Gospel—Roland Ruga
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Good evening, Could we start our gospel meeting this evening by singing from the 2nd hymn on the hymn sheet reading the second verse?
Come, the Father's house stands open with his love and light and song. And returning to that Father all to you may now belong from sin's distant land of famine, toiling needs the midday sun to a Father's House of plenty.
And the fathers welcome come #2.
Come to see the gently fall.
You don't have to go tomorrow.
On now, I'm sorry when I was here, given the rest of the rest.
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I was trying to say God, beef instinct and bring it together.
In any corner.
Let's just power heads, close your eyes and we'll look to the Lord for his help and blessing here this evening. Our Father, we look up to thee. We thank thee that the blessed message is still to come that I courts above. Oh God, are yet open.
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To poor law sinners, we thank thee for thy long-suffering. Grace, thou are not willing.
Our God, that any should perish, but that all should come, three repentance. And so, our Father, this evening we depend upon thee, as it is our privilege, to once again proclaim the blessed message of salvation through thy dear Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. We ask that he may be glorified and made much of here this evening, and that his love would touch the heart of any who may yet hear our God be outside of His love and grace.
Indeed, those angelic hosts are musing even this very moment over this strange sight of the Argonne beseeching man, yet refusing to be made forever glad. And so we anticipate thy help and my blessing here this evening, our Father, to once again open my precious word that may be done so in the power of Thy spirit. For the good and blessing of each and every one of the hearers, we ask, giving thanks, that every worthy name our Savior, the Lord Jesus.
Amen.
Turn with me, please, to Exodus Chapter 3.
To introduce.
What I have in my heart.
Exodus Chapter 3 and we have here.
A little conversation that took place many years ago.
Between a servant of God named Moses.
In between the Lord God.
Of heaven and earth himself.
So we'll drop down to verse 13, Exodus 313.
And Moses said unto God, Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel.
And shall say, say unto them, The God of your Father's hath sent me unto you.
And they shall say to me, What is his name? What shall I say unto them?
And God said unto Moses, I am that I am.
And he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I am, has sent me unto you? Well, this was, I think, a somewhat strange reply to the question that Moses asked. And for the sake of those who are younger here, many children and young people even here tonight.
Perhaps don't understand what?
Transpired here in these two verses that we read, Moses was looking.
For a further revelation of this one that it was his desire to communicate, convey his goodness, his glory to his people, and the Lord seems to.
Reply in a somewhat.
Dark way, God said unto Moses. I am that I am.
Well.
Properly translated, that could be Jehovah Elohim.
And Jehovah Elohim means simply.
The Self Existent One who reveals himself. The Self Existent One who reveals himself. And so it was the heart of God to reveal himself to his people here through his servant Moses. But he said, I am he wanted to appeal.
To their thoughts in such a way as to get them to consider the eternality of His being, the fact that God is, that God is, and because God is. Therefore we have a God to whom we must give an account as it tells us in the New Testament. Hebrews 4, verse 13, verse 12. Well, I am.
That I am the eternally existent one who reveals himself.
The one who inhabits eternity past, present, and future.
Well.
I'd like now to turn to the New Testament and see just how He revealed himself as the I Am. The I am of the Old Testament is clearly found in the New Testament, so turn over with me.
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To John's gospel.
And we'll begin with.
Chapter 6.
John 6 and verse 35.
And Jesus said unto them.
I am. And so here we have the Revelation of the Lord God of heaven.
And his dear Son, the one who was announced there in John Chapter One, as the Word. The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. What a wonderful thing tonight, that God no longer dwells as it were in the thick darkness, in a way that we can't properly apprehend Him for who he is and for what he stands for now He has come forth as the Word. The Word and the Word was made flesh and dwelled among us, and we beheld his glory. The glory is of the only begotten of the Father.
Full of grace and truth. And so the matchless goodness and grace of God has come out in the Word. And so tonight we consider what is a word? A word is a vehicle of communication. Isn't it something by which our thoughts can travel upon and be expressed to one another. What would we do without words? Well, God and his sovereign love and grace and goodness towards poor fallen lost mankind. He came and expressed himself.
In in the highest form of language, we might say His beloved Son became a man, the Word became flesh and dwelt among us. And so here we have this blessed one. In this verse he's the one who inhabited eternity, but he's also the expression of God. Let's read again verse 35. Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life.
He that cometh to me shall never hunger, and he that believeth on me.
Shall never thirst, and so this one, the Eternal One, the delight of God the Father, and fulfillment of Proverbs 8, where it says that the Father was.
With the Son there before the foundations of the earth were laid, and they took sweet counsel together, and we can well imagine the delight and the joy that must have been in the Godhead.
When, uh, the foundations of the earth were laid. And then it goes on to say, in my delights, wherewith the sons of men to consider that God he's concerned about men, about boys, and about girls, about men and women. Here in 1997, the American Civic Association on Front St. in Binghamton, NY, God is concerned about you, and He wants to save your precious.
Never dying soul. Well, God has done everything he could do. We speak reverently. And he has given this blessed One who here identifies himself as I am the bread of life. And that's interesting, you know.
By nature, we we tend to think about.
Uh, the food that we're going to consume for the day. Uh, if a little child is not quickly fed first thing in the morning.
Quickly it begins to fuss and to scream and to holler, because it has the basic needs of life.
Bread and water. And we see how that the enemy of our souls, when he came into the garden there to test man, how did he appeal to man? Well, he appealed through the stomach. Uh, he he showed demand that fruit which God had said, Thou shalt not eat of it. From the day that thou eatest of it dying, thou shalt die. And even in the New Testament we read the temptation scene in Luke, chapter four of the Lord Jesus.
How that Satan would come and the very first temptation that is recorded in the scripture, I have no doubt that there are other temptations that Satan.
Try to throw at our blessed Savior, but there he brought the Lord to it, uh, the Lord's attention. He said, command of these stones He made bread, if thou be the Son of God. And we know that even uh, in the test of Esau uh, when he was at his within, he had this desire for for food, for food, and he would even go so far. We had it the other night in our Bible reading, meeting back at home in Dorothy, the fact that he would despise this birthright.
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Which was his by right and by privilege for justice, a bowl of lentils, or whatever it was vegetables. And so.
Umm. The Lord comes to us and He deals with us as it were. Uh, right where we're at. He understands what our needs are. He knows that we are, uh, mere mortal humans who have basic needs and necessities. Uh. But you know, He also wants to call to our attention.
The fact that our necessities are far beyond just mere, uh, food and clothing and shelter. Uh. We read in Deuteronomy 8, verse three, that man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that perceive out of the mouth of the Lord shall man live. And so that perhaps would be a clear inclination that there is a need that each and every one of us has of something beyond just mere bread and water.
Hear the Lord Jesus Thou In his gracious kindness he identifies himself.
As the breath of life, the bread of life. And he goes on to say, he that cometh to me shall never hunger, and he that believeth on me shall never thirst. I don't think there's a one of us in the room that's ever eaten a particular food that forever satisfied our appetite. No, our appetites are like the fire in proverbs. It says. It never says it is enough. No.
Uh, if we get up tomorrow morning?
Lord willing, if the Lord sees fit to give us life and breath till tomorrow morning, we're going to rise and we're going to have these basic needs all over again. Need for food and for drink. Well, here's the Lord Jesus. He takes these basic necessities and he applies them in a spiritual way. Makes it very simple so that the youngest child here tonight can understand your need of Christ.
Your need of God's beloved Son, he says. I am the bread.
Of life. And he also says, he that believeth on me shall never thirst. Every single one of us are born with a thirst for what we know not. But it is beyond mere human comprehension what is all I'm saying to consider that you and I have a hankering. And you know, as other brethren have faithfully told us over the years, that our hearts are too large.
For this world, This world can never ever come in. And satisfy your heart. Or satisfy my heart. No, only gods. Your son. Oh Christ, He is the fountain, The deep sweet well of love. The streams on earth. I've tasted more deep. I'll drink above there to an ocean fullness. His mercy doth expand well. Have you drunk of the water of life Freely Have you come to this blessed one and partaken?
Of that bread that he alone can give, that will forever satisfy your spiritual appetite. Have you drunk of that spiritual water leversat, forever satisfy your spiritual thirst? What a wonderful thing. The Bible ends up by saying Whosoever will let him partake of the water of life freely, without money, without price, it tells us in Isaiah 55, verse 20.
Have you, Have you come and partaken of this blessed One God, your son? Well, let's turn over quickly.
To the 8th chapter.
And we'll see how.
The Lord Jesus continues to unfold himself as the I am the sent one of the Father to manifest the heart, the goodness of God. John Chapter 8.
And reading verse 12.
Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am, there it is I am.
The light of the world, He that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. Well, you know, I find it almost overwhelming to consider the setting in which the Lord Jesus here identifies himself as the light of life. We won't read the story, but just to quickly recount it how that these Pharisees and some others.
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They brought this woman who was a Sinner before the Lord and again the the heart of man trying to take his Creator God manifest in the flesh the Lord Jesus Christ, and to somehow show him up.
They brought this woman before the Lord Jesus Christ and they said that she was caught in this terrible act of sin and they were looking to catch him in his words. Well.
Lovely, manifold grace of God. We just read that when they asked him the question that Jesus, he just bent down and began to write with his finger.
I've often liked to connect it with Titus chapter 2. I don't know what the Lord was actually writing. Perhaps we'll find out when you get home to heaven, many of us. But I like to think that he was writing Titus 2, verse 13.
The grace of God, which bringeth salvation, hath appeared to all men.
The grace of God had appeared, this poor woman. She deserved to be condemned to death. Isn't that our condition? Send her friend every one of us. By nature we deserve nothing but death, separation from God. But here this dear woman was brought by her accusers into the presence of God's dear Son, and he would write with his finger on the ground and well to go on with the story quickly.
Finally.
The Lord Jesus told them, He said, he that is without sin amongst you, let him cast the first stone at her museum, writing on the ground again. See, they come to test him in his words. But really he tested them, didn't he? And they? It says from the eldest, even unto the youngest, they all left. Jesus picked up himself, looked at the woman. Said woman, Where are thine accusers? Hath no man condemn thee?
Oh, what a blessed reply. No man Lord, no man Lord.
Not to condemn the world the man of sorrows came, but that the world might have salvation through his name, He didn't come to condemn. That wasn't his purpose to condemn, but rather to save. Christ, the Savior of sinners came into the world to save. Yes, he loves you and he loves me, and so he didn't condemn this poor woman.
And so Jesus told her, Neither do I condemn thee, Go and sin no more.
Well, that's the setting for this verse.
Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world. You know in John chapter one it says in him was life, and the life was the light of men, and the light shineth in darkness, and the darkness comprehended it not. Two things about that amazed me. First of all, light by its very character it has the tendency to expose and convict and hear the Lord Jesus.
He identifies himself as the I am the light of the world. They didn't expose or convict this poor woman. Secondly, going back to John one, it says it's a light shine in the darkness and the darkness did not comprehend it.
If we go out tonight late.
Uh, some of my boys enjoy having flashlights. Go to Walmart for 399, especially on a flashlight. You take a flashlight outside in the dark night. What happens if you flip on the light, the darkness and a certain measure, and to a certain degree at least, at least, doesn't it? There's light there, just as long as the power source is right and so on. The switch is working. You flip it on. The darkness leaves. We read there in John One, the light shined in darkness.
And the darkness comprehended it not. That's how thick, That's how thick the darkness is in this world that you and I find ourselves in. It's like that thick Egyptian knight back there in the land of Egypt. It says that God was going to smite the land with such a darkness, so dark it could be felt.
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Well, that's the land we're living in. We're living in a land of darkness, boys and girls. We realize that many of us, we grow up in homes where we have the light of the precious word of God. And sometimes we maybe get to thinking false notions that, well, everything is good here, There's no darkness here. But you know, salvation is a very individual thing. It says here he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness.
But shall have the light of life, he or she very whosoever. All through the gospel we see that salvation is a very individual thing. Your father, your mother, they can't save you. No, the choice is up to you tonight. He that has ears to hear, let him hear, says the scripture. And so the Lord Jesus. He says, I am the light of the world. He that followeth me shall not walk in darkness.
But shall have the light of life. Oh, what a wonderful thing to be found walking through a very Dark World with someone who is the light of life. You know, he shows the way through the through this Dark World. He clears the way as it were so that we can see our path one step at a time. My word is a lamp unto my path and.
A light into my path, a lamp into my feet, and a light unto my path. We have this blessed book.
The power and operation of the Holy Spirit to lead us safe through The Dark World. Well boys and girls, older one here tonight. Are you walking in darkness or do you know this one? Who says I am the light of life? I think of that person. Proverbs is it 418 says the path is a just. It says a shining light shineth more and more.
That's a perfect day for so many of us as you get closer to that glorious scene just ahead of us. Eternal glory to gleam of Florida nerve, our faint endeavor. It's just getting brighter and brighter and better all the time. But how about you? Are you walking in darkness? Oh, turn. Turn from the way of darkness and come into the light this very night before it is too late. Turn over now to the next.
Passage of the Lord Jesus identifies himself in John chapter 10.
Twice over in this chapter.
He identifies himself as the IM.
We can start with John 10 and verse 9.
I am the door.
By me.
If any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out.
In fine pasture.
What a wonderful thing this is.
The Lord Jesus here identifies himself as the One.
Through whom we can get into a place of safety.
The setting for this is, Uh.
The fact that the Lord Jesus spring before us himself as the shepherd and we or as the sheep. But here he says I am the door, He's the door into the sheepfold. There's no other way to get into this place of safety.
It says in Proverbs 18 verse 10. I think the name of the Lord is a strong power, strong tower. The righteous runs into it and say, well, have you come to Christ?
In order that you might be in a safe place, place a refuge, I am the door.
Last evening some of us we came to this building.
And uh, I think perhaps some of us maybe even try to knock on the back door and go around out front and gain entrance there through the front door.
Vital was to no avail. The door was launched, There was no entrance. But you know tonight the door of heaven is as it were open wide. Behold, I have set before thee and open door the Lord Jesus time the very door to the presence of God. But you know you have to come to him. He's the one that God has placed, as it were the door to heaven.
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By me.
If any man enter in, he shall be saved.
Saved. What does that mean? Save. Save. Salvation.
To be delivered from our lost and ruined and guilty condition that everyone of us.
Born in sin and shaping in iniquity and in sin did my mother conceive me. The psalmist could say we have this dread thin condition. If you go out of this room tonight, the same way you came in, you will continue to have that sin condition. You will not be a member.
Of with the Lord Jesus identifies here as those who are saved. He shall be saved. Are you a lost Sinner? Are you a safe Sinner here tonight? Oh, May God, by the power of His Spirit, work in your soul to give you to see your lost condition, to see that the eternal God is about ready to judge this world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained.
Whereas he has given assurance to all, and then he raised him from the dead, and that is the man Christ Jesus, the same one who came as the Savior of the world, is about ready to come as the judge thereof. And so how's it going to be with you, Senator friend, tonight? Do you know him as your savior, or will you get to know him as your judge? There in Revelation 20? What a solemn scene, the fearful and the unbelieving.
And those others there whosoever was not found, written the Lamb's book of life.
Was cashed into the lake of fire before those angels will take you and cast you into that place, eternal banishment from a God who loves you. You will see the face of the man who is so marred more than any man, and is far more than the sons of men. A lasting eternal reminder from God himself that you could have been saved, but you rejected it.
Oh, how so, Lord? Jesus said in John 12, verse 48. He that rejecteth me and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him the word that I have spoken the same shall judge him in the last day. And so we beg you.
We implore you, We beseech you as ambassadors for Christ tonight be reconciled to God, become a member of this saved race. So many of us here tonight have tasted and seen that the Lord is good, blessed the man trusted in him so important to come to God through Christ. The open door. We sometimes sing the children in the Sunday School well.
Drop down now 2 verses to the next.
Lord Jesus says in John 10 verse 11.
I am the Good Shepherd.
The Good Shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. Oh, this is the foundation of all of our blessing. The fact that the shepherd gave his life for the sheep. He didn't send someone else. No, he gave himself.
I'll ransom for us all.
How blessed to consider that first Timothy 2. Isn't that the verse? God our Savior, who have all men to be saved and to the come to the knowledge of the truth? There's one God, one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself a ransom for us all. Well.
The Lord Jesus came as the Good Shepherd. He went there to the cross of Calvary. Why?
Fulfillment Isaiah 53, verse 5, verse six. It says all we like sheep have gone astray.