Gospel—R.F. Bauman
DISCLAIMER: The following has been auto-transcribed. We hope it will help you to find the section of this audio file you are looking for.
We'll turn to Acts chapter 13, Acts chapter 13. I'm going to read verse 16 or the part of it the apostle Paul. Then Paul stood up and said ye that fear God give audience.
And you know, this is so important center if one is here still in your sins and you don't have that reverential fear.
Of God, your Creator, the one in whom your life is the one you're going to face.
And have to do with then the gospel won't have any effect at all upon you.
That fear God give audience in Psalm 66 verse 16 we read come in here all ye that fear God, I will tell you what he's done for my soul.
Verse 26. The middle. Whosoever among you feareth God to you is the word of this salvation sent for they that dwell at Jerusalem, and their rulers, because they knew him not, nor yet the voices of the prophets, which are read every Sabbath day, they have fulfilled them in condemning Jesus.
And though they found no cause of death in him, yet desired a pilot that he should be slain.
And when they had fulfilled all that was written of him, they took him down from the tree and laid him in a sepulcher.
But God raised him from the dead. Verse 32. And we declare unto you the glad tidings.
How the promise which was made unto the fathers God hath fulfilled, in that he has raised up Jesus. Verse 38. Be it known unto you, therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins.
The forgiveness of sins is being offered to any here tonight who will simply receive it in faith. This is God's will. Center for everyone here who's still lost. That you be saved. God's will is that you be saved. There's a beautiful verse in First Timothy 2, verse three to five. It starts out with just three words that are so precious. God.
Our Savior.
God our Savior, who would have all men to be saved and come into the knowledge of the truth. There's one God and one mediator between God and man. It's the man Christ Jesus who gave his life a ransom for all to be testified in due time.
God is not willing that you perish. God would have all to be saved.
That's the will of God. Through this man is preached unto you, the forgiveness of sins. I can assure you there's power in the precious Word of God tonight to save everyone here who still lost and on their way to hell.
And the Spirit of God is working here tonight to take this precious word and to convict you of your peril and your need, and let you receive the provision God has made for that need, the precious blood of Jesus that will cleanse you from all sins.
Yes, Sinner, there's power in this precious word. Power. There was a professor of biology, a very aged one, who was a Christian, who had tested this and was the recipient of eternal life through Jesus. He knew about the power and he'd begin every new class in biology this way. He hold up a tiny little brown seed.
And he'd say to them, I know.
Exactly the composition of this little seed, nitrogen, hydrogen, carbon, and I can tell you exactly the proportion of each that's made-up this little seed, and more than that, he said. I can make one like this of the same elements.
But I'll guarantee you, if I plant the seed I make, it will come to nothing. The elements will merely go back into the earth and dissolve. But if I plant this little seed in the earth, it'll become itself a plan, a living plan.
Why? Why? He says it's because of the mysterious principle that men call life principle. You know, in Genesis 111 we have this thought. God said let the earth bring forth grass and herb yielding seed, and it was so then he would hold up the Bible.
00:05:21
And he'd tell that class.
This is just like other books, looks the same as other books, and we cannot understand altogether the strange power in this book. But if this word is planted in a Sinner by faith, it brings out eternal life.
The precious word of God has that power, but only to one who realizes they have that need. Only to a Sinner who realizes you're lost and helpless and you take it by faith. Turn to Romans chapter 3, please. Romans chapter 3.
Verse nine at the end, Romans 3, verse nine at the end, They are all under sin. I'm going to read just a few verses, but in these few verses you're going to have God's biography of mankind, all mankind. You're going to have a portrait, divine portrait of yourself, Sinner.
This is God's word, verse 10. There is none righteous, no, not one. There is none that understandeth, There is none that seeketh after God.
They are all gone out of the way. They are together, become unprofitable. There is none that doeth good, No, not one. Verse 18. There is No Fear of God before their eyes. Verse 22 at the end there is no difference. All have sinned.
Everyone here, everyone must have their sins forgiven. Forgiven. All have sinned. Need that be debated tonight? Need we take time tonight to convince you of that? You were conceived in sin. You were born in sin, and I'm sure you've done a heat of practicing of it.
One sin keeps you out of heaven. God says all have sinned. Let's get over that now with an agreement.
There is no difference, says God, 22 at the end. There is no difference. This is a world of difference. God made all things different, a great variety in his wonderful creation. The firmament chose his handiwork. There's no two snowflakes alike, never has been. There's no two fingerprints alike. They're all different.
There's so many fish in the sea, they stopped trying to catalogue them.
I know one entomologist gave it up the job of even cataloging the Moss in London. All a variety. Man himself insists on a variety and difference, doesn't he? His automobiles, his homes, his fashion, his clothing, everything has to be a variety.
There is no difference though, on this one thing. One thing it's all the same, the heart of the Sinner.
God says there's no difference. The heart of the Sinner all have sinned. The wisest man that ever lived, Solomon the king.
Except for the man that gave him the wisdom, the man Christ Jesus.
What he said in Ecclesiastes 720 There is not a man that doeth good and sinneth not not one. You have to take it from the wisest man that ever lived. What meaneth that Sinner?
It means that all must be saved. That's what it means. It means the wages of sin is death. But after this, the judgment.
And then eternal punishment. And that's hell. That's hell. You need only to acknowledge this.
You need only to admit your condition to be saved, That's all. But that's the hardest thing for a Sinner to do.
Back where I came from, there's a court. City Court, 10 judges, 10 courtrooms.
But they years back they brought the prisoners because on Monday morning they had a lot of them.
From the Hall of the Weekend.
And all kinds of crimes committed on the weekend. And they were in the county jail waiting for their time on Monday morning. And they bring them from the pit to the bullpen by a tunnel.
00:10:10
The pit was in the county court jail.
At the bottom.
And one judge insisted on this with the Sheriff's Office, that before they're brought to the bullpen through that tunnel.
Everyone of those accused had to stand before a full length mirror for a minute.
You know, some of them gas when they looked after a weekend of sin and the ravages of it, and they're in that jail. Some cried, some sobbed, some ridiculed and smirked in embarrassment.
But they all had to look.
And then they took that long walk through the tunnel and up into the bullpen, which is a glass cage in the court where they sat until they brought them before the judge. And that judge said, since I've been practicing this with the with the sheriff, I've had so many more guilty pleas.
So many more guilty pleas.
That's what the word of God is for Sinner, to let you realize your condition and your needs so you'll be saved. Why the law? We have it right here in our third chapter of Romans that the whole world, verse 19 may be guilty before God. It's like a mirror. Believe God, believe God and you could be saved.
Oh, you know, it's so solemn that you have to realize your condition.
In God's sight as a Sinner. And then you'll repent. How marvelous though the good news which we can preach.
Through this man Jesus is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins. First Timothy 115 Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, and there's none other but him, Jesus, none other. Acts 412 Neither is there any other, there's none other name under heaven given among men, whereby you must be saved.
That's why this book was written.
That's why this precious book was written and preserved all these years for you tonight.
John 20 verse 31. These things are written that you might believe that Jesus.
Is the Christ the Son of God and that believing you might have life?
Through his name. Isn't that wonderful? Turn to Luke chapter 5. Luke chapter 5.
In verse 17, the Lord Jesus was here teaching and preaching, and we see there was Pharisees and doctors of the law sitting by. Out of every town of Galilee, Judea, and Jerusalem. The religious leaders were all there listening to the Savior.
Notice what it says at the end. The power of the Lord was present to heal them, but we don't find in the scriptures one of them got saved.
They didn't think they had the need.
But notice now verse 18. Behold, men brought in a bed a man which was taken with a palsy, and they sought means to bring him in, and delay him before him. And when they could not find by what way they might bring him in because of the multitude, they went upon the housetop, and let him down through the tiling with his couch into the midst.
Before Jesus, And when he saw their faith, he said unto the him man.
Sins are forgiven thee.
Scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, Who is this that speaketh blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone? And when Jesus perceived their thoughts, the answering said unto them, What reason you in your hearts? Weather is easier to say thy sins be forgiven thee, or to say, Rise up and walk, but that she may know that the Son of man hath power.
Upon earth to forgive sins.
Jesus said to that sick man of palsy, I say unto thee, Arise, take up thy couch, and go into thy house. And immediately he rose up before them, and took up that whereon he lay, and departed to his own house, glorifying God. And they were all amazed, and they glorified God, and were filled with fear, saying, We have seen strange things today.
Behold, a man.
Taken with a palsy. You know what that means? He's helpless.
00:15:04
These are typical. The Lord gives these examples as typical. They really happened.
But they speak of the condition of every Sinner. You're helpless.
That's the thought. You're helpless and not one thing you can do, Sinner. They're not one thing you can say or pay to get rid of one sin. You are helpless. This man was helpless. His friends thought means to bring him to Jesus. The multitude got in the way, but they were so determined and I trust you won't let the crowd, the peers get in your way.
You need him. There's none other Savior. Through this man, Jesus has preached unto you the forgiveness of sins.
You can leave here with your sins. Go on. You can leave here judgment free.
You can leave here with joy in your heart, knowing all is well with your soul.
Don't let anyone stop you, just ask the Lord Jesus to save you tonight.
He will they were determined, so they took embedded all in the housetop. They tore away the tiling.
And they let that man down on his couch before Jesus.
Was Jesus upset with that interruption? Oh no, not my Savior. That's why he came.
That's why he came. He wasn't upset. He always responds to faith. Always. There's no question that man of palsy had faith. No question. Or he wouldn't let those four men make such a spectacle of him in front of that multitude. He knew if he could get to Jesus, he could be well. He could be well. Did Jesus heal him of his palsy?
No, not right away. No, he took care of the most urgent matter first.
He saved him. Not wonderful. He saved him. The most important matter was not palsy.
No, the most important matter was sin sickness. And that's the only matter that matters here tonight is sin sickness. You know, palsy is a dreadful thing, but sin sickness is worse. It's far worse than leprosy. It's far worse than dreaded AIDS. It's far worse than any disease you can think of, because they're only under death. Since sickness is under second death, if you die in your sins, you die again.
How solemn. Second death. It's in Revelations. We won't turn to it.
This is the second death, eternal separation from a holy God whose love and light who's being offered to you tonight as Savior, but you face him as judge and you'll be separated from him for all eternity if you die in your sins. So Jesus said man, thy sins are forgiven thee man, thy sins are forgiven thee. Verse 20 Would you not like to hear that from the creator of.
Universe from the sustainer of all life, from the one who gave you your breath. Wouldn't you like to hear that from him? The Son of God, the eternal Son, the Savior of sinners, Jesus, That's what he said to this man. That's what he wants to say to you, man. Thy sins are forgiven thee. You know, it's such a precious thing. I quote the verse, but I'm going to turn to it. First Timothy. I want you to see it. First Timothy and chapter one.
Verse 15.
This is a faithful saying. It's worthy of all acceptation that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.
Would you like to hear those words from the Creator, the source of all life, the judge as well?
Thy sins are forgiven thee. That's what he wants you to hear. That's what he wants you to believe. Thy sins are forgiven thee.
Sinner, let those words sink into your soul tonight. Therefore you let them take hold of your soul. Believe them. Thy sins are forgiven thee and receive eternal life right now.
Beyond your joyful way to heaven. And know without a question that all is well with your soul. You know there was a man who was very religious all his life. He was very old now, but he never had peace with God.
He never had the assurance of his sins forgiven.
You know, there's a lot like that. How solemn.
But he was taken by a friend to a gospel meeting, and the evangelist preached the faithful word.
And he got on to this verse. Christ Jesus convinced the world to save sinners. Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. And that preacher settled on that verse for a few minutes. He illustrated it. He gave examples of it. He quoted it. And all of a sudden this old man who had worked all his life to get to heaven stood up and slowly walked up the aisle right towards the preacher. And he stopped right in front of that, now curious.
00:20:25
Evangelist And he looked up at him and he said, Preacher, would you please?
Say that again, that verse makes my soul feel so good. You know, he got what he was searching all his life. He got what he was working for all his life just by simply believing the precious word of God and it made his soul feel so good. Christ Jesus came into the world to save you, to save sinners. That's the precious truth. Go back to our portion in the in the 5th chapter of Luke. Let's see verse 20 we were at it's so precious.
You know, Senator.
You have your sins forgiven. You're going to spend eternity in hell.
The lake of fire. It's clear of the word of God. There's weeping, There's wailing. There's gnashing of teeth. There's torments. Unending a never dying thirst. The blackness of darkness forever. No company, no release, no repentance. That's hell. But one more thing. Clear. Lasting memory. Clear.
Lasting memory. Sometimes I think that might be the worst. I want you to turn because God so faithful Sinner.
To Luke 16 just for a verse or two. Luke 16 we have a picture.
By God, which is real of a man in hell, verse 23.
And in hell.
Being in torment, verse 24, he cried mercy. And what was it he wanted? Water. One drop. Now notice verse 25.
Son, remember, this is the thought, you know, whenever I speak of hell, according to the word of God, a different aspect comes before me, and it's so awful I shudder right now. Good, clear, lasting memory comes before me.
There is torments and all the other things are true and there's no water there. And this man.
Cried out and for mercy. One drop of water almost 2000 years ago and he still.
Crying for it, and he'll be crying for it for all eternity. There is no water in hell.
But memory, memory, I believe that's the awful sentence. Everyone who has heard the precious word of God and the Lord has been so faithful, they'll remember every meeting, every time. I do not believe there's a more severe punishment or sentence or awful punishment in memory. Shakespeare wrote this to be alone with my conscience.
Is hell enough for me? But then he wrote a little thing that struck me.
Believe me, no torture that the poet's fame can match the fears and honorable pain one feels who night and day avoid the rest carries his own accuser within his breast memory. You know, on December 7th, 1985, a man by the name of Carol Edward Cole, 47 years old.
Who had admitted killing twelve women.
Was executed in Carson City, NV.
Cole's attorney appeared before the Supreme Court and explained to those judges why no more appeals would be made. He said Coal wants to die right away. He wants to get it over with. He said it would be unbearable to stay on here with his memories any longer. But you know, his execution was not the end.
It was just the beginning of never what never ends.
An endless eternity with clear, lasting memory.
That's hell.
You know, there was a man named Matthias ****. I never forgot that story.
He was tried convicted for a heinous crime, the murder of two people, a husband and wife, and thereby orphaning.
13 little children. Well, they went down in a ladder, but during the trial, every morning those thirteen children marched into the courtroom.
And they sat there.
And Matthias heard their cries and their sobs.
00:25:02
All that time for every day of the trial and you know, before the judge pronounced sentence, he said to Matthias, is there something you have to say in your own behalf or do you want to make a plea for a life sentence rather than execution? And to the judges astonishment, Matthias **** said, I want to be executed as soon as possible.
He explained that he could not stand the memory of those children.
Sobbing and crying any longer, he wished to rid himself of that torture, of those memories.
But you know, Matthias **** will have a clear, lasting memory for all eternity. He will continue to hear those cries and all other things that will torment him forever. I want to get that thought across. Let's go back to our portion.
I have to warn you, Senator.
You can't rid yourself of one sin. You can't be cured of the dreaded sin sickness that you've got.
That's the word of God in Jeremiah 4611. It says in vain shalt thou use many medicines. Thou shalt not be cured. Thou shalt not be cured. How bad is it? Isaiah chapter one tells us pretty clearly how bad it is. Isaiah chapter one.
Verse five at the middle, the whole head is sick, the whole heart faint from the sole of the foot, even to the head, no soundness in it. Wounds and bruises and putifying sores. They have not been closed, neither bound up, neither mollified with ointment. Is there a cure? I'm going to turn to Jeremiah chapter 30. There's no cure.
Jeremiah chapter 30. We're Speaking of sin, sickness.
Chapter 30. Verse 12.
Thus says the Lord, Thy bruise is incurable, thy wound is grievous, there's none to plead thy clause that thou mayest be bound up. Thou hast no healing medicines.
This is the hopeless, the helpless condition of every Sinner.
God wants you to know.
But there is one cure.
The blood of Jesus Christ, His Son, cleanses from all sin.
It's a wonderful thing that is being offered to you.
You know, it says is there no balm in Gilead? Is there no physician there? There's a bomb. The bomb is the word of God you have in your hand. That's the bomb. It brings you right to the great physician, the Lord Jesus Christ. As I mentioned, there's power in this word and there's power in that name Jesus power to give you eternal life and take your right into heaven, save you for male. It's a wonderful, wonderful.
Four, there was a missionary group.
Making their way to a new location and they came to a place in Africa where 2 trails meet at the Rivers Bend. Very popular place for the tribes.
And a white man had put up a trading post there, and he was taking the tribal goods, the best things they had made cheap by rum and whiskey and trinkets.
And this missionary group stopped at that place where the two trails meet at the Rivers Bend.
For arrest.
And one morning, a woman missionary saw a chief.
She could tell by his headband, band and feathers, a tree from a tribe she knew the language of coming out of one of those trails.
Dissipated the botched degradated by whiskey.
Tripping over his own feet. And she confronted him, and in his language she scolded him.
She said, Chief, look at yourself. Look at the way you are. How can you help your people? How can you do one thing good the way you are now with this whiskey and all your ravages? And he just cried. He said, I can't help myself, Missy, I've got to have more. I've got to have more. I can't help myself.
She told him that there's a cure.
See. And it's it's sure there's a physician who can heal you. His name is Jesus.
He said where is he? Take me to him. Whatever it costs, let me know.
She said, he's right here and he doesn't charge anything. It's free. All you have to do is want to be cured and healed of that sin, sickness, that awful disease you got that makes you long, long for these things. And he said, what's his name again? And she said very reverently, his name is Jesus. His name is Jesus.
00:30:24
She got him to go on his knees and he cried out in anguish and he got saved.
The Lord Jesus came in there with the Spirit of God and gave him that new life, and instead of going towards the trading post after he left her telling him about the gospel, he went back the trail towards his village. Well, they went on and it was several weeks later that a group of that missionary party came back at the same place where the two trails meet at the Riverbend. They were on their way to get more supplies.
And this woman saw that chief coming out of the trail again, and when he saw her.
His eyes lit up. He was a changed man already.
He had his hand holding a hand of a woman. It was his wife. She looked just like he did before.
Degraded. Debauched.
Sin Sick.
And he left her stand there in the trail. He went up to the missionary, said Missy, Please, Missy, can I tell her that name?
She felt so terrible that he thought he couldn't tell that name to anybody else because perhaps the way she spoke it so reverently, she says tell your wife that name and tell everybody else in your family and tribe that name. And he ran back to her and took her hands. And he says his name is Jesus. So rap, his name is Jesus.
Through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins.
Wonderful to see the change that can come over one turn to Matthew, Matthew's Gospel.
Chapter 9. Matthew. Chapter 9.
Verse 10.
That came to pass, as Jesus said at meat in the House. Behold, many Republicans and sinners came and sat down with him and his disciples.
And when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto his disciples.
Why eat as your master with publicans and sinners? When Jesus heard that, he said unto them.
They that behold need not a physician, but they that are sick. But go ye, and learn what that meaneth. I will have mercy.
Not sacrifice. I am come not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.
They that behold need not the physician. This is the great physician, This is the one that can say thy sins be forgiven thee, but they that are sick.
You know, in Mark's Gospel Chapter 6, we won't take the time to turn to it.
It says they knew him when Jesus came to their cities, their villages, the countryside.
And they brought all those that were sick of whatever diseases, and laid them in the streets.
And it said as many as touched the hem of his garment were made whole, no matter what the infliction. This is the wonderful gospel. As many as believe in faith be saved the sins of God.
That as many as is the whosoever of the word of God.
That's it. Any Sinner anywhere, anytime, the whosoever the word of God is brought out in that beautiful verse that I'm sure perhaps all here know. John 316 It's the whosoever of God's salvation. For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him shall not perish, but have everlasting life.
Isn't that wonderful? But there is a whosoever of the judgment of God. God is so faithful.
Whosoever was not found. Written in the Lamb's Book of Life. Cast into the Lake of Fire.
Sinner, get your name in that book.
It's the Lamb's book of life. When your name is in there, it can never come out.
You're in there for all eternity on your way to heaven in glory. If you came in here tonight in your sins in peril. The good news is the glad tidings Sinner. You don't have to leave this room that way, because through this man, Jesus is preached unto you. The forgiveness of sins. The forgiveness of sins. Notice what the religious leaders said to Jesus.
00:35:05
Or to his disciples.
Why eateth your master with publicans and sinners? You know we can read in Luke 15 verse two I believe it is.
He receiveth sinners.
He receiveth sinners. What they said was so true and so beautiful. But in verse 21 of our chapter it says this. Who is this that speaketh blasphemies? Who can forgive sins? God alone.
You know how wrong they were and yet how right they were. Blasphemy in this case, making himself God. They were wrong. He is God. But when they said who can forgive sins but God alone, they were right and Jesus is God. Jesus is God, He could forgive sins. This man's sins were forgiven.
In Luke 5, my sins are forgiven.
Your sins can be forgiven, and only God can do that. And Jesus is God. He's the eternal Son of God. He's the creator of this world. He's a sustainer of all life.
He's the Lamb of God, providing the substitute in judgment for every Sinner. He's the Savior.
Back to Luke, 5I think I'd better get on with that portion. Luke 5.
And verse.
22.
When Jesus perceived their thoughts.
You know Jesus is God.
He knows everything, He sees everything. He knows all about you, Sinner. He knows how many hairs are on your head, and not only that, He has them all numbered. He knows how many stars there are in the heavens, and not only that He calls them all by name, and there is no lowly Sparrow falls in the ground. But what that He knows it?
But oh, what grace it says Jesus perceived their thoughts. What grace?
What love exhibited. They accused him of blasphemy and yet he loved them. What love? That's divine love, Sinner. Divine love reaching out to you tonight. Don't refuse it. Don't refuse it. How awful to refuse it. It's the same love that on the cross of Calvary said.
Father forgive them.
Words echoing throughout Calvary, that awful, disgraceful day when they crucified the Lord of glory.
Words reaching the ears of God the Father. Words reaching your ears now, Sinner, forgive them.
In that wonderful forgive them through this man is preached unto you forgiveness of sins. But how could God forgive those that so despitefully and hatefully treated his beloved son?
Divine love, That's it.
The Father sent the Son to be the Savior of the world.
Having yet one son is well beloved, he sent him also.
They cast him out, they crucified him, they crucified the Lord of glory. And Jesus said as he hung on that cross, Father, forgive them, Father, forgive them. Through this man Jesus is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins.
Jesus said in verse 23 chapter 5 Luke, which is easier to say?
Thy sins be forgiven thee, or rise up and walk.
Both are impossible to man, but that which is impossible to man is possible.
To God, and Jesus is God. You know when the rich young ruler came running to Jesus?
Who had been religious all his life, kept keeping the law the best he could, fell down at his knees.
Wanted to have eternal life, thinking that his exemplary life could merit it. And when the Lord Jesus told him what he must do to have eternal life, he left him sorrowful because he coveted things in this world and would not come to Jesus. And you know, the disciples marveled, they said to Jesus.
If this man can't be saved, who can be saved?
00:40:03
And the Lord said it is impossible with men.
But not with God. All things are possible with God.
Verse 24 of our chapter, but that she may know Sinner, that's why you're hearing the gospel tonight. The Lord wants you to be saved that you may know know what through this man Jesus is preached unto you. The forgiveness of sins. The blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanses from all sin. So Jesus proved himself to those hypocrites.
Those religious bigots, he said to that man, arise, take up by couch and go into the house. And he did. That man of palsy had given up his sins and now he took up his couch and he went to his house. He was healed, he was saved. How? How long? Immediately, Immediately. Isn't that wonderful?
You know, at the tomb of Lazarus, who was there four days, dead, buried, corruption set again, Jesus said, Lazarus come forth. He that was dead came forth.
And, you know, at the coffin of a young man at Maine on his way to burial.
The Lord Jesus stopped that funeral possession and said to that man in the coffin, Young man, arise, and he arose and began to speak, and at the bedside of a little maid who had just died, Jesus said.
Maid arise. And she awoke and began to eat.
And you know what the Lord Jesus is saying to you tonight, Sinner? Live that wonderful live. You're dead and your sins live.
Deuteronomy 30, the Lord says I set before you this day, life or death, one or the other. Then he says please choose life, live if you'll just believe him. What's the last verse we read? Verse 26. We have seen strange things today. They saw strange things. Every time a Sinner is saved you see strange things.
Because it says if any man be in Christ, he's a new creature.
All things are passed away. Behold, all things have become new. Indeed, strange things happen when this power of the Word of God touches a Sinner. He has eternal life. He's a new creature. He's on his way to heaven, and he is happy. Turn to Luke 7. Luke Chapter 7.
Verse 34. At the end they accused Jesus of being a friend of publicans and sinners.
And I like to say the accusation is true. This man receiveth sinners, and you better believe it.
That's why he came. But then let's look at verse 37. Behold, a woman in the city, which was a Sinner.
Said this woman was a Sinner. Verse 47.
First verse 39. At the end the Pharisee said she is a Sinner.
It was generally known her conduct, her way of life, she was a Sinner. Verse 47, the Lord Jesus said her sins are many. Yeah, Jesus said she's a great Sinner. So there's absolutely no doubt about this case. This woman was qualified for heaven.
This woman had all the necessary prerequisites to get into heaven.
She was a Sinner.
And so are you everyone here.
She knew she was a Sinner.
And I trust you do too.
She had faith in Jesus.
The Savior of sinners, what about you?
That's the only question. Oh, do not be so foolish as to disqualify yourself, Sinner. Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. Take your place and be saved and have your sins washed away.
You know, in verse 41, we'll read it, there was a certain creditor which had two debtors. The one owed 500 pence, the other 50, but they had nothing to pay. He freely forgave them both. They were bankrupt. And so are you Sinner. There's not one thing you can do to get rid of one sin. You are bankrupt, you have nothing to pay. What's the difference? Does it matter?
00:45:06
If one has a lot of sins and one a few. If one has some great terrible sins and won some mild sins.
Still go to hell, it doesn't make any difference. They had nothing to pay. He freely forgave them both.
You know, I heard a story that happened in France. A man, a businessman, very wealthy and successful, got saved in the gospel meeting, put him on fire. Put him on fire. He couldn't wait to tell everybody. And after he told all of his friends and relatives, he decided to get it out in the village he lived in. So he rented some billboards and he rented a big building, and he advertised that on certain week, every night of the week.
Weeknights.
There be a gospel, the good news will be preached. And you know, the first night, out of curiosity, it was almost full. And he told in a simple way, the best he could, how he got saved. The second night it dwindled down to about half. And the third night it was his friends and relatives, and after that there wasn't any. He was discouraged. They didn't want to hear. And it was this portion in 41St and 42nd verse that really struck his heart.
So he decided to do something.
You run into the largest billboard in town, what everyone sees, and he told him that billboard that on a certain Saturday.
At noon.
Anyone who came there with all their debts, proof of all their debts.
He would pay them all freely.
Well, that got around town fast. That was a little different.
Some said, do you believe it's going to do that? No, we were laughing stock of the town, if we'd go there. They had to go to his office at 12 noon.
12 noon.
I should say 10 minutes before that office was surrounded by a crowd.
They all stood there wondering if anybody's going to be so foolish as to go up to the door.
Five of 12 A man broke from the crowd. He had an envelope full of bills and he ran as fast he could and knocked on the door. It was open, he was admitted.
Just before 12, another man broke and he had his first full of bills and he ran up there and he was led in at 12:00. They waited. Few minutes later, they came out, beaming faces, happy boys and men. They said, did he really do it? Did he pay all your bills? Every one of them? I'm free. I have no more bills. I'm free. And they're all rushed toward the door. But he had a policeman. They're ready to stop him from coming in.
And he came out and gave him the Gospel based on this precious portion and told them, when the bridegroom comes, Matthew 25, the door is shut and it's forever too late. He let them know they could have all their sins forgiven right now, but if they wait and the Lord comes, it's forever too late. Oh, how solemn. What about you? He freely forgave them both.
And He would give you eternal life if you just come to Him. Don't say I don't need a savior. Don't disqualify yourself.
If you do, you must go to hell. That's it. Because if you can't admit your condition, you can't be saved. I know some years ago in India, the Prince of Wales visited.
And you know, when he arrived, the high caste were selected to meet him and greet him. Not the common people. They had barriers built to keep the common people back. But the high gristocratic cast was there. The Prince arrived. He ceremoniously shook hands with all of those distinguished people. And when he was done, he looked at those barriers.
And he said, remove those barriers right away.
They were astonished, but the police took down those barriers and then anyone of those masses, the common people that wished could come and greet the Prince and shake his hand, You know, the next time the Prince came to India.
There were the common people, the masses with banners. Welcome the Prince of the outcast, it said, welcome the Prince of the outcast. Well, you know, the Lord Jesus is a greater Prince than that. He's the Prince of sinners. He's the Prince of sinners. He said, take the barriers down. Set the prisoners free. They're wonderful. Set the prisoners free. You know, in our portion here, Chapter 7, Notice what he said to this woman.
Thy sins are forgiven. Verse 48. Thy sins are forgiven. Verse 49 they said who is this that forgives sins also? It's God. Only God can forgive sins and Jesus is God. Notice verse 50. Jesus said thy faith has saved thee, go in peace. Thy faith has saved thee, go in peace.
00:50:25
Being justified by faith, we have peace with God.
Sin Center, I'd want you to have that tonight. You could never lose it. It's so precious. You have peace with God. Just turn to Acts 5 please. Acts chapter 5.
Verse 30 The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom he slew and hanged on a tree.
Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince.
The Prince of sinners and a Savior, the Savior of sinners. To give repentance to Israel and to forgive sins. This is it.
Colossians 114 in whom we have redemption through his blood. The forgiveness of sins. Remember to the man of palsy, Jesus said Thy sins are forgiven thee. To that sinful woman, Jesus said Thy sins are forgiven thee. To those two debtors who had nothing to pay, he freely forgave them, and on the cross he said, Father forgive them.
Through this man, Jesus is preached under you the forgiveness of sins.
The forgiveness of sins. All you have to do is take it. The last verse. Revelations 22, take it.
Take it Revelations 22, verse 17. The Spirit and the Bride say, Come, let him that hearers they come, let him that the thirst come, And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely, let him take. An evangelist preaching the gospel was approached afterwards by a man who simply asked, Can you show me the way, please to Jesus?
Can you show me the way to Christ?
And the evangelist said, no, I cannot.
But Sir, you're an evangelist, he said. I know, but I cannot show you the way to Jesus Christ. How can that be? Because he is the way. He is the way. Christ himself is the way. All who simply believe in Him are on their way to heaven, justified from all sins. He's here, he said. He's here. All you have to do is take him, receive Him, and be on your way to heaven.
The Lord said I'm the door.
By me, if any man enter in, he shall be saved. I'm the way. No man cometh to the Father, but by me he's the gate.
The gate to glory in heaven through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins. I can't tell you the way to Christ, but I can tell you Christ is the way to heaven, and there's no other way.