Gospel—C. O'Brien
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.
Into the Gospel meeting.
Before we stand and sing.
I'd like to read a verse in the Book of Haggai, chapter 2 and verse 8.
The the silver is mine.
And the gold is mine saith.
The Lord of Hosts.
Let's open our M sheets tonight and could we stand and sing?
Hymn #31 please.
I.
Sing my heart.
Make it take me there.
Please open the Word of God tonight to Acts chapter 15 and verse 18. I'd like to begin with.
The thought from the book of Acts.
Acts 15 and verse 18.
Known unto God.
Are all his works.
From the beginning of the world.
A short few years ago.
My work took me to a little town in on the coast of Oregon, Seaside, OR to represent my company there.
Then after work at the end of the day, I got on my bicycle and just rode along the seawall.
And I came across a grave right on the beach. Unusual.
Little few logs around it, little plaque there.
And this is what it said on the epitaph, it said washed ashore.
April 23rd.
1905.
Known only to God.
Apparently that body had washed ashore.
And the town's folk had recovered it. No ID.
No evidence of where that body had come from.
Or where it had gone, where the soul had gone. I stood there arrested.
And I wondered, where is the soul tonight?
It was in the evening and I just I lingered there wondering.
Known unto God alone.
You know tonight, dear friend, it's my joy and privilege to assure you that there's one who knows you.
Intimately, He knows you through and through.
For he formed you.
If we turn to the Book of Jeremiah in the first chapter, we'll find that.
Before we were formed in our mother's womb, He knew us.
God Almighty knows you and it's our joy and further privilege tonight to assure you that God Almighty has an interest in your never dying soul and He has a purpose, a divine purpose to bring you tonight into blessing and relationship with Himself. I know of no sweeter message. I know of no better news to share.
00:05:10
Then there's a very God, the creator of the universe.
Has a personal interest in you tonight and your soul.
He loves you so much.
That before you were ever formed.
He had his eye upon you.
And looking down through the edges, he saw that you would have a need.
And he decided long ago to meet that need fully.
Now there's a lot of noise in this world tonight.
And it's my prayer that we would get quiet before God.
And listen to some of his questions. I believe he has questions for us tonight.
You know, there's a lot of questions in this world, but let me assure you based on.
This wonderful book.
All the answers are with God.
Our beloved brother reminded us how God had a question for Jacob on a personal basis. He said Jacob, what is your name?
And we know that God knew what Jacob's name was. He knew what he was.
Before he asked him. But you know tonight God wants to hear from you.
What's your name is before him in his presence?
It's fine to read about Jacob.
But I barely believe tonight. God has a question for you.
He has several questions.
Tonight I would like to look at a few of them.
The help of the Spirit of God.
And I'd like to assure you as we look at these questions that the answers are found with God.
Let's turn in our Bibles to Genesis 3.
I'll read a few verses now. The serpent was more subtle verse one than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made.
And he said unto the woman, Ye hath, God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden. And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden, but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, You shall not eat of it, neither shall you touch it, lest you die. And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die, For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes.
And a tree to be desired to make one wise she took up the fruit thereof.
And did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her, and he did eat.
And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked, and they sewed fig leaves together.
And made themselves aprons.
And they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day.
And Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God amongst the trees of the guard.
And the Lord God called unto Adam, and said unto him.
Where art thou?
Here is our first question tonight.
I believe that God would address your soul in all honesty.
And say, where are you tonight?
You know there's a place spoken of in Ephesians chapter 2, and let's turn briefly over to Ephesians chapter 2.
And I sincerely hope that you are not in this place.
But I fear there are those here that are.
Ephesians 2 and verse 12.
And I'd like to read the last part of the verse emphasizing the last part, that at that time you were without Christ.
Being aliens from the Commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise.
And here's the place I hope that you are not found tonight.
00:10:01
Having no hope.
And without God.
In this world.
That is not a good place to be tonight, dear friend.
Do not have any hope beyond this poor few days that we spend on this earth.
I would challenge you tonight. Do you have a hope that goes beyond your death? You know death is not the final step.
It's the final awakening.
You will be brought.
Directly into the presence of God.
And he will have a question for you. What have you done with my provision for you?
I gave my beloved Son on the cross to bear your sins.
What did you do with him?
Tonight, you could have a hope.
Oh, there's nothing like hope. I have hope tonight. I have the Lord Jesus Christ as my Savior. I stand sheltered under the precious blood of Christ, which is washed away every one of my sins. God knows them all.
And he gave his only begotten Son as my substitute.
On the cross to bear.
The punishment, the just punishment for everyone of my sins.
Tonight I can say I have a hope.
Do you have a hope tonight?
Where are you?
God asks you, where are you tonight?
He knows where you are, but lovingly he says, Come unto me, all ye that labor, and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Him that cometh to me.
You don't need to worry about being turned away.
I've been turned away at times.
But I came to the Lord Jesus and he didn't turn me away, and he won't turn you away tonight.
Where are you? Do you have a hope? Are you without God tonight?
How sobering to be in this world without God.
Without a friend that will never leave you, her forsake you. You may have friends, but dear ones, you better look at them good because they're going to be gone eventually.
The normal course of life, sin has worked in this world, and the wages of sin is death.
And in the normal course, everyone of your friends.
Will either follow or proceed you in death.
Oh, tonight God says I have a friend for you.
I have a Savior for you, the Lord Jesus Christ, my beloved Son.
I have the delight of heaven for you. I have the best that heaven has to give for you.
Are you without God tonight?
You know, every single one of us has tasted pain and suffering.
But all there's nothing like having God.
I couldn't stand the pain if everyone of you were to tell me.
The suffering in your life, I probably couldn't handle it.
I've had a little suffering, but oh what a wonderful thing I have got.
Do you have God tonight?
Are you in this world?
Of course you're in this world, but I mean under the dominion of Satan.
Tonight, it's not a good place to be.
It's heartbreaking to see souls.
Driven.
By sin.
Enslaved by the shackles of sin and the scars occurring.
Sin has a terrible price.
We're going to note that God doesn't under emphasize the cost of sin tonight. He knows it better than any.
Men make a mock at SIN. They advertise it, it's on billboards, they talk a lot about it.
They try to minimize the impact, but you know there's no minimizing with God.
00:15:00
It cost him.
His only begotten Son, the delight of his heart.
Your sin, my sin.
Are you in this world under the dominion of Satan?
Shackled by him, driven, unhappy, no peace.
No hope.
Without God in this world? Is that you? Is that where you're at?
Oh, tonight there's a sweet invitation.
To see the Lord Jesus Christ on the cross bearing your sin.
Your substitute.
Paying the price that you could not pay and that no one else would pay for you.
No one could pay that debt.
But the Lord Jesus and He did.
Where are you tonight? Where art thou?
Let's turn back to Genesis.
Verse 10 And I he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked and hid myself. And here's our second question.
Who told thee that thou was naked?
I'd like to ask you tonight, what voice have you been listening to?
Are you listening to your conscience?
Is there any question in your mind that you're a Sinner tonight in need of a Savior?
Before God, in the presence of God, would you say I'm not a Sinner?
God is asking you tonight, who are you listening to?
He asked Adam. Who told you?
But the question tonight is, who are you listening to tonight? Don't.
Listen to anything, anyone but God.
It's only in this precious book that we find out who we are.
And we find out the heart of God. It's only here.
This is the divine.
Perfect Holy Word of God, the only reliable source tonight to listen to.
What a delight to have have it in our hands and to be able to open it up and hear God's Word.
Who are you listening to tonight? Oh, listen to the Spirit of God as He strives with your soul. This might be it. God speaketh once, yet twice. This might be the last time I met a man one time.
Who I really believe wanted to accept Christ.
And he just couldn't.
And I had a sense in my heart.
It was too late. Hardened by sin, his life showed it.
He'd gone on for days and months.
In the path of rejecting God and His love.
And there was an afternoon when I sensed I could see it in his eyes. A desire.
To be free and to be saved and to have God.
And to be out of this, out of the dominion of Satan.
And I was chilled to the bone.
Tilled to the core.
Because in spite of what I saw in his eyes, he couldn't. He couldn't say the words. He could not.
Oh, I implore you tonight, listen to God.
Hear his questions and answer them yourself. Don't answer them to me.
In the presence of God, answer this question.
Who are you listening to?
A little further on in the verse is our third question. Hast thou eaten of the tree?
I'd like to suggest that God was asking, have you disobeyed?
I have to raise my hand. You're looking at a disobedient person.
I am so disobeyed.
The beginning of blessing tonight, the goodness of God will lead you to own that you are a Sinner.
In need of the Lord Jesus Christ? That's where the goodness of God leads.
00:20:02
It leads to repentance and it relates to repentance towards God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. That's where God's goodness is going to take you.
Right into the presence of God, where you own you're a Sinner.
Have you disobeyed?
Lord, I've disobeyed. I'm so disobeyed. I so need the Lord Jesus Christ. I so need the shelter of His precious blood to put away my sins. I am so guilty before Thee.
Lord, be merciful to me.
The Sinner.
How are you going to answer this question? Have you disobeyed?
Verse 13 And the Lord God said unto the woman.
Here's our 4th question. What is this?
That thou hast done. You know what it was. It was sin, but not only was it sin, it was iniquity because.
God had been clear.
In what he had requested them to do, what he had told them to do.
And not only had Eve disobeyed.
But she willfully disobeyed.
Now God is going to ask you a little deeper.
What is this that you have done? You know David had it right.
His confession before God was before thee, O God, if I sinned and done this evil. And that's where you and I need to come tonight.
Before thee, O God.
Oh dear Wynn, tonight the blessing, the joy, the peace that can be yours tonight by answering this question to God is unbounded.
You will find a friend, you will find the Lord Jesus Christ to be not only your substitute and your Savior, but your friend and your guide, your counselor, all that you need for eternity.
Will you answer this question tonight to God?
What is this?
Have you ignored the word of God? Have you been disobedient? Have you been willful? You.
I have.
I'd like to turn over to the next chapter for another question.
Verse 9.
The Lord said unto Cain.
Where is thy brother? Where is Abel thy brother?
I wonder tonight if God by his Spirit would address your conscience and say.
Where is your brother? You know Joseph's brother. And when they returned home, they said the man asked us if we had a a brother and if we had a father.
You know something?
We are just so guilty.
Our sin has affected other people.
I have let you down by my sin. I have not.
Loved you as I should.
And as God asked me about my brother, I have to hang my head.
Is there any question tonight?
About where you are before God. About your performance.
As a person, God's word has made it so clear all have sinned.
And come short. Have we ever come short? Oh my.
The wages of sin is death, but tonight the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Oh my.
How are you going to answer God's questions tonight?
Will you by faith say, O Lord Jesus, I'm verily guilty, but I come?
I come, I want you to be my savior.
I want to turn over to the New Testament for another question. Just two more.
Matthew, Chapter 2.
And verse 2.
00:25:06
Just a phrase there. It was a question asked by the MAGI.
Where is he?
Tonight I believe that the Lord that God would address your heart and say.
Where is the Lord Jesus in your life?
Is he on the throne of your heart? Have you enthroned him?
Where is the a note in your planner?
Where is he?
Where is He? Does He dwell by faith in your heart?
I believe God would ask you that tonight.
Where is he?
Oh, how wonderful to say he reigns and.
My heart, He's my precious savior.
He fills my heart. He fills my life. He fills my soul.
What is your answer tonight to that question?
Where is he?
One more question first. Peter 4.
In verse 17.
For the time is come that judgment must begin at the House of God.
And if it first began at us?
What shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?
I rarely believe that God would ask you tonight what is your end going to be? You know He knows.
All he knows what your end is going to be, but he wants to hear from you.
Death is not the final step, it's the final awakening.
Are you going to pass out of this world?
Eternally ruined.
You know in First Corinthians 15 it says if Christ be not raised.
You are yet in your sins.
Tonight are you yet in your sins?
Are you going to face a thrice holy God?
Are you going to awaken to the knowledge that you had opportunity?
You scorn the love of Christ.
You trampled.
On his blood, you ignored that wonderful cross.
What is your end going to be?
Till God.
Tell God.
Oh, how precious to say.
I'm washed in the blood of thy beloved son.
I'm adopted into the family of God. I'm saved.
You can do that tonight. Oh, how wonderful.
I'd like to look at four people real quickly.
Two of them dressed up as Pharisees, 4 sinners.
And I'd like you to consider in your mind how they answered these questions.
I truly believe we all have to answer these questions.
But the Word of God is faithfully given us examples of both sides.
Of someone who ignored the questions of God.
And of some who answer them with God's answer.
Tonight you don't have any answers.
Apart from God in his word. But oh how blessed we have the word of God.
So let's look in the Gospel of Luke.
Chapter 18 and two sinners.
And one of them is togged out as a Pharisee. He's looking.
By this world standards.
Somewhat impressive.
00:30:01
Verse 10.
Two men went up into the temple to pray, the 1A Pharisee and the other Republican. The Pharisee stood.
And prayed thus with himself God.
I thank thee that I'm not. I am not as other men are extortioners, unjust adulterers, or even as this public. And I fast twice in the week, and I give tithe of all that I possess.
This man is not listening.
This man is so occupied that he's missing.
And he's got all the wrong answers.
Verse 13 in the public and standing afar off.
Let's stop for a minute. He knew where he was.
He knew he was estranged from God. He knew he was a Sinner.
He knew he had.
Sins and iniquities. Not just sins, but iniquities. He had it all and he knew it.
He knew he'd failed others.
It failed and his responsibility and in his accountability to God was a failure and he knew it.
You smoke right here.
Here's the guilt right here.
He knew where it was, it was in his heart, and he owned it before God. And tonight.
Here's a good answer. He says. God be merciful.
Oh, what a good answer.
It's the key that will open unspeakable blessings in your life.
Oh, the liberty and joy and peace of sins forgiven.
A clear conscience. The sunshine of God's love.
No longer under the dominion and power of Satan.
Oh my, you had the right answer.
God be merciful to me.
A Sinner.
I'd like to turn back to Luke 7.
For another.
Two people again, one dressed up as a Pharisee.
Verse 36 And one of the Pharisees desired him, that he would eat with him.
And he went into the Pharisee's house, and sat down to me, and behold.
A woman in the city.
Oh dear friend, this dear lady had been questioned by God.
I verily believe that God had questioned me.
And she knew she was a Sinner.
And she owned it.
No question.
Before God, she was repented.
The goodness of God had LED her.
To repentance.
When she knew that Jesus sat at me.
In the Pharisee's house. Oh I love this.
She knew something of the Lord Jesus Christ. She knew that He was accessible to sinners.
She knew that she could go to him and would not be turned away.
Now she had to look past the people at the door.
So you had to look past the Pharisees.
But all her eyes were on that one who loved.
And was on his way to a cross for her.
And she left nothing.
Stop her from going to him.
Oh, do I miss this precious.
You know Ruth in the Old Testament answered the questions rightly.
She said to Naomi, don't even think of asking me to go home.
Because I want.
To know the only true God I'm paraphrasing.
He realized.
Her only hope?
Was in God.
They're only true God.
And so there was a purpose with her. She would not be turned aside. This lady would not be turned aside. How about you tonight? What are you going to lay?
00:35:01
Come between you and the Lord Jesus Christ tonight.
Are you going to learn something?
The thoughts of others. Maybe somebody dressed up like a Pharisee.
How are you going to answer the questions of God tonight?
You know, this lady answered. She went.
May I encourage you tonight to go to him?
Right where you are.
You know, there's no age limit. I have a little friend that might have been here tonight, but he's at home in the glory. His name is Braden Clawson.
I was remodeling his bedroom.
And I got to know and love him in a wonderful way.
But little Brayden was nine years old.
And we have the right answers.
He was happy.
He knew the Lord as his Savior.
There's a lot of children here tonight.
Braden didn't know that on Thanksgiving.
This little spirit would be separated from his body.
I'll never forget.
Out in the field.
My dear child.
You can have Brandon's God.
You can have Braden's savior for you in October, Young.
He's standing with his arms outstretched. I noticed that in Luke 24. He said, Behold my hands. If the Lord Jesus were here tonight, he wouldn't have to say a word.
He could hold out his hands and show you that your name is graven in his palms. He loved you enough to stretch out those hands on a cross and allow nails to be driven into them.
He could have called 10,000 angels or legions.
What do you have to say anything tonight to draw out your heart?
You know where this lady went in our chapter. She went to his feast.
She knew that those feet were walking steadily to a cross for her.
That she loved those kids, and she did.
She knew in her heart and soul that he was going.
To bear her sins.
Do that Jesus sat up, meet in the Pharisees house, brought an alabaster box of women and stood at his feet behind him.
And began to wash his feet with tears and did wipe them with the ears of her head. Kissed his feet.
And anointed them.
You know, it's hard to even talk about the Pharisees because he missed the boat.
He didn't have the right answers.
He wasn't listening.
But all the grace of God that would plead with him one more time, said Pharisee.
You don't seem to love me.
All these questions, dear friend, do you love him?
Do you see him as your only savior?
There's no other way, no other name whereby you can be saved tonight.
Satan has turned up the volume. He wants to drown out the questions of God.
We'd like to distract you and turn your thoughts to anything and everything.
But the love of God.
The steer woman.
The end of what was her aim? What was the end in her life?
The Lord Jesus himself said to her, Thy faith will save thee. Go.
So you could say at the end of her life.
He told me he did.
He is my peace.
What is urine going to be tonight?
00:40:00
You're going to be peace.
You're gonna be.
Is it going to be heaven itself and all that? Christ is one.
You there with him?
How are you going to answer these questions?
Who have you listened to?
Have you disobeyed?
What is this that you've done?
What about your brother?
Where is he in your life?
What were you doing?
Only you can answer these questions.
But may I encourage you to answer them?
Gym #12 please.
Please don't miss him unless you need him.
Just Dance.