Hebrews (Quality: Very Good)

[0:00] In dependence upon thee, Lord, who all needed help, I venture this afternoon to draw your prayerful attention to Hebrews chapter 9, verse 27, 28.

[0:22] Hebrews chapter 9, verses 27, 28. And as it is appointed unto men once to die, that after this the judgment, so Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many, and unto them that look for him, shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.

[1:09] The psalmist declares that it is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord, to sing praise unto thy name, O Most High, to show forth thy lovingkindness every morning, and thy faithfulness every night.

[1:29] And as we gather on this annual occasion, it is our desire thus to render praise to our God, and here we have to ask him to help us to praise him, help us just to be delivered from just a fleshly show of thanks, but from our hearts to be humbled, melted, softened under the goodness of our God.

[2:06] But it is also, there are many lessons to be leaned from the harvest, as the word of God speaks, while the earth remaineth.

[2:22] That's a solemn word, isn't that? Not going to stand forever, you know. It reminds us of our text, it points out to men once to die, while the earth remaineth, at sea time and harvest, summer and winter, day and night, cold and heat, shall not cease.

[2:47] The goodness of our God, you will remember sowing your seed. You will remember watching for the blossom. You will remember seeing the fruition of the apples and other fruit and vegetables, the gathering in of the harvest, the great crop of apples, and the goodness of our God, and that which the earth yields, and that which comes from the oceans of the sea, the goodness of our God, to us.

[3:21] And yet we also are reminded now it's a time of clearing up. There's that which is of no value in the harvest. It's destroyed.

[3:33] It's gone. This makes me think. It reminds me that there's an hour of death.

[3:44] But you say, this is a thanksgiving service. It is. And we shouldn't forget this. And we might ask ourselves, where do I stand?

[3:59] The Lord Jesus speaks of the parable of the tares and the wheat. We are, and this isn't just legal preaching, this is honest preaching.

[4:09] It is either we are one or the other. We're not half tare and half wheat. Make sure of that.

[4:22] Gather the tares into bundles to be burned, burned, burned. The wheat, gather it into my barn.

[4:34] And as it is appointed, unto men, once, to die. And the days, mark what I said, days, not years, days, of Methuselah, were 969 years, and he died.

[4:57] I will even pause there, beloved, just to remind you, that that was a prophecy. His name, Methuselah, means when he is gone, that is when he dies, it shall come.

[5:14] And you prove it. We do not have to prove God's word is true, but it is, can be even proved in the word of God. If you take that, that, his, take his son, and then, rather, Methuselah, his father, and then his grandfather, and you add the years together, when the grandson was born, he was 900, he was, he was 369 years, putting those two years together, and the flood came in the 600th year, and Noah was 600 years old, and Noah was 600 years old, and Methuselah was 969.

[6:06] I only named that by passing. Perhaps I shouldn't have said it. My friend, it's a reality. We never know when it's coming.

[6:17] Death is now upon the road. There's a step between me and death. Is it well with my soul?

[6:29] One may be favored with healthy body, strength, childhood, youth, young men, middle age, old men, and yet, there's an end of the journey, and there's an appointment.

[6:48] No medical research, science, will alter this appointment. Some appointments we keep, and don't keep.

[6:59] Some appointments are cancelled, some are altered. This, there'll be no change. God changes not. And I am reminded of that solemn word concerning the rich man who built, pulled down his barn to build greater, and, and that wasn't wrong.

[7:22] But what was wrong? That all his life, all his concern was in his barn, and in his food, and taking ease. No thought of his soul. My friend, thou fool, this night, thy soul shall be required of thee.

[7:41] It pointed unto men once to die. Oh, says the worldly, that's the end. No. It is the end of our physical life, yes.

[7:53] But then afterward, and it says, after this, there's something to come. And that's the judgment. And who is the judge?

[8:04] Almighty God. We must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ. Who is it with you? We've all got the possession of one word.

[8:20] It's ours. S-I-N. Even a child once said to a mother, that's mine, and it is.

[8:33] Mine. And no sin, not the smallest stain, can ever enter into heaven. Remember that.

[8:46] Oh, says some, look at the life I live. Look at the good I do. Look at my chapel going. Yes. That in itself is good, but it will not save your soul.

[9:07] Ye must be born again. The Holy Spirit must begin that work. And that largely by conviction of sin together with a sense of the majesty, holiness of God, together with I'm a lost sinner.

[9:32] Oh, what shall I do? Where shall I go? Oh, my friend, after this, the judgment.

[9:45] What a mercy. No, I'll put, I'll stop for a moment, just take one more thought. How indescribably solemn to die with your sin.

[10:05] To stand before him whose eyes are as a flame of fire and hear those solemn words, depart from me, ye curses, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels.

[10:24] How this indescribably blessed to fall asleep in Jesus. That's what the death is to the dear people of God. They sleep in Jesus.

[10:38] Yes, their poor body may be brought down to dust, but it's precious in the sight of God. There's a redemption, a second redemption.

[10:48] When I say a second redemption, I want to be careful you don't get, don't put something wrong in your mind. First, the redemption by the precious blood, that's full, it's plenteous, it's complete.

[11:04] The price is paid. The blood cleanses all sin. Now what do we mean by the second? It's this, and we may notice in the closing thought of our mind, it's kept clear, that when the Lord comes, that body that is brought down into all its corruption and disease and dust will be raised incorruptible, redeemed.

[11:33] I can't just get the word, perhaps I can just lay my hand on it. You must bear with me, at my old age I do find at times certain scriptures will fade from my mind, but I think I have found what I was looking for and that is this, that you, the redemption of the purchased possession, the redemption of the purchased possession, that's, Christ is repeated, the purchased possession is the blood, the redemption of that purchased possession is that body that's going to rise from the dead and be found for us before the presence of the glory of God.

[12:16] As it appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment, just one more word, as it when I was a lad at school there in Tombridge Wells we knelt down for prayers and there was one boy, this unworthy sinner that was led to start to be burdened and concerned about his sin and one boy that did try to pray and it was a hymn that we used to sing then, oh my God prepare my soul for that great day oh wash me in thy precious blood and take my sins away.

[12:59] these are solemn words die judgment blessed to the redeemed but now look you may say I shrink from it what hope can there be for me let's take the next two words so Christ now just what does that mean to you well you say I understand what it means yes but does it warm your heart does it cause a little I don't want to use the wrong word flutter as it were a little warmth of hope a little desire a little movement oh and if free grace my soul why not for thee oh beloved friend these precious words so

[14:02] Christ here is our only hope here is that dear saviour here is that dear eternal son of God here is this dear Jesus so Christ he came to seek and to save that which was lost so Christ come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest so Christ all that the Father giveth me that shall come to me and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out and oh as you tremble and fear and I'm speaking those perhaps under conviction and give perhaps just a little hope that as you think on it perhaps there you say so could oh could it be can there be hope but I've been such a sinner and yes I've been such a respectable sinner but you're still a sinner remember that can there be hope for me and this very name just stirs up a little hope you can't just quite give up perhaps and if regrace my soul why not for thee great God to thee

[15:19] I'll make my griefs and sorrows known and with a humble hope approach thy awful throne though by my sins deserving hell I'll not despair for who can tell so Christ so Christ further I know some people tend to pass over parts of the Old Testament particularly about the tabernacle particularly about the sacrifices I would readily agree that it's very difficult to have a full understanding of all but to pass over it all and not to see Jesus robs us of much spiritual blessing and instruction the Hebrews they of course were still holding on to their old tradition and Paul here takes the details just in brief of the tabernacle and then shows how it is so

[16:35] Christ see all fulfilled well as let me put it clearly whilst in that tabernacle whilst in the sacrifices whilst in the washings that there were reading the other day of the ashes that were clipped and mingled with water and we used to wash certain where people they tucked a dead body or a bone or so forth and when you think even of say perhaps something clearly understood by you and us the Passover the blood of that lamb was sprinkled and that meant that the firstborn of Israel was saved from death that did not wash their sin away remember that and if you want proof of it and I tremble to say this the number of the these

[17:35] Israelites that died in the wilderness in open rebellion to God even the sons of Aaron Nadab and Abihu that went up on the mount and saw the glory of God later they offered strange fire and fire came down from heaven and consumed them friend not all the blood of beasts on Jewish altar slain could give the guilty conscience peace or wash away their stain no could never do it but does that mean to say then we don't take any notice of this well just to take one point of the tabernacle there was the mercy seat in the holy place of all and no one dare go into that place only the high priest once a year and that with blood but there was a blood stained there it was an ark made of shitting wood overlaid with gold shitting wood was the strong wood of the desert speaking of the sinless manhood of christ the gold is the son of god and all that was blood and that was the only place where god said there i will meet with it there i will commune with it even in the old testament time not that that blood could wash away sin but it was a place of meeting though they didn't meet there it didn't go into that immediately but now through the blood of christ shed on the cross let us therefore come boldly that doesn't mean to say aggrantly doesn't mean to say presumptuously it means confessing all it means hanging on it means believing it means trusting it means that that precious blood for my acceptance before god you see the beauty of it i commend to you a prayerful meditation on these parts oh christ was once offered to bear the sins of many the sins we've spoken about it as we have read without shedding of blood there is no remission where's that blood to come from cannot be found in man cannot be found in a beast and search the universe look up to the stars and they are not pure in the sight of god what about man then i'm lost there's a paid price i cannot pay i cannot provide this sinless blood but there's a plan there's a purpose there is what we call the covenant ordered in all things and sure the purpose of father son and holy spirit there's a lamb slain from the foundation of the world that is in the purposes of god and this was jesus himself so christ was once offered to bear the sin of many our dear lord and savior never refused if i put it reverently that burden to undertake that great work he says wish ye not that i have come about my father's business what was it to save sinners creation came by the word of the mouth of god and it was done salvation by the blood of the son of god the god man you see deity jesus as the son of god always the son of god right through all the sufferings of the cross even when he said my god my god why has thou forgotten me still the son of god but now that deity could not die but there we see a man that holy thing the mystery of the incarnation the birth of christ the wonder of it here we see thanks be unto god for his unspeakable gift we look at it with wonder as we see a manger as we see a bay and there is the eternal holy son of god the god man for you know the grace of our lord jesus christ that though he was rich yet for your saints he became poor that ye through his poverty might be rich oh did he come down to rescue my soul from god's dreadful frown and satan's control he came to deliver all who to him flee and take them forever to glory to pay he came and then my friend as we think as he as we read here he was once offered now this word offer we've got to be a bit careful about you can look at it in this way someone as you say offer it you can take it or leave it this doesn't mean that at all he gave himself that's what the word offer means he didn't say he was going to die and then it's up to you to come to

[23:35] Christ no it's a work that done and he offered himself and we can never accept that sufferings of Christ and the blood without the power and the work of the Holy Spirit brought in our hearts but I want to come further once offered that there is he think of the sacrifices of old think of the ram caught by his horns in the thicket that it was offered in the place of Isaac it was offered that ram wasn't injured you're caught by the horns you couldn't offer a sacrifice that was injured or poor that had to be pure that's just by the way and here is a holy sacrifice sinless and spotless was once offered to bear what does that mean he didn't do any sin the world acknowledged it even

[24:46] Pilate said it I find no thought in him Pilate's wife said have nothing to do with that just man the dying thief said this man had done nothing of this the world's testimony of it think of it and what does it mean bear it because it pleased the father to lay on the son of his love the transgressions of us all he has laid on him their iniquities the burden I do want to speak carefully very recently this is a sacred meditation I don't think I can explain it he was made to be sin for us who knew no sin that we might be made the righteousness of God in him but it was that word sin that my

[25:50] Jesus this holy son of God that had done nothing wrong and look at me look at my life that he's taking it he's going to suffer he's going to suffer in my room and place my friend I can't explain it in one moment I've had almost a sense of horror to think that he should have to do that and yet of amazement and yet of love and such a drawing power he was made to be sin for us then you see whilst the sufferings of Christ on the cross was a typical of the attitude of the world and part of the cup that he was to drink but that wasn't the bitterest part of that cup it was as I've often named and it's been so much with me of recent two three years that the cup that my father giveth me to drink shall I not drink it and what was the bitterest agreement the hidings of the father's face what was it that as soon as sin entered the world that God drove out what was it that broke the communion between

[27:07] Adam and Eve and his creator sin and there the holy son of God in the agony of crucifixion suffered the hidings of the father's face where he had communion with the father in heaven my friend it's so profound I cannot go further I cannot go near as the Lord shows it but one's offer to bear the sins of many then this word many well you will say that's the whole of election of grace you're quite right but you know I find there's a little word of hope here you know sometimes we get so distressed and even in old age we get more I know more about sin than I did when I was a younger man but I want to look for a word of hope not to steal from God's word but something clear and here

[28:20] I may have to turn to the word of God to quote it accurately because as I say my mind does fail a little and I don't want to misquote scripture but he came unto his own and his own received him not but as many as received him to as many as received him you you never received him by free will you received him by the grace of God you received him as a poor guilty lost sinner your arms of faith have clung to him and you love him because he first loved you perhaps the seekers here say well I can't go quite as near as far as that but perhaps my dear friend you may come in this way yes he received his sinners oh Lord received poor me

[29:22] I'm not worthy of it as many as received him to them gave he power the right the privilege to become what the sons of God even to them which believe on his name precious faith which were born not of the blood nor the will of the flesh nor the will of man but of God again and I go again just so that I don't quote the scripture wrongly in the prayer of the Lord Jesus Christ in the 17th of John he says in his beginning of the prayer as thou hast given him power over all flesh that he should give eternal life to who as many as thou hast given him the evidence of eternal spiritual life is inseparable from the blood of Christ the new birth spiritual life spiritual life and do not say that you have the full assurance of it we sometimes have to wait long time for that pray for it but

[30:36] I believe that firmly who delivered us from the power of darkness and have translated us into the kingdom of his son in whom we have redemption through his blood even the forgiveness of sin and as many as are led by the spirit of God they are the sons of God and then oh to my own poor troubled soul and sometimes it is very troubled very tempted very tried but my friend I come back to something very simple in the gospel of that great number that came to the door of Jesus all manner of people lepers and lame people blind people devil possessed people and bent down people and so forth yes poor things and as many as what touched him you see but what does that mean it speaks of the woman that touched the hem of his god why did she do that she was a vile sinner in her own sight and it was getting worse and she lost all her money she couldn't buy it all she had was her pollution but there was Jesus and it was to this

[31:58] Jesus that she came and touched you may say but what does it mean I believe it's with the faith of God in her soul to lay hold pleading that precious blood my dear friend may that virtue flow it still flow dear dying lamb thy precious blood shall never lose its power till all the ransomed church of God be saved to sin no more wonderful isn't it of many and unto them that look for him wait a minute I think before we go further we're going to not take it all to the word of God but we're going to look at it a slightly different way you won't look for him what that means is you know his second coming you know of death and with the faith that God has given you or the desires of your soul to be made right and to be in this number you will look for him but wait a minute those who look for him are those who first have looked unto him does it gather you in look unto me or he ends of the earth and be he saved for

[33:26] I am God and there's none other saviour no that precious God look unto me my friend you say I'm just like the Israel I've done wrong I've murmured I've complained inwardly if not outwardly I've sinned I'm serpent bitten the venom's in me and there's no human cure for it but there's one as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness even so that must the son of man be lifted up that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have eternal life that is the eye of faith that is looking at the Israelite literally that looked that one lived however near death he was however far off he was in the camp a look to that brazen serpent that serpent that had no venom in it that serpent made of copper or brass meaner metal the type of the humanity of the

[34:31] Lord Jesus Christ oh we see my friends such beauty looking looking can you keep your eyes off him oh we do we forget him we get so hard so worldly so far off sometimes so cold that Lord will bring us back looking you won't you know you see you know where else you can look and you don't desire to look anywhere else now it's in him in him oh this precious Christ looking to him laying aside every weight and the sin which does so easily beset us and run with patience the race set before you looking unto Jesus oh friend that he may I was going to say captivate our very affections and soul and thoughts but of course we're in the world we've got the old man of sin and that pours us right down it does but oh to have our eyes fixed on him but I tell you what when there may be a backsliding maybe just a formal time of worship but you feel you're awakened to see the danger in what is it looking again

[36:06] I will look again said poor Jonah toward thy holy temple yes I'm in that fish yes I'm cut out and out sight of man out of hell but I'll look and yet will be hope for me oh friend is it wonderful look and then those that look for him will look look those that look to him will look for him we cannot describe the state of this world of this land you know as a boy I think of my happy days here in that field with my grandparents on holiday joyous happiness boyhood's happiness coming to the old chapel oh sweet does but my friend who would have thought I remember then and not all that time ago reading of the awful sins in Jerusalem recorded by

[37:10] Ezekiel seeing there's awful abomination and Jeremiah oh that won't be asked it is you see I feel that we living sheltered lives have real new knowledge of what goes in many of the churches to die I know nearly about two or three years ago a Baptist church in Croydon and the Sunday morning they had the service a half an hour earlier and had a short service put up the screen to show a football match it makes you recall with horror but my friend this is it when these things begin to come to pass then lift up your heads and look up for your redemption that's that final redemption I'm speaking about draweth nigh won't be long he's coming and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation you will find just in the context here this word appearing comes about three times in verse 26 about now once in the end of the world hath he appeared he's come to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself it could be done in no other way he's appeared in that way and then going back to verse 24 he says

[38:51] Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands which are the figures of the truth but into heaven itself now to appear in the presence of God for us the ever living Christ liveth to make intercession for us the love in the midst of the throne as it had been slain there great God from thee there is not concealed thou seest my inward frame to thee I always stand revealed exactly as I am but since I can therefore hardly bear and we mean it well in myself I see how vile and black that I appear most holy God to thee but since my saviour stands between in garments dyed in blood is he instead of me is seen when I approach to God that's it but he appeared the second time he that testifies these things saith surely

[40:06] I come quickly this same Jesus who has entered into heaven will come in like manner as you've seen him go into heaven and all things will then be put under his feet and there he's come the bridegroom to claim his bride there the shepherd his flock oh beloved friend the whole household of faith all who die in the Lord and those of course that will remain on the earth will be caught up together together with them the one family and together with him I've named that from time to time with him to be with Christ which is far better appear the second time the first time was to put away sin then what does it mean without sin now it doesn't mean to say that any more sin is going to be charged on to him now it means that that sin is washed it's gone it's purged it's cleansed in the blood of Christ without sin not to come to make another atonement not to come to suffer and bleed and die as he did before but to come in his glory to come in his mighty power to come in the love of his heart and to see the travel of his soul and to be satisfied appear the second time without sin unto salvation then you say well what does this mean does it mean another salvation no it means the one great so great salvation and it does also remind us of that solemn word in the Hebrews here how shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation but this is the salvation eternal salvation in heaven that plentious redemption the price is paid and here is the blood that cleanses from all sin here is the law that is satisfied here is the holy God that we read is the just and the justifier of them that believe in Jesus oh precious gospel glorious gospel unto salvation and this salvation is to enter in to the glories of heaven as we've never tasted here on earth we've just tasted a little but my friend there oh to be free from all sin and infirmity no devil to try us no world to attract us no sin in our heart but love pouring out from our heart and praise going out to him and love coming down from heaven oh to be with Christ which is far better my friend the best is my dear old pastor used to say the best is yet to be if such the sweetness of the streams what must the fountain be where saints and angels draw their bliss immediately from day oh my dear friend

[43:10] I must leave it may God bless these few thoughts and mercifully pardon anything that I have spoken amiss to him be all the praise amen amen OhhhText Wow Tourist