Gospel—Jim Hyland
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In the Gospel Meeting this evening with Hymn #7 on the Gospel Hymn Sheet.
God loved the world of sinners lost and ruined by the Fall.
Salvation full at highest cost, he offers free to all. Let's stand up to sing this number 7 and if someone could please start it.
Nsnoise.
A verse in the book of James.
James.
James Chapter One.
And verse 17.
Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of Lights, with whom there is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. I have it on my heart this evening, in presenting the Gospel, to look at some scriptures that bring before us an age-old subject, a subject that has been often taken up on an occasion like this.
And that is the subject of the gift of God, because tonight we present a God.
And we present a Savior who desires to give, and a God and a Savior who desires to give the very best.
And so we're going to look at a number of scriptures tonight that bring before us various aspects.
Of what God gives and what God has given. Before we do that, I'd like to just say this.
That we need to perhaps tonight take stock of what we're trying to give God.
You know, God doesn't want us for what we can give him. He wants us for what He can give us.
And I'm afraid there's many people in the town of Pella and perhaps in this very room and certainly around the world.
Who today have offered to God that which is of no account.
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That which may have been offered very sincerely, that which may have been offered.
With a motive that desired to give God something but that which was offered.
In a wrong condition.
You know, it tells us in another place that all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags. And I would suggest that there have been many people today who have offered to God a pile of filthy rags. What do I mean by that? I'm not saying that they literally offered to God a bunch of dirty rags that you would find in the corner of a mechanic shop or in the corner of the laundry room waiting to be washed.
Or in the corner of your garage where you use those rags to wipe up and mop up things, spills and oil and things like that. No.
But there are those who have perhaps today gone to a place of worship.
They have perhaps sung some hymns. They have read some scriptures.
They have perhaps offered up prayer, they have perhaps done things that are very good and charitable in themselves.
But if they have done it in their unregenerate, unsaved condition, they have offered to God a pile of filthy rags. Because God says that all our righteousnesses, or the best things that we can do before we're saved, are just a bunch of filthy rags. They may be wrapped in ever so nice a wrapping, but underneath that is simply what they are.
And so tonight, it's not a question of what we can give God. It's not a question of what we can offer God.
I'm not even going to tell you to give your heart her life to Jesus tonight, because what God wants to do is give you a new heart.
He wants to give you a new life if you will come in simple faith.
And receive him as a repentance, say a Sinner as your savior.
And so we find here that every good gift and every perfect gift is from above.
And cometh down from the father of lights, with whom there is no variableness.
Nor shadow of turning. God has given many gifts to man.
He's given good gifts and he's given perfect gifts and we're going to turn throughout the word of God and we're going to see some of these gifts.
But let's impress upon our souls before we do that that God is the giver.
God is the source of everything that is good and everything.
That is perfect. Let's turn first of all back to the book of Ecclesiastes.
Ecclesiastes, chapter 3.
Ecclesiastes, chapter 3 and verse 13.
And also that every man should eat and drink and enjoy the good of all his labor.
It is the gift of God. I'm going to read a similar verse in the 5th chapter.
Chapter 5 and verse 19. Every man also to whom God hath given riches and wealth.
And hath given him power to eat thereof, and to take his portion, and to rejoice in his labor. This is the gift of God. You remember what our verse said in the book of James? Every good gift. And God has given to man many good gifts. It tells us in another place that the rain falls on the just and the unjust. When the rain falls from the sky, it doesn't just fall on the field of the farmer.
Who recognizes God or knows the Lord Jesus Christ as his Savior?
No, it's going to fall on the next field as well. It's going to fall on the field of the ungodly as well as the field of the godly. God gives many good gifts to man. And I suppose in a country and on a continent like this, we little realize how many wonderful benefits and gifts God has given us. In fact, just the profession and the light of Christianity means that we receive many mercies and blessings at the hand of God. You know, it's interesting, if we were to go back to the book of Genesis, to the story of Joseph.
Joseph being a picture of the Lord Jesus when Joseph came to the House of Potiphar.
It says that because of the presence of Joseph in that house.
The House of Potiphar prospered and I believe a land like this prospers because.
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Of the light of Christianity, because of the presence of the believer, because of the liberty there is to put forth the truth and to put forth the gospel. And yet we little realize what benefits there are they're trying to eradicate. Get rid of the gospel. Just close the pages of God's word. In a country like this, thank God we still have liberty to have a gospel meeting tonight.
You know, there are many countries in the world where this liberty is not granted, where the Gospel has to be propagated secretly and very carefully.
Where one will tell another quietly the story of Jesus and his love with perhaps even fearing.
For his life, or at the least imprisonment. But how thankful we are for the benefits we enjoy.
In a land like this and here, we find, Solomon says, for a man to eat and drink.
And enjoy the fruit of his labor. It's the gift of God. The fact that a man has strength and breath from God is a gift of God. Remember what Daniel said to Belshazzar, perhaps the greatest king of the day. He said, The God in whose hand thy breath is, and whose are all thy ways? Hast thou not glorified? He was seeking to bring before Belshazzar that the very breath he breathed was a gift from God?
Because as we read in the New Testament, he giveth to all life and breath.
And all things. He's the preserver of all men. And so to eat and drink and enjoy the fruit of our labor, it is the gift of God. And yet, just go to a restaurant and look around as the food is served. How many people stop for a moment, bow their head, and give God thanks for their food, recognizing that it comes from his good hand? How many people stop at the end of the day and thank God that they got home safely?
That they had a job. That they were able to move about freely. That they had again, that they had the temporal mercies to enjoy and to sustain life and to whole body and soul together. Oh, how few they're they really are. And I would just say in passing to those of us who know the Lord Jesus as our Savior, let's never forget that the good things we enjoy, the mercies we enjoy from day-to-day, come from the hand of a loving God and Father, and let's stop during the day and thank Him.
For those mercies that we have. But you know there's more when it comes to the subject of the gift of God.
There's more than just those temporal mercies. If we had to stop with these verses recorded by inspiration by Solomon, looking at things under the sun, that is from a natural standpoint. We would have no good news to tell tonight. We'd have no gospel message if it just ended with the fact that good gifts come from God and that he's the sustainer of life and the preserver of all men. Now we're going to go on and we're going to find out.
There's far, far more from the heart of a giving God than just the good gifts.
There are the perfect gifts as well. Let's go to Two Corinthians.
Chapter 9.
2nd Corinthians Chapter 9.
And verse 15.
Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift. Oh, this is where the blessing all starts. This is how we can have a gospel meeting tonight. Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift, we sometimes sing a hymn, O gift of love, unspeakable, O gift of mercy. All divine for every gift a song we raise.
But this demands eternal praise. What is this gift that is referred to here?
I believe this gift is the gift of God's beloved Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.
And those of us who were in this room this morning and remembered the Lord Jesus in the breaking of bread.
We had before us, in one way or another, that wonderful gift the Father sent the Son to be the Savior of the world. God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him.
Should not perish, but have everlasting life. He spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all. In this was manifested the love of God, in that God sent his only begotten Son into the world.
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That we might live through him.
I'm going to repeat the lines of a hymn. It may seem out of context, but I'm going to tell a story after I.
Quote these lines. It's a hymn that's familiar to many of us.
The Lord is risen, the Red Seas judgment flawed, is passed in Him who bought us with His blood.
The Lord is risen. We stand beyond the doom of all our sins.
Through Jesus empty tomb.
William Patton McKay was born in Scotland in the year 1839. He was brought up in a Christian home. He had a God fearing pious mother, a mother who brought the gospel before him, a mother who took him to Sunday school and gospel meetings. He heard the word of God from his youth, but he hardened his heart against the gospel, and at 17 years of age he left home.
He left home to go to school, he went to university and he became a doctor.
During those years of studying, he lived a wildlife he drank, he caroused.
He lived for himself. He tried to forget God.
Before he left home, his mother gave him a Bible.
And she wrote in the flyleaf of that Bible.
His name, the fact that it was from his mother, and the verse I quoted a few moments ago, John 316.
He forgot all about that Bible as he went through those years of school.
He went on to become a doctor.
He eventually found that Bible in some of his belongings, and he took it and pawned it.
He became an infidel.
Went on to be elected as the president.
Of the Atheist Atheist Society of Edinburgh.
Became the head physician at the largest hospital in Edinburgh. Became very renowned for his surgeries and his ability to bring people back from the point of death.
One day.
He was called to the emergency room an accident victim had been brought in.
He went to tend to this accident victim and realized that this victim was not going to pull through.
In spite of anything he could do, nothing was going to save this man.
This man said to him. Doctor, what's the prognosis? Am I going to pull through?
And as doctors usually are, in an optimistic way, he said, Oh, you'll make it OK.
The man said, Doctor, I want the truth, he said. I'm not going to make it, am I?
William McKay had to.
Confessed to this man that he didn't believe he was going to make it.
The man said. Doctor, I wonder if you would do something for me, he said. I wonder if you would send to my landlady at my apartment.
At my rooming house and ask her to bring the book. She'll know what I mean. Just send a messenger, if you will, and ask that my landlady send me the book.
The messenger was sent, the book was received and brought back to the dying man.
Sometime later, Doctor McKay was making his rounds and he came back down to the emergency room.
And he asked about the patient, and the nurse on duty told him.
That the patient had indeed died.
His mind went to the book that had been sent. He asked the nurse if the patient had got it, and yes, he had.
He said to the nurse, What was it? Was it his checkbook? Was it a date book? What was the book?
That he wanted so badly.
The nurse said to him. Well, it's still under his pillow. Why don't you go and see?
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And so, curiosity getting the better of him, the doctor went reached unto the man's pillow.
And pulled out a Bible.
He opened the flyleaf and he was almost overcome with emotion.
There in his hand, after all those years, was the very Bible that his mother had given to him, the Bible that he had pawned to buy drink and to support his.
His wicked lifestyle was there in his hand, and there, as it almost jumped off the page, was John 316. God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son.
Overcome, tuck that Bible under his arm, and he rushed upstairs to his office.
And he fell on his knees before God, and there's a repentance Sinner.
He confessed before God that he was a Sinner, and he received there the Lord Jesus Christ as his Savior with that open Bible before him.
And he rose off his knees, a new creature in Christ Jesus.
The first thing he did was to contact his elderly mother.
Well, you can imagine the thrill that must have gone through her soul as she realized the fruit of her labor and her prayers.
William McKay.
Went on to become an ardent Christian and preacher of the gospel.
A hymn writer.
And if you notice the first verse of that hymn, I quoted #34 in the Little Flock hymn book, a hymn book that most many of us are so familiar with if you go to the authors index.
You'll find.
But he's the author of that hymn that so many of us have often sung. He also wrote that hymn. We praise thee, O God, for the Son of thy love for Jesus, who died and is now gone above. Hallelujah, thine the glory, Hallelujah, Amen, Hallelujah, thine the glory. Revive us again, he wrote those blessed words. I often wonder if that hymn didn't come before him as he.
Looked at that scripture, John 316. There in the flyleaf of his Bible, in his mother's handwriting. But what about you tonight?
Can you look up to heaven tonight and with joy in your soul say thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift as we speak about the Lord Jesus Christ? Does it thrill your soul to think that God sent his well beloved Son into this world?
And when he sent his son, God knew exactly what the cost.
Was going to be. You know, we often say the Gospels free, and it certainly is free.
But it's not cheap. The Gospel is not cheap. It costs God his son.
It costs the Lord Jesus his life. It costs the Lord Jesus the shedding of his precious blood.
You know what? Gift always costs something, doesn't it? A gift costs the giver something. It may be some time, it may be some effort, it may be some skill or ability. It may be some monetary cost. But it A gift is going to cost the giver. But of course, what makes the gift a gift is that it's free to the recipient and all. Tonight, God has sent His beloved Son that great cost. The Lord Jesus went to Calvary's cross.
There he gave his life. There, as I say, he shed his precious blood.
The price has been paid so that you can be offered tonight a wonderful gift. We're going to look at it in a moment. But again, I want to impress upon our souls this gift of all gifts, the gift of the Lord Jesus Christ. And for those of us who know Christ as our Savior, I trust that every day, more than once a day, we look up with thankful hearts that we never forget.
That wonderful gift of the Son that we thank God every day.
For that gift, when was the last time you looked up and said thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift. If someone has done a great deal for you, you don't want to thank them just once. Maybe someone saves your life, gets you out of some extenuating circumstance, pays a great debt for you. Oh, you don't thank them just once. Every time you see that person, you say thank you.
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I'll never forget what you've done for me. Oh, let's never forget to thank God for his gift, the gift of his son. But let's go on now to the book of Romans.
Romans chapter 5.
Romans chapter 5 and verse 15.
But not as the offense. So also is the free gift, for if through the offense of one many be dead, much more the grace of God and the gift by grace, which is by one man Jesus Christ.
Hath abounded unto many, and then notice the 23rd verse of the 6th chapter.
For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life.
Through Jesus Christ our Lord, I also want to read a verse in the book of Leviticus.
Leviticus, chapter 17.
Leviticus chapter 17 and verse 11 For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls.
For it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul.
We spoke of that unspeakable gift, the gift of the Lord Jesus.
Not just a good gift, but a perfect gift. But the other perfect gifts that God.
Is offering to man tonight are based on the gift of his Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.
There is no other basis. There is no other way of blessing, no other way that God can offer.
These gifts that we have now read about the gift of eternal life.
And isn't it interesting that in the 5th chapter it uses the expression the free gift?
That is an interesting expression to me, because what makes a gift free is the fact that it is free to the recipient. I'm going to repeat a little story sometimes told, but it rather impressed me in this regard. I remember one time we were holding some gospel meetings in an area of northern Maine years ago, and one night a brother was seeking by the grace of God to present the gospel as simply and clearly as possible.
To a room of people who had rarely heard a clear gospel. Perhaps there were some there too who D never heard the gospel.
Presented before.
And in seeking to impress upon the audience.
What we're seeking to impress upon our hearts tonight, and that, is that the gospel is free to the recipient.
He used an illustration that I thought was very helpful, he said. Suppose I bring to the front of the room here.
A bicycle. A brand new bicycle. The best bicycle money can buy.
An expensive bicycle, No expense has been spared to provide the very best.
In cycling technology and he said. I bring this bicycle to the front of the room.
A bicycle that I have purchased myself and will suppose that I say to one of the boys on the front row.
This bicycle is free. It is a gift to you if you will simply come and receive this bicycle.
And soon the boy gets up off his chair, somewhat hesitantly, but nevertheless he gets up off his chair.
And he comes forward to receive the bicycle. But he said we'll suppose that through his mind.
Is running the fact that this bicycle is very expensive. I know this man has gone to a great deal of trouble and expense to secure this bicycle.
And I'd like to help him out just a little bit. And so the boy reaches into his pocket and he finds that he has one penny.
One cent in his pocket.
And so as he approaches, he says Sir, now I appreciate this, but I'd like to do something. I'd like to do my part to help out.
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And I only have one penny. But Sir, if you will just receive this one penny, I would be grateful.
The preacher said if I received that penny from the boy, the bicycle no longer becomes a gift, It becomes a bargain. But it's no longer a gift. And the gospel tonight is not a bargain, It's a gift. You can do nothing. You can't offer God one thing. All you have to do is come and simply receive as God's free gift the gift of eternal life.
Through Jesus Christ our Lord. But for a moment I'd like to impress upon our souls. The first part of the verse we read in the 6th chapter for the wages of sin is death.
You know there are wages.
And those wages are death.
You know death passed upon all men for that all have sinned and I think everyone of us, if we're honest tonight.
Have to confess that we realize that the wages of sin are death. We don't have to go very far from this building to see death and sorrow and the results of sin on every hand. Every town, every community of any size has a graveyard. There are hospitals, there are nursing homes, there are all kinds of clinics and facilities.
There are funeral homes.
All giving testimony to the fact that the wages of sin is death. But more than that, not only is the are the wages of sin death, but after death the judgment there is that which is referred to in the Book of Revelation as the second death, and the second death is eternal separation from God. The second death is to be bound hand and foot and cast into the lake of fire.
The second death is to be in a place of torment for all eternity.
Where there's weeping and gnashing of teeth. But let's make no mistake about it.
Hell was never prepared for, man. Hell was never prepared for the Sinner.
It was prepared for the devil and his angels, but one who refuses God's gift of eternal life.
Through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Is going to go to that place. God, as it were, will have no choice.
But to send the unrepentant, unregenerate Sinner who passes out of this world lost.
He will have no choice but to send them to the lake of fire.
It's very serious. It's very solemn tonight and my heart is stirred in the heart of many are stirred here in this room tonight to realize that there may be those in this room who have perhaps even sat in these meetings today and yesterday and are on the Broad Rd. that leads to destruction.
My heart was stirred a few moments ago when we were in a room in a building across the way and there was a prayer meeting concerning blessing for this gospel, and a young brother prayed and he prayed for his fellow young people who are in this room and still lost in their sins.
It's not just older people who are concerned about you tonight.
But if you're a young person in this room tonight and you're lost, you don't know Christ as your Savior. There is at least one, and I have no doubt more, but there is at least one of your peers tonight who's praying for you, who's concerned.
Because if you pass out of this world lost, you're gonna go to hell.
I want to stress for a moment.
The coming of the Lord Jesus Christ, we often in the gospel meeting stress what comes after death.
And certainly it needs to be stressed. None of us have any lease on life. None of us know how much longer we have.
None of us know how many more breaths we're going to take.
But there is another event that is imminent. There's an event that's going to take place at any moment, and that is the coming of the Lord. And the New Testament leaves us in no doubt, as we go from Scripture to Scripture, just how that event is going to take place. We're not told when, but we're told how. We're going to take, told. We're told what will happen. We're told who is going to be involved.
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And who is not going to be involved?
If the Lord Jesus were to come before this Gospel meeting is completed.
Every person in this room who knows the Lord Jesus Christ as their Savior.
Who has thy faith received the gift of eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord?
Every person will vacate their seat immediately. Every person who knows Christ is going to be caught away.
To be with the Lord Jesus. And I know there are just many people in this room who thrill.
When we speak about the second coming of Christ and when we quote a verse such as the coming of the Lord, draweth nigh.
But the coming of the Lord is going to mean different things for different people.
Because for those who are not saved, it's going to mean that they are left behind.
Someone in this room to look around and see all the empty chairs and realize.
What has taken place? It was already mentioned in these meetings about the fact that when Elijah was raptured to heaven in a whirlwind, a chariot of fire, it wasn't the general populace in Israel that missed him. It was the sons of the prophets.
And who will miss the believer when they're raptured to heaven at the second coming of Christ?
I don't believe it will be the general populace, Impella or Iowa or the United States or the world. It will be.
Initially at least, the sons and the daughters of praying parents and grandparents, the sons and the daughters of those who have had loved ones snatched out of this world to be with the Lord Jesus for all eternity.
In the Father's house.
It is so very, very serious.
At the end of a gospel meeting, a young lady was leaving and she was asked what her impression of the gospel meeting was.
She said, well, at least the the preacher is passionate about what he believes.
And we are tonight. We are passionate because these things are real and they're going to happen. They're going to take place. They're serious and they're eternal. The consequences are dire. They're final. They're eternal. There'll be no reversal. You have a problem now. There's always a remedy. We're so used to a 1800 number. We're used to 911. We're used to insurance and all those things. And I'm not saying.
We shouldn't avail ourselves of those resources.
But when the Lord Jesus comes, so when a soul leaves this world.
There's no reversal. There's no insurance. There's no one 800 number in a lost eternity. There's no 911 in hell.
It's fixed. It's over.
So Lord Jesus is coming.
You know, the Lord Jesus not only died on the cross, but he shed his precious blood.
The gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. But there's another gift, and that's why I read in the 17th of Leviticus.
Because I want to stress for a few moments the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ and those sacrifices that are referred to in the book of Leviticus.
Where the blood was shed where just pale reflections and feeble foreshadows of what was really in the mind and heart of God.
God was looking forward to that time when his son would go to the altar.
When his son would go to Calvary's cross and lay down his life and shed his precious blood.
The blood is a gift from God himself. And that blood, it tells us the blood of Jesus Christ his Son, cleanses us from all sin. Have you been washed in the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ? It is the only thing that is going to take away your sins. It is the only thing that is going to save your soul, the blood of the Lord Jesus. It's through that blood that we have forgiveness.
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It's through that blood that Peter tells us we have redemption. We are redeemed not with corruptible things as silver and gold, but with the precious blood of Christ. Some of us have travelled in countries where their dollar is completely worthless or severely devalued, and sometimes the value of a dollar changes overnight or even during the day.
And not only that, but even in countries where the dollar is stable.
Or gold and silver is somewhat stable. Yet if you go from day-to-day and week to week and compare the value of the US dollar against the Japanese yen and the euro, the value of gold and silver and other precious commodities, it changes.
But I'm thankful that my redemption isn't based on something that changes in value.
Something that is going to fluctuate one way or the other and when it says the precious blood of Christ.
I'm thankful that that isn't my estimation of the blood. That's God's estimation.
God says the blood of the Lord Jesus is precious. It's as precious to the heart of God tonight.
As when it was shed so long ago at Calvary's cross, and that value is never going to change.
It will be precious to the heart of God for all eternity. Is it precious to your heart tonight?
Has it done its work? Have you been washed in the blood of the lamb? The boys and girls so often, And those of us who are older sing that hymn? What can wash away my sins? Nothing but the blood of Jesus.
What can make me whole again? Nothing but the blood.
Of Jesus.
But there's something else we need to stress in the gospel before we move on, because the apostle Paul, in referring to the gospel that he presented to the Corinthians, said.
That the gospel that he preached was that Christ died, That he was buried.
And then he rose again the 3rd day according to the Scriptures. And when we present the gospel, we must stress though a resurrection of the Lord Jesus, It is a vital element. It is a vital part of the gospel because if Christ be not raised, your faith is in vain and ye are still in your sins. But thank God he was raised again for our justification. You know, it's interesting that when you read the four gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.
And you read the circumstances surrounding the crucifixion of the Lord Jesus.
In various of the Gospels recorded by inspiration.
We find various details. For instance, in John's Gospel, he's the only evangelist that records the fact.
That a soldier with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came their out blood and water.
And there are things that are unique to each gospel, but at the end of the story of the crucifixion.
Everyone of the four Gospels brings before us the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ.
So vital is it as far as our blessing and salvation.
That not one of the four evangelists leave it out by inspiration. They record some aspects, certain details of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ and oh what a victory was won at Calvary's Cross.
You know, they talk about the great victories that have been won in various battles around this globe through the centuries. And certainly we don't want to belittle those victories that have been won for the peace and the stability of mankind in one way or another. I've been to Trevor Fogger Square not long ago. I was at the Arch of Triumph in Paris. I've been to Passchendaele. I've been to the great monuments to different wars. I've stood at Eep and Eepers at the meningitis and seen those 56,000 names.
Engraved in stone.
Of soldiers they never found to bury in Flanders fields. But all the victory tonight that we're Speaking of.
Is far, far superior, and the consequences of that victory are far, far greater than any victory that's ever been won on this planet apart from the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. Just about 5 weeks ago, my wife and I visited the Louvre in Paris. The Louvre is that vast building that houses many of the art treasures and artifacts.
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Of this world priceless treasures and artifacts.
The Louvre is so big that you'll never see it, even in two or three days. And when you go to the Louvre, you need to have a list of things that you particularly want to see. And they have maps that will guide you on certain route routes, to see the things that you've come to see. And one of the things I had on my list was to see the statue of Nike. I suppose when we speak of Nike, most of you young people think of a brand name of clothes.
And on that brand name of clothes there is a check mark called a swoosh.
But I wonder if you really realize what the name where the name Nike comes from and where that symbol comes from. Nike was the goddess of victory.
Back in 1863.
The statue of Nike was excavated on the island of Samothracia by a French archaeologist. It was found in several pieces. In fact, some of those pieces were never some of the pieces of that idol. That statue were never found, but she's displayed very dramatically in the Louvre, the top of a grand staircase.
With a with a glass Dome lighted, very dramatically displayed. And there she is with her wingspan in the shape of that swoosh. That's where that swoosh on the Nike brand name clothing comes from.
You know, it's interesting if you were to go to Acts chapter 16. Paul spent one day and one night on the island of Samothracia. I often wonder if they were worshipping the goddess of victory, that very statue, when Paul was there, But there she is displayed for all to see. I wanted to see that statue simply because Paul had visited that very island where it was excavated from and perhaps saw that statue.
And as I gazed at that statue and my wife took a picture of Maine standing there with it.
I thought again of a far, far greater victory, not a victory won in this world.
But a victory won? Yes, it was won in this world, but not a victory won by any other.
But the Lord Jesus Christ, the man Christ Jesus, when he came forth triumphant from the grave, rose again from the dead.
The third day, and after, remaining on earth long enough to give ample and complete testimony to his own that he had bodily risen from the dead, even saying, handle me and see, for a spirit hath not flesh and bone, as ye see me, have he ascended back to the to the right hand of God. He seated there tonight as the Savior of sinners, and the resurrection, the ascension, and the glorification of Christ.
Our gods. Amen to the work of Calvary. They are the proof that God is satisfied.
With the work of his son and that there is a savior tonight for all those who come.
And receive that wonderful gift. I'd like to look at another gift now. It's in the 4th chapter of the book of John's Gospel.
John's Gospel, chapter 4 and verse 10. Jesus answered and said unto her.
If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith unto thee, give me to drink.
I would have asked of him and he would have given the living water. I suggest that the gift that is mentioned here in this chapter is the gift of the Spirit of God, because usually in scripture a a well or a spring, a river, a brook, running water, is a figure of the Spirit of God. In fact, later on in John's Gospel the Lord Jesus said out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.
And this he spake concerning the Spirit. And the reason we've read this near the end of the Gospel Meeting is because.
Maybe there's someone sitting here and you're saying I'd like to become a Christian. I'd like to get saved.
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I'd like to receive eternal life through Jesus Christ the Lord, but I could never live the Christian life.
I could never live like others who know the Lord Jesus, but that's not the question tonight.
Because when a soul gets saved, when they receive eternal life, then there is power given.
For that life and that power to live, the Christian life is the spirit of God. We don't have to live the Christian life on our own power. We never could. I remember some years ago an individual coming to some gospel tent meetings.
And after the meeting, he stayed behind. I believe he was really exercised, really burdened about his sins. The spirit of God was working with him. But he looked at the elderly brother who had preached the gospel that night, and he had known that brother for some years and he said, oh, I'd like to be a Christian, but I could never live like you. I could never meet up to the standard to which you seem to live. And all this elderly brother sought to impress upon him.
No, you never could, and I never could either.
Apart from the power that God gives, the power of the Spirit of God.
And it's the Spirit of God too that refreshes our souls and brings before us the person and work of Christ in one way or another.
How thankful we are that those of us who know the Lord Jesus as our Savior.
Can enjoy every day something from the pages of this book concerning our precious Savior.
And not only that, but through the Spirit of God, we can have a little foretaste of heaven before we get there.
We can enjoy that which is ahead, albeit in part, but we can have a little foretaste of what we are going to enjoy in a fuller and deeper way in the coming day. I'd like to look at another gift though. It's in Ephesians chapter 2.
Ephesians chapter 2 and verse 8.
For by grace are ye saved through faith, and that not of yourselves.
It is the gift of God.
Maybe there's someone here tonight and you're saying, well, I find it hard to believe that the scriptures have been read and quoted.
We've sought in some measure to explain as simply as possible the good news of the gospel, and you say I find it hard to believe that.
Well, perhaps you'd be more honest to say I find it hard to believe God, because as we read and quote the word of God, it's God speaking.
That's why it's referred to as the word of God. Do you find it hard to believe God tonight?
It's impossible for God to lie.
Not only that, but maybe you said, well, I just don't have the faith.
But the gift here is the faith that God gives to believe, and it's not the quantity that's important. You say I just don't have enough faith. It's not the quantity. If you have the faith of a grain of mustard seed, you could move mountains. If you had the faith of a grain of mustard seed, if I can paraphrase it this way, you can get saved tonight. It's not the amount of faith, it's the person and whom you put that faith.
Are you going to come to the Lord Jesus tonight? God is giving.
He's offering eternal life. He's given his son. He's given the blood. The blood has been shed.
He's He gives his spirit, He gives the faith.
It's all provided, like those who were invited to the Supper that the Lord told about.
All things are ready. Come. There was nothing to do. There was number preparation to be made. The preparation had all been made and everything was being offered freely. They wouldn't come, They wouldn't take that which was being offered so freely.
Oh, tonight, come and don't try to pay. Don't try to do something.
It's not of works. Lest any man should boast, you know there was a man.
In the book of Acts, I think it's the 8th chapter he tried to pay for the gift of God.
It was the Spirit of God there again, and when he saw the mighty things that were being done.
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He offered the apostles money, and they said to him, thy money perish with thee, because thou thoughts that the gift of God could be bought with money. It can't be bought tonight. It's already been bought. It's already been purchased. God would be unrighteous to charge us now, when the price has been paid by his beloved Son. But it has been paid. It's been fully paid.
Written across my debt of sin is paid in full. What about yours? Paid by the blood of the Lord Jesus?
No. Tonight we point you at the end of this gospel meeting to the Savior of sinners.
Are you going to walk out of this meeting and refuse God's gift?
What would a parent think?
If they went to a great deal of expense and trouble to secure a gift for their son or daughter for their birthday, a gift that they knew would please them very much, perhaps a gift that had been requested and desired. And they went to a great deal of trouble to secure this gift. And then they came in on your birthday and they offered you that gift and you refused it.
Or you tried to pay for it. Oh, they'd be insulted. They'd feel bad. They'd be distressed. They'd say, Well, it's for you. It's a gift. The price has been paid. Here it is. We know it's something you wanted and you hold up your hand.
And you refuse it. But what are we doing to God tonight? Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above and cometh down from the Father of Lights, with whom is no variableness or shadow of turning. And you're going to go out of this room tonight and refuse the gifts that God is offering to you. Are you going to insult God tonight? But oh, worse than that. Are you going to seal your doom and go to a lost eternity?
All tonight come come to the Lord Jesus.
Say yes, receive him this moment and peace.
Shall be thine. Let's pray our God and Father.