Gospel—R. Groth
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Gospel message to 1.
It was a very solemn occasion.
Very solemn occasion.
The speaker is here, standing before the audience.
A mixed congregation.
That there are those that are bound for glory.
And perhaps there are those, and we feel sure that there are those in the audience that are still in their sins.
Still in their sins.
And if the coming of our Lord should take place before this meeting?
Before this meeting closes.
If still in, their sins would be left behind.
Left behind for judgment.
And dear one, tonight, if you're still in your sins, if you know not the Lord Jesus Christ, the Savior.
If you're not sheltered by the precious Blood of Christ.
Stop, stop and consider your ways.
It's been 2 years since Lana was here.
And there's been many, many changes.
Take place not only in this part of the country, but over the entire land. Many, many changes.
Some of our dear ones have departed with the Lord.
Which is far better.
And in one way or another, the Lord has been speaking.
To all of us.
To all of us.
He's been speaking in a special way to you, dear young people that are.
Brought up the home of Christian parents.
Fathers and mothers, perhaps in the assembly, brought up in the assembly and protected by the assembly.
Perhaps this very night you have not made that decision for Christ.
May have not made that decision for Christ.
And we well might say, stop and consider your ways. Time is running out.
The coming of the Lord draweth nigh, and this might be the last night.
That the gospel is given out from this place while we have come together for three days.
We do not have the assurance of being here tomorrow morning, we do not have the assurance of laying our heads on our pillow tonight.
Dear young people, whether you realize it or not, the coming of the Lord draws life. And Are you ready for that occasion?
Are your sins washed away in the precious blood of Christ?
Are you ready?
For that shower, that shout, he's coming.
All I would warn everyone. I would warn each one here this evening.
To flee from the wrath to come, Flee to the open arms of the blessed Savior who bids you come.
Do not neglect this great salvation.
Turn with me to a verse in Jeremiah.
The 8th chapter.
Here is the Weeping Prophet.
As he contemplates the people of God.
And their backsliding and their carelessness and their indifference to God and to His Word.
In the 8th chapter and verse 6.
I hearkened and heard, but they speak not a right. No man repented him of his wickedness, saying, What have I done?
Everyone turned to his course as a horse rusheth into the battle.
What a silent message.
And that might be true of some here tonight.
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While it's applicable to the children of Israel, yet in bringing the gospel before you, I believe that there are those here tonight that have not repented.
Of their sins.
There has not been that repentance towards God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. There has not been. You're taking sides with God against yourself.
You ain't a stork in the heaven N her appointed times, and the Turtle and the Crane and the swallow observed the time of their coming. But my people know not that judgment of the Lord.
Jeremiah the Prophet.
Brings their indifference and carelessness before them in these few verses.
And brings by illustration the stork, the turtle dove, and the crane and the swallow. These are migratory birds.
And they know their time of their coming, and they're going.
How sad.
When it comes to mankind.
That they know not.
They know now that judgment of the Lord.
Now there might be those present here tonight.
That have heard the gospel.
From infancy.
I have heard the blessed message over and over again.
But just like the people of our 8th chapter.
They're careless, careless.
Well, I want to warn you, dear Saul. God would warn you tonight if you're careless as to your eternal soul's welfare.
That is no excuse whatsoever. Carelessness, but carelessness and the things of God and connection with salvation of your precious soul.
We'll find you an eternal separation from God and his love.
That's how God speaks in his word about the Sinner being careless, careless of his soul salvation.
And you who know God's way and God's plan of salvation.
And have not accepted Jesus Christ as Savior.
You're doubly responsible.
Now they are responsible. Great is your responsible responsibility toward a thrice holy God with whom you have to do.
It's been well said. Mankind is not a free moral agent.
We are God's creatures.
And not only saw, but we are responsible to God as to the things we do in the body.
And there's a day coming when everyone, everyone is going to give an account to God in heaven are the things done in the body, whether they're good or whether they're bad.
Yes, we're responsible to God, our Creator and God who knows and sees the needs be of salvation for the poor Sinner.
Has provided a way or means of escape from that eternal separation from God and his love.
Or, as we have in other places, the lake of fire which is prepared.
For the devil and his angels.
Our eternal separation from God and His love.
For all your loved ones to be found alone in that place.
Where there is weeping on wailing and gnashing of teeth.
These migratory birds.
Although they know the time of their coming and they're going.
In a little town in Southern California, San Juan Capistrano.
The swallows come on a certain or they leave on a certain day.
After making preparation and they return on such and such a day.
And those that observe, they're coming, they're going and they're coming.
Can almost pinpoint the time of their arrival.
But how about poor mankind? They know not the judgment of the Lord. Are you in that class tonight, careless as to your eternal soul's welfare?
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Dear one, I repeat.
Could stop, stop and consider your ways. Why go on that broad Rd. that leadeth to judgment?
When God in his mercy and his love.
Is offering you salvation to light, salvation from your sins and salvation from the consequences of your sins.
They have turned to his course. What course is that?
A course which takes the individual away from God, away from God.
I thank God in sovereign grace.
If there is that repentant soul, that repentant heart, you'll come in and we'll turn you around.
He'll make you.
Believe the message you'll bring, the message of grace before you, and He'll give you that faith to accept it as your own.
Turn to another scripture.
Luke's Gospel.
The 5th chapter.
And the 16th verse, Luke 5, verse 16.
And he, that is Jesus, withdrew himself into the wilderness and prayed.
And it came to pass on a certain day, as he was teaching, that there were Pharisees and doctors of the Law sitting by, which were come out of every town of Galilee, and Judea and Jerusalem.
And the power of the Lord was present to heal them.
This follows.
Our message of grace in the 4th chapter of Luke.
Given by our Lord Himself.
As he speaks to them about Elisha and name on the leper.
Our message of grace.
In which blessing was the result.
Here are those the Pharisees and the doctors of the law.
Those that were well versed in the Old Testament economy.
Those who are the religious leaders of Israel.
When the Messiah comes along and brings blessing.
They're so indifferent.
To the situation that we find them after certain days sitting.
There are Pharisees and doctors of the Law sitting by, which were come out of every town of Galilee and Judea and Jerusalem, and the power of the Lord was present to heal them.
When we have the Careless Individual or Saul and Jeremiah, chapter 8.
And here we have one that's indifferent.
So the claims of God.
I say the claims of God because God has a claim upon you. You are his creature and he would bring you into blessing.
For God is not that hard an austere master, which we hear brought before us on the street corners. It is true that God is light, but nevertheless God is love. And he wants to do you, dear one tonight good, not only now.
What for your your latter ends? And when I speak of the latter end, I mean for all eternity.
God is not indifferent as to the blessing, your blessing, The angels of heaven are not indifferent.
For if there is one soul here tonight on accepting Jesus Christ as Savior, you're going to cause heaven to rejoice.
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Heaven to rejoice over 1 Sinner that cometh to repentance.
Month if you're going to be indifferent.
Not only careless, but indifferent as to these eternal issues. Beware, beware, God is not mocked whatsoever. A man saw that shall he also reap, and that applies to.
The world.
It applies to nations, it applies to cities and it will apply to everyone here tonight.
In one way or another, especially those of you who are still in your sins, God is not mocked. Do not be indifferent, dear 1:00 tonight.
To God's claims upon you, for He would do you good. He desires your blessing. And as we had before us this afternoon and the reading from the third chapter of two Peter, God is not slack concerning His promise to us word that is toward the believer.
But his long-suffering not willing that any should perish.
But that all should come to repentance.
Came to pass on a certain day. Well, it came to pass.
You're here tonight, dear one.
And you're sitting in your seat.
As these Pharisees and Doctors of the law.
What is your attitude toward the gospel of God's grace?
The Gospel of God concerning his Son, Jesus Christ.
What is your attitude tonight?
Do you realize the authority of God's Word in this connection? Do you realize the power of God's Word?
All that each one of us, whether saved or unsaved, might realize more and more.
The authority of His word and the power over our souls.
Those who view that are in your sins all that you might know, the Holy Scriptures which are able to make you wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
In Matthew's Gospel, we read.
Take heed how you hear.
Take heed how you hear you have come for these three days meetings.
We're glad for everyone of you. I'm glad to be here myself.
But as the gospel message is given, as the address is given.
Take heed how ye here.
Ah, don't close your hearts.
Don't close your hearts to the message, whether it be to the Saint or to the Sinner. And tonight I'm interested in the poor center, the deer center.
Don't close your heart to the message of God's grace.
Take heed how ye hear.
I know as a young boy.
Attending the Gospel meetings, a brother would get up and speak, and right from the very beginning I would close my heart to the gospel of God's grace because I didn't care for the speaker. Perhaps there's some here tonight that's doing the same thing, but let me warn you, it's not by might nor by power.
But by my spirit, saith the Lord and Paul may plant and Apollos may water. The increase is not on the part of the speaker, but the increase, the blessing is on the part of God in heaven, who desires your good and eternal welfare.
Now I'll turn to another scripture.
In Matthew.
27th chapter.
We all know.
This chapter we've gone over, over and over again. You have read it. I have read it.
The what effect?
As it had on your soul, What effect has it had on your soul? Well, just turn to the 22nd verse.
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Jesus, as before Pilate.
And you know the reason.
You know all about the mock trial.
That blessed one being delivered.
A2 Pilot by the Jews.
And now Pilate says in verse 22 Pilate saith unto them the people, What shall I do then with Jesus, which is called Christ?
Pilate had the Lord Jesus Christ on his hands at that moment.
And I want to say in all reverence and godly fear that you have a dear, unsaved one tonight, the Lord Jesus Christ on your hands tonight.
And a decision must be made on your part.
A decision must be made.
And our prayers are and have been.
That that decision would be for Christ.
Are not for this poor world, Barabbas.
When I repeat.
A decision must be made.
You have the opportunity.
Of closing in God's offer of salvation.
This night deciding for Christ on the other hand, you can go out of these doors, perhaps unsaved.
But remember, you may never, never said another sound of the word again.
May never sit under the sound again.
Of the gospel of God's saving grace.
And is keeping power always these things dear ones?
Way these truths dear unsaved 1.
Your eternal souls welfare is at stake.
And there's only one Savior that has met your need. Only one, and that's the person of the Lord Jesus Christ. He has met your every need on Calvary's cross.
During those three hours of darkness.
When he accomplished.
The perfect will of God when He accomplished the work of redemption.
When that precious blood flowed from his ribbon side.
For without the shedding of blood, there is no remission, and God is offering that blessed one to you tonight as a Savior.
A savior of sinners?
Savior for sinners like me.
Your savior.
Is he your savior?
Don't be indifferent.
Don't be. Don't be careless.
Don't be indifferent.
And don't neglect.
That truth?
That you must stand before this one and a day to come.
You have to stand before him.
You're either going to be caught up to meet him in the air though the same question forever and eternally settled.
Or you're going to stand before him at that great white throne judgment, and hear those solemn words and depart from me.
The blessed Savior with his hands outstretched. Tonight he's saying, Come, come unto me, all ye that labor, and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest, and you say no.
By refusing you just saying no, you're careless and you're indifferent and you've never realized the authority or or the power of the word of God.
Turn into another scripture.
16th chapter of Acts.
These are well known portions, and as we had those verses before us this afternoon for the Saints of God that their minds might be stirred up.
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I would like to stir up from God's word by thinking an exercise on your part, dear Senator.
I repeat, judgment is coming.
But judgment is God's strange word. He desireth not the death of the wicked. He would have you accept his offer of salvation in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ.
We all know the story of the 16th chapter of Acts Paul is answering.
To the Macedonian call.
It's nice that the apostle did not hesitate.
Come over into Macedonia and help us. And so he gathered that it was the mind of the Lord to go together. With silence they go on over to Philippi.
Well, he was faithful in that which he gave.
Is a faithful servant of God, and his faithfulness brought in a considerable persecution and finally.
In a prison itself.
And a prison itself.
And after the jailer made that security.
Why then? All seemed well.
Is this the Macedonian call? Yes. At midnight we find Paul and Silas, no doubt with their bleeding backs. At midnight they were singing.
Singing praises unto God, praying and singing.
Certainly the child of God that has a right to sing, praises unto God.
It is only the child of God that can pray. Unless you have prayed that prayer, God be merciful to me, the Sinner.
Ah, there is your Macedonian call.
What happens?
God answered their prayers.
And we know that. We know the details are not going into it.
A great earthquake took place and the foundations of the prison were loosed and the doors were opened and everyone's bands were loosed.
Was it a blessed time beloved Saints of God, when the gospel was first introduced?
To this part of the country in Europe.
What if an earthquake took place as a sovereign grace of God, came down as it were, and gave the Gentiles an opportunity to close in on his offer? Salvation air judgment fell.
Or this to me answers to God's sovereign grace and his long-suffering impatience.
And there was that earthquake in Europe and in Asia that awakened souls.
To their eternal soul's blessing.
Well, this earthquake took place. The foundation of the prism of the foundation of the prison were open, were broken, and the prison doors were opened and everyone's bands were loosed. Well, that's what the Gospel of God can do for the poor Sinner that is bound in the clutches of Satan, hand and foot, as it were.
It's only the gospel of God's sovereign grace, the gospel of God concerning His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, that can release such a prisoner. Release one from that ******* and bring them into the liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, dear one, tonight. If you're not saved, do you know that you're under *******? You're under ******* tonight.
Because all sins that you have committed have separated between you and your God.
Your sins have hit his face.
You know the verse.
What is often heard it stated that the rejection of the Lord Jesus Christ as savior is the crowning sin. But beloved, it's your sins that have brought in this separation. It's that course away from God that has brought in the difficulty and it will be that eternal separation from God and His love.
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If you do not listen to what God says to you.
It is true, the rejection of the Lord Jesus Christ only adds and makes the condemnation greater.
But remember, all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. God has two charges against us there in that verse.
All have sinned all of Adam's race.
And we've come short of the glory of God, and God is a thrice holy God.
And he cannot have sin in his presence.
Well, to go on with this incident.
No doubt this keeper heard Paul and Silas singing and praying.
I no doubt his conscience smote him, for he had a conscience. Every man, every man and woman and child have a conscience, and a conscience would tell them that they must meet a thrice holy God.
There's no such thing as an infidel, you may say. There is no God.
But there is, and you realize it sooner or later.
You will not depart. You will not depart out of this scene with those words.
On your tongue.
Well, when the prisoner realized the situation.
He called for a light. Called for a light. Oh, that's good. Are you calling for a light tonight, dear one?
Connection with your sins and the darkness that awaits you.
The entrance of thy Word had giveth light, so we have God's Word before us.
God's Word, the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make us wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
It's only salvation through Christ Jesus that can release the prisoner.
Can tear away the bands that have held them in.
Sand It's only the power of God in salvation that can turn the individual completely around.
And make him a candidate for heaven.
And so all the sovereign grace of God the prisoner trembling.
Trembling. Yes, you will. My death stared him in the face.
And death is staring everyone here tonight in the face. I don't say we're all going to go into or pass through the article of death. The Lord may come this very night and take the believers home to be with himself.
The issues of life and death are in God's hands. Remember that the issues of life and death are in God's hands.
And he knows when it's time.
And saw the this poor trembling center.
Trembling at the word of God, that which God delights to see in his creature, trembling at his voice. Aw, he cries out as he falls down before Paul and Silas serves. What must I do to be saved?
Have you ever trembled at the word of God?
Dear Saints of God, here tonight, have you trembled at God's word? We well might.
It's not a light thing to be under the sound of the word, whether here or elsewhere.
I believe we take too much for granted today, as was brought out in the national meeting. Too much for granted and we expect God's blessing and then we want to go our own way.
All God wants to see reality in the hearts of all of us.
God wants to see reality in the heart of the poor Sinner, and justice like the Philippian jailer trembling at his word, a poor trembling Sinner and crying out serves. What must I do to be saved? Well, under such conditions it's not hard to point a soul to Christ.
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When a soul realizes they're lost and undone sinners by nature and by practice on that broad Rd. that leadeth to judgment, it's not hard to show them the blessed gospel. Their hearts are ready to receive the good news of salvation.
But when you find one that's careless or indifferent, those that are just sitting by.
Oh, how hard it is to give them the simple gospel of God's grace. How hard it is to give them John 316. For God so loved the world, they gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. And then to see them acknowledge that, but just go on their way unconcerned. Oh, how sad, but not so with this trembling center.
Anyway, I tremble, and if there's one here tonight that's still in your sins, you well might tremble too. The thought of meeting God in your sins should cause you to tremble where you are. And in similar languages the Philippian jailer raised the question, what must I do to be saved if we only realized, if this poor Sinner only realized his, that destination which is his.
The lake of fire, which is prepared for the devil and his angels just realize a little of that.
I tell you, he would tremble.
But being creatures of God.
We don't seem to realize these things as God's speaking to us and the Sinner treats them in a different way and in different manner. And then when God speaks once or twice, then he becomes gospel hardened and he has no more use for the gospel of God's grace.
How sad, how sad to close your heart's door to the pleadings of God and our Lord Jesus Christ when they say, when we read, Come unto me, all ye that labor, and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. What must I do to be saved? Here is the cry all listen to the answer. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved.
Not that you hope to be saved. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved.
And what else?
And thy house.
Ah, how good.
Thank God for the simplicity of the gospel of His grace. Well, there's one more scripture in Revelation 21.
It's a sad verse.
Solemn verse.
But I want to warn God is warning. God is speaking to you.
Revelation 21 verse 8.
But the fearful?
The fearful.
And unbelieving.
I dropped down to the end of the verse. Shall have their part in the lake of fire, which burned with fire and brimstone.
Which is the second death, the fearful and unbelieving.
Perhaps there are those tonight on Hearing the Gospel.
Over and over again, knowing God's way and God's plan of salvation.
Are fearful.
They're afraid of their pals.
Afraid of what your neighbors might say about you or those in the office?
Afraid to accept Jesus Christ as Savior in connection with the consequences down here.
Or how sad.
And yet it must be true.
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It is the word of God, and it wouldn't be put here in this portion if there was not a need to be.
The fearful and unbelieving are clashed together.
To stand before that blessed One at the great White Throne, judgment in their sins, and then to spend their eternal portion in the lake of fire, which burneth with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.
Eternal separation from God and His love. Now, in closing, I would like to ask each one to weigh these things.
In the light of a never ending eternity.
In the light of a never ending eternity.
You may never sit under the sound of the gospel again.
As I look into your faces tonight, I see different faces than I saw two years ago. I see the young people growing up. I see the middle-aged becoming older and the older ones getting older.
I see the Gray hairs coming in.
It's a changing scene that we're living in. Everything has changed round about us, but thank God his word remains the same.
God's ways and his plans remain the same.
And.
The gospel is still the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth.
Are you going to believe the gospel tonight if thou shalt confess with thy mouth?
The Lord Jesus I believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from among the dead.
Thou shalt be saved. Thou shalt be saved. God's terms, God's plan of salvation. It's not by going out and doing works. It's not by works of righteousness, which we have done, but according to His mercy.
According to his mercy, he saved us referring to the believer here tonight.
Works of righteousness will only condemn us.
What it's been simple faith.
Accepting the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior, the sinners hope.
And going on rejoicing, we left this Philippian jailer and his household rejoicing. And that's your portion tonight, dear Senator. That's your privilege tonight in accepting Jesus Christ as Savior, repentance towards God, and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. It's your.
Privilege to go out of this room, a rejoicing St. of God on your way to glory. But if you depart in your sins, if you leave this place with that question undecided, what then will I do with Jesus Christ? Well then, friend, it may be forever and eternally too late, and you can't will never have that joy in your soul here. And you'll not have that joy in eternity. It'll be that remorse, I say again.
Dear Senator, awake, awaken, awaken to the fact that the Lord is coming.
It's coming soon, and you may not, on the other hand, see the sunrise.
Eternity is short. I mean, time is short. Eternity is long. Time is running out. Come to the savior? Make no delay. Let's sing hymn number.
34.
Precious precious Blood of Jesus shed on Calvary, shed for rebels and for sinners shed for me. Precious Blood that hath redeemed us all. The prices paid. Perfect pardon now is offered. Peace is made #34.
Precious precious blood of Jesus.