Mark (Quality: Very Good)

[0:00] feeling so much to need the Lord's merciful and gracious help I am compelled to venture this evening in directing your thoughts to the Gospel of Mark chapter 5 and reading verse 15 the Gospel of Mark chapter 5 and reading verse 15 and they come to Jesus and see him that was possessed with the devil and had the legion sitting and clothed and in his right mind and they were afraid and they come to Jesus and see him that was possessed with the devil and had the legion sitting and clothed and in his right mind and they were afraid

[1:27] Dear friends, is there not the danger with us as we are living in these exceedingly solemn days to lose sight of the power of God His power is the same today as it had ever been and his power is the same as it was in the life of this poor man and you may have noticed and this is why

[2:28] I felt we must read the few verses in the fourth chapter what does Jesus say in verse 35 in chapter 4 and the same day when the even was come he saith unto them let us pass over unto the other side and we have read together of what took place in that journey the great storm of wind that arose and as the way is beat into the ship so that it was now full the miracle which the Lord Jesus performed on that occasion and he arose and rebuked the wind and said unto the sea peace be still and the wind ceased and there was a great calm and he said unto them why are ye so fearful how is it that ye have no faith and they feared exceedingly and said one to another what manner of man is this that even the wind and the sea obey him and the Lord Jesus here put forth his power and what wondrous words they are peace be still and the wind ceased and there was a great calm but if we could be helped by the Holy Spirit to consider this that the Lord Jesus must go over the sea at this time to meet with one poor sinner a divine purpose was in this journey and you may have noticed in verse 21 in this fifth chapter and when Jesus was passed over again by ship unto the other side much people gathered unto him and he was nigh unto the sea well oh that the Lord might be pleased to bring home upon our hearts this evening that his power is still the same all power is given unto me both in heaven and in earth and if we are helped to consider just a little at least of the divine purpose that the Lord

[5:44] Jesus had in going over this sea from one side to the other and from the other side back again and it was to meet with one poor sinner and the Lord knows how we have come to the service here this evening and the Lord knows all that concerns us all that is going on in each of our lives and I am thankful with this thought especially that I do not know how any of you have come to the service this evening but the Lord knows he knows how any of us have left our home to come and he knows all that is going on in our lives but really in this wondrous account surely we have a description of the whole fallen human race in our fallen state and I wonder how we may respond to this thought but in our fallen state we are no better and we are no different to this poor man who had his dwelling among the tomb he had his dwelling as we have read this together who had his dwelling among the tomb and no man could bind him no not with chains the lord is indeed a sovereign in the way in which he deals with everyone whose name is written in the lamb's book of life and I'm sure with those of us here this evening that have any real hope that we have been born again and have been brought through the gateway of regeneration into the narrow way that leads to life eternal if any of us here this evening could be helped to tell out a little of the way in which we trust the lord has dealt with us each one here would speak of that sovereign way in which they humbly believe the lord began a work of grace in their hearts but I'm sure that it is right to say that in measure at least this is where the lord found us yes you may have not left off coming to the house of god there could be those here this evening who could say that they were never unwilling to come to chapel and yet if the holy spirit has quickened our souls into life we shall know in measure of the same spirit that was found in this poor man and yet jesus must go over the sea to find him and oh may I remind you then that the lord's power is the same today his power is the same and if

[10:12] I may be helped to just look a little into this to think that the lord knowing that this man was where he was and oh if we could be granted even this thought together this evening and any of you that have come here with a burdened heart and the lord knowing why you have come with a burdened heart but oh may we not forget this that the lord's power is the same today I was looking at that well known hymn just now in the vestry there is a period known to god when all his sheep redeemed by blood shall leave the hateful ways of sin turn to the fold and enter in what else does it say in that hymn you listen at peace with hell with god at war in sin's dark maze they wander far indulge their lusts and still go on as far from god as sheep can run what else does it say in that hymn but see how heaven's indulgent care attends their wanderings here and there are hard at heels where e'er they stray with pricking thorns to hedge their way and so we could go on with that hymn but really you know the substance of the subject that I have felt

[11:55] I must venture with this evening it's all found in that hymn and the wonder of it and so the lord knows how it is with all of us and I cannot refrain from saying this those of us here this evening that have children and what a thought it is some of us here we have children that at this present moment are right out in the world and yet the lord knows where they are oh may we not lose sight of that what a thought it is that the lord knows where all are to whom he has an eternal purpose of grace you think of it he knows where they are this evening he knows how they are living he knows all about their life friends isn't it true that we tend to lose sight of the fact the truth that omnipotence hath servants everywhere his method is sublime his thoughts supremely kind he never is before his time and never is behind but it certainly was so in this poor man's life wasn't it may I just tarry a little longer here and may we think of this and they came over unto the other side of the sea into the country of the

[13:43] Gadarenes and when he was come out of the ship immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit immediately oh if we could but have just a glimpse of the divine power of God in this in the salvation of sinners why the Lord went over the sea to find this poor man and the Lord's power is the same today again I say to you the Lord knows where these poor sinners are he knows where they are he knows their rebellion he knows how they live he knows their determination to go their own way to live their own life and Galio like they care for none of these things and yet if we are made honest before God wouldn't we have to say

[14:43] Lord I'm I'm no different I know better in our fallen nature we're no better we're no different friends why are we here this evening how is it that we're here this evening well isn't it because of what the Lord has done for us isn't it because of his mercy made known in our lives oh if we could be helped to rightly consider this then and where was this poor man who had his dwelling among the tombs and no man could bind him no not with chains you think of it because that he had been often bound with fetters and chains and the chains had been plucked asunder by him and the fetters broken in pieces neither could any man tame him I was reading only a day or so ago of one of God's servants in the days of his unregeneracy and how he was determined to have his fill of the pleasures of this life and he was speaking about this when he was an old man and through the mercy of God had been called by grace and he said how when he used to come home after fulfilling his own pleasure in doing what he wanted to do he had a godly mother who used to put her hand on his shoulder and just say oh my dear boy now the

[16:31] Lord used it the Lord used it and the Lord alone knows what effect what any mother or father may say to children the Lord knowing all about it well what a consideration then we have before us because that he had been often bound with fetters and chains and the chains had been plucked asunder by him and the fetters broken in pieces neither could any man tame him why what a description we have of our fallen nature and yet the wonder of redeeming love and mercy oh think of it might the

[17:34] Lord even use this thought in any of their hearts this evening that the Lord Jesus must go over the sea to the other side to find this one poor sinner and you know what happened when the Lord had found him why those that were there they desired him that he would depart out of their ghost but the Lord must go over to find this one poor tormented sinner and always night and day he was in the mountains and in the tombs crying and cutting himself with stones you know I can remember sitting in the cinema intended in at the time when there was considerable fear of the disease or illness that we would know as polio and I can remember sitting in the cinema intended in and you know there was this thought what if that should come to me and you know if you really think about this there was a voice in it and even with those who at this present time are right out in the world and living their life as is pleasing to them with no thought or desire seemingly regarding their never dying souls and yet we do not know with pricking thorns to hedge their way and so it was here why what a hopeless case we have in the account of this poor man and if we consider this in the day in which we live and any of us here this evening that know what it is to be burdened about a son or sons or a daughter or daughters and realizing and having to feel something of the truth even that we have here before us well there is a period known to

[20:21] God I wonder how many of us here this evening could say yes I know that it is so and I can remember in those days when the Lord knows my heart in this when I went after the things of this life and yet there were the pricks of conscience there were the things that happened there were the things that made me consider my ways perhaps I might be allowed this thought if I remember rightly it was an Easter Monday you know there was a time in my life when all I could think about was motorbikes yes I had them and I can remember this day yes you know how it is on these special days in the year when we would have services as of course they are now and Easter

[21:40] Monday at Stone and elsewhere some motorbikes racing grass track racing as it was known in those days yes and I went and what happened well a number of those that were in those races were injured and the Lord used it to make me think oh I well remember it and I went to chapel in the evening you see that is just a little instant in my own life well may I come then with that that follows here and to consider this and always night and day he was in the mountains and in the tombs crying and cutting himself with stones but

[22:42] I thought as we were reading it perhaps I've never ever felt it quite the same before but when he saw Jesus afar off he ran and worshipped him do you believe that's possible today friends do we believe it's possible today wouldn't we have to cry with a dear man with the his afflicted son from a child and he had to prove as we have had to prove that the Lord's own disciples could do nothing for us but where do we find that poor man when the Lord said to him if thou canst believe all things are possible to him that believeth and how do we find the response from that dear man's heart well we find it in this same gospel and straightway the father of the child cried out and said with tears

[23:53] Lord I believe help thou mine unbelief and yet if you ever thought the Lord healed that son bring him unto me and he healed him now this is God's word these are not my words but when he saw Jesus afar off he ran and worshipped him do we really believe you'll join I believe with the dear father this very evening and you'll come and you'll say it with tears Lord I believe help thou mine unbelief if you think of it the Lord's power is the same today the Lord's power is the same today when he saw Jesus afar off he ran and worshipped him and cried with a loud voice and said what have

[25:01] I to do with thee Jesus thou son of the most high God how if we are helped to really think about this I wonder if any of us here tonight as parents have known what it is for this same language really to be in a poor sinner's heart and cried with a loud voice and said what am I to do with thee Jesus and those who may be saying this have said this do say this that they want nothing to do with religion well what a mercy then I really felt that the Lord compelled me to come to Jireh with this word this evening and he cried with a loud voice and said what have

[26:07] I to do with thee and the wonder of it is this that he could not resist the Lord's power now he couldn't resist it you may remember when you tried to resist it you may remember when you thought you were resisting it but do you also remember when a little of that same divine power reached your heart and when you were brought first brought as a poor sinner to the feet of Jesus and began to cry for mercy do you remember such a time in your life I do but you see the thing was this that the Lord came over the sea not only to find this poor man but again to use the truth in that hymn of ours to change the heart renew the will and turn the feet to Zion's hill why how glad he was then to leave the tombs how glad he was then to leave that awful state that he was in and why because of this

[27:33] Jesus was speaking for he said unto him come out of the man our unclean spirit well a friend came into the vestry just now and I said to I asked him what the first hymn was and he said well it's 320 and that encouraged me because of this subject really why God moves in a mysterious way his wonders to perform he plants his footsteps in the sea and rides upon the storm ye fearful saints and I wonder if there are those of you here tonight and you could say yes that's just how I've come to chapel ye fearful saints fresh courage take the cloud she so much dread are big with mercy and shall break in blessings on your head why as I mentioned perhaps in prayer have you ever thought that

[28:39] William Cowper was going to take his life you may have read the story he ordered a cab and he told the man where he wanted to go because he was going to throw himself over a bridge to drown himself have you ever read the story and that cab man he knew the way and three times he went round and came back to the same place until suddenly light shone into poor Cowper's heart and he knew that he had been preserved from taking his own life well if you forget everything else that I may have said this evening I hope that you might go home with this that the Lord's power is the same today isn't it true that we tend to lose sight of this yes we are living in solemn days yes there is a withholding of the spirit power but the Lord's work is still going on and when the

[29:42] Lord speaks it will be done we do not know with what means or in what way he may yet arrest almighty love arrest that man arrest that woman but when the Lord does it it will be done well I wouldn't be here this evening would you but for the mercy of God well these are truths one hymn writer has said these are truths and happy he who can well receive them now let me come then to the other side of this because but when he saw Jesus afar off he ran and worshipped him it was divine power that drove this poor man to Jesus and friends his power is still the same and he cried with a loud voice and said what have I to do with thee

[30:42] Jesus thou son of the most high God I adieu thee by God did you notice the wording I adieu thee by God that thou torment me not he wanted to be left alone and yet he was drawn by this divine power to the very one that he wanted nothing to do with as he dwelt among the tombs for he said unto him come out of the man thou unclean spirit oh if only the blessed spirit of truth might convey this into any of our hearts this evening this is the Lord speaking come out of the man thou unclean spirit are you waiting for such a day are you praying for such a day do you believe it can happen well the

[31:48] Lord alone knows that the Lord's power is still the same then the Lord begins to deal with him and he asked him what is thy name and he answered saying my name is legion for we are many and he sought him much that he would not send them away out of the country now there was there nigh unto the mountains a great herd of swine feeding and all the devils besought him saying send us into the swine that we may enter into them you think of it these devils in this poor man and forthwith Jesus gave them leave and the unclean spirit went out and entered into the swine and the herd ran violently down a steep place into the sea they were about two thousand and they were choked in the sea and they that fed the swine fled and told it in the city and in the country and they went out to see what it was that was done and they come to

[33:13] Jesus now I thought I had to read that verse and they come to Jesus and see him that was possessed with the devil and had the legion sitting and clothed and in his right mind and they were afraid let me just ask you this question do we really expect to see poor sinners back in the house of God again do we really expect to see them again the devil will say to you well it's impossible you'll never see them but friends the Lord's power is the same have you ever been favored in believing as it were that they will come they shall come you know I remember all those years ago when dear Mr.

[34:10] Percy Labour was in this pulpit and the Lord brought him here with a burdened heart and in his sermon those of you that may remember him and he said this in Jireh pulpit here S-H-L-L they shall come they shall come and declare his righteousness unto a people that shall be brought why and what will they say when they are brought when they do come what will they say they'll say this that he hath done this this is the Lord's doing it is marvellous in our eyes oh to be enabled then I think of the lines in one of our hymns still pray that God will all explain nor shalt thou seek his face in vain have any of you come here this evening feeling to have come to the end as it were it reminds me of a certain

[35:19] Lord's day in Black Boys Chapel when a poor burdened mother came with a son of hers who was right in the world and she felt she could pray for that son no more and what happened was she comes to chapel and the minister who was preaching that day he stood up and he began to speak about his own life and he began to speak about what the Lord had done for him and he literally said this really and it went right into that dear mother's heart friend don't give up praying because here I am here I am a sinner saved by grace and the dear mother of course she was encouraged still to pray and ere long we were told that very son he began to come into the house of God and in the

[36:20] Lord's own time the Lord made him a minister you know we're living in solemn days and if we're left to that awful sin of unbelief we may feel something like this and we may well the Lord doesn't appear to work these days you may have had thoughts like that you may feel well the Lord doesn't work like that today but let let me just say this to you is it because of your unbelief is it because of my unbelief oh well the Lord knows well what a word then we have here and I must soon leave these few thoughts with you and they come to Jesus you think of it here with these very people and they that fed the swine fled and told it in the city and in the country and they went out to see what it was that was done and what was done and they come to

[37:22] Jesus and see him that was possessed with the devil and had the legion sitting and clothed and in his right mind oh that we could be favoured then in believing I may never know but I hope the Lord has given me this word to come with that's the only way I can put it but think of it if you if we think of it perhaps you may think of your son your daughter you may think of whom so ever it might be but if we really think about this this evening to think like this that such poor sinners can be brought to the feet of Jesus just as this poor man was sitting the first evidence sitting and clothed and in his right mind and they were afraid and they that saw it told them how it befell to him that was possessed with the devil and also concerning the swine and they began to pray him to depart out of their cars now

[39:16] I can't leave this subject without just bringing you to this in closing what do we read about this poor sinner and when he was come into the ship he that had been possessed with the devil prayed him that he might be with him how did Jesus suffered him not but saith unto him go home to thy friends and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee and hath had compassion on thee friends do we believe it's possible do we believe it's possible that such poor sinners could even yet be brought to come and tell to sinners round what a dear saviour they have found you know how they'll come they'll come like this and they'll point to his redeeming blood and say behold the way to

[40:21] God amen shall we close by singing hymn number 244 and the tune is kensington 166 hymn number 244 200 he works it by his power it holds the weak believer up in the distressing hour the darkest cloud hope pierces through and waits upon the

[41:43] Lord expects to prove that all is true throughout the sacred word hymn number 244 Sp power it knows the way believe and I in the distress singer singer the darkest cloud perpices through and weighs upon the law expects to prove that all is true throughout the sacred world and world true world looks out for blessings great and love and love delight yet at her state time return to wait until they are conveyed her her blood will wait and wait again and they can give it up till the the glad of the who was slain happy as the

[45:30] God of will and now may the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God with the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all Amen