Gospel—Dwight Dods
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I wonder if we could open the meeting this afternoon.
Singing #25.
I thought to sing another hymn, but you know, after the last couple of meetings.
Hello, Emma S at the Lord's return. It's so near.
I can't help but give this name out once more.
We'll just sing the first verse and the third verse to save time. It says life at best is very brief.
Like the falling of a leaf.
Like the binding of a sheath.
Be in time.
Fleeting days are telling fast that the dye will soon be cast.
And the fatal wine be passed be in time #25 the first and third verse.
Wow, that's why I'm jealous. I'm calling from European time.
1110 years on your way, you're looking fine. Don't go and get it and you're driving up to like anything.
Umm, acknowledgement of someone.
Living in arms of genius was followed by him.
Oh my God, in your mouth dot com there is a very big problem.
2:00 PM Umm, And then you're lost in your way. You're going to make mine so long precisely, and you're crying in touch together.
In on.
This little hymn gives a sense of urgency.
Salvation is offered at this moment.
God tells us and now is accepted time. Now is the day of salvation.
Someone mentioned I believe it's this morning.
Lord might come before the end of the meeting.
And so we cannot promise you even another 45 minutes.
Ere the Lord gives that shout, and all his own are taken.
And if there should be one in the room?
Was not ready.
No child comes. You'll be left behind.
It would just look to the Lord for self and blessed.
Our loving God and Father.
We do come before the beginning of this solemn hour.
We have just sung this little hymn.
Urgings to be in time.
Ere the fatal lines.
We thank you.
For that marvelous plan of salvation.
That was purpose in the past eternity.
How that could bring honor and glory to our Lord Jesus Christ and blessing.
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To center.
And we signed these this afternoon.
An offer of salvation has now gone forth.
For more than 2000 years.
We know that offer will soon end.
Thou art not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
But we do know.
That he cometh, the Lord draweth nigh. And we've had pressed upon us this day, uh, near Lord Jesus, thy return is.
And so we're solemnized if we look into the faces of some here.
Boys and girls, young people, perhaps older ones who may not still know the Lord Jesus as Savior, we do pray this afternoon.
They may not leave this room.
Air that fatal line be crossed.
We seek Thy blessing and help this afternoon, for we ask it in the precious and worthy name of our Lord Jesus Christ, Amen.
The Apostle Paul.
Tells his word that he'd sooner speak 5 words that could be understood.
In 10,000 words.
That couldn't be understood.
And this afternoon I'd just like to read 5 words.
I want to read just one phrase.
In God's Word, it's one that the boys and girls hear.
I'm sure could repeat by memory. It is one of the first verses that often young boys and girls learn in Sunday school. Those little stickers that they put on cards. I remember them well. Children come to the Sunday school and very young we look to find short verses so you could memorize.
And this is one.
Let's turn to Amos.
Chapter 4.
10 verse 12.
I just want to read.
The middle part.
Towards the end of that verse.
Prepare to meet thy God.
You know this verse has been repeated so often in Sunday school.
I wonder whether we find the impact it ought to have.
When you stop to consider this verse and how much is in this little verse.
This afternoon and this morning we had it.
Several times the word prepare.
That which has been prepared for us.
How cross of Christ?
Has prepared a means for with God can bless.
The center.
We had that. The Lord Jesus, when he went to heaven, prepared a home for us.
But here, in God's Word, he's speaking to us.
And again we have this word prepare.
I think the boys and girls, certainly the young people here, would understand what that little word means. Prepare.
It means that something is not ready and it needs to be made ready for some occasion.
We gotta prepare for it.
So God has said there's something that you have to do.
I was thinking now of man's responsibility.
It was mentioned that our salvation is God's souvenir, but was also mentioned that this man has responsibility.
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Get ready to meet.
Thy God.
Today we've had very much and much we enjoyed.
But meeting the Lord Jesus, our God.
The hope of the Lord's return gives many in this room to rejoice.
So the thought, we're just speaking to our brother after the meeting and he said what will it be?
We can't enter into what's ahead for us.
The Lord's coming.
But you know, as I sat there and we listened and enjoyed that thought of the Lord's coming.
I thought of some props in this very room.
That wouldn't bring joy to their hearts.
Prestige younger boy, A younger girl who has grown up in a Christian home. I did.
I sat in meetings such as this.
I wasn't prepared to meet God.
And if the Lord Jesus had come?
During that those years.
I'd have been left behind.
So it may be this is a boy or a girl in this room in such a condition.
Did I know? Had I heard the way of salvation? Yes.
Put it off.
Put it off.
Put it off.
I remember well sitting in a gospel mean.
Understand. I'll get saved when I get home.
Get home, go to bed.
Get up, go again.
I knew if the Lord came.
I would be lost.
I wasn't prepared.
Let me go on.
You know.
Can we enter into this even what a terrible thought would be to be left behind, and the Lord comes.
I remember her brother Albert. Hey ho.
Give me another account of one of his trips to a foreign land.
And he said he had prepared all his papers, as far as he knew, that everything was in good shape. And I want to say tonight or this afternoon to anyone in this room.
Who is not absolutely sure from God's Word that you are prepared?
To meet God, don't leave.
If it's just your own thoughts, because we know that the way.
Of man only leads to death, there's a way that Seamus right under man to put the ways they're off are the ways of death.
And you may consider that you have everything.
In order.
You've lived a good life.
You have belonged to some religious organization, or perhaps you just came to the meetings and you said I have always come to the meetings.
What you're basing your preparation on.
Well, our brother Albert told us that he was over in some foreign country, I believe with his wife.
Perhaps even one of the children.
Heather ready to leave that country. I forgot which one it was.
And as they came to the airport, immigration immigration officers went through the various papers they had.
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And for his wife and the other passenger believes with him.
You can board.
But they kept going over one of Albert's papers and finally said we have a problem, there's something not in order.
You will not be on the board. You will not be able to leave.
Well, our brother tried to explain that everything he understood, he did everything as as he thought.
But it didn't meet the requirements of that country to leave.
And it's always pleading, he said. It didn't do any good.
They said you can't leave.
And you know what he said. I watched as my loved one got on the plane.
That plane took off without me.
And I can remember, say I'll never forget as long as I live, but the feeling of being left behind.
Well, that was the only easy we left behind for a few days. So he got his paper straightened out in this life. But what would it be my friend, tonight, this afternoon, if the Lord Jesus had come?
And you were left behind. Oh, you young people who know the way of salvation to know. But not with this room emptied. You would know where they went. What would it be to be left behind? Too late, the fatal wine been crossed.
And so I do plead with anyone in this room.
That may not know of the Lord Jesus as Savior.
Don't put it off another moment.
You know what we consider?
And we think and write your soul of the love of God.
That love that has been so told out. But you know, I'm reading in the scriptures and I come across such words as this. It is a fearful thing, the fall of the hands of living God.
Our God is a consuming fire.
Is this the same one? This is the same card.
I want to ask you young people especially, perhaps some of the older ones too.
We know that it is quite possible to fool the brethren.
You may be passing in this room.
Today as a Christian.
But you know there's a verse in God's word that says if any man love not our Lord Jesus Christ, let him be Anathema Marnatha are cursed at his coming.
I want to ask you, is there a love in your soul? Does the Lord Jesus Christ mean something to you?
You know, sometimes I hear of those young people and it makes me afraid.
Who say they are Christians?
They go on with the other young people.
They enjoy the social outings.
And yet.
Never pick up the Word of God from one meeting to another.
You tell me that they love the Lord Jesus.
When there comes an opportunity to be under the sound of God's word, perhaps they're reading me or the prayer meeting.
They've got no desire to be there.
I don't say this, dear young people, to be critical. I say there's no hope to reach your conscience.
Is your confession real? Do you really love the Lord Jesus or are you just passing as a?
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Someone who fits in is willing to go along as long as we can enjoy some of the shows or activities of the young people.
Challenge your own hearts, dear ones, if that's the case.
Many know here.
My wife comes from the United States.
Comes from at that time from Woodbridge, NJ. We couldn't travel back and forth as easy to do today. We couldn't couldn't afford to even make a telephone call.
I think in their years that we knew each other before marriage. Something like 2 calls.
But we could write a letter.
And we did write many letters.
Almost every day.
Interesting. Also those letters came much faster than doing nowadays. Usually one day and I could get her letter from New Jersey.
But you know, I'm gonna ask you to answer the question if when I come home from work.
And the place I was staying is boarding at a brother and sister's house. I think you still leave the letter on the bottom of the staircase on top of the post at the bottom of the stairs.
I wonder what they would have thought if I had come in and walked by that letter Later on, come down for supper and they said to get the letter. Yeah, I saw it there.
I'll I'll get around to it sometime re reading it.
What would they thought? What would you think? Would you say that they had any love for that person? No.
So I challenge you, if you've got no desire to read God's Word and to be where He is exalted and glorified and spoken well of, question your heart, dear friend, this afternoon.
Now we come.
We have to prepare to meet.
Thy God.
Have you ever thought?
Of what?
And who this one is?
He's the creator, yes, he's the sustainer of this world.
If he forgot you for one moment.
You'd be dead in your seat.
David could say there's only a step between me and death.
Did you know, I thought there's only a breath between me and death if God just withdrew his thoughts from me for a moment?
That's not just power, but I wanna.
We might consider this afternoon.
That he is, as we read in God's Word, God is light and God is love. God is holy, God is righteous, God is just.
He is a God of love.
Hogan, such a garden.
Bless the Center.
Oh really, such a God have a Sinner in his presence.
We're told that God is of pure eyes to behold evil and cannot look upon iniquity or sin.
How can he have sinners in his presence if he is?
Holy and just good.
We're told we must meet with this one.
Well.
Some have said that we can meet with them. We can meet them by our good works.
There's many in this world if you go down the street here in Vestal, Johnson City or anything.
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And ask how can I be prepared to meet God?
I judge that majority, I tell you, by doing the best you can.
I'm gonna ask you a question. Perhaps the boys can understand this.
If you have a nice toy.
Nice, steal it or break it.
And you come and complain and you I say, well, uh, I'll try and be good after this. And I'll, I'll help your neighborhood. I'll give the other boys some candy. I'll, uh, maybe get them a gift sometime. I'm going to do the a good deed. Yeah. Wait a minute. What about my gift? Oh, even the boys know that that doesn't justify and right the wrong.
And we have grown-ups.
Who believed by doing the best they can, by doing good deeds, they can prepare to meet God.
So how can a God that cannot overlook sin?
Have me in His presence.
Someone mentioned this afternoon or today at least.
How that in a past eternity God had a a plan, a purpose.
To bring honor and glory to His beloved Son, the Lord Jesus Christ and blessing to us.
And So what was that plan?
Well, let's suppose then.
We have.
A wrong gun and we go before the judge and we've got a judge who is noted for being kind of.
OK. And so I'm found guilty.
And the penalty is?
$10,000.
I proned you. I owe you it.
But this judge is very, very kind, and so he says I'm a loving judge.
I'm going to forgive you. Don't do it again.
You say, wait a minute, there's no justice there.
OK, we got the judge that is very on justice, but he's got a heart of steel.
And so I've done you wrong, he says. You're gonna pay the penalty to the last cent.
Where? Where is your kindness justice?
When comes the Lord Jesus?
They came to a they had that plan and a past eternity how they could meet that situation.
God's plan was that He would send his beloved Son of this world.
We read the Father sent the Son to the Savior of the world. We read that Christ Jesus came into this world as a save sinners.
And we read in First Corinthians 15.
That Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures. He was raised again the third day according to the scriptures.
We've read this afternoon where he'd gone back to heaven.
The plan was and has been.
That God and the person of His beloved Son were coming to this world.
And he would take the punishment. He would bear the punishment for our sins.
No. Can he be?
Accused of being unrighteous.
God, says the Sinner.
A soul that sinneth it shall die, and after death the judgment.
That's God's word, so how is it He gonna bless me? The Lord Jesus came into this world.
And he said I'm not, I can't change.
Righteousness must be carried out.
Death must remain carried out, but he said I'm going to die for you.
The Lord Jesus went to the cross.
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And there.
Guide.
To the center we read, And while we're yet sinners, Christ died for us.
He can now tell forth he can be righteous.
He can show his love and has shown his love according to the cross.
And I want to read just at this point, just a little verse him in the little flock him. But you don't need to turn to it. But it's #67 the back explains it so well, better. And I can explain it.
1St 67 says.
The perfect righteousness of God is witnessed in the Savior's blood.
Hazing the cross of Christ, I see a trace. His righteousness, Yes, wonders grace.
God could not pass the Sinner by.
His sin demands that he must die, but in the cross of Christ we see how God can save yet righteous be.
The cine lights on Jesus head, his and his blood, since death is paid.
Stern justice can demand no more, and mercy can dispense, restore The Sinner who believes is free can save the Savior died for me, can point to the atoning blood and say this made my peace with God.
Saviours died.
It's risen. God has been satisfied with that work.
Those sins that were placed on him.
My sins, and the sins of everyone in this room who believes God's word, because God has said that God so loved the world that He gave His only forgotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. We read too, that verily, verily ascend you. He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent Me, shall not come into come condemnation into judgment, but is passed.
From death on the life beyond the judgment.
Goddess, call upon preach, Sinner.
Then how do we prepare to meet such a God?
The way is simple.
Is to believe what God has said about the Lord Jesus.
Do you believe what God has said when he says that the Lord Jesus died for you?
We have that in numerous places.
Christ died for our sins.
Do you believe that?
The blood of Jesus Christ His Son, cleanses us from all sin. There on Calvary's cross, as he hung there in, a soldier pierced his side, and that blood flowed on his side.
At cleansing power of the blood of Jesus.
Well, why then will there be many?
Will be left behind as it's coming unprepared.
Toby Penney.
Because they didn't believe.
Garden has always made a way of escape when he prevents judgment.
He said to Adam.
We're going to partake of that fruit. If you disobey, you'll die.
We know that atom, that first man.
Disobeyed.
And he was afraid.
Is there anyone in this room this afternoon who's afraid from the thought of the Lord's coming? Thought of meeting God makes you afraid.
Adam was afraid, he said. When you heard the Lord's voice in the garden, he said, I was afraid. Why? He had disobeyed. He sinned.
And he tried to fix himself up, make him presentable to God. And many are doing that today. And then maybe even some in here, they're trying to just be a little bit better and act a little bit better. As a boy or girl, I did that. I used to say, oh, I'll come when I get better because I wasn't always the best.
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And I'd say, well, the Lord wouldn't take me as bad as I am. So if I can get through a week, uh, without being a bad boy, uh, then I'll come, You know, I couldn't get through a week. I couldn't get through a day. I was in trouble all the time.
But Adam tried to fix himself up. But no, God wouldn't have that something. His death had to come in and we know the story how that God took a an animal.
Hence, no doubt, Adam looked on the first time he'd ever seen death.
And he saw that blood flow to the ground from that animal, and the life flow out.
I wonder what Adam was thinking. He probably said that animal had never done a thing at all. He's been perfect.
It's dying because I sinned. It's dying for me.
When we come to the judgment of his.
The fall on those in Israel, Lord, again made a way of escape.
He said at midnight he was going to pass through the whole land of Egypt and all the first born in that land were going to die. But he made a way of escape. He said take a lamb, kill it.
Put the blood in a basin, take it and put it on the outside of the doors, and with one other condition, it had to be inside the door.
And he says when I go through the land at midnight, when I see the blood, I will Passover you. When I see the blood on the on the middle and the sidepost of that house, I'll Passover.
I want to ask, was he dead in Egypt? Man, he died that night.
It wasn't sufficient to know that the lamb would provide a place safety, the blood of the lamb. That wasn't sufficient. Nor was it sufficient to have the blood in a basin and carried it to over the door.
And no reason. It wasn't even sufficient.
To have the blood on the outside of the door if he didn't take shelter behind it.
And so boys, girls, young people here, I am certain that there's no one in this room who doesn't know the way of salvation, that do not know that Jesus died for them.
You could tell us you could stand up here. Many a young person could stand up here and present the gospel better than I can.
That doesn't save a soul. Are you taking shelter behind that blood?
Are you staying close behind that blood inside the door? This.
Got the blood on the outside.
The preparation is to apply that truth to your own soul.
And don't put it off.
Story I remember many years ago was a boy who was noted for.
Not been prepared for anything. This is a procrastinator.
And it became serious that he was never ready when everybody was supposed to be ready.
His uncle, who is a Christian, became quite concerned over this young boy.
Because if that was the case, he put off his salvation.
And so he.
Decided he teach him a lesson.
He told his nephews and nieces and some of their friends that someday he was going to pick them up and take them on a sleigh ride. Well, if you know, like I remember as a boy how much I enjoyed going on a sleigh ride in winter time. And these boys and girls, they talked about this site. And he said, well, when is it going to be? Like, I'm not quite sure, but he said, uh, it'll probably be on. It'll be this Saturday. It'll be this Saturday.
And so his brothers and sisters, this boy, his friends, they got all ready and they talked. And this boy said how much fun he was going to have with his friends on that sleigh ride. And they all were getting ready to go. And this boy's mother said, I've forgotten his name, but let's call him John. John, you make sure you have everything ready because your uncle has said he's not going to wait. He's not quite sure what hour, but when he comes.
00:40:23
He'll stop and pick you up, but he's on a tight schedule and he's not going to wait for anyone.
Well, John's been to have it, so he said, Oh yeah, I'll I'll be ready. I'll be ready. I'll be ready. He said, John, get your boots ready, your mitts ready, your hat ready. So when he comes, you can just grab him and go. Yeah, yeah, Mom. Yes, yes, mom. Well, John put off and that's Saturday morning came and they heard the bells of the horses and the other kids raced out. They were ready. They just grabbed their hats and coats and put them on. And Johnny's a mother. Mother, where's my boots? I laughed them up, Mother, My Mets, where did I put them?
And the uncle drove off.
It was too late.
Is that going to be the way some are here? You're going to take? What are your chances?
You're not gonna be ready. You're not gonna be prepared to meet God.
Oh, don't put it off. Don't let that fatal line be passed.
Why not come this afternoon?
God has told us more than just exhorted to be prepared. Prepared to beat thy God and always. I sat here this afternoon and this morning I thought of the coming of the Lord Jesus.
And what a blessed hope it is.
We can't. I am imagine those who love the Lord Jesus who is going to be caught into his presence. Oh, the thought burned my heart. There might be someone here.
That we've left behind.
Would it be you?
Be ready. Be ready now.
Let me see the last purse number.
25 Number of the last verse of #25.
Center Heath.
Good morning voice, someone started. Please.
I'm sorry, yesterday's good morning, Laura.
0232899999.
They didn't get along and grow things. You look like *****. Prepared and surprised he comes to play games.
Umm, just remember.
That if you leave this world and have to meet God in your sins, it's a fearful thing that falls into the hands of the living God. May we pray.
Our loving God and Father.
We thank you. At this very moment, there is no need.
Hamilton.
A God that is a consuming fire.
The opportunity this afternoon is for everyone to be the Savior God.
We thank Thee, Lord Jesus, for all that Thou hast done in order that sinners, in order that we might be able to enjoy.
Thy presence through all eternity and from the blessed hope we have of soon.
00:45:05
Hearing that call, that would call us to be forever with and likely. And so we do pray again.
That if there should be someone here.
That has passed.
Before their friends, before their brethren could have no love for the Lord Jesus.
That they may this day come to know thee is the one who died for them.
We pray thy blessing of thy word.
And they were worthy. And the precious name of our Lord Jesus Christ, Amen.