Let us commence our service this evening by singing together hymn 637. The tune is Omnipotence 200. Jesus, thou art our only rest from sin and guilt and fear. We love to lean upon thy breast and on thee cast our care. Hymn 637, tune Omnipotence 200. Yes, from our own demons, from sin and guilt and fears, Without her in a pod like us And longing as my ex With anxious terror of gold, with gold and gold again. True happiness, those what we sought, And his face so thin came, With vacant and exposed face, He fell for the sick man.

The Lord gave faith to either man, and fasted in his mind. The works of nature have called you, have held you highly dear. Thank you, the Savior, His precious blood can banish tears and fear. His life and life-time holiness and righteousness divine, the foundest virtue of it, where faith saves all, it is thine. The water is his prize to be, A precious and powerful truth.

From guilt and sin He sets me free, And gives me glory too. I have, I want to rest beside His holy cross and pray. Let us read together from the holy word of God in Paul's epistle to the Hebrews, reading verses 3 and 4. The epistle to the Hebrews, chapters 3 and 4.

Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the apostle and high priest of our profession Christ Jesus, who was faithful to him that appointed him, as also Moses was faithful in all his house. For this man was counted worthy of more glory than Moses, inasmuch as he who hath built the house hath more honour than the house. For every house is built by some man, but he that built all things is God. and Moses verily was faithful in all his house, as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken after. But Christ, as a son over his own house, whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and rejoicing of hope firm unto the end.

Wherefore, as the Holy Ghost saith, Today, if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts as in the provocation in the day of temptation in the wilderness. When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works forty years, wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said they do all way err in their hearts, and they have not known my ways, so I swear in my wrath they shall not enter into my rest. Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God, but exhort one another daily while it is called today lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. For we are made partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast unto the end. While it is said today, if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation. For some, when they had heard, did provoke. how be it not all that came out of Egypt by Moses?

But with whom was he grieved forty years? Was it not with them that had sinned, whose carcasses fell in the wilderness? And to whom swear he that they should not enter and use rest? But to them that believe not. So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief. Let us therefore fear, lest a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it. For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them. But the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.

For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said. as I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest, although the works were finished from the foundation of the world. For he spake in a certain place of the seventh day on this wise, and God did rest the seventh day from all his works. And in this place again, if they shall enter into my rest, Seeing therefore it remaineth that some must enter therein, and they to whom it was first preached entered not in because of unbelief, again he limiteth a certain day, saying in David, Today, after so long a time, as it is said, Today, if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, For if Jesus had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of another day?

That Jesus there, of course, is Joshua. There remaineth therefore a rest for the people of God. For he that is entered into his rest, he also has ceased from his own works as God did from his. Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.

For the word of God is quick and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight, but all things are naked and open unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do. Seeing then that we have a great High Priest that is passed into the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For we have not an High Priest which cannot be touched, with the feeling of our infirmities, but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.

Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. May the Lord bless the reading. of his own precious word and grant unto us a spirit of real prayer. Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which is an art, an art to come, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, we bow before thy glorious majesty.

And we come, most gracious Lord, to worship thee. We come as poor sinners, and we come and seek and hope to find a portion for our souls. We come to confess our sins and our wanderings and our backslidings. We come, O Lord, in all our need as poor sinners, in all our needs as the fallen sons and daughters of Adam, born in sin and shapen in iniquity. We come, most gracious Lord, unto thee. We think of the gracious words of our beloved Redeemer, come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn of me. Fry meek and lowly in heart, and ye shall find rest for your souls.

We pray, most gracious Lord, that it may be so at this evening hour. We may find the rest of faith, and that the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God our Father, and the sacred fellowship of the Holy Spirit, may rest and abide upon us. The dear apostle says, for this cause, I bow my knees unto the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Lord, we desire to come to thee, our gracious and our eternal Father. We come and seek and hope to find a portion for our souls. We come, Lord, with that desire that thou wouldst break the bread of life among us. We think of the dear disciples as they walked with thee to Emmaus, and thou wast made known unto them in the breaking of bread.

We pray, O Lord, that it may be so with us here at this evening hour, that the bread of life may be broken, and poor sinners may take and eat of those precious dainties of the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, of the blood and righteousness of our Lord Jesus Christ, that we may touch the hem of his garment, that we may draw from his fullness.

The fullness resides in Jesus our head and ever abides to answer our need. Lord, we thank thee for that fullness. We thank Thee for the infinite love of our Eternal Father, who so loved the world, He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should be saved. Lord, we do thank Thee for the Holy Ghost, for His divine person, His heavenly power, His divine unction. We pray that we may feel it at this evening hour. that it may be with us as the dear apostle could witness, for our gospel came unto you not in word only, but in power, in the Holy Ghost, and with much assurance. Gracious God, do incline thine ear, we do humbly beseech thee.

Lead us in that right way unto a city of habitation, we pray. for truly thankful hearts, for the wonderful glory of the incarnation of the Son of God. When he was made of a woman made under the law that he might redeem them that are under the law. We thank thee that in him the law has been fulfilled, in his holy life everlasting righteousness has been brought in. And I people are clothed in that glorious robe of the righteousness of Jesus Christ, their sin having been imputed unto the Lord Jesus Christ.

And we thank thee for that sacred sacrifice of Calvary that he offered, the sinless sacrifice, the holy sacrifice, a sacrifice acceptable unto Thee, our Heavenly Father. Oh, we thank Thee for that sacrifice. We thank Thee for that precious blood He shed. We thank Thee that He died for our sins. We thank Thee that He rose again for our justification. We thank Thee that He bodily ascended into heaven and made a new and living way into the holy place. We would enter Thy gates with praise. and with the voice of thanksgiving for all thy tender mercies, every blessing, every favour freely flows through Jesus' precious blood.

Lord, we thank thee for the safe arrival of our brother and sister from Holland. We pray that it may be a time to be remembered as we gather together around thy word that our hearts may be warmed and united in love and union and communion. We thank thee for our deacons. We pray that thou wouldst bless them indeed and undertake for them in all their responsibilities. Lord, we pray thy blessing to rest upon the little ones and the children as they're brought into the sanctuary. that thou wouldst graciously put the fear of the Lord, which is the beginning of wisdom, into their hearts in their young and in their tender years. And Lord, we pray for our young friends that they too may know thy blessing, that they may be brought to living faith in Jesus Christ, that they may become true followers of thee and of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises that they may run in the way of thy commandments. Lord, we do pray that thou wouldst bless them in all their relationships, bless them in all their concerns.

We pray for any that walk in the path of temptation, that thou wouldst deliver them. We think of that wonderful promise when the enemy comes in like a flood, The Spirit of the Lord will lift up a standard against him, that glorious standard of a crucified Saviour. O Lord, we do thank Thee for these wonderful promises. Lord, we pray that when the enemy does come in like a flood, and we pray that whether he comes as a roaring lion or as an angel of light, we may be delivered from his power. Hear us, O Lord, we humbly beseech thee.

We pray, most gracious God, that thou, in thy precious mercy, would remember parents who give wisdom and grace to bring up their children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. We pray, most gracious Lord, that thou would remember families as they gather for divine worship in the home, for the reading of the word, for the instruction of the young. Lord, we pray that thou wouldst remember the prodigals that have wandered away, perhaps as far from God as sheep can run. We pray that thou wouldst stretch out thy almighty arm, that thou wouldst cause them to be in want and cause them to return.

For Lord, there is nothing too hard for thee. for with God nothing shall be impossible. We pray that the glory and light and power of gospel truth may shine into this village and the surrounding villages and hamlets, that the strongholds of Satan may be pulled down and the kingdom of our Lord Jesus set up in the hearts of sinners. Lord, let thy work appear unto thy servants and thy glory unto their children. bring our sons from far and our daughters from the ends of the earth, remember those in affliction and trouble and trial and perplexity, and graciously send deliverance unto them, we do humbly beseech thee. Lord, we pray for those that walk the path of bereavement and sadness and sorrow, that thou wouldst be gracious unto them and undertake for them.

Give them to feel something of the preciousness of those words, the eternal God is thy refuge and underneath are the everlasting arms. We pray, most gracious God, that thou would remember those wonderful promises that thou has spoken concerning thy church. I will abundantly bless her provision. I will satisfy her poor with bread.

Remember those of us that are now in the evening time of life's journey, and graciously undertake for us. Guide us safely unto thy heavenly kingdom, for Lord, we're only kept as thou dost keep us. Myself I cannot keep, myself I cannot save, but faith in thee I fain would have, whose eyelids never sleep.

Lord, we pray that Thou wilt remember all thy servants as they labour in word and doctrine. Remember the labours of thy servant on this past day, some day here, and graciously grant fruit that will redound to the great glory of thy holy name. Lord, we remember those of thy servants that labour in word and doctrine up and down the land. We thank thee, Lord, We hear of one and another being sent forth into the ministry of the Word. We pray that thou wouldst graciously grant that fresh anointing of the Spirit. We pray for those that are serving with a view to the pastorate, that thou wouldst graciously be with them and grant signs to follow the preaching of the Word.

As promised in thy Word, I will work and who shall let it? Gracious God, we trust in Thee, we look to Thee, we cleave to Thee. We thank Thee for every mercy of Thy kind providence, all Thy goodness that has passed before us in the way. Thy mercies to us are new every morning and great is Thy faithfulness. Come now and touch one's lips with a live coal from off the heavenly altar. Come and open Thee word and come and give a door of and give ears to hear, eyes to see, hearts to receive.

We ask with the forgiveness of all our many sins for Jesus Christ's sake. Amen. Let us now sing together hymn number 1055, The tune is Rosso, 687. Come ye souls with sin afflicted, bowed with fruitless sorrow down, by the broken law convicted, through the cross behold the crown. Look to Jesus, mercy flows through him alone.

Hymn 1055. tune rosso 687 ♪ O ye sons of Israel the victors ♪ ♪ And with you have suffered now ♪ ♪ While ye fought for Christ the Lord ♪ O deliciousness, O deliciousness, ♪ God has spoken ♪ ♪ Heaven will take me ♪ ♪ Christ will heal me ♪ ♪ I will rise ♪ ♪ The Lord is risen ♪ ♪ Let us carry on ♪ ♪ It's the master of sunrise ♪ ♪ Open face me ♪ ♪ Broaden chase me ♪ ♪ Shelter me right here ♪ ♪ Blessed are all ye that come to Him ♪ ♪ Blessed is the fruit of His joys ♪ Best in autumn, short in frosty, and in winter, ♪ Rejoice ♪ ♪ Peace on earth ♪ ♪ Peace on earth ♪ ♪ Heaven and earth rejoice ♪ ♪ God keep their richly made ♪ ♪ God keep their richly made ♪ ♪ And we don't talk ever again ♪ ♪ Of the battles that we've won ♪ ♪ Faith in his name ♪ Greatly feeling to need the Lord's gracious help, direct your attention to Hebrews chapter 4 and we read verses 9 and 10 for our text. Paul's epistles to the Hebrews chapter 4 verses 9 and 10.

There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God for he that is entered into his rest he also has ceased from his own works as God did from his. There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God. If you have a marginal reference in your Bible you will see where it speaks of the rest or keeping of a Sabbath. The Sabbath of rest. I think it's William Gadsby in one of his hymns he said the Sabbath was a day of rest, the day the Lord Jehovah blessed.

God did rest from his labours and he rested. But if we look into the context here, these two chapters and the exhortation of the dear apostle under the divine influence of the Spirit to those that he says in verse seven of chapter three, wherefore as the Holy Ghost said today, if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts.

As in the provocation, as in the day of temptation in the wilderness. If you look into the history of the children of Israel in the wilderness, especially in the book of Numbers, you see how the anger of the Lord was stirred against them for their murmurs, for their idolatry, for their unbelief.

It particularly references the spies that were sent to spy out the land. 12 spies were sent. Two of them brought a faithful report of the land of promise, Caleb and Joshua. All the rest spoke against going into the land that floweth with milk. with honey and the apostle refers to that here if we look in verse 17 of chapter 3 but with whom was he grieved 40 years was it not with them that had sinned whose carcasses fell in the wilderness and to whom swear he that they should not enter into his rest but to them that believe not so we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief. In Israel, a man, a boy was not considered to be a man until he was 20 years of age. That was called the majority age. And all those that came out of the land of Egypt into the wilderness of majority age, that's 20 years old and upwards, They all perished, with the exception of Joshua and of Caleb, the two men that gave a faithful report. The others were unfaithful. They were unbelieving. They said there were giants and there was this and there was that, and it was impossible to go up into that land.

You see, to whom swear he that they should not enter into his rest. There, of course, the apostles using the rest of the land of Canaan. When Israel went in and subjugated the whole of the land of Canaan, cast out the inhabitants, and lived in their cities and kept their lands. The Lord had given it to them. Some would say, well, this is unfair.

But my beloved friends, the reason that the Lord cast out those seven nations in the land of Canaan was because of their wickedness. The reason that the Noah built an ark for the saving of his house was because of the wickedness and evil of the generation in which he lived. And the Lord said that he knew that the heart of man is evil continually. The imagination of the heart of man is evil continually.

Look here at these Hebrews as they went through the wilderness and the murmurings, the times they rose up against Moses and Aaron. I think when the law was given they went whoring after a golden calf and worshipping a golden calf and dancing naked. This was in and among the Lord's chosen people.

You see, my beloved friends, it says here, it says, harden not your hearts as in the provocation in the day of temptation in the wilderness. When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works 40 years. Wherefore was I grieved with that generation? And so they do always err in their hearts. they have not known my way so I swear in my rock they shall not enter into my rest.

Now the apostle uses this as a illustration of the spiritual journey of the Christian believer. See the Old Testament teaches us and it's much profit when we study and when we read in the old testament and when we ask the holy spirit to open the word to us we have a word here of warning in verse 12 of chapter 3 take heed brethren lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living god take heed but exhort one another daily while it is called today.

We live in a gospel day. We live in a day, and we have done for over 2,000 years, when the gospel of Jesus Christ is to be preached in every nation, kindred, tongue, and tribe, and people. When the disciples and the Lord's servants today are given that exhortation, go ye into all the world. Preaching the gospel unto every creature. It's the commandment of God unto the Lord's servants.

Sometimes over the years, when a door has been opened, it doesn't matter where it is or what church it is, if a door has been opened, I go. Because that word remains with me and always has, ever since I've been in the ministry, going into all the world. You might only go once, but you go.

And you faithfully preach the word of God to poor sinners. Preaching unto every creature. And I've often come under criticism from people in our own churches, wherever did you go and preach there? And wherever did you go and preach there? You see my beloved friends, People want to limit the gospel to just their little circle of things. The Bible doesn't do that.

Going into all the world, preaching the gospel unto every creature. May we take heed unto the word of God, but exhort one another daily while it is called today, lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. That's a very solemn thought, isn't it? Sin hardens. Sin lived in. Sin habitually hardens. Hardens our conscience. It's the deceitfulness of sin that hardens our conscience.

While it is said to die, if you will hear his voice harden not your hearts as in the provocation so the apostle then uses this in that by way of exhortation in this chapter four let us therefore fear lest a promise being left us of entering into his rest this is the rest of faith now what is the rest of faith It's the glorious person of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. That is who the rest of faith is.

It's what he has done, it's what he has accomplished as the Son of God. What has he accomplished as the Son of God? Well, the Son of God lived as a man here upon earth. The Son of God was made of worm and made under the law, that he might redeem them that are under the law. The Son of God fulfilled and honored and magnified the holy law of God. Listen to the words of the Son of God. I come not to destroy the law, but to fulfill it. And that is what Jesus, the Son of God has done. He's the only man ever to do it.

And in that fulfilling of God's holy righteous law, that is the everlasting righteousness of the people of God. Mentions in our text, the people of God. There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God. And that rest is in the glorious everlasting righteousness of Jesus, the son of God.

And that rest is in that glorious holy sacrifice of the cross of Calvary in the precious blood that he shed. What a rest is the blood of Christ. The blood of Jesus Christ, God's son, cleanseth us from all sin. From all sin. That's a precious rest in place indeed. It is. Let us therefore fear lest a promise be left up of entering into his rest. Any of you should seem to come short of it.

Over the years, you know, friends, in the ministry, I've met people that are resting in the fact that they're sinners. And it's all they talk about is their sin and their iniquity and their unrighteousness. You never hear them speak of Jesus Christ. You never hear them speak of deliverance from sin and Satan's power. My beloved friends, There are two sides to real religion.

On the one hand, there is conviction of sin and that sense of knowledge and understanding given of the corruption of our heart. But on the other hand, there is the knowledge of salvation. There is a door of hope that is open wide in Jesus' bleeding hands and side. It is.

You listen to the language of the spouse in Solomon's Song, chapter five. My beloved is white and ruddy. See what she sees in her beloved. He's white. He's pure. He's holy. He's righteous. He lived a pure, a holy, righteous law. He's ruddy, that is red. This holy savior offered a holy sacrifice.

My beloved is white, righteous, and ruddy is precious blood. Well, that first statement there in the Song of Solemn of the spouse of her beloved, it really goes right to the very heart of the gospel of Jesus Christ. My beloved is white and ruddy. That lovely hymn we sing sometimes, 103. Jesus thy blood and righteousness, my beauty, ah, my glorious dress.

Most beautiful hymn on the blood and righteousness of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. This is the rest that remaineth. His death, another resting place. He died for our sins, He rose again for our justification. He died for our sins. He voluntarily gave his life for ransom for all.

I have power to lay my life down. I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father. On the cross of Calvary, Jesus the Son of God said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit. So Jesus, the Son of God, commended his holy human soul into the hands of his eternal Father.

And when he did that, he entered into death. As James says in his epistle, the body without the spirit is dead, being alone. And when the Lord Jesus He offered his holy soul as a sacrifice. When thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days. What does it mean? Well, when the Lord Jesus entered the death, it says he will see his seed.

He entered into death to destroy it. As we read in the word of God, he had destroyed death. and him that had the power of death, that is the devil, he break the bands of death. It says here in the Hebrews, the apostle speaks of our Lord Jesus Christ breaking the bands of death. It says in verse 14 of chapter two, for as much then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same, that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is the devil, and deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage." You see, to destroy death. That's what this glorious, almighty saviour has done. He's destroyed death. When he rose from the grave, he destroyed death. and he brought life and immortality to light in the gospel, there remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.

This is a wonderful rest of faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ, in the righteousness of Jesus Christ, in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, for by one offering he had perfected forever all them that are sanctified and where it says there all them that are sanctified it's the same as we have in the text there remaineth therefore a rest a keeping of a sabbath to the people of god for he that is entered into his rest you just just before we move on from the resurrection just look at the ascension the bodily ascension of Jesus Christ into heaven.

He led them out as far as Unto Bethlehem. He lifted up his hands and blessed them. And they saw him ascend bodily into heaven in a cloud. The angel said to them, this same Jesus will come again in like manner, this same Jesus. What a rest then, a new and living way into the holy place. That's what the ascension of Christ really means. Jacob had a view of it when he was at Bethel. He saw a ladder, its feet on the earth and its top reached into heaven. And he saw the angels of God ascending and descending upon it. That, my beloved friends, is the rest of faith. Jesus made a new and living way into the holy place. And David in Psalm 24, he says, And it's a prophecy of the ascension of Christ into heaven.

Lift up your heads, O ye gates, be ye lifted up, ye everlasting doors, and the King of glory shall come in. Who is this King of glory? The Lord, strong and mighty. Who is it? It's the Lord Christ, as he ascends into heaven. And the gates of heaven that were shut when Adam fell, opened when the second Adam, the Lord from heaven, ascends into glory. He ascends into glory. He's made a new and a living way.

And because he lived a life, there's that lovely hymn, isn't there? It's not in our book. Upon a life, I did not live. Upon a death, I did not die. That's the glorious life and death of our Lord Jesus Christ. It hangs by everlasting hope. Everything that we stand in need of is in this glorious Saviour. There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God. Now, there's another sense in this rest of the people of God. There's an eternal rest.

And as it speaks here of the Sabbath, for he that is entered into his rest also has ceased from his own works as God did from his. We read in creation that God rested from his labors and he hallowed the seventh day. He hallowed the seventh day. God rested from all his labors and he hallowed the seventh day. And so in the Levitical dispensation the what we call Saturday, was the day of rest, the seventh day of the week. Now, it may be that you say, well, why did we change then from the seventh day of the week to the first day of the week?

Well, it's because of apostolic practice. We read again and again in the New Testament of the apostles meeting on the Lord's Day. The Lord's Day, It is the first day of the week. They met for the breaking of bread on the Lord's day, on the first day of the week. John, when he was in the spirit, on the Lord's day, when he was on the Isle of Patmos. And so the practice changed from a seventh day Sabbath to the first day of the week, the Lord's day. I prefer to call it the Lord's day.

Nothing wrong in calling it the Sabbath, but it distinguishes from being under the law. That's another reason why it changed, because there was a change from the Old Testament to the New Testament. And the first day of the week is the day when the Lord Jesus Christ rose from the dead. So Christians keep the first day of the week because Christ rose from the dead. because Christ destroyed death and he that had the power of death.

So we keep it as the Lord's Day. The other thing is that the change, we're no longer under the law. Don't misunderstand what I'm saying, the law is still there, always has been, always will be, it's the eternal law of God, but the Christian believer is taken from under the law. The apostle says in Romans, you're not under the law, but under grace. And that is another reason for the changing from the seventh day Sabbath to the Lord's day, a recognition that the believer is not under the law, but under grace. Now, some people will say, well, that's antinomian. You're not under the Lord.

No, my beloved friends, we're under Christ and we follow Christ. We love our Lord Jesus Christ. This is the rest that remained for the people of God. Now, what is so ridiculous of that argument is that's tantamount to saying that if you follow Christ, you'll break the law. Well, of course you won't. You follow Christ. What did Christ come to do? To fulfil the law. If you're following Christ, it will never lead you to break the law.

Not that we're under it as a covenant. We're delivered from it. We're delivered from its curse. We're delivered from its power. Where? In the rest that remaineth. In the glorious person of our Lord Jesus Christ. Now, the other thing here, for he that is entered into his rest, that's entering into Christ, he also ceased from his own works as God did from his.

You know, particularly when we first come under conviction of sin, we try our hardest to fulfill God's holy law. We try our hardest to be obedient unto the word of God. We find it's a useless task. Of course we should always seek to be obedient, but you find you can't do it. Why? Because sin lives in us. Sin lives in us. You can't fulfill God's holy righteous law. And all the time you're seeking to, you're not ceasing from your own works. You see, you're trying your own works.

One of the deadly errors that came from the Jewish teachers in the Galatian church was the teaching by those Judaizing teachers that when you become a Christian believer, you're able to keep the law. The Apostle Paul, he saw how deadly that error was. You can't. You might like to, but you'll never be able to. And so what they were teaching was that you could actually add to your own righteousness. Instead of trusting entirely to the righteousness of Christ, you become self-righteous. You can keep the law.

And the apostle said, oh foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you? You see, my beloved friends, it's not possible for the, whether we're a believer or not, to fulfill God's holy and righteous law. As much as we would like to, we can't do it. The Apostle Paul, when he saw this error in the Galatian church, he lays down clearly what the gospel is.

He says, for I through the law am dead to the law, but I might live unto God. Galatians 2 verse 19, I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me. And the life which I now live, see the emphasis, the life that I now live in the flesh, I live by faith of the Son of God, who loves me. and gave himself for me. I do not frustrate the grace of God, for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain. O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you?

This only what I learn of you. Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law? or by the hearing of faith? Are ye so foolish, having begun in the Spirit? Are ye now made perfect in the flesh? Have ye suffered so many things in vain, if it yet be vain? He therefore that ministers to you the Spirit, and worketh miracles among you, doeth he it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?

Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness, know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham. And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached the gospel unto Abraham, saying, in thee shall all nations be blessed. Why? Because Christ was born of Abraham's seed.

In thee shall all nations be blessed. not just the nation of Israel, but all nations. Those words point to the New Testament, when the gospel is to be preached in every nation, kindred, tongue, and tribe, and people. There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.

For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own work, as God did from his, you know friends, we never enter into true peace in the gospel until we're finished with ourselves, no. Until we're finished with what we can do.

All the time that we're trying to work, we'll never really enter into that full peace It's only when by the Spirit's inward teaching we're brought to realise that we can't do that, we can't fulfil it, we can't work our way to heaven, we can't produce a righteousness of our own. I've often told you of that time when under conviction of sin and those words in Ezekiel walked up and down in my very soul. turn again oh son of man thou shalt see greater abominations than these and it seems every time there was a another sin another corruption another evil that was in my heart and it was one line of a hymn that really sealed that teaching to me and it was this nor can i promise future good to bring and in a moment the lord opened to me that I was a poor wretched ruined sinner and that I could never ever please God in the flesh nor can I promise future good to bring and that was a defining moment in my own personal experience when I realised that I could never do those things and it wasn't too long after that that the Lord brought me into the full assurance of faith You see when we cease from our own works, when we enter into rest, the rest of faith in the glorious person of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, there remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.

For he that is entered into his rest, that of course is into Christ, he also has ceased from his own works as God did from his Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, it says in verse 11, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief. Labouring to enter into Christ, to lay hold of Christ, yearning, seeking, pleading, following, give me Christ or else I die, to enter into that rest.

For the word of God is quick. That means living. You know, it used to perplex me, this verse, until the Lord, and this is since I've been in the ministry, the Lord seemed to open it so clearly to me. The word of God is quick and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword. This is none other than the person of Jesus Christ. You might say, what do you mean? It means the Bible. No. You just listen to what it says. For the world of God is quick and powerful, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner. It's speaking of a person, and that person is Christ. And is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight. See what it goes on to say, his sight? All things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.

I remember a number of years ago now reading this, reading John Owen in his very famous commentary on the epistle to the Hebrews. And where it says here, even to the divide in us under a soul and spirit, he said the Apostle is writing unto the Hebrews. They understood sacrifices and offerings. And when the offering was on the altar, it was split right down the middle and opened right up and you could see right into its inward parts. And what the Apostle is saying here, that's just as it is.

Just as you can see right into the inward parts of that sacrifice, so can the Lord see right into our inward parts, you see, and everything is opened, piercing even to the divide and asunder of soul and spirit and of the joints and marrow and is a discernment of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do. You cannot hide anything from God. No. Nothing. He sees everything. He knows everything. But then he goes on, he speaks again of this wonderful rest of faith, seeing then that we have a great high priest that is passed into the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast. Remember, the Hebrews were sorely tempted, tried, persecuted, cast out by their own families because they followed the despised Nazarene, Jesus Christ.

And so the apostle here, he's exhorting them. He said, let us hold fast. Don't give up, don't turn back. Why? Because we have a great high priest sitting at the right hand of the Father. For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Then we have this wonderful exhortation. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace. that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

You know, my beloved friends, we've spoken of the rest of faith, but there's an eternal rest. There is a rest that remaineth for the people of God, and it's in heaven. Remember the words of Jesus in John 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. May the Lord add his blessing. Let us now sing together hymn number 1061. The tune is Rest 211. Lord, I believe a rest remains to all thy people known, a rest where pure enjoyment reigns, and thou art loved alone. Hymn 1061, tune Rest 211.

And to the moon I'll see you soon. I'll see you when dawn is bright. Oh. O God, I love Thee, O God, I love Thee, O God, I love Thee, O God, I love Thee, O God, I love Thee, Geschenke nach deinem Tod, Geschenke nach deinem Tod, Geschenke nach deinem Tod, Geschenke nach deinem Tod, Geschenke nach deinem Tod, Geschenke nach deinem Tod, Geschenke nach deinem Tod, Geschenke nach deinem Tod, Geschenke nach deinem Tod, Geschenke nach deinem Tod, Geschenke nach deinem Tod, Geschenke nach deinem Tod, Geschenke nach deinem Tod, Geschenke nach deinem Tod, Geschenke nach deinem Tod, Geschenke nach deinem Tod, Geschenke nach deinem Tod, Geschenke nach deinem Tod, Geschenke nach deinem Tod, Geschenke nach deinem Tod, Geschenke nach deinem Tod, Geschenke nach deinem Tod, Geschenke nach deinem Tod, Geschenke nach deinem Tod, Geschenke nach deinem Tod, Geschenke nach deinem Tod, Geschenke nach deinem Tod, Geschenke nach deinem Tod, If you be salvaged from thy foe, this love may ye bring to you. to be the bridge of faithful, to be the bridge of faithful. A step of hope, Come down, dear Saviour, come away, into my soul descend. Now overcome by He just came along the road, He just came, I called out, 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 both now and for evermore. Amen.