Experiencing Christ's atonement for sin (Quality: Good)

[0:00] I'm going to ask you to turn back in your Bibles to the 14th chapter in John's Gospel. The 14th chapter in the Gospel according to John, we will read by way of text the 19th verse.

[0:22] John 14 verse 19 Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more, but ye see me, because I live, ye shall live also.

[0:52] Amen. We value these special occasions according to the arrangements of men.

[1:08] I cannot begin to suggest that this is a corresponding Sunday to that glorious day when the Lord Jesus Christ, triumphant over the enemies of himself and of his people rose from the dead and appeared so wonderfully, graciously, condescendingly to appointed persons as disciples of the Lord, except Thomas, of course, as we read in our lesson.

[1:47] And there were women that also were present. There was a general spirit of sorrow prevailing in many hearts as the Lord subjected himself so willingly to be crucified between two malefactors on the accursed tree outside of Jerusalem's wall, numbered with the transgressors, but bearing the sin of many.

[2:25] Oh, my friends, what ignominy and shame was heaped upon him is beyond the comprehension of any heart and mind in the flesh.

[2:38] We have to be favored with an acceptation in faith of the detail recorded in the word and leave all that was in the cup of the Lord Jesus Christ to drink to the very dregs in the good hand, the perfect hand of God himself, that cup which the Father gave into the hands of the Son and the precious Son of God incarnate, drank to the very dregs to bring salvation to all for whom he suffered, bled and died, the just for the unjust.

[3:25] Now, we rejoice in the truth of the resurrection, the resurrection.

[3:40] My friends, it was not enough that Jesus died. Mary might weep and others might weep if the history terminated in Jesus dying only.

[4:06] The rejoicing in the gospel story hangs upon this, that although he died, the surety of his people and took every one of their transgressions to himself, he was made sin for us who knew no sin that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

[4:38] Now, when we talk about the righteousness of God, we're talking about absolute purity, absolute purity.

[4:50] Whiter than snow is the description given to us to illustrate the perfection of purity in and of the righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ.

[5:11] And my friends, he was made sin. none ever was condemned with more absolute comprehensive condemnation under the holy law of God than the Lord Jesus Christ himself.

[5:39] All sin, all sin in the nature of it. Antagonistic to God who had an absolute right to give the law to man to be kept.

[6:00] Every transgression of that holy law by the people of God, whoever they were, whatever nation they belonged to, whatever generation they belonged to, everything about them, all their sins were laid upon the Son of God.

[6:26] Oh, the absolute truth that Jesus Christ is God.

[6:36] God for who could bear the weight of guilt that was chargeable to him as he stood surety of his people.

[6:50] My friends, he had to be God incarnate for sin must be punished where sin is committed and it was in manhood that the transgression was committed and he became a man to take that guilt unto himself.

[7:15] He was made sin for us who knew no sin that we might be made the righteousness of God. He knew no sin.

[7:28] He was never guilty of a thought, a word or deed inconsistent with the holy mind of his father.

[7:39] He was as holy when he suffered, bled and died as he was when he was conceived by the Holy Spirit in the womb of the Virgin Mary.

[7:52] No incident, no circumstance, no trial, no enmity and bitterness from any quarter excited in his heart, anything that transgressed the holy law of God, pure, absolutely pure in himself but made sin, made sin for us.

[8:21] all the multitudes of transgressions Christ carried in that body as he suffered the just for the unjust that he might bring his people to God with acceptance, washed, pure, cleansed to perfection without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, the righteousness of God in him.

[8:59] These are wonderful truths. Foul I to the fountain fly, wash me saviour or I die.

[9:11] Have you ever prayed that prayer from your heart? Is the blood of Jesus Christ precious to your soul?

[9:24] Do you see the truth relative to the imputation of sin to the saviour and the imputation of the righteousness of Christ Jesus the saviour absolute and sufficient to cleanse you from all your transgressions and present you faultless before the throne of a holy God forever and forever?

[9:54] Now I'm my mind is ranging isn't it in the outline as it were of the precious doctrine that surely is being commemorated in many places today but we hope in many hearts of believing sinners who are bound for heaven when they die well now let's look at this particular word as it's been on my mind yet a little yet a little while when the world seeth me no more Jesus he was crucified a place was made for him in the purposes of God that he should be taken down from the cross and he should be buried in a new tomb oh there was no there was no body buried in that tomb before the

[11:01] Lord Jesus Christ and he was as pure and undefiled when he came out of that tomb on the resurrection morning as when he went into it that nothing nothing defiled the son of God in a relative sense my friends he remains pure to this day well now yet a little while and the world seeth me no more but ye see me when the Lord died upon the cross and was buried in the tomb of Joseph of Arimathea well it was the in this sense the last that the world saw of him wasn't it he showed himself after his resurrection to his disciples they saw him in the flesh in those 40 days between his resurrection ascension and ascension where he is at this moment of time at the right hand of the father in glory he was revealed he showed himself to his favoured disciples but the world didn't see him the world didn't see him and this seems to bring forth a principle yet a little while then the world seeth me no more all the world sees of

[13:13] Christ is of no value to them it has no real influence to bring peace true peace into their hearts and into their consciences yet a little while between when these words were spoken and when the Lord bowed his head on Calvary's tree said it is finished and gave up the ghost the world saw him no more in a fleshly sense but I want to appropriate the principle to the general consideration that distinguishes those to whom a revelation of the

[14:29] Lord Jesus Christ is given by the Holy Spirit of God and those that are left in the blindness of fallen nature to see no beauty in him see no need of him see no remedy for the terrible soul destroying malady of sin that has beset the human race from Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden right down through to the present time and will continue to the end of time a race stricken with a sickness spiritual sickness that carries with it the dreadful consequence of eternal death death yet a little while and the world seeth me no more blindness spiritual blindness is an awful consequence of the

[15:58] Adam fall another description which as it were comprehends the condition in or under sin is dead in trespasses and in sins everything that speaks to us of life in the figure of nature appropriated to the interpretation of living in the spirit by the spirit yes blindness is a terrible terrible curse upon the human race there were two men right in the beginning one lived and died blind the other was born lived naturally but had his eyes opened spiritually he became a new creature he saw things which his brother didn't see couldn't see who am I speaking of even the children know sufficient of the original story of the world to know that Cain and Abel were the two characters

[17:44] Cain lived a life of spiritual blindness Abel by God's sovereign grace and for Jesus sake had his eyes opened to the truth brought an acceptable sacrifice and went to heaven when he died yet a little while and the world seeth me no more Christ came into the world and lived among the people they saw him multitude saw him with the natural eye they never saw him with the spiritual eye the eye of faith that new principle that

[18:47] God gives to believing souls my friends what a solemn thing it is to be blind to the need of a saviour what a wonderful wonderful gift it is if God opens your eyes opens your eyes to see that you're a sinner and you need a saviour now yet a little while and the world seeth me no more and the world doesn't see him now the world dead in trespasses and sins they don't see him and they despise Christians they reject our faith and belief because they don't see any need of it why we are as we are they don't understand they're blind to the benefits of salvation through this one saviour whom God has given to save mankind let me stop and ask the question at this point has God opened your eyes has God opened your eyes the world they can't see they don't see and there's nothing less than the gracious power of the

[20:38] Holy Spirit of God that can open a sinner's eyes to the truth as it is in Jesus my friends sometimes it seems shall I say a very insufficient glimpse we have in the beginning of the work of the blessed spirit when we begin to see that there's something in this Christianity there's something in this doctrine of salvation there's something in this love of God Father Son and Holy Spirit entering into a covenant that those that were born enemies to God are made reconciled to him washed clothed and presented faultless before the throne of God when they die to go to heaven despite all their just deservings of being banished to hell the

[21:52] Lord himself the mediator between God and men stands between as your eyes been opened to see that one standing between with garments dyed in blood tis he instead of me is seen when I approach to God it's a great question this morning it's a great question this morning I can't open your eyes your parents can't open your eyes your husband or your wife they can't open your eyes it's essentially the work of the Holy Spirit of God and my friends there's no blindness in heaven there's no blindness in heaven everyone that goes to heaven has their eyes opened opened to the truth the most wonderful truth that was ever ever known by any person anywhere over the face of the earth is to have our eyes opened and see the truth in this simple statement his name shall be called

[23:22] Jesus for he shall save his people from their sins another world oh don't expect them to understand I think you're excessively sacrificial with regard to the pleasures of this world go on the sabbath day and you sit and listen to individuals come and speak they tell them the same things over and over and over again don't tire with the reiteration they rather feel confirmed in their souls when the truth as it is in Jesus is presented simply and clearly to their vision they see Jesus as the way to

[24:24] God Jesus is the way to bliss yet a little while the world seeth me no more oh Christ was coming to the end of his pilgrimage here upon the earth manifesting himself by all signs and words and works the world was blessed with his presence for 33 years he moved about doing good opening the eyes of the blind naturally speaking raising the dead Lazarus come forth all the miracles lepers that disease that at that time had no promise of cure well he touched lepers and they were made whole pure from their leprosy

[25:34] I could go on with that catalogue of miracle that Jesus he kept saying men can't do it but I can men can't do it but I can I'm here to say to you I can't do it your parents can't do it your neighbours can't do it all that you know of a religious inclination of heart and mind they can't do it there's one that can there's one that can he is able to save to the uttermost all that come unto God by him yet a little while and the world seeth me no more the world is the same world as it was when Christ was crucified the spirit any confrontation as it were by the gospel has this influence within to reject him to reject him oh we've heard all these things before we know all about this but we don't want it we don't want it despised and rejected of men a man of sorrows and acquainted with rape the Lord

[27:10] Jesus when here in the flesh and in the hearts of those that are yet blind rejected despised ridiculed in the person of believing souls who show forth by their living testimony that their eyes have been opened by God's grace grace to see in the Lord Jesus Christ the pearl of great price the name that is above every name that those riches that excel anything that alternatively that can be suggested on the face of the earth to know my Jesus crucified by far excels all things beside all earthly good

[28:10] I count but loss and triumph in my Saviour's cross can you say I'd say can you say as before a heart searching God who never never mistakes the sincerity of a true profession of faith that faith that worketh by love well now yet a little while the world seeth me but ye see me ye see me oh as I've sought this morning to lift up a precious Christ upon the pole of the gospel have you seen him have you seen him is your eye testifying from your heart that's the truth that fellow's been telling us the truth that fellow's been communicating to us by divine purpose in

[29:27] Attlebury Chapel this morning the simple well known teaching of salvation according to the scriptures or are you among those that says well the old old story the old old story the old old story ever new to living souls whose eyes are open to see the awful consequence of sin in themselves continuing while life continues because the flesh is sinful flesh and while we're in the flesh we transgress the law of God we are made conscious of the necessity of repentance continually and sometimes we mourn that our hearts are so hard and our spirits so indifferent that Mary's precious tears seem so strange to us but oh how wonderful it is when we confess as Mary did she thought she went to the she thought

[30:59] Christ was the gardener if you they have taken away my Lord and I know not where they've laid him do you know what that is spiritually when it seems as you've seen Jesus and you have been comforted you've been lifted up in spirit and your sins in the power to condemnation have had to as it were be set back in the realisation that you've got an interest you've seen Jesus you're among those that are seeking for him you're among those that are rejoicing in the fact that there is a salvation in the face of all to the contrary the wonderful thing she came weeping to Jesus she came weeping to Jesus they've taken away my

[32:05] Lord if I knew where he was I'd take him oh that love which binds which binds the soul to the saviour doesn't it however cold and dark and distant you feel to be there's something that longs for his return or the fresh revelation by the spirit of the beauty and glory and promise of the truth as it is in Jesus Christ now listen a little while and the world seeth me no more but ye see me because I live ye shall live also the

[33:06] Lord's opened your eyes and you've seen a beauty in Christ you felt sometimes so desirous to partake of this great salvation that you've gone so far as to say I could from all things parted be but never never Lord from thee the highest point of heart experience centres in the person the knowledge of the person and work of the Son of God to know my Jesus crucified by far excels all things beside it's a wonderful thing my friends to see enough beauty and glory and desire for the

[34:13] Lord Jesus Christ that sometimes you say whatever the cost Lord whatever the cost give me grace to bear it but never never take my precious hope from me centred not not in anything I've done not in any acquisition of position and power that I've attained to in this world no mention to me multi millionaires I despise them I despise them because I know something more valuable than anything that can be named I've seen salvation forever in the person of

[35:14] Jesus that every one of my sins can be blotted out I have blotted out as a thick cloud thy transgressions and will not remember thy sins anymore who are the rich people on the earth who are the rich people on the earth some of them are simple people some of them are poor people they're like their lord and master despised and rejected of men oh people think they're not mentally sound their scales are deceptive and they get carried away with this religious business oh my friends those whose scales are set by the leading and teaching of the Holy

[36:20] Ghost see Jesus is the one thing needful I without him perish must are your eyes open are your eyes open do you see if Jesus doesn't undertake your salvation you'll go to hell when you die God's a holy God God that created you gave you natural life and planted you here upon the earth and has brought you in his kind providence supplying your temporal needs to the present moment of time that God is a holy God he cannot look upon sin with any degree of allowance how came is thou hither not having a wedding garment being ignorant of the need of the righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ imputed to you despised and rejecting the doctrines of the saving gospel of

[37:27] God's grace in the person of his dear son my friends depart from me says God for I never knew you I never knew you the world doesn't see Jesus the people of God see him I am the way the truth and the life I give unto my followers eternal life they shall never perish neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand me a little while the world see me no more but ye see me ye see me oh you see him in the gospel don't you as you read the wonderful account of his life here below centering in the salvation of sinners and you see him in his all sufficiency of dealing with the various conditions and complaints that were presented to him in those ways that poor sinners afflicted, sick and even in prison they were liberated they were set free, they were cleansed they were made pure, they were made holy by Jesus Christ no other no other, no other if my poor, I repeat it, if my poor soul be saved, if your poor soul be saved it's Christ must be the way but ye see me but ye see me oh what a lot we have to be thankful for if God has made Jesus Christ precious for unto you that believe he is precious now

[40:00] I don't want to yet a little while and the world seeth me no more but ye see me do you see him as the way to God and in that simple statement do you see him as the way to God in your prayers when you conclude your petitions having presented your sense of need before him concerning not only things spiritual but also temporal matters believing that all power is given unto him in heaven and earth you say for Jesus sake and the only anticipation of an answer to your prayers is in the name and for the sake of Jesus who having finished his work here upon the earth ascended and is now at the right hand of the Father interceding in the behalf our great high priest our advocate the one who presents himself as the ground foundation of a reconciled father having the care of his family here upon earth as well as those that have gone before and are the glorified family in heaven even now but what

[42:09] I want to stress as I close this morning is this the everlasting nature he that has done a good work in you look if the Lord has ever opened your eyes the Lord will perfect that which concerns us who once he loves he never leaves but loves them to the end he that hath begun the good work in you will perform it unto the day of Jesus Christ you say but oh how you know I feel so ignorant I feel so so dark and superficial in my knowledge of the things of God the greatest subject that ever can occupy my thoughts

[43:10] I feel like a child in the first class at school the ABC is about as far as I can go and I hear people talk and they talk about wonderful experiences revelations and answers to prayer and the application of certain scriptures with power to their souls all things associating with seeing Jesus seeing Jesus my friends simplicity is not the criteria it's seeing the world seeth me no more but ye see me ye see me yes in your darkest seasons of temptation and fear sometimes oh the sincerity the depth of feeling in your heart that the

[44:17] Lord might return that he might renew that he might come in some singular way and give you a token show me some token Lord for good some token of thy special love show me that I am born of God and that my treasure is above you know I can't be an orderly preacher but my theme is for your salvation Jesus Christ is the way the truth and the life no man cometh unto the Father but by him amen