Fearing and seeking sinners (Quality: Good)

[0:00] The words I would venture to try and make a few remarks from you will find in the 28th chapter of the Gospel according to St. Matthew, verses 5 and 6.

[0:16] And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye, for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified.

[0:34] He is not here, for he is risen. As he said, Come, see the place where the Lord lies.

[0:49] Amen.

[1:19] Before we come immediately to the words, it may be profitable if the Holy Spirit lead us a little into the things which cause these women and his disciples.

[1:49] To have fear. It is not that fear you've just been singing of. That fear of the Lord. This fear is what a fear before they had looked upon their Lord and Savior, had his company.

[2:13] And now, in the knowledge that he had been crucified, dead and buried.

[2:25] And also, those things that surrounded them, at this time, cause them to fear.

[2:37] Well, you and I will not be strangers to this fear.

[2:48] There will be times when we shall fear. There will be times when we shall fear that though we believe and know, by the written word, that Christ did come here on earth to suffer, bleed and die.

[3:07] We shall fear, lest this was not for us. That we shall not for us. That we shall not always be confident.

[3:21] Though we may have had an experience in the past. And experience in the past. I say we shall not always be confident.

[3:37] That these things were done for us. This will bring us into an exercise. And into a fear.

[3:47] This will cause us to cry unto him. That he will renew unto us. His former loving kindness ends.

[4:01] That he will come again and lead us into those paths which once we hope we knew.

[4:14] Even the days of our first espousals, when we went after him in the wilderness.

[4:24] When our second espousals, when we went after him in the wilderness. When we had a good friend, when we went after him and met us, when we went after him, when we went after him. It was presented to us. While the circumstances that surround us will cause us to fear. Especially when a new contract of guilt, new sorrows, new trials surround us.

[4:46] And there will be questionings within. within surely this is not the way surely these things that accompany me at this time will prove ultimately that I am a castaway so you fear this fear too will be predominant I believe in the time of trouble and trial and affliction and although we know it is not right for it casts disorder upon God and yet creatures of fear we drag along and fear where no fear is to part of us the part of our flesh and none can raise themselves above it there's only one that can raise a soul above this fear that's gone alone that voice that spoke here under these women fear ye not oh what a mighty voice is that voice that come in from heaven there is no voice that can penetrate into the human soul but this voice sometimes this voice is spoken as it is repeated by the Holy Ghost in the soul sometimes this voice is heard when his unworthy servants are venturing to set it forth by the Holy Ghost as it penetrated into the soul as so that all honor and all praise must redound to God alone if indeed his word enters into the heart the heart speaks of fear not under the poor fearing people of God indeed I believe that it is under such this voice is directed I wonder how many there are here walking in this path of fear well there's not many that know this path indeed the only ones that know this path are God's people your religion is not the religion of the reprobate your religion is not one of one who has a sure foundation always are God's people. Your religion is not the religion of the reprobate. Your religion is not one of one who has a sure foundation always, who can always speak of their solid standing upon the rock, who meet no checks in the way. Those that seem to run the race, find no nothing to check their space, are only rambling still, not fairly in it on the list, the gate and narrow way their best, that leads to Zion Hill.

[9:24] Oh, to be reserved, my friends, from settling down upon a sandy foundation, from settling down upon something that is not real, is better to fear than to be left in presumptuous pride.

[9:43] It's better to fear than to be left to go on year after year. Big said he's finding to be well at last, and then find that we only have the shell and not the curl.

[10:03] Oh, what a mercy it is then, if that fear we have is brought about, especially in this particular case, because of the absence of the Lord and Savior.

[10:24] The Lord and Savior, as he seems to be absent from you, have you been a long time, it may be, and he seems to be silent towards you.

[10:35] And you fear that he will never come again. You fear that you will never hear his voice.

[10:46] He now there, a port of sorrow. But I will see you again, and your heart will rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you. Think of that fearing one.

[11:07] You fear you fear you shall never see him again. Sorrow fills your heart, hasn't it? Because of this condition, and you fear of the cause of his absence.

[11:28] Well, he doesn't hide his face for nothing. Try, may I say, kindly, try and search, as you are enabled, the cause.

[11:42] Sometimes it may be we have been a little life-hearted, perhaps, or we have been in a place of indifference, neglectful of those things which are most important.

[12:01] That's because of fear, and sometimes when he hides his face from us, it is a condition of chastening, to chasten us, as a wise parent does with their children, if they love them.

[12:28] who sometimes appear to hide their countenance from them to cause the child's sorrow and make the child love the more or real that is, even naturally so it is spiritually when God in his love to his children hides his face for a purpose causes them to fear I am sure this will make them cling closer and closer and closer to Christ cause them to cry to turn once more under my soul let me once more see thy countenance let me once more know something of thy love in my heart so that you need him to come and say fear not ye so may I say here if any of you my dear friends come into God's house full of fear may he grant that you may return from this house of God finding those fears are swallowed up in the love of God swallowed up by the inward witness of the spirit that he is yours by divine union with him and that in eternity in the eternal covenant well he said fear not ye for I know that ye seek Jesus he knows it see God knows that you are seeking Jesus well there is a seek in him

[15:04] I believe and also may I say here to the seekers that there is a promise with you and that all yea and amen in Christ are unalterable these promises and this promise to you is seek and ye shall find ask it to be given knock and it shall be open to you if you are seeking Jesus may you have been able to seek him first and foremost which I know you are if you seek him my prayer that you may seek him upon the knees this doesn't mean you know always in the act of it

[16:11] God does bring his people to their knees I know that to be true just breaking away for a moment I remember one time in deep trouble and trial and affliction God brought me to my knees in the act of it I mean say what did you say nothing nothing I was done with silence because thou didst it but he brought me to my knees do you think that was prayer yes vital prayer may I say here and now that there is more prayer at those times I totally believe and when we may think we have uttered a well ordered prayer prayer may I say this to encourage him to many should you come into this path where God brings you to your knees you'll fear and your fear will be so great that you will fear that he has entirely forsaken you and you'll feel alone as you steal away in secret before him well there is this fear not and there will be a seeking

[17:55] Jesus when in this fear there will be a seeking him at the throne of grace but there will also be in a seeking him as that one that came here on her to obtain an everlasting and eternal salvation for his people one wanted to come a little more into this pathway here as these women here were witnesses of the resurrection of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and how you know we read just now how the veil of the temple was rented twain from the top to the bottom you are fearing that you will never know and that it is well with your soul here is the open way that Christ himself opened up where wise trembling fearing souls my approach under the

[19:39] Father through Christ so if you are fearing that you'll never know what God's people know may you be led this way that God and Christ have opened up on purpose for you who are fearing that you may indeed adventure under him even the Father through through Christ and in his merits alone pleading them before the Father that you may indeed be delivered from fear and that you may be brought to know him whom to know is life eternal eternal well then there is a fear which

[20:53] God's people are the subject of and there is a fear that is known arising from that fear which you mean singing that says contradictorily doesn't it but I say through this fear that I'll try to explain a little though they feebly it will create that filial fear that fear which will fear to transgress against God and yet we shall find we are transgressors day by day not that he gives us license to do it I don't mean that but being of the earth earthy poor failing creatures as we are we shall find plenty of work for repentance

[21:54] I say we shall find plenty of work for repentance and for godly sorrows for sin we shall indeed well this fear then will bring us into a place where we shall have that filial fear of God I know that you seek Jesus there is a seeking than that by prayer seeking him at the throne of grace there is a seeking him in his earthly courts isn't it a blessed path when we wend our souls to his house from time to time to come to seek Jesus and nothing else not to seek any soul adoration not to be seen and heard of man not in any wise to be exalted but one desire only to seek

[23:12] Jesus in the sanctuary for he loves to dwell in Zion Christ done I wonder if he dwells among us here this morning or how we do desire that this might be his dwelling plans well there is a knowing him for I know that ye seek Jesus well there is a seeking him I say in his earthly course and though you may come and go sometimes away disappointed it doesn't deter you does it from still seeking why is that because that seeking in my heart is placed there by the

[24:17] Holy Spirit you may depend that there is a vast difference between a living soul seeking Jesus and those that have a false religion and would have us believe they seek him but you know the seeking of Jesus by a living soul is vehement and it's continuous that they continually seek him they do indeed and also there is that desire in their hearts to seek him in his earthly courts as often as the doors are open an opportunity of force them and there is nothing we to stand in the way so there is solemn thing if we become lukewarm as we have heard spoken of here recently in our attendance to the house of

[25:35] God now I speak this in kindness and I feel that those here before me are not of this category that I say again there are very solemn things we go in and thither to find there are those who are satisfied to come to the table once a day souls don't seem hungry to need another meal all my friends are solemn things you know I don't speak those things with animosity or anything unkindly but I speak that we are living in solemn days when there seems to be a vast amount of lukewarmness can it be said that such are seeking Jesus I can be said that they are seeking him all right in these earthly courts it's the place where

[26:45] God have appointed that he'll meet with them it's the place where they've said they'll meet with him in his earthly courts in his house and he will indeed and he does as he not met with us here now and again he has indeed well to pass on this fear they had brought forth this from the angel from God which that's what it means they were seeking Jesus Jesus so then they sought him in this case at the sepulchre you have sought Jesus the sepulchre seen that mighty corporal which appeared unto many around as being finished forever looked upon as a deceiver looked upon as one that is no account and when you see their craft deceit were so great that they attempted to make the stone sure you know the terrible thing that the

[28:27] Jews spoke of that day is blood be upon us and our children that's been fulfilled in the very day we live my friends I know those things are solemn but it's true you know how it was that when we look into the purposes of God in these things they're too deep to understand that we believe them so then you see they looked upon him as being of no value and yet these women were seeking him at the sepulchre I like to dwell upon dear Mary as she came here to the sepulchre to dwell upon to visit and to seek

[29:38] Jesus Jesus Jesus at this time so then as he lay in the sepulchre to all appearances to the world was gone forever yet you see they had faith to seek him and so that they they were there because he had done such great things for them as you've heard me say before with God's dear Mary she was the first of the sepulchre very early why because she'd been forgiven her great sins my friends see how her love according unto the word

[30:39] Jesus spoke who do you think will love most whether it was the 500 pence debtor or the 50 pence ah some of you know that truth how much has forgiven you son say well I hardly know well you know why a greater sinner you will be or how he's been revealed to you it doesn't mean going out and drove to sin it means according to the measure God has shown you of your sin and so it may be that you may be a 50 pence or 500 pence debtor in the sight of God but he frankly forgave them both submersive proving to us that there is no debt too large none too great for you see his precious blood atoned for a filthy

[31:53] Mary and a dying thief and for sins as vile as yours and mine devotion of redeeming love devotion of endless mercy devotion of the atonement to swallow up sin so vile so foul so black as yours and mine and not only so that Christ in his great love and compassion obtained for us an everlasting righteousness that is cast upon the soul there is a seeking

[32:54] Jesus at the sepulchre seeing him there then as that one that was in a place that he might swallow up death in victory are you fearing death sinner we all fear it it's a mighty monster isn't it the face fear not the idea of saviour walked his path he swallowed up death in victory he did indeed and he hath shown us the path he hath perfumed the grave with his merits so that although we have many fears and have many wonderings yet we seek

[34:10] Jesus as that one that overcame that mighty that mighty monster that all must experience and have gained the victory over that that is people when Jesus rose from the dead who rose with him if indeed they be bowed of his bow flesh of his flesh so that having risen with Christ so that you see it is their desire to seek him also as they behold him as the wild man did obtain these glorious deeds for them and then gave them to as a rich gift by us as a legacy for that very old oh the depth of the mystery of

[35:35] God's most blessed love I find no words to be able to speak fully of the love of God in that he sent his dear son to die that we might see him in and through his own merits to lead in none other merit but his come before him sinner in thy ways come before him in thy filth come before him in all thy degradation he is apparent and open by the dear lamb of God upon Calvary Christ he who suffered at the hands of men when they planted a crown of thorns and put him on his dear sacred head stripped him and put upon him a purple robe as we've been reading and then you know there was nothing more disdainful in the east in those days that are spit upon anyone you know it's considered an awful thing one of the violent things our dear saviour suffered this by hands of men he suffered these things that

[37:20] Jews and I might have a grand release that we might be delivered from the curse of the Lord that we might be delivered out of the hands of men that we might be delivered from all our fears and that we might too be given a heart a changed heart to what we once had to seek him well there is seeking him in the sepulch and there will be a seeking of him in the word to he he he he is wonderful way you'll find

[38:22] Christ in the word we seek him you'll find him in the old testament unto us the child is poor unto us the son is given and the government shall be upon his shoulder and he's been called wonderful counselor the mighty god the prince of peace they seek him in the world he's found in the old testament I say even upon the day when god came into the garden of Eden and spoke those words unto Adam the seed of the woman shall bruise the serpent's hand and he shall bruise his heel so it was fully accomplished here in these words we read this morning that he came and he did bruise the serpent's hand and he did bruise his heel so that

[39:50] Christ you see has suffered at the hand of Satan and those wicked men around and yet there's a death fear I feel that self same purpose were they who is not as a deep a carnal reason will never believe the self same purpose were they who is not my Judas I scan it God said I have created the waster to destroy so it is throughout the scripture but I must digress how then there is a seeking him in the world there's seeking him in the psalms and so throughout the word of God there will be a seeking him in the world so is a mercy of your eye having led to seek him even in that way fear ye not for

[41:02] I know well God knows all these things that we see him and behold them and it says here which was crucified how then he was crucified as we just touched on a little just now crucified that you and I might live that we derive our life from his death that the death of his was life unto his people and how then when he was crucified upon the cross you see how it was that the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom not half way it's not half an open way to heaven no half free will and half free grace my friend no mix up here an open way he was rent from the top to the bottom where the

[42:22] God's people may venture unto the father so then as Christ suffered for his people you see how he suffered for the just for the unjust that he might receive a full and free salvation for his people in the sixth verse he says he is not here you know how Christ in another place says why seek he the living among the dead he's not here oh what a mercy it is my friends if you and

[43:25] I are not left to seek the living among the dead you won't find them I want to be perfectly clear here I believe that our times there have been times when Christ has been found in that way but you know there will be that knowledge given to us that it is not the dwelling place of God above the dead try and explain it this way we shouldn't expect to find Christ above those who practice wicked and vile things however they may be polished however they may appear to man to be harmless so let's be shall we under that anywhere wherever it may be where

[44:36] Jesus is not to be found is not according to what would you have to fair one mind I know that's close but I say I am sure that a living soul will not be comfortable in any place where Jesus could not be asked but I may say that very reverently to come and make one in the midst when he will know our dear savior as sick was an utter at bottom strength went into the synagogue and he found those that bought and sold us and the money changes and various things and you know he overturned their tables made up with the small cords and thrust them out my house shall be called a house of prayer but ye have made it a den of thieves thus

[45:56] I hope that's made it a little clear for what I mean that living cannot dwell to guide me with the dead so mercy if you and I have some humble hope that the living people of God are our best friends that they are part of us as it were for they are part of us although there may be our natural temperaments maybe many things perhaps in us as creatures as we were born with it yet there is I say with a living soul that that can over shadow and cover those many false and failings can indeed it's a mercy then isn't it to have this knowledge given to us that he is not here that is to say he's not here in those places where our sin is practiced or even where there are those things under a god or religion that may appear to be right so then may god grant as far as we are enabled a few of us here may stand fast in the faith that once delivered to the saints desire humbly to hold fast to it not with a bigoted spirit not with any thought that we are going to be better than others but with an inward witness that these things are those things alone that shall be acceptable unto god that he cannot look upon anything else only with utter abundance for the time has gone by the lord we please wear his blessing to these few remarks