Hamilton Conference: 1961
Table of Contents
The Young Man Who Had to Leave the Pleasant City
Gospel—P. Glading
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#4 hymn #4.
Christ is the Savior of sinners. Christ is the Savior for me.
Long I was chained in sin's darkness. Now, by his grace, I am free.
#4
Christ is the Savior of sin.
Coordination.
The Bible is great. I am great.
May return first of all to the 7th chapter of Luke.
7th chapter of Luke.
From verse 11.
And it came to pass. The day after that he went into a city called Nayan, and many of his disciples went with him and much people.
Now when he came nigh.
To the gate of the city.
The fall there was a dead man carried out.
The only son of his mother, and she was a widow.
And much people of the city was with her.
And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her.
And said unto her, Wheat not.
And he came and touched the beer.
And they that bear him stood still.
And he said, Young man, I say unto thee, Arise.
And he that was dead sat up and began to speak.
And he delivered him.
To his mother.
And there came a fear on all, and they glorified God, saying that a great prophet is risen up among us, and that God hath visited his people.
We do not need much imagination to visualize this solemn scene here recorded in these two verses and it is a solemn scene.
And it reminds us of what we see almost every day.
Perhaps not every day the son of a widowed mother being taken to the graveyard.
But we see on every hand death.
Death has come in as a result of sin.
And by one man's sin entered into the world, and death by sin. And so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned.
But what a solemn picture we have here before us.
We can picture this poor widowed mother following her dead son to the cemetery.
What a solemn scene it is.
And the word of God tells us the wages of sin is death.
And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment.
Yes, dear friends.
This picture we have here.
Is, we might say, an everyday picture in many ways. Apart from the fact that the Lord stepped in and stopped this man on his downward course to the grave, we do not see that happen today.
But I mean in the first part of the story where this dear man, the only son of his mother, was taken to the graveyard.
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But the blessed Lord comes along. He's going to this city, the city of Nayan.
And you know the city of Nayan I believe means pleasant.
But the time came when this young man had to leave that pleasant city.
And dear young people, this world to you today may appear pleasantly, but let me solemnly remind you that the time is coming when you'll have to leave this pleasant place.
And you may have to leave it by the article of death tonight.
And may I ask you solemnly if this should overtake you as it did this young man?
And you were taken into the cemetery. Where would you go?
I mean, now, where would you spend eternity?
Well, this may overtake you, as it did this young man.
We find in the.
Think it's the 8th chapter of Luke.
It speaks of a young girl here who is at the point of death.
And this is a point, dear friends, to which you may come tonight. I may come to the point of death tonight. And let me ask you, friends.
Where would that find you? In your sins or in Christ?
This is a very important question to answer.
Here is a young girl, the daughter of Jay Iris, at the point of death.
We find she was of 12 years of age. She lived 12 years and then died.
And the other dear woman spoken of in the same chapter was dying for 12 years, and she lived.
Why she had that touch of faith upon the Lord Jesus Christ, And this poor woman, who had suffered for 12 years, gradually dying, lived.
This young girl who had lived 12 years, died and she was the only daughter of Jairus. This young man was the only son of his widowed mother.
And this young man, who is the only son of his widowed mother, was met by the only son of the eternal God.
At the gate of then all friends want a picture, this poor lion, dead in his coffin, going to the graveyard.
Passing undoubtedly through the city gate to the cemetery, the Blessed Lord comes. He is the only Son, the well beloved Son of God the Father. He comes on the scene, and he stops this young man on his course to the cemetery.
Oh, how wonderful and precious and dear friends, this blessed one, the only son of the living God, the Lord Jesus Christ, is the only one who can meet you in your need and ruin as you are traveling on through this pleasant city, if you like to call it on the way to eternity.
And let me ask you friends tonight, to which place are you going?
Are you going to spend an eternity with the Lord Jesus Christ in heaven, or are you going to that awful place called hell? Do have it settled, friends, tonight before you go out of this hall as to which place you are going to if death should overtake you.
We as believers, of course, are not looking for death. We are looking for the return of our blessed Lord Jesus.
And he may come tonight to claim his own. And we who have received him by faith, who have had that touch of faith.
They're going to be caught up to meet him, the Blessed Lord in the air to be forever with him.
And should the Lord come tonight, dear young people, how would he find you? Would he find you ready?
All you say? I hope so, but that's not sufficient.
Hoping will never save you.
Now it's only faith in Christ that will save you and have you put your trust in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Have you received him as your savior, if not my dear friend?
You're on your way to an eternal hell where hope and mercy can never, never come.
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And so here, then, we find this young man.
Was being taken out of the city to the burial ground.
It says that there are much people there too.
So he was a young man, apparently, who had many friends who respected him, and they were following undoubtedly behind the beer to the cemetery, showing their last respects, as we say. But there was another person arrives, and it was the Lord Jesus Christ, another only Son.
Yes, the eternal Son of God. He came on the scene and he saw this poor woman weeping.
And all how precious to notice.
And he relieved her sorrow over the loss of her Son. He says, Wait, not what precious comforting words from the lips of the only Son of God, the Lord Jesus Christ, to this poor widow. What a comfort these words must have been to her. And so he relieves her sorrow. But friends, let us remember there was none to relieve his sorrow when he was bearing the full weight of our sins on the cross of Calvary.
Though there was #1 to relieve his sorrow, he went into all the sorrow and suffering which the cross entailed.
In order that you and I might be forgiven, that our sins might be washed away in His precious blood.
And that we might be at peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, that we might receive the gift of eternal life.
And go on our way rejoicing in the knowledge of sins forgiven, and knowing too that we're on our way home to glory. Or how precious it is to have this blessed and happy assurance of sins forgiven through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. To know that one sins are gone, washed away in His precious blood.
We are in a restaurant Yesterday after a cup of coffee and I went into the washroom and there stood a man washing his hands. He said. It's nice to have our hands clean, isn't it? I said yes friend. It's far better though to have our souls cleansed by the blood of Christ, isn't it?
And he just gave a cent, Yes. But I just wonder whether he knew the joy of that, of being washed in the precious blood of the Lamb. Do you know the joy of that dear young people?
Or do you hope that you're saved? Are you sheltering under your parents faith that will never do, that will never take you into heaven? No, It's an individual matter between your soul and God. The sin question must be settled before you can have any hopes of heaven, before you can have the gift of eternal life and cleansing through the precious blood of Christ.
And so then the Lord comes on the scene, and this poor woman was weeping bitterly.
And she was a widow, and much people of the city was with her. And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her, and said unto her, Wait, not.
And he came and touched the beer, and they that bear him stood still.
Oh, what a precious scene we have here before us. This poor weeping widow walking behind her dead son on the way to the cemetery and the only son of God, the Lord Jesus Christ, comes on the scene. He says to that poor woman, Weep not, and he touches the beer and they that were carrying him stood still.
Yes, He was the only one who could stop that poor man on his course to the grave and restore him to life. Life is found alone in Jesus. Only there it is offered thee, offered without price or money. Tis the gift of God sent free. Take salvation, take it now and happy thee. I'm not suggesting that this dear man had the gift of eternal light, but the blessed Lord restored him to life.
Old friends think of the word of his power, the power of his word, and the word of his power.
When he could say to this young man, young man, I say unto thee, Arise.
And there was an immediate response, and he sat up and began to speak, and is restored to his mother. Oh, how precious. It not only shows the power of this blessed one, the only begotten of the father, but it shows his matchless love and grace too, in restoring this dear land to his poor, weeping, widowed mother. Oh, how precious it is.
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And so friends, if you.
Are to be restored to life because you know by nature you are dead. This man was physically dead. You by nature are spiritually dead. And God uses many metaphors in Scripture to describe man's sinful state, such as lameness, blindness and fever, and so on, but none more forceful in meaning than what we have in the Second of Ephesians.
Where the Lord says dead, dead in trespasses and sins. When a person is dead at the end of all human hopes, yes indeed it is. But here in Ephesians it's Speaking of those spiritually dead. Here was a young man who was physically dead. I wonder if there any he has spiritually dead tonight. If so, my dear friend, you need life. You need that contact with the only begotten Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.
Otherwise you're going to perish in your sins. Or how solemn the thought perish. Perish in your sins and you will, friends. If you haven't Christ as your savior, you'll perish in your sins. What a solemn thing The Lord Jesus has said. So he says. If he believed not that I am, he shall die in your sins. You shall die and you cannot avoid it. You shall die in your sins.
Well, some are inclined to think, well, if I die in my sins, that's the end of everything.
Only this last week, a young man I know very well have given him many tracts of his work and have spoken to him. He committed suicide. He had a little row with his boss, his master, and he went home and left a note for his poor father. And there he committed suicide. Young man of 20.
I suppose this poor young fellow got into such a state of mind that he thought, well, this will end at all.
Oh, what a delusion. It's just the beginning, friends. Just the beginning. Because he's gone into a lost eternity. I would imagine there was no sign of him accepting Christ, as far as I knew. But the Lord knows, of course. But what a solemn thing for anybody to think that if I commit suicide, that will end all my troubles. It never will. It's just the beginning, because it's the beginning of an eternity.
Away from God. And those who die in the sins will be raised in their sins to be judged for their sins. And how solemn this is? Well, in the 8th chapter of Luke we have another picture I'd like to look at for a little while, beginning at verse 22.
Now it came to pass on a certain day that he went, he the Lord Jesus Christ, he went into a ship with his disciples. And he said unto them, Let us go over unto the other side of the lake. And they launched forth. And as they sailed he fell asleep. And they came down a storm of wind on the lake, and they were filled with water and were in jeopardy. And they came to him, and awoke him, saying, Master, Master, we perish.
Then he arose and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water.
And they ceased, and there was a calm. And he said unto them, Where is your faith?
And they, being afraid, wondered, saying one to another, what manner of man is this, that for he commandeth even the winds and the and water, and they obey him. And they arrived at the country of the Gadarenes, which is over against Galilee. And when he went forth to land, and met him out of the city, a certain man, which had devils long time, and wear no clothes, neither abode in any house, but in the tombs.
When he saw Jesus, he cried out and fell down before him and with a loud voice said.
What have I to do with thee? Jesus, thou son of God Most High? I beseech thee, torment me not.
For he had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. Often times it had caught him, and he was kept bound with chains and in feathers.
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And he break the bands, and was driven of the devil into the wilderness. And Jesus asked him, saying, what is thy name? And he said legion, because many devils were entered into him.
And they just thought him that he would not command them to go out into the deep. And there was there and heard of many swine feeding on the mountain, and they besought him that he would suffer them to enter into them. And he suffered them. Then went the devils out of the man, and entered into the swine, and the herd ran violently down a steep place into the lake, and were choked.
When they that fed them, saw what was done, they fled, and went and told it in the city and in the country. Then they went out to see what was done, and came to Jesus, and found the man out of whom the devils were departed, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind. And they were afraid they also which saw it.
Told them by what means he that was possessed of the devils was healed. Then the whole multitude of the country of the Gadarenes roundabout besought him to depart from them, for they were taken with great fear, and he went up into the ship, and returned back again. Now the man out of whom the devils were departed besought him that he might be with him, but Jesus sent him away, saying, Return to thine own house.
And show how great things God hath done unto thee. And he went his way, and published throughout the whole city.
How great things Jesus had done unto him.
Two of the brothers tonight in their prayer in the room down there, one brother said. He prayed that those who were dead might pass from death unto life.
Another brother prayed that those who were saved might go on their way, rejoicing and telling others of what the Lord had done for them.
I believe we get those two prayers in these two stories. We've just read this first young man.
Had died. We're not told whether he died in his sins or not. It's not so much the question, perhaps, but he died and he was on his way to the burial ground.
But the Lord comes in and restores him to life. So here is a dead man who is restored to life. I'm not suggesting he had spiritual life, but the Lord brought him back to life. And then in this chapter we have just read, we read of a man.
Who is in such a terrible condition? And after he was healed, the Lord told him to return to his own house and show how great things God had done unto him. And so I was struck with these two prayers of these dear brothers tonight, because we have here something of that in these two chapters.
But here in the 22nd verse we find the Lord Jesus.
After bringing this dear young man, the only son of his mother, back to life and restoring him to his mother, he now says to his disciples, he takes his ship. He said, Let's go over unto the other side of the lake. What was his object in going across the lake?
Well, it was undoubtedly to meet this poor man in this terrible plight.
But I was thinking of how Satan from the very beginning of the Lord's earth plead pathway here. How Satan ever sought to destroy him.
Right from his birth to the cross, the Blessed Lord meets nothing but bitter opposition from Satan and from many others.
And I would not like to stretch a point and suggest anything which we have no warrant in scripture for.
But it would appear here that Satan was hoping perhaps the Lord on this journey crossing the lake might be drowned. And I believe we see here the power of Satan manifested in the elements. Blessed Lord gets into the ship with his disciples and he's bent on going across the lake.
And how this reminds his friends of his condescension is coming down from the glory to the scene. What for?
To meet sinners and all their need and ruin, that he might manifest his heart of love to them.
And heal them and deliver them from the power of sin and Satan.
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And in part, in part to them a new life. And so we find the Lord here crossing the lake.
And as they sailed, he fell asleep, and they came down a storm of wind on the lake, and they were filled with water and were in jeopardy.
You remember what the Lord said to Satan concerning Job? He's in thine hand, but do not touch his life. And so we find here, I believe, that Satan perhaps, perhaps was controlling the elements at this moment. The Blessed Lord was asleep in the ship. No doubt Satan was hoping the ship would capsize with the Blessed Lord and all the crew, but it didn't. We find that a cry went forth.
From the disciples, they said, we perished. Was it possible for them to perish in the presence of the Lord?
When he was on board ship indeed not. And so we find then the Lord Jesus Christ.
His power was greater than the power of Satan, because he's still the waves. And there was a great calm all how precious to see this, a great calm when the Blessed Lord intercedes, either in this case or in any other. And there was a great calm, and these disciples undoubtedly were enjoying that calm after this terrible storm.
No doubt about it, they were really scared, thinking that the ship would sink. But how could the ship sink with a blessed Lord on board? Impossible. Here is the Lord of life and glory in their very presence. The ship couldn't sink. No, indeed not. But there was one on Bordeaux had power over the waves, and he stilled them. But the story had before us. We find a man here in such a sad and awful condition.
Far worse than these angry waves. Indeed, yes, here is a poor man, it says.
In the.
The 26th 1St And they arrived at the country of the Gadarenes, which is over against Galilee, and when he went forth to land there met him out of the city a certain man which had devils.
Devils. Not one devils. Perhaps we do not see people possessed with devils today.
There may be, perhaps in other countries. I'm not certain of this. I've heard of some in China, but I've never witnessed it myself. But here is a man, it says, who had devils long time. What a sad picture. Met the eye of the Blessed Lord the moment he got out of that little ship to go ashore.
He was a man. Met him who had devils. Poor man, what a sight had devils. Doesn't say he had Christ. He had devils. Dear friends, do you have Christ tonight, or are you controlled by the devil, the enemy of your souls? Do you have Christ as your Lord and Savior? Can you answer it, my dear young people, in the presence of God who knows your heart? Do you have Christ? Do you have him in your heart?
Are you his?
Belong to him. Have you received him by faith as your Lord and Savior? If not, when are you going to do so? Delay is dangerous, my brother reminded us in the prayer meeting. This may be the very last occasion that the gospel will ever be proclaimed, the gospel of the grace of God, and it will might be the last time. And what about you, dear young people here? Have you had the matter settled of your sins?
Have you received the only begotten Son of the Father, the Lord Jesus Christ, as your Savior?
Or you say, Daddy and Mommy, have I know? Yes. But what about you? There are many prayers going up for you dear young people in the hall tonight, the children of the Saints, you who have sat under the sound of God's word many, many times. But have you believed it? Have you believed the record that God hath given concerning his beloved Son? And have you believed and accepted his beloved Son? It says in the first chapter of the Gospel of John.
For as many as received him.
Not as many as admired him who knew lot about him, but those who received him. Friends, have you received Christ?
If not, you have rejected him.
You must either receive him or reject him, which is a dear young people. Have you received him as your savior or have you rejected him? The blessed Lord says he that is not with me is against me. What a solemn thing to be against the Lord Jesus Christ.
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The only precious savior of sinners to be against him. You are against him if you haven't received him. Indeed you are. What a solemn position. May God bring it home to your heart and soul to night that your position is perilous. It's a solemn 1 If you haven't accepted Christ as your savior, And so we find then the Lord meets this poor man. What a spectacle, a man who had devils a long time.
Maybe some here who have been serving Satan for a long time.
This time you've packed up and served the Blessed Lord. It's time now. I'm not going to say it's time you turned over New Leaf now it isn't. Because that wouldn't do.
You might turn over 1000 leaves, but God requires that which is past through turning over New Leaf wouldn't suit the case and it wouldn't meet your need. But have you accepted Christ the Lord Jesus? If you haven't, my dear friend, you are in danger of eternal hell and you're on the way to it now. But it's gotten it's not God's desire that you should be there. God's desire for you is one of richest blessings, eternal blessings.
And that's why he sent his beloved Son into this scene, that you might receive him as your savior and receive eternal blessing to spend it with Christ in the glory instead of spending an eternity with a damned in hell. It must be dear young people, or all the ones for that matter. It must be one of two places for every one of us here tonight. It's either heaven or hell for you and me.
Thank God, I can say from the depths of my soul with deep Thanksgiving.
It's heaven for me because I have accepted Christ the Lord Jesus as my Savior. Yes, I've owned myself lost, guilty, helpless, and I've accepted him by faith, That blessed man who now adorns the throne of God. The very fact that he's there tonight is a proof that he's finished the work of redemption, the work of salvation on the cross. And now God, in his infinite love and grace, can come out to you in all his tender love and compassion.
And offer you for lost, guilty, Sinner, salvation, a gift of eternal life, forgiveness of sins, cleansing through his precious blood, and a home in the glory at the end of the journey.
All the matchless love of grace and God.
Well, it says here this man wear no clothes. Oh, how it reminds us of when the Lord came along, you know, and Adam was hiding.
He says. I was afraid. May we just turn to the scripture so that I do not misquote it. Genesis.
In the third chapter of Genesis.
Verse 9 and verse 10.
And the Lord God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou?
And he said, I heard thy voice. And dear friends, you have to own that too. You have heard God's voice speaking to you many times. I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid. There's no need for you to be afraid. Tonight, though, the Blessed Lord is offering you the gift of salvation, of eternal life, forgiveness of sin. No need for you to be afraid, that there will be great need for you to be afraid if you turn a deaf ear to his voice.
And do not accept him as your savior. And so Adam said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked. Naked. He had no fit covering to stand before a holy God. He had sinned. He'd made an attempt to cover himself with the fig leaves, but that was not a fit covering for holy God. No, no, He needed the covering provided by another.
And God provided that covering. He clothed them with those.
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Skins Speaking of death. Death had to come in before he could be suitably clothed. But the point I was thinking of was, he says. I was afraid because I was naked.
Here we find this poor man was naked, and your Sinner friend, you're in that position tonight. You were naked before a holy God. You have no fit covering to stand before him. The robe of your own righteousness in God's sight of filthy rags. Yes, it's filthy rags. He cannot accept it.
Now we find in Romans, the righteousness which God's holiness demands is found to be the gift of God.
Not man's provision, the gift of God. And before you can stand before God acceptably, you must be clothed with his righteousness, not your own. So this poor man was naked. He had no fit covering to meet the Lord Jesus Christ.
But I like to think of what we have in the 61St chapter of Isaiah. I believe it is. Will you just turn to it?
61St chapter of Isaiah.
And heal up, the prophet Isaiah says in verse 10, I will greatly rejoice in the Lord. He doesn't say I was afraid or I am afraid I will greatly rejoice in the Lord.
My soul shall be joyful in my God, my God.
For he hath clothed me, he hath clothed me.
How precious with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with a robe of righteousness.
Our friends, that's the only covering that will suit the eye of a holy God.
You must have on the garments of salvation and the robe of righteousness.
Otherwise you're naked before God and this poor man was naked. What a spectacle. What a sight for the holy Son of God, a man having devils and had them a long time. He stands before the Lord naked. Naked.
And what else?
Neither abode in any house or how this suggests the restlessness of sin. The restlessness of sin. We read of Peters Wifes, mother being sick of a fever. And I believe fever speaks of the restlessness of sin. The restlessness, Yes, when one has a fever, how restless one becomes. And this man was restless too. Are you restless, dear young boy or girl?
Have you not found peace yet?
Are you not enjoying the peace of God? Have you peace with God? Well, if not, you're restless. And this man must have been restless. It says he abode. Neither abode in any house but in the tombs. What a sad, sad picture. He abode in the tombs. This world is 1 gigantic graveyard, friend. And this this way you abide among the tombs in this great graveyard. Are you happy to to abide there?
Well, we know this is an exceptional case mentioned.
Here, but we find the very same features that this man exhibits in the Sinner today is naked. Yes, he has no fit covering to stand before God, and he's restless and is abiding in the tombs. This world is stamped with death. Yes, friends, the wages of sin is death. We find it on every hand.
And so on a signed picture, we have here the Sinner and dear Sinner friend, this is a true picture of you, drawn by the hand of God.
You may not have many devils not suggesting this part of it, but you're under the power of Satan.
If you're still in your sins and you're naked before God, and you're restless.
And you're abiding in a place which is stamped with death. Is that all you have before you? Well, what happened here? When he saw Jesus, he cried out. Have you cried out yet In distress, Distress of your sins? And your need, have you cried out to that blessed one, the Lord Jesus Christ our brother mentioned to in his prayer that some might call out God be merciful to me, a Sinner.
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Do you know anything about that call that cry? Has that come from your heart yet?
Dear young people, if not when, when, tonight or never, this may be the very last opportunity that you'll ever have. Accepting Christ may be the very last opportunity of sitting under the sound of God's precious Word. And so, my dear friends, take heed to God's Word tonight, bow to its holy authority, and receive the one of whom the Word of God speaks, the Lord Jesus Christ, as your own precious Savior.
And if you are not going to do that, you are in solemn danger of spending an eternity in hell.
And so we find down the chapter then.
We might say perhaps, or suggest there were four prayers or 4 requests made here it says in each case they besought him in verse 31.
And they besought him that he would not command them to go out into the deep.
I understand. I'm open to correction that the word deep here means abyss, or the bottomless pit as a reference to that in the 20th chapter of the Revelation. And these devils apparently did not want to go there yet to that prison house, and so they besought him that he would not command them to go out into the deep.
Well, this request was granted. Here is a request or a prayer answered, And then a little further on, and there was there unheard of, many swine feeding on the mountain. And they besought him again that he would suffer them to enter into them, into the swine, and he suffered them. Another one, answered. Another request, if you'd like to put it that way, answered, And he suffered them. And so these devils he had commanded them to come out of the man.
And now they besought him that they might go into the swine.
Well, this is a very, very solemn picture. Was that not this a final effort, may we say on their part, to thwart the mission of Christ?
Because by going into the swine and destroying them, they were virtually turning the Lord away, driving him away.
Because we find after this happened, the owners came to Jesus wanted to know all what this was about.
And they pleaded with him. They besought him now the owners of the swine besought him that he would depart out of their coast. What a solemn thing. They thought more of the swine, dear friends, than they thought of the Holy Son of God, the Lord Jesus Christ, who had come with his handful of blessing for them. Do you think more of your property than you do your own soul? Satan knows that men do think more of their property than their own souls.
And we find that these men, they thought far more of the swine.
Now did the Lord Jesus Christ? Oh friends, what a challenge to my heart tonight and yours.
What? Thinking of Christ? What do you think of him? Is he precious to you?
Have you received them as your Lord and Savior? What think ye of Christ?
Ah, the blessed Holy Son of God. It tells us in Mark's gospel there were two thousand of these swine. And this may I suggest, perhaps, if one of these evil spirits or devils went into each of those swine, or what a solemn what should we call it? A sand commentary on the fact of the evil that man is possible of embracing? If this man was filled with all these devils? What a sad and awful picture.
He was absolutely under their power and Sway could do nothing to help himself.
The young man who was dead, he could do nothing to help himself. He was just helpless being taken, it says. They carried him. He hadn't the strength to walk to the cemetery. No, they carried him. He was dead.
Here we find this poor man had no strength to deliver himself.
No, he couldn't. He couldn't be tamed even it says in verse 29, for oftentimes it had caught him and he was kept bound with chains and in fetters.
And he break the bands and was driven of the devil into the wilderness. Poor man had been chained with chains and fetters, and he couldn't release himself. Now what happens? We find him after the Lord comes into contact with him and deals with him and speaks those precious words to him. We find he is delivered from all this. Delivered from it The Lord didn't use chains and fetters to bind him. No, it was his infinite love and grace.
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That delivered him from this terrible condition and position.
And so he was absolutely delivered from all this. Those evil spirits or devils entered into the swine, and the swine ran into the sea.
And the owners were grumbling about and they said to Geez, you better be off. We don't want you here. We've lost our swine. Yes, and they lost the Savior too. Oh friends, you're going to think more of your property than the Lord Jesus Christ.
See to it that you do not what a picture here. They lost their property and they drove the Lord Jesus away. But the man who had been met in this terrible plight and condition, he begged, he besought.
Thought Jesus that he might remain with him. Oh, how precious, how precious, how wonderful. The man who had been delivered from all this, it says in the 38th verse. Now the man out of whom the devils were departed, the sought him, that he might be with him, he might be with him. The owners of the swine sent Jesus away, and he went away. Yes, he did.
Blessed Lord, dear friends, is not going to force himself upon you. He opens his heart of love and his arms to you tonight, and he invites you to come to him.
What are you going to say to him? Go away. Are you going to beseech him to the park? Oh, I trust not. I trust. There isn't one here tonight, a young person who is going to shut their heart against the Son of God, the Lord Jesus Christ, the only Savior of sinners. If you do, my friend, you're shoving Christ out, and it may be forever. Oh, how much wiser it would be for you if you would open your heart and let him in.
Because he's knocking on your heart's door tonight and he wants an entrance. Because he loves you. Because he wants to bless you and save you eternally and deliver you from the wrath to come. That judgment which is coming upon this Christ rejecting world will overtake those who have said no to him. Oh friends, I trust there is not one here tonight who would say no to the Lord Jesus Christ.
Perhaps you wouldn't say it audibly, but what are you saying in your heart tonight, you dear young people here?
Or I plead with you in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ to open your heart to him now.
Receive him by faith as your Lord and Savior. Therefore, it's forever too late, ever too late. Here is a man in this terrible plight, this terrible condition. The Blessed Lord comes to him and he delivers him from it. And this reminds me of a precious verse we have in Psalm 102. Will you just turn to it, please?
In connection with the Blessed Lord coming down as a deliverer. Psalm 102, beginning at verse 19. For he hath looked down from the height of his sanctuary from heaven, did the Lord behold the earth? What for? To hear the groaning of the prisoner, and to loose those that are appointed to death to lose them? Here is a man who need to be loosed.
From those devils, and from that terrible condition in which he stood.
And there was only one person who could do it. He'd been chained, and he'd broken the chains, and nobody could hold him or tame him. But all friends, the grace and love of God comes to him and meets him in all his awful need and ruin, and he is delivered. And now we find him sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind. Oh, what a bit of a picture of the Sinner saved by grace, satisfied with Christ.
And this dear man, he besought the Lord. Oh Lord, let me remain with you. I received such a blessing, I want to stay with you. The Lord says no. You go home and tell the people what what I have done for you.
My turn to it, because I mustn't misquote it.
He besought him that he might be with him, but Jesus sent him away, saying, Return to thine own house and show how great things God hath done for thee. Isn't this your privilege? And mine dear save Saul to tell others what the Lord Jesus Christ has done for us?
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Or are our mouths closed?
Are we afraid to speak a word for the blessed Savior? Are we afraid to tell our neighbors and people that we've accepted Christ? We belong to Him? We shouldn't have to tell them. They should see that by our lives, and may it be so in your case and mine. May those around us take knowledge of us, that we've been with Jesus and have learned of Him and have received him.
In our hearts, by faith, Oh dear young people, here's a picture of you and your sins. Helpless, guilty, lost, undone, bound. But there's one who looked down from heaven upon you and upon the children of men to hear the groaning of the prisoner and to loose. To loose those that are appointed to death. Who are those who are appointed to death? It's appointed under Man wants to die. It's God's appointment, a man because of sin.
Yes, because of sin. And dear friends, do not think that if you die in your sins, that's the end. It is not.
Oh, I feel the solemnity of those words tonight. After death, the judgment. After death, friends, the judgment. Oh, please God. The judgment may not overtake anyone here. There's no need for it to God has provided a savior.
In the person of his Son, he offers himself to you. Tonight. Will you receive him? Are you going to turn him away? Are you going to tell him to depart? You think more of your property, of your hobby, of your work, or of other things. Do you think more of those than you do Christ? Or we find here these men who own the swine. They thought more of the swine than they did the Blessed Lord.
They said you'd better be going. We're losing out by your presence, Our friend. They drove him away and he departed. I say again, he's not going to force himself upon anyone here, but he offers himself in love to you tonight, and he may never, never do it again. And so how important it is your unsaved soul that you receive him by faith tonight as your Lord and Savior, Remember.
God now commandeth all men everywhere to repent.
It's a command of God.
And that's what God commands you to do tonight, To repent.
Because you have sinned against him.
Repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, which brings eternal blessing and salvation to you and Me.
Thank God I have it. Have you? Have you? I wonder if I came round here tonight, to everyone sitting on the balcony and ask you that solemn question and that important question. Have you received Christ? I wonder what the answer would be. Dear young people, have you received the Lord Jesus Christ?
Have you turned him down? Have you said no? Have you told him to go? What these did? They told him to go, and he left. But remember, he came all the way across that lake to meet this man. And the Lord Jesus came all the way from the glory to meet you in your need and ruin. And he wants to save you. And if you're not saved, he wants to save you tonight. And it's for you to decide whether you're going to let him, whether you're going to accept him or reject him. Oh, friends, do not reject him. Do not go out of that door. And your sins tonight.
You may find yourself in a lost eternity, forever and ever and ever. Remember there's no end to that eternity. And I sat solemnly.
Hell will last as long as heaven, and there'll be no way out of it. It's fraternity, whether it's with Christ in glory or with the devil in hell, its eternity. Oh, friends, dear young people, you who have sat under the sound of God's precious word.
Adam can say I heard thy voice, and you have to many times. And God will hold you responsible every time. You've heard His word as to whether you've received it and believed it, and you've heard His word again tonight, My words are nothing. You've heard His word tonight. And if you're going to despise His word, God is going to hold you responsible. And you'll suffer for this for all eternity. You will.
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Oh, how important it is, I was thinking in connection with that dear young man whom the Lord brought back to life. What a joy it must have been to his poor widowed mother that it tells us in the Old Testament. I forget the man's name for the moment. You'll know perhaps better than I do. It says he departed without being desired. What an awful way to leave this scene. He departed without being desired. He was a young man who the Lord brought back to life what a joy this was to his mother.
He presented him to his mother, that poor weeping widow, all the love and grace of his heart. And he wants to present to you, dear friends, once more the offer of salvation, the gift of God, which is eternal life, and it's through Jesus Christ our Lord.
May we sing hymn #20?
Gospel
Gospel—A. Hayhoe
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Turn with me, please, to the Gospel of Matthew.
Seven chapter of Matthew's Gospel.
The 13th verse, Matthew 7 verse 13.
Enter ye in at the straight gate, or wide is the gate, and broad is the way that lead us to destruction. And many there be which go in their *** because straight is the gate, and narrow is the way which leadeth unto light.
And few there be that find it.
What solemn, solemn verses? These are words which came from the lips of none other.
Then the Lord Jesus Christ. I don't say that we actually find the gospel message contained in these verses.
But I believe certainly that the Spirit of God can apply the message of these two verses.
To your heart, my dear friend, and mine, in order that you and I may realize.
That God presents to us here two ways, 2 rows, with the solemn, solemn reminder that at this very moment you and I are on either one or the other of these two roads.
Either the narrow Rd. which leads to life or the broad Rd. which leads to destruction. Is there anything more important than the answer to that question in your soul, my friend? Which Rd. are you traveling at this very moment?
Why? Perhaps already you have begun to take stock of yourself, and you have considered the fact that you have an untarnished reputation and that all your friends and neighbors would certainly speak very highly and very well if you.
My dear friend, we're not going to consider tonight what any of your neighbors.
What any of your loved ones might have to say about you, we hold in our hands tonight, and you and yours the word of God and the Lord. Jesus said. The word that I have spoken the same shall judge you in the last day. You aren't. You and I are not going to be judged according to the estimation of our neighbors, or according to our own estimation of things you and I have placed in our hands the word of God.
And this is a most faithful book. I know that it's very popular to read and enjoy the 14th of John, the 23rd Psalm, and comforting passages such as those. But my friend, let me tell you that this is a faithful book written by a faithful God. And when you read this book, and when I read this book, I find the finger of a faithful God pointing deep down into my heart.
And telling me exactly what he sees there. Would you want it to be otherwise? Would you want God to withhold from you what He has seen in your heart? Would you want God to withhold from you his record of your life and His eyes until the day when you stand before him too late? Find that that record of yours, in spite of what you may think.
Is 1 big stain of sin, my dear friend. I thank God for His faithfulness in recording in this book that all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. I thank God for His faithfulness in telling me that all things are naked and open under the eyes of Him with whom we have to do.
That verse is enough to make any soul tremble, unless you are under the shelter of the precious blood of Christ. You may never have trembled before, my friend, but would to God that you would tremble this night under the conviction of guilt and sin before the eye of God, rather than tremble in that day when it will be too late, I say again, we find presented here two ways.
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A broad Rd. There's something significant about that word broad.
It has the gutter side, if you wish, that side from which you and your respectability and religion would shrink, oh, you would have nothing to do.
With those of such character as you may have seen here and there, Oh no, no, you're not on the same Rd. as they. But pause and think, my friend, this is a very broad Rd. It has its disgraceful and defiled side, and it has its clean and respectable and religious side, but it leads to destruction. It leads downward, my friend, and the warnings of God's word, the warnings from the heart and lips of the Lord Jesus.
Are addressed to each and everyone who at this moment is on the Broad Rd. that leads to destruction. I was on that Broad Rd. I was brought up in a Christian home. I was brought up with a brave father and mother. But I was on the Broad Rd. that led to destruction. And I stand here tonight and thank God with all my heart for his sovereign, wondrous grace.
That arrested me from the Broad Rd. that was leading me to destruction, brought me to my knees before the God against whom I had sinned, and caused me by grace to take shelter under the precious blood of Christ. Caused me to accept as my Savior none other than the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me. Is he your Savior, my friend? If your answer is not yes, thank God.
Then I tell you, in spite of what you may have thought when you entered this room, you are on the Prop Rd. that leads to destruction. You may be on the clean side. You may be on the honorable and the respected side. But, my friend, that road on which you now are traveling leads to destruction.
And that road, my dear friend, is paved with everything that the devil can invent in order to make you feel comfortable.
Happy and well entertained along the Broad Rd. It may be that it's very, very seldom that your conscience ever troubles you about what lies at the end of the road you are now traveling. But I only cried to God that by the power of the Spirit you this night may look to the end of the road upon which you are traveling. You know, my dear friend, that from time to time you have been called upon.
To stand and witness.
A loved one or a neighbor laid away. You've heard what has been said and said far too often. He was a good man. He was kind and thoughtful to all his neighbors. He was truthful and upright in his feelings. He was faithful and beloved by all who knew him. So we're sure he's at rest. Oh, my friend, I trample when I hear such language. If the day should come when anyone stands.
And looks at that which may remain mortal of me. I hope they'll say that the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ the Lord. Oh my dear friend, there is no salvation, there is no hope of glory apart from the Lord Jesus Christ. And the work accomplished for you and me, even across of Calvary. I know that it's not a popular message. I was astonished. I suppose I ought not to have been.
But I was astonished to read recently.
Apparently a poll was taken as to the subjects that were most popular and most unwanted in present day sermons. And the most popular sermons. I have forgotten they had something to do with getting along in this world and how to get answers to our prayers. And the most unwanted, the most unpopular, the very bottom of the list.
Where sermons concerning life and death, judgment, heaven and hell, Those things were at the bottom of the list. The most unwanted things, my dear friend. How strange. How strange. Would you like to go to a physician who absolutely refused to study or to have anything to do with those diseases which frighten mankind today? Would you go to one who decided that he would just restrict himself?
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To advice concerning diet and fresh air and exercise. And that would have nothing whatever to do with those diseases which you and I know afflict mankind today. Are we going to close our eyes to them because we don't like the sound of their names? Are we going to close our eyes to them because of the pain and tears they bring?
You know they're here, and you would be very happy to find someone who could give you an honest remedy for such a condition, my friend. This book faithfully, faithfully, solemnly, and repeatedly warns us that we are lost and on our road to a lost eternity, apart from the work of the Lord Jesus Christ on the cross of Calvary. And here we find two ways presented.
A broad Rd. that leads to destruction and the narrow Rd. that leads to life. I say, on which Rd. are you at this moment? Are you sure, my dear young boy? Are you sure, my dear young girl, Are you sure that you this very evening are on the road that leads to heaven, home, and eternal glory? Thank God, I am sure about it.
I am confident, more confident of that than those things which concern the passing scene in which I live. My confidence is based upon this book, upon the statements of God and upon the value of the finished work of Christ.
When I was in my teens, I remember visiting a young fellow in the hospital in Ottawa. He had been there since he was but a boy, and he was at that time 35 years of age, terribly distorted and twisted, never never able to walk. And I said to him, I better not repeat his name. I said to him, where do you expect to go when you leave this hospital?
Well, he said. I'm almost, but not quite sure.
That I'm going to be in heaven.
He was a dear young Jew, almost but not quite sure that I'm going to be in heaven. Well, we open the word of God, and we read John 524. It's a favorite verse of mine. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Either heareth my word and believeth on him that sent me.
Half everlasting life and shall not come into judgment, but is passed from death unto life. I said, I'm trusting in the Lord Jesus Christ, and what the word of God says about the value of that work. Are you? He said, yes. And I said, And where are you going? Well, he said, I'm almost but not quite sure.
But I'm going to be in heaven all, I said. You, me, You're almost but not quite sure that God tells the truth. I could see a little pained look come across his face. So I went away and left him. I went back a couple of weeks later, and with great difficulty he could turn his head to see who was coming in. And he smiled brightly. And I said, tell me, where do you expect to go when you leave this hospital?
He said. I'm sure that I'm going home to heaven. I called on him again just recently.
Just recently. He is now about 65 years of age. Still. This time he was stretched out on his back in a wheelchair outdoors, and there were two or three others around him. My wife and children were with me and I said, would you like to have us sing a little hymn? Knowing that he was a Jew, I wondered what his response would be. He said, yes, I'd love to have you sing that hymn. Tell me the.
Old old story.
Of Jesus.
His love. We sang it, my friend. Does it mean anything to you? The old old story of Jesus and his love, My dear boy. What does the name of Jesus mean to you? Is it something you'd sooner father and mother would not speak about so often? Is it something you don't like to hear and you're just waiting till you're grown up a little older and get a getaway from all that?
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My heart trembles for you. There is no sweeter name on earth than the name of Jesus, the name that will resound with Thanksgiving throughout those courts of glory forever. This unworthy voice of mine is going to join in those songs of praise. Will yours be there if your voice, if your voice is not going to join in those songs of the redeemed in glory, My friend, there is no.
Alternative but the end of the broad road. And what did the Savior say about that?
Weeping, wailing, and gnashing of teeth. Did the Lord Jesus exaggerate? I don't like to say that, but I ask you, was he exaggerating you? No, he was not. The awful realities of eternal torment cannot be exaggerated. The Lord Jesus speaks of them in terms of eternal fire, weeping, wailing and gnashing of teeth.
I find it strange to have to speak this way. I find it strange for the gospel to me as the grandest story on earth.
The gospel is the unfolding of God's heart of boundless love, and I love to tell it forth. And it seems strange to have to stand and warn and warn and warn again as to the solemn consequences of rejecting Christ. Could you picture a man in the penitentiary with life imprisonment at hard labor before him? Someone turns the key in the cell, opens the door, and holds in his hand of paper.
Pardon an absolute pardon. The man is free.
He can come out and start anew with a bank account of $100,000 to his credit. Could you picture the man who opens the door and presents the pardon standing there and having to point out to that poor individual the wonderful difference between liberty and being locked behind the bars for the rest of his day? We have to plead with that man and point out to him the restrictions and the laborers that he was under.
A bit of it. That man would be delighted to see that pardon and to accept it too. Thy find it surprising. I find it strange. And yet my heart was the same.
That the gospel has to be presented with solemn, solemn words of warning. God loves you, and it cost him the gift of his Son. It cost him the anguish of Calvary, in order that you might so much as hear that one word come, and having accomplished redemption, having finished the work.
He now presents to you as a gift the forgiveness of all your sins.
And the assurance of a home and the glory turn to the third chapter of John's Gospel, please.
John Chapter 3, verse 18.
In the 7th of Matthew we saw two ways.
And the end of those two ways. Here in the third chapter of John, we find two classes of people.
The 18th verse he that believeth on him is.
Not condemned. But he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. There are two classes here, those who are not condemned, and those who are condemned already condemned already. This is not theology, my friend.
These are facts that the Lord Jesus presented when he was here. And if the Lord Jesus were here looking over this company, he would need ask no questions. He would look from one to the other and he would know as he looked at you whether condemned already.
Was written after your name or not condemned? Which is it, my dear friend? Does it matter? Indeed it does. It's a solemn question. It's a solemn state to be in condemned already.
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And why? Because of an ungodly, wicked, sinful life doesn't say so here. It says because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
Close your heart, my dear friend, against the only one who can save you.
Close your heart and refuse to accept as your savior the one who was nailed to the cross of Calvary and love for you. God says condemned already condemned already. I was visiting a dear old lady on a hillside, the island of Saint Vincent. A number of others here know that dear old sister Rebecca Milliken, and she was so filled with peace and happiness and the knowledge of the Lord Jesus that I said to her, Would you, Would you mind telling me?
How you learned in all the Lord Jesus as your savior? Well, she said, Brother, it was in 1900 and five that a man by the name of EB Hart was down here on this island and he was preaching the gospel 1 evening in the Market Square and he was preaching from John 3 verse 18. And he told everyone who heard his voice last night.
That in the sight of God they were either not condemned or condemned already. And she said, brother, he used an illustration that would not leave me. He told you heard the story he told of a Prairie fire which was sweeping uncontrolled across the dry prairies. And in the path of that fire there was a little home containing father and mother and children. And you know that if nothing was done, they would be consumed by the flames.
The only thing to do was to step outside their little home and in view of the on rushing fire, the light, the grass, the dried grass at their feet, and to allow that fire to sweep onward across the Prairie. They did so. They lit up a good wide stretch, and as the fire burned farther down the plains, they stepped onto the ground that had already been touched by the fire that had already been burned over.
And he pictured them standing there as the fire approached them and stopped.
For the fire had already consumed the ground on which they stood. Then he pointed to that company, and said, On which ground are you standing? That which shall yet taste the judgment and wrath of God, or that which already has felt it in the person of him who hung up on the cross? And she said, That man pointed all around, and said, on which ground are you standing? He said. I went home.
That I couldn't forget it. The next day I was standing in the middle of the stream washing the clothes, and every time I'd bring the clothes up and down, I could hear that voice saying, On which ground are you standing? So she said. Right there in the middle of the stream, I sat down my bundle of clothes and I bowed my guilty head and I accepted the Lord Jesus as my savior 56 years ago.
And the dear soul is happily peacefully rejoicing.
In that which is her portion in Christ? Oh, my friend, I say to you, on which ground are you standing?
On which ground are you standing? The wrath and judgment of God is yet to fall upon this poor sin stained guilty world. But, my friend, I fear it not, for I'm standing on ground which has already tasted the wrath of God.
Lord Jesus Christ bowed his sinless head under the load and weight and burden of my shameful sins upon the cross of Calvary. He has borne the judgment of God for me. And now these glorious words are mine to enjoy.
He that believeth on him is not condemned. That's true about me. I say it with Thanksgiving.
I ask, is it true about you? Have you accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as your savior? Is he your own, my friend, two classes, those who have accepted the Lord Jesus and those who have not yet done so. He that believeth not is condemned already. Turnover also to the 18th chapter of the same book.
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And the very last verse.
Then cried they all again saying not this man but Barabbas. Now Barabbas was a robber again. We find the division between two companies, two sides here.
This man.
Barabbas and we hear the side choice that is made.
With one consent we hear them say not this man, but Barabbas. Now Barabbas was a robber. Oh, you say? Why present me with this picture? It happened long before I was born. I don't know that I need to concern myself with that which happened here, I say. Indeed you do, my friend. Indeed you do. Your eyes are going to see the one who stood before Pilot that day.
You're going to stand before him two in a day that's coming. Are you ready for that day, solemn thing. Are you ready for that day, my friend, when you shall stand before the one who here stood before the multitude? And they were given the choice. Not this man, but Barabbas, was their answer.
You know, as I sat last night and listened to our brother Gladding, tell out the message and warn and warn solemnly and warn lovingly.
Of that which lies ahead if you do not know Christ as your Savior. I felt touched in my spirit as I thought of those who could listen to such a message as that and turn and leave the meeting room without price. And, you know a friend, a strange thought came to me.
I love to see great greats behind as our brother Gliding was speaking and I thought, you know, it would be a very, very, very solemn thing.
If anyone of this company were to be brought before those drapes, I don't want to dramatize this. But you knew that one step behind those drapes would usher you into the presence of God. Into the presence of God, my dear friend, would it concern you? Would there be a dread of fear, a shrinking back in you, as you knew that you were but one step from the very presence of the God who knows all about you?
You say you're not responsible for what took place here. My dear friend you are.
And so am I. My voice was heard among those who rejected the Lord Jesus Christ, for that very sin was written down against my name, a rejector of the Lord Jesus Christ. But for the sovereign grace of the God who loved me is the day coming when just as truly and more so, as what we have just said, just as truly and morsel will you step into the presence of him who is being presented to you tonight.
As Savior, you will be my friend. You will be ushered into His presence and in that day, in that day, you will stand before him. The records will be open and there will be found recorded as written about you. The fact that you attended this gospel meeting tonight. The fact that you heard the loving invitation of God's matchless grace.
The warning notes too that he has directed to you tonight.
The answer of your heart. Remember our brother Aiken speaking up at Gordon Bay about?
30 years ago and he was telling us of a certain meeting out in the West Coast.
Where there was written over the inside of the exit door, these words Have you rejected him again? Have you rejected him again? Solemn words, solemn words, is being recorded. And here we find that there were those who, when they were presented with the Lord Jesus Christ and Barabbas the robber, they made their choice.
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Not this man, but.
Barabbas at Sunday school this afternoon. Something of this was presented to the dear children.
They were told of the Lord Jesus Christ who was nailed by cruel man to the cross of Calvary.
They were told of the two thieves, one on this side and 1:00 on that, and how when the soldiers came and broke the legs of this man and of that man, that one of them went into the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ, and he's there now. The other went down into the darkness of eternal hell, and he's there now. It happened 1900 years ago.
But he's there now, and every voice that was lifted up in his awful statement is an eternity right now. Not this man, but Barabbas. You have never said such words as those. Perhaps not, but you know, my friend, that if your heart has not yet been opened.
To receive and to accept the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior, that you have indeed steeled and barred your heart against the only one who can save your soul. On which side are you in this matter, my friend? Can you truthfully say I stand on the side of the Lord Jesus Christ?
We sing in Sunday school one door and only one and get its guides. Aren't two inside?
And outside, on which side are you? A brother was one time telling that little chorus to a group of children. And there was an innocentive boy in the front row. And after having sung the chorus, he pointed to the boy, and he said, on which side of that door would you like to be when the boy stood up? And he said on the outside he was rather a big boy too. Well, the brother who was speaking just didn't know quite what to do. So he pointed to another lad whose name was Phillip. He said, Phillip, on which side would you like to be?
Philip got to his feet, and he was a little bewildered. He looked over at this big boy who walked to know better than he did.
And he thought he said, I would like to be on the side that Jesus is on.
Wasn't that a wise and say faster? He thought This big boy ought to know, but he wanted to be sure. And he said, I want to be on the side that Jesus is on. The door is going to be closed, my friend. The piercing hand of my beloved Savior is holding that door open. But soon it's going to be closed. And are you in simple, childish language? Are you going to be on the side that Jesus is on? What a tumult on the other side of that door?
The boys and girls who heard the gospel, the boys and girls who have seen their fathers and mothers prayerful tears, and they on the outside. Oh, my friend, I warn you solemnly, I believe with all it is within me that the most awful whales that will rend the caverns of eternal darkness will come from the lips of the sons and daughters of Christian praying parents.
Are there some here tonight who have, up until this point, been on the wrong side of this question? And you know it in your heart. You know it with all kinds of bravado. You snap your fingers and turn away from such questions. I've seen it, I've met it. And it's made my heart ache. My heart doesn't ache like the heart of my blessed Savior. You'll mock him once too often. There were two boys that went to a gospel meeting one evening.
I shouldn't call them boys. They were young men, and the gospel was presented solemnly and faithfully, and many warnings were given from this precious book. And when those two young men left the little meeting room and started down the street, one of them was very troubled about what he'd heard. He turned to his friend, and he said.
You know.
What that man said tonight was true, I know.
I know that I have to do something about it. And the other one turned on him with that bravado, my friend, that frightens me when I see it. He turned, and he mocked his friend's concern. He laughed about the exercise and interest that the preacher had shown. He said, I'll tell you what we'll do. Step into this Tavern, a place that he'd often been in before he stepped up to the bar and he said in the presence of his friend. He said to the barkeeper, Give me a glass of the wrath of God. Imagine that.
00:35:20
Give me a glass of the wrath of God. Even that wicked barkeeper just stepped back when he heard the young man say that didn't know what to do, and there was a silence in the place. But he poured him out of glass and what he'd often had before, and handed it to him. And the young man drank the glass, set it down, and dropped dead at his friend's feet. In the presence of God, my friend, in the presence of God, you've never gone that far.
But I have seen it, my friend, among the sons and daughters of praying parents. I have seen it among those with whom I have tried to plead about the Lord Jesus Christ.
An indifferent bravado that will someday be gone, my friend, when you stand before him.
All that arrogance will be gone. You will tremble, my friend, as that book is open, that the page on which the record of your life has been kept, and the eye of the Lord Jesus meets your eye. And you will remember. You will remember what you heard about him. You will see the nail Prince in his hand. And remember, this is the man of whom my mother spoke. This is the man whom my father loved.
And it's too late now for me.
Oh, my dear friend, I warn you, I warn you solemnly, Now is the accepted time. Behold, now is the day of salvation. We read not only of two ways in which men are traveling. We read not only of two classes of people. We read not only of two sides in the question concerning the Lord Jesus, that we read of two ways to die to my friend.
We read of those who die in their sins that we read of those who die in the Lord, those who die in the Lord. Isn't that wonderful? Isn't that glorious? I was speaking to two dear sisters outside this meeting room just a while ago. I trust they'll pardon this reference, but they're rather far along the journey, and I can see their faces radiant with the joy of the Lord.
And they spoke about being near home and I said wouldn't you like to go back to about 16 and start over again?
Oh my, no, indeed. We're too near home to think of that, you know. That did me good to hear that. Still near home to think of that. And there are ever so many in this world who'd give their last dollar to start over again. They're afraid to get to the end of the journey because they don't know what lies beyond. But my dear brother and sister in Christ, you and I know what it means, according to this precious book.
To slip away into the presence of the one who loved us. I say we know it. We certainly don't know it in reality.
We've read it and I look this moment into the faces of those who are a lot further along the journey that I am and I have seen and you have seen the joy in their very faces as they speak of all, as they speak of the Saviors face.
And the home that he's prepared, Oh my dear friend, to go into his presence, redeemed by the freshest blood of Christ, is indeed a grand reality. But the Lord Jesus says in his very gospel, has turned back to it.
The 8th chapter and the 21St verse.
Then said Jesus unto them, I go my way, and ye shall seek me, and shall die in your sins. Whether I go, he cannot come.
Die in your sins. Yes, my friend, the Lord Jesus spoke that way, and there are multitudes who die in their sins.
Clean, upright, respectable people, but they die in their sins. They have never yet accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as their own personal Savior. They do not know what it means to be cleansed from every stain of sin.
00:40:05
By the precious blood of Christ never yet have made their own that most wonderful text, the Blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleans.
Us from all sin. Pardon, if I repeat a little illustration which perhaps may make it simple, and may cause you to question your heart as to whether this matter is true with you.
I was reading this verse before a company of children one time, first John one, and verse 7. The blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. I said to those children, may I stand here all by myself and speak about us.
Or will I have to say me Well, they said as long as I'm all alone, I'll have to speak about me well. But I said the Bible says us, and it takes more than one to make an us. And I saw a dear boy sitting there in the front row, and his face was beaming with happiness.
It was in Bermuda, and I pointed to the little boy. I don't do this very often, I said, My boy, do you know the Lord Jesus as your savior? He jumped quickly to his feet. He said, Yes Sir, I do. But I said, will you come up here?
And he came up and stood beside me, and we looked together on this precious book, and I put my arm around the little fellows shoulder, and I said, now let's read it together. The blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanses. We stop. They look down at him, and his dear little face looked up at me. And we said that word together us cleanse us from all sins.
My dear friend, I'm not going to ask you up here, but you know, in the depths of your heart, with the eye of God looking down upon you. Could you do that? Could you do that with God watching and listening? Could you say, together with this redeemed Sinner here, the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us, you and me both? Oh, I rejoice to be in the company of gold.
Cleansed by that precious blood while we're here, that we're going to be together in the glory forever with my friend, here it is. Die in your sins. And that is not the end. There are two deaths, it's true, but there are two destinies, 2 destinies my friend, and they're solemnly and vividly portrayed in this book. I need not exaggerate, its told in solemn words.
The destiny of those who pass into eternity without Christ.
We read in the 16th of Luke of that man who passed into eternity.
And he cried for one drop of water, that his tongue might be cooled.
Being tormented in the flames of that place. Is there such a place?
Theologians of today would tell us no. The Lord Jesus would tell us yes. Be honest, my friend, is the Lord Jesus entered this place tonight. If the Lord Jesus stood here and held up his piercing hands to tell you the gospel, would He tell you of heaven and hell? Would he tell you of death and judgment? You know he would. You know he would I believe you, would tell you with far more tears than I have ever shed in a light time.
Because he loves your soul and the eternal destiny of your soul, my friend, depends upon this.
What will you do with Jesus, the Savior who died on the cross of Calvary? Have you answered that question yet? Have you, my dear friend? We read again in that same 16th of Luke, of the one who passed away and went into the presence of those who would comfort and hear him. We read in the 14th of John of the Father's house, in the presence of Him who loved us. We read of the beloved apostle Paul, who says, having a desire to depart than to be with Christ.
Which is far better. Oh, there's a joy and a reality to the destiny that awaits those of us who are sheltered by the precious blood of Christ. That destiny, my friend, I am going to know someday in all its wondrous reality. We seem to have a little thorough taste of it when we meet together with our dear brethren and enjoy sweet fellowship and enjoy this precious book. But the reality of it will soon be ours to know without a hindrance forever.
00:45:13
Is that your destiny?
There are but two.
There are but two The one is to be with Christ, which is far better. The one is to join in the Song of the Redeemed.
Thou hast redeemed us to God by thy blood, out of every kindred and tongue and people and nation. Are you redeemed? If not, you cannot join in such a hymn. And the other, my friend.
Solemn but true weeping.
Wailing and gnashing of teeth. For how long? Forever. Forever. Forever.
It's all as long as God exists, as long as the notes of heaven resound hell.
The destiny of those who refuse to accept Christ as they're safe and that's all. What else?
What else can God do with one who refuses to accept?
That which it cost him so much to offer again, we heard in Sunday School this afternoon, and I I repeat what we heard. We heard of a young man, a very young man, who attended a meeting similar to this, heard the gospel and started for home under deep conviction of guilt. He knew that what he heard was true. He knew that he was lost.
And so, my friend, to you, I don't believe that you sit in this company tonight, unmoved by what the word of God would say to your heart. This young man went home deeply stirred by what he had heard, and he went to bed. He turned out his light, and he turned this way, and he turned that way, and God would give him no peace.
Lost kept ringing through his mind. He knew he was without Christ.
He knew his father had often fled with him. He turned on the light.
Midnight. He turned it off again and tried and tried and tried again. Finally he got out of bed. He got down on his knees. He knelt by his bed and he said, oh God, leave me alone and let me get to sleep.
Perhaps you've never gone that far, my friend, but I warn you solemnly that if you keep that heart of yours close this one night against the Lord Jesus, you may have the remorse of it forever. The young man went back to bed and went to sleep, went to sleep, woke up and went went about his work. A few days later he was carried home, carried home, fearfully injured, laid in his bed. His father and the doctor were called for.
The doctor arrived and examined the boy and shook his head and said to the poor father.
Your boy will be gone in a few hours. There's nothing can be done. The poor father knelt down by that boy and sobbing in tears. Finally, the boy opened his eyes and turned to father and said, what did the doctor say, my boy? The doctor says nothing can be done. You'll be gone in a few hours. But my boy, accept the Lord Jesus as your savior. No, it's not yet too late. He played with that boy. Finally the boy turned and said Father, I'm going to tell you something.
You remember that night I sat beside you in the meeting?
I went home father and I couldn't get to sleep.
And I woke up. Or rather, I got out of bed at 2:00 in the morning and told God to leave me alone and let me get to sleep. Father, it's too late. He closed his eyes and he was gone.
I, dear boy, my dear girl, my dear friend, under the sound of the gospel tonight if you never hear it again.
Let me tell you that there are two ways and your way tonight is the road that leads to glory or the road that leads to hell. There are two sides in this question. There are two classes of people, there are two deaths, and there are two eternal destinies. And all hinges, my dear friend.
Upon the question, what shall I do with Jesus, which is called Christ? Accept the Lord Jesus this very night, and if, if, my friend, you are not settled about this matter, do not hesitate to remain behind. We do not ask for an altar call or something of that kind, but our hearts are truly concerned about your soul's welfare. That I beg you, no matter who you may be.
00:50:25
Young or old, child or grown, do not leave this meeting room until the matter is settled. Come to any one of us here who knows the Lord as our Savior by grace and makes known the condition of your heart and will. Open this precious book, and you'll find that there's peace and pardon and salvation that a hole in the glory for you tonight.