Gospel—Jim Hyland
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Gospel Meeting this evening with hymn #4 on the gospel hymn sheet. Christ is the Savior of sinners. Christ is the Savior. For me. Long I was chained in sins, darkness. Now by His grace I am free. Savior of sinners, Savior of sinners like me, shedding His blood for my ransom. This is the Savior for me. I realize that there are many in this room this evening.
Will be able to sing this hymn with glad joy in their hearts. And I trust that our faces will show it too as we sing this old gospel hymn together. But you know, it is very solemn to consider that there may be somebody who is going to join in the singing of this hymn who will be singing a lie. I want you to think about these words, Savior of sinners like me shedding his blood for my ransom. This is the Savior for me.
I trust that if there's anybody who's not saved here tonight that you won't wait till later on in this gospel meeting to get saved. But as we sing these words together, you will simply receive the Lord Jesus as your Savior. And that before the end of the singing of this hymn, as we come to the last chorus, you too can join in with gladness, Savior of sinners. For me, I'm going to suggest that those of us who can would stand up to sing #4 on the hymn sheet and if someone will, please start it.
Christ is a savior of Savior.
Christ is the Savior for me. Lord, I was agent since artists and I just grace I am free.
Save grand savings. Save You're not sailors like me.
Shedding his blood for my grandson. This is the Savior for me.
Now I can say I am pardoned, happy and justified free.
Saved by my Blessed Redeemer, This is the Savior for me.
Change your life for my grandson. It's just a savior for me.
Just as I want to receive me thinking from judgment to please.
This is the state here for me.
Save your sin. Prayers say to God, sailors like me.
Standing in front of my grandson, This is the Savior for me.
Change.
Let's ask God's help by way of introduction to the subject that's on my heart tonight.
And the New Testament verses we're going to turn to in a few moments, I would like to read a verse or two from the Old Testament that really sums up what we're going to speak of in the presentation of the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ. The verses I want to read are in First Samuel chapter 17.
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First Samuel chapter 17 and verse 20.
And David rose up early in the morning, and left the sheep with a keeper, and took and went as Jesse had commanded him. And he came to the trench as the host was going forth to fight, and shouted for the battle. And then in verse 28, any liab his eldest brother heard when he spake unto the men, and he lie of anger, was kindled against David.
And he said.
Why comest thou down? Hit her. And with whom hast thou left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know thy pride and the naughtiness of thine heart, for thou art come down, that thou mightest see the battle. And David said, What have I now done? Is there not a 'cause? I suppose, if we were to put a label or a title.
On this gospel meeting this evening, it would be this last phrase that we have read. Is there not a cause? We know this story well, and it's not my thought to take up the story that we so often refer to as the story of David and Goliath recounted to us carefully by inspiration in this chapter. Suffice it to say that David here in this chapter is a very beautiful picture of the Lord Jesus.
Acting in obedience to his father in the New Testament language, saying, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God.
The one who came into this world and went to Calvary's cross, met and defeated the enemy there, and offered himself as that supreme sacrifice for sin. And so we know the story. The boys and girls have heard it from the very early days of their childhood, of how David went down and overcame Goliath with those smooth stones in his shepherd's bag and that swing in his hand. But we see here that when he came to his brethren.
A lie of raises a question. Why comest thou down? Hit her, and I want to apply this in connection with the gospel tonight. You know, one of the first words that my children learned other than no and mine was why? And I suppose all our lives were asking why, Why this and why that? And people like to know the reason.
People like to know the cause or the purpose. You know when you step up to an immigration desk, whether it be at an airport or whether it be in your vehicle, as you cross the border into another country, one of the questions that they invariably are going to ask you is why are you entering this country? What is the purpose of your visit here? And if you can't give them a good reason or if you give them a reason that they feel is invalid.
A threat to their country in some way. They reserve the right to refuse you entry into that country. You better have a good reason why you're coming into that country or you're not going to be allowed entrance. Eliab asked this question of his younger brother. Why camest thou down? Hit her and we might ask the question tonight. Why did the Lord Jesus come down from heaven into this world?
And we find here that David answers very wisely and he says, is there not a cause? And tonight we want to go to several New Testament scriptures that answer this question in regard not so much as to why David came to the camp of Israel on this occasion, but why the Lord Jesus came down into this world scent of his father. Because you know every question.
That is raised in the word of God is answered in some other place, I think that's so beautiful to realize. You know, we have many questions. I have no doubt there are people here tonight, young people and perhaps some who are not so young, who have many questions. Questions as to life, questions as to circumstances. Why this and why that? And there are many questions in the word of God.
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But you know, when we go to the word of God with genuine desire to have our questions answered by God, the answer to every question is there in the word of God. But we have to search it out with a real desire to hear what God has to say. Why is it that men today don't have their questions answered? It's because they're either looking in the wrong place.
They're looking to the wrong person. Or if they are looking in the word of God, they're looking for something that satisfies what they want to hear. They really don't have ears to hear what God has to say to them. They really don't have a heart that is receptive to what God has to say. But you know, as has often been pointed out when the Queen of Sheba came to Solomon, another very, very beautiful picture of the Lord Jesus in the New in the Old Testament.
She came with a lot of questions and they were hard questions.
But you know, when she got into the presence of Solomon and asked Solomon her questions? You can read about it in First Kings chapter 10. It tells us that every one of her questions was answered, and it was answered to her satisfaction. She went away from the court of Solomon with her heart, satisfied with the answers that really filled her and gave her peace of soul.
And rest of mind and you can go away from this gospel meeting tonight with your questions answered to your satisfaction, if you're willing to hear what God has to say. And so we want to deal specifically with this one question. Why camest thou down? Hit her. Why did the Lord Jesus come down into this world? And we can only hope to look at a few scriptures which give us various reasons as to why the Lord Jesus.
Came into this world.
And I am going to say from the very beginning that this is not an exhaustive list of reasons.
This is, these are not an exhaustive number of scriptures that we're going to look at, but perhaps just a few scriptures as the Lord leads and as we have time, that will, at least in part, give us some of the fundamental reasons as to why the Lord Jesus came in to this world. Let's go first of all to John's Gospel chapter 6.
Remember our question?
Why camest thou down? Hit her. Is there not a cause?
John's Gospel chapter 6 and verse 38 for I came down from heaven.
Not to do my own will, but the will of him that sent me here. We find the Lord Jesus walking here in this world. And you know, as the Lord Jesus walked here in this world as a man, as he went about dispensing blessing on every hand, as he went about speaking words of kindness and invitation, As he went about speaking words of faithfulness, as he went about healing the sick.
Cleansing the leper as he went about taking children up in his arms and blessing them, speaking to the multitudes. There were many who questioned who he was, where he had come from, and why he had had come. And he says here I came down from heaven. But he doesn't stop there. He gives a reason. He gives a purpose not to do my own will, but the will of him that sent me. And we want to establish at the very beginning.
That the Lord Jesus was indeed the one who was sent of his father. Why had David come to his brethren with provisions for them? Because he was sent of his father Jesse, and in acting in obedience he had brought him to his brethren, who were fighting the battle with the Philistines. And the Lord Jesus came scent of the Father. He came down from heaven, but not to do his own will, but the will of him that sent him.
And as the Lord Jesus walked through this world, he had ever before him.
The will of God the Father my Father worketh hitherto, and I work. He could do nothing of himself but except directed by God the Father. Every word he spoke, every intonation of His voice, every movement of his body, was in complete accordance with the will of the Father, even when he was bowed low in the Garden of Gethsemane.
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In anticipation of his greatest hour of trial.
As the cross pressed upon his soul, and all that it meant to him.
It's true, as a man he prayed and said, Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me.
But he immediately says nevertheless, not my will but thine be done.
In that regard, let's just go on in John's Gospel to the 12Th chapter.
John's Gospel, chapter 12.
And verse 27.
Now is my soul troubled.
And what shall I say?
Father, save me from this hour. But for this cause came I unto this hour. Why camest thou down? Hit her. Is there not a cause? Oh, the cause was that he was to go to Calvary's cross, and there to suffer for sin. You know, if the Lord Jesus had come in obedience to the Father, and grown up in this world, and lived the perfect life that he did.
And if he had turned back in the hour of his greatest suffering in the hour of Calvary.
Oh, there would be no gospel meeting tonight. There would be no salvation. And so he says. But for this cause came I unto this hour. Now I want to make it very clear that his first and foremost reason for coming into this world and for going to Calvary's cross.
Was obedience to his father.
That was the first and foremost reason he had that I say, ever before his soul, to finish the work that his Father gave him to do, to glorify God on the earth. But all through it all there's been blessing extended to mankind through the gospel. The gospel has been going forth as was commissioned to the disciples upon the Lord's resurrection. Because you know, the Lord Jesus not only went to Calvary's cross and died.
But he died, he was buried and he rose again the 3rd day according to the scriptures. Oh marvelous that the Lord Jesus is a savior on high in the glory tonight. He's a savior that went on to Calvary cross. Yes, He gave his life. Yes, his blood was shed. So vital, so necessary because it's through that blood that were cleansed, that we have the forgiveness of sins that were justified, that were sanctified, that were washed.
That were made nigh that we have the forgiveness of sins. But oh I say another vital element of the gospel is that he rose again the 3rd day according to the scriptures and so God now can reach out in blessing to mankind. This is what was before God's soul in sending his heart and sending his Son. This was before the Lord Jesus too when he came into this world. Yes to first of all accomplish the will of God.
To glorify his Father, but all then to realize that he was going to have heaven full.
Of those that He will delight for all eternity to call His own.
And so he goes from this point that we have read of. He goes on, I say to the cross.
And there man takes him, and there they treat him so cruelly. There they nail him to that cross.
There he lays down his life that he might take it. Again, we're looking at these scriptures very quickly, but let's follow this thought on a little bit further in John's Gospel to the 18th chapter.
Chapter 18.
And verse 37.
Pilate therefore saith unto him.
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Art thou a king? Then Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Everyone that is of the truth, heareth my voice.
Pilot saith unto him, What is truth? And when he had said this, he went out again.
Well, here we have another reason. And I know we've pictured this scene in our mind's eye so often, the Lord Jesus having been brought from the Garden of Gethsemane and he stands before Pilate.
And here's the one of whom it is stated, I am the way, the truth and the life. No man cometh unto the Father but by me. But you know the solemn thing is that here was the truth come into the world, and they didn't want him. They rejected him. You know man doesn't want the truth tonight.
They don't want the truth. And as I suppose this is punctuated in the day in which we live, where there are no absolutes, there's no right or wrong.
We become desensitized, and lying is a thing, I think, that we hardly realize we do sometimes.
Truth.
I know this is a small thing but.
Parents, some parents were telling me some time ago of a school district in which their children were sent to school and.
On the spelling test at the end of the week, I don't know if they give spelling tests much anymore, but you know, when I was going to school on Friday, there was a spelling test. We were given a list of spelling words on Monday and we were to memorize those spelling words and there was a test, 20 words or whatever it was. And on Friday those words were dictated to us by the teacher. Everybody had the same list.
And some did well and some did not.
I won't exactly tell you what category I felt fell into, but I'm very glad for spelling grammar check on laptops and computers today. However, if you got too wrong, it was too wrong in relationship to the rest of the class. If you got six wrong, it was 6 wrong in relationship to the rest of the class. If you got them all right, it was in relationship to the other thirty students in the class.
But in this school district, they do it a little bit different.
There are perhaps 40 or 50 words listed on the board on Monday morning, and the children are free to choose any of those words. We're going to say they have to choose 20 from that 40 or 50, and so they choose twenty of those words. And conceivably, every student has a different list.
And so when you get one wrong or all right on Friday, they're not pitting one student against another. It's not one wrong in relationship to the rest of the class. You're not graded in relationship to the rest of your student fellow students, because you can't do that anymore. No ones really right and no ones really wrong.
When my daughters were going to are going to, we're going to school. One still is, but they're in elementary school. They had free expression.
And there was a period of years where the teacher wasn't allowed to correct the spelling or grammar.
And after they would bring that report home, I'd read it out loud at the dinner table.
The way it was written, not the way it was intended. Sometimes it was so ridiculous we couldn't get through it without tears of laughter running down our cheeks. You say those are small things, but they only show how truth is undermined and absolutes are undermined. The word of God is undermined. The gospel is undermined. In the day in which we live, nobody's right and nobody's wrong. They used to have an expression. All roads lead to Rome.
And now you hear people say, well, as long as people are sincere in what they believe, it's all going to end up in the same place and it's all going to end up OK in the end. That is not what we have in the word of God. And here the Lord Jesus, who was the truth and who testified of the truth, he says to Pilate, for this cause came I into the world that I may bear witness under the truth. And then he says, everyone that is of the truth, heareth my voice.
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And Pilate raises a question. What is truth? But he wasn't willing to wait for the answer. He went immediately out. He didn't really want to hear it. His conscience told him.
That if he waited for the answer, it would condemn him.
That the judge would be condemned of the prisoner. And so he didn't wait for the answer. He went immediately out and we know what happened. He eventually tried to wash his hands of the situation and he delivered the Lord Jesus into the hands of the Jews to be crucified. Let's go back a little bit to the again to the 12Th chapter. I believe it is.
Yes, chapter 12 and verse 46.
I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness, and just turn back a few more pages to a verse in the 9th chapter.
Chapter 9 and verse 39.
And Jesus said, for judgment, am I coming into this world that they which see, not might see?
And they which see might be made blind. Well, here we have more of the answer to that question, Is there not a cause? And here we find that another reason the Lord Jesus came into the world was as the light. In fact, when he was here in the world, he referred to himself as the light of the world. But he had to say, men love darkness rather than light, because their deeds are evil.
And it tells us earlier in this gospel that the light shone in darkness, and the darkness comprehended it. Not so great was the moral darkness when the Lord Jesus came into this world that the light shone in the darkness, and the darkness comprehended it not. Could you imagine complete total darkness in a room like this? And bringing in a Lantern or turning on a light? And so great was the darkness that the light didn't penetrate it. You can't imagine a condition like that.
But that was the moral darkness that existed in the days of the Lord Jesus. And the Lord Jesus came, I say, as that light.
Oh, it's true. The light exposes, doesn't it? You know, the light exposes what we really are. And I suppose that's why men love darkness rather than light, because their deeds are evil. You know, most crime takes place in the darkness.
Most crime, I suppose, if we were to check statistics, takes place between sundown and sun up and people will put security lighting and yard lights and they will leave lights on in their businesses to try to keep those who would rob them and do harm from coming into their office or their place of business or their home. The light exposes and when the Lord Jesus was here.
As the light of this world, he exposed what's in man's heart. And tonight the entrance of his Word gives light. And that's why men have closed the pages of God's Word. They don't read it in the schools, don't read it in their homes. They don't want to come to places where it's opened and read because they don't want to have their hearts exposed. Because naturally speaking, when the heart is exposed, it is not a pretty picture.
Because all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. There is none that doeth good. No, not one. There is not a man on the earth that doeth good and sinneth not. That's what the light of God's word reveals. And yet, if there's going to be blessing, we must be brought into the light. We must be brought into the presence of the Lord Jesus with God's word open before us.
To reveal our true condition, sometimes the boys and girls.
Sing of the word of God is a mirror, A mirror Myself deceived you know you look in a mirror. A mirror doesn't lie. A mirror gives a perfect reflection, a perfect image of what we are. If our face is dirty, it's going to show our face dirty.
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You know, you might take a photograph of one of your children and their face is dirty and you Photoshop it or something like that, and you remove that dirt and the picture isn't really.
Isn't really a true likeness of the person when that photo was taken. But you can't Photoshop a mirror, can you? You can't Photoshop God's Word. No. God's word reveals exactly what we are. And the Lord Jesus, when he was here in faithfulness, he revealed exactly what the hearts of men were.
And I suppose that's why in the 9th chapter he gives another reason why he came. He came to judge, you know?
That's a rather interesting statement because you might immediately say, well, I thought he came to save.
And it's true. If we were to back up in John's gospel to the third chapter, we find that God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be saved. That's really why the Lord Jesus came. He came to save. He didn't come to judge or condemn. But I believe the reason we read this statement here in the 9th chapter is because they had rejected the Lord Jesus.
And the light having come and exposed what they were, and the light being rejected, sealed the judgment of this world, He could say, now is the judgment of this world. And we would be less than faithful tonight if we didn't stress the fact that for those who reject the Lord Jesus Christ there is judgment coming.
On this world, and more than that, those who go out into a lost eternity without Christ will stand at what is called the Great White Throne, and they will be judged there.
And there's no question as to the verdict at that judgment seat. There's no question as to the verdict.
In that courtroom, you know, in the courtrooms of this land and around the world, sometimes there are surprises.
And sometimes there is injustice, but not so at the Great White Throne judgment.
No, the die has already been cast. The doom of those who stand there has already been sealed.
Because they have rejected the one who came down from heaven. They've rejected God's offer of mercy through the death and the shedding of blood, of the blood of his Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. And there they stand to be judged and to be taken and cast from the presence of God for all eternity, to be cast into the lake of fire, where there's weeping and gnashing of teeth, where there's no liberty, no freedom.
Where they're bound hand and foot.
And where there is no hope, no hope of any escape from that awful doom. But, oh, tonight there is hope, isn't there? Let's go on to first Timothy Chapter one.
First Timothy chapter one.
And verse 15.
This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation.
That Christ Jesus came into the world.
To save sinners of whom I am chief. Why camest thou down? Hit her. Is there not a cause? Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. Oh, for our purposes tonight in the gospel, this is foremost. Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. We've already established that we're sinners.
But I want to establish another fact before we go on, and that is that not only are we sinners, but we're helpless sinners, and that there is not one thing you and I can do to get rid of our sins. We're holding with the cords of our sins, as it tells us in Proverbs, and we can't loose one cord of sin.
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We can't liberate ourselves. We can't better ourselves before God. No, we need a Savior and Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.
The date was October 14th, 1987. The setting was Midland, TX.
And there was a little girl by the name of Jessica McClure.
And she was playing under the watchful eye of her mother in their backyard.
The phone rang.
And her mother.
Left Jessica, 18 months old.
In the backyard for a moment while she went in to answer the phone.
When she came back a few minutes later, there was number Jessica.
She looked around and then, in distress, realized that a stone had been moved.
A stone had been pushed aside that was in the middle of the backyard.
And always struck terror in that mother's breast because that mother knew only too well.
That under that stone.
That was now exposed. There was an 18 inch hole that was a well many feet deep, dry well that have been covered by that stone.
And neglected for some years.
In terror, she went over to that hole and sure enough, she could hear a whale a cry from down below.
She immediately called 911.
And the call was answered in record time.
Other emergency crews were called and we won't go into the details of the story, but the first thing they did was bring a bulldozer thinking that they could dig out that area and rescue young Jessica.
But it was very quickly discovered.
That that well had been drilled.
In an area where there was granite, granite stone that was going to take more than a bulldozer to get through.
On a construction site nearby, there was a drill that they used to go through such things.
And it was brought to the site.
And they began to drill.
Near very close to the original well that Jessica had fallen into.
And their thought was to drill down far enough below where Jessica was.
And then to somehow make a tunnel over and rescue her, hopefully alive.
It was a very slow operation Hanford by a number of things.
And over the next 58 hours, different experts were brought in. There was a millionaire living in the in the town of Midland, TX, and at his own expense, he brought in several experts and other equipment that he thought might be needed for the rescue.
And you can imagine a mother and a father.
As they wait at the top.
For the rescue of their 18 month old child, Jessica, I'm going to digress for a moment.
You know, everyone of us here, naturally speaking, are stuck in a pit of sin, and it's a pit from which we cannot rescue ourselves. Jessica had no ability to rescue herself. She was completely dependent on others.
But you know you have an enemy tonight, an enemy that does not want to see you.
Rescued from your sins and an enemy that will hamper the work of the Spirit of God.
In every way he can. That enemy is very powerful. That enemy is Satan.
But all Satan's not your friend.
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About 3 weeks ago I was on the island of Tobago preaching the gospel and visiting believers there.
And we had opportunity.
One night to go out to a certain beach to observe one of the wonders of God's creation.
Atlantic Leatherbacks are the largest turtles in the world.
And there are only two spots where they come up to lay their eggs at this time of year.
One is on the northern coast of Trinidad and the other is on Turtle Beach on the island of Tobago.
And it what it is, leatherback turtle season. And we went out there one night and these turtles come up out of the sea. It's the only time of the year they come up out of the sea and they come up out of the sea for about 2 1/2 hours to lay their eggs.
And they come up and they come up to the top of the beach where it meets the jungle.
And they dig a pit.
And in that pit they lay 70 to 80 eggs. Now the wonder of it is during the three month season they're going to come up 10 times and each time they're going to lay 70 to 80 eggs, about 800 eggs in a season.
They cover those eggs and then that turtle, and we watched the whole process.
Under the careful direction of a guide who kept us back far enough, kept our voices down, had black light so as to not to scare the turtle. And by the way, the shell of this turtle from tip to tip was almost 6 feet enormous beast.
That's not including the head and the tail.
But she lays those eggs and covers them up and then she makes a 10 foot or so radius around those eggs.
Stirs up the sand and makes about six other mounds to camouflage.
Where those eggs are laid and when she's satisfied that she has camouflaged the area enough, she heads back to the sea.
But what I want to say is that when those eggs hatch, one out of 1000 of those eggs.
Is going to survive to maturity to adulthood, you say that's not a good, very good ratio when, Well, when a turtle lays 800 eggs a season and there are hundreds of turtles, it's probably a good thing that only one out of 1000 survive. But the first thing that happens is that a number of those turtles never make it out of that pit.
Because that pit is buried in several inches of sand. And when those 8070 or 80 eggs are hatched, there are a number of those turtles who are on the bottom of the heap and they never make it out of that pit.
And then those that do make it out. Most of them.
Are eaten or destroyed between the pit and the sea. There's the gulls, there's the dogs, there's the people and the other predators. A good many of them are going those that make it to the sea. A good many of them are going to find other predators like sharks and other sea creatures waiting to indulge in a tasty meal. But my point is this. You are in a pit of sin tonight.
But there is hope. There is a savior for you tonight. And David himself said he brought me up out. So also out of a horrible pit, he set my feet upon a rock and established my going.
Jessica was 22 feet down in that pit in that well, helpless to save herself.
They went down close by and they drilled a hole big enough for a man to go down.
And a man went down in that pit in that hole. Yes, he did. I'm not claustrophobic, but I'm not sure I would have gone down there. But he went down there and oh Christ, Jesus had to come down from heaven.
I came down from heaven, we read.
Christ Jesus came into the world. It took a man to go down in that pit. What would you think? If they had drilled that that pit in that backyard and no one had gone down, that would have accomplished nothing for the rescue of Jessica McClure. But a man went down in that pit. But there was another problem. They had to then drill from that pit very carefully.
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From that shaft they had to drill over to where Jessica was.
They brought in another special piece of equipment for that, some kind of a drill. And I don't understand these things at all, but some kind of a drill that would drill through rock and sand underwater pressure. And they brought this drill down and this man's carefully and in his own words. It was slow, tedious work to drill very carefully through and to come out in the very spot.
Where Jessica was.
You know, in the meantime, they had lowered some tubes down to where Jessica was to give her two things, warmth and air.
And they had sent through those tubes. They had forced warm air down into that cold, dark prison.
And so this man, he drilled very carefully And finally, as I say, the whole process took 58 hours. Finally, he was able to drill through and to pull her legs down toward himself and back through that shaft, and then to give a signal and to be pulled up with Jessica in his arms.
To a very thankful mother and father, to very appreciative relatives and neighbors and town folk who had gathered.
Praying that the operation would be successful. Oh, what a rescue. And you know, you can go to websites even today and you can see pictures posted from the newspapers back at that time.
And you can read those articles and you can see the names of the heroes of that time.
And what they did in the service of humanity, some of them were injured.
None of them gave their lives for Jessica, but they took risks. They suffered injuries to save her, that helpless child in that pit. But oh, tonight we're talking about the Lord Jesus who came down into this world and went down, down down to Calvary's cross. He didn't just risk his life. No, he gave his life.
He died.
On Calvary, does that mean something to your heart tonight?
That the Lord Jesus died on Calvary's cross. He didn't just come into this world.
Now he came down to the cross.
And he gave himself. And his desire tonight is to save sinners. His desire tonight is to bless you.
On March 26, 2011, Jessica is going to turn 25 years of age.
At the time of her rescue, there was what was dubbed a Well Wishers Trust Fund set up for Jessica.
And she will be able, at 25 years of age, on her birthday, to begin to draw on that trust fund.
And rumor has it that that trust fund is something in excess of $1 million.
Quite a lot of money, isn't it?
We would say quite a blessing she's been brought into as a result of that awful tragedy.
Which, as she says herself, she has no memory or recollection of.
But all tonight, God doesn't want to give you $1,000,000. I speak carefully. He doesn't want to give you something of this world. No, He wants to save your soul, because what shall it profit a man if he gained the whole world and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
You know we're not going to turn to it. But it tells us in Luke 19 that the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which is lost. That's why he came. He came to seek. He's seeking you tonight. He came to save. He came to save you. He desires to save you tonight.
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If we were to go back to John's Gospel, we would read another reason in the 10th chapter I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. Oh, the Lord Jesus wants to give you life tonight. The gift of God is eternal life.
Through Jesus Christ, our Lord, are you the possessor of divine life tonight, or are you holding on to something in this world that is keeping you from coming to the Lord Jesus Christ? Oh, it's not worth it.
You know, we have spoken at great length tonight of the Lord Jesus coming into this world.
And we have from the word of God seen many scriptures that answer.
That question raised in the Old Testament Why comest thou down? Hit her. We have seen what the cause was.
Do you know the Lord Jesus is coming back to this world a second time?
Yes, he is. First of all, he's coming in the air to give a shout, to call everyone who knows Him as Savior, whether they're in the grave or whether they are alive and remain to be with Him in the Father's house for all eternity and the coming of the Lord Draweth Nigh. And when once the master of the house hath risen up and shut to the door, it's never going to be opened again. As much knocking as there may be on that door, it will never.
Be opened again to those who have rejected or neglected.
God's offer of salvation.
Oh, that's why it's so important to come now.
That's why it's so important to make haste when it comes to the gospel and receiving the Lord Jesus, because behold, now is the accepted time. Behold, now is the day of salvation. And then there's a day coming when the Lord Jesus is going to come back to judge this world in righteousness. Yes, it's an established fact on God's calendar. He's appointed a day in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained and that he hath given assurance unto all men and that he hath raised him.
From the dead?
But I want to, in closing quote the verse of a hymn that we sometimes sing.
In connection with the cause.
I think it's The Last Hymn and the Little Flock hymn book.
The cause was love. We sink with shame before our blessed Savior's name.
That he should bleed and suffer thus because he loved.
And pitied us. I want to leave you with that. Oh, do you realize tonight how much the Lord Jesus loves you? He came down because He loves you. He wants to save you. He wants to bless you and have you for himself for all eternity. Oh, tonight you could just get one glimpse of his lovely face and one taste of his infinite love. Well, tell one more little incident from history in closing.
King Cyrus was the founder of the Persian Empire as we know.
In fact, it was during his reign, as we know from the book of Daniel chapter six, that Daniel was cast into the lion's den.
But you know, in one of the conquests of Cyrus, history records that amongst other prisoners, he took the king a king.
And his family.
Prisoners and back to his court.
And they were brought before him one day.
And Cyrus said to this king who he had conquered. What will you give me if I let you go?
He said Half my wealth.
He said. What will you give me if I let your children go?
He said all that I possess.
He said. What will you give me?
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If I let my wife. If I let your wife go.
And without a moment's hesitation, he answered myself.
You know that great king Cyrus was so impressed.
And overwhelmed with that man's answer, that he let he and his children.
And his family go free.
And all tonight.
Like that Hebrew servant, picture the Lord Jesus, he said. I love my master.
I love my wife. I love my children. I will not go out free all to think of the love of the Lord Jesus. He wouldn't go out free. He wouldn't turn back. He went to Calvary's cross and he gave himself. He sold all that he had.
He laid down his life. He shed his blood. Does love like that? Touch your heart?
Earthly love expressed by a conquered king could touch the heart of the props, the greatest monarch of the day.
But all has the love of the Lord Jesus touched your heart tonight?
Or tonight, taste and see that the Lord is good.
He loves you. He wants you. He died to redeem you only believe his word Why came as thou down hit her. The cause was love. Let's pray.