Gospel—J. Hyland
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God loves the world of sinners lost and ruined by the fall. Salvation full at highest cost. He offers free to all Oculus love with wondrous love. The love of God to me to brought my Savior from above to die on Calvary hymn #14. Will someone please start it?
We ask God. I'd like to begin by reading a verse in the book of Ecclesiastes.
Psalms Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Chapter 3.
Ecclesiastes, chapter 3 and verse 13.
And also that every man should eat and drink and enjoy the good of all his labor. It is the gift of God. And then I'm going to read a verse in 2nd Corinthians 9.
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2nd Corinthians 9 and verse 15.
Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift.
Well, these might sound like 2 strange verses to connect at the beginning of a gospel meeting.
But I'd like to speak a little bit this evening of this expression, the gift of God.
Because I believe, as we will see, as we take up some scriptures that bring before us God's gift, I believe it will speak or I I trust it will speak to our hearts. You know, we were singing tonight of the love of God. And isn't it a thrill to our souls tonight to be able to lift up our hearts and our voices and sing of the love of God, to be able to proclaim in this sad, sin, sick world that there's a Savior in the glory?
That God so loved the world. The world that he gave his only begotten Son.
That whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life, say the heart of God tonight. That is allowing the good news of the gospel to go forth even in 1993. You know the ages have rolled on since the Lord Jesus was here in this world, and God is long-suffering to us. We're not willing that any should perish, and the very fact that the gospel is still going forth tonight.
And the very fact that we're here with God's word before us tonight is just the proof of the love and the grace that's in the heart of God. Man sometimes has a gross misconception of the heart of God. He thinks of God as a judge. He thinks of God as an angry God who delights in punishment. Well, it is true. God must judge because of his righteous character. And God indeed is holy and God is light. But all I'm thankful to God tonight is also a God of love.
That even though men have sinned, and even though you see today how full blown sin has become in this world, because sin is not only practiced tonight in this world, it's preached and glorified. It's encouraged. But all tonight, God's heart is a God is a heart of love, and the gospel is good news. You know, I don't often get an opportunity to read a newspaper, but I was staying in a home some time ago.
And there was a paper sitting on the table, and so I picked it up and I scanned the headlines of that paper on the front page.
And you know, there wasn't 1 positive headline on the front page of that newspaper. And I put it back on the table and I said to the man I was staying with. I said there's no good news in this newspaper and there's not much good news in this sad world tonight. And yet when we open God's word and we present a message of love, we present the good news that Christ is the savior of sinners. I marvel, I marvel that when a message like that is presented.
That man doesn't want it. You know, if man could just enter in in some measure tonight to the heart of God.
When a gospel meeting like this is called, rooms like this wouldn't be able to hold the people that would want to hear. If people only realize that God loves them, if they only realize how much he desires their blessings and their happiness both in this life and when we leave this world. I say if they only in some small measure could enter into the heart of God. When a meeting like this was called, a room like this would be packed. But sad to say, man doesn't enter into the heart of God.
He doesn't realize how much God loves him and all. Tonight I wish I could tell you how much God loves you.
But you know the love of God is past finding out it passed us all understanding, never mind telling. But if I as we take up these verses, my desire and my prayer is that if there's someone here and you're not saved, you haven't tasted of the love of God. My prayer tonight is that you will taste of that love. That the love of God will so touch and melt your heart tonight, that you'll come to the Savior, that you'll receive salvation.
Because that's the prayer of many in this room, and that's what they desire of the heart of God. You know, those who come to a gospel meeting who are lost in their sins, they do one of two things. They cause rejoicing in the heart of God and in heaven itself, or they cause grief and sadness to the heart of God. And if there's someone here and you're lost in your sins, if you come to the Savior tonight, there'll be joy in the presence of the angels of God.
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Over 1 Sinner that repenteth. But if you go out the door tonight and you're still lost in your sins, think of what that will mean to the heart of God. Well, as I say, I'd like to look at this little expression, the gift of God. And I read this verse here in Ecclesiastes because here was Solomon, the greatest king of his day.
And he recognized that for a man to eat and drink, and to enjoy the fruit of his labor.
It was the gift of God. He recognized that those temporal things, those mercies that he received and that man received were a gift from the hand of God. In fact, he repeats this statement just a couple of chapters later. And you know, as I read a verse like this, I think of man tonight in this world.
He enjoys all the benefits that God will allow him to have, all the mercy, and he has plenty in a land like this and the land of Canada, where I come from, plenty of mercies. Sometimes perhaps it may seem like there's a bad year on the land and so on, but man enjoys plenty of mercies in a land like this, and Solomon said that for a man to enjoy that which he had worked for, it was indeed the gift of God.
But, you know, there are so many in this world tonight, and they want all those things that God will give them. They want all those blessings, all those mercies, but they don't want the bluster. You know, I think of the prodigal son. He came to his father and he said, father, give me. Isn't that the heart of man? He's willing to take all that God will give him. But you know, the prodigal son, while he wanted what he felt was rightfully his, yet he didn't want the bluster. He didn't want the company of the father. He didn't want the father's house.
And so he takes what he feels is rightfully his, and he leaves the Father's house. He leaves the place of blessings. He goes away from the Father, and he goes, and he spends his living in what he thinks is a good time. Isn't that what man is doing tonight with the things that God has given him? He takes them, and he has a good time. He consumes them upon his lust. He enjoys to the full, because there are pleasures in sin for a season. There's pleasure for a little time.
But it really doesn't satisfy without the bluster, without God himself, without the Lord Jesus. This world is too small to fill the human heart. Only the one that made us can satisfy us. Only the Lord Jesus can fill and satisfy the heart. I think of that woman in the 4th of John. Let the Lord Jesus met there as he sat on the well. And that woman came and she was a Sinner and she came in to get that refreshment from that well that only refreshed her for a little time.
And then she had to come again and again and again, day after day and year after year, because that water that came from the earth, it only refreshed for a moment and then she needed more. And I've often thought as she came there from year to year, no deep no doubt she had to let down that bucket deeper and deeper and deeper to get that water that's satisfied for a little while. And isn't that the way it is? Within man tries one thing and it satisfies for a little while.
Then he has to try something else, and something else and something else but oh, if he would just turn to the Savior, he'd find satisfaction because the the Lord Jesus said to that woman that he would give her living water so that she would never thirst again. He told her that she he was the only one who could satisfy her belongings and the thirst of her soul. And so Solomon here he recognizes.
That those things that he had, those mercies from God, they were a gift of God. And we don't want to despise the many things God has given us in in a land like this. He's given us many things. But all I say how sad, how sad to leave God out.
Just like that rich man in Luke's gospel that the Lord Jesus told about he fared sumptuously every day he had the best.
But what about when he left this world? The time came when he had to leave it all behind all. He had nothing. He lifted up his eyes in a lost eternity because he had left God out. There was another man the Lord Jesus told about, and he had wonderful crops. He had much good laid up in story. So I'm going to tear down my barns and build greater to store all these wonderful things. What did God say about him? He said. Thou fool.
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This night, shall I soul be required of thee? You know, there is a solemn verse in the book of Amos. I believe it is. It says prepare to meet thy God. You know, I suppose we're always preparing for something. A child goes to public school to prepare them for high school. Then they go on to high school to prepare them for the workplace or for college. Then perhaps they go on to college to prepare them for a job. And then when someone gets a job, they set a little bit aside because they're thinking of the day when they will be able to retire and not work so hard.
And so we're always preparing for something. The boys and girls know that when they get up in the morning, they have to prepare for breakfast and prepare for school and so on. But oh, how sad. Man prepares for this life, but he doesn't prepare for the next. He doesn't look beyond this world and man says when he dies, it's all over. But you know the Lord Jesus told about those two men in Luke's gospel. And it's true, they both died. But he pulled aside the curtain.
And showed that there was something after this life, that when man drew that last breath, it was not all over. And so it's wonderful to be able to enjoy the mercies that God has given us in a land like this. But how solemn when man goes on, room for pleasure, room for business. But for Christ the crucified not a place that he can enter in the heart for which he died. Well, we have a wonderful verse here in 2nd Corinthians 9.
And here the Apostle Paul, who could refer to himself as the chief of sinners.
He bursts out at the end of this chapter and he says thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift. You know, I believe this verse contains a very wonderful message because I believe in this verse we find the greatest gift that was ever given to man, and that's the gift of God's Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. And Paul says there aren't words to describe this gift. It's unspeakable. And the Lord Jesus indeed has come.
Into this world he came, a babe in Bethlehem's Manger. He grew up rejected, hated, despised. They tried on several occasions to get rid of him. First of all, there was no room for him in the inn. Then you'll find that Herod decided he wanted to get rid of the Lord Jesus while he was a young child. Then you find on another occasion they came to take him, but his hour was not yet come. On another occasion they were going to cast him over the brow of some hill.
Pride our way within. Crucify and they say in their hearts, we will not have this man to reign over us. They deliver him unto Pilate, the Roman governor, who has him scourge he. They take him, and they lead him out to Calvary Cross.
And there that man, that God had created, and that had come forth from the hand of God, and been declared as very good.
That very preacher had fallen to such an extent that he was the very instrument that God used to nail his son to a Roman gibbet. And there the Lord Jesus on Calvary Cross, he bears the sin. He lays down his life. He sheds his precious blood. No wonder Paul bursts out at the end of this chapter and says thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift. You know I come from the town of Smiths falls ON.
And through that town runs the Rideau River. The Rideau River begins at the Saint Lawrence and flows through up through our area from Kingston through Smith Falls and on up to the nation's capital, Ottawa. And there it dumps over the Rideau Falls into the Ottawa River. And you know, in the winter, it being very cold up our way, that river freezes very deep. In fact, as it runs through the city of Ottawa, they.
Plow it off and it We boast of the longest skating rink in the world, about 7 miles long.
And you can skate therefore usually several weeks during the winter, but you know sometimes when the ice melts and the.
Begins to melt in the spring, we will often get warm rains.
And the snow melting and the ice sometimes freezes very thick, and so there can be quite a bit of water on top of that ice, perhaps two or three feet. And often it will cause flooding. And so they send out government workers in row boats to place dynamite at strategic points in that ice.
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And then they will move away quickly and activate that dynamite, blow up that ice so that the water will flow freely down that river and prevent flooding. And one time there was a man out in a boat, in a row boat, and he placed the dynamite where he was supposed to. And in his haste to move away from that scene, the boat tipped over. And you can imagine how frigid two or three feet of water would be on top of two or three feet of ice.
And so he realized he wasn't going to survive very long in those frigid waters.
And so he was able to scramble up on top of that capsized boat. Well, his flight wouldn't have been so bad, but at that point the water begins to run swiftly as he was not too far from the Rideau Falls. And so you can just picture the scene. A man crouched on top of an overturned rowboat, moving towards certain death. But some on the shore saw his flight and someone very quickly called the fire department and they knew that he had to pass under a bridge.
Just before he would go over the Rideau Falls. And so the fire department rushed to the scene, and as they saw that man coming down the river, they lowered a rope over that bridge so that that man could grasp that rope and be pulled to safety. And as that boat came close, they placed that rope so he there there would be no that he would pass right under it. They held it ever so tightly.
But to their dismay, he never made any effort to reach up and grasp that rope.
And as he went over the fall, he was heard to say, I'm frozen to the boat. His hands had become frozen to that boat because of the freezing waters on the on that overturned boat. And as that crowd turned away in dismay, someone was heard to say, if they'd only lowered a man, they could have saved him. He couldn't save himself. You know, man in his sins was lost and guilty.
And dead, impressed passes and sins, unable to save himself. But God has sent down a man.
Into this world, the Lord Jesus has come in obedience and love. The Lord Jesus has died, and if there's someone here tonight and you're still in your sins, you cannot rid yourself of one sin. All people would like to do anything to get rid of their sins if they feel it would give some credit to themselves. But there's nothing tonight that man can do to get rid of one stain of sin. But God has sent a man into this world, and the Lord Jesus has come and died, and now He's offering salvation.
Not on anything that I can do. I stand here tonight as a safe Sinner. My sins are washed away in the precious blood of Jesus. But it's nothing that I have done. It's because I rest on the work of the Lord Jesus on Calvary Cross. And if they'd only lowered a man on that rope.
He could have grabbed ahold of that other man and pulled him free and saved him. No, the Lord Jesus has come down to rescue.
You and I, because I mentioned that God has to judge because of sin.
But God never judges without doing two things. He always gives a warning, and he always makes a way of escape. And the way of escape is through the Lord Jesus. Tonight you see this principle brought out with God whenever he judged you. Remember the story of the flood. And God sent a deluge in Noah's day. But God, though he had to judge because of the wickedness of man's heart at that time he did those two things. He provided a way of escape through the ark.
And he gave a warning because Noah preached righteousness, I suppose, for 120 years.
And so there was number excuse. When that door was finally shut and the judgment began to fall in the form of a flood, there was number excuse because that door had stood open and all who went into the ark were safe, were safe. And there will be nobody in the lake of fire who will be able to blame God. There will be nobody who will be able to say that they have. They didn't have opportunity. You see it again in Jonah's day because.
God looked down on the city of Nineveh. He saw its wickedness. He said he was going to destroy that wicked city. But he did again. He did those two things. He sent his servant Jonah to proclaim that message, and Jonah cried. Yet 40 days and Nineveh shall be overthrown. There was a warning, and when the people repented, God didn't send the judgment at that time. But, you know, it's a solemn thing. If you turn over to the Book of Name, you'll find that about 100 and 2000 and 30 years later.
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The judgment finally did fall on Nineveh because when God says, judgment is going to fall.
God's word stands, and God has appointed a day in the which He will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom He hath ordained. He has stayed the judgment Yet another week, yet another day, yet another few hours. But as sure as we're sitting here tonight, the judgment will fall. You know there are people in this world who laugh. They scoff. When people speak of judgment, they say, where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep?
All things continue as they are, even until now, but all tonight, God has given a gift.
He's given his Son the Lord Jesus Christ, and it says in this was manifested the love of God toward us.
In that he sent his son to be the propitiation for our sins. You know, we had that verse for memory this summer.
At the Bible hour in Maine and New Brunswick. And the children learned that verse in each year of the 6th areas where we were privileged to hold children's and gospel meetings. And I wondered what that word manifested meant. And so I took the trouble to look it up in Websters dictionary and I thoroughly enjoyed what it said. It said the word manifest means to clearly show, you know, God has clearly shown to this world His love.
In the giving of his son, he leaves no doubt in the minds of this war, in the mind of this world as to his love, because he has given the greatest gift that has ever been given to man. You'll excuse a story that perhaps some have heard me tell, but I think of it in this connection. I was visiting with my wife and oldest daughter one time in St. Thomas ON and when I visit a city or an area.
That I have never visited before. I always like to know what that place is noted for because.
Every city in town has its claim to fame. I come from the town of Smith Falls and as you drive into Smith Falls we boast that we have the only Canadian Hershey plant. But I we were visiting in Saint Thomas and so I asked the folks we were staying with. I said what is St. Thomas ON noted for? Well, they said when we're out for a drive later, we'll show you. And they drove us by a square in that city and to my surprise there was a large life-size statue.
Of an elephant in the town square. Well, I thought it rather strange because usually when you drive through a city.
And they show you the town square. It has statues of famous people or people that have contributed to that community. But here was a large life-size statue of an elephant and there was a very interesting story connected with that with that elephant. Her name was Jumbo and she lived over 100 years ago. She was the largest elephant ever on record. She weighed almost 7 tons and she belonged to the Barnum and Bailey Circus. And the circus over 100 years ago came to St. Thomas ON. And in those days they traveled by train. And so the train yard was busy.
With the unloading of the equipment and the circus animals, and along with the other animals, they unloaded Jumbo and her baby calf.
Well, if you've ever seen an elephant at the zoo, you know that even a baby elephant is quite a size. And if that elephant decides to be stubborn, there's not much anybody can do about it. And this baby elephant decided that she wanted to be stubborn, and it's decided that it wanted to stand on one of the railway tracks in that busy train yard. Well, it wouldn't have been so bad, but there was a train speeding into the train yard on that very track, and you know, they couldn't move it. And God has given animals a very wonderful sense.
Mother elephant since the danger for her baby. And so she went up that track a little way and she stood on that railway track between that oncoming train and her baby elephant. And you can imagine the impact of a speeding freight train hit a seven ton elephant. And some hours later that mother elephant died. And you know that story touched my heart. And the next day when I was out, we were out visiting my wife and I I said I like to drive by that statue again.
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And I said, I'm going to make an unusual request. I'm not used to getting my picture taken with statues, but I said I'd like you to take my picture. And sometimes I get that picture out and I look at it because it reminds me of a far greater love than a mother elephant for her baby. It reminds me of the love of the Lord Jesus who died for me. Not when there was any response to the Lord Jesus who died for me, not when there was any response in my heart.
Not when there was any love towards him. In my heart there was, there was no doubt a response of love between that mother and her baby. That mother not only loved the baby, but no doubt the baby loved the mother. And the mother was willing to lay down her life for for her baby. But all the Lord Jesus died for me when I was a Sinner. While we were yet sinners, Christ died for the ungodly. I love that verse that says greater love hath no man than this than a man lay down his life for his friend.
I suppose that is the greatest display, the greatest expression of human love, that one would willingly die, one would willingly give up their life for their friend, for someone they love, and for someone who loves them. But oh, divine love goes beyond that. The Lord Jesus died for me not when I was his friend, but when I was his enemy. While we were yet sinners, well, there was enmity in our hearts. He came. And when God sent the Son to be the Savior of the world.
Did he know how man would treat the son? You know, there are many beautiful examples in the Old Testament.
Of the Father sending the Son. But you know, those examples always fall short. And it used to bother me a little. But I have learned to appreciate those shortcomings because to me they just magnify that of which they speak. They are pale, reflections, feeble foreshadows of the Father sending the Son. Let me give you just a couple of examples.
When Jacob sent Joseph to the camp of his to his brethren to see how they were doing.
Did Jacob have any idea on that occasion how they would treat Joseph? And when Joseph came, went in willing obedience, Did he know how his brethren were going to treat him and that he wouldn't see his father for years and years and years? You know, I wonder if Jacob had had any idea on that occasion that his son was going to be treated in that way and that he wouldn't see him until he was an old man. I wonder if Jacob would have been so willing to send Joseph on that occasion.
The son that he loved above all his other sons, if Joseph had had any idea what was going to take place.
That he would be taken, and that road that of many colors would be taken from him.
That he'd be put into a pit and then brought up and sold to the Ishmaelites and taken down into Egypt.
Had he had any inkling of what was going to happen that day, I don't think he would have been so willing to do his father's bidding. Just another example, when Jesse sent David to the camp of his brethren, I wonder if Jesse had any idea of what was going to transpire, how that David was going to go down in the valley with just a stone and a sling and a fight with the champion of the Philistines. I think if he'd known that on that occasion, he would have kept David home. But oh, they were just tail reflections.
Father sending the Lord Jesus into this world. And God the Father knew when the Lord Jesus was sent into this world, he knew what it would cost. He knew what the end of the pathway would be. The Lord Jesus knew what it would cost to do the Father's will. And yet he said, I came down from heaven not to do my own will, but the will of him that sent me. Where did that will lead him? It led him all the way to Calvary's cross.
Lord Jesus, know that when he said, Here am I send me. Indeed he did. And yet such was the love of God the Father, and such was the love of of the of the Lord Jesus the Son, that both were willing on that occasion, even though they knew what the end of the pathway would be. Again, thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift. I'm going to tell another little story, and you'll pardon me, but you know when I was going to school.
We studied British history, being Canadians, and we studied about David Livingstone.
But you know, when I studied about David Livingstone in school, I didn't realize that he was more than just a famous explorer.
For the British government, who explored much of Africa when little was known about that continent. But, you know, David Livingstone was far more than a famous explorer. He was a child of God, and so much did he love the Lord Jesus. And so much did he appreciate what God had done for him in giving his Son to die for him. That his desire was that he would go to that continent, and he would tell the natives there who had never heard of the love of the Lord Jesus.
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He would tell them the glad tidings of salvation, and so he went to that continent.
And he ran into many difficulties. And one time he and his wife and their child were staying in a village and preaching the gospel. And David Livingstone knew that down that river, just a short way, there was another tribe of Africans, And his desire was that they would hear the gospel as well. But he had been warned not to visit that tribe. He had been warned that they were a very savage tribe of natives. And he had been warned that if he went there he would probably forfeit his life.
But such was his love for those souls that he wanted to tell them of salvation. And so one day, against the pleadings of others, he and his wife and their baby got into a boat and started down that river. And as they neared the area where these natives lived, they were startled to hear blood curdling, screams and war, whoops of all sorts. And they could see figures running through the trees, waving us beers and so on.
And as they approached the land, they tried to make these natives see that they had come for their good, that they had come in peace. But they couldn't seem to convey that message to those on the shore. And so after every attempt had been made, David Livingstone, with much feeling, said to his wife. He said, give me the baby, and you can just imagine a man and his wife sitting in a boat, a savage tribe of natives on the shore.
And David says to his wife, Give me the baby. And after some hesitation she handed him their child. And he stepped out of that boat to wait ashore. And in his outstretched arms he held the trials toward those people. And they say the effect was amazing. Those men quieted down immediately because he held out that baby in his arms. It was the sign that he had come in love and come in peace.
All I say, God has given us that sign. He has clearly shown his heart of love.
In giving his Son the Lord Jesus Christ? Or are you going to have him tonight?
Is there someone here and you don't know Jesus as your savior. You know, a man went down one time into the depths of a coal mine to preach the gospel to the miners that were working down there. And they didn't seem very interested. And so he was preparing to leave that mind and he had to step onto an elevator to bring him up the shaft of that mine. And he said to the operator of the elevator, he said, what do you think of the gospel? All he said is too cheap.
Well, the man said to him, He said, how do I get out of this mine? Well, he said, you stand on this, get in this elevator and you'll go to the top. Always said that's too easy, That's too cheap. All the men said you wouldn't say that if you knew the cost to sink this shaft down into the mine. It was even life lost so that you can get on this elevator and ride safely to the top. All the evangelists said is just the same with the gospel. You say it's too cheap, but it costs God his son.
It cost the Lord Jesus his life. He was the merchant man who, when he found that treasure, he went and sold all that he had that he might purchase the treasure. He was the one who, when he had found one Pearl of great price, he went and sold all that he had so that he could purchase that Pearl for himself. He gave up everything. And what does he want in response? What does he want in return? He wants you, He wants me. He wants the response.
Of our heart. Well, thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gifts. And we're going to look at some other scriptures now that bring before us the gift of God in a little different way. But that which we look at now is all based, all founded on the works of the Lord Jesus. It's all based on this gift that was given by God, the greatest gift that was ever given, because there's no blessing apart from this gift. You know when man sinned in the garden of Eden.
Adam and Eve reached out in disobedience, and took that which they were forbidden to eat of God immediately announced that the woman's seed, which was the head of the serpent, because God had no other way of blessing apart from his Son. And God looked forward to the work of Calvary, and God blessed Adam and Eve in the garden. There it's true that death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned. It's true by one man's disobedience, sin entered, and death by sin.
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And it's true that God had to drive Adam and Eve out of that beautiful garden because of their sins. But He did bless them. He made them coats of skin. And how could he bless them on that occasion? Because he looked forward to the work of Calvary. And all blessing that has ever been shown to man, whether it was in the Old Testament or in the New Testament, or whether it's in 1993, is all based on the fact that the Lord Jesus has died and shed His precious blood. Let's turn over to Romans Chapter 6.
Romans chapter 6 and verse 23. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. And then I'm going to read a verse in Acts chapter 8.
Acts, chapter 8 and verse 20. But Peter said unto him.
Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money. And then I'm going to read one more verse back in Romans Chapter 11.
Romans Chapter 11 and verse 29 for the gifts and calling of God.
Are without repentance. Well, here we have another gift.
The gift of God, which is eternal life. Through Jesus Christ our Lord, God has given the gift of his Son.
And now because of that, and because the Lord Jesus has died, God is offering another gift to man tonight.
He's offering the gift of eternal life. You know, the boys and girls here understand what a gift is. They understand that when someone comes in on your birthday and presents you with a gift, you don't have to pay for that gift. All you have to do is reach out and accept it and say thank you. You know what gift does cost something? It costs mother and father something to get you a nice gift on your birthday. But you know they're glad to do it and they paid the price just as God.
Has paid the price. The Lord Jesus has paid the price and now that gift is offered free.
Because that is what marks a gift from a reward. I was trying to explain this one time to a group of boys and girls in a gospel tent up in Nova Scotia. And I was having a little bit of difficulty. And so I reached into my pocket and pulled out two coins. I put one in each hand and there was a little fella on the front row on one side. And I said to him, I said, would you like the coin in my hand? Well, he thought that would be very nice. And so I said, you come up and you try to open my hand and you can have the coin. Well, I let him work for a few minutes of that coin.
And when when I would, when he would open one finger as he was opening another, I would close the one he'd already opened.
And when I felt that he had worked hard enough for that coin, I opened my hand and I let him have it. There was a little girl sitting on the other side of the room, and I asked her if she'd like the coin in my other hand. And so she came up, and to her surprise, as she approached, I opened up my hands and let her take the coin. Well, there was a moment of hesitation. She reached out and took that coin and said thank you. And I tried to impress upon the boys and girls that that was the difference between a reward and a gift, and that what God was offering them eternal life.
And he was offering it as a free gift because the price has already been paid. But you know, if mother or father came in on your birthday and offered you a gift, how would they feel if you refused that gift after they had gone to some trouble and they knew it was something you had wanted for a long time, they'd be pretty disappointed if you said no thank you. I don't want it. And you say how foolish. And I know there isn't one person here, young or old, who would refuse a gift on an occasion like that.
But I'm afraid there are people that go out of gospel meetings like this, and they have had the gift of God, eternal life offered to them and they refused that gift. I say again, how does it make the heart of God feel tonight when he has provided the remedy for sin? When the Lord Jesus has died and shed his blood so that God can reach out in blessing to mankind and offer him the free gift of eternal life? How does God feel as men and women and young people?
00:45:25
And boys and girls go out of a hall like this and they say no to God's gift. You know, it is a solemn thing because when one enters a lost eternity, there's one thing that they that they have, they they retain. And that's their memory. You know, we spoke of those gifts that God has given us in a temporal way. And you know, those are all going to be left behind. Those things that Solomon said a man works for and enjoys because it says we came into this world with nothing. And it is sure.
That we can take nothing out. But there is one thing that man retains, because hell it says, it's a place where the worm dieth not and the fire is not quenched. And the Lord Jesus said, he that rejecteth me and receiveth not my word hath one that judges him the word which I have spoken the same shall judge him in the last day. Have you ever heard John 316 before? You probably have, and I quoted it at least once during this hour.
But you know how solemn to have brought to mind a verse like that in a lost eternity, and yet have it no longer applicable to you as to a point of refuge? How solemn to have that verse rise in judgment. And you will realize, as you remember a verse like that, and no doubt many others, that you had opportunity to be saved and all. How frustrating and a lost eternity to realize that there's no hope. You know, I think that must be one of the most awful things about hell is the fact that there's no hope.
Because if you're sick, or you're in pain, or you're in a bad situation, you can get through today. Because there's always hope that tomorrow things will be better. And so we get through that difficulty now, looking forward to the time when things will be better, but there'll be no such thing in a lost eternity. You know that man in Luke who wanted one drop of water to cool his tongue? He didn't ask to be released from that place because he realized that his doom was fixed.
That there was number opportunity to leave that place. All he wanted was released for a moment from the torment of that place in which he found himself. But oh God's desire tonight is that all men be saved and come to a knowledge of the truth. That's why the gospel is still going forth. That's why God is still offering the gift of God, which is eternal life. And Peter had to rebuke this man here in Acts because he thought that the gift of God could be bought.
You know, it is an insult to God when man tries to work for his salvation, when he feels that if he puts so much in a collection box from box from week to week, if he lives a certain kind of a good, what he would consider a good life, that that will merit him favor with God and that he will be able to get to heaven on that basis. You know that really is an insult to God. If someone brings a gift in and presents it to you, and you offer to pay for it, how would they feel? And yet I fear that's what people are doing. That's what this man here.
Enacts. He tried. He thought that he could obtain a blessing by something that he could do.
That he could buy. But Peter said to him, my money, perish with thee, because thou thought that the gift of God could be bought with money. And then we find 2. In this verse I read in Romans 11. The gifts and calling of God are without repentance. Or I believe the thought is here is irrevocable. You know, I'm thankful that tonight I stand here as the possessor of eternal life, and I am thankful that God having given given me that gift.
That gift is irrevocable. He will never take that gift from me. The gifts and calling of God are without repentance or irrevocable. You know, when my sister and I were children at home, we would have something that I would have, something that she would want, and she would have something that perhaps I would want. And so we would trade commodities. I would give her the book she wanted. She would give me the toy I wanted. But you know, in a day or two, we were sorry for having given that away.
And so we would want it back. And we used to have a name for that. But all God, when he gives you something, He never takes it back. If for eternity, why would it be called eternal life if it wasn't for eternity? It says, My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and I give unto them eternal life, and they shall never perish. No man can flush them out of my father's hands. No man can pluck them out of my hand. I am my Father, are one, and I stand here tonight as a possessor of eternal life.
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And thank God I will have that light forever and ever and ever.
I don't always enjoy it. Perhaps, perhaps I act in a way that's wayward. But all thank God. If the Lord Jesus were to come tonight and give that shout, everyone in this world who has put their trust in Jesus, whether they're enjoying it or not, will be snatched out of this world in a moment in the twinkling of an eye. And don't ever let anybody tell you that you can be the possessor of divine life one day and lose it the next. It's blasphemy.
It's against the teachings of the word of God. I say The gifts and calling of God are irrevocable and so secure tonight am I in Christ, having received that gift of eternal life, and finding myself securing him, so secure am I that if God were to refuse me now, he would have to refuse his own dear Son, who was ever His delight, and who glorified him as to the work of eternal redemption. And that is impossible.
That is impossible. He cannot refuse the Son who glorified him on the earth and finished the work that he gave him to do.
And that's the security in which I stand tonight. The gifts and calling of God are irrevocable. Let's turn over in closing to Ephesians Chapter 2.
Ephesians chapter 2 and verse 8. For by grace are ye saved through faith and that not of yourself. It is the gift of God. Well, every one of us who sit in this room this evening and are sheltered by the blood of Christ, every one of us who have received eternal life, it's only been through grace. Paul spoke of himself as the worst Sinner that ever lived, but he said the grace of God was exceeding abundance toward me.
Through faith and love, which is in Christ Jesus Christ, Jesus came into the world.
To save sinners of whom I am chief. He recognized that it was only the wonderful grace of God that had reached out to us, to him in his needs. And every one of us who are saved here tonight is only the grace of God because we didn't deserve it. I didn't deserve to be saved. But oh, God's grace reaches out to the Sinner. They marveled when the Lord Jesus was here. They said this man receiveth sinners and eateth with them. You know, the enemy sometimes said very wonderful things about the Lord Jesus.
They set them in derision. But the statements themselves are wonderful, and I'm glad that even though they made that statement in derision, it was true. He did receive sinners and eat with them, it says on another occasion, then drew near all the sinners and publicans for to hear, for to hear them. They marveled on another occasion that he went to eat with a man who was a publican. But oh, that's the grace and love that's in the heart of the Lord Jesus that seeks our blessings, seeks the blessing of sinners.
Four times and for eternity. But here we have another gift in this verse. And I believe what he's bringing before us here is that faith is a gift. You know, sometimes at the end of a gospel meeting, people say, well, I find it hard to believe that as the Gospels presented, perhaps they would be more honest if they said I find it hard to believe God. You know, if we find it hard to believe God, he's willing to give us the faith to believe It's a gift, but he's willing to give that faith. And maybe there's someone here and you say, I find it hard to believe.
That a Sinner can come and through simple faith in the Lord Jesus receive salvation.
Just like that, Philippian jailer believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved and he believed, rejoicing with all his health.
You say? I find it hard to believe that a Sinner can be brought into blessing. That simple. But all the God is willing to give the faith tonight. It's that we sang this morning. Phase two that trusts the blood through grave. By that same love we gained else sweetly as it suits our case, the gifts had been in vain. God has not only given the gift of his son, Not only has the blood the remedy been shed, but now He gives the faith so that we can lay hold.
On eternal life, all come tonight. Take God at His Word if you haven't already.
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His desire is for your blessing, you say. I can't believe it. God will give you the faith. Look to him tonight and let's remember that God has given us many gifts. His heart is such a man that he pours out his blessings upon mankind. It says the rain falls on the just.
And the unjust he gives us many temporal mercy, mercy, as Solomon said, For a man to eat and drink and enjoy the fruit of his labor, it is the gift of God. But remember, there's been a greater gift given to man, that unspeakable gift of the Lord Jesus Christ. And as a result of that, God is offering another gift tonight, the gift of God, which is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord and all that gift when he bestows it upon you, that gift is for all eternity and all tonight He He is offering not only salvation.
But He's offering the faith to believe. Oh come, because there may not be another opportunity. The gospel may not go forth again. The Lord Jesus is coming. The door is going to be closed. And how solemn for those who have heard, when they come in a future day. And they are on the outside of the door, and they knock and say, Lord, Lord, open unto us, but that door is never opened again. And those words come back in their in their ear to ring in their ears for all eternity.
Me, I never knew you. Oh, don't wait to hear those words. Hear the words tonight. Come unto me all ye that labor, and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Jesus stood on that last day, that great day of the feast, and pride if any man thirst.
Let him come unto me and drink. I wish tonight I could save your soul, but I can't do it. Only the Lord can save a soul and all. If there's someone here and you want to be saved tonight, don't put it off. Because as surely as I pray and say Amen, Satan is going to interject every kind of distraction and every kind of thought to take your mind off what has been spoken of from God's word Tonight all come as we pray, receive Jesus as Savior.
It's as simple as that. If you come tonight, you'll receive eternal life and you'll be happy here in this world and for all eternity. Shall we pray.