Hearing the voice of Christ (Quality: Very good)

[0:00] Depending upon the help of God, I would direct your mind this morning to the book of Proverbs, chapter 8, and reading in a way of a text, verses 34 and 35.

[0:25] Blessed is the man that heareth me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the post of my doors.

[0:42] For whoso findeth me findeth life, and shall obtain favour of the Lord. The eighth chapter of Proverbs, verses 34 and 35.

[0:59] Blessed is the man that heareth me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the post of my doors.

[1:16] For whoso findeth me findeth life, and shall obtain favour of the Lord. This chapter that we have read together speaks of one, one above all others, the Lord Jesus Christ.

[1:48] We can go a little further. This chapter doesn't only speak of him, but it is his own voice.

[2:01] We can gather from the few verses we have read here, that he is the eternal Son of God.

[2:17] Before the mountains were settled, before the hills was I brought forth. Oh, that great mystery, dear friends.

[2:29] And how wonderful in the wisdom of God, children. In the way that he has brought forth salvation. Salvation unto a great multitude of sinners.

[2:44] In and through this dear man we have led up. And I think we can gather that it is his voice here, doth not wisdom cry.

[2:58] Why, he is full of wisdom, he is wisdom itself. We have also read a little in that, in the John's Gospel.

[3:16] Of this same one, in the beginning was the Word. And the Word was with God. True, he was with God. And the Word was God.

[3:28] How true. The same was in the beginning with God. Oh, how this dovetails with what we have read in Proverbs.

[3:41] All things were made by him. And without him was there anything made that was made. In him was life. And the life was the light of men.

[3:53] And the light shineth in darkness. And darkness comprehended it not. There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. So, we can say that this is the chapter.

[4:08] Yea, the very text is the voice of the Lord Jesus Christ. Doth not wisdom cry, and understanding put forth her voice?

[4:19] She standeth. Excuse me, making a few remarks, respecting the chapter before I come to the text. She standeth.

[4:33] Oh, boy, the Lord Jesus Christ. Doth not wisdom cry, and understanding put forth her voice?

[4:44] She cry, and... We may also speak of it, I believe, as being the church of God. She standeth in the top of the high places, by the way of the places of the paths.

[4:56] On the other end, wasn't it so with the Lord Jesus? How he standeth in the top of the high places of the precious gospel.

[5:09] She cries at the gates, at the entry of the city, at the coming in of the doors. And what do we read? Unto you, O men, I call.

[5:21] So, this must be the voice of the Lord Jesus Christ, giving this sweet invitation, as it were. Unto you, O men, I call.

[5:34] And my voice is to the sons of men. And here he says, in the following verse, O ye simple.

[5:46] So he has condescended to come down to the poor and simple in Zion, who feel to be simple, unbounded, ignorant.

[6:00] But the Lord has not left them out. O ye simple. He says, understand wisdom. And he comes a little lower in this blessed chapter.

[6:12] It says, ye fools. I believe there's times when the Lord's dear people feel to be, I know I have often, feel to be nothing but a fool.

[6:27] In the things of God. So poor, so ignorant, so destitute. But the Lord picks up the fools. He hasn't passed them aside.

[6:39] He hasn't cast them aside. But he says, be ye of an understanding heart. Why these poor, simple people and fools in their own eyes.

[6:53] They seek an understanding. In Christ pray for wisdom and understanding. And the poetess said, respecting the simple.

[7:06] The simple has sharpest eyes and learn to walk the best. Here, for I will speak of excellent things.

[7:16] And the opening of my lips shall be right things. Not the things in providence, as it were. Not the things that are passing and perishing.

[7:31] But the things that will stand. Where we build our hope upon for eternity. The opening of my lips shall be right things.

[7:44] Right from the very beginning, shall I say, of the conversation of the Lord Jesus. Here on earth to the closing. Even to the cross. They were certainly right things.

[7:58] I will speak of excellent things. And true he did. And he brought forth excellent things for the poor and needy in Zion.

[8:10] Oh, how can we? We cannot begin to measure the grace, the love, and the mercy of a gracious God to poor sinners. Still, I must pass on a little.

[8:24] This dear man, he condescended to come to abide the command of his father. To remember the poor and needy.

[8:39] This reading this morning shows the greatness and the holiness. And also where he is dwelt in heaven.

[8:50] Still dwelling there. Though he had that period of time upon the earth. He dwells in heaven. He is the eternal God.

[9:05] Everlasting God. Still the same. Same yesterday, today, and will be forever. He died, but he is risen again.

[9:20] This God. And this great God in knowledge and in understanding and in grace and in love. Stooped down to pick up such poor creatures of the earth.

[9:34] For as you know, we are all born in sin and shapen in iniquity. And came forth from the womb speaking lies. Oh, what a sad place by nature.

[9:46] But this gracious God. To come down. To come down. For the help and comforting of these people. Whom the father had chosen and given to him to redeem.

[10:00] Oh, we see in this chapter. The eternal purposes of God. From the commencement. If there's ever a commencement. Even to the end.

[10:12] And will there be an end. No. These people will dwell forever and ever. In the love and sweet atmosphere.

[10:22] Of the presence of the one who has been speaking in our text. And in this portion of scripture. This morning. The Lord Jesus Christ.

[10:34] When I was by him as one brought up with him. And I was daily his delight. Rejoicing always before him.

[10:48] Gives us a little idea, dear friends. What it was they. In the days. Past eternity. And then again.

[11:00] When Jesus came. When the Lord. When the father created the earth. There was here holiness. His work was perfect.

[11:13] But it soon got defiled by sin. Or how Satan broke in as it were. And ruined the future. By man.

[11:24] Therefore this blessed son of God. Speaks of him being in heaven with his father. Should have to come down. Into this lower world.

[11:36] Born as a woman. Took up her. Body like hers. Apart from sin. To bring forth salvation. I've heard it said that.

[11:50] And I believe it to be true. Yet the prophecy. The prophecy. The 53rd chapter. Of the prophecy of Isaiah. As you know.

[12:02] Speaks of. The sufferings of Christ. It's the chapter. Throughout the whole scripture. I believe it is. And I believe this is the second.

[12:15] As it were. The sufferings of Christ. In the prophecy. Of Isaiah. And here we have the commencement. As it were.

[12:26] Of the Lord Jesus Christ. As we've read in this chapter. And also. In the. In the. Gospel of John. John says.

[12:37] I. Bear witness of him. And cried saying. This was he. Of whom I speak. He that cometh after me. Is preferred before me. For he was before me.

[12:50] And of his fullness. Have. All we. Received. And grace. For grace. I just. I just. I just. Outline the efforts.

[13:03] Oh so little. Of the. Lord Jesus Christ. The eternal. Son of God. And as I've already.

[13:13] Inted. That he's the same today. The same today. Yes. Same yesterday. Today.

[13:24] And will be forever. I am the way. The truth. And the life. His mercy is the same. His love is the same. The way to heaven is the same.

[13:36] Is a. In this. In his eternal mind. The same. In the covenant of grace. He's the same. Nothing can be altered.

[13:49] Everything has been laid down. And as the days. And the years pass. These things come to pass. All according to the purpose of God.

[14:00] I believe I quoted in prayer. Sovereign ruler of the skies. Ever gracious. Ever wise. All my times are in his hands. And all events at his command.

[14:12] Doth not wisdom cry. Understanding put forth our voice.

[14:23] He standeth in the top of the high places. By the way of the places of the past. And isn't it so today. Why this dear saviour.

[14:34] The Lord Jesus Christ. He standeth in the top. In the high places of heaven. To hear the prayers.

[14:44] And the supplications. Of his dear people. And he's cried. And she. He cried at the gates. At the entry of the city. At the coming end of the doors.

[14:55] Unto you. Amen. Oh friends. What a gracious God we have. And has condescended. To look down. Upon poor.

[15:06] And the simple. And even fools. And bring them. Unto himself. In a way of salvation. Our text.

[15:23] Blessed is the man that heareth me. Watching daily at my gates. Waiting at the posts of my doors. Just a few thoughts.

[15:34] Previous to our text. Now therefore hearken unto me. O ye children. For blessed are they.

[15:45] That keep my ways. Hearken. Hearken. The voice of God. It's the voice of God.

[15:56] To us today. Even in. We all gather together. Here. Hearken. Oh how little do we.

[16:07] Hearken. As it were. To him. And his word. But our text says. Blessed is the man that heareth me. That heareth me.

[16:19] We can hear his voice. In the scriptures. The scriptures is the.

[16:35] Written. By the leading. And teaching. Of the third person. In the Trinity. Blessed is the man that heareth me.

[16:49] The old scriptures. From Genesis. To Revelations. Is the voice. Of God. Some places.

[17:01] In the way of salvation. Sometimes. Speaking of his mercy. Sometimes. Sometimes. In history. Of the things that are past. And what the prophets of old.

[17:12] And the saints of God. Had to pass through. Blessed is the man that heareth me. Heareth those things. That are recorded.

[17:25] Of those prophets of old. Even with Noah. How he had. A voice. Had. A command. That he.

[17:35] That he should build. An ark. For the saving. Of a few. Poor souls. Blessed is the man. That heareth me. And oh. How.

[17:46] The Lord. Spake unto his prophet. There. And he. Obeyed. The commandments. Of his master. And built the ark. According to the plan.

[17:57] Laid down. And laid down. By God. He heard. And he. Was willing. To obey. Dear friends. We hear his voice.

[18:09] We hear him. In his word. Do we obey. The commands. That is laid down. In the word. Of scripture.

[18:20] Blessed is the man. That heareth me. There is such a thing. As read. In the scriptures.

[18:31] As you know. To no prophet. With no real. Understanding. Of the word.

[18:43] There is such a thing. As read. In the scripture. Entering into. Should I say. Our thought. Our mind. But never. Enters into the heart.

[18:56] There is a great contrast. We have. Men. Today. And women. Of course. Who have. A religion. That is only.

[19:07] Of the flesh. They do not. Come in. With this. First word. In my text. Blessed. Because.

[19:18] They hear. The word. With the. Outward hear. But as I said. It has not. Penetrated. Into the heart. There is such a thing.

[19:34] As hearing. The word. And to a certain extent. Obeying. The word. There again. It has not. Entered. Into.

[19:44] The heart. The heart. The heart. The heart. The heart. The heart. The heart. Oh how easily. We may. We may. Even. Be deceived. Over these solemn things.

[19:56] To hear the word. Read the word. Or hear it preached. But. No faith. Mixed with it. And cannot be numbered.

[20:08] Among the blessed. It. Our text says. Blessed is the man. That heareth. Now what a difference. There is then. Just in.

[20:19] Hearing the word. Or having it. Applied. With divine power. Blessed is the man. That heareth me. Can you go back.

[20:30] Dear friends. See. It may be. With some of you. A few years. Many years. When you. Heard. The voice of God.

[20:42] For he. Doth speak. Blessed is the man. That heareth me. His voice. Is to be heard.

[20:54] In the. Again. The gospel. Of John. Is it not. The tenth chapter. We read. Of the sheep. And how they. Hear. The voice. The voice.

[21:05] Of God. My sheep. Hear. My voice. And they. Know it. Now there is. The difference. Between. Hearing.

[21:16] With the. Outward. Hear. And hearing. With the. Inward. Hear. Or by the. Power. Of. God. Blessed.

[21:31] Is the man. That heareth me. Now. Let us. Come here. Which I. Believe. I know. Is. The right. Path. To take.

[21:43] We. Can. Hear. To profit. And the. Lord. Can. Speak. And he. Doth. Speak. Within. The. Hearts. Of his.

[21:53] People. Now. Has it. Enters. Into the. Heart. Into our. Spirit. Then. There is. Prophet.

[22:05] Though. At times. The Lord. Speaks. In the way. Of. Punishment. A. Warning. Solemn. Word. What.

[22:15] Doest. Thou. Here. It. May. Be. That is. In a. Place. Where. We. Might. Have. Been. Found. Amusement. In a.

[22:25] Place. Of. Worship. In a. Place. Of. The. World. What. Doest. Thou. Hear. Sometimes. The. Lord. Speaks. With. A. Word. Of.

[22:35] Warning. As. We. Have. It. In. The. Scriptures. And. It. Comes. With. A. Little. Power. Into. One's. Heart.

[22:49] Blessed. Is. The. Man. That. He. Us. May. Sometimes. It. May. Be. Without. A. Word.

[23:00] Spoken. By. God. But. The. Effect. Of. The. Power. Of. God. Enders. Into. The. Heart. Heart. I. Remember. When.

[23:11] I. Was. In. My. Teams. Working. In. A. Shop. And. The. Manager. Asked.

[23:22] Me. A. Certain. Thing. Question. And. I. Never. Gave. In. The. Truth. It. Was. A. Lie. And.

[23:34] No. Sooner. That. Man. The. Manager. Had. Walked. Out. Of. That. Weird. Oh. I. Felt. The. Condemning. Power. Of. God. It.

[23:45] Was. His. Voice. But. No. Word. Spoken. It. Was. The. Effect. Of. His. Voice. I. Was. Condemned. His.

[23:58] Voice. Is. To. Be. Heard. With. The. Power. With. The. Unction. Of. The. Holy. One. I. Fell. Upon. My. Knees. And. Bebed.

[24:08] For. And. Forgiveness. Dear friends. There is an instance. Where. The. Voice. Of. God. Is. Not. Heard. Actually. Received.

[24:21] But. The. Effect. Of. That. Voice. The. Effect. enters into the heart. The man that heareth me.

[24:35] And then there's a word sometimes that the Lord to correct us. A word of correction. And as you know, we read in various parts of the scripture how the Lord corrects in his various ways.

[24:56] Of his people to bring them closer unto himself. In the twelfth, I believe, of Hebrews, we read, And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children.

[25:17] My son, despise not thou the chasing of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him. For whom the Lord loveth thee, chasteneth and scourget every son whom he receiveth.

[25:34] If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons. For what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?

[25:44] Have you heard his voice, dear friends? Has he spoken to you in a chastening way? In a way that has caused you to tremble, tremble before him?

[26:00] Or in a way that has caused you to turn, even with the prophet of old, when he received the message, set thine house in order, for thou shalt die and not live?

[26:15] Did you hear his voice? There's a man that heareth me.

[26:31] And then there's, we hear his voice at times. In that way of invitation, in the word of God, we hear it.

[26:54] Come unto me, O ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. O heavy one that person, O heavy one. Come unto me, Thirst it, come ye to the waters.

[27:13] Ye have no money, and so on, but come. So have you, have we heard his voice, in the sweet invitations of the gospel, to come unto me.

[27:26] Come unto me, O ye that labour and are heavy laden. Come boldly unto the throne of grace, so we may go through, dear friend, again and again, with these sweet invitations, in the gospel.

[27:43] Well, blessed is the man that heareth me. Blessed is the man, that heareth these sweet invitations, to come unto him.

[28:00] Heareth me, as sometimes, he speaks, we hear his voice. In the things of providence, this is the way, walk ye in it.

[28:16] we may have some, here this morning, one or more, looking to the Lord, to hear his voice. Even in the things of providence, designed to know his will, fear to take any step before you, know that it is of the Lord.

[28:38] here again, I remember, well, many years ago, when there was a business, offered to me, and all how I needed to know, all how I felt my need, to hear the voice of God in it.

[28:56] Could not, could not venture. Yes, some of you know this experience. Some of you may be writing it, it's time. You know not, oh, what to do.

[29:10] You know not, what to do, what step to do. You long to hear his voice. Blessed is the man, that heareth me. And speaking to me, this is the way, walk ye out.

[29:25] So the Lord is pleased, dear friends, to give his dear people, a word, to direct in providence. Have you heard his voice?

[29:38] His voice is to be heard in Genesis, respecting the nation, and our necessary foods, seed time and harvest, summer and winter.

[29:51] They will continue, they have continued. Have you heard his voice in this? And then there's the name, hear his voice, voice in the matters of death.

[30:08] Death that is upon us each. Have we heard his voice? Have we heard it in this way? That Jesus has gone forth to open the way.

[30:22] And truly he has. Have we heard his voice? I will suffer on thy behalf. I will remember thee with the favour that thou bearest, says David, with the favour thou bearest unto thy people.

[30:39] How he desired to be remembered with such. Have we heard his voice then, in the dying of the Lord Jesus?

[30:50] It is finished. It is finished. Oh, to hear his voice, dear friends. You've heard me say before, you've read it again and again, in the Gospel of John, how the voice was heard by those three or four around the cross.

[31:14] He spake. He spake to his dear mother. He spake to Mary Magdalene, as he has spoken to you, as he has spoken to me.

[31:28] Blessed is the man that heareth me. He has spoken to his disciple, John, by the cross, reminding him, asking him to look upon his dear mother, Mary and so on.

[31:45] His voice was heard. Have we heard it? In the matters of death. Have we heard it? In the promises he has given.

[31:58] Yea, he says, I have loved thee with an everlasting love. Therefore, with loving kindness, I have drawn thee. Fear not, for I am with thee.

[32:08] Be not dismayed, for I am thy God. I will help thee. I will strengthen thee. Yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.

[32:19] If he heard his voice. I believe that's one of the precious promises God has given to many, hundreds and no doubt, thousands of his dear people down through the ages.

[32:33] Fear not, for I am with thee. Be not dismayed. Have you heard his voice in the promises? As he said, he has loved thee.

[32:45] As he said, he has redeemed thee. Fear not, I have redeemed thee. Thou art mine. I remember asking one, I shouldn't mention this, that a young person respecting her husband.

[33:06] And I said, Have you heard the voice of God in it? At that time, he seemed to be in the world and of it. Have you heard the Lord's voice?

[33:18] Has he spoken to you? And she replied, Yes, I've heard his voice. I have redeemed thee. Oh, friends, what a mercy it is when we can hear the voice of God.

[33:34] In the pathway we tread, he have wrote, and in the promises. Heard his voice.

[33:46] Can you go back to a time when you was under the law? How condemned, but the Lord spake and you was delivered. You know, one word from the lips of God, but a power of the Holy Spirit, oh, that will help encourage a poor sinner to spread some, believing it will be well with him.

[34:13] Blessed is the man that heareth me in his word. Sometimes we hear him, at least I hope we do, in the gospel.

[34:23] that is when the word is preached. Preached. Know that you've sat, some of you, in this sanctuary, and you've heard the voice of God.

[34:39] He's taken effect upon you to call to your heart, entered into thy heart, and it's the power, and that power comes from heaven, dear friends.

[34:51] It's the power of God. You've heard his voice. His voice. His voice. So, we can say, we hear his voice sometimes, in a correction, a word to guide, a word to, to bring us down to his feet.

[35:16] We hear his voice, we hear his voice, and oh, what a mercy, if we hear it, in his love, when the word takes all of us.

[35:31] To hear his voice, in the commandments, he's laid down his word, keep my commandments. to hear his voice, and his statutes, to follow him, in those paths, and in those ways, did not, dear, David, hear it, and desire it, in that song, he, I believe, wrote.

[35:59] Yet, as thy mercy come, also unto me, O Lord, even thy salvation, according to thy word, and how he desire to be kept, in the statues of God.

[36:20] Thy statues have been my songs, in the house of my pilgrimage. I have remembered thy name, O Lord, in the night, and have kept thy law. This I had, because I kept thy precepts.

[36:40] To hear his voice, when the time is coming, when we shall hear his voice, when the unrighteous will hear his voice.

[36:52] We mentioned this morning, how the unrighteous, how the dead professor, hear it with the outward ear, but that day, they will hear it with power, and a solemn word it will be, depart, depart.

[37:12] But he has also said, blessed is the man, that heareth me, when he speaks, come ye, blessed are my father, inherit the kingdom, prepared for thee.

[37:28] Blessed is the man, that heareth me. When the Lord Jesus Christ, was here on earth, he preached, his gospel. And there was a mixed congregation, without a doubt.

[37:43] Now those that were, the Lord's, had an understanding, of the word, they heard his voice, to profit.

[37:55] The others, no profit. They both heard. So it is, with the scripture today, some can read it, gain no profit.

[38:08] Others can read it, and profit thereby. There's times, I'm sure, that maybe, in the family worship, breakfast time, or in the evening, when we've opened, the word of God, has no particular place, and it's been, dry.

[38:30] Dry. Excuse me, using the word. Nothing, has come, of it. Read it through, yes, many times.

[38:41] And another time, we open the word, and, our eyes are fixed, upon a certain portion, and our sweetest God. There's been a little, sweetness, in one's soul.

[38:55] It's been, food. Now if I might, just mention this, with respect, in our text. You see, when we hear, by the spirit, and profit, there's food, for the soul.

[39:10] It's food. It's a food, that you'll be able, to live upon. Nourish, in a manner of grace, strengthen your faith, and your hope.

[39:21] Oh, what a contrast, there is, dear, between the two, a religion, that is of the flesh, of the creature, and a religion, that is of God. one, may lay us low, bring us to nothing, the other, will take us to heaven.

[39:40] No wonder, the Lord is put here, blessed, blessed, is the man, that heareth, me. Have you heard, in them, when you've been, confessing your sins, and given you, a word of forgiveness, like the man, the robber, the dying thief.

[40:07] He heard, the voice of his God, in the last moments, of his life. What a word, came with power, this day, thou shalt be with me, in a paradise.

[40:23] Blessed is the man, that heareth me. heareth me, heareth a prophet, and that is, to have an ear, open to hear it.

[40:35] They that have ears, let him hear. Those who have a heart, a heart, that fears God, they will hear, his voice.

[40:48] Blessed is the man, that, heareth me, watching daily, at my gates, waiting at the posts, at my doors.

[41:00] For whoso findeth me, findeth life, and they shall obtain, favour, of the Lord. So, our text speaks, of this people, as being, a blessed people.

[41:17] Our text says, blessed is the man, where the Lord, as you know, includes, all souls, whether the lambs, or whether the sheep, in the fold, whether young, or old, blessed is the man, that heareth me.

[41:38] Children, hear his voice, sometimes. The Lord has spoken, to many a child, very young in years. They've heard his voice, may have been, a word of correction, it may have been, a word of life, but there are, blessed people.

[41:59] Yes, there's the lambs, in the fold, there's lambs, in heaven, as well as the sheep. Blessed they are.

[42:10] cannot, my friends, begin, to explain, the height, or depth, or length, or breadth, of the blessedness, of these people. I sum it up, this morning, saying, that, they're blessed, in Christ, and heaven, is theirs.

[42:36] Glory, peace, happiness. holster, blessings. Glory,ervice, z amarga, amen.

[42:47] Amen. Thank you.