Saved from and saved to (Quality: Average)

[0:00] The words of our revenge to try and make a few remarks from you will find in the 34th chapter of the Prophet Ezekiel, verses 22 and 23, the 22nd and the 23rd verses of the 34th chapter of the Prophet Ezekiel.

[0:23] Therefore will I save my folk, and they shall no more be afraid, and I will judge between cattle and cattle, and I will set up one shepherd over there, and he shall feed them, even my servant David.

[0:53] He shall feed them, and he shall be their shepherd. A very solid chapter we read here this morning.

[1:08] As spoken by God through the Prophet Ezekiel, indeed you will find through the whole prophecy of Ezekiel, God has spoken to him to declare what he told him.

[1:40] Not what men told him, but he sent him to speak those things that no doubt to his flesh, mad times have been unsavoury.

[1:54] It's not an easy thing to go and preach the preaching that God did it. And so we find it as we go forth from time to time.

[2:15] But we do feel in this particular chapter there's a very solemn warning to the shepherds. Oh, as does so much.

[2:28] When I read this chapter last evening, and read concerning the shepherds, who did not feed the flock, and had no care for them, they searched.

[2:45] You know, it's all very well for us to see a man in the pulpit, and to expect to receive something through him.

[3:06] But you know, the exercises beforehand, and at one hand, we find not to be an easy part. We do not want to be among those shepherds who do not feed the flock, have no care for them, who, who, when, they become before them, may be rather discouraged, or not fed with food convenient.

[3:39] So then, you see, the scripture surges, and it says, well, it does. If it did not search, we used to go on, in a way, perhaps, how that was not acceptable to God.

[4:00] And if we say, as we have said, we are willing to be searched, surely, we shall not, become stiff-necked, or resent, the searching.

[4:17] It's a wonderful thing, to be able to fall, before the searching word of God. To be able to fall before him, who is omnipotent in power, is searching all hearts, and knows every iota, of the intent of it, so that there is an exercise, that we may not be among those shepherds, that do not care, concerning the welfare of the flock.

[5:00] Amen. And yet, you see, the shepherds, according to the word we read, must be faithful, as was Ezekiel, to declare the whole counsel of God, though it may seem to some, to be severe, and not quite, as it might be perhaps, as coming from, a man, as they may perceive it.

[5:39] but dear, is he, he had to go forth, with some very, sad messages, as if you read it, at your leisure, you will find, that he had, time and again, to go, and cut asunder, those things, which were, of Satan, and of the flesh.

[6:08] And yet, we come to this chapter, where, God, in his love and compassion, through him, had also spoken, concerning his flock, and how perfectly clear, in the last verse, of this chapter, God have made it, in that, he had told us, who the flock are, before, his servants begin, to speak of it, as being men, and ye my flock, the flock of mine pasture, are men, and I am your God, said the Lord God.

[6:58] As so that, those things spoken here, in this chapter, are one of two occasions, we find, how God, speaks, I, even I, have spoken it.

[7:18] that is to say, it is proven by him, where there can be, no reversing it, men try to reverse it, your old cow, mine and mine, have got enough in us, to want to reverse it, to suit our own, our thoughts, thoughts, and times, since it is all settled, and all fixed, oh, what a mercy it is, if we have, in our hearts, a desire, to bow before the omnipotence, of him, who is preeminent, in power, and in might, and above all things, here below, and in heaven above, and in the earth beneath.

[8:12] therefore, will I save my flock, so that he hath decreed, and that he will save his flock, oh, what a mercy it is, if you and I, should have, in our poor dark hearts, some evidence says, that he has saved us, and give us, through being saved, from those things, that we are among the flock, so that, his people then, are sheep, of his pasture, and he be, that shepherd, over them, so that he came, here on earth, that he might save his sheep, well, he saves them from, and saves them too, he saves them from, first and foremost, this world, and the things of it, he does indeed, he, oh, what an unspeakable mercy, if when he saw, your eye ruined, and undone, laying in the ruins of the fall, appear to be destined, for eternal destruction, as I appear to be, he judges, between cattle, and cattle, not for us to judge, how often, we might have, rising up and out, puny minds, a way, whereby, we might judge, who are these cattle,

[10:33] I'm sure, we can't do that, God knows, an ill judge, betwixt cattle, and cattle, that is to say, the sheep, and the goats, as so that, if God is a judge, of these things, surely, it is not left, in the hands, of puny man, to try, and separate, those things, which are already, separated, in the mind, of the father, I know, that this tendency, in all of us, I include myself, I say, in all of us, to point here, and point there, as to who,

[11:33] God's people are, well, my friends, let us prove, our own calling, and election sure, no, we shall have to stand alone, and we do stand alone, even in life's journey, but it will be more, and may manifest, shortly, that we shall have to stand alone, and in these things, these solemn truths, we stand alone, apart, from all relationships, here on earth, we read, in the word of God, the family, of, of one part, and the family of another, I can't quite quote them, in rotation, but, you know, it speaks, in the word, concerning those, whose wives, were worshipped, apart, and their, their husbands, apart, and their wives, apart, and so it is, that, each was worshipped,

[12:50] God apart, he had, divided, betwixt cattle, and cattle, so that, God's servants, when they come, to speak his word, they have to come away, from all relationships, indeed, for my dear friends, salvation, is not by tradition, is not by the tradition, of your father, says Christ, so that, it is, by his sovereign, and, unmerited, his sovereign, and unmerited love, that he, separated, cattle from cattle, oh, what a mercy, we have some evidence, says, that, we are one, of the flock, of slaughter, one that he, saw then, in the wilderness, and saw us, in that wilderness, of sin, wandering about, in those things, which, to men, may appear, to be in all right, while we, may have had a religion, of the flesh, by a past muster, among men, as being, somewhat, pious, it may be, or, possessing, something more, than the world, while we must, come a step, further, than to, be, looked upon, in that way, we must, have been brought, away from, and, saved from, those awful, conditions, that some, are left in, to be satisfied, with a religion, that is, only, a religion, of the flesh, and, put it up, with pride, and, also, makes one, exalted, in those things, and, never know, what it is, to be searched, even, to the, very, in most, recesses, of the heart, oh, my dear friends, when the word, of God, begins to surge, it will surge out, many things, that laid, you thought, were never there, that lay dormant,

[15:34] I say, lay dormant, in the heart of man, treacherous things, when they lay dormant, but when God, comes and, searches them out, and, by the light, of the candle, of his word, as surges out, those things, that are hidden there, and the dark, recesses, of our hearts, then, I say, we shall say, can ever God dwell here, and, when we do, for you, a little, of the enlivening, power, mercy, in our hearts, we shall be amazed, at his love, and his greatness, that ever he had, any thoughts, of peace, of water, even thoughts, of peace, and not of evil, to give us, an expected end, or, well, might one say, the love of Christ, is rich and free, fixed on his own, eternally, he'll save them, he'll save them, this wicked world, he'll save them, from, the deceits, of our own hearts, he will indeed, he'll just save them, from, being deceived, by men, yes, indeed, they will not, be bolstered up, by the, words, that men, may speak, why, it's no use, it wouldn't be any use, for me, to tell a man, or woman, that they were, quite safe, and all right, not to worry, about these things, that it'll be, all right at last, oh,

[17:23] I know, that won't satisfy, a living soul, till I, am told, by God's own mouth, that he has chosen me, to give no satisfaction, till then, so that, you see, he'll save us, from all the, bolstering up, of man's, man's, force toward us, he will indeed, indeed, he'll prove to us, that all we have, all we possess, is what, he gives us, and nothing more, and nothing less, shall we receive, but that, that shall have, his image upon it, and have his, his seal, thereof, which shall be, received, by God the Father, in eternity, well, we want, nothing more, than that, do we, we do not want, the things of this world, we do not want, a false religion, we do not want, to be bolstered up, upon a sandy foundation, we want realities, we want those things, satisfying, our souls, and not only that, satisfy the demands, of, of pure, and holy God, well, then he'll save us, from, the world, and save us, from being deceived, by others, and then, what a mercy, if he saves us, from self-deception, that we do not, go on day by day, settling upon our leaves, that is to say, coming into a place, of, of, treacherous calm, that's what it means, settling upon the leaves, you know, that's what it means, when a ship comes, under the leave, as they call it, it means to say, they come there, for, for shelter, and, into the calm, well, you see, that's treacherous, sometimes, even there, more, the treacherous calm,

[19:57] I dreads this one, than billows, bursting, all my head, precious billows, these are all, when they force us, to Jesus, when they force us, to come to him, would you rather, that past, sinner, than, than, to, be in a treacherous calm, and be self-deceived, self-deception, many may be left in, but, God will save his people, his flock, his sheep, from, self-deception, father, because he'll lead them, into those paths, which he said he would, in the world, paths, that he had not known, make darkness, light before them, and crooked things straight, these things will I do unto them, and not forsake them, I felt much forsaken, in the past week, and couldn't seem, to collect one thought, and not one promise, or one thing, where on one could rely, feeling destitute, well, my friends, that's a path, that God,

[21:11] I believe, brings his people, into, that they shall not rest, in a treacherous calm, and there, find, at last, that they are, no nearer to heaven, than when, they were born, so he'll save them, from, soft deception, it's a mercy, then, to be saved, from, from this world, and from a false religion, and from self-deception, he'll save them, from a lying tongue, I say, he'll save them, from a lying tongue, I mean this, they will not come, before him, with a lie, they'll come, before him, and tell him, all the truth, though he knows, it all, before, but he'll cause, and become, like the poor man, in the word, he didn't come, with a lie, he said,

[22:34] I am not worthy, that thou, should come, under my roof, but speak, the word only, and my servant, shall be healed, he'll save them, for lying tongue, that they will not, come, before him, in prayer, with a lie, up in their lips, all to be, for mercy, to be, to be saved, from, anything false, in our prayers, as we approach, out of the majesty, of heaven, who knows, of the, heart, and also, every word, that proceeded, out of our mouth, with what motive, we have, in our prayers, or may we ever, remember, that, he, being omnipotent, knows, all those things, that proceed, from our lips, or, as it's, trying me of late, you've heard me, speak before, about the sin, of the lip, oh, my friends, how, our lips need, washing, and I'm sure, that there is, a principle, a God, ungiven, that will, will, will, make us, feel, from time to time, the need, of being washed, and also, we shall, have that desire, in our hearts, that we might live, more and more, without sin, oh, thou hideous monster, how he does, so often, draw us aside, and bring us, into trouble, doesn't it, while all our troubles, proceed, instead, but some of them,

[24:38] I feel, we have brought upon ourselves, our bond, our sin, sinning against him, in thought, word, and deed, and that day, by day, some might say, as it has been said, of God's people, well, surely, as you, do not, feel to be a sinner, why you, never go to this, that, and the other, or you do not do this, and do not do the other, ah, oh, my friends, there's a pollution within, these things, that dwell within us, well, he'll save us, from that, he will indeed, he'll save us, from our pollution, he will, he'll come, and he'll, wash us, like he did, his dear disciples, when he came, you know, to them, right at the, right at the very last, before he was about to suffer, to wash their feet, took a towel, you know, and girded his soul, oh, what a precious truth, ah, there is here, how he came, in to wash their feet, and then,

[26:08] Peter, you see how he said, you've never washed my feet, except I wash you, Peter, there, there are no path, or loss of me, he washes his sheep, he cleanses them, and so, he sees not only, my feet, but my hands, and my head, and then, Christ said this, except man, need not say, to wash his feet, but he is clean, every whit, what about, feet sins, center, while we are not, walking in the paths, of righteousness, we are walking, in sin, we have it up, our men made, I say, while we are not, walking in the paths, of righteousness, we are walking, in sin, there is only two, there is no middle way, there is no half, righteousness, and half sin, it is one, or the other, so that we need, do we not, that God, in his love, and mercy, will save us, out from feet, sins, when we walk, in things, that, are not according, to his word, so, then, we need, do we not, him to come, and wash us, he does, we do indeed, when he'll save us, save us, from our sin, where he came, to save us, from our sin, in his love, and compassion, when he lay, co-equal, co-etern, with the Father, he, that he did it, to a covenant, the covenant, of grace, that he, by a covenant, fulfill, every iota, of the covenant, of works, which you and I, could not, fulfill, and, never have been, able to, fulfill, will, for he, that's, sitting, in one, point, is guilty, of all, and is all, in ten commands, every one, of them, no need, to repeat, that we all, know the ten, commands, we taught them, childhood, and we, know, that it, has been, an impossibility, to keep, every one, of those, commands, why, we've broken, some of them, over, and over, and over, again, and do now, we've guilty of all, and so then, our dear,

[29:07] Savior, in his love, and pity, in that covenant, as he beheld his flock, his sheep, saw the need, to come, and save them, save them, in his, in his, in his, compassion, and love, and, and, ended into, that covenant bond, with the Father, and the Holy Ghost, that he would, save them, from their sin, so, in the fullness of time, he caved them, and paid, every iota, of the demands, of the law, which devided, perfect holiness, perfect purity, and, while you and I, could not, in any ways, bring this, before him, he came, to save them, that they might, come in possession, of that righteousness, of that purity, of that holiness, holy men, says the poet, and only they, walk in this, blessed way of life, my friends, you won't feel holy, far from it, but, your holiness, consists, in the finished work, of the dear,

[30:48] Redeemer, who came to save, his flock, in his finished work, when he came, to save them, from their sin, and as they, stand in Christ, complete, without any, blemish, without any, spot, or recall, they are, I'd say, saved, by him, and him alone, and, I thought, when thinking, upon, these sheep, the flock, how my mind, was led, for a few moments, I hold, to the shepherd, of our souls, he wasn't, only the shepherd, of our souls, you know, but, there was a, wonderful relationship, I feel, between, the shepherd, and the sheep, here, it's a, divine, oh, but, he was also, a lamb, you know, the lamb, that was slain, before the foundation, of the world, many offices, we have, uh, represented, in God's word, of him, and, despite, it seems, such a mystery, as one thought, upon it, yet, it does, give us, we feel, to, realize, that there is, a wonderful relationship, as he was, that lamb, that was slain, before the foundation, of the world, and if you and I, are a sheep, of his pasture, that is the relationship, oh, what a mercy, to feel it, isn't it, but, he is also, then, the shepherd, as we desire, to keep, here to, the word, before us, so, then, he being, over the flock, he saved them, as we were saying, from, sin, by the shedding, of his precious blood, upon the cross, oh,

[33:05] I say, the depth, of the mystery, of that, shedding of his blood, and it brought, to my mind, to, if I may, thus, express, my thoughts, here, which I feel, is right, if I have opened up, to the little, in private, when I was, away, recently, there was a lamb, in the fold, the place I was, who the mother, died, you know, and, the daughter, brought up, the little lamb, and it was, calm, and quiet, she brought it, indoors, well, I said, do you know, your little lamb, is bleeding, she says, no, I didn't notice it, well, I said, it has torn itself, somewhere, I thought about it, you know, as I saw that, and, and, you know, it leads out, towards, beyond, when we see these things, to him, our dear Savior, the Lamb of God, who taketh away, the sins of his people, how he was torn, by, the spear, and by the cruel nails, and previously to that, by the crown of thorns, that you and I, might receive an eternal, and everlasting salvation, that we might be delivered, from the power of hell, that we might be delivered, from the fear of men, that we might be delivered, from everything here below, oh, the depth in his love, greater love, of no man, than this, than that a man, should lay down his life, for his friends, ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever,

[35:05] I command you, so he saved them, saved them, with everlasting salvation, not something, that will last, just for a few days, but everlasting, thus, if he saves the soul, when he saved, the souls of his people, he saved them, everlasting, so be not discouraged, for a little, tried, flock, here below, if God has saved you, by his grace, his everlasting salvation, though there will be, and is must, that intervenes, in life's journey, yet, is this salvation, being everlasting, it will, land his people, saved, beyond, all things, in due time, it will indeed, or how some of us, have, dreaded, thought, when, that time will come, from, but you know, he saves them, from, he saves them, sometimes, from the fear of death, yes, or there are, now, and in a time, when he saves them, from it, it may only be, momentary, but you've heard me say, many times, already, no doubt, that, when he comes, in his love, and mercy, to us, may be, only momentary, as I've just said, then, there will be, a desire, to be with him, he'll be, to us, the cheapest, among ten thousand, and be, altogether lovely, we shall want, his presence, we shall want, to be with him, through life's journey, him to be, our companion, we shall be saying, like they did, on the way to Emmaus, did not our hearts, burn within us, while he taught, with us in the way, and opened up, to us, the scriptures, oh, my friend,

[37:20] I've thought, sometimes, when, I've read of those things, I'd like to have been with him, on the way to Emmaus, you know, there was times, then, when, he came unto his people, didn't he, here on earth, and he veiled himself, unto them, you see there, on that road, he was, with hold and from, with hold and from, and so that, they did not know him at first, but you see, he revealed himself, so he does his people sometimes, he reveals himself, to them, and they know his voice, his voice is, the voice of their beloved, and he does indeed, come and give them, a little touch of his, of his love, and then they'll say, oh, like they, like they did there, abide with us, oh, what a mercy it is, to, to, have in our house, that longing, for him to abide with us, well, that safety, in him, safety, when he abides with us, there is indeed, so that, there is within, that saving grace, that saving love, saving mercy, toward us, that he does not leave us, to, be carried away, by our many fears, or to be driven, away, from him, by those many things, that come against us, to the contrary, those very things, of those, that drive us, toward him, to mercy, when our, sicknesses, afflictions, and sorrows, and trials, and that sin, which does so easily, beset us, when it drives us, to him, drives us, closer, and closer, hanging upon him, as it were, like a poor thing, when they're drowning, you know, would stretch forth, to clutch anything, they may, to save themselves, from being overcome, in the mighty waters, and so, faith, the arm of our faith, the hand of our faith, would stretch forth, to lay hold, of Jesus, as the shepherd, of the flock, it will indeed, that we may not be, overcome, in the mighty waters, of affliction, afflictions, make us see, what else, would escape our sight, how to evolve, and dim our weed, and God, how pure, and bright, blessed are those, afflictions, that drive us, to Jesus,

[40:28] I've known some, that seemed as though, they were driving me away, have you got on in them, you always found, found that they, drove you to Jesus, I bowed to say, you found, sometimes, they seem to have been, driving you, further and further away, till they seemed, as though, to sink you, into despair, well, that's the way, but God, does not, afflict willingly, nor agree, the children of man, but, he causes, these things to come, and that ultimately, you may see, and know, the truth, that he declared, that his thoughts, are not our thoughts, neither are our ways, his ways, they are dead opposite, so is the path, that we tread, is dead opposite, to what human nature, would expect, or would like, and prefer, so that his ways, are far beyond, our understanding, or our imagination, as he, deals with us, day by day, and also, gives us, these things, to assure us, of his care, over us, as, being one of the prompt, or he, cares for the sheep, you see how, a shepherd, does care, for the sheep, here on earth, and so, as, they are, even here on earth, you know, they are subject, to diseases, sheep, as, sheep, is subject, to one terrible disease, that's, what they call, foot rot, that's the proper word, for it, and so, you see, it is with, a God's people, they suffer, with this disease, sometimes, yeah, their feet, get out of the way, you know, in the forbidden paths, and then the lobsters, then, and everybody, may know, that path, that's the same depth, but, there are measures of it, no, according to God's word, and then, they go into forbidden paths, they do indeed, and it brings them, into that place, they have a disease, and God alone, is that one, that can apply, the heavenly balm, to heal, the malady, and he does, he brings them back, he does indeed, his people back, sometimes, in a condition, where they, look almost, to themselves, they look upon themselves, disreputable, and unfitted, even to come, into his sacred presence, and yet, he welcomes such, unto him, he does indeed, the blacker, the fouler, and the more foul, one of these sheep, can be, the more are they welcomed, they are indeed, return them, unto thy rest, oh my soul, says one, therefore, will I save, my flock, so then, he'll save them, by his power, save them, from the world, save them, from, their own selves, self-deception, save them, from all their fears, that come upon them, many fears, will, come in your pathway, fear, that you are not, one of these sheep, you will indeed, those that have,

[44:50] I have a full assurance, but I'm not a full assurance, of faith, I don't mean here, that full assurance, there is a full assurance, that's false, I mean, of the hypocrite, who is so, soon, that all things, are well, but will find, to their sorrow, that, this is not the way, such, that seem, to run the race, and need, no, crowd, to check, their face, are only, rambling still, not fairly, in it on the mist, that gave, a narrow way, that mist, that leads, to Zion, to, my friends, surely, I'm speaking, to some here, this morning, that knows, something of this path, that I've tried, feebly to set forth, of the way, of the sheep, though you may, feel, to be unlike them, but you search, and see, if you can't find, one feature, that one has tried, to mention, this morning, that does not, that does not, coincide, with the, with the character, of a sheep, my dear friends, surely, there is a comparison, in our religion, with the sheep, as God, has laid it down, in his word, well it's profitable, sometimes, to search, these things, for it is, by searching, we find, no God, not only, in his sacred volume, but by searching, we find, out of God, in the soul, if he dwells there, where we shall search, and find him, when he dwells, in the souls, of his people, he does indeed, though, you see, how we feel, so far off, from that, but here, before I sit down, we must say this, that, there are those, two natures, he dwells in, the soul, of the new man, of grace, and, while you and I, are so often, looking at our, old flesh, there, as you've heard me say, sinks us, lower, and lower, and lower, all, to have been given, that living faith, to look out of soul, under him, who alone, is able to deliver, even under the uttermost, for I must give over, may the Lord be pleased, to add his best, to these two rewards,

[47:39] Amen.