And many years ago, a man put a melody
to Psalm 121. And I told him yesterday, I've
been singing it ever since Wednesday, and he said he has two, and so
he asked me to sing it. If you want to turn to there,
Psalm 121, you can read along. I will lift up mine eyes unto
the hills From whence cometh my help My
help cometh from the Lord which made heaven and earth. He will not suffer thy foot to
be moved. He that keepeth thee will not
slumber. Behold, he that keepeth Israel
Shall neither slumber nor sleep The Lord is thy keeper The Lord
is thy shade upon thy right hand. The sun shall not smite thee
by day. No, the moon by night. The Lord shall preserve Thief
from all evil, he shall preserve thy soul. The Lord shall preserve thy going
out and thy coming in from this time forth. And even for evermore
Even for evermore Through these many years, I have
enjoyed hearing believers tell how the Lord was pleased to reveal
Christ to their hearts. I like to hear people sit around
and talk about how the Lord crossed their path, and He will. He'll cross the path of His people,
just like He did the path of the Samaritan woman. He met up
with her. She met up with him. Also, I
like to hear how the gospel was preached to people. Everybody's
got to hear the gospel. How are they going to hear without
a preacher? So God will send them one, just like he sent one
to the Ethiopian unit. He sent a preacher to him. And
I love to see how God has revealed His Son in people. That's what the pastor is talking
about this morning. He revealed His Son in me. In
me. To believe Him, to trust Him,
and to love Him. And I realize that after I hear
testimonies and people talk about their experience in grace, I
realize that all believers do not have the same experience.
I know that. I know that. All of them don't
walk the same road. All of them are not in the same
age bracket. There are men and women who find Christ early in life,
and they find Christ late in life. But let me give you an
example. In the book of Acts, don't turn
to it now, I'm going to tell you about it. In the book of
Acts, there were three people gloriously saved. Gloriously
saved. And all three of them, the record
of their experiences is in the same chapter, Acts chapter 16. And they heard the gospel under
the same name, the apostle Paul. But one of them was a widow, a widow woman. from Tara-Tara-Tara,
who came down to Philippi, and she met with some Jewish ladies. They didn't have a synagogue
in Philippi. There wasn't enough Jews there.
It was a Philippian city of military personnel. And she came there. She was a businesswoman, a seller
of purple. And she came there, and she went
to hear The Apostle Paul, down by the river, just a few women,
and God opened her heart, quietly opened her heart and revealed
Christ to her. Just a few verses later, there
was a young woman, demon possessed, full of evil, evil demons and
spirits. And she followed Paul and Silas
and she screamed out, these are the most high servants of the
most high God who show us the way of salvation. She kept doing
that, following Paul, and he turned around and he told the
demons to come out of her. She came out and quietly sat
at the feet of Paul. But just a little while later,
Paul was thrown in prison because he cast the demons out of that
young woman. And he was thrown in prison,
and at midnight, he and his friends were singing praises to God,
and God sent an earthquake. He didn't send an earthquake
to the young, the widow lady. He quietly opened her eyes. He
didn't send an earthquake to that demon-possessed woman. Paul cried out, come out of her. But he sent an earthquake. And
that Philippian juggler, thinking that all the prisoners had fled,
he took out his knife and would have stabbed himself. And Paul
said, wait! Do thyself no harm. We're all
right here. And that man came in. stunned,
overwhelmed by what he had seen and heard, and fell on his face
and said to Paul, Men and brethren, what must I do to be saved? Three
different ones. Same preacher. Same preacher. Different lifestyle. Different
background. But I'll tell you this about
it. There are many things, many things that take place in the
life of a believer in conversion. Many things. Number one, ours
is a common salvation. All of them were saved by grace,
by God, through Christ. It's a common salvation. And
ours is a common faith. One Lord, one faith, one baptism,
one God. One father. And all of us are
members of the same family. We're all sons of God. We're
all heirs of Christ. Joint heirs with Jesus Christ.
And we're all one family, as the pastor talked about in his
message. And all of us go through the
same trials and struggles and tribulations. Common suffering. But I must say this in reference
to these things that I've said before. There are some vital
things that must be revealed to people if they're saved. There's
four vital things, and I wouldn't care if you'd jot these down
because they're very, very important. Every believer experiences these
four things. Every believer. They do indeed. They do indeed experience these
four things. Now here's the first one. If
a person is saved, he would experience the fear of the Lord. The fear
of the Lord. What did David say? The very
beginning of wisdom is the fear of the Lord. That's where it
all starts. Fear God. Fear God. Come, ye children,
let me teach you. What? The fear of the Lord. The dying thief on the other
side of that other thief. He looked over at him. He was
stunned. He said, Don't you fear God? Don't you fear God? Seeing that we're in the same
condemnation, this man's done nothing worthy of these things.
Fear God. The beginning of wisdom is the
fear of the Lord. Let me show you a verse. I want
you to turn to this. Turn to Psalms. I want you to
read this yourself. Psalm 25 verse 14. Read it. Mark it down. Put it in your heart. Psalm 25,
14. The secret of the Lord is with
them that fear Him. The secret of God. is with them that fear him. Listen.
And he will show them his covenant. There it is. You got to start
there. The fear of the Lord. The secret of God is with these
people that fear God. Fear God. And he'll show them
his covenant. Now, here's the second thing.
If a person is saved, he will experience sincere sense of his
own sins. My sins, David said, are ever
before me. I want you to turn to Psalm 51,
and let's read David's confession of sin. If a person is saved,
he will experience a sincere heartfelt sense of his own sin. Listen to Psalm 51. David says,
Have mercy upon me, O God, according to Thy lovingkindness, according
to the multitude of Thy tender mercies, brought out my transgressions. Wash me throughly for my iniquity. Cleanse me from my sin. I acknowledge my transgressions. My sin is ever before me. That
doesn't sound like a fellow saying, well, everybody's a sinner. Everybody
doesn't know that. David knew it. David knew it. Against thee and thee only have
I sinned. I've done this evil in thy sight,
that thou mayest be justified when thou speakest, be clear
when thou judgest. Behold, I was shapen in iniquity. In sin, my mother conceived me. My friends, if I've never been
lost, I've never been found. Just write her down. Just write
her down. If I've never been guilty, I've
never been forgiven. If I've never been naked before
God, naked before Him with whom we have to do, I've never been
robed in his beautiful, precious righteousness. I was about ten years old when
it dawned on me I was a sinner. That wasn't when the Lord saved
me. That wasn't when I heard the gospel. But I did find out
that I was a stinker. Ten years old. I was just a country
boy. Walked to school, and I was walking
home from school one day. about 10, 11 years old, and went
through town. School was over here, and I went
through town. We lived over there. And I walked
by Mrs. Hicks' Tencent store, which you
still remember her name. Yes, I still remember that store
and still remember this illustration. I was 10 years old, 72 years
ago. I walked in that store for some
reason, walked down the aisle, and there was a A place with a whole bunch of
beautiful baseballs. I love baseball. And I just walked
up and took me one, put it in my pocket. How'd I do that? Center? Didn't know a thing,
but I put it in my pocket and went home. And I was out in the
yard and I was throwing that baseball up in the air and my
mother came out. And she said, what you got there?
I said, I got a baseball. It's like a new one. I said,
it looks like it doesn't. And she said, where'd you get
it? I said, I found it. You know, somebody said one time,
oh, what a web we weave when first we begin to deceive. I found it. You found that baseball? It looks new to me, mother said.
Where did you find it? I found it in Miss Hicks' ten-cent
store. She said, you found it in the
store? Yeah, it was on the floor. I figured they didn't want it,
so I took it home with me. Honestly. I remember that conversation
I did with her like yesterday. She looked at me and she said,
take it back. Do what? Take it back. Tell Miss Hicks you stole that
baseball. Somebody said to me, well, stealing's
difficult, but admitting it is a lot harder. And sin is difficult, but admitting
it is a white horse of another color. And that's what you got
to do. You got to face it. You got to face it. I'm a sinner. All right. Thirdly, if a person is saved,
he will experience a realization that he can't, of himself, correct
this lost estate. Fear of God. I'm a sinner. I can't do a blessed thing about
it. I'm still a sinner. Somebody said one time, there
is a righteousness I don't have. There is a law I can't keep.
There's a faith I cannot produce. There's a judgment I've got to
fix. I found this poem one time. I
want you to listen to it. The Apostle Paul said it's our
situation is without hope, without help, without God in this world.
Pagans. Pagans. The sincere cry of a
lost soul. I may try, but I can't repent. Though I endeavor often, this
stony heart will not relent. to my soul, God must suffer. I may try, but I can't love,
though pressed with love divine. No argument, no argument has
power to move this heart as cold as mine. I may try, but I can't rest in
God's holy will. I know what He appoints is best.
but I murmur at it still. Oh, could I but believe, then
all would easy be. I should, but this I know, that
faith, that love, that grace must come from thee. God has
to do it. God has to do it. If a person
is saved, he'll realize it's dawned upon him that he can't,
of himself, in himself, correct this mess he's in and this state
in which he lives. Number four, if a person is saved,
he will hear the word of God. God will cross his path. The
Lord will cross his path. He will embrace that gospel. He will believe on the Lord Jesus
Christ, and He will confess Him before men. He just will. Because the Scripture says this,
If thou, if thou shalt confess with thy mouth Jesus to be Lord,
and if thou shalt believe in thine heart God has raised Him
from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man
believeth unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession
is made to salvation. Now then, I want us to read the
scripture that the pastor read a moment ago, Mark chapter 5,
and I want to illustrate what I've been trying to preach here.
Mark chapter 5. I ask the Lord to give me some
liberty with this now and make it personal and real. to be unto
you. In Mark chapter 5, verse 21. Mark 5, 21. And when Jesus was
passed over again by ship unto the other side, much people gathered
unto him. And he was now unto the seashore. He was at the seashore. And behold,
there cometh one of the rulers of the synagogue, Geras by name. And when he saw him, he fell
at his feet. And he besought him greatly,
saying, My little daughter lieth at the point of death. I pray
thee, come and lay hands on her, that she may be healed, and she
shall live. And Jesus went with him. The Lord Jesus went with him,
where? To Jeriah's house. And most people
followed him and thronged him. Now, there's our master. And
this man, Jeriah, says, come to us. My little daughter's born
and dead, come and eat. Our Lord went with him. They
began to go towards Jeriah's house. All right. Look at verse
25. Verse 25. And a certain woman A certain woman, which had an
issue of blood twelve years, and had suffered many things
of many positions, and had spent all she had, and was nothing
better, rather grew worse. Now then, compare this woman
with Nicodemus, this woman with this Nicodemus. Nicodemus' name
is mentioned five times in the Word of God. This woman's name
is never mentioned. She's a nobody. Secondly, Nicodemus
was wealthy, educated, and rich. She was poor. She had spent everything
she had and was nothing better. Nicodemus stood and argued with
Christ. He reasoned with Christ. Nicodemus
stood in front of her and said, How can these things be? Can
a man enter the second time into his mother's womb and be born?
She didn't say a word. Frightened in the presence of
the Lord. So Nicodemus left the Lord and
went back to his law and his religion. She heard Christ say,
daughter, thy sins are forgiven thee. Go in peace. How'd this take place? Well,
look at verse 27. When she had heard of Jesus,
that's what I said a while ago, a person's got to hear the gospel.
A person, how shall they believe in him of whom they're not heard?
How shall he hear without a preacher? She heard Christ. She heard. Somebody told her about the Lord
Jesus Christ, His power, His greatness, His glory. Somebody
told her. And she said this, listen, when
she heard of Jesus, came in the press behind Him and touched
His garments, for she said, If I may touch His clothes, I shall
be whole. Oh, why was she so interested
in getting to him? Why was she so interested in
touching his clothes? Why was she so interested? I'll
tell you why. Her need. Anyone who comes to
Christ comes because of a need. I need Jesus. I need him. She would not have sought Him
if she didn't have this terrible, terrible need. She would not
have come to Him if she had not had this terrible, terrible illness. The only relationship and contact
between her and Him was her need. The only fellowship and relationship
you have with Him is your need. She was a dying woman. He's her It wasn't her strength that brought
her, it was her weakness. It wasn't her beauty that brought
her, her ugliness. Twelve years are shut in. It
was not her riches, she had no riches. And this is the case
of all who come to Christ. They're dying, they have no strength,
they have no beauty, they have no wealth. They come empty handed. In my hands no price I bring. Simply, simply to the cross of
Christ I cling. I came to Jesus one day. I came
to Him as I was. Weary and worn and sad. But I
found in Him a resting place. He sure has made me glad. I can't
but perish That was her thoughts. She was already perishing. I
can but perish if I go. I'm resolved to try. If I stay
away from Him, I'll forever die. That's why she came. That's when
she heard of Him, heard of His power and greatness, she said,
if I can just get to Him, get to Him, touch His clothes, I'll
be made whole. And bless your heart, she did.
She came to Him. Somebody asked this one time,
was that on the program? Was that in the plan? And the
answer was, unknown to everybody but God. God knew where he was
and where she was and he brought them together. No man can come to me except
my Father which sent me, bring him to me. Christ was on his
way to Jairus' house, but somebody, Turn over here to Luke chapter
8. Let me show you this. Luke chapter 8. It's the same
account of this beautiful, beautiful story. Luke chapter 8, verse
43. Luke 8, 43. Listen to this. Luke
8, 43. And a woman. And a woman. Luke 8, 43. Having an issue of
blood. Twelve years. Spent all her living
upon physicians. Neither could be healed of evil.
She came behind him, touched the border of his garment, and
immediately her issue of blood stopped. And Jesus said, Who
touched me? Did he know? Nobody else did,
but he did. He did. Who touched me? And all the disciples didn't
know anything about it. They denied it. Peter said, Lord,
there's a whole multitude around you, pressing you. And you say,
who touched me? Our Lord said, somebody. Still no name. Somebody. Whosoever will come to Christ
may come. That's right. Somebody. Somebody
touch me. I perceive it virtue. Power. Power. Monumental power. got to be into
her. So, he was on his way to Gerose's
house, and somebody who had a need of him reached out. Our Lord was on his way to Jericho.
Scripture said, Leave in Jericho. Over there in the crowd was a
blind man who cried, Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me. Help me. Somebody. That's who they are. Somebody.
Somebody needed him. Somebody reached out, called
him. Our Lord was into Jericho again,
and a publican named Zacchaeus. He was short, couldn't see over
the crowd, so he climbed up in a tree. Why'd he climb up in
that tree? To see who Jesus Christ was. And our Lord was... Follow this
thing now. Our Lord's on his way to Jairus'
house, and some unknown person, known to the people, reached
out and touched him. Our Lord was on his way through
Jericho, and a blind man, needed, cried out, have mercy on me.
Our Lord Jesus Christ was passing through Jericho, and a publican
climbed up the tree to see him, and our Lord looked up. He said,
Zacchaeus, come on down from there. And our Lord was hanging on a
cross, and the most unlikely, the most unlikely fellow there
was a thief dying with him. And he dared to cry, Lord, remember
me when you come and eat me. Why not you? I'm a nobody. That's who he saves. I'm a sinner. That's who the Lord came to save.
I'm a thief. He saved that one. He can save
you too. I'm a baseball stealer. Now you listen, listen to me
carefully. I'm not skilled to understand
what God hath willed, what God hath planned. I only know that
His right hand, there's a Savior. Savior. There is one who is my
Savior, and I'm going to reach out. I'm going to call on Him. I'm not so hard-headed and egotistical
and proud that I'll fall on my face and cry, Lord, be merciful
to me. I take Him at His word indeed.
That's all I've got. That's all I need. I take him
at his word indeed. He died for sinners. That's my
plea. For I found in him, in his hand
and heart, I find a need, a deep need of him, only him, to be
my Savior. I'm going to reach out. I'm going
to reach out and touch the Lord while he's passing by. That's right. He's passing by.
Reach out and touch the Lord. He passes by. You'll find He's
not too busy to hear your hearts cry. If we got one, if we need
Him, He's passing by this moment. Your needs to supply. Don't hold on to your pride and
arrogance and all this stuff that is just damning people.
That's your heart. Dry eyes and cold hearts. That's a terrible, terrible condition. Reach out and touch the Lord.
Fall in His face. Don't pretend to be what you're
not. Be what you are. That's the only people God saves.
Sinners. Guilty sinners. Broken sinners. Humble sinners. God is nigh unto
them a broken heart. A broken and a contrite spirit
God will not despise. But a spirit that's not broken
and not contrite, He will despise. Our Lord, you see, is not only
glorified in being merciful, he's glorified in showing mercy. He delights to show mercy. He delights to show mercy. Our
Lord is not only glorified in being loved, he delights to show
his love. He delights to show his love
for sinners. Our Lord is not glorified only
because he's gracious, but grace and truth flow from his lips. And our Lord is not only glorified
in dying, he's glorified in dying for whom he died, sinners. Oh my, he was on his way. And she reached out, and she
was never the same. Reach out and touch the Lord,
and he passes by. Our Father, we thank you so much for this gospel,
the glorious gospel of our redeeming grace. We thank you so much for
the Lord Jesus Christ, who loved us and gave himself for us. We thank you so much, Lord, that
you broke our hearts, stripped us, stripped us naked, shut our
mouths, put us in the dust at the feet of our Lord Jesus Christ,
and gave us a cry. Lord, be merciful to me, a sinner. Lord, remember me when you come
into your kingdom. I believe you. Lord, help thou
my unbelief. May it please thee, O Lord, today,
this moment, to break a heart, to strip a sinner, to shut a
proud mouth, and to bring us to the feet of our Master, and
find in Him all we need. Thank you. We praise your name
for your goodness to us. For Christ's sake, amen. Let's turn to hymn number 158
and stand together. Let's sing the first, fourth,
and fifth verses. 158. Come Holy Spirit, heavenly dove
With all thy quickening powers Kindle a flame of sacred love
In these cold hearts of ours Dear Lord, and shall we ever
live At this poor dying grave Our love so faint, so cold to
Thee And Thine to us so brave Come, Holy Spirit, and lead us
With all Thy quickening power Come shed abroad our Savior's
love, and that shall kindle our fire.