Gospel—Al Coleman
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We opened our gospel meeting by singing that well known gospel hymn that we've seen many times in a gospel.
#25.
Life at best is very brief, like the falling of a leaf, like the binding of a sheath. Be in time. Fleeting days are telling fast that the dye will soon be cast and the fatal line be cast. Be in time, be in time, be in time while the voice of Jesus calls you be in time. If it's sin, you longer wait. You may find no open gate, and your cry be just too late.
Be in time #25 life that fast is there.
00:05:26
We pray, our God and our Father, we do thank thee tonight for another gospel meeting. Oh our God and Father, we do marvel at thy long-suffering mercy lingering over this world tonight. And our God and our Father, we do thank thee that Thou has provided salvation full and free to whosoever will through the death of thy beloved Son on Calvary's cross, That blessed One who is all thy delight, that that one who thou could open up the heavens and look down upon and say, this is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. We do thank thee for that Blessed One.
And he's the Savior of sinners and he's the Savior for this world tonight. And we thank you that whosoever will may come and take the water of life freely. And so our God and Father, we do see to help us tonight as we would open this precious word of thine, this word that lives and abides forever. And our Father, we do ask thee for a rich blessing, and we ask thee too, especially that if there's one or.
Any in this room tonight?
Still lost and in their sins that Father there might be some verse or something sad that would bring them to the that they might come and find in the Savior who's willing and able and longing to say, oh, we just try to eat for this tonight. Our father just giving me the Thanksgiving to the for the privilege of being able to tell forth this wonderful message to whosoever will the gospel.
Of the good news of salvation we thank before tonight and we just commend ourselves to Thee for this little hour and thank Thee, Lord Jesus, and thy precious and worthy name. Amen. I have in my heart tonight to speak about the long-suffering mercy of God lingering over this world. You know, here it is, November. What is it? 28th, 27th, 1998.
And.
The long-suffering mercy of God has lingered over this world for 2000 years waiting for souls to come. There's a bunch of verses I want to read first of all that would speak of the heart of God ********* over this world.
Here for a second Chronicles chapter 36.
For fun.
Five or six verses here.
Second Chronicles, chapter 36.
In the verse 15, and the Lord God of their Father sent unto them by his messengers, rising up be times, and sending, because he had compassion on his people and on his dwelling face. But they mark the messengers of God, and despise his words, and misused his prophets to the wrath of the Lord rose against his people till there was no remedy. Jeremiah.
Chapter 22.
Jeremiah, chapter 22.
Listen to these words. They're from the heart of God.
Verse 29.
O Earth. Earth.
Earth hear the word of the Lord.
O Earth, earth, earth here the word of the Lord, Second Peter.
Chapter 3.
Verse 9. The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness, but His long-suffering to us word not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
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Thinking of that verse in Ezekiel 33, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked would turn from his evil way and live. Turn ye, turn ye, for why would he die? God does not want to send a person to hell. He doesn't want you to die in your sins. He's lengthened out the day of grace to this very day, this very night, so that you could come here tonight and hear.
This wonderful news of salvation, the gospel, what news that we have. You know, everywhere tonight you don't have good news, do you? In the newspapers and the radio and everywhere and any communication is all bad news. But you know, this is the most wonderful news, isn't it? It's here in the precious Word of God. How wonderful it is that we can proclaim this wonderful gospel.
Do you know this, the author of this wonderful book here that we have opened before us? Dear ones, tonight, young ones here, I see a lot of young ones sitting in the front row. I ask you this one thing. Have you accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as your own personal Savior? Have you done so? You know, don't wait for another moment, for another day. You know, this person here waited until he was a young man before he came to Christ. And those were wasted years.
But the time to come is, is now. He says, behold, how is the accepted time? Behold, now is the day of salvation. He says, remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth. And so the time to come to Christ is right now tonight. You may not have another opportunity tomorrow to accept Christ. This gospel meeting might not go forth tomorrow. And you know there are many that have scoffed at that. And you've said that many, many times before in the gospel meeting.
But yes, we're going to say it again. This may be your last opportunity to accept Christ as your Savior. And so the Lord Jesus, his arms are outstretched to you tonight. He's saying to you, come unto me all he that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. The heart of the Savior is longing to save you tonight. If you're still in your sins, Oh dear 1 won't you come? He loves you.
Loves you with an everlasting love. That love that led him to go to Calvary's cross for you.
Think of that. Think of that love that held him there and that cross, not the nails, but love for you. How wonderful that is. You know, I want to tell you a little bit about.
A little incident that happened to us this summer, and I've told this a few times, you know, on our way home from the Maritimes this summer, we stopped at.
Nepean for a weekend and through the kindness of our brethren there they took us for our little boat tour and we were taken on this Thousand island tour all over the Saint Lawrence and it was beautiful and we really enjoyed it. I thought all the good scenery was out West, but boy this was beautiful.
But you know, in the middle of the tour, we docked.
At a place called Bolts Castle, and there in the middle of this island, there was this huge castle and it was awesome to see it. I don't know how many rooms there was. I think it was over 100 rooms in this castle. And we went through this castle for about an hour or so discovering every room and that. And the story goes like this, that there was this man by the name of Bolt. He was a railroad man and he had all kinds of money.
But you know, he had a wife and he loved that wife. He loved her very, very much. And you know, all over this castle, you'll see on every door and every window, you'll see hearts all over this castle. It was just to show his love for her. He he built this beautiful castle for for his wife and because he loved her. But you know, something happened.
Halfway through the building of that castle, his wife died. Ah yes, ah yes. It is appointed unto man once to die. Where will you be after you die?
00:15:13
Well, you know, he stopped the construction of that castle, and there it remained for how many years? And of course they're restoring it now, that castle. But, you know.
Think of this, the Lord Jesus Christ loves you, loves you even more than Mr. Bolt does. Yes, he does that love that led him to go to Calvary cross for you. And then it says in John 14 in my Father's house or many mansions, but we're not. So I would have told you, I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you unto myself that where I am.
There ye may be also. Oh, there's a mansion in heaven for you.
For you, if you'll have that blessed one as Lord and Savior of your life, he loves you more than Mr. Bolt does. He loves you. And you know another wonderful thing about those mansions in heaven?
It's not like Mr. Bolt's castle. It's all completed. It's already all things are ready. Come, come. And so the invitation tonight is for you.
Come and just as you are, just as I am, without one plea, but that thy blood was shed for me. Oh, may it be the thought of everyone here. And tonight, O Lamb of God, I come. Will you respond to that love that He has for you. What a Savior, what a blessed one to proclaim tonight the Savior of sinners you know.
There, there was a, there was a young lad.
And it bears relating, you know, over again, it was a young lad in Princeton, ME this, this summer. And he really touched my heart. You know that lad. I believe that really and truly that lad confessed the Lord as his savior. He was just a lad of about 8 years old from a, from an Indian village near Princeton. And we were talking to that lad afterwards and he was they were talking about the sufferings of the Lord Jesus.
On Calvary's trust and he came out with this remark.
Did it? Did it hurt the Lord to when they banged those nails in his hands and in his feet?
Yes, dear one, it did the most excruciating pain that you could ever think of when they nailed those nails into the Lord Jesus. But ah, it said He never.
Spoke a word.
He is led as a lamb to the slaughter and as a sheep before her. Shears is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth there nailed to Calvary's cross.
Man in his wicked heart kneeled the blessed Lord Jesus up in Calvary's trust.
But oh, think of that, the very spear that pierced his side grew forth, the blood to save and all. Tonight we can proclaim this, that the blood of Jesus Christ, God's Son, cleanseth us from all sin. Did you know, dear 1:00 tonight?
Littlest one here, all this one here. You've sinned against the holy God.
Those sins need to be washed away. Have you ever asked the Lord Jesus to wash your sins away? May you do so tonight before it's forever too late. Judgment is coming upon this world. As sure as I stand here. We have the authority of the precious Word of God, and I believe that that judgment is coming very, very soon. Very soon if the Lord Jesus were to come tonight.
Would you be left behind in your seat?
It would be forever too late. You'd never hear the gospel again. You'd never hear this wonderful news of salvation.
Oh dear one, we urge you tonight, if you're still lost and in your sins, that you would come and confess the Lord Jesus Christ as your own personal Savior.
You know this precious word of God is able to save the vilest of sinners.
You know, we had a brother in Newfoundland got a hold of the precious word of God and he read it. He read it and he got saved. He read it and he got saved.
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This is the precious word of God. You know, my wife and I were visiting a man.
And I was worn before by my wife that this man cursed.
He's 85 years old. He walks with a cane. His wife had died and we went over to see him and.
That man told me, he said, you know, I'm an atheist, I don't believe in God, I'm an atheist, I don't believe in God. And we were going through some of his effects.
He brought out a box of books and down in the bottom of the book at the bottom of the box was a Bible. Oh, Bible, about like that.
And I picked out that Bible and I opened a cover and the date was 19/08. It was given to his wife. And he says, oh, he says, you know, I got a Bible too, but I think it's down in the locker. What's it doing down there? You know, those are wonderful words of life.
You know, here's a wasted life, 85 years old.
And how long has he got in this world? His health is bad. How long has he got?
Dear friend tonight, how long have you got?
Oh, what a wonderful savior that we can proclaim tonight.
I like to turn to the 8th chapter of Jeremiah.
Jeremiah, chapter 8.
Verse 19 towards the end.
Well, I have. They provoked me to anger with their graven images and with strange vanities. The harvest is passed, this summer is ended, and we are not saved for the hurt of the daughter of my people and my hurt. I am black. Astonishment had taken hold of me. Is there no bomb in Gilead? Is there no physician there?
Why then is the health of the daughter of my people cover recovered?
Service is past, the summers ended and you're not saved. Is this your case tonight friend?
The harvest is past, the summer has ended and we are not saved. Can this be really yourself?
Ask yourself tonight, am I saved? Do I know the Lord Jesus Christ as my own personal Savior?
The harvest is past, the summer's ended, and we are not saved.
You know what's happened in the last day. Yesterday we had Thanksgiving Day.
Man yesterday was reveling in the thought that he.
Had received a bountiful harvest.
All over North America, your Thanksgiving is later than ours.
A harvest has passed, you know, and as we were coming across the United States by plane, you look down there and all the fields, they're all finished. They're all finished. The harvest is past. The summer has ended. And man was celebrating yesterday all the goodness of God, the sunshine, the rain, everything that came down the water this crops or his fruit trees or everything.
Or whatever the case may be. And all this came from a God.
That delights to bless.
And yet here we are, Thanksgiving Day. And who are they giving thanks to? The God of heaven? Or was it just all my own labor that I got all this? You see, there was that man, he says I so allow as much goods laid up for many years. Take thy knees, eat, drink, and be merry.
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But what did the Lord say? Thou fool, this night shall I soul be required thee.
Then who shall these things be? Oh, think of it well, the the goodness of God, of the bountiful harvest in which we've had a.
What a wonderful God that God has blessed man richly, hasn't he? This year He's blessed man richly and has been given God the glory for it. Thanksgiving Day.
The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved. Let God out of their life.
You know, it says in verse 19, why have they provoked me to anger with their grieving images and with their strange vanities. Oh, idolatry everywhere, Departure from God, departure from the truth, everything given up. I believe that, dear one, tonight this world is going on to apostasy. What a solemn, sad world which we're passing through.
I could stand here tonight for an hour or so to tell you about the awful condition of this world.
What a world it is, you know, Up and down to the Skid Row of Vancouver, the most, the worst, awfulest place that you could find in the Pacific Coast.
Where people are there shooting up cocaine right on the side of the road.
An awful place. You just got to keep moving because I just, you just don't want to get it tied up into it.
What a place derelicts on the side of the road is the they followed the God of this world. You know that's what God of this world does. You follow me and I'll lead you right to the door of hell. And you know many of them are like that. You know they've been left to die. You know some some some days that when the welfare kicks come out.
It's been said that they're popping off left and right of drug overdoses left and right.
Because they followed the God of this world. What a world we're living in. What a world we're living in. But all thank God that God saved this person right here.
The very worst that you could think of. He saved me and he can save you. This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation that Christ Jesus came into the world.
To save sinners, but a Savior. Do you know this wonderful Savior? He died on Calvary's cross for you. He shed his precious blood for you. And He loves you and He wants to save you, and He wants to take you to that wonderful home that He is prepared for you in heaven to be with him for all eternity. Oh, think of it, dear one. Tonight, if the Lord Jesus were to come, we go to be with him in the glory.
Moment that is just before us, we're going to see his blessed face, that face that was once so marred more than any man, the Lord Jesus Christ, we're going to see him. What a wonderful moment. And I believe that moment is not very far off. No, it's not. Maybe this very night we'll see that blessed 10. Surely we can cry out tonight. Even so, come Lord Jesus.
The harvest is past, the summer has ended, and we are not saved. For the herd of the daughter of my people and my hurt. I am black. Astonishment hath taken hold on me. Oh, think of this world.
It says in Isaiah, it says in all their affliction he was afflicted, you know.
Over and over again in this last year or so, I've been struck by the amount of storms that have happened in this world.
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Strange. Different.
You know, is God speaking to this world?
God is in his long-suffering mercy lingering over this world, and I believe that many of those storms were allowed of God so that man would realize that he has to do with God.
Study as a Sinner and that he needs a savior. What about this last storm, Hurricane Mitch?
Sick of the devastation, they said it was the granddaddy of all storms that happened down there. God is speaking to this world.
And dear one, God is speaking to you. Are you listening? Are you listening?
Is there no bomb in Gilead? Is there no bomb?
In Gilead, you know Gilead was noted for a healing bomb.
It was noted for a healing bomb. You know if you have a cut or a bruise, you put an ointment on it, don't you? And it soothes it.
And Gilead was noted for that. And then he says, is there no bomb in Gilead? Is there no physician there? You know, the bomb for this world, the healing bomb for this world is Christ.
Is Christ, you know, it says in Song of Solomon chapter one his name is as.
Ointment poured forth the name of Jesus. Neither is there salvation in any other, for there is none other name.
Under heaven, given among men, whereby we must be saved. Jesus, the Savior of this world, for thou shalt call his name Jesus, for He shall save his people from their sins. He can save you, dear one, tonight if you'll come in simple faith and confess Him as Lord and Savior. Won't you do that tonight? He's longing for you to come. He wants you to come. God and his long-suffering mercy has his arms outstretched to you. He doesn't want you to die in your sins, no, His heart of love.
Is lingering for you Oh think of it how wonderful it is that.
God in his long-suffering mercy, has lengthened out the day of grace for another week.
So that this gospel meaning could go forth, so that you could hear this gospel.
How wonderful that is. You know, I often relate this, that in our home in Newfoundland where we used to live.
There were some so many children that we were privileged to bring the gospel to. But then there was some, some nights, then the children came into the into our basement to hear the word of God. And sometimes we'd only see one child for only once and we never see them again. Their parents would drop them off and they'd only come for a night and we wouldn't see them again. And you know, that really impressed me because.
That was only the one opportunity I had to tell him about the Lord Jesus Christ, the Savior of sinners.
Oh, this may be your last opportunity to hear the gospel. The Lord Jesus were to come tonight. It would be forever too late. What a sad thing. What a tragic thing of that man 85 years old. Think of it, what a tragedy to live for 85 years without Christ. Without Christ, What a tragedy. And then what is the prospect for that man to face?
An eternity in the lake of fire. Solemn, isn't it? Does God want to send you there? No. A God of love. A God of long-suffering, patience and mercy. He wants you to come again. Nice. I I.
Quote that verse he's saying to you, come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest. Don't want a savior, What a savior. Turn to a well known verse that I love to quote in the gospel meeting.
John 7.
John 7.
Verse 37 In that last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink. He that believeth on me, as the Scripture has said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. Look at this here it was, you know, in this day I believe that.
00:35:25
In this chapter we find that the Jews were celebrating the Feast of Tabernacles.
Not in accordance to as it was put down in Leviticus 23, but they were just a feasting.
Having a good time and then that a picture of this world tonight. Man is feasting, man is having a good time. Here it is Thanksgiving Day again and we're having a good time and we're so thankful for everything that we've got. But leaving God out of their lives. And such was the case here.
And along comes the Lord, and there the Lord stands there.
And the the heart of the Lord here.
Oh, this is precious, the heart of the Lord trying out. It's the last day. Think of that, the last day of the feast.
You know, this might be the last gospel meeting, the last gospel meeting, the last opportunity to accept Christ as your Savior. Dear little boy, little girl, here tonight sitting beside your mother and father. Are you saved? Are you saved?
Do you know the Lord Jesus as your own personal savior? If there is there an older one here tonight?
Are still lost and in their sin are you saved. You can come tonight and be saved.
You can be saved right in your seat. You know, there was a little girl in Thomaston, New Brunswick that was saved right in her seat.
This summer, ask the Lord to savor. You know it's simple. It only says the simple thing. Believe and live that last day, that great day of the feast in that soul. Today is a great day of the feast. That's it. Tonight man is feasting, but without any thought of God, without any thought of God.
And then the Lord stands and he says, if any man thirst, oh, you know, I believe there are many thirsty people in this world tonight still in their sins, still lost. They're thirsty. And you know, there's only one that can quench your thirst. It's the Lord Jesus Christ. He satisfies the longing soul and filleth the hungry soul with fatness. What a savior do you know this wonderful person, the Lord Jesus?
That last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried. Think of that. He cried. He cried.
Think of the heart of the Lord that day as he stood there where all those people were feasting, and he stands there, and he cries.
If any man thirst, let him come to me, Come to me.
You know.
Is not coming to a gospel meeting.
Hello, that's so that's so wonderful that you're here tonight and we're thank you, thankful for your that you are here. But you know, it's coming to Christ, a person, a person, the Lord Jesus Christ. Oh, you know, there are many that think that I have to do something or or something like that. You know, a man that we talked to a couple of weeks ago, you know, he says that was a nice simple message that you had tonight.
And then he went on about the 10 commandments and things like that, you know, no.
Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy, He saved us.
You can't do anything to merit your salvation, for by grace are you saved through faith, and that not of yourselves. It is a gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast.
No, I know that when I was a young lad, I LED a very bad life. And sometimes I knew that the Lord spoke to me and I tried to mend my ways. I tried to do a little better. I tried to stop this habit or tried to stop that habit, you know, finally I had to realize that I was a lost, lost Sinner without any hope, without God in the world.
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And I came to the Lord Jesus in the simple faith. Lord, save me.
Save me. You know, the Lord saved me as a young man. Wonderful, isn't it? But you know, I've got to say this, that those years that I was without Christ were wasted years, wasted years. The time to come to the Lord Jesus is tonight, tonight, tomorrow, maybe too late.
Oh dear one tonight, the songwriter says. Decide for Christ tonight.
And God's salvation, see yield heart and soul to him who died for the. I didn't quote that right at all.
But won't you come tonight?
God is long-suffering and not willing that you should perish. He doesn't want you to die in your sins. If you reject the Lord Jesus Christ, you've got nobody to blame but yourself. Nobody to blame but yourself. But all think about. Dear one, Tonight I want to point you to the Lord Jesus Christ, who 2000 years ago hung up on that cross for you.
In love to you.
Thy blessed One, who in those three hours of darkness, as the apostle Peter could say, who himself bore our sins in his own body in the tree, and oh, I thank God that he bore my sins there and Calvary's cross, and all I can say tonight is Hallelujah. What a savior, what a savior? Is he your Savior? Do you know this Blessed One? Do you know this one? Do you know the author of this book, this wonderful book that we have opened before us?
Is this your constant companion, this precious book? Young man, young girl, tonight read this blessed book in it our wonderful words of life.
Will diversity in Jeremiah 3, verse five? I think it is. Wilt thou not from this time try unto me, my father, Thou art the guy of my youth. There's a verse.
Young man, a young boy here tonight. My father. Is he your father? Can you look up to him tonight and say he's my father? Oh, yes. Through sovereign grace I can do that. I can say he's my father. But is he your father? That's relationship. And then it says thou art the guide of my youth. Oh, he wants to guide you. He wants to guide you all the way home.
To the Father's house. What a Savior do you know this blessed one? Do you know the Lord Jesus Christ as your own personal Savior? If you don't, won't you accept them tonight before it's forever too late? God is long-suffering and not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. He said to you, Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Oh, once you come, he's pleading for you to come tonight, dear one, tonight come as a guilty lost Sinner. You think of the prodigal son. When he came to his father, he said, Father, I have sinned against heaven and in my sight, and I'm no more worthy be called thy son. You think of the father that he wrapped his arms around his son and he kissed and he and he said, bring forth the best robe and put on him and put a ring on his hand and shoes on his feet, and they began to be married.
Oh, think of it for all eternity, rejoicing in heaven.
Oh, it's just before us, dear one, tonight, just before us, the Lord Jesus is coming. Maybe this very night we'll see him face to face. Shall we pray?
Our God and our loving Father, we do thank thee tonight for this wonderful gospel that we can proclaim to whosoever will. And our Father, we ask thee that if there's one here unsaved tonight, still lost in in their sins.
Our Father, we just asked thee that by thy spirit, that would touch that one tonight.
They might come, Lord Jesus, and confess thee as Lord and Savior before it's forever too late. We thank Thee that Thou is lengthened out the day of grace so that this gospel meaning could go forth tonight and we just ask thy rich blessing on it. Even though it's been spoken weakness, our Father, we just ask thy rich blessing on it. Do each one here tonight. We just give thee thanks and thy precious and worthy name, Lord Jesus, Amen.