Gospel—A.M. Barry
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Like to read a text tonight from the book of the prophet Jeremiah. Jeremiah chapter 23 and verse 28. Jeremiah 23 verse 28. The prophet that hath a dream.
Let him tell a dream, and he that hath my word, let him speak my word.
Faithfully.
He that hath my words, let him speak my word faithfully.
This is not the first time that.
This verse has challenged my heart. It begins by saying the prophet that hath a dream.
Let him tell a dream, the prophets that hath a dream. But then when it comes to the one who has the word of God, it simply says, He that hath my word. He that hath my word, let him speak my word.
Faithfully the announce a very, very solemn challenge to my heart tonight to stand here with God's precious word in my hand and this message I trust I can say from God to my heart, he an unnamed, untitled 1 to stand here with God's precious living word in my hand.
And all I trust I can say with a message.
From this precious book for my heart and for your heart. What a challenge that is.
He that hath my word, let him speak my word faithfully. I'm sorry to say that I believe there are many who stand up in these days with God's word in their hand. It may be, and they deliver messages that are not faithful messages. They don't want to offend those who come to listen.
They don't want to send them away feeling ill at ease, feeling convicted in their conscience.
But as we turn from passage to passage in God's Word tonight, all the prayer of my heart, and I know the prayer of many another heart in this company tonight is this, that you, my dear friend, may hear the very voice of God himself speaking to your heart and to your conscience from the pages of this book.
All the prayer of our hearts is that it may be so and if in the process of reading a text or to here and there.
And seeking to speak to your heart, if it may seem to be a message that you hadn't expected to hear.
If it seems to be a message that speaks to your conscience and to your heart, my dear friend.
Will you take it as from the heart of a God who knows all about you and who loves you just the same?
I don't think that I could be accused of trying to be emotional or dramatic.
If we seek to present this faithful message from God in a way that by the grace of God and by the power of the Spirit of God might touch and move your heart to realize that you may be listening to the last gospel message that you'll ever, ever hear as we sang those words together.
Open the door, he'll enter in. You joined in, singing those words with us.
Could it possibly be that someone here joined in the singing of those words?
Someday, someday, my lost and unsaved friend, you will stand before the closed door of heaven and remember that you sat down in a gospel meeting one time with a hymn sheet in your hand.
And you sign those words, but didn't mean them. Open the door, He'll enter in, and Sup with you, and you with him. To think that there will be those who sat down in gospel meetings just such as these, turn from passage to passage of God's word, joined in the singing of the hymns, and are going to be outside the door of heaven to be cast into.
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Darkness.
Forever. Oh, I say, it is a very, very solemn thing to stand up here with God's precious Word. You have had moments in your life that have moved you deeply. Perhaps you've been in a hospital.
And you've waited, waited, waited because someone that you loved very, very dearly was on the other side of that door and their life was in the balance. Their life was in the balance. And no one needed to tell you of the solemnity of the occasion. No one needed to tell you of what was going on in your heart.
As you stood outside that door, wondering, wondering if the one whom you love.
Was going to live or die. And the door opened and the doctor came out with his head down.
The doctor shook his head.
The doctor shook his head. You don't accuse the doctor of being emotional. You don't accuse the doctor of trying to be dramatic about it. There's a life and a death at stake. The life of a loved one is involved. And all the doctor needs to do is shake his head like this and you know the surge of sorrow and anxiety and fear that goes through your spirit.
I venture to say there's many A1 here.
That's had that experience and you stood there wondering about that loved one who was so near the gates of eternity.
But as I look into your faces tonight and look into the faces of the boys and the girls who are here.
Sitting side by side with a praying father and mother. And I realized that it is not life and death that are involved tonight. It's eternal glory with Christ Jesus the Savior, or its eternal darkness with the damned in hell. That's the word of God. I'm not exaggerating. That's what's at stake tonight. That's the destiny.
Destiny of every soul here, your soul and my soul. To be forever with Christ in glory, or to be forever in outer darkness, to carry with you, as we were reminded last night.
The memory, the memory of the gospel meetings you attended, the memory of the Bible you used to read, the memory of the hymns you sang. Oh, I say, it is a solemn, solemn thing to pick up God's precious word and seek to speak to souls that are someday going to stand before God.
Sunday going to stand before God. Indeed, it's true you.
And you and I, we are going to stand before God.
Tonight you sit here side by side with those who don't know you too thoroughly. A neighbor, a praying Christian neighbor, has invited you here. A praying father or mother has begged you to come to night, and you came expecting to hear a sermon. You came out of curiosity. You came to please your friends.
The eye of God is upon you, and although you may not yet be aware of the presence of eye of God, there is a day coming when every one of us.
Will stand in the presence of him who knows all about us.
Oh, what a sad, sad thing it would be if we didn't have the glorious light of the gospel to present tonight. For here we are, every one of us, with the eye of God upon us.
Suppose we turn back in the Old Testament to the book of Job, and we'll find there a conversation which occurs between God and this man who is recorded as being a perfect and an upright man, and when it feared God and astute evil. The 40th chapter of job 40th chapter of Job. I like to look at these verses and just consider.
Listening to a conversation between God and Joe? Oh, you say? That would indeed be interesting and instructive to actually overhear a conversation between God and the man who had the reputation of being a perfect and an upright man. Job 40, verse one.
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Moreover, the Lord answered dove and said, Shall he that contendeth with the Almighty instruct him?
He that reprove with God, let him answer it. Then Job answered the Lord and said.
Behold, I am vile. What shall I answer thee? I will lay mine hand upon my mouth. Once have I spoken, but I will not answer yet. Twice, but I will proceed no further.
Job and the Lord together, The Lord speaking to Job and Job answering.
My friend, tonight, the beginning of blessing in your soul, will be the day.
When you are willing to do as Job did, to say in God's presence, Behold, I am vile, what shall I answer thee? I will lay mine hand upon my mouth.
Oh, you say. Now that doesn't apply to me. Indeed, my friend, it does apply to you. It applies to you. It applies to every one of us, myself included.
That we must be found in God's presence as the eye of God sees our heart and light. Oh, what a solemn thing it is. Hebrews 4 verse 13 would remind us.
All things are naked and open under the eyes of Him with whom we have to do. What a solemn, what a convicting statement that is.
Do you believe that to be the truth? Did I do there? It is recorded in the Word of God, and it is intended to speak to the consciences here tonight.
All things, all things are naked and open under the eyes of him with whom we have to do.
Have you ever been in the presence of God?
Have you ever felt the eye of God scanning your life?
Looking over the record of your deeds.
Reading over the record of your thoughts.
Have you ever looked up in the face of God and said, Behold, I am vile, What shall I answer? The I will lay mine hand upon my mouth? The word of God tells us in Romans 3. All have sinned and come short of the glory of God.
Remember one day being in a doctor's reception room and it aroused my curiosity a bit to look around at the faces of those who are also waiting with me.
I noticed there was one boy there who had a bandage round his knee.
Quite a large bandage it was, but he had a very carefree look on his face.
He was looking at something interesting that was on the table and he didn't seem the least bit worried.
It was another man there who had a big bandage around his neck, but he also didn't seem to be the least bit concerned about his ailment. And I looked around and I noticed that some were sitting there ringing their hands with very anxious expressions.
And I noticed that they were the ones that didn't have any outward reason that could be seen why they were in the office. There was no arm in a sling, there was no bandage. But there was the look of anxiety on the face and the ringing of the hands. And I looked around and I thought, there's something wrong that can't be seen.
There's something wrong inside that I can't see.
And they're afraid of what the doctor may say. Now you sit in this company tonight, and it may be that you have entered that door with the finest reputation in the community. It may be that there is nothing that shows in your life why you should be afraid to meet God. It may mean that if after you're gone.
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The finest words would be said by the preacher and the neighbors about your good reputation.
And yet, my friend, that which may not show in the presence of your best friends.
Is fully known to the eye of God and faithfully recorded by the finger of God. Be sure of that my friend. The finger of God has been busy more than once. We find when the law was given, that it was given and written by the very finger of God Himself.
It was written by the hand of God, then later on in the book of Daniel.
We find the hand of God riding upon the plaster of the wall of Belshazzar's palace. Thou art weighed in the balances and found wanting.
The hand of God, I say, is written. The hand of God penned those 10 commandments, and the hand of God also penned this statement. Whosoever shall keep the whole law.
And yet offend in one point he is guilty of all who wrote those words. God did. The God who wrote the 10 commandments wrote also that verse in the second chapter of James.
Whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty. She is guilty of all.
The hand of God, I say.
Sad to say, the hand of man comes into. Sometimes I think of the hand of man.
Taking a piece of wood and writing these words, this is Jesus the King of the Jew, the hand of man, writing that accusation and nailing it above the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ. And I say that you and I, unless we are cleansed by the precious blood of that same Savior.
Stand guilty tonight along with those who nailed him to that cross.
But all I would fain bring you to the point where Job was brought. It took a lot of God's dealings to bring him there, but finally Dove and the Lord alone together.
Are found here in chapter 40 and told after all he has had to say in self-defense. Finally looks and says behold I am vile. He doesn't say I have done vile things.
He doesn't say I have made mistakes in my life. He doesn't say I have failed. He says I am.
Vile What shall I answer thee? I will lay my hand upon my mouth. Have you ever come to the end of yourself? Have you ever bowed those knees of yours in the presence of a holy and a righteous God, and said from the depths of your convicted heart?
Behold.
I am vile.
Step with the patient into the doctor's office, the patient that has nothing to show, and the doctor begins to ask a few questions and the patient just evades all those questions. He doesn't have a word to say about the aches and pains and illnesses. He just expects the doctor to make it a very, very pleasant visit.
He looks around to see that the office is nicely carpeted and nice pictures on the walls, and the doctor, he hopes, will have a pleasant manner and a nice voice. Is that what he's interested in? No, he wants to know the truth of his condition. He wants to have an honest Doctor Who will give him a truthful diagnosis. But I know many people.
I know many people who will go a long, long way to listen to a preacher that has a nice voice.
A pleasant manner, attractive surroundings, nice music, and they're on their way to hell. They sit down and listen to the sermon and go out the door unconvicted, unaware it may be of the fact that God's eye scanning the record of their life says all have sinned. The soul that sinneth it must die.
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After that, the judgment it may be that you will not care for what God has to say to you tonight.
That old friend, here it is. God wants you. God wants you to be brought to the point to which Job was brought when he said, behold, I am by. But that's not the gospel. That's not the gospel. That's the awakening by the convicting power of the Spirit of God.
In the soul of anyone here tonight who may not get have accepted the Lord Jesus Christ, but I trust that there might be someone here who knows that you are a Sinner.
You know that in the sight of God, your heart, your record up Yonder, is stained with sin. You know that not one mark of sin will ever be allowed to enter through the gates of glory. And you hope. You hope that tonight you may hear God's answer.
As to what can be done or what has been done for that sin stained heart of yours, turn over to John chapter one. John chapter one, verse 29 seems to me that we have here the answer to Job's cry of conviction.
Behold, he says, Behold, I am vile.
And here in John one verse 29, we have these wonderful words. Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world. Oh, what an answer, what an answer, and where does it come from? It comes from the glory God who looked down at you and me, God who saw the stains of sin.
And yours sent down from glory, sent down from his home, sent down from his very bosom, his only begotten Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, my Savior, my Savior. I rejoice to be able to say it. Can you say that too? I know that there are many in the company tonight who just feel like rising to your feet and saying.
Savior too. But is there someone here who never, never yet has been able to speak of the Lord Jesus Christ as my Savior? Here we have the glorious answer to the guilt that was uncovered in Joe's heart. And my heart and your heart, behold.
The Lamb of God that taketh away.
The sin of the world had looked down upon man's sad history. God had watched 4000 years of the history of man's wickedness and rebellion. And now God in infinite love has sent down into this world His beloved Son. And John sees Jesus coming unto him.
I love those little words, John. See if Jesus.
Coming unto Him, those words mean a lot to my heart. Coming unto Him, Why did the Lord Jesus come down from the glory? Oh, it's easy to say that He came for sinners, but it's grand to be say, be able to say He came for me. John saw the Lord Jesus coming unto him.
And he said with joy, Behold the Lamb of God.
That taketh away the sin of the world. What does that message mean to you tonight? Have you ever seen in the Lord Jesus Christ the one who came down from the glory of love for you, The one who came down at his Father's bidding to this poor doomed world, knowing what would befall him down here? But he came.
He came out of infinite love.
He came all the way down into this world in order that you tonight might have offered to you the forgiveness of every state of sin, and the assurance of a home with Him in the glory. I love to hear this text ring out. Don't you behold the Lamb of God which taketh away.
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The sin.
Of the world, I do love the scope of it, which I believe is here.
Extending beyond the gospel of the grace of God, no doubt, to that glorious day in which everything that hath breath shall praise the Lord, that glorious day when every trace of sin and its result will be forever gone from God's fair creation. God is not going to be frustrated in His purposes.
John One and 29 will have its glorious and eternal and universal fulfillment.
The Lamb of God did not die in vain. But all tonight I want to apply this text to your own hearts made. Why did Jesus come? Why did he lay down his life on the cross of Calvary? He wanted you to be able to hear tonight the offer of the forgiveness of.
Every sin.
That has stained your heart. He wanted to offer you a record cleaner. Whiter far than snow, but a cleansing power of that most precious blood. So we see him here in John One, having entered this scene.
Beginning His earthly mission with these glorious words, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. But once more I say that these words will mean nothing to your heart. They are only empty, meaningless words, unless you have found yourself.
As Job found himself.
A convicted guilty.
Vile, thinner, in the presence of a holy and a righteous God. Oh, what a message this would be to the heart of anyone in this company tonight who found themselves guilty before God. Turn over a little farther in John's Gospel.
And we will find this same blessed man in the 19th chapter.
John chapter 19 and verse 5.
Then came Jesus.
Forth wearing the crown of thorns and the purple rose, and Pilot sat unto them.
Behold the man, Behold the man. Have you ever stopped and looked at this scene? Here was the one whom John had looked at with joy.
With an exclamation of delight. Oh, what a thrill filled the heart of John as he uttered those words. Behold the Lamb of God, that taketh away the sin of the world. I believe the very angels of heaven were filled with joy if they saw the blessed Son of God come down here into this world.
But now, is it possible? Is this the same man?
Is this the one who was born in Bethlehem? Is this the one over whom John saw was so filled with delight?
We see him standing here, frowned with thorns, clothed in a purple robe. Pilot points him out to the crowd and says behold.
Man, is this the Son of God? Is this the well beloved Son of the eternal God? My friend, it is. He has come down here as a man. Now we find him standing crowned with thorns.
Clothed with purples. And Pilot makes that one solemn statement. Behold man, I want to make it to you tonight. I want to place you right in the crowd that stood before Pilot that day as he uttered those 3 words. Behold the man, I want you to see the Lord Jesus Christ.
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My Savior, I want you to see Him standing there as the one who loves you.
The one who would bear all that shame and mocking, that scourging and that spitting, because he loved you. And I want to ask you, what would the response of your heart be had you been among the number that stood there and listened to the three words of Pilot that day? You know the answer that we find here. When the chief priests, therefore, an officer, saw him, they cried out saying.
Him, crucify him. Oh what solemn Psalm language this is. Did God hear that answer? Did God see what was in the hearts of those who uttered those words? Crucify. Yes, he did.
Did God see my heart among that number? Yes, He did it Gone here, my voice.
Among those who despised and rejected His beloved Son. Yes he did, but He loved me just the same. He loved me and he loves me still. And here although Pilot brought Jesus forth, crowned with thorns, clothed with purple, and there the Lord Jesus looked out upon those who stood before him.
Uttering not a word, Pilot says Behold a man, and the answer has gone on record.
It's been written down in this book, and the very lips that uttered it, the very lips that uttered it, are now in a lost eternity. But they will meet these words someday. And though, my friend, I stopped here to warn you, most solemnly, he'll warn you as in God's presence, that someday you will.
Stand before God, Someday you will give an account.
As to the answer of your heart, when you heard the gospel preached to you, when your dear friend mother and your dear praying Father told you about the Lord Jesus Christ, and you close your heart, and you would not listen, and tonight once more to please them, you have come to this gospel meeting.
And you're hoping, hoping, hoping that father and mother won't say any more to you tonight.
That they won't bring this matter up again. But all, my dear boy, God loves you. My dear girl, God loves you and He wants you to know. He wants you to know the joy of sins forgiven. He wants you to know the joy of being pardoned and cleansed for eternity by the precious blood of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Thank God that I can stand here and say.
That over 30 years ago, by his matchless grace, he opened this guilty heart of mine.
To see just a glimpse of what he could see. To see the guilt that was there, the sin that was there, the awful, awful destiny to which I was most surely headed. The lake of fire. The lake of fire brought up in a Christian home, brought up with a Bible, brought up to go to the meetings.
But lost and on my road to a lost eternity, I stand here tonight and magnify the sovereign grace of God.
That stopped me and found me and brought me to His beloved Son. And more than that, I stand here and thank God for over 30 years of joy in the knowledge of Christ Jesus as my Savior. In the knowledge of God is my Father.
In the knowledge of a home awaiting me in the glory. And I turn this night to speak to anyone who may be halting between two opinions.
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Anyone in whose ear the enemy is even now whispering.
That it would be much wiser to wait than you're a little bit older, much wiser to have your good times in the days of your childhood and youth and think about these things when the Gray hairs come. I tell you, my friend, I stand here thankful with all my heart that the Lord Jesus saved me in the days of my boyhood.
Don't put all my heart for the joy and the peace and the satisfaction that has been mine in Jesus Christ my Savior.
And in the knowledge, too, that the best is yet to come, the best is yet to come. We heard today about a dear old lady lying in the hospital, apparently a true child of God, but unable to express herself too well and paralyzed on one side and with no joy.
In her soul at all, and it brought to my memory a dear old sister.
Well known to our brother Whitaker here and to our brother Gladding, his wife, dear old sister Pitt.
I spent some happy, happy days in the little Hut in which she lives in Saint Vincent Island. Nearly every day, as I would be in there writing a letter, I'd suddenly see her shadow at the door, and I'd look up and the dear old sister. She'd begin to tell how much the Lord Jesus meant to her, and her soul would get so thrilled with joy that she'd usually end with her hands up in the air. Like that, she couldn't say another word.
So happy and she just turn and walk away. She just said, oh brother. And she turn and walk away filled with joy. But when I went down the last time, dear old sister Pitt had been laid low. She couldn't speak a word. She couldn't move her right arm. She couldn't move her right leg. She was lying there knowing that she would lie there for the rest of her days until the Lord called her home.
And what do you think was the result when I walked into that room?
And dear old Sister Pitt recognized me. She tried her best to speak, but she couldn't. And with the tears of joy streaming down her cheeks and her face lighted up with the best smile she could manage, she pulled the good arm out from under the covers and pointed up. Up like that, you know, I found it pretty hard to speak because the dear old face was so filled with joy.
I said, Sister, it seems to me we used to like to sing praise the Savior together.
And she nodded her head. Now I said, I know you Can't Sing it, but I'll try to sing it for you. And when I started to sing, the dear old sister couldn't say the words, but she could hum. And she hummed as lustily as she could, and she had the water pointing up to heaven, and the one good leg under the covers keeping time and the tears streaming down her face.
When we were done, I bent down and kissed the dear old tear stained face.
I am going to see that happy believer in the glory, and I stand here to tell you that the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world can not only blot out all those transgressions, not fill you with a joy and a peace.
And a satisfaction that no circumstances on earth can ever mar the love of Christ. Who could stand here and hear pilots say, Behold a man?
And here the answer away with him, crucify him. But it was not the crown of thorns that atoned for my sins. Was not the purple robe. We won't turn to it, but Lamentations One gives us this text.
Behold, and see if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow.
And the day in which the Lord hath afflicted me, in the day of his fierce anger, when the Lord Jesus Christ, my dear friend, was nailed to the cross, and God hid that scene with the power of darkness. It was then under that darkness that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, made purgation for sin.
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It was one of those three hours of darkness.
Hid him from the eyes of men.
God dealt with His beloved Son.
About my sins.
I'll never, never be able to fathom that.
Scripture says He hath poured out his soul unto death. Have you ever just sat alone with those words? Sat alone with those words he had poured out his soul unto death.
There's something in those words that give me no power to speak. They mean much to my heart, but I can say no more than quote them again.
He has poured out His soul unto death. During those three hours of darkness, Jesus Christ was made sin, made sin in order that you and I tonight might have the glorious knowledge of sins forgiven, and in order that you, my dear.
Unsaved friend here tonight might have that same glorious offer presented to you once more. Oh, I believe you had it presented to you before. I believe this is not the first time you've heard the Gospel, but it may be the last. It may be the last. What a solemn, solemn thing it would be.
If this were the last time you ever ever did hear.
The Gospel of the grace of God to remember that from God's precious word a few texts were quoted to you. You were reminded that your rightful possession before God was to take your place with Job and say, Behold, I am vile, what shall I answer thee? I will lay my hand upon my mouth.
And then to hear God's glorious answer.
Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. He came down here and he accomplished that glorious work. He said it is finished, but that is not the end. Turn back to Marks Gospel for a moment.
Mark chapter 16 and verse 6. Mark 16 and verse six. And he saith unto them, Be not afraid. Ye seek Jesus of Nazareth, which was crucified. He is risen. He is not here. Behold the place where they laid him.
Isn't that good news? Isn't that a wonderful statement? He is not here.
He is risen. Behold the place where they laid him. The work has been done and God has been satisfied. God raised him from the dead. I love this verse. Redemption accomplished, the work of atonement for sin completed, and now this wonderful, this triumphant language.
He is risen, He is not here.
Behold the place where they laid Him. Have you ever beheld that place? Have you ever looked at the place where the Lord was laid and realized that it's an empty tomb? Now the Savior has been raised again from the dead, taken up there to the right hand of the God who sent him here.
Though it seems to me that if this precious book did not complete the story, I would certainly feel.
That vengeance, vengeance without mercy, was going to fall.
And most certainly it will fall, and very soon. But oh, how good it is to know that the precious Savior who was raised from the dead for our justification and has gone back to the glory, has now sent to you and to me this long-suffering, lingering message of love and pardon in the telling out of the gospel once more.
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It seems to me that these 4 words he is not here.
Are at the same time a wonderful, wonderful note of triumph.
And also about the most solemn condemnation this world has ever heard. He is not here. He is not here. Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. And sometimes when I read these words, the triumph of them I believe I can say is real to my soul. He is not here.
And yet it seems a solemn thing to me.
To feel that if one went this thing to Bethlehem, to Capernaum, to Bethsaid, to Jerusalem.
The very place where the Lord Jesus once went about doing good. The answer at every turn would be, He is not here. We go to the city of Jerusalem. We go to the city of Jericho, those places wherein He had showed His love and His power and His blessing, and everyone would return the same answer. He is not here. He is not here. Why?
He was murdered, He was murdered. He came down into this world, said of God.
This world refused to have him and the cryings out throughout the length and breadth of the land to which God sent his son.
He is not here, He is not here. He was sent here, He was passed out, despised and rejected of men. Now to the cruel cross. Oh, how thankful though we ought to be for the triumph of those words. He is not here. Behold the place, for the Lord lay that precious blood which flowed from His side upon the cross of Calvary.
Has brought out completely the work of atonement. God is satisfied with that finished work. He has raised him from the dead. And as Steven could say in the 7th of Acts when he looked up, behold, I see Jesus standing on the right hand of God. He has ascended all of gospel message. It is nothing new, nothing different.
Story of the coming into this world of God's beloved Son. The story of his sad rejection.
And crucifixion, but the mighty triumph of it all in the knowledge that the Lord Jesus Christ took my place, and took your place, my friend, if you will have him as your Savior. And now we look at an empty tomb, and we say, behold the place the Lord lay. And now today.
Today it is very day. Suppose we turn to revelation.
For a little thought, their Revelation chapter 3.
And verse 20.
Behold, I stand at the door.
And if any man hear my voice?
And open the door. I will come in to him and will Sup with him.
And he with me. Isn't this lovely? Not only did the Lord Jesus Christ come down from the glory, not only did he lay down his life on the cross of Calvary, not only did he take upon himself.
That burden of sin and all the punishment that it deserved, not only was he raised again from the dead, there to be seated at the right hand of God.
But this very day, in tender, long-suffering personal interest in your soul, he stands at the door and he knocks.
I believe He's mocking at some heart in his company tonight. He's not before. Who is there here in this company who has heard before now the tender, fleeting, awakening knock of the Lord Jesus Christ at the closed door of your heart? You've never yet opened your heart's door to Him.
You have never yet accepted the Lord Jesus.
As your Savior. Oh, it's true. I suppose it's true that Father hopes you're a Christian, Mother thinks you're a Christian. But you know, you know in your heart tonight whether the time has ever come in your life when you have in the presence of God.
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Own your guilt and accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior I was.
Present at a meeting one time for a dear young man. His name was Earl. He had often often joined with us in the reading of the Word, and in the singing of gospel hymns. He seemed to be a child of God.
But one day, as the meeting was progressing, Earl's head went down in his hand. Like this.
It was an unusual thing for him to do. One of the boys presents brought him a glass of water. Didn't say a word, just set it down in front of him.
Girl's head went down a little lower still. Presently he raised it, and he looked around at the rest of us.
And he said, Fellows, I've passed among you here as a Christian long enough.
I'm not saved and I want to accept Jesus as my Savior tonight.
I wonder, is there anyone here that's passed among us as a Christian? I was at a gospel meeting just like this at a three day meeting. I won't tell where a three day meeting such as this. And after the basketball meeting one evening a young lady came and I could see the distress on her face and she said I'm not saved and I'd like to get saved tonight.
And I looked there in surprise and I said I thought.
I thought I saw you remembering the Lord with us in his death this morning. Yes, I did.
I'm at the Lord's table, but I'm not saved.
Is there someone here?
What does it call that the power of the Spirit would descend upon this company? That if there is one boy, one girl, one among us who cannot truthfully in God's presence, rise up and say Jesus Christ is my own precious Savior, my sins have been blotted out by his precious blood. Don't rise up from your chair tonight.
Don't leave the door of this meeting room tonight until you know.
That the man who died on the cross of Calvary Jesus the Christ of God.
Is your own personal savior.