Gospel—R. Rule
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My desire, dear friends.
To bring before you the gospel of the grace of God tonight.
In all its simplicity.
I know that there are many here that have heard the gospel many times.
For this is my desire to bring out anything new.
I have been told by several that they were expecting friends.
In are those that they were in contact with. I've been told by several our souls expected in the night that don't know the way of salvation.
God has made the way very clear in his book.
And it's the desire of the one that's going to speak to you that you.
If you don't know the way of salvation, that you might know it. And if you do know the way but of up until now, turn to deaf ear. Our desire is that God might give you to realize the importance.
Of closing in with his offer of mercy and taking the Lord Jesus before it is too late.
Now I was reminded driving to meeting tonight of.
A little signboard that I saw traveling along earlier this year.
I believe it was in the province of Ontario in Canada.
It only had five words on it.
But all how?
Important is the message to those 5 words.
There are 5 words that originally were penned by the Prophet Amos over 2500 years ago.
And here's what was on that little signboard.
Prepare to meet by God.
Friend, you have to meet God. Are you prepared?
What's your answer to that question? Are you prepared to meet God tonight?
If you're not, May God bring those 5 words.
And the importance of them home to your heart and conscience.
Prepare to meet thy God.
You know, someone mentioned this afternoon.
But atheism is on the increase.
The atheist would tell you.
That you live a few years down here and then death comes in and then your body returns to dust and that's the end of everything.
Friend, that's a lie. It's a lie of the devil. It isn't the end, it's the beginning.
Of eternity.
You have a soul.
And death can't touch your soul. It's an immortal soul.
You're going to live forever. Yes, you may. And especially if you're without Christ, you may, you will go through the article of death.
Ah, but your soul. How about that soul of yours? You're going to continue?
To live.
The word of God said is appointed unto men once to die, and it doesn't say that's the end, it said, It is appointed unto men once to die, but after death.
The judgment.
And my dear friend, if you let those words home into your soul, I believe you might realize a little more the importance of what one has just said. Those 5 words on that sign board, 5 words from the book of Amos. Prepare to meet thy God friend, are you prepared?
Oh, May God give you to prepare tonight. You can, you may say no, I'm not prepared.
But I tell you this, you can be prepared by the time you leave the door of this room tonight.
If you'll just trust in the savior that I'm going to seek to bring before you.
I'd like to especially bring before us tonight from the word of God.
Two men.
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Before making any comment about them, let's read, let us read at least concerning one of those men in the 12Th chapter of Luke's Gospel.
Luke's Gospel, chapter 12.
And verse.
13.
One of the companies said unto him, Master, speak to my brother. They divide the inheritance with me. And he said unto him, Man, who made me a judge, or a divider over you? And he said unto them, Take heed.
And beware of covetousness, for a man's life consists of not in the abundance of the things which he possesses.
And he spake A parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth Pentecost. And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do?
Because I have no room where to bestow my fruits, he said. This will I do. I will pull down my barns and build greater.
There will I bestow all my fruits, my goods, and I will say to my soul, soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years. Take thy knees, eat, drink, and be merry. But God said unto him.
Fool. This night thy soul shall be required of thee. Then who shall those things be which thou hast provided? So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.
Now here in this portion we have brought before US1 That I might refer to as a rich fool.
He probably was respected by his fellow men.
And he certainly was living in comfort and ease.
He thought he had provided for the future.
And perhaps he had, as far as this life goes.
But there came a moment when he died.
An eternal bankrupt.
Now I'm going to turn in the same gospel. Will comment further on this. I'm going to turn in this gospel. Would you turn with me to the 23rd chapter?
We're going to read here in this chapter.
About a poor man, a poor thief.
Right at the end of his journey.
A criminal.
Dying a criminal's death on a cross.
But in the closing hours of his life.
He came in contact with the blessed Savior that we wanted to bring before you tonight.
He put his trust in that savior.
And he died.
To enter.
Into a scene of into paradise. Into a scene of eternal bliss.
Into a wealth of blessedness.
All because he had learned to trust.
In the one, dear friends, that's the savior of sinners, and the one who came and who died for you, that you too might be saved.
Now, going back to the 12Th chapter of Luke for Justice a few moments. I won't take too long on this portion.
We find here that apparently someone had died and left an inheritance.
The two brothers, apparently one of them, somehow had taken over the lion's share.
And the other one came to the Lord to have things set right.
Told the Lord.
He said. Speak to my brother, we divide the inheritance with me.
Well, you know.
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Man, today everyone wants their rights.
You hear of various rights that people seek to preserve.
And this one was number exception.
And he thought the Lord was the right one to set things right for him. Did the Lord do it?
No, he didn't.
No, he didn't. And thank God he didn't. You know, dear friends, the Lord Jesus didn't come here to set things right.
And I'm glad he didn't. If he had come here to set things right, you know what would have happened.
Every man living on the face of the earth would have been cut off in judgment.
Yes, and if you and I had got our rights, everyone of us here tonight.
It would be the judgment of God for eternity, but that isn't why the Lord came the first time.
He's coming back as a judge and I hope you're prepared when he comes.
But that isn't why he came the first time.
No.
The Lord Jesus, when he was here the first time he came to give up his life.
In order to establish, we might say in order that God might have the right to act in mercy.
Towards you and me, without compromising the claims of His Holiness.
I ask the Lord Cain to give his life, that you and I might have life, you and I who deserve nothing but death and judgment.
No, he didn't come here to set things right the first time.
And he took occasion to speak this parable that we read about the rich man.
The one who had prospered under the hand of God.
You know, no farmer really prospers without the hand of God being involved, for God has to set God that provides the sunshine and the rain.
And so forth. Yes, he had enjoyed the goodness of God in a practical sense.
But he had no thought about God or God's claims.
All he had any thought about was himself, You know, that's like the natural man, all he thinks of himself. Did you notice as I read it, how many times you said I and my very self-centered? It says he thought within himself saying what shall I do because I have no room where to be stole my fruit.
And he said, This will I do, I will pull down my barns and build greater there will I be stole my fruits and my goods. Then I will say to my soul, soul now has much goods laid up for the many years Take thy knees, eat, drink, and be merry.
I don't find much about God in there. Do you all about himself?
He gave no thought to God or God's claims, Friend, what thought have you given to God and his claims in your life?
Like a bolt out of the blue, God said unto him, Now fool, this night shall I, soul, be required of thee?
Suppose God said that to you tonight, friend, you have no lease on life. You couldn't, you could not ensure at any cost the fact that you would be here tomorrow morning. I ask you, if God said to you, fool, this night, shall I soul be required of thee?
Are you ready?
God wouldn't call you a fool. If you're ready. I didn't put that question very intelligently.
Why did God call this man a fool? Because he left God out of his thoughts.
He had no thought of God.
He had no thought as to his soul.
Fred, let me ask you, what thought have you given to your soul? What importance have you put on the question of your immortal soul and where you will spend eternity?
Oh, if you have never thought seriously about your soul, I plead with you.
To take these words from the word of God seriously, tonight you have a soul and a mortal soul, and you are going to spend eternity in one of two destinies.
An eternity of bliss in heaven.
Or an eternity of woe in hell.
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This poor man had left God out of his thoughts.
He gave no thought to God in his claims. And God says, thou foolest night, shall I soul be required of thee?
Oh my friend, don't stay in company with that man if you've never given any thought to your soul.
May God give you to realize tonight that you have an immortal soul and that nothing is so important as to where you're going to spend eternity.
This man was occupied with as well. You know what the word of God says.
What shall it profit a man if he gained the whole world?
And lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give an exchange for his soul?
Well, dear friend, I'm sure this man had his opportunities.
But he didn't avail himself of them. You have an opportunity tonight, my friend.
You can be saved tonight. See that you avail yourself of that opportunity by coming to the Savior.
That we now want to speak a little more of. Will you turn with me to the 23rd chapter?
Of Luke's Gospel.
Verse 33.
I.
And when they were come to the place which is called Calvary, there they crucified him, and the Vala factors, one on the right hand and the other on the left.
Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do, and they parted his raiment and cast lots. And the people stood beholding, and the rulers with them derided him, saying, he saved others. Let him save himself, if he be the Christ, the chosen of God.
And the soldiers also mocked him, coming to him and offering him vinegar, saying, If thou be the king of the Jews.
Save thyself.
And a superscription also was written over him in the.
Letters of Greek and Latin and Hebrew. This is the king of the Jews.
One of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be the Christ.
Save thyself and us. But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Does not thou fear God?
Being thou art in the same condemnation, and we indeed justly.
For we receive the due reward of our deeds, but this man hath done nothing amiss.
And he said unto Jesus, Lord, Remember Me when thou comest into thy Kingdom.
And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee.
Today thou shalt be with me in paradise.
And it was about the 6th hour, and there was darkness over all the earth until the 9th hour.
And the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was rent in the midst. And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hand I commend my spirit, And having said thus, he gave up the ghost.
Now when the centurion saw what was done, he glorified God, saying Certainly this was a righteous man.
Well dear friends.
This is a wondrous scene that we have brought before us.
One feels his inadequacy to bring out the fullness, the blessedness of what we have here.
I know of nothing in the word of God, but brings out more.
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the grace that was manifested.
To this poor thief who heard from the lips of the Lord Jesus those words.
Today shalt thou be with me in paradise.
It's a remarkable scene we find.
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I didn't read from the beginning of the chapter because of the length of it, but I do wish to comment a little on some of the earlier verses.
We find in this chapter.
That everyone was against the Lord Jesus.
And if you're not aware of the fact, I'm sure most are, but I would say this dear friend, the Lord Jesus Christ.
Who is the creator of this world?
And in grace.
He became a man, was born in Bethlehem. He had gone through this scene.
A true man, and yet God manifest in the flesh.
And here we find him on this cross of shame.
The one perfect, sinless man.
Dying for sinners.
That sinners might be brought into blessing.
And have salvation and have the forgiveness of sins.
That blessed One we find here.
If we were to read from the beginning of the chapter, we'd find that.
That the chief priests and elders were against him.
Pilate was against him, Herod was against him. The common people were against him.
And at first, even the two thieves We learned from Mark's Gospel, the 15th chapter. But even the two thieves blasphemed him at first. Those who were themselves crucified on each side of Him. All the world was against him, we might say.
But in the closing hours of his life here, one of those thieves apparently was brought to realize.
That the one on that center cross was the Son of God, he was brought to realize.
That there was one who had done nothing amiss.
And he took sides, as it were, with the Lord Jesus. He came out in the testimony for him.
And said this man has done nothing amiss, and then he owned him as Lord.
And learn to know that he was indeed his savior because he trusted in the Lord Jesus.
Oh dear friends.
It's a wonder scene and there's never been a moment in the history of time. There's been no event.
In the history of this world that can compare with what we have just read about in these verses.
It was there that the mightiest transaction that was ever transacted took place.
And I wish, as we go on, to tell you a little more about it now I said that all were against him.
Others have pointed out that there are four prayers 4 requests in this chapter.
And the first one shows how all were against them. It's found in the in the 21St verse of the chapter.
We find there.
They cried saying crucify him.
Crucify him.
I might say that Speaking of the four prayers, we might look at them.
The first was the prayer of hatred. That's what we have here. Crucify and get rid of them. We don't want him.
Prayer of hatred.
The next prayer is one of fear.
We find in the 29th and the 30th verses where there's a time coming when they're going to say to the mountains fall on us and the hills cover us What for? Oh, they're afraid. We learned from Revelation 6 that that's the time when this Blessed one is coming back in judgment, says there to the mountains, fall on us and hide us from the wrath of the Lamb. A prayer of fear.
And the next prayer we get in the 34th verse that we read the prayer of love or request of love, Father, forgive them.
And the 4th one we find the prayer of faith.
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In the 42nd verse it says, he said of us this thief said unto Jesus, Lord.
Remember Me when thou comest into thy Kingdom. Ah, that's the request of faith.
Well, going back to the beginning of the chapter, we find that all are against him.
You know, dear friends, the natural mind, the natural heart, is enmity toward Christ.
And here was that blessed One, the one who had given sight to the blind hearing to the death.
Even raise the dead.
And now, at the end of his journey down here.
The heart of man comes out in all its wickedness, and man cried.
Crucify him, crucify him.
If we had read the few verses earlier in the chapter, we would find reference to Barabbas.
But before mentioning Barabbas.
I would like to call attention to this that.
I mentioned that Pilate was against him. In one sense he was. But I should mention this pilot knew that he was a just man.
Three times Pilot referred to him as a just man.
And on one occasion we get it in another gospel his wife had come to him and told told Pilot to have nothing to do with that man she knew. She had had a vision that he was one sent from God.
And she warns Pilate.
And Pilate wanted to let him go at first.
It says here.
In our chapter.
Let's see.
Yes, it says in verse in the middle of verse 14.
Behold, I have examined him before you and have found no fault in this man.
Touching those things where I've you accused him.
But we learned this.
In another gospel, it's developed more clearly.
They told Pilate if you let this man go, you're not Caesar's friend.
Who was Caesar? Oh, he was the Roman emperor. Roman governor.
Pilot was his delegate. Bare Jerusalem.
If you let this man go, you're not Caesar's friend. Now, he was concerned about what Caesar would think about it, and he gave in to their requests. Dear friend, let me ask you something.
Are you fearful of taking sides with Jesus because of what some of your friends might think?
Don't make a mistake. Pilate did.
Yes, he was supported by Caesar.
And he was afraid.
To do what his conscience told him to do.
Because of the the effect on Caesar. Are you afraid?
To take sides with Christ tonight because of what your companions will think.
Pilate is going to spend an eternity in hell because he listened to wrong advice.
Fran, don't be his companion.
Don't let what your friends will think about and hinder you from.
Closing in with God's offer of mercy tonight.
Open your heart to receive this blessed Savior.
We find that Pilate suggests that I think he thought, maybe here's an out.
At that time of the year, it was a custom at the feast to release some prisoner.
And so.
He brought two before them, the Lord Jesus Christ and Barabbas, and said, Whom were ye that I release unto you?
Barabbas was a robber. He was a criminal, I suppose, Pilate thought. Well, surely they'll choose Jesus as compared to a criminal.
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It was well known the fact that Jesus here had blessed many.
And there was number fault found in him. But do you know what the chief priests and the elders, they had encouraged the people to say? Not this man, that is not the Lord Jesus, but Barabbas. Oh yes, this world would rather have a criminal released and have the Lord Jesus Christ put to death.
Friend, whose sides are you on tonight?
Are you on the side of the Lord Jesus?
Are you still on the side of this world that crucified him?
Oh, it's a serious thing.
To side in with the world.
Against Christ, my friend, because your eternal destiny hinges.
On whether you will have the Lord Jesus as your savior.
Now I mentioned that there are four prayers or 4 requests.
The second one, the 1St, as we said, they said not this man but Barabbas. And as to the Lord Jesus, they're in their hatred. They said crucify him.
Well, it says in verse 26 that they led him away.
They laid hold upon one Simon and Cyrene coming out of the country, and on him they laid the cross that he might bear it after Jesus.
There followed a great company of people and of women, which also bewailed.
And lamented him.
But Jesus, turning unto them, said Daughters of Jerusalem.
Weep not for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children.
For behold, the days are coming, in which they shall say, Blessed are the barren.
And the wounds that never bear in the paps, which never gave suck, then shall they begin to say to the mountains fall on us into the hills cover us.
For if they do these things in a green tree, what shall be done in the dry?
Oh yes, these women, they came where be as it says here.
They came weeping, but the Lord said, don't weep for me, weep for yourselves.
For the days are coming. What days are coming? Ah, friend, there is a day of judgment ahead.
God hasn't forgotten what took place at Calvary. No, my friend and he never will forget what took place at Calvary.
There's judgment ahead for this poor world.
And that's what the Lord is referring to here.
When he says, they will begin to say, and here's their prayer of fear. Mountains fall on us.
And as I said in Revelation 6, it goes on to say and hide us from the face of the Lamb.
For the day of his wrath has come.
There is a day of wrath I had, my friend, for the Sinner that rejects Christ. Are you ready?
Do you know him as your savior? Oh, I hope you'll not be among that number to leave and look to the mountains to shelter from the wrath of that blessed one. He came in grace the first time, But you know, if you don't receive him in grace, you will have to meet him as your judge.
For God has committed all judgment under the sun. That's under the Lord Jesus Christ.
He goes on to say, if they do these things in a green tree, what shall be done in the dry?
What do you understand by that?
Well, you know, a green tree.
As life freshness, it bears fruit.
The Lord Jesus was the green tree. In him was life.
And his whole life was one of bearing fruits for God.
Yes, he was the green tree.
Well, who is the DRY?
Everyone of us here, by nature, are the dry trees. You know, a dry tree doesn't have life.
There is no SAP, no life.
We have a number of trees on our home, on our property, at home.
Every once in a while we've cut one down for various reasons.
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But we don't use the wood when it's when the tree is first cut down. We let it dry out first.
Why? Well, you know, a dry tree is very good for firewood. We have a fireplace.
You know, dear friend.
The dry tree speaks of you and me by nature.
And fire in the Word of God speaks of judgment.
And all the Sinner is good, for is the judgment of God.
The Lord Jesus said if these are done in a green tree, that's what he was. What should we done in the drive?
You have no life. God word friend. You're dead in trespasses and sins.
But you may have life if you will trust in the Savior. If you give your heart to him and take him as your savior tonight, you will be born again.
You will have a life from God and you will no longer be viewed as a dry tree.
But I say to you, if you're not born again, if you don't receive a new life, you're one of the dry trees referred to here in the Lord. Jesus said, if this is happening to me, a green tree, how about the dry?
Old friend, I couldn't begin to tell you the awfulness.
Of the eternity that are that the lost are going to spend.
In that place of outer darkness, where there is nothing but weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth under the judgment of God.
May God give you to feel your need of life.
I sometimes thought of this verse in connection with a 53rd of Isaiah.
Isaiah was a prophet among the Jews.
And what a prophecy he gave us in that 53rd chapter.
It starts out this way.
Who has believed our report?
And to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed?
For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground.
He hath no form, nor lordliness, and when we shall see him, there's no beauty in him that we should desire him.
He is despised and rejected of men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief.
Now just a few thoughts on that what that prophet brought before us.
Isaiah said.
Who hath believed our report? You know, generally speaking, God's earthly people are Jews. They rejected that blessed One. It was only here and there that they had faith to trust in him. Thank God, there were many that did. But Isaiah, foreseeing the fact that generally the nation would go on in unbelief, he said. Who has believed our report?
And to whom is the arm of the Lord? Revealed the Lord Jesus was God's arm.
You know, a businessman, especially an executive, you often hear him say, well, so and so. He's my right arm. In other words, I can depend on him if I give an assignment to him to get it done. Well, the Lord Jesus had the greatest assignment that was ever given to any man. God sent that blessed one down here to go to Calvary's cross and give up his life. That you and I might have life. He was the arm of Jehovah.
And it says he shall grow up before him as a tender plant. Ah yes, that one that was born in Bethlehem.
And laid in a Manger, grew up before God, a tender plant. There was life there, and there was freshness as a root out of a dry ground. What's the dry ground? This earth and mankind on it. A dry ground, no fruit for God.
But here was one a tender plant as he grew up before him.
And now a green tree in his manhood. We find him dying on that cross. The green tree, friend, if that blessed one had to suffer on that cross, what will be the portion of the Sinner who dies in his sins? That's what that 31St verse means. And if you're today part of that which is spoken of is agree as as the dry tree, but for nothing but the fire of God's judgment.
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May God waken you up to feel your need, my friend, and trust in that blessed Savior.
Well, it says.
Further down in this chapter in the 38th verse, we read it.
A superscription also was written over him in letters of Greek and Latin and Hebrew.
This is the King of the Jews.
I suppose that was the crime that he was charged with.
Being the king of the Jews.
Friends, he was the king of the Jews.
He was there, Messiah, their king, but they rejected him.
And another scripture we have I believe that Jesus of Nazareth. This is Jesus the King of the Jews. This afternoon someone mentioned Jesus means with a Jesus was Jehovah. Yes, Jehovah the Savior.
And yet they crucified him and nailed him that cross, and they are written over him in letters of Hebrew, it says, And Greek and Latin, the three dominant languages of the day. The Jews were the leaders religiously.
The learned Greek and the martial Romans, they all combined all were one and saying, we want to have done with this man.
All friends want to see.
This was at a place called Calvary. The marginal reading in my Bible says the place of a skull.
And I believe that's what it means to Calvary, Golgotha, and another gospel the place of a skull.
You know a skull speaks of death.
And I have sometimes wondered if the place they chose for this scene.
Was not to further the mockery that was carried out on this occasion.
We find much mockery in in connection with the death of the Lord Jesus, the first thing.
We find that they brought him out in purple robes. Purple speaks of royalty.
Royalty.
And they brought him out in purple robes.
In Mockery.
Saying in effect, yes, a king, a royal one, and we're going to put him on a cross.
Friend, I want to say this tonight that God is highly exalted, that blessed one in 110 Psalm. It says sit down on my right hand until I make thine enemies, thy footstools. He's coming back as king. He's coming back and he's going to reign. But they mocked him.
They put the crown on his head. A crown of thorns and mockery. Why a crown? Oh, he said He was the king of the Jews, and to mock him they put a crown. But it was a crown of thorns was in derision, in mockery.
They take him to a graveyard, the place of a skull.
In mockery, perhaps he was the one.
Who is the author of Life?
In him was life we read.
In him was life. He's the upholder, the sustainer of life, as well as the creator.
When he was here, he spoke of life, He said, I am the resurrection and the life, and in mockery they crucify him in that graveyard, the place of a skull.
Oh, they spit in his face.
They seek to deride him.
Oh my friend, this world has a lot to give account for to God. And May God give you to realize if you're still a part of this world, you're in the wrong company.
God hasn't forgotten what took place here.
And there, over his head in those three languages, this is Jesus. This is the king of the Jews in another scripture.
They told pilots to say right not this is the king of the Jews, but that, he saith, I am the king of the Jews.
Pilate says. What I have written, I have written. I have often thought that trial probably Pilate knew.
That he was what he claimed to be the king of the Jews, Whole house solemn.
00:45:08
Well, let us look at that third prayer, verse 34, after all this.
Awful treatment that the Lord received. We have the prayer of love now.
What does he say, Father? Forgive them.
All my friends, what a prayer.
To come from his blessed lips at a moment like this, when he's receiving the treatment that he received. Father, forgive them.
Now, my friend, that's grace. That's the grace of God.
When the Lord Jesus came to die, that you and I might be forgiven.
He came to give his life that you and I might have life.
Someone quoted this afternoon.
He bore our sins in his own body. On the tree, Yes, on that tree. He took the sinner's place. He stood in the sinner's room instead, in order that the Sinner might go free. I was just reading. I just ran across recently.
A little story that was printed recently. I was glad to see it in print.
About a man who was in a courtroom in London, England, some years ago, quite a few years ago.
And there was a man who was on trial.
For stealing a large he was a cutter in a tailoring firm and he had been charged with stealing a large roll of of material worth 25 or $30.
And he was brought before the judge, and the judge asked him if the charges were true, and he bowed his head and said something inaudibly.
When the judge went on to say, I understand you worked 15 years for this man.
Did he always pay you fair wages? Yes.
Well, don't you think it's a pretty low, a pretty mean thing for someone that treated you fairly for 15 years?
To steal from him, I'm going to find you $25.
Or he said, Judge, I don't have a penny to my name. Well then, it's 10 days in prison.
And at that moment, in the back of the audience, a woman burst into tears.
It was the wife of that poor man.
And it broke her heart to think of her husband going to jail.
But just after that outburst on the part of this woman, a man stood up in the audience.
Man of about 65 years old.
And he said, your honor.
I want to make a request to this court.
I want to pay that $25 fine.
So that this man can be discharged and I want to take him back.
As my employee. And then it was the man's turn. He burst into tears.
And sobbed. He recognized the grace on the part of his employer.
The employer stepped up to pay the debt for him.
And the employer, the judge says.
Your request is granted, and this employer walked up to the prisoner's dock.
They took him by the arm, he handed the judge the $25 and he walked out.
Well, someone had said that juncture, I think the one who wrote the story said.
Surely that man ought to be one for life.
Yes, my friend.
Because of the love and the grace that had been shown toward him in his need.
Well, dear friend, the gospel is like that, but it's more wonderful. What have you done against God?
You have not committed one sin. You've not committed 5 sins. There are too numerous to mention all of sin and come short of the glory of God. But here we find one who came from glory to answer to God for those sins.
We read further down in the chapter about that there was darkness over all the earth from the 6th hour to the 9th hour. What took place in those three hours? It was there that the Lord Jesus answered to God in the sinner's room. Instead, God forsook him In another scripture it says he cried out. My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?
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Do you know the answer, friend? If you don't, I will tell you.
God forsook him there because he was there in the Sinner stead, taking the sinner's place.
He was there for me. He died for me, and he died for many in this room, and he died for you. Will you have him?
All I have told you about the man that was charged and had a death that he couldn't pay, how grateful he was to his employer for paying that debt, that he might go free.
Friend, have you ever thanked God? Have you ever thanked the Lord Jesus for paying the debt for you at Calvary? He died for you. Will you have him as your Savior?
That's a very important question I've asked. That's why I hesitate. Will you have the Lord Jesus as your savior?
He died for you. And if you turn your back on him, my friend.
Then because of the righteousness of God when you meet him as judge.
He will have to cast you out into that place of outer darkness, where the worm dieth not and the fire is not quenched.
Will you have him? Will you receive him tonight?
That brings me to this fourth prayer.
The thief on the cross.
The moment comes this moment when all seem to be against the Lord.
And here he was, at the very closing hours of his life, this thief apparently brought to realize that he was the Son of God because.
Perhaps it was from that prayer from the Lord's lips. Father forgive them. Father, He knew he was praying to God. And if he called God's Father, could it be he was the Son of God? Perhaps that's what reached his heart.
But anyway.
He changed company. We said in the 15th of March. He was one of those that cried out.
If one of those that mocked him, like the soldiers they said it saved others, let him save himself. If he be the Christ, the chosen of God, friend, he couldn't save himself. You know why? Because his love for you and me was too great. If he had saved himself, he would gone to glory alone.
He would have been on the throne alone. Oh, he wanted you and me as his companions, And this poor thief on the cross was to be a companion now, because he turned to him. He was brought to realize his condition. He said. We indeed justly.
But this man has done nothing amiss.
What a statement this man has done. Nothing amiss.
Everybody was against him. And here this poor thief comes out on the Lord's side. He said is that we're all vouch for him, all vouch for his life, all vouch for his character. I will vouch for his perfection. This man has done nothing amiss. Oh, what a statement of faith, The blessed of the separation of faith trend. He did do nothing amiss. He did no sin. He knew no sin.
He was the holy, spotless one, but he died in the sinner's room instead.
And if you will have him, you can spend an eternity of bliss with him in that place of eternal joy.
That one thief turned to him. He said. Lord, Remember Me when thou comest into thy Kingdom.
What faith here is a man dying? Everybody seemed against him and he called him Lord.
And he called him a chain. He said, in effect. You're dying, but I know that the Kingdom belongs to you. You're going to come back and reign. And when that happens, will you Remember Me?
Oh, my dear friend, thank God there was one that stood for that blessed one when all were against him there on that cross.
And he learned to know him as his own Savior, and would to God that you might learn to know that blessed 1:00 tonight.
As your Savior, Lord, Remember Me when thou comest into thy Kingdom, or the Lord had something more better than that He didn't know about it when he said it, the Lord said today. You know it doesn't take a long time to be converted, friend. You can be converted as you sit in your seat. If you just give your heart to the Lord Jesus and claim him as your savior, put your trust in him, you'll be converted.
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That beef chains company right at this moment when he took sides with Jesus.
Will you take sides with that blessed savior tonight? Will you have him like the poor thief receive him?
What a blessed word the Lord gave him today. Shalt thou be with me.
In Paradise, Paradise means place of delight.
This poor criminal at the end of his life.
Being cast out because the kind of life that he lived.
But the Lord says, I want you to be my companion in eternity. Today you'll be with me in paradise.
Old friend, are you going to spend eternity with that same blessed Savior?
I mentioned earlier about the rich fool. You know what it says there, the Lord said this night.
Shall I soul be required of thee? He went out into the night, and it's been night ever since.
And he's going to spend 1 eternal night in outer darkness, and so will you if you reject my Savior.
Now the thief, the Lord says today. Not tonight, today.
He died that day, and it's going to be an eternal day of blessing for that poor thief.
Well, dear friends, whose company are you going to be in? The Savior and that poor thief, or the one that God said, thou fool?
Oh, I trust. But there's not one here that is going to reject the Savior. If you do, friends, if you don't close in with God's offer of mercy.
God's word would indicate that you're a fool. It says there that he was not rich toward God. No, he had it in Dad. Death toward God.
And he done nothing as far as making payment on that debt goes. He couldn't do anything.
That's what the Lord Jesus came to do, to pay the debt, and he did that at Calvary and all those who received him are those who know that the debt is fully paid. And the 7th of Luke, the Lord tells a woman similar character to this speech, She was a woman of the city and she was recognized as a Sinner. Everybody that knew her knew she was a Sinner. She was living an open sin and the Lord told her.
That when they had nothing to pay.
He freely forgave. He's speaking. I can't take time to tell the whole incident. But he said when they had nothing to pay, he freely forgave them both. Our friend, you don't need to pay anything to get a title of glory. The Lord has paid the whole price. He's met all God's claims. He suffered the awful judgment of God, forsaken of God in those three hours. And then we finally shed His precious blood that you and I might be brought into blessing.
When you have the Lord Jesus tonight.
I remember.
Reading one who once said in connection with that thief, he said. You know.
I hope when I get to glory, I'll be able to find that thief and I'm going to go and put out my hand and say thank you friend, for maintaining the character of my Savior in a day when everybody was against him.
Well, you know.
You can be among the number that will be with that blessed savior, and also with that thief who was saved. If you'll just close in with God's offer of mercy tonight, well, you have the Lord Jesus friend. What are you going to do with him? The other thief had his chance. The other thief had his chance his own, the thief that received Jesus said.
Don't you fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation?
Don't you fear God? Oh no. He had No Fear of God before his eyes. You know, the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, that is.
When we realize we have to do with God, that's the beginning of wisdom, all friends.
I come back to the verse I started with. You have to do with God. Prepare to meet thy God.
Are you prepared? There's only one way to be prepared, and that's by trusting.
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In the Lord Jesus Christ, believe on the Lord Jesus Christ.
And thou shalt be saved.
Shall we pray?
Our blessed God and Father, we thank thee for the Lord Jesus.
We thank thee for everyone in this room tonight that knows him as their own precious savior.
And now our God and Father, we ask that if there are any here that are.
Undecided.
All thou give them to close in with thine offer of mercy.
Will thou give them to feel their need? Give them to realize the awfulness.
A wandering into eternity lost.
We ask thee now that thou just use thy word and.
That some needy hearts may close in with Thine, offer mercy, and believe on that blessed one, and be saved. We do command Thy word to Thee for thy blessing. We ask Thee to bless Thy word wherever it is gone forth this day. Now we commend us each to Thee. As we go our several ways. We ask Thee to go with us. We thank Thee for Thy mercies.
This day and for all that we have enjoyed, those that are thine that which we have enjoyed concerning.
Our blessed Savior, the Lord Jesus, may those of us that are His seek by His grace to walk down here in a way that would be pleasing to Him. Now we just ask all, giving thanks and His precious and worthy name. Amen.