Gospel—David So
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Well, good evening. I do know the clock shows a little bit before 7:00, but I thought we're all sitting down. It'd be good opportunity to use the time. Perhaps. Would he even squeeze by singing an extra hymn? So I see children here. So I like to start with a children's hymn first.
Hymn #46 in the back of the hymn sheet.
And 90 Short children's hymn Glad Hiding, Let's Sing 46 Galati Idi.
OT.
S you have to come to the right savings.
Let's look to the Lord for help. Blessed God and our.
Well, I like to sing one more hymn.
Hymn #26 Perhaps that's a long one. Perhaps we were saying the 1St, the 3rd, and the last verse.
There is light.
Say unto him who was now children to the dream.
We are here.
To grow up and like me to make it. They can't speak for God.
Oh my God, I'll be mad River from the Drake.
Blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah can't play.
Better in the life of life and I'm not alone I have a crush on the stage I find there is light that the smoke and for being then doubt not thy welcome since God.
Declare there remaineth no more to be done.
That ones in the end of the world he appeared and completed.
The work he begun, verse 5.
But take with.
And as follows.
Your grandson never can't sight.
00:05:29
Romans chapter one. Let's read just one verse there.
Perhaps 2 verses Romans chapter one, verse 16.
Oh, perhaps we'll start you into verse 15. So as much as in me is I am ready to preach the Gospel to you that are at Rome also.
For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God unto salvation.
To everyone that believeth, to the Jew 1St, and also to the Greek, for therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith as it is written.
That just shall live by faith.
What a wonderful privilege to preach the gospel of God's grace, I know.
Sometimes it's difficult to tell others and we shy from telling soul, but it is a wonderful message that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.
The other day.
Few days ago I took a couple of my grandkids to the museum in Toronto.
And they have this exhibit with dinosaurs. And I understand that a lot of young children, our other grandchildren here love dinosaurs. In fact, the little one that when you owe, he opened up the picture. And I understand you've probably heard it at your meeting here that partway through meeting, he opened up the picture. He went roar.
Not appropriate at meeting time, but that's what the little ones sometimes do.
We see things.
There are different thoughts when we see dinosaur. But you know, one of the thoughts that I liked is I heard it when I was much younger. Or perhaps I'll go backward with a background or to that story when we were in Idaho a few weeks ago. There are perhaps the western states, there are gas stations with a picture of a dinosaur and they have a name, Sinclair.
I'm sure you've seen that, right? You folks violate, you probably have the Sinclair gas station. Well, the thought that when I went out and saw that, the thought came and I remember that and perhaps Brother John Kenwood, correct me on that. I heard it from Brother Charles Hayhoe in his gospel. I used to really enjoy his gospel and he mentioned it one time. He said he walked up to the gas station.
And he said to the boy there who was ready to pump the gas, he said.
Young men who put the sin in Sinclair.
I go what a question. Who put the sin in Sinclair? I'm sure Mr. Sinclair did not look at his name from that standpoint. David's. Finally. You probably remember that story too, right? I don't remember the rest. I'm a terrible listener. I only remember bits and pieces.
That stuck with me. Who put this in?
So there are dinosaurs. The scripture actually speaks of that. It's not my thought to speak on that tonight. We have dinosaurs today. Crocodiles really is a form of dinosaur. I have a piece of rock here, the stone, which is not a rock, and you kids are welcome to look at it. There are fossils. Well, they're really tiny. It's not this exotic.
Rock fossil that are worth millions of dollars. These are just the.
Cheap stuff we pick up on the beach. Well, we do know that there were creatures from way, way back, that a form is evidence of that. But do we know that everything we see tells a gospel story?
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Everything we see if we pay attention. How many young people knew that, Mrs. Sinclair?
Have sinned in him.
Wait a minute now what about you? I.
Think I know most of you. I don't know of any Sinclair in this room.
I see John Kent, I see John Kemp. I see many Browns and clerks.
Many name no Sinclair's.
But.
Do you think?
Sin as I am.
Was put into your name.
Wait a minute, let's rephrase that.
It was put in you.
Do we know that?
Tells us in the book of Romans we go further, for all have sinned.
Now let me think now the word or ALL?
Who would be excluded in this room tonight if we use that reference all?
I don't think anyone is excluded. So the word of God set for all have sinned. Not only that and come short of the glory of God.
Oh, you're a reminder of seeing everywhere. Dinosaurs. They die. Why did they die? They're gone extinct. Or at least most of them.
What about you?
I think Brother David quoted out that it is appointed unto men.
Oh, that's you and I. It is appointed until man wants to die, but after this the judgment.
This is serious matter, isn't it? That's why this is the gospel meeting, a meeting of good tidings. Oh, wait a minute. I just said it was serious. How can there be good tidying? It was serious. Well, it also depending on how you take the gospel message. If you reject the gospel message, the serious is this. The wages of sin is death.
But the good news is the gift of God is eternal life through.
Jesus Christ our Lord.
As you share.
Perhaps a few stories in regard to dinosaur. I don't really know that much about dinosaur. In fact, the only name I can actually see is Pterodactyl. Short of that, I can't pronounce the rest of the type of dinosaurs. I see many moms here smiling because they teach the kids all that and they have to say those names, right? Many of you go. I know all those names.
Well, I don't, but they're gone.
We don't need to worry about that. But there is evidence of those dinosaurs that were once roamed this Earth. They're gone.
But what evidence will we look?
We have the word of God that tells us many things and then.
We want to go back to my early statement. We see things, but we don't think of it as gospel message.
So let me change the question, how many here can read write Chinese?
Come on, Not even one.
One you can. Oh, OK, then I can tell you almost anything. You wouldn't know if it's right or wrong. So you have to trust me by faith, I'm telling you a real story.
I'm looking out that way and I saw a door. Anyone see that with me?
You see the door? Well it would be nice if I projector, but it wouldn't matter if the Chinese character is interesting. It's a door a draw 2 lines like 2 doorposts and then there's a symbol of the sun as the sun and the moon. Two Suns attach to the doorpost. You may go hmm.
Why? Well, my interpretation to that is when I see a door, I'm reminded that it's very bright at the door.
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A gate? A door? Why was this so bright?
I think scripture said because of seeing Adam and Eve were chased out of the garden, what was put there to stop them from going back in? Do you remember the story?
Cherubim were flaming swords. Well, maybe the Chinese weren't very good with writing pictures, but as sure describe it, it was so bright as if there were two Suns or the brightness of two Suns at the door. So can you look at the door and you will say that, yeah, that was the wages of sin.
Can we not use that as a gospel message?
Because of man's disobedience to God's Word, we were kicked out of that garden, and that door is a reminder that we can't go back in. Terrible, isn't it? The Word of God tells us So what else?
Well, let me think now I'm going to use Chinese characters again.
How many have you seen a tower?
What's the tower is usually this tall structures right and they said you have I'm glad you have.
Some people say, well, the Chinese symbols are just pictures. So if you were to draw a tower, what would you draw?
A flat line. Now you probably go like this and say that's a tall tower.
What the Chinese letter is interesting, it's made-up of a number of symbols, is that one of the symbol was grass and dirt.
We'll come back to that in a minute. And then they said people one mouth.
That got me puzzled for a while. People had one mouth. Oh, people had one language.
OK, people have one language, grass and straw. I mean grass and dirt. Well, we have to go to the book of Exodus to find how Pharaoh said to them, don't give them any straws to make breaks. People were making breaks while they had one language tower. Is it not a testimony to the word of God?
That.
Men try to find a way to God, their own way. This afternoon we have the way of Cain.
This is similar, isn't it? It's God. It's OK. I want to go to heaven. I'll build a tower tall enough that we can just go in our own strength.
Symbols throughout.
You had lunch this afternoon. At least I hope you did. Some of you were too busy playing. Maybe you didn't have lunch, but I saw some bread on the table. Did you see that? You probably had some too, right?
Well, do we think of gospels story when we see bread?
What can you think of bread? Did someone say he's the bread of life?
We have one here who gives life. He sustains life.
Water you drink.
There are so many things that we don't even need to tell the story. Now let's go back to Romans chapter one.
Verse 19 because.
I'm sorry, I just lost a thought and it came back to me. I will hold your finger there. It was stunning to say about the dinosaurs. So people.
With knowledge, the smart people would take evidence and they come up with stories.
Well, there's something called carbon dating, they'll say. This rock is probably so many millions years old.
You heard that right, they can garbage this. Now I don't know much about physics or chemistry, but I do know there are no carbon in rock.
Zhinga carbon in wood, in trees, but they can still figure it out. Carbon dating. So a lot of stories are made-up. So I want to tell you a story and then we'll come back to that. There. I told someone that a few weeks ago some of us were a Keratin conference. You know, Keratin conference is interesting. It is right beside a man made lake.
00:20:18
Beautiful lake. And the reason one of the brothers discovered that years ago this would be, I'm thinking, wow, we've been going for 45 years, so this got to be 50-60. Seventy years ago, I don't know.
And a brother who worked for Natural Resources will call in because the cottages were complaining that that lake.
The fish in that lake is very few and far in between. So he came in to investigate.
And they do the scientific thing with natural catching. I don't understand all that. And because their conclusion to that is highly inefficient, that lake.
When this brother was done for, what I heard the story was to report at the very end was is that Cottagers need to learn how to fish.
But they did have a story. Now I'll tell you another one that was similar to me because brother David asked. Anyone caught a fish before? I didn't put my hand up because I sorta did, but I didn't. I'm not a Fisher. I was with a brother who fished. So he gave me his fishing rod. I went Lake Ontario. We couldn't see land. He said he dropped his line up 190 feet down in the water and we caught.
A salmon about this big now I gotta be careful. I used to what we because I really didn't do anything.
I pulled it up.
That was my right, yes, I suppose I can say I did. He told me. He told me that was my rod that he set up. So while he was bathing my rebating my rod, he gave me his and I go. Your rod feels funny. He said he caught the fish too. Another fish. We caught 2 Salmon this big, this big and my mind started to go as some of you know I like numbers and back then there was a four salmon limit. So I go, we caught two in 30 seconds.
We're going home in about 10 more minutes.
Well, I learned something. That whole leg had only two fish.
That was my theory because we spent the rest of the afternoon and we're caught nothing.
We had fancy computers. We have depth Finder, we have fish Finder. We see this and that. I learned there were no other fish in that lake. Isn't it interesting how we can come up with theories based on our own understanding? So now let's go back to Romans chapter one.
Verse Verse 19. Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has showed unto them, For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made.
Even his eternal power.
And God and Godhead. So with that they are without excuse, because that when they knew God, they glorify him not as God, neither we're thankful, but became vain in their own imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became.
Fools. Thus the natural heart of man that we think we think we're so smart.
That we leave God out. We think we are the master of this world. You know, some of us are getting older. I think Robert says something to to Dave said, yeah, we are. Well, I know what you mean. I'm there too, right? I'm thinking Montreal 1967. I know for some of you that was a long time ago.
1967 they had a thing called World Expo in Montreal.
And they had a theme. That theme for that Expo was.
Man in his world.
We as men declare that this is my world.
We don't want God. We can take care of everything. Can you imagine if you own a house and you left it empty for a while? Perhaps you've gone away and someone moved in without your permission.
And later on they say that's our house, not yours. Is that what we're doing? That God has put us here? We now see this is our world. We first of all, we don't believe there is a God. Science show that there is no God. That's the ignorance of man, that they would change everything.
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For their convenience. What are your conditions tonight, friend? Is that what you're thinking?
That you are your own master of your own doing. Let's go back to Genesis chapter one.
I'm going to approach the gospel from a slightly different side of things. We often tell you how terrible of a condition you're in, but tonight I want to tell you how much God loves you and that what he has done so that he can redeem you back to Himself.
I want to look at a creation because I think a brother on this end this afternoon. The pattern of things always the same that God used similar pattern for the things of old and it's very true. So we're seeing creation Genesis chapter one in the beginning, God. I think that's a very important statement. God created the heaven and the earth.
Period.
Stops there.
And then he said, And the earth was without form and void. It was empty.
You know, you say no, I've seen pictures from space. They take a picture of the Earth. It's beautiful. I see oceans. I see continents. Well, you can almost see people, I guess, depending on how good your eyes are. But he said the Earth originally was without form and void. As Mr. Darby will put it, the Earth was waste.
And empty.
What happened? We're not told. And a darkness was upon the face of the deep, and the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. So can you picture the conditions? Perhaps even this rock was there at that time when there was void, empty.
Nothing, or at least nothing was good and the whole earth was covered with water. You know, it's interesting. We often think about the earth was flooded. Well, it was flooded twice if we read it carefully. It was flooded in the very beginning, and then it was flooded again and Noah's time and then.
God in the form.
Of the other person, the spirit came. It's interesting, the spirit work on earth in a very early time, and the Spirit of God moved upon the phase of the water. And then God said, let there be light and there was light, and God saw that it was good. And God divided the light from the darkness.
Not my thought to go through the creation story but I was thinking.
This.
Seems so parallel to your life and my life.
What will we like?
Darkness.
We know that.
You were in darkness at one time. We learned that in the book of Ephesians. Alienated from the Commonwealth of Israel without God, without hope in this world. That was your condition and my condition. Oh, not only that. You were empty, without form and void.
Hopeless.
What would you be?
And then the Spirit came.
And then there was light. It's interesting that light comes first. And then when we go to the next chapter, we find that God took this pile of dust, dirt, and he breathed into his nostril. He became a living soul.
Isn't it interesting from darkness to the spirit through the light than there is life and this world was remade or this earth was remade because of that? Now just looking at time here, I know it's a shorter meeting so please bear with me. Let's go to Acts chapter one.
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You might say we don't normally turn to the book of Acts early portion for gospel.
Acts, chapter 2. My mistake. I alluded to that in some of the comments earlier. Acts chapter 2. And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place, and suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind.
Wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.
And they appear unto them cloven tongues, like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.
This is a strange gospel message.
Today, a Pentecost signifies that the believers those who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ.
Became part of the church, the Spirit of God Indwell in the church and in the believer.
But there was an action of this rushing mighty sound.
Now we won't have time to go into it. Some of you who have a Darby translation look and see what he said about this sound. It's like it's like a breathing noise.
The spirit as if it were breathed on the believer and.
Well, not that they weren't a living soul. Now they have a new life, a life that is Christ like.
They become different.
So that would explain why John chapter 3 when the Lord Nicodemus. Let's turn to John's Gospel chapter 3.
I know we know these portions, but I want to read it carefully with you. John chapter 3 verse 3 Jesus answer in southern to him, verily, verily I say unto you, except a man be born again, he cannot see the Kingdom of God.
Verse 5 Verily I say unto you, except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God. I know some would use the phrase that born again means you are saved. I don't believe scripture teach us that.
You need to have the light.
To see what the Kingdom of God is. We were ones in darkness. We don't see anything. What do you see in the dark?
You know, a few weeks ago, on our way home from Idaho, we stopped in, I can't remember where now. We had two grandchildren with us. We visited a cave.
When you go underground in caves.
And when they turn the lights out, you know what darkness is. I don't know how many of you have gone through some of these cave tours. You go in there, you turn the lights out just to show you how dark it is. Literally, you can put your fingers in front of your nose as you can see because it's total darkness. And then the tour guide was funny. She said, well, now that the lights is on, look.
Do I might over the ground? Oh, of course. The lady started to scream. But it was OK prior to that because they didn't know.
So when we're in darkness, you don't know how terrible things are around you.
In fact, I'll tell you another story on this. We, some of you have known that in Toronto we used to meet at a place called the Old Mill. That's why you see the address Old Mill. It's just a fancy hotel.
Convention Center, really nicely done up. The word they use is luxurious. The lights are dimmer, colors are nice and one day I always thought that was the light setting. One day they were doing maintenance.
I didn't know they can turn the light up a lot brighter and when the light was turned up nice and bright I see cobwebs all along the place. So it's good to dim the light sometimes, but when you're in darkness you don't see anything.
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How can a man be born again? He needs to see God through the Spirit of God. Give us that life that we're able to see.
And then through the Word and the Spirit were able to enter the Kingdom of God. Now we're going to be careful. Not saved. You know, let me change the example. I'm trying to think this is a Canadian conference. We have many Canadians here. You know, if you were to go to the US, you might say I got a port passport.
I have the right to enter into the United States. You do until you get to the border.
That you'll find out whether you can or can't to go in. That there are requirements still.
So the fact that you can see and now you know, through the Word and the Spirit you can enter into the Kingdom of God.
Then comes the other part. That's the gospel message.
We're still in John chapter 3. Let's just skip down to verse 14. It used an Old Testament example. There it tells us. And as Moses, remember the man Moses, the meekest man on earth.
As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, Even so.
Must the Son of Man be lifted up?
We use that gospel story often we sang that him there is life in a look at the crucify 1 Lok Lok and live that remind you of that story that they have to look at that serpent that was raised and by believing and taking that step of faith of looking.
They were saved from the from the wrath of God. So it reminded them that as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, Even so in this case, not the brass serpent, but the Son of man. And I see young people here just as a sideline. It's good to look up the Son of man. The Son of God will see differences in there, don't we? So the Son of man, the picture of the one who.
And reject it. The one who's going to come back and judge this world. He was lifted up just like the serpent of Oh, so that they can be saved. And then we can go on to the next verse.
Well known verse verse 16 for God.
So love the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever.
Believeth in him.
What happened?
Should not perish, but have everlasting life. I'm going to read that from the new translation. I think it's even more accurate there. That whosoever believe in him but have life eternal. Oh, it's precious. Because everlasting is something that will go on and on and on. Would you like to have this life that you have to go on and on, a life of sin?
Shame, that's not really everlasting life, but life eternal, a life that is like our Lord Jesus Christ, the life that is eternal. So believing that God has done the work, the work is done, what do you have to do?
Sometimes saying there is nothing to do, there is nothing to buy because the price has been paid.
It is the work of God, so if anyone hears things that I can do.
Whatever you think that statement would be, it would not earn you salvation. The work is complete. God wants us to believe. Believe just like you said here, because He has sent the Holy Spirit into this world already to pave that way. He wants you to be with Himself. The life eternal is even more. As I want to encourage one another, let's turn to Ephesians chapter one.
I know we are addressing most here in this room who are his, but it's nice to know this or I won't expound on this, but read it as an encouragement. Verse 2. Grace be to you and peace from our God and Father and from our Lord Jesus Christ. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who had blessed us.
00:40:17
With all spiritual blessings.
In heavenly places, in Christ, or in the heavenlies, according as He has chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love. You can read the rest of the chapter. God loves you. God wants you. He wants you to be His. He wants you to spend eternity.
Have a life.
That is like our Lord Jesus Christ. It's not because of what you can do, it's not because of what you're worthy of, but that it is God's love, God's grace towards you. That's why He's willing that none should perish, but all may come to the repentance.
Let's just sing.
A hymn in closing.
Hymn #27 Perhaps we'll just sing the 1St 3 verses of hymn #27.
My God, I have.
Is involved in saving your soul.
God the Father who loves you for God so loved the world, God the Son who's willing to be a willing victim to die for you and a spirit of God is helping along the way. Let's give thanks. Blessed God and our Father we.