1 John (Quality: very Good)

[0:00] depending entirely upon the health of the Holy Spirit I would direct your attention to the first epistle of John chapter 4 and verse 14 the first epistle of John chapter 4 and verse 14 and we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world and we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world how essential my friends is this truth to have a religion of revelation there are countless thousands satisfied with a head knowledge but a head knowledge is not a saving grace the religion of the Holy Spirit the religion of Jesus Christ is a religion of revelation

[1:20] John the Apostle here clearly in our text and at other places brings this essential point before those to whom this epistle is sent the need of revelation and we have seen and do testify I read the first chapter because there it again is brought to our notice the words of John by the Holy Spirit that which was from the beginning which we have heard which we have seen with our eyes which we have looked upon our hands have handled of the word of life if the life was manifested and we have seen it and bear witness and show unto you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested unto us that which we have seen and heard declare we unto you now first I want to consider this truth in relation to the servants of God those who God has commissioned to preach the gospel are witnesses of the truth witnesses as taught of the Holy Spirit that are to preach as the apostles tell us in the Acts of the Apostles that are to preach what they've tasted and handled and felt as a good word of life it is no blessing to the congregations of Israel if a man stands in a pulpit and preaches what he doesn't know the Lord won't own and bless that word to any soul but they are to be witnesses of what they have seen and if you remember the words of the Apostle Paul in the 26th chapter of the Acts of the Apostles when he stood before Agrippa and Festus and gave an account of his call by grace we find that he said in the 22nd verse having therefore obtained help of God

[3:51] I continue unto this day witnessing both the small and great saying none other things than those which the prophets and Moses did say should come to that Moses and prophets and Moses did say should come that Christ should suffer and so on now he was a witness he was a witness to the truth and he was a witness of the truth a witness is a person who has seen something and can testify of what they see and it is not just standing in a pulpit and speaking from a familiar text or a word which is suitable it is as the Holy Spirit has gone before in the preparation of the preaching that these that are sent to preach can preach what they have seen and do testify we and we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world but then again not only those who preach the Gospel but believers in Jesus are made believers by faith you know to make an open profession is a very solemn step to take and it is an exceedingly gracious step to take when it is under the instruction and teaching and guidance of the Holy Ghost for as again referring to Scripture as the

[5:31] Psalmist speaks about in the 66th Psalm we read of the trials and troubles of the pathway and the Lord's deliverance and then he says this I will go into thy house with burnt offerings I will pay thee my vows which my lips have uttered and my mouth has spoken when I was in trouble well what was the vow that he paid come and hear all ye that fear God and I will declare what he hath done for my soul a child of God who makes a profession an open profession will testify what they have seen and those and those things only will be brought before the people of God so that there shall be the evidence of the work of the Holy Ghost so such that have made a profession make a profession on what they have seen and it is seen by faith and they testify what they have seen it is often a trial

[6:40] I would say it's always a trial to such who are exercised souls as they are led by the Holy Spirit constrained by love to tell of what the Lord has done for their soul lest they should bring shame and reproach upon the name and cause of Christ and among other things confusion to themselves but those who shall testify what they have seen my friends honour God we find in the word of God much encouragement to such that follow the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ in these pathways of testifying of telling of what they have seen and what they have heard and we have seen and we have seen but then I want to also speak to any that the word of God describes as seeking souls those whom the work of grace has begun in the heart in the word of God one of the miracles which the Lord Jesus Christ did he did upon one who was blind and we read in that gospel that this blind man came to Jesus and Jesus touched his eyes and he said or he asked a question could he see anything and he said

[8:09] I see men as trees walking and we read that Jesus touched his eyes the second time and you know sometimes in the beginnings of the way in the pathways of seeking souls there's not clear things seen they're not all taught in a day or a week nor a month and sometimes it goes on for years under the instruction of the Holy Spirit how he teaches his people but step by step and day by day they're brought to see these things until the day when such are brought to see and testify this truth that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world and let me say this also stand for the truth my friends in fact all who have the grace of God in their heart stand for this truth the truth of revelation and testify that this and this only is the pathway of the children and people of God when I was younger in years we had preaching to us in his latter days dear old George Rose preached till he was 93 and he used to say

[9:27] I don't preach what I think I preach what I know and those truths and those truths only stood by him and supported him 93 years and he rested upon those truths and he died upon those truths but are truths that he had seen and so could testify but then let me speak this also respecting before we enter into the things that we have seen as the apostle John speaks of let me also bring this word to those who are walking in darkness you know the lots of the people of God is not always a lot of rejoicing the eunuch was blessed with the revelation of Jesus Christ and he was able to say see here is water what doth hinder me to be baptized and the question was given to him dost thou believe in the Lord

[10:29] Jesus Christ I'll look at the words so we get it more accurately but he testified of the teaching of the Holy Spirit and said if thou believe with all thy heart thou mayest and he answered and said I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God now he believed by revelation he was in the chariot with Philip the apostle and in whatever length of journey that chariot took it was long enough for the Holy Spirit to work and it was by revelation that he walked in the ordinance but we read this that he went on his way rejoicing you don't say how long he went but I do know this that the days of sorrow and the days of trial and the days when those things which the Lord has done for your soul are brought to be tried and the pathway shall be tried and I would say this that it must be tried for it proves the truth of the pathway it proves the work of the Holy Spirit if it stands the trial and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is but let me say this to such then that are in darkness or in trial or in trouble because of the enemy that opposes the truth in their soul

[11:53] I would refer you to the words which the servant of God Moses said to Israel as they approached the end of the wilderness journey thou shalt remember all the way which the Lord thy God hath led thee these 40 years in the wilderness to humble thee and to prove thee and to know what was in thine heart now you'll remember as the Holy Spirit will enable you those things that you have seen those things that you have seen how essential my friends stand for this of this truth and indeed may it be in the exercise of your soul before your God in prayer that these things may be these essential things may be revealed unto you you know there's countless thousands going to perdition they've got a religion in the head and there's nothing in the heart the essential truths are truths which are revealed and applied to the soul well now the apostle then who was a witness of these things could say and we have seen and we have seen well now what is it that we have seen what is it that's essential that we must need seen what is it that the

[13:21] Holy Spirit by his condescending mercy will reveal to his people essential truths oh there's much error today as we began the fourth chapter here and every spirit that confesses not that Jesus Christ is coming to flesh is not of God and this is that spirit of antichrist whereover you've heard that it should come and even now already is it in the world and you know my friends there's not many days when you shall be witnesses of this antichrist this spirit which is opposite to the truths of the gospel and of this word which we have by way of text there's a settling down there's an acceptance of the truths of the scriptures but held in the head I always remember I think it was a year or two ago now perhaps a couple of years ago now I was reading the Succeeders and amongst the things that Mr.

[14:25] Philpott said in that book was this essential truth and he asked a question and he said where do you get your religion from from the bible now we have to be careful when we think of the answer to that because he said if your religion is of the bible you'll be lost now that sounds strange but what he meant was that the religion of soul experience is the only teaching of the holy spirit you can be full of the religion of the bible and be totally lost if you hold your religion in your head and not in your heart if it's on your lips and comes from your mind in other words it's of an intellect of a natural intellect and not the work of the holy spirit oh how far short we can come many do many claim promises that the lord has given and said this and that shall come to pass and it does not come to pass because the holy spirit has not said it but the religion of jesus christ and as i've said in the beginning is a religion of revelation and we have seen and the spirit of antichrist is everywhere i had the sad business not so long ago of a person at my door that told me that she believed that jesus christ was created by god and i said do you believe in a place called hell and she said no and i said your eyes one day will be solemnly open and then it will be too late so she said to me well it seems as if there's a great difference between you and i and i said yes and i'm glad there is i'm glad there is now that was a person that professed a religion but to my way of thinking and to my thoughts on that subject she was totally devoid of these truths and we have seen and do testify that the father sent the son to be the savior of the world but then what does he say what does you what have you seen what are those evidence that you have in your heart of the religion of jesus christ what is the evidence that you have of the holy spirit's work well in many ways of course the holy spirit teaches his people essential truths we could rightly be guided into the consideration of the beginning of the way are revelations which is of the holy spirit and you will be brought to see it and i think too of that work of the holy spirit into sinners hearts of conviction we have seen now i would say this without shadow of dispute that you have heard all the days of your life about sin you know living and dwelling amongst the people of god and attending to the house of god on the lord's day and perhaps weeknights as well you'll hear much about the two essential truths that are in god's word sin and salvation well you'll hear a lot about sin but i will say this my friends in faithfulness to the holy spirit's work it's only when he commences a work in your soul that you'll know what it is to see sin what it really is it's damning effect it brings a soul into eternal perdition unpardoned sin and when the holy spirit works in the heart you'll see

[18:26] your sin your sin oh how essential my friends to as we go through this waste howling wilderness to be the witness of the work of the holy spirit in our own heart in our own heart it's so easy to cast stones at others jesus said to one or one was brought to jesus as a sinner and the self-righteous pharisees brought her to jesus christ to confirm i suppose that their righteousness exceeded more than hers but jesus said this and it's to be remembered my friends when you are brought into a critical state of other people's slips and falls that he that is without sin should cast the first stone and i will tell you this my friends if you know conviction of sin you've got no ground to stand on when you look at other people's falls and slips because you would be much rather better do to say before the lord there but for the grace of god go i we have seen when the holy spirit will testify to his people this truth that they are sinners the text speaks about the father sending the son to be the savior of the world and you and i will never need a savior you can live as long as you may in this world of sin and woe but if we haven't a witness of the spirit in our heart that we are sinners we shall never need a savior how many years did you live in unregeneracy knew all about jesus christ knew what he did knew why he came heard his words as you've read them in the scriptures of truth but it's sinners can say and only they how precious is the savior and by the work of the holy spirit is that sinners are brought to need him and our convicted sinners convince sinners assured of their standing ruined in the hall when they're brought to see this truth it's much different my friends than talking about it it's much different than listening about it when the holy spirit works in the heart he may work in your heart in a place where you least expect him to work you would say well the lord's house is a place of revelation so it is but it's not only in the lord's house you may some of you may have spots and places in your experience that you could take go back to now and say well this is where the lord spoke this word or this is where the lord convinced me of my sin i could take you to a place not so far from here when i believe the lord brought pardon to my soul that's something that i've seen and no one should stand in a pulpit and preach about forgiveness and pardon if they don't know it i could take you to a spot i was traveling home from maester to tunbridge wells and the lord spoke some very gracious words but they were followed or rather they succeeded by conviction of sin sorrow over sin grief over sin i carried that burden through that day how i carried it i don't know because sin was a great burden to my soul and i was pleading for mercy like someone who was about to be executed i was at the bar of justice and i was guilty and i pleaded all

[22:27] that day as the weight and burden of my sins was upon my conscience the traveling home that monday night the words which we read together just now was applied to my soul if we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness my friends that brought liberty that brought light and that brought love and that brought me out of darkness and it delivered me from the bondage and burden of sin that day they were things that we have seen and now the lord convinces and convicts it is to teach it is to reveal it is to apply what it is to be a sinner in god's sight what it is to be a sinner in god's sight we have seen there was a man you know went to the temple to pray two men went to the temple to pray the scripture tells us one a pharisee and one a publican a preacher in those words recently I asked a question and you'll forgive me if I ask it again how did you come to god's house this morning because you and

[23:50] I are have the seeds of sin in our heart we either came as a sensible sinner we either came self condemned or self righteous to any middle path well now what was it that brought the public into the temple something that he had seen something that he had seen what did he see the enormity of his sins the condemnation that he was due to his sins and that word that man came to god's house with a prayer he was brought unworthy he was brought self condemned he was brought penitent he was brought with a confession he was brought repentant unto god god be merciful to me a sinner you wouldn't exchange my friends the blessing that he had with anything this world could call good or great and I do note the holy spirit's words aware the lord jesus christ says this man went down to his house justified now there's something else he saw but we must keep to the words of our text and we have seen and he had seen the burden of his sin the dying thief rejoiced to see that fountain in his day what did he see before you know there are I'm sorry to say this in a way but in another way I'm not because I must be faithful there's much spoken of jesus christ and his precious blood and the pardon and redeeming love and so on but I go back again to what I said before that it's only sinners sensible sinners that shall ever need jesus christ there's a half a gospel declared in many denominations but the witness of the spirit in the heart first and foremost is under conviction there wasn't some mental thought or movement of the mind that turned the dying thief to christ there wasn't any mental movement of the mind or change of way that turned soul of tarsus to jesus christ and neither was it in your heart and mine we have to say this truth that we're not with the hymn writer if ever my poor soul be saved his christ must be the way but you know what it is to be lost first and jesus christ on the cross at calvary had one there as a witness to the truth of conviction they railed upon him we read in another gospel and one said if they'll be the christ come down from the cross and save us i've often thought my friends of those words because if he had come from the cross i'm talking about the dying thief it had gone on sinning it had gone on sinning he'd gone back to his old ways of evil but not so the one that went to glory he said to his fellow thief we indeed justly for we receive the due reward of our deeds but this man hath done nothing amiss how did he know that by revelation my friends the work of the holy spirit in his heart convinced him of his sin there is a hymn that we don't don't often sing in our chapels and i understand in a way why we don't sing it because it's too solemn and it's far too solemn to sing lightly without thought and if my soul be sent to hell thy

[27:51] righteous law approves it well not many people come into them deep paths but sinners can say my friends these truths as they're taught of the holy spirit and that the dying thief was one such and it was taught the truth we indeed justly but this man for we receive the due reward of our deeds he indeed was under condemnation and he justified god in his condemnation we have seen oh that's a work my friends it's not our work no preacher of the gospel can ever preach this truth into the hearts of others stand by the truth and declare the truth but it's the work of the holy spirit to bring the soul into the time of revelation that they are sinners what of david the lord sent a servant of god to him nathan to point the finger of condemnation thou art the man you heard that word and you know before then it is evident that david sin didn't trouble his conscience it was evident that those things which he was guilty of didn't lose he didn't lose a moment's sleep regarding but when the lord sent a servant of god to testify of the truth that thou art the man he said i have sinned i have sinned it came home to his conscience you remember the day when the lord testified to you showed you brought you to realize the sinfulness of sin and the condemnation that's due to sin we have sinned we have and we have seen most essential my friends a religion of revelation most essential if you can trace in your pathway those things which the holy ghost has done that has brought you out of nature's darkness delivered you from resting short brought you out of this contentment of the religion of the world full of knowledge and no experience full of the word of truth and no evidence of the work of grace in the soul it's a separating word it's a solemn word but it's essential and we have seen and we have seen it's the work of the holy spirit to open the eyes of the blind you know spiritually by nature our eyes are closed to these things we may hear and we may give somewhat an assent to the truth we may confess with the lip of the truths of these things but when the work of the holy ghost goes on in the soul we shall say we have seen but that work will go on all your life much is spoken of the early days of experience much is spoken of the time of one's espousals the blessings of the early days and so on but you know once the lord convinces his people of sin he may well bring them into seasons of pardon and forgiveness but there will be other times throughout their life let me ask this to you who are in the way and been in the way a long time have you stopped praying for mercy yet have you stopped praying for mercy yet do you still need mercy I do every day and several times during the day there's been times when

[31:38] I've had to confess before the lord a need of his mercy why is that it's because we have seen you know I thought too of the backsliders in Zion how this word applies to them the those that have turned aside and away from the truths that they have been under in earlier days I think of the prodigal's example in the word of truth for a self-righteousness he goes away from his father's house possesses much and spends it all in riotous living but when he began to be in want now he didn't know that day until he was emptied of everything the lord knows how to bring his people empty into god's house and that I testify by sweet experience when the lord takes away all your self-righteousness all your standing and brings you into a state of emptiness and poverty you can say with a with the word of truth that indeed the lord fills those he empties but it's a painful business you'll find you no ground to stand on you'll come as a as a fallen sinner before god in the lord's house or before the throne of unchanging grace and you'll say of nothing lord of nothing what I thought was good what I thought was right won't stand me in the swellings of Jordan I can't stand on them as something to rest upon the religion of your father and mother will not save you my friends in the day of judgment but it's the work of the Holy Ghost in your heart that is to be the proof of that real work we have seen oh how needful it is how necessary it is to be able to point to tell and to reveal and testify as the word tells us of what he has done all the world is full of religion of what they have done how many other are in false religions that as it were what's the seal of God upon it but the seal of God won't be upon something that he's not begun we have seen and do testify there's been confession there's been those seasons and times when you've fallen before the lord and said in effect guilty lord guilty that particular occasion I mentioned just now on the way home on a Monday night from work the lord spoke a word before the blessing condemned I was to utter despair in darkness of mind but the lord said this to me if thou lord should mark iniquity who will stand and I fell before the lord I said lord I wouldn't stand I wouldn't stand if my life depended my friends upon that it was an honest confession I wouldn't stand I couldn't stand we have seen but that is one side of the work of the holy spirit and as I tried to speak a few words to those who are particularly seeking souls and those who can look back on the years of experience of what they've seen what they've been taught they're now in the school of Christ they're under the instruction of the holy spirit I believe it's if it's not twice I believe the apostle gave a testimony before the world of the work of the holy ghost in his heart that work that stopped him on that Damascus road in that chapter already referred to

[35:38] when he speaks of himself as a witness he is before Festus and Agrippa and he speaks of the time he speaks of his old pathway he speaks of the I verily thought with myself that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus which things I also did in Jerusalem and many of the saints that I shut up in prison having received authority from the chief priests and when they were put to death I gave my voice against them and I punished them off in every synagogue and compelled them to blaspheme and being exceedingly mad against them I persecuted them even unto strange cities but there was a thus far and no further the appointed time rolled on a pace not to propose but call by grace to change the heart renew the will and turn the feet to Zion's hill whereupon I as I went to Damascus with an all with authority and commission from the chief priests at midday oh king I saw in the way see the truth you see the truth I saw in the way a light from heaven above the brightness of the sun shining round about me and then which journeyed with me and when we were all fallen to the earth I heard a voice a voice it wasn't the voice of love and mercy that so many people speak of it was the voice of condemnation soul soul why persecutest thou me we have seen and do testify you know with those truths that you can stand on and rest upon those truths that you can bring before the Lord as his work there is there will be a foundation that you can testify his work oh oh be not content any one of us whether we're seekers or been in the way for years whether we walk now in darkness and have no light but oh hold to this truth and indeed as you are found in prayer and supplication may this be the truth that will hold you to know those things we have seen and do testify oh it's essential my friend it's really essential it's a foundation that won't go won't be taken down it's a foundation you can rest upon the teaching of the Holy Spirit is to bring life and immortality to pass it's to prepare a saint for glory is to bring a sinner in need of Jesus Christ it's to point him to where mercy and compassion and love is to be found the Apostle John has said this speaking of the love of God in this was manifested that is in this was seen the love of God towards us because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world that we might live through him oh that's the gospel that's the gospel in a few words but the time has gone we've spoken of the way the Holy Spirit teaches the essential truth that he teaches to convict and convince to bring a sinner in need of mercy to bring him down to empty himself out to empty him out of all that is false all that he's rested upon everything that will

[39:40] will give way in the day of judgment those things that we have seen and do testify may the Lord bless his word to us this morning amen shall we conclude this morning by singing in in number 1095 the tune is Tibetan 248 in number 1095 dearest of all the names above my Jesus and my God who can resist thy heavenly love or trifle with thy blood 1095 and he's the only hundred you CDUF who can, and promise them to accept that my glory of Jesus above my Hive and Jusculpa and my glory of Jesus above myальную egnath punching you

[41:06] Where ye cosas haickers parliament A tre Zusammen with thy flag Tis by the merit of my death That the cross moves again Tis by the merit of saying and prayer The spirit of God will play Till Christ are those who created

[42:19] My blood filled up for the light the the we the Thank you.

[43:19] Thank you.

[43:49] Thank you.

[44:19] Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Gracious Lord, we do seek that that blessed spirit's work may be seen in many that are found under the sound of the truth this day.

[44:39] Lord, we do thank thee that it is a work of revelation. Lord, how we often are brought to doubt and brought to wonder whether it is inherited religion we have.

[44:54] But Lord, we're thankful too that sometimes thou dost lead us into these sacred truths. And there, Lord, is all our hope.

[45:06] Lord, the wonder reminds us of the necessity until I'm told by God's own lips that he has chosen me.

[45:17] Lord, remember us in the interval. Lord, we... Lord, I don't want to speak here. Lord, we do. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen.

[45:28] Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen.