Willing to be saved by the Gospel of Christ (Quality: Very good)

[0:00] depending on the help of God, I ask your attention to a text in the first chapter of Isaiah's prophecy. Isaiah chapter 1, we will read the 19th and 20th verses.

[0:18] The 19th and 20th verses in the first chapter of the prophecy of Isaiah. If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land.

[0:35] But if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword, for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.

[0:46] Much exercise precedes preaching.

[1:02] And I have been under considerable exercise relative to the word to which I shall venture to speak from here at Jara this morning.

[1:16] And I do hope it may prove not to be just a communication between pulpit and pew, but it may prove to be a communication between heaven and the pew.

[1:31] My friends, I hope you have an appreciation that there's no exaggeration as we make reference so often to the burden of the word of the Lord.

[1:48] The concern, the exercise, the temptation, the fear that besets a minister's heart as a minister knows in and of himself that unless the Lord give the word and the Lord bless the word, then our gathering together virtually is of little, if any, profit.

[2:19] And so, our concern seems to follow us along the line. And I've often said to my dear one, as soon as I've said amen at one service, I'm in exercise and concern relative to the next appointment.

[2:42] My friends, I hope you realize that preaching is not just a superficial employment. It is a concern.

[2:52] I was going to say a lifelong concern concern as we have the Lord to serve and we have only an evidence of success as the Lord may condescend to own and bless his word.

[3:13] Well, now, it is with that concern that I come into the pulpit this morning, having been through the week in much burden and exercise as to the relevance of the scripture to the need of the gathering one is appointed to address.

[3:39] the word. And it is a tremendous word because it carries with it the authority of the Most High for the mouth of the Lord has spoken it.

[3:58] what a tremendous responsibility it is to hear what God the Lord does speak.

[4:11] when we think, my friends, that every breath we take is a token of God's mercy, then how solemn it is to continue on through life indifferent to those messages which God sends to us through his word and in a very gracious and time-honored way the simple preaching of the word because this is an ordinance of God used by God to convey his mind and his will to the assemblies of his people.

[5:04] Well now I want to just make a few remarks about the prophecy of Isaiah.

[5:17] Some have called it the gospel by Isaiah because so much of Isaiah concerns the prophetic introduction of the truth as it is in Jesus.

[5:33] you remember the 53rd chapter particularly being a very signal and pointed indication of the suffering saviour who in due time was to be given by the father to the world that in and through him salvation should be brought to the sons and daughters of men.

[6:01] and my friends we do thank God for Isaiah and the love and grace of God that runs through this revelation of the spirit in the word.

[6:18] we may go on to the next book in the Bible and we find Jeremiah and Jeremiah's note is somewhat sterner and more condemnatory in its character Jeremiah being solemnly the representative of God in respect of the attitude and the turning away of the people even after receiving the encouragements and call of the gospel as is found in particularly in the prophecy of Isaiah.

[7:09] each message and each messenger was sent by God and God in the wisdom that is his caused these two prophecies to be recorded and we're blessed with the very careful and prayerful truth as those responsible for bringing the word into our own tongue were exercised as carefully as they possibly could to give us the interpretation in our own language of the inspired word that was given by God to his servants to record.

[8:06] Well now there are two principles in the text that if ye be willing and obedient no heart naturally speaking falls into that characteristic the natural heart is at enmity to God it is not subject to the law of God neither indeed can be and it seems to me to be a great demonstration of God's condescension working in the hearts of sinners those naturally antagonistic to him and and to the truth as it is in him especially made manifest and expressed in the awful hatred that was exhibited when liberty was given to evil men to take our Lord

[9:23] Jesus Christ and crucified him after all the benefit that he communicated both in preaching and in practice while he moved about among his fellow men in those years wherein he dwelt here in love and grace upon the earth all the terrible handling of bitterness wretchedness that was exhibited in his apprehension the awful spirit of Judas who sold his master with a kiss all the deceit of that expression of love that moved Judas thus to identify the

[10:24] Lord to his adversaries and then my friends we think of all that he endured in those years of humility and love how wonderful how wonderful never man spake like this man but multitudes that heard Jesus preach or speak rejected what they heard many of his disciples went back and walked no more with him some received the things that he spake and others received not you see my friends there was willingness to receive grief and rejection in awful hatred of his person and his words and his works nothing associating with Jesus

[11:54] Christ naturally speaking was of sufficient influence to change their natural attitude born in them as was born in us by them through the Adam fall all have sinned and come short of the glory of God there's none that doeth good no not one naturally speaking we're in a lost world we're in a lost world but by the goodness and grace of God there is a gospel to salvation given to this world hearts moved by the blessed spirit to a spirit of willingness a spirit of willingness and my friends what a wonderful thing it is to be made willing they shall be made willing in the day of my power when the

[13:06] Lord in regenerating mercy comes into a sinner's heart that power of Jesus Christ made known to them is stronger than all the enmity that is resident in them by their fallen nature they should be made willing they should be made willing in the day of his power now the text speaks does it not if ye be willing if ye be willing or have we a willing heart to realize that we're in a lost world and we're in a lost condition except God by his grace through Jesus Christ work in us a spirit that's diametrically opposed to the spirit that's in us by nature unwilling we will not have this man to reign over us we are rejecters by nature of the only thing that can save us and it's a terrible thing in one sense but the most constructive development of God's grace in Christ

[14:47] Jesus when we're conscious that only the Lord can give us that spirit of willingness to turn from the world and turn from all our own capabilities or supposed capabilities by nature and come to this one point give me Christ or else I die and when you see life eternal in Christ Jesus and nowhere else besides you can say then give me Christ or else I die and my friends oh we're made willing in the day of his power willing to follow the Lord Jesus Christ willing to seek the

[15:47] Lord Jesus Christ willing to call even from the ends of the earth in our hearts feeling to the Lord Jesus Christ save Lord or I perish now am I putting my finger on a condition in your heart that God has shown to you that your lot is eternal death except God give you eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord Jesus is the one thing needful I without him perish must what a terrible condition it is to be in a perishing state of rejection of the truth to see no beauty in Christ to have no desire toward his name to as it were listen with a rejecting ear and heart to the truth as it is in him we will not have this man to reign over us there is some practical indication this morning that being here we come to hear the gospel because the gospel sets forth

[17:23] Jesus Christ in all his fullness in all his sufficiency to take sinners in the baseness of the Adam fall and bless them with a salvation that's perfect full and free forever and forever forever and my friends oh this is a wonderful doctrine he that hath begun a good work in you will perform it unto the day of Jesus Christ what a mercy to be made willing to be saved God's way now plenty of people are willing to be saved their way their way oh if if only there was something in the gospel as it were to to the credit of fallen humanity then there would be a lot of followers but the gospel leaves no ground for self-gratification human pride it's a full and free gift of God to the most unworthy people ever if he be willing and obedient willing to be saved

[19:05] God's way willing to submit to the sword of divine justice that kills us to all hope in ourselves so that when we realize we need cleansing and we need clothing to be presented before the judgment seat and the eternal presence of the most high God that that must come from without us it must be given to us God's spirit working a willingness in us to become disciples followers of the despised Nazarene the one that was rejected by the multitude the one created a harmony around as it were the judgment hall and

[20:16] Calvary away with him away with him crucify him crucify him the last one I want anything to do with upon the face of the earth is this man and my friends oh the solemnity of the expression of a lost soul that's within us by nature rejecting despising banishing as it were any regard for or thought toward the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ if he be willing if he be willing now willingness is a very wonderful thing in the exercise of God's grace in the experiences of his people he makes them willing he makes them willing he brings them as it were to see the dreadful condemnation that is due to them as sinners against the righteous just and holy law of God self just justification is a disease that's in us all by nature that if we're left to ourselves we want to be able to present to God something that commends us to him but oh how contrary that is to the spirit of the law that

[22:17] God has given to us in his word how contrary it is to the leading and teaching of the Holy Spirit in every aspect of salvation as God works in his people both to will and to do of his good pleasure if ye be willing if ye be willing oh my friends let your heart respond are you willing it's costly in that sense because those that reject the saviour have got little time for those that are his disciples he was despised rejecting of men a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief and those that become by his grace willing disciples of our

[23:34] Lord taste of the cup that he drank in that respect in that particular the bitterness of being rejected despised thought to be so strange and so unnatural well my friends we see in these various facets of divine truth as it were the clear reflection of the spirit of Christ in the spirit and way and life of his people that the world that despised him despised them if the world loves its own it certainly will not give much room for those who are made disciples of the meek and the lowly

[24:45] Jesus if ye be willing willing to confess that there's nothing in you to merit salvation being granted to you made willing to be despised for Jesus sake being as it were among that little company comparatively that's upon the face of the world whom God has purposed to save and to whom he gives this spirit of willingness to be identified as on the Lord's side as not of this world but citizens of a better world that is an heavenly world with those peculiarities that are clear distinctions between the church and the world those that are loved of God those that are made lovers of God and those that are made exercised about those things that please

[26:08] God as opposed to those things that please the world and the flesh and the devil well now if ye be willing if it be willing it's a wonderful thing to be shut into Jesus Christ Christ it's one wonderful thing to look around as it were in all the multitudes of attractions and detractions that influence the hearts and minds of men and realise that Jesus is the one thing needful I without him perish must it's a narrow path my dear friends it's a narrow path it's a crucifying path to flesh and to sense it brings all sorts of concerns and exercises into the soul as the Lord makes them willing to take up their cross to be identified who is on the

[27:31] Lord's side and to be numbered with those that are partakers of that great salvation that takes a sinner in all the ruin of the Adam fall and makes him higher than the angels the pure angels that are in the presence of God in heaven forever the secret of the salvation of the church is something that the angels are still desiring to look into but they can't enter into the knowledge of the experience of salvation which is the portion the exulting portion of the redeemed even above the knowledge and purity of the angels in glory they wish to look into and the people of God by the grace of

[28:45] God are given the experience the reason why loved of God from all eternity given into the hands of the Saviour to redeem who went to the end of the law for righteousness who shed his precious blood for without the shedding of blood is no remission of sins God to receive us into his presence receives us as washed in the precious fountain of Christ's blood as he poured out his soul unto death on Calvary's tree and clothed in that spotless righteousness of his perfect obedience to every facet of God's holy will and way for him and for us in the gift of the law magnifying the law and making it honourable in the perfection of his submission to its every requirement in thought in word and in deed was only one sinless man ever upon the face of the earth and that was the

[30:06] God man Emmanuel God with us oh are you willing to follow him are you willing to be identified among his followers are you by the manner of life you live the way you speak the way you act desirous of submitting to his lordship the lord reproves you say unto me lord lord and you do not the things that I say oh it's one thing to say lord lord which as it were is an example or a statement of disposition of spirit you say unto me lord lord lord lord and how many people say that but and do not the things that I say real religion has the undertone of obedience as well as willingness if you be willing and obedient who rules your life who rules your thinking who rules the things which you do and the things which you do not do what touchstone are you continually coming to as you judge between what is right and what is wrong the apostle

[31:59] Paul said we have the mind of Christ what a wonderful thing if you be willing and obedient and obedient with a tender conscience with a desire as it were to please him and to follow him in I was going to say the costly dress of true Christianity putting on Christ letting it be known that we're in that dress so to speak of obedient faith following the Lord whithersoever he sees fit to lead us and guide us if you'd be willing and obedient these two facets of a true believer one who's under the influence the sanctifying influence of the spirit of

[33:10] God they're made willing they become followers of the Lord Jesus they see the dying world to be a passing phase as it were and then a vast eternity and they know there are only two places are set before every person under the sun ultimately to dwell in all heaven heaven Jesus is the way to God Jesus is the way to bliss in this way the fathers trod down from Adam's day to this are you a Christian are you willing what course through life are you following you concerned about your own well being are you concerned about what others think of you are you concerned as it were about the prosperity material that can at any time take wings and fly away if they should be if he should be willing and obedient and obedient and my friends true obedience needs a state of heart that's different from that inherited from your father and your mother when you were born in the flesh what is an obedient spirit well it's the spirit of Christ for one thing

[34:51] I do always those things that please him he said concerning his relationship with his father faith the life of faith faith is the gift of God in the exercise of faith that worketh by love we walk the path of obedience we want to know what is the will of God we want grace to be in the will of God we have to pray that the Lord will deliver us from ourselves and the spirit of the world and give us the spirit of Jesus Christ that we may be conscious of what the will of God is in our concerns in our matters in what we do in what we say and how we say it if you be willing and obedient if you be willing and obedient you shall eat the good of the land you shall eat the good of the land my friends there's no more profitable experience under the sun than to be possessed of these two ingredients that I brought before you this morning as indications and fruits of a saved sinner willing obedience not living for this world not seeking as it were everything to natural advantage under the sun seeking to please

[36:46] God seeking to know and to do his will seeking to be sanctified by his spirit the spirit of truth the spirit of truth that leads into the paths of truth those ways and things that are pleasing to God and profitable to man if ye be willing and obedient ye shall eat the good of the land that's the best life the life of faith that worketh by love in obedience to God's known revealed will and pleasure the pure example being the example of Jesus Christ himself but the life of believers as sanctified by the spirit following in the footsteps of the flock following in the way to salvation that is the portion of the

[38:06] Lord's people will without exception without variation in that sense that willingness and obedience is the hallmark of their heart's desire and their prayer to God continually if he be willing and obedience he shall eat the good of the land my friends there's no richer person on the face of the earth than the person that's born again of the spirit and with the spirit of God dwelling in them the spirit of Christ present in its sacred influences toward the glory of God one of his people we would be a soul submissive humble contrite tender in his fear examining our ways considering the fruits manifest in our lives whether they are to the glory of

[39:36] God or not if ye be willing and obedient or do I find as it were the germ of that holy principle of willingness do I find the germ of that principle of obedience in my humble ministry to you this morning my friends seek ye first the kingdom kingdom of God and his righteousness and all other things will be added unto you even your trials and your temptations sanctified to you will be teachers they'll be teachers of your unworthiness and they'll be teachers of what it costs Christ to save you because the temptations and afflictions and trials of life are among the all things that work together for good and anything that brings us to a consideration of the cost paid by the Lord himself to save us is an invaluable asset an invaluable asset to know my Jesus crucified by far excels all things beside all earthly things

[41:09] I count but loss and triumph in my Saviour's cross made willing and obedient for now I must come to the Amen as a promise if you be willing and obedient you should eat the good of the land you should eat the good of the land there is a feast prepared by the Lord to which he brings his people to partake of from time to time I could put it like this the bread of heaven and the water of life in the person of Jesus Christ oh what let me use a simple expression what a contrast there is of seeing

[42:13] Jesus in all the beauty and sufficiency of salvation as the Saviour of lost sinners and those that go by their thousands on the Lord's day and take up their places in these football matches and other centres of amusement and oh they get some stimulation in the flesh but they're still strangers in the spirit to the secret of the Lord that is with them that fear him the wonderful blessings that shower down as it were from the good hand of God who appoints that all things shall work together for good to them that love him and are called according to his purpose the bitterest experience can be made as sweet as honey when the

[43:14] Lord by his grace brings us to the table the enriched table of salvation through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ if ye be willing and obedient ye shall eat the good of the land but if ye refuse and rebel ye shall be devoured with the sword for the mouth of the Lord has spoken it I'm going to leave it there I'm going to leave it with you there this morning think on these things think on these things is there a willingness and a readiness to obey and follow the Lord within you if there is thank God and pray for his spirit to live in that spirit and you will go to heaven when you die a trophy of triumphant grace

[44:26] Amen