It is so good to see all of you. I'm thankful for the privilege to be able
to be here, and I do consider it to be such. Jim, it's good to see you, and
I truly am sorry. It's always good to be with those
that Lord's given a heart to preach the gospel, I'm thankful,
but I'm truly sorry and feel somewhat of your pain. Let's take our Bibles and turn
them to the gospel according to Mark. Gospel according to Mark, chapter
5. I find great joy in beholding Scripture, especially that Scripture that
speaks of, and it all does, but there's some to me that especially
sets forth some comfort, some hope. some joy. The need of a sinner being met
in the Lord Jesus Christ, their need. He shall supply all of
your need. His family was reading the Scripture
in the book of Leviticus and was talking about the law. concerning the issue of blood. And as I was listening to him
read it again, I was thinking to myself, that is a picture, a universal picture of every
person born in Adam. They separated They're cursed by the law. They have need. Atonement is going to have to
be made for them. They need, they need. I think the greatest realization
that a man or woman ever comes to, this is it. This is the greatest
realization. I need Him. I need Him. I dare not leave this world without
Him. We talked this morning in the
Sunday School. Folks find great comfort, I know,
in their confessions and their creeds and their... I must have him. I must have
him. To die without him is to perish. Perish. But to be made to see by faith the Lord Jesus Christ as my hope is to have the glorious light
of life shine within my heart. I must have Him. I want to be honest about this.
I want to be real honest. I'm going to ask myself, and
you ask yourself this morning. I just might as well be honest.
Because I'm telling you, this life is but a vapor. This life
is fading. I'm telling you, these days are
short. Do I need Him? Now you say, well, that's a ridiculous
question. Do you? Do I need him? Do I need him? Scripture reveals,
as there's been a lot of folks, my experience reveals little
that I know. Just a little bit I know, and
I don't know much. I think I've beheld something
of folks that don't need Him. Do I? Do I need Him? By God's grace, I do. But outside of His grace left
to myself, I'm sufficient. I'm increased with goods and
I have need of nothing. By God's grace, man begins to
see something of his need of Christ. I need Him. Do I feel by that divine constraint, I'm helpless. I'm hopelessly lost without Him. I'm going to tell you this, I'm
not trying to scare anybody because Nobody's going to be scared into
being saved. I can tell you that. I can remember
years ago, you know, I figured you could show films on hell,
you know, and scare folks. You can't. That doesn't mean. That means nothing. A new heart. Do I see by faith my need of
Him? Have I believed on the Lord Jesus
Christ for salvation? Is my standing before Almighty
God His honor, His justice being satisfied? Is that what is truly the longing
of my heart? I've heard folks say, I don't
want, you know, I don't want God's justice, you know. I'm going to tell you this. I
want to be just. I want Him to be just. Oh, deal with me in mercy. Be
just. I want His justice. Be satisfied. be satisfied. He said, I'm a just God. And
you know what the believer says? Lord, I want you to be just. I want my sin to be dealt with.
I want my guilt to be paid for. But oh, that it might be paid
for in another. I dare not stand before Him in
myself. I dare not stand before Him with
guilt found on me. I've heard folks say, the only
sins you're going to have to answer for are those that you
don't confess. I don't know what I've done. The depth of my rebellion is
far deeper than I realize. I don't know what I've already
done this morning. I don't realize, Jim, how much I've dishonored
him. I have already walked up in this pulpit this morning,
and I know that in myself, in and of myself, I have not thought
perfectly before him. I've dishonored him already.
The best that I've done, not good enough. You know what I
need? I need a substitute. I need somebody
to deal with my sin. I need somebody To be my representative,
I need a mediator. I need an advocate. I want somebody
to plead for me. And don't plead the best I've
done. Plead the best that He's done. And charge it to me for salvation by grace. What
a wonderful message. Salvation by grace. For by grace
are you saved through faith. By guilt put to Him. How much
of it? All of it. His righteousness
imputed to me. The robe of His righteousness. Now this is some comfort right
here. that I have no chargeable guilt. Someone says, yeah, but I tell
you what, we're just sinners. I know. Sin is ever present with
me. I know that. And I grieve over
that. I hate that. I hate it. The thoughts, the intents, my
heart, faithlessness, I hate that. I hate what I've thought
since I've been here. I hate that which I should have
thought of that was honorable that I didn't. I hate that. But that sin that is present, for the believer. He paid for that. He paid for
that. I've heard people say, all you've
got to do is confess. You know, just confess it. I
told somebody, confession, all you're doing is admitting what
you are. Well, I'm just a sinner. Now, the wage of sin is still
death. God's law is going to be satisfied, justice going to
be satisfied, law going to be kept, or I have no hope. No hope. There was a woman right here,
and this is what the law says. The law says if you have an issue
of blood, You're going to be separated.
You're going to be cast out. Seven days. It straightens up. If it's healed in seven days,
then you come in and you'll be healed of it. On the eighth day,
sacrifice is made. Atonement is going to have to
be made for you to enjoy the fellowship again. Now, if at the end of seven days,
if you have not been cleansed, if it hadn't dried up, if the
problem's not over, then you stay separated until it is. Seven days is not enough, just
you're separated until it's long enough. Let me ask you something. How long do you think it would
be for man in himself separated from God? How long, Jim, would
he have to be separated from God before he was good enough
then? Seven days. And if seven days
is not enough, then, you know, Scripture says here was a certain
woman And she had an issue of blood twelve years. Twelve years. I can tell you this, unless she
crosses paths with the Lord Jesus Christ, she's going to die like
that. Twelve years. There was a certain
woman, but it wasn't just any woman.
Here was a woman, this scripture is going to bear out, that the
Lord Jesus Christ must need to be here for her. A certain woman. Boy, I tell you, that word right
there just meant, you know, there was a certain man, there was
a certain, there was a certain, not just anybody, there was lots
of folks there, but this was a certain woman. Boy, I'm thinking
to myself, Or could it be that a certain one could be here?
There was a certain woman, just anybody to everybody else
but not to him, here's one that he had always beheld, everlastingly
loved, looked upon with affection at one of his sheep. Yeah, but
she had an issue of blood. I still wanted the sheep, though.
Well, the sheep he had. And he must needs get them, because
he's going to pay this lady's debt. Quite aware of her, just a certain
woman, and had an issue of blood for 12 years. Here's a picture right here of
man's situation before Almighty God. Every man, just like this. Every woman, born in Adam, just
like this, got an issue of blood. It is the issue. Issue of blood. Blood's the issue. Her's unclean. No hope. No healing. And this woman had suffered many
things of many physicians, spent all that she had, nothing bettered,
but rather grew worse. Natural man. Now, this is the
way that we are. We're going to try everything
in the world we can to make our situation better. And you're always going to find,
for those that Almighty God reveals something of Himself, something
of who they are, and their need of Him, He's always the last. My dad had all kinds of sayings,
but one of these things he'd always say, and I think he meant
it. He'd say, why is it that if you lose something, it's always
in the last place you look when you find it? Man by nature, he's going to
try everything. Everything. This woman had suffered,
spent all she had, and wasn't benefited at all. Best efforts
on man's part is going to avail nothing. Everything that he does
is just going to expose his insufficiency. Inabilities? You get to feeling bad and you
want to straighten up and fly right, and you come down and
you give the preacher your hand, and it's not very many weeks
after that. You've got to come down and rededicate, you know,
and just be rebaptized and come in. And this one right here doesn't
make you feel good. There's another church just down
here. I passed quite a few of them after I got off of I-40. There's lots of them. They try
something else. The scripture says that she heard
that the Lord Jesus Christ came in the press. Behind, she touched
his garment. She heard. As a first step of
her hope, she heard something. Faith cometh by hearing. hearing
by the Word of God. Contrary to popular belief, all
men have not faith. That's what Scripture says. Folks say, well, you know, we're
all born with just a little bit of faith and just exercise. I'm
telling you, man born in Adam does not have
faith. Not saving faith, not faith from
above. It's given unto you to believe.
This woman heard. I've said before, I may have
said this last time I was here. Man, I think about that Blind
Barnabas. That's probably one of my favorite
scriptures. There's certain scriptures that
I read, and that's one of them. Blind Barnabas. I love that story. The story about this old man. And the scripture says that he
heard that Jesus of Nazareth was passing by. And I thought
to myself, I wonder how many times that old man had heard
of this Jesus of Nazareth. Here's what he heard. He heard
that this Jesus of Nazareth had caused somebody that was blind
to see. And I wonder how many times he
was tired of hearing that story. I wonder how many times he could
have just heard that. I could almost imagine this old
blind man would stop somebody and say, would you tell me one
more time? Tell me that story one more time. How many times do you tire those
that know him? How many times do you tire of
hearing how your guilt was charged to him. How many times do you
tire of hearing of election? He everlastingly loved his people. How many times do you tire of
hearing the message that God became a man, that he might walk? as that man, those elect, that
church, his bride's representative, earn a righteousness before Almighty
God. As a man, how often do you tire
of hearing that message that says those that believe, for
those that believe that he's given a heart up to him, that
there's a man that there's a man, your friend,
your Lord, your substitute, that one that paid your debt for you,
sitting on the throne of God, pleading His work on your behalf. And that when Almighty God, at
the appointed time of your departure, will not look upon you as being
answerable, but has forever looked at your surety. We talked about
that this morning. And then, for his sake, for his
honor, for his work, for his accomplishment, and to those
in him will say, well done. Would you tell me that story
one more time? This woman heard. She heard. She heard of Jesus. She heard of Him. This is what
happens. God's people, they sit under
the gospel. That message goes out. The Spirit
of God takes that message of God's salvation, they hear of
Him. They hear of Him. They hear that
which Almighty God, for His own purpose and will,
for His sake and for their good, has done. She heard. Boy, what a hope was produced
in this woman's heart when she heard. I tell you, God's people hear
the message of the gospel, and as they hear it over and over
and over, and the Spirit of God bears record with their heart.
They know Him. They have a heart after Him.
They can enter in somewhat, those disciples on the road to Emmaus,
when the Lord Jesus Christ left, and they said, didn't our heart
burn within us? As He opened unto us the Scriptures, they
know something. They see something of him. Wasn't any comfort talking to
all these physicians that she'd visited. I know that there's a way that
seemeth right unto man, but the end thereof is destruction, death,
despair. This woman heard of Jesus. I tell you where a need is truly
met in hearing. And God's people hear. Faith
cometh by hearing. This gospel, the gospel of salvation
by grace. It's needful to be preached. Paul said this is the power of
God in salvation. This gospel goes out. It's proclaimed. It's set forth. And the Spirit
of God makes it effectual to God's people. They hear it. They
hear. They hear Him. where he gives a heart, a response is going to take place.
They say, oh, now wait a minute, wait a minute, wait a minute. You know what
the Lord Jesus Christ said? My sheep hear my voice and they
follow. I didn't say you're coming married
to salvation, I just said you're coming. I didn't say that your hearing
merited your salvation. I said you're going to hear though.
God's people hear. She came in the press and she
touched His garment. I tell you one that hears of
Him and sees Him by faith to be their need, what this woman
need. She needed Him. I need Him. And she was going. The sheep come. And all the time they're coming,
they're going to tell you this. My coming didn't merit my salvation. I came because He threw me. And you know what? They want
to. Where before they didn't want
to. But He said, thy people shall
be willing in the day of His power, your power. They come. And they're not going to attribute
anything that they did as meriting But they're going to come. They're
going to hear. They are really left to themselves. They'll never come. They'll never
seek. But I'll tell you this, when
they come, it's because He's already given them life. They didn't come to get life. If you come, men say, If you'll
come, He'll give you life. I'll tell you this, He'll give
you life, and then you'll come. He makes a man anew. He creates
a new man, a new heart, a new mind. That man says, Lord, have
mercy on me. That man was alive, already alive. Men are not made live because
they came. a king. It was a life. She heard. She really heard.
Had she hear, he gave her ears to hear. This woman had heard,
and she heard. She heard of Jesus. True need produces by the Spirit
of God a logical conclusion. If I touch him, if I get to him,
I'm going to be whole. I tell you, that's an illogical
conclusion to the carnal mind. That's foolishness. That's foolishness. Now, here's what you've got to
do, see. You've got to straighten up, fly right, and get your,
you know, get your priorities straight, and clean up your past,
and you've got to do all this kind of stuff. to the carnal mind. It's not
logical just to come to Him. There are
too many things you've got to do. But true need, true life, true
hope, new heart, new mind, life produced by God Himself, then
Then you come. Then you call. Let me make that
real clear. You hear because you're alive. It is to come. Call. They're not looking to doctrine,
though they have doctrine. They're not looking to their
faith, though they have faith. They're looking to Christ. If
I can get to Him. If I can touch Him. If I can be found in Him, if
I can touch Him, I'm going to tell you something. God's people
right now, you'll agree with this. I'll tell you why. This
is what you're saying right now. If I'm in Him, I've got all hope. Yeah, but what about if you haven't?
If I can get to Him, if I can touch Him, I've got some life. Yeah, but you haven't done... I touch Him. He gives me a heart. He draws me by His power. He's
revealed Himself to me. If I be found in Him, I have all hope. All hope. But aren't you concerned about...
No, I'm not. No I'm not. I must have Him. If I can get to Him, here He is. There's the Lamb. Here's a woman right here. This
woman right here had an issue of blood, and this woman is dead. By law, this woman's condemned. By law, this woman's an outcast. This woman right here needs some
atonement. This woman right here, this woman
without any hope, by God's grace, sees her hope. She came to the Lord Jesus Christ, touched His clothes. Law said that someone had an
issue of blood if they touched anybody or touched anything,
and somebody touched that, they're all unclean. This woman knew. She knew. I know what I am. By God's grace,
a sinner, I'm talking about a sinner, somebody that sees something,
of what they are. I'm not talking about just somebody,
well, I know, I might have. I might have done something,
maybe, you know. No. I'm talking to somebody that
knows something, truly, of their rebellion against Almighty God.
I don't know it as I ought. And I know If I did, I couldn't
stand it. I know that. He's not shown me the completeness
of my rebellion before Him, but I know this. Without Him, I have
no hope. If I can get to Him, if I can get to Him touch foot
is closed. I'll behold. Law said you touch
there and cling. Now here's the spotless Lamb, the Lamb of Almighty God, undefiled. I tell you this, if I get to
Him, my guilt been put on Him, Law said you touch somebody,
they become what you are. You mean to tell me that Almighty
God take what I am, completely, totally, sin, and charged it to Him, and I
was made whole. That's right. That's when a sinner was late.
I must have Him. He's my sin bearer, and He is
my righteousness. In that divine exchange, my guilt
to Him, and His righteousness to me, and I stand without blame,
and I stand in Him holy. Holy. Justify. No record, no record
that I ever rebelled against Him. None. That's the most amazing message
I've ever heard in my life. The Lord demanded sacrifice. Someone had an issue of blood,
they're outcast. That man was cast out, put out. And he's going to stay there
until he's healed. Man has left himself, going to
perish. This woman heard. She came. And she touched by faith. Not
of herself. I agree. She heard not of herself. I wonder how many folks were
there. And she came and touched Him. Christ Himself was made a curse
for us. Galatians 3.13, and hath redeemed
us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us. He
became what she is. What I am. What you are. But
if you know Him, the undefiled priest that can
take his people to God, touched by this woman. He became us, not defiled personally. by the touch of sin, charged
to his account, though. And straightway, Scripture says,
the fountain of her blood was dried up. She felt in her body
that she was healed. She knew. She knew before that
she was in need. It's the rule of all those that
see their need of Him. I've been made whole. Someone says, you mean that you'll
rest your soul totally on that? That's all I got. This scripture
right here declares Him to be so. And as He says He is, He
is. And as He says I am, I am. I'll tell you this, there's men
that are basing their soul on the best they can do, and they
have no hope. And she felt, Scripture says,
in her body that she was healed of that plague. She had some assurance. And God's people do too. Now,
I know this. I know that in the weakness of
this flesh, I mentioned something this morning. I said the longer
I go, the older I get, the more I realize my stupidity. I realize that I don't know everything
that I thought I used to. I just don't. In myself, that is in my flesh,
there dwells no good thing. And I hate that. I hate it. It grieves me. It truly does. I'm glad that it does. But I'm
telling you, it still hurts. It still hurts. But there's no joy and there's
no comfort and there's no peace in looking within. There's no
joy and there's no comfort within in me admitting, though I do,
my insufficiency. I know I am. I'm thankful He's given me a
heart. Pray He keep me by His grace
to see something of the frailty of this flesh. But I see no comfort in it. I
have one source of comfort, that I might see him if I looked at
him, that I might be made. This woman, Scripture says, she
touched him, and she felt in her body that she had been made
whole of that plague. Colossians 2 says that their
hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love and in
all riches. of the assurance of understanding. Now, Almighty God give a man
an assurance of himself, and that's a treasure. That's a treasure. Because I know just enough about
myself to where if left to myself, and looking inside, and whereas
Newton said all is dark and wild and And if I deem myself a child,
why am I like this? Why do I doubt him as I do? Why
am I so inconsistent as I am? Why? Then he said, those of you that
know him, is it that way with you too? I think all God's people,
they know something about this. But I'm telling You don't find
any comfort looking inside. Comfort's in Him. I know what I am. But, oh, how thankful that He'd
take that and pay that debt. She knew in herself, and He said,
Who touched my clothes? Who touched me? Who put their hands on me by
faith? No secret act of faith, unknown
to Almighty God. A lot of folks around there bumping
into Him and everything. I kind of thought about that.
This woman came in here, and I'll guarantee you, she probably
touched Him the lightest that day. Just folks bumping, knocking
Him, you know. But the scripture says that he
said, virtue's gone out of me. He drew that woman unto himself.
He was there for her. He crossed her. He must need
to be right there. Who touched me. I promise you this, you'll have
opportunity to openly confess him. gave this woman, she was
going to have to say something. And she wasn't ashamed of it.
Scripture says that she came and when he looked around to
see her that had done this, he looked at her. Behold, the eye
of the Lord is upon them that fear him, upon them that hope
in his mercy. He looked at her, and the woman,
fearing and trembling, knowing what was done in her, came and
fell down before him and told him all the truth. God's people
are made truthful. They're honest. Fear and trembling. Here's a woman right here that
you'd say, well, she ought to be just rejoicing. She wasn't. But she knew something of herself,
too. Doubt. Fear. Those that come by faith, there is some comfort. He said
unto her daughter, what a word. Can you imagine? Daughter. By
faith, she knew Him. She knew who this was. If I get
to Him, if I touch Him, if I just touch Him, I'll be made whole. She knew who that was. Like Peter,
when the Lord Jesus Christ said, who do men say that I am? You
know, some say this and that. Who do you say I am? Who do you
think this woman said he was? She said, you're the Christ. You're my hope. You're all my
salvation. I heard of you. I looked on you. You gave me faith. I came by faith given from above. Who touched me? Me. I did. Daughter, oh, that blessed word of adoption. Your faith, faith from above,
been honored. That faith, it's impossible to
please God. Your faith, thy faith, that's
always, that amazes me. Given unto you to believe, your
faith makes you whole. That possession from above, your
faith. You know what the gospel does,
it just He brings a man down, just exalts
him in Christ but in himself. The wonder of wonders. Amazing
grace, thy faith hath made thee whole. Go in peace and behold
of your plague. Boy, I tell you, there's no peace
like knowing that my guilt had been put away, made whole
by His power, by His merit, by His Word. Let me ask you something. Do you need Him? Do you need Him? If you do, it's by God's grace
that you do. Oh, I tell you, you take one
that beholds something of their need of him, and they are going
to admit, I am what I am by the grace of God. Lord, that he gave
me a heart to need him, hear him, see him. What a miracle
of God's grace. Lord, you are worthy, all-honored, Praise do unto you. Thank you that you give me heart. Behold something, who you are. Didn't leave me to myself. This
issue of blood separated, outcast. I needed an atonement made for
me. Lord, you're my atonement. I need sacrifice. Had to be some
turtledove, two pigeons. The blood gonna have to be shed.
That's shedding of blood with no remission of sin. Lord, I
know this. Your blood was shed because of
my sin. The wages of my sin was death. You paid that for me. Who touched
me? I did. I did. By your grace, I did. By your
mercy, I did. Why? Because you've made me possible.
You caused me to be here. Thank you. John? I have a meeting. Let's turn a number or so. 318.
318. I need thee every hour. Let's all stand as we sing. We'll sing all four verses. I
need Thee every hour, most gracious Lord. No peasant boy's got time and
peace of mind. I need Thee, oh, I need Thee,
every hour I need Thee. Oh, bless me now, my Savior,
I come to Thee. I'm in the area, stay thou nearby. Can't take the superpower when
thou art nigh. I need Thee, O I need Thee, every
hour I need Thee. O bless me now, my Savior, I
come to see Thee. I need Thee every hour, in joy
or pain. Come quickly as the night, or
life is plain. I need Thee, oh, I need Thee. Every hour I need Thee. Bless me now, my Savior, I come
to Thee. I need Thee every hour, most
holy one. O bless me, my King, Thou blest
Son. I need Thee, O I need Thee, every
hour I need Thee. O bless me now, my Savior, I
come to Thee. It's all right now.