Address—C. Little
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General Meetings, Montreal, October 1971.
Addressed by Charles Little.
I'd like you to turn with me first to the Gospel of John, chapter one.
We're not going to go into some deep, lengthy subjects this afternoon.
That's not our object, that's not the point. Our desire, dear young people, is to bring the person of Christ before your hearts. We need not only the Lord Jesus as our Savior, we need Him in our pathway down here.
So we'll just turn to John's Gospel in the first chapter, and this is not going to be a new subject.
Going to be an old story. An old story.
In the very first verse of John's gospel, we read these words.
In the beginning was the Word. The Word was with God. The Word was God.
Dear young people, we're not going to ask you this afternoon.
To interpret this verse, we're not going to ask you to dissect this verse.
Perhaps not even to understand it, but to know the one whom the verse is speaking about.
Oh bless it to know the Lord Jesus.
Can I understand this verse? Never. Can I believe it? Yes. And each one of you can believe this verse.
These are eternal issues.
These are not lectures. These are not preaching. It's an eternal issue. You have an eternal, never dying soul. And if you're out there in that audience right now without Christ, you need this one of whom this verse speaks, the person of Christ. And that's why I mentioned this person. I want to read this verse. I want to emphasize it. This verse tells us of the one who is in existence, eternal.
The Eternal 1.
These are not ordinary things. These are divine. It's the word of God. It's the living God that you must do with. And I'll tell you this, dear young people, God can look right down in each one of those hearts. He knows whether you believe him or not, He knows. Perhaps you may fool your parents, you may fool your friends, you may come to these meetings.
Just because someone has invited you, thank God for it. But all do you believe on the Lord Jesus Christ as your own personal Savior?
Or you need Christ. A dear brother visiting Investor New York some time ago made this comment.
That there's only one way of happiness.
Whether we're young or whether we're old.
One way, and that way is Christ.
The only thing that can make those of us who are older happy is Christ. And dear young people, the only one who can make you happy is Christ. We both need the same thing, that there is no such a thing as generation gap. Forget the thought, the word of God brings us together, we need Christ.
We need Christ and we need Him now. Now what is this verse?
Can I aspire the verse? No. Can you understand it? No, I can't understand it. But all dear young people, I believe it. It's the word of God. It's the word of God. And this verse tells me about the Christ who came to save you, to save me. And not only so, but he wants to take us right on home to his presence. And he's given us an object for our hearts now, one of the things to be saved.
But it's another thing to continue on in the with the person of Christ as one who loves us and has given himself for us. So then in this verse we just measure these things.
In the beginning was the word in existence eternal. Eternal. You can't understand it. I can't understand it, but all I can believe it, believe it.
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And then the word was with God, that is, as to his personality, He was distinct. Distinct. He wasn't just an influence, He was a person. He had a distinct personality.
And then the word was with God.
In nature he was divine. He was divine.
Oh dear young people, we need this one. And so, with this thought in mind.
We'd like to look further in the Gospel of John.
And see those who with their eyes, at that very time, they saw the Lord Jesus.
All but the privilege that you have now.
And I have is to look up with the eye of faith and see that blessed One as our Savior, yes, as an Archie for our hearts, yes. Well, how precious this is. How precious to know one thought of it. During the reading this morning, mention was made of John the Baptist. Whom did he see? He saw Jesus, he saw the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world. Just look at that verse here.
In the Gospel of John, this is the first thing as we look with the eye of faith, as we view to that Blessed One, we must see Him as the object for salvation. And so in the 29th verse, there are many, many verses in this chapter, lovely and precious, but we're not going to expound the chapter. We want to bring Christ before you. You can read the chapter at your leisure, and I'll tell you if perhaps would be better for you before you did, to get down on your knees and ask God to make it good to your souls.
You need Christ. You need Christ.
All this world, dear young people, with all its stencil, is headed for judgment. The judgment of God is stamped upon it, upon everything that your eye rests upon. Oh, but that faith in Christ. We'll just look then at the 29th verse. The next day John sees Jesus Curry unto him. And Sir, behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. Oh, dear young people.
This must be your first view of Christ, that Blessed One who was from eternity with the IFA. You've got to have the first view of Christ as the Lamb of God, which takes away your sin.
Each one of us as we look upon that blessed one with the eye of faith, or I can look up and say the Lamb of God who has taken my sin away my sin. You notice it doesn't say sins, it says sin. The thing that has caused all my aches and pains and sorrows and tears He's taken away, taketh away my sin. Well here John says, takes away the sin of the world.
Precious that each one of us, each one, what a young or old can look up and say the Lord Jesus as we gaze upon him, the one who has taken my sin away. This is our first view. This must be our first object of the person of the Christ to see one who has been to Calvary's cross, one who is able to take away that sin that has caused all the sorrow.
And the sickness and the suffering in the death in this world where I'm going to tell you this, dear young people.
If you don't accept Christ, if you dealt with the eye of faith, view Him as the one who was taken away.
Your sin, You may die in those sins. Sad to say, young people die as well as old people, and don't forget it. Perhaps percentages aren't quite as great, but however, we have no lease upon life, and I'll tell you this if you belong in your sin.
And in your sins, without Christ, there's a day coming when God is going to chase you out of this world. You must leave this world.
How about it? You're going to leave trusting in the Savior who has taken away the sin of this world. This must be your first object of Christ, not just a good man, not just a pattern. Because if you don't have Christ, if you don't know him as your Savior.
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How can you walk with him? God cannot have sin in his presence, it must be done away. And so John's first view he could say, behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world. Go back to Abraham's history when Isaac said, behold the fire in the woods, but where is the land for a burnt offering? All Abraham could say God himself.
Shall provide a lamp. And all. Dear young people, there's only one lamp, and that's the Lord Jesus Christ, the one that John gazed upon. Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world. Or you can say that this afternoon in truth, put your trust in Him. Get your eye upon Christ as was brought out this morning. We're too much occupied with that which we see around us. Oh, look up.
Look off unto Jesus, the author and finisher of faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the majesty on high. Oh, that blessed One, the Lord of glory. God has no other way of salvation for you.
But you know, there's something further.
Something further than this, but I'd like to point this out.
That John sees him as the Lamb of God. The Lamb of God. What does this bring before your soul? What should it bring before my soul?
Or that he was the Lamb who went to Calvary's cross. We know that he was still here. He was walking here. But I'd like to turn over in John's gospel to another.
Before we look, there's other verses in this chapter, but just turn over to the 12Th chapter of John's Gospel just for a couple of verses there.
And we find others that that wanted to see Jesus.
May that be your desire.
To see Jesus, not see us, not look at the failures of your brother, but to see Jesus, oh, you'll see no failure in him. And so on the 12Th of John, there's a few verses here.
Say that twenty 20th verse. And there were certain Greeks among them, which came up to worship at the feast.
The same came therefore to Philip, which was a of Galilee, and desired him, saying, Sir, we would see Jesus.
Oh, is this your desire?
Do you desire to see him? Oh, then you must first see him as the one who's taken away your sins. View him in that way and all. Then you'll know that that blessed one soul loved you, that he gave himself for you, if you'll trust him. But here we find that.
Her desire was to see Jesus.
You know, we have many desires in this world. There are many things we'd like to see. Some people would like to see see the countryside, others would like to see great power. Others would like to see great panoramic views are are attained to great riches. There are many trees in this world, many great trees that men seek after, many things they'd like to see.
But Oh dear soul, there's one thing necessary for you to see.
Only once, and everything else hinges upon the fact.
That you've seen Jesus because all dear, dear young people, if you should die in your sins, you're going to see him. But not in grace, not in grace, not in grace. You'll see him on the throne of judgment. For remember, remember this, read it carefully. You'll find that after the Lord Jesus.
Went to the cross placed in the tomb.
Was raised again from among the dead and walked here. Not one, not no one of this world. None that didn't belong to him ever saw it again. But they'll see him a judge in the judgment throne. But all, what an opportunity you have. It's the day of grace. You can see him now. And now is the accepted time. Behold, now is the day of salvation.
And so here these Greeks, they come out, they say we would see Jesus. And Phillip comes and tells Andrew. And again Andrew and Phillip tell Jesus and.
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The Lord Jesus bring before them.
Jesus answered them, saying that the hour has come that the Son of Man should be glorified. All what hour was this? All the hour of his suffering? The cross was before His soul. They wanted to see Him.
Oh, do you want to see him look at Calvary's cross?
See that Blessed One hands all stretched in love for you?
So the Lord Jesus brings before them his death, His death.
Apart from that.
Dear soul, apart from that, whether young or old, you can't see him. You'll only see him on the Day of Judgment, but you'll not see him in the Day of Race.
So here he says, Jesus answered them, saying, The hours come, that the Son of man should be glorified. Verily, verily, or truly, truly, I say unto you, Except the corn of wheat fall into the ground and die to fight it alone, but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.
He that loveth his life shall lose it, and he that heath his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal. Now one more verse here. If any man serve me, let him follow me.
And where I am, there shall also my servant be. If any man serve me, Him will my father honor.
Oh dear soul, the first thing we must see is the Lord Jesus as the Savior, the one who died as the Lord Jesus brought before those who would see him. He brings his death before them. I call this to your attention. You notice in the first chapter.
It was John's first view, the Lamb of God. Come on fine, well, because he was God's lamb, that sacrificial lamb that could take away sin. And now in this chapter, when they want to see Jesus, what does he bring before them? Oh, one thing dear soul, brings before them his death. His death, except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and dying in a bite of the bone. All he desires your soul, He desires your company.
Oh, he died, so he might save you and me.
We both need the same object.
What a yellow.
I am perhaps old.
You're young. I need Christ. You need Christ. The only way of joy, the only way of peace, the only way of happiness is Christ. Nothing. But Christ is only threat. The gift unpriced. God's living bread. What a precious hint. And so he brings before these Greeks.
His death, His death.
When we think of this.
Doesn't it touch your heart to think?
A1 who loves you so much that he was willing to die for you.
Mothers. Fathers love their children.
And we love them too.
But there's one thing we couldn't do among many things, and that is to save their precious souls, but the Lord Jesus.
Has done that very thing that he might save you.
Why should there be controversy? Why should there be a difference between old and young? Why what? What has brought this in? Or do young people? It's the work of the enemy. It's Satan's work that would divide not only the Saints of God, but families, families, families.
Where are the Bible readings in our homes? Do we gather our little ones around us?
Do we read the Word of God now? I'll ask you young people too, when the open, when the Word is open, do you repel against it? Why? Who makes you rebel against the reading of God's Word to hear about the Lord Jesus? Satan is the enemy of your soul. He desires to drag you down.
To the depths of hell. Solemn, isn't it? But all the Lord Jesus wants to lift you up. He wants to bring you to his home above. He wants to save your soul. And so he brings before these Greeks the fact of his death. His death.
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Well.
Go over to.
The end of John's Gospel, the 20th chapter.
In the 20th chapter of John's Gospel.
The opening of this chapter.
We find an open sepulchre. We find that the Lord Jesus.
Has been to the cross. He was placed in the tone. He's raised again from among the dead. This is the scene of John 20.
But notice.
In the 19th verse of this chapter.
Then the same day at evening.
Being the first day of the week when the doors were shut, where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews.
Came Jesus. Came Jesus. Oh how precious this is.
Do you want to see that Blessed One?
You can be assured of it that you will see him. But how about the day of grace? Do you want to see him now? Now in the day of grace with the eye of faith? Well, here, as we pointed out before, the Lord Jesus was here among men.
He was one who was in nature divine, and he walked here among men.
And his desire in all his pathways was your blessing in mine, your blessing and mine. And we were at such a distance from God that the only way he could do it was by way of the cross. Oh, dear young people, don't let Satan rob you of your privilege of accepting Christ. Don't let Satan rob you if you have accepted Christ. Don't let Satan rob you of your privilege of following Christ, Following Christ.
I just want to point out here in this in these verses notice.
It says.
In that 19th verse of the 20th chapter.
When the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst and sat under them. Peace be unto you.
How precious this is. He desires to to, to give peace to your soul. Peace be unto you. Always think of this scene. I'm sure many of us have been over this chapter many times, in fact all the book of John, because we find the Lord Jesus here as the one who was rejected from the very beginning.
He was glorified here, He was a man down here, but he was truly gone. But all how precious to see though these same ones had turned away from Him, yet it tells us He says, Peace be unto you. Why? Why can He say this all? Because He's been to the cross.
Oh, he's died there for them. They were his.
And He has redeemed them, and now He can preach peace to them. His desire is to do so with you. But I'll tell you, dear soul, this very moment.
You have no peace unless you have looked upon the Lord Jesus as the Lamb of God, which has taken away your sin. You have no peace unless you realize that the death of Christ was for you, for you.
All when I was first saved some 35 years ago now I guess.
Seeking to tell others about the precious Savior, this one said to me, why He said to the way you talk, you think that you're the only one in this world that ever got saved.
Well, perhaps, I don't know. I wasn't very intelligent, though. I knew the Lord Jesus. I knew the man in the middle cross died from me.
Please, the eye of faith. I could see Christ in all his sufferings. What do you see? Do you want to see him? Look at the cross? But you must do it with the eye of faith. Without faith it's impossible to please God, for they that come to God must believe that He is.
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And that he is a rewarder of those that diligently seek him.
But oh, now we come to a company here of those who are his. They are his. And you notice he preaches peace to them. Would you like to hear that word?
To your soul to know for a surety as you laid upon your fellow tonight that you could say I have peace with God through the Lord Jesus Christ. Do you have that peace all I'm going to tell you this.
You know when when the people are in crowds or when they're among others.
There's much bravado, there's much bravery. They're all.
When they get together all by themselves, that is when they're alone by themselves.
In the wee hours of the morning you will wink. What are your thoughts? Are they of Christ?
Do you have peace? Then suppose you didn't wake up.
Do you have peace?
All these are serious considerations, dear young people.
Serious considerations, and this may be the last time you'll ever hear them. The Lord Jesus is coming, and He may come today.
But all just to look a little further at these.
The blessed Savior here, after all his sufferings and his death, the shedding of his precious blood that has made peace with God.
It says.
And when he had so said, he showed unto them his hands and his side.
You notice what it says further in that same verse. I just want to call your attention to this.
It says, then, were the disciples glad when they saw the Lord? Oh, glad? Why? Why were they glad?
Oh, he was the one who went to the cross. I'm sure they didn't understand all this.
But all they thought, as we find at the end of Luke, the two that were on the way to Emmaus, it says they, they, they went away sad, they left, they left Jerusalem, they were going down to Emmaus.
And they were sad, and they reasoned about many things, but all here we find they're glad. Then they see the Lord, the one who was once in the tomb, the one who was Once Upon the cross. Now he stands in the very midst.
He desires to stand with you. He desires to have you with him. He desires your company, dear young people.
And there isn't a gospel for young people and a gospel for all people. There is an object for young and an object for old. God has won, and that object is Christ. Jesus Christ, the same yesterday and today and forever.
Never changes.
And all God has given us a language.
But each one of us can understand.
I understand I'm not too much up on this so-called hippie movement.
But even some Christians today think that we have to use a different language to talk to young people. God has given us a ton in the English language that we all understand.
And this is the language that God would convey to you, the person of Christ, the need of accepting him, not some hocus pocus.
It's not something conjured up. It's the Word of the living God and the issues are eternal and so here.
The disciples were glad when they saw the Lord.
Dear young people.
I pose a question to you.
Each one of us are going to see him. Are you going to be glad or are you going to be sad?
It's a good question. You don't have to answer to me nor some brother here, but you're going to have to answer to him. You're going to answer to him.
Whether you've taken this or not, whether you're glad or whether you're sad, it's up to you.
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It's a solemn thing.
It's a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
But oh, how nice to know that right now there is a Savior on high in the glory. God has a Savior for you. But here we find the disciples were glad. They were glad when they saw the Lord and all with the eye of faith. I can say truly to I'm glad when I see the Lord.
I'm going to see him Sunday with these eyes of mine.
But now.
With the eye of faith we can see it.
What a privilege this is.
Do you realize it as a privilege?
Or you're just taking advantage.
Of the blessings that God has given for all we have, every possession we have is a mercy of His.
And all the greatest need is the salvation of your soul to be glad in the presence of One who knows all about me.
One who has died that I might live, One who knew all my past sins, One who knows all my future. But all I can say glad in his presence.
Is this your portion? It can be this afternoon.
It can be.
Well, we find here that and it says that when he had so said, he showed them his hands and his his side, and then.
Were the disciples glad when they saw the Lord? Then it said Jesus to them, Peace be unto you as my Father has sent me, Even so send I you as another side to this.
I'm sure there are many here that are safe. We've been speaking primarily to those who perhaps haven't yet put their trust in the Lord Jesus.
And we bring before you solemnly your need of accepting Christ.
But then there's another side to this. There are many that they get saved and immediately they're sent out to do some great work.
They've never been really in the presence of the Lord, and that is.
To fall down his feet.
To see him in all his sufferings.
Well, there's this side of it.
It's as he sends them out from his presence, isn't it?
And so here he gives. The disciples were glad when they saw the Lord, and Jesus said to them, Peace be unto you, as my Father has sent me, Even so Sen are you that is, now that I know him as my blessed Savior.
And gathered unto his precious name.
I can go out from his presence.
As one cent of him, this is what he did all but first. Dear soul, dear young person, you must have peace in your own soul before you can go out and tell others about it or be in a position to be used of God. I just go back in closing before the go back to the first chapter of John's gospel again.
Remember we spoke about.
John see the Lord Jesus as the Lamb of God which taken away the sin of the world. I noticed the 35th verse again the next day after John stood and two of his disciples and looking upon Jesus as he walked, he sat. Behold the Lamb of God.
Oh, He didn't say anything this time about taking away the sin of the world. All the thought here is I believe that he been in the presence of the one who takes away the sin of the world. He saw the Lord Jesus as his as one who takes away his sin. And this must be your first view of Christ. You must see him as one who has taken away your sin. But all then this isn't all. It's not just a question of being saved from judgment to come, but it's a question now of a pathway for us.
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To walk in all, some of us, I'm sure many here have been saved much longer than I have, but at least 35 years. Why has God left one here so long? Why all these years? All that we might walk in company with him, that we might tell others about the sureties of salvation and the blessedness of a Savior who loves us and lives for us. And so John here again, it says he looks upon Jesus as he walked.
He said, Behold the Lamb of God all Now I believe this brings before us very blessedly the fact that we have the same one that is the object for our salvation is the same one who is an object for our hearts. Or he could just say, Behold the Lamb of God. Did this have an effect upon others? Indeed it did. Will it have an effect upon you? Yes, it will.
Or do you know Him as your Savior? Do you know Him as the Lamb of God that is taken away your sin? If you do all of them follow on to know it, and you can view him then and the company of others and notice it says and the 37th verse. And the two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus.
Oh, John's disciples. Oh, they saw Jesus. They saw John's expression. They saw his. His. The article was before his heart.
And now they turn and they follow Jesus. They too had an object, and it was the same object. Dear young people, there's only one object for you. There's only one object for me, and that is Christ, the person of Christ. There's no such a thing as two objects. A double minded man is unstable in all his ways, all his ways. One object, Christ and nothing but Christ. And so here.
Jesus turned and saw them following, and said unto them.
They say unto him, Rabbi, which is to say, being interpreted, Master, where dwellest thou? Where dwellest thou? Oh, I've enjoyed this. I've been over this. I'm sure others in this room have heard me speak upon this same subject, but I've enjoyed it in my own soul.
Where dwellest thou?
Oh dear soul, dear young people, if you've accepted Christ as your Savior.
Are you gathered to his precious name?
Have you followed him?
You know, if you ask the Lord Jesus.
Where dwellest? Now you notice what he says here.
Come and see, Come and see. I'll call your attention to this if you ask me where I lived. And I said come and see.
What would What would be the response? What would you have to do? You'd have to follow me, would you not?
Oh dear young people, I believe this is what the Lord Jesus is bringing before these these souls here. They ask him, Where dwellest thou? All he says, come and see, come and see.
And did they say, well, we'll come tomorrow, we'll wait a while, perhaps still some other convenient time, as one ruler did? No, they didn't. What does it say?
He says come and see, and they came and saw where he dwelt and abode with him that day, for it was about the 10th hour.
Oh, I'm sure there are many, many precious things connected with this, but they responded to his invitation to come and see.
We ask you if you've accepted Christ, Have you responded to his invitation?
Come and see.
We're not going to tell you where to go. Follow Christ. Follow the instructions in the Word of God. Follow the man with a picture of water. Follow the Lord Jesus.
And you'll find where he dwells all how precious, where two or three are gathered together unto my name, there am I in the midst of them. And that's not just an influence, That's the Person of the Christ. The one who once died upon Calvary's cross, was once in the tomb, raised again from among the dead.
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Seated at God's right hand and now.
He's gathering out of a world under judgment of people for his name up there. But all nice to know that there is a place where the Lord has chosen the place's name. And if we want to know where it is, what is the instruction? What what do we do? Follow Christ, follow Christ. And so here it says they came.
And saw.
Where he dwelt and abode with him that day, for it was about the 10th hour.
So how precious. There are many, many other things, but one will just desire to bring this before you, dear young people. The need of looking at Christ and seeing Him as the salvation of your soul. The need of having your sins put away and then to look at Christ.
Further and see him as an object for our hearts.
All the Spirit of God would bring before you and the person of Christ.
And again I say, should you die in your sins?
The Lord Jesus himself has said, Whither I am, he cannot come, but how nice here He says, Come and see. And they came and saw where he dwelt, and they afore with him. How precious do you want to abide with Christ?
Then follow Him, not only as a savior, but as an object for your heart. Well, May God use these few remarks. And this is His own precious words. It's not our thoughts. I'm sure that.
God would speak to your soul through His Word to bring these things forcibly before each one of us.
Well, may he use these few remarks then, for the blessing of precious souls, your souls.
We see #131.
In 131.
Could we rise and see 131?
Praise we.
Turn.
Away.
4.
Oh, oh, oh, oh.
Oh.
God.