Gospel—J. Hyland
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Possible meeting this evening with hymn #20 on the gospel hymn sheet. Behold the Savior at the door. He gently knocks. Has knocked before, has waited long, is waiting. Still, you use no other friends, so we'll open the door. He'll enter in and Sup with you and you with him. Hymn #20, if someone could please start it.
Hello.
Uh-huh.
Nsnoise.
Let's ask God's help and blessing our blessed God and Father how thankful we are tonight that there is an invitation being given out in the gospel. Still. We thank Thee for the Lord Jesus Christ. We thank thee for each one in this room who knows the Lord Jesus as their Savior.
But our God and Father, our hearts are burdened now as this gospel hour is upon us, and as we are about to open my precious word and speak of the precious things of Christ, To think that there may be someone in this room who is lost and in their sins, someone who is on the broad Rd. that leads to destruction. Our God, if there is such. Tonight in this room, we pray that by thy Spirit Thou would arrest them in their course, that their eyes might be open to see beauty in Christ, and that thou wilt draw them to the Savior. We pray that thou give listening ears tonight.
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And that's how it worked mightily by Thy spirit, and help us to present simply and clearly.
The blessed Gospel Story. The story. The wonderful story of Jesus and his love.
So we ask thy help and blessing. We ask it in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and for his glory. Amen.
I'd like to read several portions of the Word of God this evening, beginning with a very, very familiar story in the New Testament found in Luke's Gospel chapter 19.
Luke's Gospel, chapter 19.
And we're going to begin reading at verse one.
And Jesus entered and passed through Jericho, and behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus, which was the chief among the publicans, and he was rich. And he sought to see Jesus who he was and could not for the press, because he was little of stature. And he ran before and climbed up into a Sycamore tree to see him. And he was for he was to pass that way. And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up and saw him.
And said unto him, Zacchaeus, make haste, and come down, for today I must abide at thy house.
And he made haste, and came down and received him joyfully, and when they saw it, they all murmured, saying that he was gone to be a guest with a man that was a Sinner.
And Zacchaeus stood and said unto the Lord, Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor.
And if I have taken anything from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold. And Jesus said unto him, This day is salvation, come to this house for as much as he also is the son of Abraham, for the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost. Now hold your finger here. We're going to come right back to this story. But I want to read some Old Testament portions to connect with it. The first one is in the book of Deuteronomy.
Deuteronomy, chapter 34.
Deuteronomy chapter 34 and verse 3.
And the South and the plain of the valley of Jericho, the city of palm trees unto Zoar. And then in the book of Joshua, Joshua, chapter 6.
Joshua chapter 6 and verse 26.
And Joshua adjured them at that time, saying, Cursed be the man before the Lord that raiseth up, and riseth up and buildeth this city, Jericho. He shall lay the foundation thereof in his first born.
And in his youngest son shall he set up the gates of it, And then one more portion in First Kings Chapter 16.
First Kings chapter 16 and verse 34.
In his days did Heil the Bethelite Bill Jericho. He laid the foundation thereof in Abiram, his first born, and set up the gates thereof in his youngest son, Sega, according to the word of the Lord, which he spake by Joshua the son of Nun. I realized that this story that we have read from God's living Word in the book of Luke is a very, very familiar story.
It was perhaps one of Dwight L Moody's favorite gospel stories. He often preached on it in the city of Chicago and around the world in the days when he was used mightily of God to propagate the gospel. And hundreds, yeah, thousands, were saved under the sound of the Word, which he preached so faithfully. But I have it on my heart to take up this familiar story again tonight, because God teaches us in His Word.
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Not just by precept, but he teaches us by story and illustration.
And God not only tells us the way of blessing, He not only tells us how we can be saved.
But he gives us examples of boys and girls, of young people and men and women.
In the Word of God who came into association with himself and as a result came into the good of blessing and salvation. And here we have perhaps one of the outstanding examples of a man in the days when the Lord Jesus walked here in this world, who had a desire to see the Lord Jesus who wasn't going to let anything stand in his way.
And as a result, he received eternal blessing. What a wonderful experience this man had in his life the day he met the Lord Jesus there under the Sycamore tree in the streets of of Jericho. And oh, tonight the way of blessing is open for you. If there's someone here tonight who does not know the Lord Jesus as their Savior, the burden of our hearts tonight is that before this gospel hour is completed.
You will come to know this blessed one, this one who desires your blessing far, far more.
Than anybody who invited you to these gospel meetings. Far, far more than a parent or a grandparent. Far, far more than any loved one, far more than the gospel preacher. God desires your blessing and your salvation. The Lord Jesus desires that you would not leave this room. In fact, He desires that you wouldn't wait one more moment to come to know him as savior. Oh, I say, the way of blessing is open.
And here we find as the Lord Jesus came to Jericho and his pathway here there was blessing within the walls of the city of Jericho. Before I comment particularly or specifically on what we have read here, you know it's interesting to trace the history of Jericho. And perhaps even before I say anything about Jericho specifically, I might add that cities in scripture.
Are often brought before us in various ways as pictures of this world in its confusion without God, sometimes in its religious confusion. Because, you know, tonight, there's plenty of religion in this world, but there's plenty of religion without Christ. But it's not religion we're preaching tonight. It's not Reformation. It's not sociology. No, it's Christ and Christ crucified. Christ is the answer for this world.
He Christ is the answer for you tonight if you're lost and in your sins. Sometimes cities are brought before us, as in connection with the political confusion of this world, sometimes as the social confusion, sometimes simply as men going on in His wayward sin and degradation without God. The reason I say that is because the first mention of a city in the Bible is in connection with Cain.
After Cain had offered that sacrifice that was not acceptable to God.
And after he was remonstrated with by God himself, and he went out from the presence of God, it says he went out.
And he built a city, and cities often speak then of man going on in independence of God. We find later on that after the flood they traveled towards the land of Shinar. And when they came to the plain of Shinar, they said, let us build us a city and a tower that will reach to heaven. And most, I suppose, know the story of the tower of Babel.
This is just a little parenthesis, but several weeks ago my wife and I were in Europe and we landed in Brussels and we had an extra day. And though we have connected through Brussels many, many times, we had never spent any time in Brussels. And so we spent some time in Brussels and one of the things we did was to go down and wander around the grounds and the compound of the EU.
And those buildings are impressive and we all are aware, especially today.
In the news and so on of the EU and the economic crisis in Europe, and so on.
But, you know, it's interesting to realize that there are two headquarters of the EU, the one in Brussels that we usually hear about, but there's another headquarters, and that's in Strasbourg, used to be part of Germany. It's now part of France. And, you know, it costs the eurozone thousands and thousands, millions of euro every year to have two headquarters because they go months about from one place to the other and they have to move themselves and their staff. And so on one month they're in Brussels, the next month they're in Strasbourg. And it is to satisfy.
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The French in that regard, but you know, it's interesting if we were to look up.
And see on the Internet some pictures of the headquarters in Strasbourg. We'd be surprised because the headquarters in Strasbourg was built after the pattern of an old painting that hangs in Europe by one of the old masters of the Tower of Babel. I suppose if we were to bring that a picture of that painting here tonight, most perhaps would recognize it if you have a Bible with.
Old pictures, Bible pictures, or the artist's depiction of Bible scenes.
You might find that very painting in your Bible, somewhere in the book of Genesis.
And that building is purposely built after the pattern of the Tower of Babel it looked, it's left to look unfinished at the top. There's a metal framework around that building that is to represent scaffolding. But what is so solemn about it is that when that building was opened and they began to use it as one of the EU headquarters, one of the top EU officials said these words. We built this building purposely.
After the pattern of Babel, because what they began at Babel 3000 years ago.
We in Europe are going to complete, Isn't that solemn? I think that's very solemn. You know this world is right. Not just Europe, but this world is ripe for the judgment of God. But I only say this to point out that as we come to the history of Jericho again, we have a little picture of this world in several aspects. I read back in the book of Deuteronomy because usually when we take up the subject of Jericho.
Or any story connected with an event that took place within that city. We think of it as the city of the cursed, and certainly it is, and we'll speak of that in a moment. But before it's introduced in that way, it's introduced to us in connection with the story of the children of Israel going around.
Or even before they went around the Jericho and it it was destroyed, it's introduced to us.
Not so much as the city of the curse, but the city of palm trees.
You know, it's interesting that the name Jericho itself means constant fragrance.
You know, when we think of fragrance and palm trees, we think of something very wonderful, don't we?
I suppose up in Canada, where I come from this time of year, most people, if they could afford it.
And have the time they would desire to go to a place where there are palm trees this time of year.
Canada is in the throes of a Canadian winter.
In fact, I was thankful that I took a flight out on Wednesday, because if I had taken a flight out a day or two later, I'm not so sure. I didn't check, but they were predicting some inclement weather.
I can well remember on a number of occasions approaching Grenada by boat.
Grenada is an island. It's the Spice Island and.
I know they've been devastated by hurricanes in the last few years, but I remember.
Approaching Grenada by boat when you could smell the spices wafting over the water.
If the breeze is blowing the right way, oh, it's a wonderful fragrance to smell the nutmeg and the spices as you come into the port in Grenada. Constant fragrance, lots of palm trees. A place where many people would covet being so that they could relax on the beach. Take a little vacation from the daily grind. And it's interesting that Jericho has a type of This world is presented in that way.
Because, you know, man features this world as a playground in which to indulge himself.
He says there's only one life and we only pass through this world once.
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Make the most of it. You've heard me say this before. At least many of you have. You know, amusement, which is so prevalent today. Entertainment amusement. It's interesting what that word in itself means. You know the word muse is the Latin word that means to think, and in Latin, if you put an A in front of the word, it gives it the opposite meaning. The word amuse means not to think.
We see it every day, don't we? People can't even go out for a walk in the evening without plugging something into their ears so they don't have to think. I'm not saying there aren't good things to listen to, but the world goes on.
Not thinking about their eternal ruin, they go on full of amusement, Something before their eyes, something to listen to some activity.
You ever have the carnival come to town? You ever think of what the root of the word carnival is? It's carnal. You ever think about that? But it comes to amuse people to keep them indifferent. And don't get me wrong, those of us who've had children, those of us who have young people, there's diversion and things that we can enjoy.
But oh, I say, the enemy is busy with that constant fragrance, the city of palm trees to keep man insensitive to his ruin. And if there's someone here and you're just out for a good time, you're just out to enjoy the fragrance and palm trees of Jericho, so to speak. The relaxation and amusements of this world and the ease of it all tonight would that the spirit of God would stir you up to realize that this world is under judgment.
Because Jericho is not only the city of palm trees, but it's the city of the curse. And we find between it being the city of palm trees and the city of the curse, we find that it came under judgment. The children of Israel went in to take the land of promise and the first hindrance that was there was the were the walls of Jericho and you know obedience to the word of God. We know they marched around that city.
And they marched around it for seven days. And on the 7th day they went around it again and again and again.
And at the right moment, God they blew the trumpets, and God brought the walls of that city down.
That city came under judgment and this world tonight is under judgment.
It's about to pass away, just as the story of Jericho in the Old Testament is a reality.
Just as it came under judgment in the days of Joshua and the children of Israel, so this world, it says he has appointed a day in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained. And I don't know when that judgment is, But I can tell you one thing for sure. We are closer to the judgment of this world tonight than we've ever been before.
You know, it is a serious thing to consider that there are many people gearing up this very day.
To celebrate tomorrow the birth of their judge.
Saul Amisendick.
I'm thankful for any recognition there is of God in Christianity in this world. Don't get me wrong.
But there are many people who are going to celebrate the birth of their judge, and if they go out of this world rejecting Christ, they're going to look into his face someday. And they are going to remember that they celebrated the birth of their judge. And the last thing they will remember as they go into a lost eternity is the word of God ringing in their ears. The Lord Jesus said the word that I have spoken.
The same shall judge him in the last day.
Have you ever heard scriptures quoted before?
You probably have, in fact, as I lookout over this audience and I can see right into the back row. But as I look over this audience, I realize that there are hundreds of people here who have heard and memorized the word of God. And there are boys and girls and young people who have committed in Sunday school, the word of God to memory, who've learned it at the dinner table as dad and mom so faithfully opened and read it.
From day-to-day and year to year.
But won't it be a serious thing, young person to remember in a lost eternity?
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John 316 For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son.
That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
I don't think that's the first time you've heard that verse, and if it is, you've heard it now.
And if you don't receive the message of that verse as to a point of refuge and salvation?
That very verse will rise in judgment of you.
In a coming day, because you will remember it knowing that it offered you salvation at one time, but it will rise in judgment because you're rejected that offer of salvation and mercy.
And when the walls of Jericho came down, and they went up and annihilated their inhabitants, all but who were in Rahab's house, and as they took the spoil, there was a curse placed on the city of Jericho.
And that curse, we read, was that whoever raised up the city of Jericho again would do it at the cost of their first born.
And their last?
Was God fooling?
Heil found out in the days of the kings that God wasn't fooling.
He rose up and he built, rebuilt Jericho.
And he lost his sons as a result, when he laid the foundation and when he laid the gate. When he began and completed the city, he found out that God wasn't fooling, and God's not fooling tonight.
A lady one time was invited to a gospel meeting like this, and I happened to be at that gospel meeting. And as she went out the door, someone said to her, what do you think? What did you think of the gospel message tonight? She said, well, the preacher was passionate about what he believed, and we are tonight. We're serious because God is serious. We're passionate in presenting Christ as the savior of sinners, but also in presenting the judgment of God that hangs over this world.
And not only that, but the awful reality of entering the lake of fire. It is a reality tonight. It is a very serious reality. And if we were to back up just a few pages in the Book of Luke, we would find there that the Lord Jesus not only warned about a lost eternity, but he again told an actual story.
About a man who ended up there.
You know the rich man.
Who ended up in a lost eternity in hell? That's not a parable, That's not a fable.
That is a real story. You know, whenever I read the story of the rich man and Lazarus, I am solemnized to realize that when the Lord Jesus told that story, that rich man was already in a lost eternity. Now how long ago was it that the Lord Jesus told that story?
About 2000 years more or less, wasn't it? Do you realize that man is still in a lost eternity? Do you realize he's still in a place of torment after 2000 years?
And do you realize that He will stand at the great White Throne judgment, and he will be bound hand and foot, to be cast into outer darkness, into hell, the drop of water that he desired for momentary relief?
Back when the Lord Jesus told the story, he never has got and he never will get.
Eternity is a long time. I don't think any of us can wrap our minds around eternity. It's a long, long time. We're so governed by time and clocks and physical limitations. But this is reality. To think that tonight, if you reject Christ and go on in your sins, you will come under the judgment of God and you will spend eternity in hell.
Just to go back and thought to the story, we didn't read it, but the story of the children of Israel and the destruction of Jericho in their day, You know, there were some in the city of Jericho who were saved.
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They were those who came into the House of a lady named Rahab.
Rahab had faith, and not only did she have faith, but she hung a scarlet rope in her window. And it was that scarlet rope that I believe God saw, as well as her faith, of course. And it was that scarlet rope that came under the eye of God that saved Rahab and all that were in her house, you say why? Because to the heart of God it spoke of something very precious.
It spoke to the heart of God of what was going to take place at Calvary's cross when his son, the Lord Jesus, would go there and lay down his life and shed his precious blood.
It is only the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ tonight that's going to save you, and I want to stress it for a moment. It is only the blood of Jesus Christ, his Son, that cleanseth from all sin.
Ruthann Metzger is a well known singer in certain circles. She's a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ and sings sacred music at different events. And she's sometimes hired to sing at weddings and funerals and other events, often by wealthy people.
And the story is told of a time when she and her husband, Roy, were invited.
To a very prestigious wedding in the city of Seattle, WA.
They were very excited, as she tells, to attend this wedding. It was the wedding of a the son of a very wealthy man, and this wedding promised to be quite an event. It was to be held. The reception at least was to be held on the top floor of the Columbia Tower in Seattle, WA. I believe it's considered the tallest building in the Northwest.
And the story goes that as the wedding feast was about to begin.
The guests congregated a floor below at the base of a glass and brass stairs.
Someone very ceremoniously cut the satin ribbon. The bride and groom and the wedding party ascended the stairs.
And the wedding guests afterwards, Ruth Ann, had sung at the wedding.
And now they were going up the stairs to the wedding reception.
There were waiters in white tuxedos. There was an orchestra tuning, tuning their instruments, getting ready to play during the wedding feast. There were all kinds of delicacies, lading the tables, ice sculptures, A centerpieces, and a great deal of pomp and ceremony connected with the whole affair.
But at the top of the stairs there was a maitre-d' with a bound book. And as the guests approached the top of the stairs, before they were allowed into the feast, they had to give to the maitre-d' their name. And he would look in the book, and he would see their name, and he would check it, and he would allow them to take their seat at one of those tables.
Ruthanna and her husband Roy approached the maitre-d' and he asked them your names please.
She told them their names. She said. I'm Ruth Anna Metzger, and this is my husband, Roy. He opened the book. He ran his finger down the page, said I don't see your name. She spelt it for him. He looked again. He said, I'm not finding it. She said. There must be some mistake. I sang at the wedding.
He said. Ma'am, it doesn't matter who you are or what you've done, if your name isn't in this book, you cannot attend the wedding feast.
As he said those words, he motioned to a waiter and instructed them to escort this couple to the elevator and have them sent down off the floor.
This waiter ushered them inside the service elevator and rather unceremoniously pushed G for garage.
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The doors closed. The elevator descended.
And in silence, Ruthanna and her husband Roy found their car.
They drove out of that garage in silence. They drove for some time before Roy said anything.
Put his hand over on his wife's hand and he said. Ruthanna, what happened?
Tears filled her eyes, she said. When the invitation came, I knew I needed to RSVP, but she said I was busy and besides, I was the singer. I didn't think we needed to send in the reply card.
But as a result of not sending in that reply card, they were banned from that wonderful wedding feast.
They felt bad. How disappointed they must have been. But oh, tonight.
There's a wedding feast being prepared in heaven. The marriage supper of the lamb.
And only those. I want to say this so carefully and with all reverence. But only those who are SVP are going to be there. In other words, only those who come to the Lord Jesus and say yes.
I'm a Sinner. I want to be saved only those who avail themselves of the precious blood of Christ.
And have their names written not in the Maitre DS bound book at the top of the stairs.
But in the Lamb's book of life that will be opened in a coming day, Only those.
Will be at the marriage supper of the Lamb.
Those who are not found written will be cast into the lake of fire. We find the Lord Jesus came then to Jericho.
And it's interesting that as he entered and passed through Jericho and there was blessing as a result, we never read of the Lord Jesus entering and passing through Jericho again.
You know, tonight you have entered this room.
You're sitting listening to the word of God read and quoted and, at least in some feeble measure, the gospel message being presented.
But I'm not going to promise you that you will ever be in this room again.
Or that you will ever have another opportunity to receive the Lord Jesus as your savior.
You know, if we were to back up in this story, we would find that as the Lord Jesus entered Jericho.
There were a couple of blind men. You have to compare the accounts in the different Gospels. But it was a couple of blind men, and they called out, and they received blessing. Suppose they hadn't called out. Suppose they hadn't desired to see the Lord Jesus. Would he have ever passed that way again? We never read that he did. They would have missed the one opportunity that they had. Suppose Zacchaeus had said, well, you know.
Jericho and yeah, I think the Lord will come this way again and there'll be another opportunity and maybe the next time he comes there won't be such a big crowd and.
I'll have a better opportunity to get acquainted with. The Lord would have never had that opportunity again. You may never have the opportunity again.
Some of us have come to this room for many years. But you know, as I look out over this audience, I realize there are those who have sat in these, this audience before who are in eternity tonight.
They're not here. They're in eternity.
What about you? When you leave this building tonight or you go out those doors? Will you ever enter this building again? Oh, you say. Well, what about tomorrow morning? I'm not going to guarantee you tomorrow morning.
The Lord Jesus may come tonight, the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.
Not only that.
But you may take your last breath sometime between this evening.
And tomorrow morning and you will be in eternity. I remember some gospel tent meetings we were holding years ago.
In the town of Curling, Newfoundland, just outside of Corner Brook.
And I remember some young men. I believed there were four of them who came one night.
To the Gospel meeting. They sat at the back of the tent and I watched them. I knew those young men. I'd seen them there before.
But I realized very quickly as the Gospel Meeting commenced, that just like on other occasions, they hadn't come so much to listen to the message.
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But more to cause a disturbance.
And after the Gospel meeting was concluded, they were standing around outside the back of the tent and they had lit up their cigarettes.
And I went back and I said, Fellas, tell me something.
I knew they knew the story. I said Tell me something. Is it worth the risk? Is it worth the gamble to say that tomorrow you'll have another opportunity to come back to this tent and another opportunity to get saved? Is it worth that risk?
You know what they told me? I tremble to repeat what they told me. They said we'll take that risk. You know, man is a gambler at heart, isn't he?
He likes an adrenaline rush. He likes to take a risk. He likes to go to the casino. But all tonight, don't risk your life. Don't gamble with eternity. It's not worth it. It's eternal.
There's no going back. A person may go to the casino and lose everything and start over.
A person may risk their health in one way or another, and they may go to the doctor and they may get a treatment and they may heal, at least for a time.
But to gamble with your soul and end up in a lost eternity is to realize that it is final. It is very final. And so we find as the Lord Jesus entered and passed through Jericho, there was a man, and he desired to see Jesus. I love this who he was. He wasn't just interested in seeing some miracle.
He wanted to get to know the Lord Jesus who he was. You know, there was another man in the days of the Lord Jesus that says he wanted to see Jesus for a long time.
That he might see some miracle performed. You know, we don't ever read that he saw a miracle performed in his presence.
But Zacchaeus desired to see the Lord Jesus, who he was, and who is he?
Oh, tonight he's the son of God. He's the savior of sinners.
He's God manifest in the flesh. He's the Savior on high in the glory.
He's the one that loves you. He's the eternal person who desires your blessing.
He's the one who laid down his life, who shed his precious blood. He's the one that's coming again.
You know Zacchaeus had some hindrances, you know, every time the Gospels presented.
Whether it's in a setting like this, whether it's a gospel tract handed to somebody.
Whether it's a word spoken faithfully to an individual.
Or whether it's a life lived quietly in testimony. Every time the gospel is presented, Satan the enemy is busy to try to hinder the blessing of souls.
There was somebody in Jericho who didn't want Zacchaeus to get to know the Lord Jesus, not with the enemy Satan. And he tried one way or another. Here particularly it was this great crowd, this great press. Zacchaeus might have got discouraged.
And said, well, it's not worth it. Not only that, but you know, Zacchaeus was a prominent man in the city of Jericho. And he might have thought too well, with all this crowd around, somebody's gonna see me that I know, somebody I work with, somebody I do business with, maybe a friend, maybe a neighbor, And they know what I'm really like. And maybe they wouldn't like it so much if they saw me talking to the Lord Jesus. But he didn't let any of that stop him. Such was his desire, Such was his earnestness.
That he wasn't going to let anything stop him.
You know.
His possessions could have stopped him too.
You know, those that are rich hardly enter the Kingdom of God.
To the poor, the Gospels preached, not many noble, not many wealthy.
But thank God he didn't let that stop him either. You know, the point really isn't here, Whether he was a tall man or a short man, whether he was a rich man or a poor man. The point really, we want distress tonight, is that he had a desire to see the Lord Jesus, to get to know him, and he wasn't going to let anything stand in his way. What are you letting stand in your way tonight?
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Maybe it's your possessions, I don't know.
Maybe it's your job, your profession.
Maybe it's the people, I don't know, but there may be any number of things that the enemy is using tonight.
But it's not worth it.
When we see Zacchaeus in heaven, those of us who know Christ.
Is he gonna say that it wasn't worth it? That he should have waited? Oh, he's gonna be thankful that he was in earnest and we find here that he ran what the souls would run to Christ tonight.
Would that souls were in a hurry tonight to come to the Lord Jesus?
I'm going to pause for a moment because I have a bit of a burden on my heart in connection with this audience.
You know so often when we present the gospel in a setting like this.
We stress to the boys and girls and young people the need of being saved now and while they're young and that's certainly very important, but maybe there's an older person here tonight.
I have a little bit of a burden because I look into the faces of all age groups and I know there are a number of older people tonight, perhaps what we would label today as senior citizens. Maybe you've gone on for many years, 7080 years, and you're not saved.
I suppose most of us have eaten, at some point or another, a piece of Kentucky Fried Chicken.
You know, sometimes when we're in the islands in the Caribbean, the only thing we can get that.
It's really safe to eat and it at least fills the hole. It's not my favorite.
But I've often eaten Kentucky Fried Chicken.
And we often have seen that symbol, that picture of Colonel Sanders.
You know, Colonel Sanders was 65 years of age when he founded or he began that franchise. He had run a restaurant and cooked and been been in another number of business ventures before that. But at 65 years of age, having lost everything, he started up again and he started a very, very successful franchise. And it seems like almost anywhere you go in the world, you'll find a Kentucky Fried Chicken franchise.
Colonel Sanders all his life was what he called himself in his autobiography, A God fearing man.
He gave 10% of everything he made.
To the church, as he called it.
He sought to live upright. He wasn't a gambler. He was a morally upright man.
But as he said himself, there was an empty, aching void.
In his heart all those years.
He sought to find peace and something to satisfy his soul in various ways, and he even traveled to Australia to attend some evangelical meetings that were being held there.
Didn't find it there, he came back.
To Kentucky.
And one day, he was invited by a friend to a gospel meeting in the city of Louisville, KY.
He went and sat on the front row.
While the preacher presented a very, very simple and faithful gospel message.
And the Spirit of God was working with him. He was 80 years of age.
It's never too late, is it? As long as there's breath, as long as the Lord hasn't come, there's hope.
At 80 years of age, he got down on the floor.
On his knees with his friend and with the tears streaming down his face.
Colonel Harlan Sanders.
Who was very, very wealthy at that point?
He accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as his Savior, the verse that impressed him that night and that the Spirit of God used.
Was Romans 10 and nine, that if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus.
And believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead. Thou shalt be saved.
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And as he says in his own words, when he left that meeting, the hunger of his soul was satisfied. He had found something that he had not found in any other venture.
Or pursuit that for 80 years he had sought after.
He lived another 10 years. He lived to be 90 years of age with a very, very real testimony. And maybe there's someone here and you've gone on for many years. Maybe you've even made an outward profession of being a Christian. But you're not real. Oh, tonight was that the spirit of God would work in your soul and the tears would flow down your face and you would come in repentance.
Because it's repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.
Almost persuaded.
There was a man that Paul preached to one time in the book of the Acts.
And he said, Almost thou persuadeth me to be a Christian, but Zacchaeus wasn't almost.
He ran. He climbed up into a tree. He wanted to see Jesus. But you know, he found out something even more wonderful than his desire to see the Lord Jesus on that occasion. He found out that the Lord Jesus desired to see him.
He wanted the company of the Lord Jesus, but the Lord Jesus wanted his company even more.
And the Lord Jesus wants your company. He wants your blessing tonight.
And the Lord Jesus came. I can just picture Zacchaeus up there in that tree. And the Lord looked up, and he called them by name. Zacchaeus. Zacchaeus must have just about fell off the branch. It must have been an awful shock, an awful surprise, but an awful joy. A real joy to Zacchaeus. The Lord Jesus is calling each one of us by name. Tonight he looks into this audience. I try to work on remembering names.
And when I shake hands with you, I might say your name to try to reconfirm it in my mind that once in a while I make a mistake. But the Lord Jesus looks down into this audience tonight, and he knows every name, every heart. And he's not just calling people tonight as a group. He's calling you by name.
I have redeemed thee. I have called thee by thy name. Thou art mine. I know there's hundreds here tonight. Rejoice in a scripture like that.
He called us by our name. He's redeemed us. We belong to him. Can you say that tonight?
You know Zacchaeus. I love what it says here. It doesn't say Zacchaeus came down.
It's true he came down, but he made haste and came down. This gospel meeting is almost over.
I know the young people watch their clocks, their watch, their watches. They they're going to see if I go overtime tonight.
But you know Zacchaeus.
He didn't wait for any overtime. He made haste. Oh, tonight don't wait till this meeting is over. Don't wait till I pray and say Amen. Don't wait till you go back to your room tonight. Come to the Lord Jesus. Be like Zacchaeus and make haste. The Son of man has come to seek and to save that which is lost. He's seeking for you. He desires your salvation. And I suggest that there was a turn around that very day in Zacchaeus.
Zacchaeus perhaps had a reputation even in his business in the city of Jericho. But there was a turn around and I suggested Zacchaeus had come to your house to collect taxes because that was his job. He was a tax collector. If he had come to your house to collect taxes, or you had gone to the tax office to pay your taxes after Zacchaeus was saved, after he came into acquaintance with the Lord Jesus, you could trust Zacchaeus now.
Maybe you couldn't before. Maybe you tried to ex exact too much from you put a little bit in his pocket and went on his way, but not after he was saved. There was a difference. There was a testimony. You know, I rarely ask someone if they're saved. I wait to see if there's some change in their life. When I see a young person or anyone with a change in their life, a desire to live for the Lord, I say, oh, I believe there's a person who's come.
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To know the Lord Jesus as their savior. I want to tell one more little incident before I close about a young lady named Abigail. She was 16 years of age at the time I knew her and know her very well. She lives in a country very different from North America and many miles from here.
She was brought up in a Christian home. I stayed in her home and visited in her home parents home many, many times.
There were Bible readings and prayer and hymns singing and going to meeting.
If you had asked me before this event if Abigail was saved, I would have said yes.
But one night after the presentation of the gospel.
And I was not the one that presented the gospel that night. But after the presentation of the gospel, Abigail stood up.
And she said, I've got saved tonight and I want to confess Christ as my Savior.
You can't imagine the ripple of joy through that room.
Wasn't hundreds of people like we have here tonight? It was just dozens. But there was a ripple of joy, and for one hour, we never left that building. We sang. We praised the Lord. We prayed. There were tears of joy running down many faces, including her parents.
Oh, tonight if you know Christ, confess him. If you, if you just come to know him tonight during this meeting, turn to somebody and tell them there'd just be so many who would rejoice to know that another soul is saved. There was no doubt rejoicing when Zacchaeus got saved, not only with Zacchaeus, but with the Lord Jesus. Oh, tonight there's joy in the presence of the angels of God over 1 Sinner that repents.
Oh, be like Zacchaeus. Make haste.
And come to the Savior of sinners. Let's pray our God and Father.
We pray for blessing on the gospel tonight. We pray that souls might be saved before they leave this room.
In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, Amen.