The Father's good pleasure in salvation (Quality: Good)

[0:00] To help me, we would direct you prayerfully to the Gospel according to Luke chapter 12, reading verse 32.

[0:13] Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. How everything in the newborn child of God is according to the Father's good pleasure.

[0:39] It pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them whom he had condescending, to reveal his love to them.

[0:57] What a muster that is so, dear man. It would not be contradictory. But here it is, everything of the Father's will, that his dear people should be chosen before the foundation of the world.

[1:18] And though they were to fall into sin, and all would have sinned and come short of the glory of God, yet God's everlasting love to these chosen people, that he should manifest that love in sending his dear Son to be made under the law, that he might go to the end of the law, magnified and make it honourable.

[1:51] Now the law, in and of itself, is holy. And yet we see here how short we have come as we are convinced of our sins.

[2:04] in other words, as we are born again. John's Gospel speaks like this, that he was that true light that was to come into the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.

[2:29] You see, he was co-equal with God the Father. Yet three distinct persons, God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy God.

[2:42] Co-equal, co-eternal. And so here, he came unto his own, that is, amongst the Jewish nations. And his own received him not, but as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name, which were born not of blood.

[3:10] You see, they were, they said that Abram was their father. And so they were looking upon that lineage of Abraham.

[3:21] But they were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh. It may be the will of the flesh, of those that are under some form of religion, to do those things with regard to the ordinances of God's house.

[3:43] But oh, do you see, friends, it's not the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, this being born again. How many are deceived in others that say they are born again Christians.

[3:59] But you know, dear friends, it's not the will of man. You know, some love to be in office, in churches. Oh, look at the glory of the flesh.

[4:11] I went to the funeral with my dear one, of my late sister-in-law. Oh, the glory of the flesh.

[4:21] All the flesh. And the man loved himself in the pulpit with his expressions and with his, with all his paraphernalia. Oh, dear friends, that's the will of man, the glory of man.

[4:37] But oh, you know, if you are born of God. If you are born of God, oh, how it will humble you and me. How it will exercise you and me to know that we're amongst this little flock.

[4:54] There's going to be a separation of the sheep from the goats, the wheat from the tares. Let them grow together. You see, not all of Israel, the house of Israel, says Paul through the epistle to the Romans.

[5:11] So how vital it is, you know, if you're one of these true seekers, you will have many fears. True believers have doubts and they have fears often to the reality of their, of the work of quickening grace within them.

[5:29] There's a point I long to know often causes anxious fear. Do I love the Lord or no? Am I his or am I not?

[5:40] Is it such with you? If the Lord has truly begun that work of grace in your soul, you'll know what it is to travel much by night.

[5:51] And none can keep alive his own soul and it won't be fleshly excitement, not the will of the flesh, but the will of God. And so you pray, Lord, do manifest thy will that it might be done in the earth, that it might be done in my life, that I might have that real evidence in spite of all my fears that I am one of this little flock, the little flock, chosen vessels, the sheep of Christ that shall hear his voice.

[6:31] It isn't then eloquent orators, dear friends, working on the emotions of sinful man to make them followers of the name of God.

[6:44] We can have a name to live and be dead. How many countless religious folk today have a name to live and are dead? There's no life within them, there's no exercise in them as to how the case stands and how it will be in the swellings of Jordan.

[7:01] And so the Lord speaks very plainly, doesn't he, and teaches us to avoid hypocrisy. You know, if your hope is only the hope of a hypocrite, what a solemn end of the way for such sinners.

[7:16] When the Lord so quickens you by his spirit, there'll be a change brought, there'll be those fleeting glimpses glimpses of the beauty of Christ and the desire in your soul to win Christ and be found in him, not having your own righteousness.

[7:35] You see, the self-righteousness of the scribes and the Pharisees will certainly, dear friends, be revealed in that last day.

[7:46] So you have to pray, don't you, when you're exercised, Lord, do manifest to me that I am numbered amongst this little flock? It's not a poor sinner, is it, that is to have any ability or any way of salvation in and of himself.

[8:11] It is the blessed work of the Spirit, it is the Father's good pleasure. What a mercy that it is the good pleasure of God. His mercies are new every morning that he might reach for his arm and save you.

[8:27] It isn't great swelling numbers, is it? They fill the stadiums, don't they, with all these so-called evangelistic preachers and they seem to work on their emotions and they seem to accept Christ, these people, in a blasphemous, idolatrous, deceived way.

[8:48] that the child of God will know what this is. He will spend most of his life with desires often feeble and faint because he sees by the eye of faith and the word of God the solemn judgments upon the wicked and he knows he has a heart deceitful above all things and desperately wicked and oh what a burden is his heart to him, the old man of flesh, all the wretchedness that he feels at times, the darkness and the bondage and yet such a longing deep down in our souls may be very weak but there's a longing for Jesus to reveal himself to him that he is his good shepherd, that he has given his life for his unworthy soul.

[9:38] This is how a poor believer comes, doesn't he? Lord, I believe, help thou mine unbelief, but do come and grant me some living token for good.

[9:50] You see, he says, beware the leaven of the Pharisees which is hypocrisy. Oh, they love to be seen of men, love to stand at the street corners, look at the way some of these people go on, dear friends, standing at the street corners, casting their pearls before swine.

[10:13] Oh, there's a narrow line, isn't it, between preaching the word, isn't it, and casting pearls before swine. But this gospel is to be preached, and it is what the blessed spirit gives us to speak in that hour.

[10:32] And so it is vital, then, that we're amongst these seekers, and that we are favoured, dear friends, with the comforting of troubled hearts.

[10:45] You fear the future, you fear sometimes when things befall you as to what the outcome might be. But oh, what a precious word this is, this chapter, the part of it that we've read this morning, where the Lord says, consider the lily, and also he says, consider the raven, and also how he shows us this, the life is more than me, the life is more than me, the life of the spirit, dear friends, in your souls and mine, more than me.

[11:24] The way we can soon get carried away, can't we, with food and raiment, or the things that we see with the natural, vital, I know, for our bodily strength and support is food and raiment for our covering.

[11:43] Oh, how much more vital, he says, is the life is more than me, and the body is more than raiment. Lord, you say, then, do grant me a real exercise of soul.

[11:57] You see, a little leaven, leaven as the whole lump was called. Oh, may the Lord, then, grant you and me this blessed spirit, rising up within us, to give us, as it were, a dead lift, to breathe upon our dry bones, to speak the word only to our soul, fear not.

[12:20] All these fear nots in God's word, and the Lord says, you have more value than many sparrows. Can't believe it, can we, sometimes?

[12:32] Because we go along, we drift along, don't we, in our formal way of life here below. We have the set pattern of life that we have been acclimatized to, haven't we?

[12:48] But all this work of the spirit need for in your soul. We have to pray, don't we, in that state, Lord, help me, stir me up by thy spirit, Lord, or don't leave me to do those things that are contrary to thy will, but lead me and guide me into all truth, and apply the truth, Lord.

[13:12] See, what is the master's house to me? What is the word of God to me? What is worship to me unless I have a glimpse by faith of the Savior, that Christ might be the desire of my soul that I might have those evidences, a little treasure, you know, as matchless grace, may this treasure yours and mine, that you're amongst this flock, the sheep of Christ, he makes you to lie down in green pastures, he leads you beside the still waters to restore your soul.

[13:58] It's soul restoration work that is vital and needful for a poor believer, isn't it? And so you say, Lord, do grant me that it might be thy good pleasure to give me the kingdom, to give me Christ or else I die, to give me a knowledge of the truth, a crumb from my table, a word from heaven for the entrance of thy word giveth life.

[14:28] You see, we spoke about this, didn't we, in this earlier, about he was that true lie and the word was made flesh and dwelt amongst us, born of God, born of God, not of the will of man, not of the will of flesh, not of blood.

[14:49] You see, grace is not hereditary, solemn thought, is not hereditary. We've had godly parents, we have had godly family members, haven't we?

[15:01] But have we that grace in our hearts? You see, the solemn reality is that Jacob was loved and Esau was hated and they both came from the same womb.

[15:16] Oh, how vital then that the Lord exercises you and me. While there's life, there is hope, there's that gift of repentance and godly sorrow for sin, that it is the Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.

[15:31] Jesus says, seek ye first the kingdom of God, his righteousness. Seeking a knowledge of Christ, desiring to know Christ and desiring to hear his voice.

[15:45] my sheep hear my voice and I know them. Has this word ever been an exercise with you?

[15:56] Has it been the prayerful desire of your soul to know him? We know one another but all we don't know everything about each other, do we?

[16:09] God, man looketh upon the outward appearance but God looketh upon your heart. Is your heart and mine ever right before God?

[16:19] I say that in affection. Are our hearts ever right before God? Are we caught up at times by the blessed spirit to consider what we are in his pure and holy eye and brought there to plead that he would reveal to us the tokens of his love?

[16:44] you see we want don't we to enter into that kingdom, the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, the violent take it by force.

[16:56] What does your religion and mine consist of? Why it'll be dear friends I believe with much prayer exercise exercise and it won't be multiplying words.

[17:11] We often say to you that it is often with the Lord help me oh Lord I am oppressed oh Lord undertake for me.

[17:24] As he called I knew what it was like a crane and a swallow so did I chatter. Often our prayers are much chattering aren't they?

[17:34] much chattering before God. We ask for something that we want to consume upon the lust of the flesh and he doesn't answer it. But oh if it's the Father's good pleasure to exercise you and me to give you the kingdom then you'll be on the stretch for the blessing and you'll pray continually Lord help me to go on waiting upon thee for that renewed strength of my weak hands of faith that I'm not left to be overturned by Satan and all his wiles who would lull me to sleep and help me and he would do his utmost to make me and help me to settle down on the things of time state and say well you have those things given by God but all this vital exercise of the gift of eternal life that these sheep of Christ shall receive you know they shall never be plucked out of his hand or out of the Father's hand for I am my father of one he tells us though the exercise with the child of God

[18:46] Lord deliver me from false props from false hopes but do search me oh God and know my heart try me and know my thoughts and see if there be any wicked way in me and leave me in the way everlasting born of the spirit so ye must be born again yes the Nicodemuses that are much learned in scripture great theologians ye must be born again created anew in Christ and it'll be the plea with you and me creating me a clean heart oh God renewing me a right spirit a spirit of grace and of supplication that I might plead with thee that thou yet favour me with a token of thy love and enable me to be enabled enable me to confess thy name before me and this won't be glibly will it you know it'll be something that holds you and me back often to speak if the

[20:06] Lord has revealed himself to you in any way you'll be holding back because if you are a true seeker and one that does desire to believe in him you know it'll be contrary to the will of your flesh to testify of him but if it's real the work of grace there will be that time when the very stones will cry out I know in my own case it was when we had to come out from one cause and go to another because of the sins in that cause not that we were without sin but it was five years before the Lord brought me to testify before men of what I hoped he had done for myself it's no five minute wonder is it it's something that goes on the exercise of soul and you want to be sure don't you in your mind there's a spirit you'll look for confirmation you know there comes the time when you know the spirit is much more powerful than the restraints of the flesh you see it won't be glowing in the flesh as so many want to be baptized and it's glowing in the flesh they want to be somebody or something but the true seeker the true candidate for baptism will be so reluctant to come forward but they are being forced to at that set time as I said the very stones would cry out if they did not come and tell all around what a saviour they'd have so you see this is the work isn't it it's the father's good pleasure to give you and me a token for good you don't earn it you don't deserve it you don't deserve one favour of god do you but through mercy he has been better to us each than all our fears and through mercy some of you can say thus far my god has led me on made his truth and his mercy now and oh it humbles you sometimes when your eyes are open to see that is the eye of your soul is favoured to see the goodness of the lord before you in the land of the living it's been his good pleasure it's unmerited you know salvation is unmerited for sinners it's all through the goodness of the mercy of the lord god and it's his good pleasure and jesus there you see came into the world to seek out and to say lost and ruined sinners this lost condition you know is often with a poor sinner in his felt deadness you feel sometimes you'll be lost you're lost you've lost your way you know not sometimes you have to say this unto me belong a shame and confusion of faith where am I what am I strange and mysterious is my life lord is it with others like this because I feel so much in bondage and so dark and so careful and so troubled about the things that don't matter really when it comes to die there'll be of no veil to me then whatever the lord has given me in providence that won't save myself and so you come with that desire lord do condescend to grant me some life

[24:09] I feel so lost you see the lord can only find you the only lord can only find you you know I believe in my early days in the ministry motoring into London I have many fears and at times felt that I you know I had lost my way but all we had to beg I believe in that car at times lord do guide me do guide me do direct me do lead me forth by the right way direct me and oh I believe there are occasions when the lord so favoured me with those directions in leading me to those causes of truth which were completely unknown to me and then the help needful to preach and still we need that same help friends we we do need the gracious spirit of the lord to keep us alive in these things and to be conscious that he alone and it is according to his good pleasure that he is able to grant you deliverance from your fears fear not little long you see you won't be some great thing will you you'll be a humble convert to

[25:34] Christ unworthy of his notice yes lord I do feel to have lost my way at time I do get tempted sometimes that I have mistaken the way but you know if the lord has begun that good work in you you'll continue plead his presence in his help lord may it please thee oh god may it please thee to condescend to hold up my goings in thy paths that my footsteps slip not and that thou mightest teach me to do thy will and govern my ways and my affairs and give me grace to be still because so often where seems to be as I said shame and confusion of faith we seem to be at times in such turmoil lord do be thine own interpreter do make the way plain for me that leads to eternal bliss well how shall I escape lord if

[26:39] I'm left and neglect this great salvation teach me to do thy will leave me in a plain path because of mine enemies but oh do not leave me or forsake me well what does he say through the prophet of Isaiah may we take a little comfort in it when we seem to have lost the way I will leave the blind or are you a blind beggar begging your way asking your way to Zion with your faces there the one seeking to know and do his will knocking upon the door of mercy but he says I will lead the blind by way that they were new I will lead them in paths that they have not known but I will not forsake them you see as you honour him daily in your lives I trust you do in seeking to read his word seeking to pray over his word seeking that he would be your guardian your guide your comforter that him that we've just sung that the gracious spirit dove divine might truly be your guide as he the blessed spirit reveals to you the things of

[28:03] Jesus and it's all according to the father's good pleasure to preserve you under his heavenly kingdom and favour you with a token from time to time of his love you're not left to turn back as the Satan would do his utmost to turn you and me out of the way and tempt you to give up and call no more upon the name of the law but here he says it is the father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom kingdom and so that needfulness to be exercised not to be carried away with the goods laid up in many years or that we would realise that God gives us these gifts doesn't he that are laid up in the earth where he provides and supplies our need but all to feel one thing is needful and for the Lord to engrave it upon your heart you see it's the work of the spirit isn't it to engrave it upon your heart that he's the one thing needful that he's the vital needful thing the knowledge of Christ oh you see it is looking to the Lord in his sovereign mercy to bless you with needful grace oh Lord do tell me

[29:35] I am amongst this little flower oh make me a true sheep of Christ that I'm not left Lord to wander into Bipart Meadow look at the sheep is there a more stupid creature in the earth than the sheep dear friends oh if they soon find a hole in the fence they'll all follow won't they and all whatever disaster might be awaiting them they all follow all the carnage that I witnessed once across the so-called ashdown forest in England which is open to the rain roads and the carnage dear friends of those sheep knocked down by vehicles they all follow one another and what of you and me dear friends are we any better than the sheep oh we're so foolish and ignorant of the things of

[30:36] God anyway if we if we be given natural wisdom in other things but all to be given this heavenly wisdom whoso is wise and will observe these things even they shall understand the loving kindness of the Lord for their love of God was so great that he gave the life of his son as a ransom and his son was willing in that foreknowledge of God in that foredeterminant counsel and foreknowledge of God it was agreed that Christ Jesus had come into the world to seek out and save sinners for this flock the shepherd giveth his life for his sheep is there any love in your heart of the Lord Jesus for this he never melted you down to behold that scene of matchless grace Jesus in the sinner's place heaven's brightest glory sunk in shame that rebels might adore his name do we rebel against

[31:46] God's dealings with us or have we been brought there to murmur and complain with our love or we have to confess it don't we none of us guiltless when it comes to murmuring against God and yet he says fear not yet he says fear not you sometimes feel you sinned away your privileges is and oh the Lord is still faithful that promise for he says it is your father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom and oh you'll have a little I believe of this treasure in your earthen vessel a little good hope through grace that he has begun that good work in spite of the roaring of Satan and his agents and they're countless aren't they that you come across in your life

[32:46] Satan that desire to have thee that he might sift thee as wheat but I pray for thee that thy faith fail not it is your father's good pleasure for every good gift and every perfect gift cometh down from the father of lights in whom there is no wearableness neither shadow of turning oh he is faithful that promised you know is this God and he becomes the refuge and strength for his dear chosen people and he has promised to give you the kingdom give you the kingdom he says sell that ye have and give arms provide yourself bags with wax which wax not old a treasure in the heavens that faileth not where no thief approacheth neither moth corrupt it everything here below is corrupted by sin nor we carry about with us a body of sin and death but oh what a mercy of

[33:51] Christ Jesus has quickened you into life with that spirit convinced you of your sins given you a broken heart and contrition of spirit and you humbly wait upon him to yet confirm your soul as a chosen vessel wretched man wretched woman by sin but oh if there's that good thing found in your heart toward the Lord God of Israel he's given it you it's been his good pleasure his good pleasure to awaken you from the dead his good pleasure to give you an aching void that the world cannot fill his good pleasure to save your soul from death destruction and despair all the love of Christ all the love of Christ dear friends oh that he should condescend to grant you these fear not he applies them he says fear thou not for

[34:57] I am with thee you know it's a great privilege to feel this hope in your soul that the eye of the Lord is upon you his omnipresent he's omnipotent he's omniscient his heart dear friends his heart dear friends is human a human heart he still retains though thrown in highest please what a mercy the eye of the Lord is upon you he knows the desires of your souls here this morning or on the relay he knows what you want he knows that effectual fervency of spirit within you at times that rises up Lord save me or I perish and it will be that on a death bed if not before won't it when you realise that no help in self anymore through weakness and failing of the body it's then your knee cries what a mercy if the

[36:05] Lord has so revealed himself earlier in years and given you a longing and a panting after the living water brooks all for a sip Lord all for a crumb all for a token all for some evidence that I shall be subjects in thine everlasting kingdom you see a kingdom of immense delight where pure enjoyment reigns favour me oh God you see your say favour me with the with that favour thou dost bear unto thy people do visit my soul do give me a living testimony Lord do speak the word only and I shall hear because he opens the heart to receive the truth and he says ye shall know the truth the word made flesh as we said not by the will of man not by your fleshly wills dear friends but by the precious voice of the good shepherd of the sheep who giveth his life for the sheep my sheep here oh you know he breathed upon oh didn't he breathe upon that poor man that was deaf and dumb spat upon the ground didn't he make clay for his eyes and oh he said if after if after be opened and immediately his hearing came and he heard oh what a difference when the lord causes his sayings to sink down deep into your ears and into your very heart like the alidia of our heart was open and grace was given to her to attend under these things spoken you see it was the father's good pleasure it was the appointed time the set time to favour that dear woman quicker in life of the spirit and oh how even

[38:17] Rahab was delivered wasn't she from the by sheltering the spies oh how she was favoured and oh how she'd been such a wretched vile sinner wouldn't be looked upon by you and me perhaps in our self righteousness when we're made dear friends to feel how sinful and vile we are we can't point a finger at another can we what a mercy if we see that change wrought not the change of the will of the flesh but by the will of God convincing us of sin exercising us with true repentance and causing us to come and confess our sins where are now thine accusers where are now thine accusers oh I believe the Lord spoke that to me once very plainly when we felt so guilty of our sin at that special time but the

[39:24] Lord gave us a glimpse of himself by faith where now thine accusers oh I believe dear friends these are the things that add up in our lives little testimony of the mercies of a covenant God toward us things that we have can say that we have handled tasted and found of the word of life or it will be but a little here below but oh then the Lord speaks fear not little flock now these sheep often are disobedient we hinted earlier follow the leader follow one another get carried away in some sinful lust of the flesh but the Lord knows how to bring them back what a rejoicing when the Lord brings back the wandering sheep carries them on his shoulder and oh there is joy in heaven over one sinner that repented rather than ninety-nine that have no need to repent when he melts your hard heart when he makes you tender in his fear when he gives you an aching boy when you plead

[40:42] Lord send help we pray thee and grant me that good pleasure of thyself to speak to my soul and assure my interest in this glorious gospel to be fabled with a little of this treasure this treasure dear friends which is your earth and vessel that the excellence in the power may be of God and not of us what is this treasure why it's free and sovereign grace that exercises you to look to that fountain open for sin and uncleanness and you pray Lord do speak the promise to me fear not for I have redeemed thee I called thee by thy name thou art mine speak speak speak speak these things but oh it's the application of them apply them

[44:07] Lord with power give me a broken heart contrite spit and do heal me and restore unto me the joy of salvation that I might be privileged to hear thy voice say fear not little flower now you see you'll come with many fears and the Lord alone is able to allay your fears able to whisper unto you peace be unto you my peace I leave with you not as the world giveth unto you let not your heart be troubled neither let it be afraid when the Lord says it is I be not afraid peace be still or what comfort seems to reign in your soul perhaps only for a few moments maybe for a few hours but sweet the moments rich in blessing which before the cross I view oh it's looking unto Jesus isn't it and oh the

[45:08] Lord might give us clearer views of himself that you might have that closer walk with God that calm and heavenly pray that light that shines upon the road that leads you to the land that's the light isn't it and we have to plead Lord send out thy light and thy truth let them lead me and guide me to thy holy hill and to thy tabernacle fear not little flock well may the Lord in his sovereign mercy bless a few remarks that we trust have come down from heaven to speak and may he bless your souls with these tokens of his love we leave it there the Lord at his blessing amen