Christ's determination to save sinners (Quality: Very good)

[0:00] As the Lord may be pleased to help me, I would again direct you prayerfully to Luke's Gospel chapter 6 and reading verse 10.

[0:15] And looking round about upon them all, he said unto the man, Stretch forth thy hand.

[0:25] And he did so, and his hand was restored whole as the other. We see here then the Lord instructing his twelve apostles.

[0:44] And likewise, henceforth, all his true seeking disciples will be walking in the truth as it is in Jesus.

[1:00] The truth will be a lamp to our feet, a light to our path. And there may be some hard things for you and me to swallow our pride.

[1:13] And to fulfill what we have read today in this chapter alone, without further chapters in the Gospel, comparatively speaking in Matthew and Mark as well, concerning this poor man.

[1:34] And this poor man had to be shown that Jesus was the one alone who could heal on the Sabbath as well as in any other time in the week.

[1:53] And what a mercy that there is the healing of the sick, the same as he likened it, is how much more needful when he showed the comparison of the sheep falling into the ditch and one would rescue it.

[2:13] And yet, as we know, the sheep has no soul. The beast going down to the earth. So, the man, woman, child, that die, dear friends, will go to the judgment seat and on to hell if they've never believed in the Lord Jesus Christ's almighty power that is able to save unto the uttermost all those that are born again by the Spirit and called to the judgment seat.

[2:56] And Jesus says, If any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous, who has stood in their room and place instead before God the just judge of the whole earth.

[3:16] And so how needful it is for you and me to consider our ways. Not to think that we're somebody good, that we're not perfect in our flesh because the kind of mind from the flesh is an enmity to God and cannot be anything different.

[3:42] But if the Lord has quickened you and me by His Spirit, we shall be desiring to live that life of faith by prayer, bringing our hard things to Him.

[3:58] And Jesus will not pass by and leave His chosen people to perish because He said, He that believeth in me shall not perish but have everlasting life.

[4:12] This is a wonderful prospect for you and me when we're clothed and in our right minds. We shall sit at the feet of Him. We shall look in looking for Him to heal us and restore unto us this joyous blessing of a promise, exceeding great and precious promise that He gives to sinners that have been taught their sad state by nature.

[4:42] And you will not be trying to undermine the people of God. You will not be full of misery and complaints, dear friends, about others.

[4:55] It will be looking upon your own heart to see whether it's right and whether it's been chosen of God before the world was made. It's a solemn thing to be a human being born in sin and shaped in iniquity, conceived in sin.

[5:13] What else can you be and I but a sinner? Oh, if you're a sinner saved by grace, you'll bless and praise the Lord that He has brought you here to look upon you, turn His back to the scribes and the Pharisees who will be critical of you and me, and bring you into His banqueting house.

[5:43] And you have to say, why me? And will say, why me? Why was I made to hear thy voice and enter Wadha's room when thousands make a wretched choice and rather starve and come?

[5:55] May you and I be more conscious about this. To be favoured amongst the Lord, to have a living testimony, to live and die on, the truth.

[6:06] These are the truths that you can live on and die on, and die on in safety, because your safety is in the merits of the Lord Jesus Christ and what He has done.

[6:20] Stood in your room, place and stood. What an unworthy, favoured soul you are to know it. And you feel that. Not worthy of the least of His mercies, but to whom else can we go, Lord?

[6:34] They'll ask the words of eternal life to give. So we bless the Lord for this favour, don't we? Oh, to feel more life in their spirit, to more humility and more love, and seek to bear one another's burdens and so fulfil the Lord Christ.

[6:53] There's so much deceitfulness in the so-called preaching of the day. Oh, we want to have the truth burnt in, dear friends.

[7:05] Living evidence is that we are born of God and that our treasure is above. This is the vital, dear friends. This is the good treasure in your earthen vessel.

[7:16] You'll bring it forth. You won't be able to hide your light under a bushel. You'll bring it forth. Because the love of Christ moves you to walk worthily of Him.

[7:28] The vocation wherewith you have being called looking to Jesus. Oh, may His name become more and more precious to your life and mine. As we journey on.

[7:40] Because sure as we are here today in the flesh, we should be brought before the judgment seat when we die. What a mercy if you and I have the evidence within you that you have had this desire that He would heal you.

[7:59] That He would cause you, call you to come. Come unto me. All ye that labour and have been laid there's much labour.

[8:09] There's much people in the world that are heavy laden and are labouring. Labour for the bread that perishes. But He said labour not for the bread that perishes but that gift of eternal life.

[8:25] That's the labouring. Labouring at the mercy seat. Labouring at the throne of grace. Lord, bow down thine ear. Do come where I am to show me a token.

[8:37] I need healing. I need restoring. My very best is staying and dying with sin. My all is nothing. People are afraid to speak of sin but they're full of it.

[8:50] Full of it. Crown of our head, soul of our food, nothing but wounds and bruises and putefying sores that cannot be bound up or mollified. This is the reality of the truth, friends, and we feel it.

[9:05] I know we don't feel it all the time but we have to acknowledge we're sinners in God's sight. It's in peace. His eyes are pure. His eyes beholden, dear friends, the wicked.

[9:19] His eyes behold too where he has determined him to save and what a blessed mercy if the gospel is bearing your drooping spirits up when we see what we are as reflected in the scripture.

[9:35] What a great need there is for Christ to come. Lift up the light of his countenance upon you and bid you and me peace. My peace. Oh, blessed be the Lord that he might grant you and me this peace of God that passeth all knowledge and understand.

[9:51] You won't be so concerned about the Pharisees. You pass them by as he does and you'll say, Lord, make me right and keep me right.

[10:03] Preserve unto me this blessed gift of the truth which reveals to you and me a saviour laying down his life for his friends and you are my friends if you do whatsoever I command you.

[10:19] His commandments, dear friends, are not grievous. They'll encourage you to cast all your burdens upon the Lord and look to him for those signs and wonders that he gives you grace to persevere.

[10:36] It's a hard pathway to get to heaven. It's a narrow way and it's striving to enter the straight gate fear the bit of finding. It's a hard message to receive that we're bringing forth today, friends.

[10:50] It's God's word, not mine. It's his teaching, not mine. And so we need the Lord in his mercy to grant us that grace.

[11:04] Grace to separate ourselves and the world that lies in wickedness. You cannot escape from being in the world but you don't want their treasures.

[11:16] You only want sufficient to live on, don't you, in here below. And here, supply your need. It's not having billions and billions and trillions, dear friends.

[11:28] It's having a little that a righteous man is better than many riches and the wicked. And so we have to realize that and it's painful to exceed it sometimes when you're toiling and rowing.

[11:44] But he knows the way and like this poor man, he was probably pretty helpless with one hand that could not could not stretch forth of itself.

[11:59] But when the Lord commanded him, he came. He stretched out his hand. I believe his hand was stretched, was healed in a measure that he could reach forth, that he could reach forth and see it be restored.

[12:17] He's the all-wise physician. And he overrules the earthly physician. But you will benefit in mine. And we have to see it. The ability to give to men of the world to do these things, that they learn things.

[12:35] The Lord has given them that wisdom to learn and understand that, that they are able to apply to our wounds, to our afflictions and our sorrows and our griefs.

[12:50] And sometimes we feel that he's withdrawn from us and doesn't seem to hear and answer our prayers. But he has a time. And if we're given that grace to honour him, so he'll honour you.

[13:05] And you're, and though you have a trying pathway sometimes, it's out of the depths of I cried unto the last resort. We make the throne of grace of last resort so often we want to manage our own affairs.

[13:22] But that's the flesh. And when the Spirit of the Lord anoints you to pray, you'll feel prayer drawn and squeezed out of your soul to heal you, to strengthen you, to bless you with tokens of his love.

[13:37] And that's your chief desire, to know that you're accepted in the beloved, in the life of the Father who is in heaven.

[13:49] And Jesus Christ, we know, sat there in the right hand of God in heavens. And he makes intercession for such sinners as you and me.

[14:02] And no case is too hard for the Lord to deal with because he knows the way that you and I take. and when he has tried us, we should come forth as gold.

[14:13] So we see this man. He said to the man, what a mercy if he said something to you, something that's locked up fast in your soul, something that you know the Lord was in it.

[14:29] It was the Lord's doing. It was marvelous in your eyes. he brought you out into a safe place, a wealthy place with regard to spirituality.

[14:42] You were meditating upon the word that is locked up into your soul. And you've gone in the strength of that many days. Better than all the gold and the silver and the Lord has all those needs at his hand to deal out for you and me in our pathway.

[15:05] What a mercy to be given grace to trust the Lord for his faithfulness and goodness. And so having intended in spite of all the Pharisees and scribes watching him as the enemy of the truth will be watching you and trying to undermine you.

[15:27] He says stretch forth on hand. And another thing in your hand you can't you can't as it were draw on the wells of salvation unless the Lord sends that living water for you and me to receive and those tokens of his love.

[15:46] And oh may you bless God for his mercy to your soul. And you look on and you stand amazed as to why and the wherefores of God's goodness to unworthy you.

[16:00] And as the man stretched forth his hand he did so obedience. The Lord wants to see obedience in you and me made willing in the day of his power to heal to restore to strengthen you and uphold you in the pathway of a true believer.

[16:24] You trust him for his faithfulness and to make his goodness to pass before you in the way and you're able to raise an Ebenezer to his praise and not yours.

[16:38] It's not of him that willeth or of him that runneth but God alone that showeth mercy. mercy. And that's probably one of the hardest things a believer is able to trust him for.

[16:51] You see you want to be up and doing but you see the do-gooders dear friends won't pass the straight gate will they?

[17:04] No. They will be brought there to pass the way of sojourning in fear. Not worthy Lord but only thou can save me for thy mercy's sake.

[17:20] And you bless the Lord. You reach forth your arm because he draws you by the cords of man, by the bands of his love.

[17:31] And all your bosom glows with love sometimes because of the Lord's great good it makes you weep. You come with weeping and supplication Lord I will not let thee go unless they'll bless me.

[17:44] And he blessed him there. Because the blessing of the Lord will make rich in due time for you and me. And you go on your way rejoicing. And so and then you get into the dark place again.

[18:00] As though you're in a low place. But oh mercy is this. That as you hear so you do. You see the Lord's constraining love to you.

[18:15] You hear my sheep hear my voice and I follow them. You can't resist his grace is irresistible.

[18:27] His voice dear friends shall be heard in the streets in your very soul. And you realise in the midst of your sorrows of your way is your hiding place, your refuge, your strength, a very present help in trouble.

[18:42] He's bid you come. And as I said, he's irresistible, is his grace. He makes you to seek him. He makes you to come boldly to the throne of grace.

[18:55] You might obtain mercy and find grace to help in your time of need. Look unto me, he said, and be saved. Salvation is a great matter.

[19:09] And you need, to a lesser strength in providence, you need salvation. You need deliverance. When now there's no deliverance to him, yet still this man thy peace shall be.

[19:22] The peace that he's provided away into heaven. And he will make your heaven secure. And here will provide while Christ is rich. You can't be poor.

[19:33] What can you want beside the voice of the good shepherd that bids you come, that bids you run with patience, the race set before you, looking unto Jesus.

[19:47] What a wonderful object of faith, the Lord Jesus Christ. You're waiting for him to speak peace and pardon to you so in tears that you might yet reap in joy, bearing precious seed.

[20:04] The seed of the incorruptible word of God. It's sown in weakness by poor sinners, but it's raised in power by the grace of God and the love of God, and it'll never fail.

[20:20] And the Christian's hope will never fail because it is hope that making not ashamed because the love of God is shed abroad in that heart by the Holy Ghost.

[20:31] This love, dear friends, never fails. It's rich and free and fixed on his own eternally before you were even born.

[20:44] His name, your name, mine, we trust, is in the book of life. And you want to feel it, you want to know it. In thy fair book of grace, life of grace, may I find my name recorded in some humble place beneath my Lord the Lamb.

[21:04] You don't want to be exhorted in heaven, be humbled before the Almighty God and the blessed Trinity in unity. They have redeemed you. Trinity in unity, salvation, all of his free and sovereign grace.

[21:20] Oh, we want it, we need it, we must have it if we're to get to heaven. And it's without money, without price. Oh, what a mercy to have a real broken heart, weeping and supplication.

[21:34] Lord, I cannot let thee go unless thou bless me. And he blessed him there. And this is what we want, the blessing of the Lord to enrich us.

[21:44] We wanted to take these gospel truths, no matter who speaks them or preaches them, but under the influence of the Spirit, as instructed by the Lord to be applied to your soul.

[22:00] Yes, to be given that love that abounds, dear friends, in the love of Christ, which will cause you to love your enemies according to Christ's instruction.

[22:13] Hard thing, maybe. you see, you want the Lord to show pity on you. You want to know yourself a rebel, rebellious thou as being not rebellious still, but since in love I took me in, my promise I'll fulfill.

[22:32] Rebellious, but you're rebellious to live in a dry land. But you see, rebellious thou as that being not rebellious still, but since in love I took the end, my promise I will bring, promise I will give, without money, without price.

[22:56] What a blessed mercy to know something of this grace, the sufficiency of it. Can't give it ourselves, can't plead, we can plead it, but we can't expect to give it unless the Lord blots out, Aaron Nicotus is a thick cloud and says return unto me, for I have redeemed thee.

[23:18] We need the Lord to draw us by the cords of man, by the bands of his love, and make us willing in the day of his power to seek that lonely path, to seek preparation, which is all of his free and sovereign grace, because it's not of him that willeth runneth, or him that runneth.

[23:40] My grace is sufficient. Oh, what a gift is grace, the unmerited mercy and love of God to poor sinners. Oh, don't you pity some of these sinners that call themselves happy and religious, and have not yet touched the hem of his garment?

[24:01] Touched the hem of his garment, touched him with, and touched you and me with his compassion, he's compassionate your face, you've been in desperate and in need, and when the poor and needy seek water, and there is none in their tongue, I, the Lord, will hear them.

[24:23] He's appointed these things for you and me to pass through, and like this poor man, stretch forth, stretch forth, thy hand, touch me, receive the blessing, to make it rich, and add it no sorrow thereto, because I am the Lord, I change not, therefore you sons of Jacob are not consumed.

[24:48] What a terrible thing, dear friends, to be consumed without a moment's warning. So many come into that state in their life's journey.

[25:00] the floods, the storms, the sudden tragedies before mankind throughout the world, wars and rumours of wars, and they're ushered into eternity without so much as a warning.

[25:18] Some desecrating this Lord's Day, appointed death, destruction, outer darkness, weeping, gnashing of teeth, forevermore, for a never-ending eternity.

[25:35] But what a mercy if God has manifested his love to you. Hold fast to that little hope that you have, that you'll yet get the victory.

[25:46] You're not what you would be, you're not what you ought to be, but you're a seeking soul. Deep down in your dark mind and soul, there's a little light, there's a little hope, there's a little blessing that the Lord has drawn you by the cords of man, by the bands of his love, made you willing and the day of his power that you might reach forth, touch his garment, made whole.

[26:14] It's like that woman with that issue of blood. He said, who touched me? And the disciples said, all these crowds around you, who touched me?

[26:28] The Lord knew that virtue had gone out. He knows where virtue goes out from him, dear friends, as he touches your heart and mind, and you mount your down, and you bless him and go on your way, praising and blessing him for the goodness of the law that he has manifested to you like this man did.

[26:53] Yes, those looking on, dear friends, they were filled with madness and communed one with another, what they might do to Jesus. Oh, have we not in an unregenerate state, wondered what we could do?

[27:08] You wouldn't have him to reign over you, would you? How foolish in England have we been in our unregeneracy, yet blessed be the Lord, he touched you, he drew you, stretched forth on hand, touched me.

[27:24] He said to them, didn't he, when he raised from the dead, touched me, he said, when they gave him a piece of honeycomb and bread, he said, a spirit hath not flesh and bones, this was Jesus, risen from the grave, and now he's ascended on high and led captivity, captive, received gifts of men, yea, for the rebellious also, that the Lord God might dwell among them, and he does dwell among them, foundation of God's land is sure, having this seal, the Lord knoweth them that are his, let him that knoweth Christ depart from iniquity, oh, that they would keep me from sinning, Lord, keep me from the love of sinning, do keep my mind, I'm very much fluctuating in my karma mind, but oh, give me that spiritual mind, a few moments, Lord, with thee, how comforting and helpful it is, to feel

[28:26] Jesus himself draws near and went with them, and he spoke with them by the way, and their hearts burnt within them, or you say, Lord, give me a heart-burning experience, when the truth is really, that seed of the incorruptible word, that incorruptible word of life, is sown as a seed, as he has the seed basket, and it flourishes as a bear fruit in the courts of the Lord, and you bless the Lord, oh, my soul, let all remember me, join, lay my tongue, bless his name, whose favours are divine, oh, Lord, give me more of these favours, show me more tokens for good, evidence is that thou hast caused me to be born again by the water and the spirit, and to humbly follow thee, yes, we have our ups and downs, and we have our remoteness, and we have our nearness, and we are made near by the blood of Christ, and we see in the

[29:35] Saviour's suffering, and room and place instead, he has stood in our room place instead, and he has bought us with the prize, because he's eternally loved us, and what God the Father has said, and it flows through Jesus himself, and that sin-atoning blood, he has said, my beloved son, hear ye him, Lord, unstop my deaf ears, open my heart to receive the truth, and may I humbly follow thee, whithersoever thou leadest me, and guidest me, and I want thee, Lord, to teach me, to number my days, to apply my heart unto wisdom, that I might know the truth, and the truth will make me free from the condemnation that I born under, of that condemnation through sin, but blessed

[30:38] Jesus, he has stood in my room place and stead, and I shall get the victory through the merits of Jesus. What a refuge, what a refuge, what a hiding place, what a comfort for you and me and their distresses, and so it is waiting upon the Lord to renew your strength you might mount up with wings as eagles, run and not be weary, walk and not faint, for I am the Lord, I change not.

[31:08] This man then was a chosen vessel, and maybe he didn't know him, but he did afterwards. Here we, heal us, Emmanuel, here we are waiting to feel thy touch.

[31:26] Yes, you will feel the deep wounds of sin at times, and you'll feel the wretchedness of wretched man that I am, who should deliver me from this body of sin to come there to, with a good answer, that he has loved me with an everlasting love, therefore loving kindness has he drawn me.

[31:52] Great mystery, but a wonder, error, and you'll know the reality of it when you receive it. And so this is why we wait upon the Lord to renew our strength of faith, confirming our feeble needs with signs following, because he said, I am the Lord I change, therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.

[32:14] Esau is consumed, he's in hell, from the same woman, love, but oh, you see, God's sovereignty in salvation, it's all a free and sovereign grace, or may you and I each be very persuaded that we need him more than anything else in this world, especially as we journey on through life's journey.

[32:45] He is the one thing needful, and we have to say, Lord, engrave it upon my heart that thou the one thing needful art. I could from all things parted thee, but never ever, Lord, from thee.

[32:58] It's the truth in that hymn, and this is where you and I will be brought at times. Nothing else can satisfy, give me Christ, or else I die in my sins.

[33:13] Your mortal body will die, but your everlasting soul will land in glory to be forever with the Lord. Blessed mercy, may we strive for it more effectually and firmly that we labour to enter into that rest that remaineth to the people of God.

[33:37] And what a mercy if we know little of the effects of Jesus calling. It's not man calling him, it's the Lord that calls, and it's all by grace, born again of the water of the Spirit, having loved you with an everlasting love, therefore with loving kindness will he draw you.

[33:58] May he bless anything acceptable in heaven, may he forgive anything amiss. Take us each home in peace and safety, meditating upon the wonders of Christ's redeeming love, and that precious blood that cleanseth from all sin.

[34:16] Amen. Let us conclude with 731, the tune tree, Melon 250.

[34:31] Heal us, Emmanuel, here we are, waiting to feel thy touch. Deep wounded souls, that they repair and save you, we are such. Our faith is feeble, we confess, we faintly trust thy word, but wilt thou pity us the less?

[34:49] Be that far from thee, Lord. Amen. 731 love.

[35:09] Amen. God shamaan.

[35:43] San să- Em gほng win the 국 qui at His peace Do we confess, we how We hastily trust thy word, and wilt thou pity us the less be that far from thee, Lord.

[36:36] Remember him who was supplied with trembling for relief.

[36:56] Lord, I believe, I will help my unbelief.

[37:17] She too touched thee in the press, and healing virtue's soul.

[37:39] O Zazad, daughter, girl in grace, right way hath made thee home.

[38:00] I care with hurts and fears we come, to trust thee here we may.

[38:23] And send us not despairing hurt, send an unhealed away.

[38:43] Amen. Amen. May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God the Father, the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, rest and abide with us each.

[39:01] I am. Amen. Amen. Amen. Do you follow me on m luxurious called Mm?