Address—R. Rule
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To bring before you the gospel of the grace of God tonight.
In all its simplicity, I know that there are many here that have heard the Gospel many times.
So this is my desire to bring out anything new. I've been told by several that they were expecting friends in of those that they were in contact with. I've been told by several or souls expected in the night that.
Don't know the way of salvation?
God has made the way very clear in his book.
And it's the desire of the one that's going to speak to you, that you, if you don't know the way of salvation, that you might know it. And if you do know the way, but it's up until now appearing to deaf ear, Our desire is that God might give you to realize the importance of closing in with His offer of mercy.
And taking the Lord Jesus before it is too late.
Driving the meeting tonight of.
A little signboard that I saw traveling along earlier this year.
I believe it was in the province of Ontario in Canada.
It only had five words on it, but all how important is the message of those 5 words?
There are 5 words that originally were penned by the prophet Amos over 2500 years ago, and here's what was on that little signboard.
Prepare to meet by God.
Friend, you have to meet God.
Are you prepared?
What's your answer to that question? Are you prepared to meet God tonight?
If you're not.
May God bring those 5 words.
And the importance of them home to your heart and conscience. Prepare to meet thy God.
You know, someone mentioned this afternoon that atheism is on the increase. The atheist would tell you.
That you live a few years down here and then death comes in and then your body returns to dust and that's the end of everything.
Friend, that's a lie. It's the lie of the devil. It isn't the end, it's the beginning of eternity.
You have a soul.
And death can't touch your soul. It's an immortal soul. You're going to live forever. Yes, you may. And especially if you're without Christ, you will go through the article of death.
But your soul.
How about that soul of yours? You're going to continue to live.
The word of God said is appointed unto men once to die, and it doesn't say that's the end. It said it is appointed unto men once to die, but after death.
The judgment.
And my dear friend, if you let those words home into your soul, I believe you might realize a little more the importance of what one has just said those 5 words on that signboard.
5 words from the book of Amos. Prepare to meet thy God.
Friendly you prepared.
Oh, May God give you to prepare tonight. You can.
You may say no, I'm not prepared, but I tell you this, you can be prepared by the time you leave the door of this room tonight.
If you'll just trust in the Savior that I'm going to seek to bring before you.
I'd like to especially bring before us tonight in the Word of God.
Two men.
Before making any comment about them, let's read. Let us read at least concerning one of those men in the 12Th chapter of Luke Gospel.
Luke's Gospel, chapter 12.
And verse.
13.
Why? The company said unto him, Master, speak to my brother, who divide the inheritance with me. And he said unto him, Man, who made me a judge, or a divider over you? And he said unto them, Take heed.
And beware of covetousness, for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesses. And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth tentatively.
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And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do?
Because I have no room where to be stole my fruit.
He said this will I do. I will pull down my barns and build greater.
There will I bestow all my fruits, my goods, and I will say to my soul, soul, Thou hast much good laid up for many years, Take thy knees, eat, drink, and be merry. But God said unto him.
Fool.
This night thy soul shall be required of thee. Then whom shall those things be which thou hast provided? So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.
Now here in this portion we have brought before US1 That I might refer to as a rich fool.
He probably was respected by his fellow men.
And he certainly was living in comfort and ease.
He thought he had provided for the future.
And perhaps he had, as far as this life goes.
But there came a moment when he died.
An eternal bankrupt.
Now I'm going to turn in the same gospel. Will comment further on this. I'm going to turn in this gospel if you turn with me to the 23rd chapter.
We're going to read here in this chapter.
About a poor man, a poor seat.
Right at the end of his journey.
A criminal dying A criminal's death on a cross.
But in the closing hours of his life.
He came in contact with the blessed Savior that we wanted to bring before you tonight.
He put his trust in that Savior, and he died.
To answer.
Into a scene of into paradise. Into a scene of eternal bliss. Into a wealth of blessedness.
All because he had learned to trust in the One, dear friends, that's the Savior of sinners, and the One who pains.
And who died for you? That you too might be saved.
Now going back to the 12Th chapter of Luke for Justice, a few moments, I won't take too long.
On this portion.
We find here that apparently someone had died and left an inheritance.
The two brothers, apparently one of them somehow had taken over the lion's share.
And the other one came to the Lord to have things set right.
Told the Lord.
He said speak to my brother, they divide the inheritance with me.
Well, you know.
Man, today everyone wants their rights. You hear of various rights that people seek to preserve.
And this one was no exception.
And he thought the Lord was the right one to set things right for him. Did the Lord do it?
No he didn't. No he didn't. And thank God he didn't.
You know, dear friends, the Lord Jesus didn't come here to set things right, and I'm glad he didn't.
If he had come here to set things right, you know what would have happened.
Every man living on the face of the earth would have been cut off in judgment.
Yes. And if you and I had got our rights, every one of us here tonight.
It would be the judgment of God for eternity, but that isn't why the Lord came the first time.
He is coming back as a judge and I hope you are prepared when he comes.
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But that is why he came the first time.
No.
The Lord Jesus, when he was here the first time, He came to give up his life in order to establish, we might say, in order that God might have the right to act in mercy towards you and me without compromising the claims of His Holiness.
I asked the Lord came to give his life, that you and I might have life, you and I who deserve nothing but death and judgment.
No, he didn't come here to set things right the first time.
And he took occasion to speak this parable that we read about the rich man.
The one who had prospered under the hand of God.
You know, no farmer really prospers without the hand of God being involved, for God has to set God that provides the sunshine and the rain and so forth. Yes, he had enjoyed the goodness of God in a practical sense.
But he had no thought about God or God's claim.
All he had any thought about was himself. You know that's like the natural man, all he thinks of himself. Did you notice as I read it how many times you said I and my very self-centered?
It says he plot within himself saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to be sold my fruit. And he said, This will I do, I will pull down my barns and build greater. There will I be bestowed my fruits and my goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much good laid up for many years.
Take thy knees, eat, drink and be merry.
I don't find much about God in there. Do you all about himself?
He gave no thought to God or God's claims. Friend, what thought have you given to God and His claims in your life?
Like a bold out of the blue, God said unto him, Thou fool this night to my soul, be required of thee.
Both. God said that to you tonight, friend, you have no lease on life. You couldn't, you could not ensure at any cost the fact that you would be here tomorrow morning. I ask you, if God said to you, fool, this night, shall I soul be required of thee?
Are you ready?
God wouldn't call you a fool if you were ready. I didn't put that question very intelligently.
Why did God call this man a fool? Because he left God out of his thoughts. He had no thought of God.
He had no thought into his soul.
Fred, let me ask you, what thought have you given to your soul? What importance have you put on the question of your immortal soul and where you will spend eternity?
Oh, if you've never thought seriously about your soul, I plead with you.
To take these words from the Word of God seriously, tonight you have a soul and a mortal soul and you are going to spend eternity in one of two destinies.
An eternity of bliss in heaven.
Or an eternity of woe in hell.
This poor man had left God out of his thoughts. He gave no thought to God and his claims. And God says, Thou fool this night, till I stole be required of thee.
All my friends don't stay in company with that man if you've never given any thought to your soul.
May God give you to realize tonight that you have an immortal soul and that nothing is so important as to where you're going to spend eternity.
This man was occupied with his will. You know what the word of God says.
What shall it profit a man if he gain the whole world?
And lose his own soul? Or what? Shall a man give an exchange for his soul?
Well, dear friends, I'm sure this man had his opportunity.
But He didn't avail himself of them. You have an opportunity tonight, my friend. You can be saved tonight. See that You avail yourself of that opportunity by coming to the Savior that we now want to speak a little more of. Will you turn with me to the 23rd chapter?
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Of Luke's Gospel.
Verse 33 And when they were come to the place which is called Calvary, there they crucified him and the Vallefactors, one on the right hand and the other on the left.
Benton said. Jesus, Father.
Father forgive them, for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots. And the people stood beholding, and the rulers with them derided him, saying He saved others, let him save himself, as he be the Christ, the chosen of God.
And the soldiers also mocked him, coming to him and offering him vinegar, saying, If thou be the king of the Jews.
Save thyself.
And a superscription also was written over him in the.
Letters of Greek and Latin and Hebrew. This is the king of the Jews.
One of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be the Christ.
Say thyself and us. But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God?
Being thou art in the same condemnation, and we indeed justly.
For we receive a due reward of our deeds. But this man has done nothing amiss. And he said unto Jesus, Lord, Remember Me when thou comest into thy Kingdom. And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, Today thou shalt be with me.
In paradise and it was about the 6th hour and there was darkness over all year until the 9th hour.
And the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was rent in the midst. And when Jesus had cried, with a loud voice he said, Father, into thy hand, I commend my spirit. And having said thus, he gave up the ghost. Now when the centurion saw what was Johnny glorified God saying, certainly this was a righteous man.
Well, dear friends.
This is a wondrous scene that we have brought before us.
One feels his inadequacy to bring out the fullness, the blessedness of what we have here.
I know of nothing in the Word of God but brings out more the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the grace that was manifested.
To this four feet, who heard from the lips of the Lord Jesus those words.
Today shalt thou be with me.
In paradise.
It's a remarkable thing we find.
I didn't read from the beginning of the chapter because of the length of it, but I do wish to comment a little on some of the earlier verses.
We find in this chapter.
But everyone was against the Lord Jesus.
And if you're not aware of the fact, I'm sure most are. But I would say this dear friend, the Lord Jesus Christ.
Is the creator of this world.
And in Greece he became a man.
Was born in Bethlehem. He had gone through this theme.
A true man, and yet God manifest in the flesh, and here we find him on this cross of shame.
The one perfect, sinless man.
Dying for sinners.
That sinners might be brought into blessings and have salvation.
Have the forgiveness of sins.
That blessed one we find here.
If we were to read from the beginning of the chapter, we'd find that that the chief priests and elders were against him, Pilot was against him, Herod was against him, the common people were against him, and at first even the two seeds we learned from Mark's Gospel, the 15th chapter.
But even the two thieves blasphemed him at first, those who were.
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Themselves crucified on each side of him. All the world was against him, we might say.
But in the closing hours of his life here, one of those thieves.
Apparently was brought to realize that the one on that centered cross was the Son of God.
He was brought to realize that there was one who had done nothing amiss.
And.
He took sides, as it were, with the Lord Jesus. He came out in the testimony for him.
And said, This man hath done nothing amiss.
And then he owned him as Lord and learned to know that he was indeed his Savior.
Because he trusted in the Lord Jesus.
Oh dear friends.
It's a wondrous thing, and there's never been a moment in the history of time. There's been no events in the history of this world that can compare with what we have just read about in these verses. It was there that the mightiest transaction that was ever transacted took place.
And I wish, as we go on, to tell you a little more about it.
Now I said that all were against him.
Others have pointed out that there are four prayers 4 requests in this chapter.
And the first one shows how all were against them. It's found in the in the 21St verse of the chapter.
We find there.
They cried, saying crucify Him, crucify him.
I might say they're speaking the poor prayers. We might look at them.
The first was a pair of hatred. That's what we have here. Crucify him, Get rid of them. We don't want him.
Prayer of hatred. The next prayer is one of fear.
We find in the 29th and the 30th verses where there's a time coming when they're going to say to the mountains fall on us and the hills cover us. What for? Oh, they're afraid.
We learned from Revelation 6 that that's the time when this blessed one is coming back in judgment says there to the mountains fall on us and hide us from the wrath of the Lamb. A prayer fear and the next prayer we get in the 34th verse that we read the prayer of love, the request of love. Father forgive them.
And the 4th one we find the prayer of faith.
In the 42nd verse it says He said of us. This he said unto Jesus Lord.
Remember Me when thou comest into thy Kingdom. Ah, that's the request of faith.
Well, going back to the beginning of the chapter.
We find that all against Him. You know, dear friends, the natural mind, the natural heart is enmity towards Christ. And here was that blessed One, the one who had given sight to the blind, hearing to the deaf, even raise the dead.
And now, at the end of his journey down here, the heart of man comes out, and all its wickedness.
And man cried there. Crucify him, crucify him.
If we had read the few verses earlier in the chapter, we would find reference to Barabbas.
But before mentioning Barabbas.
I would like to call attention to this.
That.
I mentioned that Pilate was against him. In one sense he was, But I should mention this pilot knew that he was a just man.
Three times, Pilot referred to him as a just man.
And on one occasion we get it in another gospel. His wife had come to him.
I'm told told Pilot to have nothing to do with that man. He knew she had had a vision, that he was one sent from God.
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And she warns Pilots and Pilot wanted to let him go at first.
It says here in our chapter.
Let's see.
Yes, it says in verse in the middle of verse 14.
Behold, I have examined him before you, and have found no fault in this man touching those things whereof you accuse him.
But we learned this.
In another gospel, it's developed more clearly.
They told Pilate if you let this man go, you're not Caesar's friend.
Who was Caesar? Oh, he was the Roman emperor, Roman governor. Pilot was his delegate there. Jerusalem.
If you let this man go, you're not Caesar's friend. Now he was concerned about what Caesar would think about it. He gave in to their request. Dear friend, let me ask you something.
Are you fearful?
Of taking sides with Jesus because of what some of your friends might think.
Don't make a mistake, Pilate did.
He was supported by Caesar and he was afraid.
To do what his conscience told him to do because of the effect on seizures? Are you afraid to take sides with Christ tonight because of what your companions will think? Pilot is going to spend an eternity in hell because he listened to wrong advice.
Fran, don't be his companion.
Don't let what your friends will think about it hinder you from.
Closing in with God's offer of mercy tonight.
Open your heart to receive this blessed Savior.
We find that, Pilate suggested. I think he thought maybe here's an out.
At that time of the year, it was a custom at the feast to release some prisoners.
And so.
He brought 2 before them, the Lord Jesus Christ and Barabbas, and said, Whom were ye that I release unto you?
Barabbas was a robber, he was a criminal. I suppose, Pilot thought. Well, surely they'll choose Jesus as compared to a criminal.
It was well known the fact that Jesus here had blessed many.
And there was number fault found in him.
But you know what? The chief priests and the elders, they had encouraged the people.
To say not this man, that is not the Lord Jesus, but the rabbits. Oh yes, this world would rather have a criminal release.
And have the Lord Jesus Christ put to death.
Threaten Whose sides are you on tonight?
Are you on the side of the Lord Jesus?
Are you still on the side of this world that crucified him?
Oh, it's a serious thing.
To side in with the world against Christ, my friend, because your eternal destiny hinges.
On whether you will have the Lord Jesus as your Savior.
Now I mentioned that there are four prayers, there are four requests. The second one, the 1St, as we said, they said not this man, but the rabbis. And as the Lord Jesus, they're in their hatred, they said crucify him.
Well.
It says in verse 26 that they led him away, they laid hold upon one Simon of Cyrene coming out of the country, and on him they laid the cross, that he might bear it after Jesus.
There followed a great company of people and of women, which also bewales.
And lamented him.
But Jesus turning unto them, said daughters of Jerusalem.
Weep not for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children.
For behold, the days are coming in the which they shall say, Blessed are the barren.
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And the wounds that never bear in the paps which never gave, suck then till they begin to say to the mountains fall on us, into the hills cover us.
For if they do these things in a green tree, what shall be done in the dry?
Oh yes, these women, they came where it be, as it says here, they came weeping. But the Lord said, don't weep for me, weep for yourselves, for the days are coming. What days are coming? Friend? There's a day of judgment ahead. God hasn't forgotten what took place at Calvary. No, my friend, and he never will forget what took place at Calvary.
There's judgment ahead for this poor world.
And that's what the Lord is referring to here when he says they will begin to say, and here's their prayer of fear. Mountains fall on us. And as I said in Revelation 6, it goes on to say and hide us from the face of the Lamb, for the day of his wrath has come.
There's a day of wrath ahead, my friends, for the Sinner that rejects Christ. Are you ready? Do you know Him as your Savior? Oh, I hope you'll not be among that number. They'll leave and look to the mountains to shelter from the wrath of that blessed One. He came in grace the first time, but you know if you don't receive Him in grace, you will have to meet Him as your judge.
But God has committed all judgment under the sun. That's under the Lord Jesus Christ.
He goes on to say if they do these things in a green tree, what shall be done in the drive?
What do you understand by that?
Well, you know a green tree has life, freshness, it bears fruit. The Lord Jesus was the green tree. In him was life.
And his whole life was one of bearing fruits for God.
Yes, he was the green tree.
Well, who's the drive?
Every one of us here by nature.
Are the dry trees. You know a dry tree doesn't have light?
There's no SAP, no life.
We have a number of trees on our home on our property at home.
Every once in a while we've cut one down for various reasons.
But we don't use the wood when it's when the tree is first cut down. We let it dry out first.
Why? Well, you know, a dry tree is very good for firewood.
We have a fireplace.
You know, dear friend.
The dry tree speaks of you and me by nature.
And fire and the word of God speaks of judgment.
And all the Sinner is good for is the judgment of God.
The Lord Jesus said if these are done in a green tree, that's what he was, what should be done in the drive.
You have no life, Godward friends.
You're dead in trespasses and sins, but you may have life if you will trust in the Savior.
If you give your heart to Him and take Him as your savior, tonight you'll be born again.
You will have a life from God and you will no longer be viewed as a dry tree.
But I say to you, if you're not born again, if you don't receive a new life, you're one of the dry trees referred to here in the Lord Jesus said, if this is happening to me, a green tree, how about the drive, old friend, I couldn't begin to tell you the awfulness.
Of the eternity that the lost they're going to spend.
In that place of outer darkness, where there is nothing but weeping and wailing and gnashing of peace under the judgment of God.
May God give you to feel your need of life.
I sometimes thought of this verse in connection with the 53rd of Isaiah.
Isaiah was a prophet among the Jews.
And what a prophecy he gave us in that 53rd chapter.
It starts out this way.
Who has believed our report?
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And to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed? For He shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground. He hath no form nor lordliness. And when we shall see him, there is no beauty in him that we should desire him. He is despised and rejected of men, a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief.
Now just a few thoughts on that, what that prophet brought before us.
Isaiah said.
Who has believed our report? You know, generally speaking, God's earthly people are Jews. They rejected that blessed one. It was only here and there that they had faith to trust in Him. Thank God there were many that did. But Isaiah foreseeing the fact that generally the nation would go on in unbelief, he said. Who has believed our report?
And to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed? The Lord Jesus was God's arm. You know, a businessman, especially an executive, you often hear him say, well, so and so. He's my right arm. In other words, I can depend on him if I give an assignment to him to get it done.
The Lord Jesus had the greatest assignment that was ever given to any man.
God sent that blessed one down here to go to Calvary's cross and give up his life, that you and I might have life. He was the arm of Jehovah, and it says he shall go before him as a tender plant. Oh yes, that one that was born in Bethlehem and laid in a Manger grew up before God a tender plant. There was life there, and there was freshness as a root out of a.
Ground. What's the dry ground? This earth and mankind on it. A dry ground. No fruit for God, but here was one, a tender plant as he grew up before him, and now a green tree in the in his manhood.
We find him dying on that cross, the green tree. Friend, if that Blessed One had to suffer on that cross, what will be the portion of the Sinner who dies in his sins?
That's what that 31St verse means. And if you are today.
Part of that which is spoken of a degree as the dry tree, but for nothing but the fire of God's judgment. May God waken you up to feel your need, my friend, and trust in that blessed Savior.
Well, it says.
Further down in this chapter, in the 38th verse, we read it.
Or a superscription also is written over him in letters of Greek and Latin Hebrew.
This is the king of the Jews.
I suppose that was the crime that he was charged with.
Being the King of the Jews.
Friends, He was the King of the Jews. He was their Messiah, their King.
But they rejected him.
And another scripture we have.
I believe that Jesus of Nazareth or this is Jesus the King of the Jews. This afternoon someone mentioned Jesus means where the Jesus was Jehovah, Yes, Jehovah the Savior. And yet they crucified him and nailed him that cross, and they are written over him in letters of Hebrew it says, and Greek and Latin.
The three dominant languages of the day.
The Jews were the leaders religiously.
We learned Greek and the martial Romans.
They all combined, all were one and saying we want to have done with this man.
All friends want to see.
This was at a place called Calvary. The marginal reading in my Bible says the place of a skull, and I believe that's what it means to Calvary, Golgotha and another gospel, the place of a skull.
You know a soul speaks of death.
And I have sometimes wondered.
If the place they chose for this scene was not to further the mockery.
That was carried out on this occasion. We find much mockery in in connection with the death of the Lord Jesus. The first thing we find that they brought him out in Purple Rd. Purple speaks of loyalty.
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Royalty.
And they brought him out in purple roles in mockery.
Staying in effect, yes, a king, a royal one, and we're going to put them on a cross.
Friend, I want to say this tonight, that God is highly exalted, that blessed one.
In 110 Psalm it says, Sit thou on my right hand until I make thine enemies thy footstools. He's coming back as king. He's coming back and he's going to raise. But they mocked him. They put the crown on his head, a crown of thorns and mockery. Why are crowns? Oh, he said he was the king of the Jews, and to mock him they put a crown that was a crown of thorns.
Within the religion, in mockery, they take them to a graveyard, the place of a skull.
In mockery, perhaps he was the one.
Who is the author of Life?
In him was life to read.
In Him was life. He's the Upholder, the sustainer of life, as well as the Creator.
When he was here, he spoke of life. He said I am the resurrection and the life, and in mockery they crucify him in that graveyard, the place of a skull.
Oh, they said in his face.
They speak to deride him.
All my friend, this world has a lot to give account for to God, and May God give you to realize if you're still a part of this world, you're in the wrong company.
God hasn't forgotten what took place here.
And there over his head, in those three languages, this is Jesus, this is the king of the Jews in another scripture.
They told Pilate to say, right now this is the king of the Jews, but that he saith, I am the king of the Jews, Pilate says. What I have written, I have written. I've often thought that trial probably Pilate knew.
That he was what he claimed to be the king of the Jews. Oh, how solemn.
Well, let us look at that third prayer, verse 34, after all.
This awful treatment that the Lord received. We have the prayer of love now. What does he say? Father, forgive them.
Oh, my friend, what a prayer to come from his blessed lips at a moment like this when he's receiving the treatment that he received. Father, forgive them.
Oh, my friend, that's great. That's the grace of God.
And the Lord Jesus came to die, that you and I might be forgiven.
He jained to give his life that you and I might have life.
Someone quoted this afternoon.
He bore our sins in his own body, on the tree, yes, on that tree. He took the sinners place. He stood in the sinners room instead, in order that the Sinner might go free. I was just reading. I just ran across recently.
A little story that was printed recently. I was glad to see it in print.
About a man who was in a courtroom in London, England some years ago, quite a few years ago.
And there there was a man that was on trial.
For stealing a large He was a cutter in a tailoring firm, and he had been charged with stealing a large roll of of.
Material worth 25 or $30.
And he was brought before the judge, and the judge asked him if the charges were proved, and he bowed his head and said something inaudibly.
The judge went on to say, I understand you were 15 years for this man.
Did he always pay you fair wages? Yes. Well, don't you think it's a pretty low, a pretty mean thing for someone that treated you fairly for 50 years?
To steal from him, I'm going to find you $25.
Oh, that judge. I don't have a penny to my name. Well, then it's 10 days in prison.
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And at that moment, in the back of the audience.
A woman burst into tears.
It was the life of that poor man.
And a broke her heart to think of her husband going to jail.
But just after that outburst on the part of this woman, a man stood up in the audience.
Man of about 65 years old and he said, your honor.
I want to make a request to this court.
I want to pay that $25 fine.
So if this man can be discharged and I want to take him back.
As my employee.
And then it was the man's turn. He burst into tears.
And sobs. He recognized the grace on the part of his employer.
The employer stepped up to pay the debt for him.
And the employer, the judge says.
Your request is granted and this employer walked up to the prisoner's dock.
They took him by the arm, he handed the judge the $25 and he walked out.
Well, someone had said that juncture, I think the one who wrote the story said.
Surely that man ought to be one for life.
Yes, my friend.
Because of the love and the grace that had been shown toward him in his need. Well, dear friend, the gospel is like that, but it's more wonderful.
What have you done against God? You've not committed one sin. You've not committed 5 sins.
There are too numerous to mention all of sin and come short of the glory of God.
But here we find one who came from glory to answer to God for those sins.
We read further down in the chapter about that there was darkness over all the earth.
From the 6th hour to the 9th hour. What took place in those three hours? It was there that the Lord Jesus answered to God in the sinner's room instead.
God first took him in another scripture that says he cried out. My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?
You know the answer, friend. If you don't, I will tell you. God forsook him there because he was there in the Sinner said, taking the sinner's place. He was there for me. He died for me, and He died for many in this room, and He died for you.
Will you have him?
Oh, I've told you about the man that was charged and had a death that he couldn't pay, how grateful he was to his employer for paying that debt that he might go free. Friend of the other, thank God. Have you ever thanked the Lord Jesus for paying the debt for you with Calvary? He died for you. Will you have him as your Savior?
That's a very important question I've asked. That's why I hesitate.
Will you have the Lord Jesus as your Savior? He died for you, and if you turn your back on Him, my friend, then because of the righteousness of God, when you meet Him as judge, He will have to cast you out into that place of outer darkness where the worm dieth not and the fire is not quenched. Will you have Him?
Will you receive him tonight?
That brings me to this fourth prayer.
The Thief on the Cross.
The moment comes, this moment when all seem to be against the Lord, and here he was at the very closing hours of his life.
This thief apparently brought to realize that he was the Son of God, because perhaps it was from that prayer from the Lords lip. Father, forgive them Father, he knew he was praying to God, and if he called godfather, could it be he was the Son of God? Perhaps that's what reached his heart.
But anyway, he changed company, we said in the 15th of March he was one of those that tried out.
If one of those that mocked him like the soldiers, they said it saved others. Let him save himself. If he be the Christ, the chosen of God friend, he couldn't save himself. You know why? Because his love for you and me was too great. If he had saved himself, he would gone to glory alone.
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He would have been on the throne alone.
He wanted you and me as his companion, and this poor thief on the cross was to be a companion. Now, because he turned to him, he's brought to realize his condition. He said We indeed justly, but this man has done nothing amiss.
What a statement. This man has done nothing amiss. Everybody was against him and here this poor thief comes out on the Lords side, he said. Is that we're all vouch for him, all vouch for his life, all vouch for his character. I will vouch for his perfection.
This man has done nothing amiss. Oh, what a statement of faith, the blessed of the separation of faith. Friend, He did do nothing amiss. He did no sin. He knew no sin. He was the Holy Spiritless 1.
But he died in the sinner's room instead. And if you will have him?
You can spend an eternity of bliss with Him in that place of eternal joy.
That one thief turned to him. He said, Lord, Remember Me when thou comest into thy Kingdom.
Faith, here is a man dying. Everybody seemed against him and he called him Lord, and he called him a king. He said, in effect, you're dying, but I know that the Kingdom belongs to you. You're going to come back and reign. And when that happens, will you Remember Me? Oh my dear friend, thank God there was one.
That stood for that Blessed One, when all were against Him there on that cross.
And he learned to know him as his own Savior. And would to God that you might learn to know that blessed 1:00 tonight.
As your Savior, Lord, Remember Me when thou comest into Thy Kingdom.
Or the Lord had something more better than that. He didn't know about it when he said it, the Lord said today.
You know it doesn't take a long time to be converted.
Friend, you can be converted as you sit in your seat, if you just give your heart to the Lord Jesus and claim Him as your Savior, put your trust in Him, you'll be converted. That thief change company right at this moment when He took sides with Jesus. Will you take sides with that blessed Savior tonight? Will you have him like the poor? See, receive Him.
What a blessed word the Lord gave him today. Shall thou be with me in Paradise? Paradise means place of delight.
There's poor criminal at the end of his life.
Being passed out because the kind of life that he lived. But the Lord says I want you to be my companion in eternity. Today you'll be with me in paradise, old friend.
Are you going to spend eternity with that same blessed Savior I mentioned earlier about the the rich fool? You know what it says there? The Lord said this night till I soul be required of thee. He went out into the night and it's the night ever since and he's going to spend 1 eternal life in outer darkness. And so will you if you reject my Savior.
Now the feast, the Lord says today, not tonight, Today.
He died that day and it's going to be an eternal day of blessing.
For that poor feast.
Well dear friends, whose company are you going to be in? The Savior and that poor thing, or the one that God said, thou fool?
All right, trust, but there's not one here that is going to reject the Savior. If you do, friends, if you don't close in with God's offer of mercy.
God's word would indicate that you're a fool. It says there that he was not rich toward God. No, he had it, a debt toward God.
And he done nothing as far as making payment on that debt goes. He couldn't do anything. That's what the Lord Jesus came to do to pay the debt.
And he did that at Calvary, and all those who received him are those who know that the dead is fully paid.
In the 7th of Luke, the Lord tells a woman similar character to this feast. He was a woman of the city and she was recognized as a Sinner. Everybody that knew her knew she was a Sinner. She was living an open sin and the Lord told her.
Of that, when they had nothing to pay, he freely forgave speaking, I can't take time to tell the whole incident, but he said when they had nothing to pay, he freely forgave them both. Our friend, you don't need to pay anything to get a title of glory. The Lord has paid the whole price.
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He's not all God's claims he suffered. There are also judgment of God, forsaken of God in those three hours. And then we find he said his precious blood, that you and I might be brought into blessings when you have the Lord Jesus tonight.
I remember reading the one who once said in connection with that seat, he said, you know.
I hope when I get the glory I'll be able to find that thief.
And I am going to go and put out my hand and say thank you, friend, for maintaining the character of my savior in a day when everybody was against him.
Well, you know.
You can be among the number that will be with that blessed Savior and also with that feast who is saved if you'll just close in with God's offer of mercy tonight. Well, you have the Lord Jesus, friend. What are you going to do with Him?
The other thief had his chance. The other thief had his chance, his own. The feast that received Jesus said, Don't you fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation.
Don't you fear God? Oh no, He had No Fear of God before his eyes. You know, the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. That is when we realize we have to do with God. That's the beginning of wisdom, old friends.
I come back to the verse I started with You have to do with God. Prepare to meet thy God. Are you prepared? There's only one way to be prepared and that's by trusting in the Lord Jesus Christ. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ.
And thou shalt be saved.