[0:00] Depending on the Lord's help, would I ask you to attend to the Gospel according to John, the first chapter, reading verses 12 and 13.
[0:21] The Gospel according to John, the first chapter, reading verses 12 and 13. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name, which were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
[1:15] It is the 30th verse which has rested upon my mind, that these verses are down together.
[1:31] There is something exceeding precious, something glorious, something divine, something here, if God the Holy Spirit lead us into it this night, which will cause your very soul to reveal it.
[2:12] There's heaven in the text. We have heavenly things. And those heavenly things and heavenly truths, God the Holy Spirit alone can bring dead into your soul.
[2:38] because that religion outside of God the Holy Ghost is of the flesh.
[3:01] That which is of the flesh is corrupt. that which is of the Spirit is holy.
[3:17] The word of God is very solemn. And the word of God is very separated. But may we for a short time here tonight first of all consider the 12th verse that as many have received him.
[3:48] That is the Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, he that came from eternity into this world of sin and work.
[4:11] Amen, your God with us. Do you believe God did come and tabernacle here on the earth? Do you believe you believe Almighty God walked this lower world?
[4:29] That's what I read in the Bible and that's what I believe. Almighty God sighed human breath.
[4:44] God this was the message that the Old Testament prophets are going and again.
[5:01] This is fulfilled in the New Testament. God was manifest in the flesh.
[5:18] Yet we read he came unto his own that is the Jewish nation came unto his own and his own received him not but as many have received him.
[5:50] Who did receive him when he was born? Christ the King was born. I only read of two apart from Joseph and Mary that received him the humble shepherds as they tended their flock by night suddenly they saw the heavenly host that which was invisible was made visible they saw angels that are not visible to you and I on this earth when
[6:56] Christ were born they were made known to these humble shepherds and they received Christ the King and you read of the wise man they said where is he they didn't say is he here they said where is he where is he the born king of the years there was none of the mighty none of the nobles none of herod's court none of the sanhedron they didn't receive
[8:06] Christ when he was born came unto his own and his own received him not it's the same today my dear friend it's the same today the world rejects the eternal son of God the world sees no beauty in Christ he is despised and rejected of men but as many have received him to him gave he power to become the sons of
[9:14] God I do not intend to stay here very long in this world but there were some of the might in the nobles that received this precious cross I shall name two one was Nicodemus Nicodemus a ruler of the Jesus today we should say he was a doctor of divinity I just mention this to give you an idea who this man was Nicodemus and if you search the word of God you will find he received this precious Jesus the other one is
[10:16] Joseph our Messiah he was a rich man he was one of those men you call today the millionaire when the Bible says you are rich you know you are rich whether in spiritual things or temporal things he was a wealthy man but he received Jesus wonderful thing my why was his right his eye to come to this evening even to them that believe on his name savingly believe not all that profess to believe in
[11:19] Jesus savingly believe the very solemn things in the word of God some very solemn things that Jesus spake on this earth Jesus himself the infallible teacher he tells us this of that great day judgment and we shall all be there my friend the great judgment day just to fill us here tonight in this chapel we shall be at that judgment day millions of the human race have raised before the judgment seat of
[12:22] Christ to give an account of the deeds done in our body whether they be good or whether they be evil and the Lord Jesus tells us this that day some will say what they have done in the name of Jesus they will say we have cast out devils in my name Jesus tells us he will say I never knew you apart from me ye workers of him it's not what you do for
[13:24] Jesus my friend it's not what I do for Jesus that has nothing to do with the salvation of your soul what you do if it did you work everything you some may say well don't you believe in good work yes my Bible tells me to do good unto all men but my Bible doesn't tell me that will take me to heaven you do not work for salvation good works flow from salvation that salvation which is in
[14:27] Christ when that flows into a sinner's heart it brings everything else with it it does indeed and it's the same today plenty of religious people will tell you what they're doing for the Lord Jesus Christ how awful to be twice dead dead in sin and dead in profession if I never met such characters
[15:29] I dare not utter such words in this pulpit but I do mean them and if God's grace never touches their heart the day will come when Jesus will say he's far from me it's what Jesus does for you and me now this is right he's ought to come to here for a short time which were born not of blood no not inherited in the blood sin runs in our blood sin runs in our veins how do we know it by sickness by disease some of you in this chapel here you know what it is to carry about with you an afflicted body why sin runs in your blood sin make no mistake about it sin is in us and it's not only in our physical frame our mental powers are deprived and it's not only in our mental powers it's in our very soul spirit that died died with it our all is nothing sin to plead to the dust of the earth we are written in the earth there's nothing heavenly there's nothing divine there's nothing holy in wretched ruin man that's the doctrine of the fallen man not many people believe him they talk about him but they don't believe him which were born not of blood nor the will of the flesh flesh lives on its sinful life sinful divine that which is of the flesh is flesh you you know what your flesh love whatever it is it's in it is if you think otherwise my dear friend you think wrong if we're left to ourselves whether in a life profane or a life of dead profession you will plead and satisfy your sinful life nor the will of the flesh nor the will of man what is man's will the will of man is to destroy himself and I know it's true as I read
[20:21] God's holy word as I read what God has taught me the will of man is rebellion the will of man is full of pride the will of man is self sufficient carnal mind is enmity against God it is not subject to the law of God neither in thee can lose to come to these words which were born but of
[21:29] God you got in your heart born of God this is coming right home right to you your individual kind right to you into your very person you know that anyone else around you look right in your own heart where do you stand which were born of God we got the new birth of him we got the words of Jesus himself here he must be born again you don't read of many things in the word of
[22:41] God like this you don't read you must be baptized you don't read that you don't read you must sit down at the Lord table you don't read that I'm a Baptist you know that I know me to tell these things are right and proper in their self but the Lord Jesus Christ said ye must be born again golden ago jenny should tonagen ont viaje to another by wash away your sins, my friends? Never. Ye must be born again.
[24:03] Some may say we've heard this all our lives, fifty, sixty, seventy, for 80 years. Are you born again? Am I quickened by his spirit to live a life of faith and prayer? Are you born again? Now I desire to trace a few things as concerning a newborn son. Because that with ease of the spirit it quickens. It is the spirit that quickens. The last property of it. The word that I speak unto you, they are spirit and they are life. The
[25:35] Spirit of God enlightens. The Spirit of God quickens a dead soul into life.
[25:49] Now I know this. I know it by observation. And I know it by mingling with God's dear people. Not everyone can place their hand at the spot and place where God quickens their dead soul into life. I would humbly say this to the honor and glory of my God. I have spots and places in my life. As long as I have a memory. I shall never forget where God convinced me of my my faith. But not every child of God. Can speak in that way now. And I have no desire to lay down any any particular path you must tread in. But I do know this. The Lord Jesus Christ will make your sins a burden to you.
[27:19] I have no desire to lay down any other. Sometimes the Lord does this with a child. A wonderful thing to me. I met some of God's dear people. And they told me how they have been burdened with their sins when they were little children. Suffer little children to come unto me. And forbid them not. For such is the kingdom of heaven.
[28:01] For such is the kingdom of heaven. And if the Lord Jesus Christ teaches a little child. He doesn't teach them, my friends. Like he does one that's right out in the sin and wickedness of this dreadful world.
[28:21] But if you are born again. Your sins lay on your conscience. You are burdened with your sins. You come here tonight.
[28:39] You come here tonight. Burden with your sins. Burden with your sins. Burden with your sins. This is the new birth. I've tried more than once in my life to throw this burden away.
[29:04] Burden with your sins. But you'll never throw it away, my friend. When he, the Spirit of Truth, is come, he shall convince of sin, righteousness, and of judgment to come.
[29:26] Burden with your sins. And eternity will open up. Now I cannot describe this in words. There's no man living can describe this. When eternity opens up before you.
[29:49] Burden with your sins. Burden with your sins. Burden with your sins. Burden willping you. Burden with your sins.
[30:01] Burden with your sins. Burden with your sins. Burden with your sins. Burden with your sins. Burden with your sins.
[30:12] Burden with your sins. Burden with your sins. Burden with your sins. Burden with your sins. and you'll know God is holy and you'll know his law is holy and his word is holy a sinner can't vince of their sin but there's something else then a prayer in your heart you see if that's all you had you could drop him to hell then give people convinced of sin and panic the soul that's bored again begins to pry begins to pry if you've never prayed before you'll pry now that's the new birth prayer faith in the heart you may not know it you may not even think about such a thing
[31:41] I do never thought nothing about faith but I know I prayed I know I groaned I know I wept because I was a sinner the cry will be this there's only one cry there's only one prayer of an evil and soul God be merciful to me a sinner and that's the prayer and that's the prayer when you come tonight pray this prayer do you know that's one of the most precious words to me in the Bible God be merciful to me a sinner
[32:44] God be merciful to me a sinner I hope if I learn a dying being God help me to pray that prayer God be merciful to me a sinner this is the work of the spirit and I know this I felt it would never come to me I didn't think it was possible although I could no more stop crying for mercy then I could stop breathing this is a mixture this is a paradox to cry for something you believe could never, never reach not of the will of man but it's the will of God the will of God you should cry for mercy often hear people talk about the will of God that is will being done well it will be done
[34:27] God have a favor to your soul it will be done you will cry for mercy and I'll tell you more you will not cry in rain for he hath not said to the seeking seed of Jacob seek ye my face in rain is there a soul here tonight is there a soul here tonight knocking at mercy's door are you asking you are not asking vain he'll surely turn and smile again not doubt thou seek his face in rain but the time comes with this newborn soul when something remarkable happens this soul knows God is holy this soul knows God's law is holy this soul knows everything they have and everything they possess and everything they think within themselves and everything they have nobody will move you from here the soul that is born again born of the spirit convinced of their being that same blessed spirit of all truth and grace will lead that soul to Christ
[37:09] Christ is with you Christ is with you Christ is with you Christ is with you this is being born of God Christ is born in you the hope of glory what a change it is can you look back tonight where Jesus with his mighty love did visit your troubled breath when you went out often you went out of 12 you went out after you believed you believed he was precious and he was precious and to you therefore that believe he is precious whom cometh unto a living stone disallowed indeed of men but chosen of God and Christ if the Lord Jesus Christ be made precious to your soul the wonderful thing to receive Christ in your heart to receive from his fullness to feel the holy love of Christ yet abroad in your heart by God the Holy Ghost you go out after him draw me we will run off do you know he's a runner after him this is what separates the people of God from the world
[39:18] I've said this many times and I believe it when the Lord separates his people from the world it's because he's got something far better to give them with Christ in the vessel we can all at the store so you can so you will the world sees nothing in Jesus the world sees nothing in our Savior the soul the soul that's born again is born to behold this glorious person this once crucified but now exalted Lord by precious faith this soul this soul laid hold of the hope set me for the in the gospel this soul comes forth from the pit of corruption deliver me from going down into the pit for I have found a ransom as you found Jesus in your heart the hope of glory we open to serve for the very precious hymn healer
[41:25] Emmanuel here we are waiting to feel thy cup the wounded souls that thee repair and Savior we are soft that's true isn't it we are we always shall be you won't get any better by this no you won't get any better when Christ first revealed his lovely face to me the days of my spiritual youth I thought I should go on and know more and more of Jesus so I have but not in the road
[42:31] I thought it would not in the path I thought it would it's a wonderful thing though isn't it to have Christ revealed there are a lot of people that don't believe this they call themselves strict Baptists they do they don't believe in the dreadful day in which you and I live but I know Christ does reveal him because he's revealed himself to me many many times that's how I know so in this chapel you know he's revealed himself to you what does he reveal he reveals his love with power he reveals it he applies it you walk in him by precious faith you embrace him he becomes the altogether love he becomes the chief among ten sins of your soul and you say thine world be gone you don't want the world because the spirit of the world eternally and the spirit of
[44:37] Christ enters into the heart and when you've got his presence my dear friend you won't want this world you won't want it want it you won't want anything of the world my dear friend if you have the presence of Christ you won't you won't want the lawful things of this world if you have the presence of Christ in your soul if you set your heart and your affections on things above you'll long to leave this lower world you won't you'll know something what the hymn write to speak today he said weary of earth are you weary of the earth you do what here tonight weary of earth myself understand dear
[46:06] Jesus set me first to thy glory take me where I long in my early days the days of my spiritual youth I longed when to heaven I did as a spot and a place where this glorious saviour this living lord so captivated my soul I longed to be with Christ which is far better but I must say this many days have passed many changes
[47:20] I have seen men who could hold me up but there none that the Lord Jesus Christ can hold us up none that he can maintain us none that he can strengthen us we need him every step of the journey every step I remember an old minister many years ago I never forgot him he was an old man and he was drawing very near his end he said if I have to take the last step I shall carry but you haven't got to take the last step my friend Jesus is with you from the moment he quickens your dead soul to the last step of the year and I tell you more than this he was with you when you were dead in things preserved in
[48:50] Jesus Christ and called ah it is a great deed divine preservation may God help us to ponder over these precious truths and help us to cleave to the Lord with full purpose of heart amen to show for