him. I don't need a historical knowledge
of biblical facts. I don't need to be a historian.
I don't need an intellectual knowledge about doctrine. I don't
need that. I need to know Him. I need to know Him. My only hope
is knowing Him, that's it. They didn't know this because
they didn't know Him, but He was of the seed of David. He
was born in Bethlehem. He did fulfill all the Scripture,
every bit of it. Verse 43 says, So there was a
division among the people because of Him, and some of them would
have taken Him, but no man laid hands on Him. Why not? Because they couldn't. Man thinks he has a free will.
He doesn't. Again, author Pink said, they sent their officers to arrest
Christ. He said they might as well have
ordered them to stop the sun from shining. Cannot be done. It just can't be done. This God
is God. He really is God. Mercy and salvation
is finding that out right now. Mercy and salvation is finding
that out right now. If we want to know what mercy
is and what salvation is, it's finding that out right now. Everybody
is going to find that out one day. In that day. Every knee is going
to bow. Every tongue is going to confess.
Mercy and salvation is seeing that right now. Right now. Right now. Right now. We're not going to do what we
want with Jesus. We are sinners in His hands.
We are literally puppets on His string. Thank God. That's all
I want to be. his puppet on his string. That's
all I want to be. You tell people that and they say, I'm nobody's
puppet. You're somebody's puppet. Mercy and salvation is being
God's puppet. Verse 45 says, Then came the
officers to the chief priest and Pharisees, and they said
unto them, Why have you not brought him? Now this comes from verse
32. Look at verse Our Lord stood
up at this feast in the temple and He preached to them. Verse
32, then it says, The Pharisees heard that the people murmured
such things concerning Him. And the Pharisees and the chief
priests sent officers to take Him. They sent soldiers to take
Him. Now, how committed is a soldier
to his mission? What is the mindset of a soldier
on a mission? I was never in the military, but I can imagine its utter commitment. These are your orders. After 9-11, President George
Bush said, you bring me Bin Laden. How long did it take him to find
him? A long time. Did the soldiers quit? No. Did the soldiers come back and
say, well, we couldn't find him? Oh, well. The Pharisees and the
chief priests, they sent these soldiers and they said, you find
him and you take him. You do whatever is necessary
to bring him to me. Verse 45 says, Then came the
officers to the chief priests and Pharisees, and they said
unto them, Why have you not brought him? The officers answered, Never! Man! Spake like this man. Now this is the title of this
message. Never man spake like this man. No man ever spake like this man. They hunted him, they found him,
they stormed up to him, and they were stopped dead in their tracks. What stopped them? His word. His Word. They said, never man speak like
this man. And they literally turned around
and they went back. No sinner can stand up to His Word. No
sinner. The reason is because it is sharper
than any two-edged sword. Sinners think they can decide
when they're ready to be saved. Well, you know, I've done a lot
of things and now I think it's time in my life to get saved. Now's the time. And so I'm going
to go find this man, Jesus, and I'm going to take him for my
own need and purpose. But when they confront and when
they are confronted by the almighty God, It's a shocking experience. It's
a shocking experience. Those of you who have been confronted
by the Almighty God, it's a shocking experience. It kind of rumbles everything that's ever
happened to you in life. It changes everything. There's only one way to approach
God. And in our own will and in our
own pride is not it. That's not the way. I want to
prove that to you. Go over to John 18. John 18 verse
1 says, When Jesus had spoken these words,
he went forth with his disciples over the brook Sidron, where
was a garden, into the which he entered in his disciples.
And Judas also, which betrayed him, knew the place. For Jesus
oft times resorted thither with his disciples. Judas then, having
received a band of men and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees,
cometh thither with lanterns, and torches, and weapons. Jesus
therefore, knowing all things that should come upon him, went
forth and said unto them, Whom seek ye? They answered him, Jesus
of Nazareth. Jesus saith unto them, I am." Notice that he is in italics. And Judas also, which betrayed
him, stood with them. As soon then as he had said unto
them, I am, they went backward and fell to the ground." The
whole band of men. They all came with sticks. They
all came with swords. They came with big numbers. And
all he had to do was say two words, I am. And they all fell down. Knocked them all to the ground. Do you know what they realized
at that exact moment in time? Never man spake like this man. Somebody says, at least we can
both agree that Jesus is the Son of God. No, we can't. We can't. That's a strange scenario,
isn't it? We can't. Not in the way you're
describing Him to be. Jesus Christ is God. All judgment, all authority,
and the throne of glory has been given to the Son of God. Every
bit of it. Judas and those men, they walked
into a God that is unmovable. And after His words knocked them
down, verse 7 says, then asked He them again, Whom seek ye? What think ye of Christ? Who
do you say I am? Sinners that God reveals Himself
to, they find out real quick, that's not the way to approach
God. Not at all. Let me show you what is. Go with
me over to Matthew chapter 8. Matthew chapter 8 verse 1 says, When He was come down from the
mountain, great multitudes followed Him. And behold, there came a
leper. and worshipped Him, saying, Lord... He didn't say Jesus. He said, Lord, if Thou wilt,
Thou canst make me clean. And Jesus put forth His hand
and touched him, saying, I will be Thou clean. And immediately
his leprosy was cleansed. Do you know what healed that
man? The Word of God. The Word. He said, I will be
thou clean. And immediately his leprosy was
cleansed. You know what that man ran around
telling everybody who would listen to him? Never man spake like
this man. All he had to do was say, Be
thou clean. Look at verse 5, it says, And
when Jesus was entered into Capernaum, there came unto Him a centurion
beseeching Him, and saying, Lord, my servant life at home sick
of the palsy, grievously tormented. And Jesus said unto him, I will
come and heal him. The centurion answered and said,
Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof,
but speak the word only. and my servant shall be healed."
Speak the Word only. Just speak the Word. I believe
that no man, no other man has the power and the authority and
the ability in His Word that you have. Just speak the Word
only. I believe that. I believe that. Why do you believe that? Why
do we believe that? Let's look at what He did for
us. Go over to Luke 7. Luke 7 verse 11 says, And it came to pass the day after
that he went into a city called Nain. And many of his disciples
went with him, and much people. And when he came nigh to the
gate of the city, behold, there was a dead man carried out."
A dead man. The only son of his mother. And
she was a widow, and much people of the city was with her. And
when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her, and said unto
her, Weep not. And he came and touched the bier,
that's the coffin. And they that bear him stood
still, and he said, Young man, I say unto thee, Arise. And he that was dead sat up and
began to speak. And he delivered him to his mother.
And there came a fear on all. And they glorified God, saying
that a great prophet is risen up among us, and that God hath
visited his people. That is what I'm saying right
now. It was God that visited us. Every sinner who has heard the
Word of the Lord arise. Live. Every sinner knows never
man spake like this. You know who this had to be?
That was God. That was God. I was lost and
now I'm found. I was blind and now I see. I
was dead, but God said, live. Never man spake like this. Have you heard his voice? He said, my sheep hear my voice. Have you heard his words? Somebody
might say, what does that mean? He doesn't speak out loud. What
does that mean? Any sinner, any sinner, starting
with this sinner, who needs to hear the voice and
who needs to hear the words of Jesus Christ, who says, what does that mean? Here's the answer. Ask Him. Ask Him. He said, My sheep will
hear My voice. And if I don't know what that
means, ask Him, Lord, what does that mean? Would You speak to
me? Lord, I want to hear Your voice.
I don't know if I have. Would You speak to me? Ask Him. Open my ears, Lord, that I may
hear. He said, All who ask shall receive. All who ask shall receive. If you have heard His voice,
listen to these words. Let's go over to Luke 23. Luke 23 verse 42 says, And he
said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy
kingdom. And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee,
Today shalt thou be with me in paradise. No other words can
comfort the soul like His words. There are no words in any book There are no words on planet
earth that can comfort the soul like His words. Never man spake
like this man. His words are spirit and His
words are life. Go back with me over to John
7. Verse 45 says, Then came the officers to the
chief priest and Pharisees, and they said unto them, Why have
you not brought him? The officers answered, Never
man spake like this man. Then answered them the Pharisees,
Are you also deceived? The Pharisees asked these soldiers,
Has he deceived you? Verse 48 says, Have any of the
rulers or of the Pharisees believed on Him, they said, you don't
see any of us believing on Him, do you? How could you fall for
this? Verse 49 says, but this people
who knoweth not the law are cursed. These simple, uneducated sinners
who He's receiving with open arms, they're falling into His
curse. Verse 50 says, Nicodemus saith
unto them, He that came to Jesus by night being one of them. Doth
our law judge any man before it hear him, and know what he
doeth? They answered and said unto him,
Art thou also of Galilee? Search and look, for out of Galilee
ariseth no prophet. And every man went unto his own
house." Now, here's what I want to close with. We've been going
through John. And I want us to see God's mercy
on a sinner. Alright? He's here at the Feast
of Tabernacles. And this was partly a remembrance
of the time that Israel spent out in the wilderness. They were
brought out of Egypt, and they spent all that time in the wilderness.
And during this feast, they had to sleep in tents. And after
our Lord spake these wonderful words, After God Himself said, If any
man thirst, let him come unto Me and drink. He that believeth
on Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his belly shall flow rivers
of living water. After He said those wonderful
words, every man just packed up his tent and went home. They all left Him. There are no wonderful words
in this mouth. But these are wonderful words.
These are wonderful words. Lord, don't let us walk away
from the God of glory. Don't let us walk away. Please
don't let that be me. Please keep me. Put your hand
on me. It's a sad ending to a glorious
event. But there's one ray of light
here. I love to see God's mercy on
sinners. Maybe He'll have mercy on me.
This Pharisee, Nicodemus, he came to the Lord a few chapters
ago back in John 3. And the Lord, shockingly to Nicodemus,
told him the truth. This man was a Pharisee. And
he told him, Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be
born again. I know you think you're good,
but you must be born again. He told him the truth. And then
he mercifully told him the gospel. He said back in John 3, As Moses
lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the
Son of Man be lifted up. That's the gospel. The Son of
Man lifted up. And the Word of the Lord right
here in John 7 is doing its work on Nicodemus. And this is what
the Word of the Lord did on me. This is what the Word of the
Lord did on you. The Word of the Lord. that Holy
Spirit in us that does its work on us. Nicodemus at this point is not
yet boldly on the Lord's side, but he was no longer his enemy. And he realized, I can't find
any fault in this man. He said in verse 51, Doth our
law judge any man before it hear him, and know what he doeth? According to the Lord's will
and the Lord's time, His work of grace was on Nicodemus. It
had been about 18 months since John 3, when he came in John
3. Sometimes it's quick, sometimes it's slow, but it's in the Lord's
time. And he seems to be seeing some
things here. Through a glass darkly, but he
seems to be seeing some things. And the Lord mentions him to
us in John one more time. He mentioned him in John 3. He
mentioned him in John 7. And he mentions him one more
time. And he shows us the mercy of God on a sinner. We looked
at something I believe was just glorious in the Bible study.
This is more so. This is more so. In John 19,
and we're going to close with this. I want you to turn with
me over to John 19. Verse 30 says, When Jesus therefore
had received the vinegar, He said, It is finished. And He
bowed His head and gave up the ghost. Verse 32 says, Then came
the soldiers and broke the legs of the first and of the other
which was crucified with Him. But when they came to Jesus and
saw that He was dead already, they break not His legs. Verse
38 says, And after this, Joseph of Arimathea, being a disciple
of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews, besought Pilate
that he might take away the body of Jesus. And Pilate gave him
leave, And he came therefore and took the body of Jesus. And
there came also Nicodemus, which at the first came to Jesus by
night. And this Pharisee Nicodemus brought
a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about a hundred pound weight.
And these two men, verse 40, they took, then took they the
body of Jesus. and wound it in linen clothes
with the spices as the manner of the Jews is to bury. Now in
the place where he was crucified there was a garden, and in the
garden a new sepulcher wherein was never man yet laid. There
laid they, Joseph and Nicodemus, Jesus therefore, because of the
Jews' preparation day, for the sepulcher was not at hand." Our
Lord gave Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus the unspeakable
honor of physically handling Jesus Christ crucified. Isn't that amazing? What a blessed man he was. Our Lord came unto his own. And His own received Him not,
but to as many. And our Lord didn't say not any noble,
He said not many. This Pharisee, Saul of Tarsus
was a Pharisee. Gabe Stoniker was a Pharisee.
But God had mercy. And to as many as thou hast given
Him, The Lord opens their ears. He causes us to say, never man
spoke like this man. And through His Word and through
His Spirit, He's given us the unspeakable honor of handling
Jesus Christ and Him crucified. Isn't that amazing? Lord, open
our ears, open our ears, quicken us, quicken these dead sinners.
Cause us to say, cause us to believe, never man spake like
this man. Alright, let's stand together.