[0:00] that I hope to be held to speak to you from this evening will be found in the sixth chapter, the Gospel of John.
[0:12] The verse is 45. It is written in the prophets, and they shall be all taught of God.
[0:25] Every man therefore that hath heard and hath learned of the Father cometh unto me.
[0:41] Gospel according to John chapter 6 verse 45. The portion of the chapter which we have read together is sufficient to have shown us the result of being left without divine instruction.
[1:08] It also emphasizes, when we come to this verse, the wondrous privilege, favor, of coming under divine instruction.
[1:27] No man can know God savingly. And Jesus Christ, His Son, savingly, without the revelation and instruction of the Holy Spirit of truth.
[1:51] He is God. the Savior, then, in this verse, makes a quotation from prophetic scripture.
[2:05] Not for the first time in His teaching, I believe I may reverently say that the Savior had a great regard for the scriptures and thus lent His authority to their divine source.
[2:25] You will know that He has said more than once the scripture cannot be broken. The scripture must be fulfilled.
[2:37] And also that in various things concerning Himself, He clearly indicates that this took place, that the scripture might be fulfilled.
[2:51] So I feel that even in this first clause, we have the Savior's teaching that the scripture is divinely inspired and carries with it divine authority and is deserving at all times of our utmost reverence and respect.
[3:14] I hope that those gathered here this evening, and I believe it is so, regard the scriptures in this way as being verily the Word of God.
[3:31] And this is important because it means that all that is stated in prophecy will be performed, brought to pass. the quotation that the Savior makes comes from Isaiah 54 verse 13.
[3:51] And all thy children shall be taught of the Lord, and great shall be the peace of thy children. I'd like to make just a remark or two about this if I may.
[4:03] one has to be very careful how we interpret this because having made certain statements it is much best then to add certain reservations to make allowance for exceptional cases.
[4:22] in the first instance this is a reference to first the children of God without any doubt likewise Zion's children the church's children this is the first and important thing all thy children and we do know that the result of this prophecy has been very much fulfilled during the ages and through the mercy of God is still being fulfilled today.
[5:07] Zion's children are receiving that mercy earlier referred to divine instruction they're still being taught by the same spirit of soul the same spirit that dwelt in outward and visible science upon the disciples gathered together and gave them wisdom and knowledge to preach the gospel which previously they did not possess.
[5:36] Jesus would never have said carry ye first to Jerusalem until ye be endued with power from on high. But that's a digression. What I'm trying to come to is that the spirit the same teacher teaches in the same way in bringing his people to Christ.
[6:01] I hope the Lord will help me briefly this evening to touch on the method of the spirit when he commences teach God's children Zion's children but let me first emphasize as I feel it is my duty to do that they shall be all thought of God.
[6:26] This will include the youngest among them who I believe if they are kept tender in their conscience will know that they can still receive a word of instruction however old they may live to be.
[6:47] Oh I'm finding if I might drop just a personal note here that the longer I go on the less I seem to know of divine truth. And I'm quite willing to take up the language of the psalmist in Psalm 25 lead me in thy truth and teach me that what of mercy if one can go on and say for thou art the God of my salvation.
[7:15] I want to cleave to this and I believe you will want to cleave to it too. You don't want to cast away our confidence or lightly esteem any word we have heard from God.
[7:33] And so we shall presently discover as we journey on what is meant by the truth which is recorded in one place in the word of God who Jesus like him.
[7:51] And yet I believe although some of the lessons that some of us have had to learn have been rather trying to nature rather sharp they have seen sometimes and poor Breridge he found the same didn't he?
[8:09] Talking about the Lord go said some of the lessons seemed so hard and he seemed so strict he was tempted to leave his school.
[8:23] Well my dear friends this is how we feel when we're under some of the Lord's teaching but in looking back we shall have to agree with another word in prophecy I am the Lord thy God which teacheth thee the prophets which leadeth thee by the way that thou shouldest go.
[8:49] That's quite likely to be a rather different way to what you and I had planned out for ourselves but the great mercy to be under divine direction as well as divine instruction than to be left to choose their own path.
[9:09] No if we were left to choose their own path we could probably be left to walk in it in our own strength. So had we not better seek to be submissive to him who chooses if we may also receive his presence with us in the path I believe we should choose rightly if we say choose thou the way but to lead on they shall be all thought of God means to say that the day will come when the spirit of God will commence teach and his teaching takes the line set down by the saviour himself it means convincing and clearly teaching each individual not that all are sinners in the general way but like
[10:22] David had to painfully hear from the servant of God thou art the man in other words the spirit brings home to the sinner's conscience some notion and understanding of his or her state before God in the sight of God and his holy law this is early teaching and much of it is painful teaching it's so humiliating and very few of us like to be humiliated brought down and humbled and yet this is a further step or should I say another lesson in the spirit teaching that the pride which is in us by nature must be brought down sufficiently so that we approach under the same precious revelation a certain way of escape and so we shall receive as the spirit teaching goes on hope to enable us to approach one who will be held out to us or to our view as having been specially thanked propitiate for the sins of conscious sinners convicted sinners with this in mind
[12:11] I think I do well to bring before you a quotation from him which might baffle some sometimes one writes a sinner is a sacred thing the holy ghost has made himself obviously this means the very sinner I have been talking about who has begun to come under the spirit's gracious instruction it doesn't mean that careless sinner that unconcerned sinner that wayward sinner he who says I couldn't care less I'll see to all this later on no it doesn't mean him at all it means that poor burdened one who feels the weight within and the longer he goes on until the spirit leads him to that refuge for sinners heavier the burden seems to get but this is we have set before us this evening they should be all told of
[13:24] God every man therefore that has heard heard the word of conviction heard somewhat of what must follow unless forgiveness is given will be led by that same gracious spirit to certain truths and especially perhaps to this one but there is forgiveness with thee that thou mayest be feared just a word about that fear I expect most of you know but it may be no harm in reminding you that there are two kinds grouping them into two there is what we know as slavish fear and this is such a thing as filial fear and this is the wicked fear when feeling remorse on account of sin but remorse my dear friend is not repentance neither is remorse godly sorrow for sin now here is another aspect of the teaching or should I have said another result of the teaching this person coming under the instruction of the spirit will be favored and I mean favored with godly sorrow for sin he'll join the psalmist in the psalm which has this line
[14:59] I will be sorry for my sin and this will lead to one very great blessing and that is called confession and confession is usually a time of burden it's a time of fear whether the lord will graciously hear or whether as satan will keep suggesting he will reject and it may be that there will be also a temptation it's no use to try but oh my friends you who have come this way will know that there is within you now through that wonderful work of regeneration a power not under your control in other words your teacher holy spirit is also your controller and he will be the one who will restrain if necessary and urge forward when this is necessary and so
[16:19] I would here say that all who are taught of God will realize presently the great debt of love and worship and service they owe to their teacher I believe there are many of us who have lived a long time without really realizing that the holy spirit of truth is equally deserving of our worship and exaltation as the other two gracious and divine persons in the holy trinity and therefore I do try as the Lord helps me to exalt the spirit as I would desire to exalt at all times the savior every man therefore that has heard that there has been provided a refuge for sinners the spirit will reveal this and you will hear in various ways who attend the means of grace because the
[17:26] Lord does still condescend to speak by and through his servants he sends you will hear of this refuge I'm sure you will from time to time and the spirit will be the one who will cause you to venture to this refuge to see if there may be mercy for you because you will have learned by now that this is the only thing that can meet your case and yet I might quote this word before I lose the sweetness of it I want to quote the words of Jesus here speaking to some who thought they knew enough that they didn't need to learn anymore thought they knew all there was to know about the scriptures he said to them go ye and learn what that means I will have mercy and not sacrifice
[18:30] I came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance and my friends if you hear this or have heard it you won't need me to say that the next step is I'll venture I'll go to this wonderful refuge and seek for mercy there you sung this sometimes no sinner shall ever be empty sent back who come seeking mercy for Jesus saying no even though you join another one no sinner needed mercy more that ever sought thy faith how that you'll see you're just the one who will have to see that's how you feel and mercy I can assure you when God grants it through his dear son will be most wonderfully sweet to you you may have possessed as some of us have a heart like granite before you may have had a heart as cold as the coldest ice but I can assure you if you've been rebellious and one was so is the hymn writer that sweet mercy will break it all down and warm the cold heart and melt the ice and calls that you bow before him who has had mercy and speak to bless his name oh if you have heard that there is forgiveness with thee and that thou art of God yes the scripture declares it and we might well marvel at it delight us in mercy and this is extended to even the worst of sinners it is them of course who learn presently to love the Lord who has shown mercy upon them
[20:40] I wonder if you've heard this from me before if I have I hope you'll excuse me because I'm particularly fond of John Newton and particularly fond of his hymns too some of them have been made a great blessing to me and so in speaking of mercy I invariably think of this verse once a sinner near despair sought thy mercy seat by prayer this is the best part mercy heard and set him free Lord that mercy came to me now you'll begin to feel when you reach this stage what an honor it is to be taught of God to hear from him hear his words clearly indicating that
[21:44] Christ came from heaven and laid his glory by and became a servant even for the suffering of death the death of the cross mercy free mercy I flow to you and forgiveness be your portion well you can begin to see now I hope what those had missed and have missed who turn away from the Lord saying that things that he has just uttered are hard things you can hear them I do hope there's no one here this evening who has ever come to such a case as this and then gone back and walked no more with him but we're told that many did in this same chapter
[22:45] I'm saying this to emphasize the wonder of the text the truth that's in it more than this wonder of having an experience of being taught of God and hearing of him a word that engaged my attention so recently and was perhaps one of the means of bringing me to this was the last verse in the first chapter of the book of Proverbs whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely and shall be quiet from fear of evil whoso hearkeneth well I think that's an appropriate word for a moment or two in dealing or looking a little at this clause every man therefore the path for something necessary you know the fulfillment actually of another scripture concerning him who should come and give sight of the blind and hearing to the deaf and enable the lame to walk that's what we want we want deaf ears open before we can hearken and then we need a spirit of hearing and a willingness to hear what the
[24:06] Lord will speak good word that is in the psalm I will hear what God the Lord will speak he shows there is first a willing mind and a readiness to hear when the Lord does speak he will find it is his power that he contains instruction that there is guidance and edification soul comfort sometimes reproof if necessary but again that word submission it seems to hang about in my mind this evening you will need it when you hear a word of reproof and correction but if you graciously talk and led on safely by the gracious spirit of truth you will have to thank him for it by and by because you will find that he wouldn't have done this were it not for the fact that he happens to love you what a mercy and so you will find that his words finally contain such blessed benefits as giving you to feel the sweetness of the spirit of adoption this will enable you to draw near at times when faith is in exercise and describe him as your father and the words that you hear from him then will be the kind of loving words that he addresses to his children only where there is an awareness of this you will also use prayer along these lines remember me remember me oh lord with the favor that thou bearest unto thy people oh visit me with thy salvation and cause that I may really feel that the word for me is a word of reception ah would you like to hear this sometime not from me but spoken by the power of God into your heart yes
[26:21] I have loved thee with an everlasting love therefore with loving kindness have I drawn thee not outside the chapter if I'm outside the verse just previously the 44 we read no man can come to me except the father which has sent me draw him uncle mercy when God draws to the footstool of mercy and you hear his voice welcoming you to the throne of grace and exhorting you to state all your desires before him I must press on don't seem to be making the headway I should like to but I want to feel that I am coming toward what all this is intended to presently result in hath learned of the father
[27:26] I needn't say very much about this because I rambled over the fact of being taught of God and the blessing of it and hearing of God and from God and now hath learned of the father well in connection with this there is a word in Job which says that which I see not teach thou me a wonderful mercy to be a willing learner because those who seek for knowledge will ask earnestly to be graciously instructed and the Lord will teach all who seek unto him for his instruction consequently we do well to confess frequently that our knowledge is limited and we would fain be led further into the truths relating to salvation but now
[28:32] I must try if the Lord will help me to deal with these last three words because these may be described as the essential part of this verse everything hinges on this each that has been taught each that has heard each who has learned rightly of the father it is said by the Lord himself the savior himself cometh unto me well man has set forth at different times various guidelines some have even ventured right or wrong to set up certain standards but here is a divine standard here is the essential thing I can hold out no hope for you unless you have come to him after the manner of these three words
[29:38] I regard them as of the utmost importance that every child of God must and will comply with them they will be found coming to him it is in this same chapter indeed I read it of course a word which confirms what the father's will is in this as well as the savior all that the father giveth me shall come to me I regard this as being a basic necessity for every child of God to perform and I am suddenly reminded that in at least one exceptional case it happened at the last the eleventh hour and almost the last hour and yet you see there was a compliance of it he came in the same way that all come by petition to the savior seeking blessing from him and what blessing he asked for
[30:59] Lord remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom came in the spirit and bowed reverently before the savior hanging at his side great mercy wonderful favor extended at the eleventh hour and yet okay and so will you where else will you go here's a good word to encourage you the apostle yes and it's in this chapter I believe the Lord having seen many depart from him put this question to the remainder and faithful about him the author go away Peter says the very word I want to bring before you Lord to whom shall we go where else is there likely to be found a savior a refuge for sinners one who can pardon one who can heal a broken heart one who has a regard regard for the contrite and even indicates that he will dwell with us in his words and the scripture again cannot be broken whom shall we go thou hast the words of eternal life cometh unto me he will come seeking mercy he will then ask for grace he will then ask for couldn't possibly tell you how many things he will ask for because if I know anything about it he will be asking daily and sometimes during the day while he remains in this life you'll continue to come
[33:10] I'm no person who believes that you come to Jesus once and that's enough but you'll be satisfied with this I know it was in that case but it was exceptional as I said you will find as you journey on fresh calls to come and this is a great mercy I have been recently saying to my people seeing that we live in dangerous days and we do dangerous because we have an offended God instead of one who is regarding us nationally with favor and we're in the nation and part of it and their own sins are sufficient to call for his wrath were it not for this way of escape in the person of Jesus Christ and so I say you will come to him constantly seeking still for that mercy which you first asked for and for hope to be kept lively but I've wondered
[34:13] I've been warning my people to keep close to the throne of grace as being the safest place a sinner can be found while still on earth the next safest place is where you are now but I do believe that that is the safest place for any child of God in any kind of danger and in any kind of distress coming to that blessed Savior at the mercy seat safe there the Lord grant that you and I may keep close to the throne of grace two things are obtainable there and both of them we so greatly need we shall obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need every one every man therefore that hath heard and hath learned of the
[35:17] Father come in unto me and you will ask him to admit you into his family and grant you his salvation why because the Spirit will have taught you by now that this is the stepping stone for the richest gift a poor sinner could receive we have to quote a sad truth to bring before you the other one because they're joined together in one verse the wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ their Lord and you'll be a seeker for it the spirit will have shown you what it's like to have to await the second death as those all must who do not fear God and turn their backs upon him and walk no more with him oh it's a wonderful mercy to be kept close to him and you can't be closer to him while you remain in this life than at the throne of grace that's as close as you can get so you can say such a thing as that and back it up from scripture well you can you know if you read psalm 145 carefully as quoted that I believe in prayer the Lord is nigh and to all that call upon him to all that call upon him in truth and added reason for being found often at the throne of grace you want to feel his nearness don't you feel the sweetness of Christ's presence and feel the comfort of his love after all you're doing what he told you to do when you seek to draw near him in that way he himself has said come unto me this will include most of the things that I said to you this evening if you come like that all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest whoever spent so much as five minutes trying to meditate ponder over and pray concerning that word rest whoever reached the limit of it
[37:51] I never have the rest that Christ gives is an eternal gift and it spells such peace in the conscience and such quiet waiting upon him and such resignation to him in all that he desires that I believe I may say that that rest includes that wondrous word in the hymn sweet to lie passive in his hands and no will but his that's rest then there's the rest that remain in to the people of God and that's similar oh what could be more blessed than to enter into a rest and free us from sin and will provide us through the mercy of this blessed savior a body like his own like unto his glorious body says the apostle under divine inspiration seems impossible but we would fain have faith to believe it and seek earnestly that we may be so close because that will involve a robe of righteousness being cast around fitting us to stand in that day portless before God and therefore there's well there are so many reasons why the poor sinner will continue to come unto
[39:23] Christ it's impossible for me to more than just touch on them as I have I can only emphasize and I would say to you who hope you fear God who can merit the gracious person of the Lord Jesus Christ try to bless his name try to be thankful to him don't leave all the praise to the hereafter I received a piece of instruction one day listening to a servant of God he quoted those words when I see thee as thou art I'll praise thee as I ought very nice he said but don't leave it till then it's due from you now I realized how true it was very true we're he said we have to hide behind that and excuse ourselves if we don't thank God very often oh well we shall later on and he gave me to understand anyway though he was speaking to me that praise should accompany prayer and when prayer is heard and answered it should closely follow so in coming unto him we shall find among many other things as I close we shall need his gracious help both in prayer and in praise and in all that we do in his service and we shall lead him to him the things of providence and many of you know
[41:03] I feel persuaded what it is to come unto him with all your complaints and lay everything there before him and say at the conclusion undertake you'll find he will you'll find he will he is a loving savior all that he did for poor sinners sprung from that rich source love marvelous is the love of God marvelous the love of the savior equally so the love of the holy spirit or he would never have undertaken to teach that poor sinners amen thank you okay really we we we