Gospel—Stan Allan
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.
Maybe we could open our meeting this evening by singing.
A number 19.
Oh Christ and thee, my soul is found, and found in thee alone. The peace, the joy I sought so long, the bliss till now unknown. Now none but Christ can satisfy none other name. For me there's love and life.
And lasting joy Lord Jesus found in thee #19.
Oh Christ, and they.
So has found and found him thinking I love you, love me, the joy I sought so long, the blessed. Till now I know.
No love but Christ and satisfied.
Another name for me.
There's love and light and love saying joy.
Lord Jesus.
Found in the.
Einstein.
And happiness.
I yearn more than nothing.
On your life has my mistake there by this love lay hold on me.
Oh God, but products can't say.
Ancestors.
I will now.
But Christ and satisfy.
Another day for me. There's love and life and lasting joy. Lord, Jesus founded me.
Pleasure is lost my sadly morning but never went or leave.
The sightless sights racing volleyballiness to save now, No, but crying.
Satisfy my mother heading forwarding. There's love and life and lasting joy, the Lord Jesus.
Founded me we just look to the Lord, ask His blessing our God and Father.
We thank Thee for this little hymn that we have been singing, that now none but Christ can satisfy.
Oh Lord, how often we have tried those broken cisterns and all of the waters failed. And Lord, we just pray tonight if there's someone here in this room that has never tasted of thy love and Thy goodness, who do not know Thee as the one that gave thyself.
To put away their sins, We pray that they might come to know thee tonight, before it is forever too late. We think of the children of Christian parents who have perhaps heard the gospel over and over and yet never have made that.
00:05:09
A step to accept the Lord Jesus as Savior. We pray they might do so tonight. We ask it. And we pray for the gospel not only here, but wherever it might be going forth without. Blessed thy word.
We ask it in the worthy and precious name of the Lord Jesus Christ, Amen.
I was wondering tonight, I know our time is short but if we could just look at a few verses in First Samuel chapter 22.
We were talking a little bit about David and Jerusalem this afternoon, and I was wondering if we could just look at the story of David here in this 22nd chapter.
David therefore departed thence and escaped to The Cave Adalam. And when his brethren and all his father's house heard it, they went down thither to him. And everyone that was in distress, everyone that was in debt, everyone that was discontented, gathered themselves together unto him, and he became a captain over them.
And there was with him about 400 men. And to save time, let's skip down to verse.
Six when saw, when Saul heard that David was discovered, and the men that were with him now saw abode in Gibeah under a tree in Rama, having his spear in his hand, and all his servants were standing about him. Then Stahl said unto his servants that stood about him. Here now ye Benjamites, will the son of Jesse give every one of you fields and vineyards.
And make you all captains of thousands and captains of hundreds, that all of you have conspired against me and there is none that shows me that my son has made a league with the son of Jesse.
And there is none of you that is sorry for me, or showeth unto me that my son has stirred up my servant against me to lie in wait, as at this day. Then answered Doig the Edomite, which was set over the servants of Saul, and and said, I saw the son of Jesse come coming to knob to a himalek, and to a high tub. And let's skip over to verse 18. And the king said to Doeg, turn thou.
And fall upon the priests. And doe egg the Edomite turned, and he fell upon the priests.
And slew on that day 85 persons that did wear the linen ephod and knob. The city of the priests smotey with the edge of the sword. Both men and women, children, sucklings and oxen, and ***** and sheep with the edge of the sword.
And one of the sons of Ahimelech, the son of Ahichib, named Abiathar, escaped and fled after David. And Abiathar showed David that Saul had slain the Lord's priests. And David said unto Abiathar, I knew it that day when a Doeg the Edomite was there, that he would surely tell Saul, I have occasioned the death of all the persons of thy father's house. Abide thou with me. Fear not.
For he that seeketh my life, seeketh thy life, but with me thou shalt be in safeguard.
Well, I'm sure that most here in this room are familiar with this story. We know that David, at this particular time was the one who had been anointed king over Israel. But he wasn't reigning. He was rejected. He was the rejected king.
And Saul, the one who had been.
Really dismissed as king, he was still reigning. But you know, Saul here, he lived in the palace and David, where did he live? He lived in The Cave. And so we see that he was despised, he was rejected. And how it makes us think of the Lord Jesus Christ, the one who came into this world.
A long time later, I suppose 1000 years later, he came into this world.
He was the Creator, the sustainer of all things, but born in a Manger because this world had no room for him in the end. And we know that he was rejected. We know that the crowds cried out, crucify him, crucify him. We will not have this man to reign over us. And you know, the world is no different today, is it? They don't want Jesus in the schools. They don't want them in the courts.
00:10:22
They don't want them in business or in government. They just want to leave him out of everything he's rejected. And you know, it says of him, it says of him when he was here on earth, He said foxes have holes and the birds of the air of nests. But the Son of man has not where to lay his head. And so we see David. Here is a little picture of the Lord Jesus, and here he is in The Cave.
And he attracts people to him. You'll notice it says first of all in the first verse that his brethren and all his father's house heard it. They went down thither to him. And so we find that Davidde family, I suppose Jesse, many of his brothers, they were there in The Cave too. And you know, the Lord Jesus, the very first ones that responded to the gospel, Massachusetts worthy. They were the brethren of the Lord Jesus.
When I say that, I mean that they were the Jews. They were Christian Jews who first heard the gospel and they came to know.
The Lord Jesus as their Savior, and they were willing to join with him in his rejection, but you know he wasn't, they weren't the only ones, although I will say this, they set all their hopes on, on, on the Lord Jesus. They turned aside from what they were familiar with and they accepted him as their Lord and Savior.
I wonder tonight if you have accepted the Lord as your Savior. You know what, you've probably come to gospel meanings like this. You've heard how to be saved, and yet it just sort of goes in one ear and out the other. But let me say that there's a day coming when you will wish that you had been saved, that you had taken that step of salvation. And that's why we have the gospel meeting. Well, you'll notice here it wasn't just the family of David.
Or his kindred that joined with him in The Cave of Dalam, it says here in the second verse.
Everyone that was in distress, everyone that was in debt, everyone that was discontented gathered themselves unto Him. And so we find here three different groups mentioned. First, there were those in distress. And you know for the last 1920 centuries people in distress have been coming to Jesus and you know every one of them have been accepted.
And if you come to the Lord tonight, you will be accepted, you know it says.
Him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. Another verse says, Come unto me, all ye that labor, and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
So the Lord tonight is inviting you to come to Him, and you know He can righteously invite you. And why is that? Because He went to the cross, He shed His blood, and in those three hours of darkness He took upon Himself the sins of everyone who put their trust in Him.
And if you take your take him as your Savior tonight, you will know that your sins are gone. And so he says to you and to me, all of us come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden. And so we find here that those who are in distress, they came to they came to Jesus and you know.
In a certain sense, all of us here go through trouble in our lives.
You know there's a verse in Job that says man is born unto trouble as the sparks fly upward.
So we all face trouble. But you know, there are some people, they're very distressed about their health. There are others that are distressed about their wealth. And there are many, many things that people get distressed about, but very few are distressed about their soul. And you know, we forget sometimes that we're a triune being where body, soul and spirit and, you know, our soul.
And our spirit are going to continue on for eternity. And when I'm getting older now.
00:15:00
And the time is coming very shortly when I will be gone. My body will be put in the in a grave if the Lord doesn't come, but my spirit and soul will go to be with the Lord Jesus. What's going to happen to you if you were to leave this world? You might say, well, I have lots of time. I'm just young. My whole life is ahead of me. Dear friend, let me tell you, none of us know.
What? How long will be here in this earth?
It says, Boast not thyself of tomorrow, for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.
And so the best time to come to Jesus is now. Behold, now is the accepted time. Behold, now is the day of salvation. And so we find that some people, they distress about things when it's too late. You all know the story of the rich man in Luke 23 who fared sumptuously every day and ignored Lazarus, who lay it as gate full of source.
He died, but what does it say in hell? He lifted up his eyes being in torments.
It was too late. He was distressed, yes, but it was too late. And so, dear friend, tonight, if you are distressed, when's the best time to come to Jesus now? Not wait until it's too late, as that man did well.
Sometimes, you know, people may say, well, you know, you're getting worked up about something that really isn't that important. Well, you know, there was one time a man.
Who was living in the States and he was walking along a country Rd. and he found a.
A farmhouse on fire and there was nobody. This was before cell phones, of course, or anything like that. And when he saw what was happening, he shouted out as loud as he could, fire, fire. And he showed it so loud that people a half a mile away heard him and they came running to help put out the fire. Well, you know, they didn't say to him. Well, you know, you shouted too loud. You shouldn't have been bothered making such a big thing about nobody would talk like that.
And yet today if you talk about going into eternity, they just make a joke of it. They don't, they don't take it seriously. Well, you know, today you're going to you go to a church sometimes. I'm not saying all of them, of course, but you know, there are some of these big mega churches. They attract 16,000 people on a, on a Sunday. Can you imagine 16,000? Do you think they're up there preaching the gospel?
You know what they are often telling people how to feel good and how to.
Make life easier and better for themselves, but they forget the gospel. But you know, when Peter preached the gospel, it says they were pricked in their hearts. Steven, when he preached the gospel, what happened? It says they gnashed on him with their teeth and you know.
Felix as a brother John mentioned in his prayer. Felix, it says he trembled.
When Paul preached of righteousness, temperance and judgment to come. And so there was real, there was a real desire on those part of those people to think about what was being said. Well, we trust tonight that you will take these things seriously. Well, there were not only those who were in distress, but there were those who are in debt. And you know, I believe that the only ones that ever came to David were those who really felt.
That debt, and I just might say this in passing, I just read recently.
That 55% of the people in Canada are $200.00 away from bankruptcy, 55%. In other words, debt is a real problem in this country. But we're not just talking about the debts of, of everyday life. You know, there was a, let's just turn to Psalm 40 for a moment. Psalm 40.
There's a verse there.
I think I have the right chapter.
Yes, Psalm 40 verse 12, it says in the second part of the verse mine iniquities have taken hold upon me so that I am not able to look up. They are more than the hairs of my head. Just think here's a psalmist that understood his condition. He said his iniquity's.
00:20:11
More than the hairs of my head. I understand that some people who were in the know say that we have at least 100,000 hairs on our heads. You know how many sins will keep you out of heaven? One. God is holy. He can't have any sin in his presence. He can't have one sin. And yet, if you have sins like the hairs on your head, that means that you have over 100,000 sins. And I'm sure that's only a a small number.
What a debt you owe, and so how Solomon is, but you know the wonderful thing is that the Lord Jesus has done everything to pay that debt. You know it says there in Acts chapter 13. It says, be it known unto you men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins and all that come to him.
I'm sorry.
I'll have to read the verse, I know it, but I just, it's gone from me. Acts 13.
It says, Be it known unto you, therefore, men and brethren, verse 38, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins, and by him all that believe are justified from all things from which he could not be justified by the law of Moses.
So how wonderful that forgiveness comes through the Lord Jesus.
You know, another verse says he was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities. The chastisement of our peace was upon him, and with his stripes we are healed. And so how wonderful to think that the Lord Jesus has paid the penalty for our sins and now He can offer forgiveness. You know, we signed that little hymn this morning, didn't we? Himself? He could not save for justice for.
Um.
Sorry, let me just see.
Yes, it says.
For justice must be done, our sins full weight must fall upon the sinless ones. For nothing less can God accept than payment in payment of that fearful debt. And so the Lord Jesus, he gave himself to pay that debt that we owe. And I think of that little Him too, that we often sing in Sunday school, where it says He knew how guilty man had been, and knew that God must punish sin.
So to pity, Jesus said he would pay the penalty instead.
I pay the judgment instead, and so the Lord Jesus.
Has paid the penalty and he's offering forgiveness from sin. Well, we come to the next one and time is running out. But it says here.
Those who are discontented, you know, in a certain sense we're all discontented, aren't we? You know, we often think, oh, if I could only have $1,000,000, I would never be discontented.
But it doesn't matter. I believe that Princess poppers, millionaires, mendicants, philosophers and fools, they're all discontent. If you had $1,000,000, remember my father used to say that there was a man he knew in Winnipeg. There was a millionaire and he said that I was He was working hard to make that first million, but when he got to a million, he was then figuring out how to make his second million. He was never contented.
And so that's often the way it is. And I once heard a story too, about a a man who was very well off and he decided to take his life, commit suicide. And before he committed suicide, he took a pen and he wrote down, I'm tired of life. All I do is eat, drink and sleep. What a boring existence. And he took his life. It didn't, it didn't give him contentment.
And there's another story about a Quaker, maybe you've heard it, where he owned a large tract of land and he put a sign up and he said whoever is content with what he has, I'm offering my farm free of charge.
And his next door neighbor, who was very well off, he saw the sign. He said if there's anybody that's content, it's me. I have all my debts paid. I have children who are all doing well. I have good health.
00:25:15
I have everything I want. I certainly am content, so I'll go and ask for it. And of course when he went up and asked, said to the Quaker, I'm I'm your man. I'm perfectly content.
You know, the Quaker said to him. Well, if you're so content, why are you asking for my fire?
So he wasn't content just like everyone else? Well.
You know, there's a little hymn that says that we often sing Jesus, thou art enough the mind and heart to feel. He's the one that can fill and satisfy our hearts. And so the Lord will receive. David received those in distress, those in debt, those who are discontented, and these are the kind of people the Lord receives. Take a look at First Corinthians.
Chapter One.
I Corinthians chapter one. We can only just read the verses.
But you know what they are.
First Corinthians chapter one and verse 26 For you see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble are called. But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty.
And these things of the world and things which are despised, has God chosen. Yeah. And things which are not to bring to nothing, things that are that no flesh should glory in his presence. So there's the kind of people that the Lord attracts. Someone one time gave this illustration. You know, if you had a a giant magnet and you put it up to gold or silver, it wouldn't be attracted at all.
It might be worth a lot, but it's not attracted by the the magnet, but it put it up to some common nails or steel or whatever, and immediately it it, it's drawn to it. And so the Lord draws those who perhaps in this world are looked upon as common.
But he loves them and he wants to save them. So if you're here tonight, dear friend, the Lord Jesus, no matter what your circumstances, he says, come unto me and I will give you rest. Well, I just want to finish very briefly by saying that, you know, there was one, we, we read the rest of that story and there was.
A by Arthur, he had just discovered. I shouldn't say discovered, but.
He escaped from Doeg, this Edomite. I'm not going to go into the story, but Joy had gone in there and he had killed 85 priests because they had given food to David and by author had fled. And who did he flee to? He fled to David. And you know, I think of that wonderful verse at the end where David says to him, abide thou with me. Fear not.
For he that seeketh my life, seeketh thy life, but with me thou shalt be with me in safeguard. And so, you know, when a buyer fled to David there, what did he get? He got salvation. He was safe. He didn't have to fear. You know, if a buyer had gone back home, what would have happened? He would have, he would have fallen under the sword of Saul and he would have been killed. And you know, there's a day coming if you don't flee to the Lord Jesus.
The day is coming when judgment is going to fall in this world, and you will be cast alive into a lost eternity. What a solemn thing it is. And so how wonderful that we can come to Jesus and find safety. But besides that, it says here, for he that seeketh my life, seeketh thy life, but with me thou shalt be in safeguard. So not only did He have salvation.
But he had security and how wonderful. You know, there are many people, they come to the Lord Jesus.
I know we give the gospel to dear children in skeleton. You know, sometimes they say to us.
Well, you know I asked Jesus every night to save me. Well, you know, if they only understood, if they come to Jesus, they get eternal security the very first time. You know it says there in John chapter 10, My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me, and I give unto them eternal life, and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand, my Father, which is greater than all.
00:30:19
My father, which gave them me, is greater than all, and no man can pluck them out of my father's hand. So we have that double security, that double security. Well, we trust if there's any boy or girl here tonight that doesn't know the Lord, that right now as you sit on your seat, just bow your head and say, Lord Jesus, I know I'm a Sinner, but I accept you as my personal Savior. I believe that you died to save me. Will you do that tonight?
It says, behold, now is the accepted time. Behold, now is the day of salvation. Let's just pray our God and Father, we come before thee and we pray for each one here in this room that knows thee not a Savior. We think especially of the children. We pray, Lord, that if they've never accepted thee as Savior, they might do so tonight. We know that these men that were in distress and in debt and in.
Discontentment.
They found safety and joy by being with David. We think of how he became the captain of their salvation. And so we would just pray that I would save boys and girls, men and women tonight. We know, Lord, that Thy coming is very, very near. This could be the very last time the gospel would go forth. And we pray that souls might be saved for Thy glory and for the blessing of the lost. We ask it in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, Amen.