Behold, I make all things new. (Quality: very good)

[0:00] we find our text this afternoon as the Lord may favour us to speak in the chapter we read which is the 21st chapter the book of Revelation and one clause in verse verse 5 behold I make all things new the part of verse 5 of chapter 21 of the book of Revelation now I do feel the Lord has led us to try and meditate on this portion this afternoon and one feels it was very confirming that our dear friend should so be led not knowing what was in our mind to open with that beautiful hymn which speaks so beautifully of inhabitants of Zion now this portion then is a very wonderful one it speaks of that new Jerusalem and gives a full detailed description of it as this favoured man John was enabled to view it it is called the Revelation of St John and the Lord in his rich mercy showed this dear man many very wonderful things and he also was instructed to write the things which he saw and surely we would all agree that there is much in this wonderful book of a very mystical nature we would not profess to understand fully all these truths which are contained therein for much of it is of a prophetic nature and awaits awaits yet the fulfilment of it but that does not mean to say that we should be negligent and unconcerned relative to these deep mysteries for there are things in it which are simple as one might say are the words of our text now the Lord help us to as it were look more particularly at these words may they be words of consolation and words of prophets and words which shall glorify

[2:43] God now among the many things which this dear man relates in this book was the sight he sometimes saw of that assembled house we look first then at the setting of these words where they were spoken and by whom it was by the God of all grace the one that reigns supreme that reigns in heaven and in earth and who was doubtless when he uttered these words surrounded by a multitude which no man could number and of all the holy elect angels this book of revelation has more than once made me tremble for there are in it spoken very rich blessings but also some very fearful things which are truly applicable yes we read in this chapter that lake of fire not much is said of it perhaps today but that does exist that place is reserved for the wicked and those that know not God but there is also spoken of in this chapter in particular of that glorious

[4:06] Zion which is the hope and expectation of all those who have a lively hope in Christ Jesus so you see when these words of our text were uttered they were by God himself and they were uttered in the midst of this wonderful assembly and what great and wonderful words they are what think you of him that sitteth upon a throne I was reading only last seen of a man who went to see his pastor many years ago and he was to relate a little as to why he desired to join that church and he went on a little of the Lord's leadings and then he said this there's a man in the heavens that I love and he couldn't say anymore his heart was so full

[5:07] I wonder whether you and I can say as much as that that there's a man a real man with wounds still gaiting wide whom we can say in measure that we love and the one that uttered these wonderful words here that he may be no stranger to you or to me that we may look at him as it were by faith and know that he has washed us from our sins and in our own little experience we daily prove that he has made all things new now I want to talk a little of these words as they are personally applied to our own cases and also in a general way of prophecy and how the Lord has and will make all these things new we have first to look at God as our creator and that he was first the creator of the ends of the earth that he upholds all things by the word of his power but he made you and he also made me a wonderful account we read of course in the early chapters of scripture a part of the word of course which is derided by our modern day theologians but nevertheless true words we believe the inspired account how that God did create the earth and man upon it but as we all know in the purposes of

[6:54] God in this we would be careful we would not attribute dear friends far from it God is not the author of sin but God in his own way permitted sin to enter into the world God had made provision for its entry beyond that one feels it is not wise to go people sometimes of an inquiring mind say why did God permit sin leave it dear friend but this we do know that God's fair creation was and is marred by sin that's a true word of the hymn writer as he looked upon the glories of nature when every prospect pleases is and only man is vile this is still a very beautiful earth and I like those lines we used to sing as children still he gave us eyes to see them and lips that we might tell how great is God almighty who hath done all things well but you see sin has marred it and if our eyes are open we can see so clearly the grievous effects of the inroads of sin we're all born without exception in sin and shape and in iniquity and I sometimes as I read of the dreadful things which daily take place in our own land

[8:27] I sometimes sigh and I'm sure some of you do as we read of the dreadful state we have got into as a nation and of people as I said in our own locality and I think I heard too that even at Marden women killing their offspring how dreadful what how grievous these things are how deep are the wounds that sinners made when we're all dear friend without exception by nature children of wrath even as others we are totally unfit in our natural state to enter heaven for none can enter therein we are told nothing that defiles us can enter that holy place for one has said heaven is that holy happy place where sin no more defiles where Jesus shows his lovely face and looks and loves and smiles no sin not even the tiniest sin can ever enter into that place well you see this is a solemn fact which is known to those whose eyes are open people may say of the world well we can make it better and I believe many laudable attempts are made by men who have the best motives and yet not knowing the corruptions of the heart by nature they think that we can reform it and there are a body of people that are religious and there are many religious societies and these think that they can reform people and make them better men and women and

[10:24] Christians I'm not speaking against these very good societies but some feel if you can get a man to leave off his bad habits such as drinking temperance societies and such like things well then you can make these feel better I read an account once the minister said we must take nature in the roar and so reshape and remodel it and make that man or woman a fit person well you see that may be a laudable attempt but it reminds me to use an illustration of a man or woman that has some dreadful disease and he goes to the doctor and he is given a few pills well those pills never touch the malady they have no take no cure in it what is needed when the malady is real often times

[11:26] I am speaking now in a natural way there is needed the knife the operation to remove the diseased part and if it is not so done that patient will not get better and thus you see dear friend all this outward reformation good as it may be will not prove effectual in removing the curse what can then why only that inward reformation the word of God says behold the days come when he said I will bring that new covenant when I will cleanse the heart from all unrighteousness when I will give you a new heart and a new mind when I will take give you a new law not the laws which were written on tables of stone but I will write my laws in thy heart and in thy mind that's what we need and that brings us to consider more nearly the words of our text and this wonderful promise of

[12:40] God he that created this wonderful earth in which you and I live daily and what a mercy we do live in it still and that we are preserved day by day to live our normal lives and have so much to thank God for that we are preserved in nature and we trust in not a few cases in grace but these words then as we read them say behold I will make all things new now let's first look then as they are applicable to you and to me if we are to become members of that mystical body of Christ to have that hope of entering into that new world of which the word of God speaks of here behold I make all things new so if the Lord does this wonderful act it is not the act of any man a man of God the dear servants of God your own dear pastor has been used instrumentally many times in being the Lord's mouthpiece in so having the word applied to the soul and bringing some of you out of the darkness of nature into the marvelous light of the kingdom but it is all his work behold

[14:13] I make all things new so you see we begin at this that he has made and given to his dear people a new and clean heart you see David when he so grievously fell into sin and see how saw how terrible his plight was he said create in me oh Lord a clean heart yes and that is the one great needful thing you and I need behold I create this in you that I will give you a new heart the word of God says relative to your natural heart and my natural heart too that it is deceitful and wicked yea desperately so of all things desperately wicked that's the course of nature and the heart of course is the central part of our bodies if that doesn't function well we know that our life immediately terminates but to have dear friend a new heart you see by nature it is so observant we see these things if our eyes are open and I hope sometimes rightly grieve

[15:37] I trust we are not unconcerned as we see the hardness of men's hearts by nature in their rebellion against God how they live carelessly and indifferently and are totally unconcerned as the future judgment for their state and standing before God I hope none of you here are like that I hope that though you come all of you of the Lord will bring you and give you and equip you with a new heart for you see that heart where grace reigns is a heart that is softened I cannot feel any union I have sometimes said to those that do not manifest a tender heart a feeling heart because true religion is indeed as we sometimes sing more than notion and something must be known and felt and this new heart which the

[16:42] Lord bestows upon his people changes that character one cannot better use an illustration one feels than the case of that eminent man the apostle Paul for who though under a profession of religion for so long could show a harder heart than he did he had a form of religion and denied the power thereof many in our land and other lands may be religious we see it in some of the churches I mean the national church and many religions there's much pomp and show of religion but their lives do not give any evidence that their hearts have been changed now you see the apostle Paul was a very great religionist he believed in God and all the law of Moses and yet you see his heart was hardened against

[17:44] God's dear son and we have that simple testimony which I've read again and again and thought what an evidence of the hardest heart that was when that gracious man Stephen was brought before the council and condemned to be the first martyr and what do we read then that they took this gracious man out to stone and it is said that the witnesses laid their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul and then we read and Saul was consenting unto his death yes and how determined he was then and afterwards to show such hatred against the Lord's dear people and would have done to his dying day but for the Lord meeting him and bringing him to his knees in repentance has he done that dear friend for some of you can you say with a hymn writer that you marvel to feel concerning your heart its own hardness be passed have you ever been melted as his dear feet in repentance and confession and confess your many sins to a gracious

[19:12] God you see the heart is the texty eyes and the tears which flow are the result of an affected heart and when this dear man was converted what a change there was why he loved those dear people whom he once hated what a change was wrought in him has that change been wrought dear friend in you one of my ancestors that lived in the midlands I read an account of his obituary in a very old standard and this man was my great grandmother's brother and he used to live in a village called Wesley which I know very well and we read as a young man he used to look out of his window and see the despised people of God going to the chapel on the Sabbath day and he said as he looked upon them he barely hated them do you expect dear friends the world to love you they won't if you think they do

[20:20] Christ has said marvel not if the world hate you if they hated you they will hated me they will hate you also but just a word further to our our ancestor the day came when he not only loved these dear people but that he was also made a preacher of the gospel and I think some hundred years ago he was pastor at Providence Bath in Somerset for quite a number of years well the Lord you see behold I make all things new and that man's heart is yours and mine must be there must be this effectual change wrought inwardly the very sense of your being must be effective and then you see you'll have a new heart which the Lord so graciously bestows upon his dear people now you know my dear friend young and old whether this has been so with some of you

[21:32] I don't say that every time you come you'll be melted of course it's often a grief to the living in Jerusalem they come and hear the word of God again and again and there's nothing for them but that doesn't mean that they're not associated or know what a softened heart means they grieve because they're so unmoved but can you say this is what I mean can you say that every time you've come into Union Chapel you've gone out and there's never been anything at any time to soften that heart have you always sung these beautiful hymns and has there never been one line that has melted as little have you as the word of God been read always been unmoved and has your past or other men that have supplied this pulpit have they always spoken and you've never been the least bit moved

[22:41] I know it's a sad day in which we live but I do hope that it is not so with all you dear people it has been my privilege over the years to preach at a number of places of course and sometimes I've seen a falling tear in the congregation I've wondered what has caused it and I've hoped it has been the word has been applied to their soul and given them that softening of heart a sure evidence that the Lord has raised them up to a hope of salvation and have you always heard Christ exalted and never felt your heart move in love toward him no dear friend surely some of you can say there have been times when my heart has been strangely moved and the melting of it has been known that has been a new work which God has so graciously bestowed upon me and too you see the light of the mind the eyes the mind has been enlightened as the apostle so describes it that's a peculiar mark of the

[24:01] Lord's people that have a new understanding the man however intellectual he may be in this world yet he knows nothing savingly of the doctrines of Christ unless their minds are illuminated in fact one feels that the more intellectual a man is the less he seems to know divine things and if they do read the word of God they only bring their own intellect to it and reject it as being impractical a good many men do that but you see dear old John Berridge he knew what he was writing when he wrote that beautiful hymn he was on the right track when he wrote those words when Jesus would his grace proclaim he called the simple blind and lame to come and be his guest such simple folk the world despised yet simple folk had sharpest eyes and learned to walk the best that's something one well it's difficult really to explain or to make others understand but there is this new light and understanding wonderful thing and have an insight into the mind of

[25:24] God to see those things which you never saw before to use an illustration which comes to my own mind at this time when I was quite a lad probably as far as I can remember I couldn't have been perhaps more than eight years of age my eldest sister many years older than myself was called by grace at that time and she was overjoyed of course and she had to speak of these things in the family and I well remember her coming to me at that time and she said you know you're blind and I laughed I thought what a foolish thing to say what a silly thing to say to me that I'm blind oh I thought ridiculous I can see perfectly well everything as others can yet she said I'm blind but you see I've lived long enough to prove that what she said at that time was perfectly true do we not read in the gospel who can open the eyes of the blind what a transformation that dear young man had when he was so harrowing by those

[26:43] Pharisees that were so bitter because Christ wonderfully dealt with that poor blind lad oh he came to this conclusion all the arguments they made to try and prove that he hadn't once been blind but he said one thing I know that whereas I was blind now I see and can't some of you in your measure say the same you know that once you saw nothing in these things you understood nothing of the plan of salvation nothing of the mind and will of God but now though perhaps some of you can say well I don't see ever so clearly well the Lord Jesus on another occasion he made play by a spittle and he anointed a man's eyes and he was asked if he could see and he said well I can see men as trees walking and perhaps some of you have not advanced any farther than that as yet there's a dim light come to your heart your eyes and you can see if not ever so clearly you're on the way to seeing and then you see when they were washed again he said now

[28:02] I see all men plainly and you know one says blessed is the man oh God whose mind is stayed on thee who waits for thy salvation Lord shall thy salvation Lord the Lord will continue that which he'll perfect that which concerns you and he will in the fullness of time bring such to the light oh what a wonderful mercy and blessing it is dear friends to be brought to the light to be able to say that you know that what these things you know whom you have believed why even a young lady that comes to our cause of truth a few years ago when she was at school used to go with my youngest daughter one day the teacher of the weekday school I mean was bringing forth the scripture lesson and she got onto the subject of evolution and such like things this young girl got up said Peter that's not right she said well I admired that child not only for a stand but it was an evidence to me that there was a degree of light a rejection so tender and age of these erroneous things which are advanced in our day and generation and which people so gladly embrace because you see they say well we only come from animals and there's no hereafter and such like things and they say well that's comforting what does it matter how we live or how we die but you see the enlightened soul that soul that has eyes to see sees a glory and a beauty in

[30:00] Christ which the world does not see for we are told plainly there is no beauty in him that we should desire him you can measure your religion on that point you can there's a tremendous amount of religion today where Christ is set in the background a tremendous lot I read in our local paper one of our leading churchmen that retired and I don't often read such things to the length I did but I would I thought I will look and I read on and on and on one man patting the other on the back all praising up what he had done what his church wardens had done what all had done but not a word dear friend of what Christ had done you see that's the most important thing Christ Jesus and him exalted there is no beauty in him that we should desire him can you say that dear friend has the

[31:09] Lord given you to see a little beauty in the Lord Jesus Christ can you say he is indeed the cheapest among ten thousand the altogether lovely one I remember preaching a few weeks ago I forget the text but it was somewhere not my own place and the dear dean got out and gave that to him out compared with Christ in all beside no comeliness I say and I thought yes that's it that's it to glorify Christ and to be able to say with these new eyes that you see the Lord Jesus Christ in his beauty the Lord grant that that may be your portion and mine too and you'll not only see Christ but you'll see the hidden evils of your own heart you'll know what of course sinner you are the minister came to see me yesterday and he sat in my chair in the chair office and he said you know I feel such a sinner the older

[32:20] I become sin he said is very real and very pressing eyes to see it to see that we are by nature poor undone things but eyes to see a beauty in Christ eyes to understand and love his precious word eyes to see the glory and beauty of the means of grace and his dear people and one might so go on and enlarge upon the beauty and blessedness of being favored with these new eyes and again you see new ears we might also say that again brings me my mind the remembrance of a dear man at Leicester a deacon whom I knew so well for a number of years and he told me one day that I say this that I might give an illustration perhaps that you might know what I mean well this man in his young days used to fit under the ministry of a man whom some of you may have heard of Mr.

[33:33] George Burrell at Watford and he said you know I should think I must have heard that man a thousand times in my young days and he said I knew nothing of what he said I was just ignorant of any true spiritual understanding which he advanced it all has nothing to me but he said there came a time after that when the Lord convicted my soul of sin when my eyes were opened and my ears unstopped it wasn't the minister that had changed his gospel and the things he brought forth were just the same but he said I was changed and I began to understand and to hear with the inward ear and we can come closer than that can we not I know in my young days I used to listen to our old minister tried to for about five minutes and then I began to pick up the hymn book to read and to look as often as I could at the clock hoping he would soon give up and when he closed the book that was for me often the best time of the service perhaps it may even be I hope not that some of you young friends here may say well it seems so long and yet may the

[35:05] Lord grant that the day may come when you say it's not long enough I remember after that in my place where I wish we could stay all night on one occasion all some him writer says here would I find a settled rest while others go and come no more a stranger or a guest but like a child at home that's a very different thing isn't it you must have these new ears to enjoy our simple gatherings together and only the Lord can give it behold I make all things new you'll never enjoy these times rightly unless the Lord opens your eyes I used to I do now a certain man who was very much attracted to a young lady and he was a very worldly man but he persisted in his endeavors to be associated with her and she said well being brought up godly these are not my terms she said you either come to chapel with me or you don't go out with me and he went and I believe the first time he went it was in the midlands but he heard dear Mr.

[36:34] Kemp that very aged servant of God at Luton the son of course of Mr. Kemp at Biddendom came out and he said well whatever was the man talking about but nevertheless he went again and again and now you see the Lord has opened his eyes and ears now he attends like Lydia under the things which are spoken now he has been baptized in fact he is a deacon now at the cause of truth which is very prosperous yes you see the Lord made all things new and he's been cut off from his family the Lord has prospered him in business the Lord has set him apart himself but you see he understands you see speaks a different language this is a clean work the Lord does behold

[37:37] I make all things new and again you see there's the mouth the language is different isn't it we do not speak of the things we once spoke of neither does our mouth we do do we eat those things figuratively speaking of course which we once were always eating and drinking whereas we were eating and drinking of the things of this life and taking our fill filling the cup of iniquity up now you see we want to eat and drink by faith the precious blood of the Lord Jesus and now we want to come to the house of God there to be fed with those heavenly dainties and enjoy the things which the Lord bestows upon us to be able to say with that godly prophet of old on one occasion he said thy words were found and I did eat them and they were to me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart that's the new wine of the kingdom isn't it which the

[38:53] Lord bestows upon his dear people so you see the Lord has rightly said behold I make all things new now just for a few moments we will take this subject a little farther and see this you see relative to our bodies now some of you I guess I have a number of you having this spiritual knowledge the Lord has given you you are well acquainted with the fact that you have a body of sin and death and that that body is subject to disease and you rightly know whether you're young or old but more particularly perhaps our older friends that Langren disease invade this trending house of clay you're more conscious of it you see the inroads of disease and if you're rightly taught you'll say well that's because we have sin in our mortal members that's because dear friend why all of you and myself too must at last come to the grave it's a mercy that the grave the terrors of it are taken away for most part the great mercy that we can say oh death where is thy sting oh grave where is thy victory it is indeed but you see these inferences are real you find your mortal powers failing some of you say well my sight is failing rapidly you say well I need new eyes but you can't have them other organs of your body may be diseased or perhaps will be or they will be a friend but what is the remedy here in our text behold

[40:50] I make all things new and you see the Lord has promised that wonderful work of resurrection he has said that our poor bodies must moulder again to the dust and this vile body the apostle calls it shall be resurrected and this very dust of ours will be formed anew and the apostle boldly says concerning that day and we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is that's a tremendous tremendous truth if you pause to consider it what you might say a poor thing like me an undone ugly wretch of a man or woman vile body and yet I shall be like him yes he from the dust will bring you to life again sown in corruption we are told raised in in corruption and we shall be dressed as one in the body like his own behold

[42:07] I will make all things new a glorious body what a prospect dear friend set before his dear people and behold I make all things new a new body which will have a capacity to praise God God as you would you can't do it here below when he blesses you there's something lacking in it you feel if only I could you say oh that my soul could love and praise him more his beauty his trace his majesty adore but you'll be able to then in that new body and then you see behold I make all things new he has made such a wonderful new home for his dear people I do like love those words and I hope you all do is that I go to prepare a place for you that where I am there ye may be also now minister often used that expression he said heaven is a prepared home for a prepared people and you see behold

[43:28] I make all things new it's not the home that you will build you may have and I trust you have a nice abode now and there is that danger with each one of us of making too much of our earthy comfort thank God that he has given you these comforts and enjoy them in the right way and manner but ever remember that the day will come when you live at home can you say with some degree of sweet hope I know whom I have believed and that he has gone to prepare that place for you I know that whom I have believed and persuaded that he is able to bring me to himself and so on to be assured of this that you have a building not made with hands eternal in the heavens the apostle so sweetly expresses it and in this chat we have read we've read a description of it of those streets of shining gold my dear aged mother loved that hymn

[44:41] Jerusalem my happy home name ever dear to thee when shall my labours have an end and I thy joy shall fade and when that hymn used to be sung her eyes were filled with tears her heart overflowed at the prospect that was set before her when she has gone now to that place where the inhabitants shall not say I am saved oh how good that God's provision is so complete so complete for you and me while we live in this lower world and he has gone before to make it complete forever and forever now you see it comes back to this that the one thing needful is the Lord to come and make all things new for you and then in the everlasting ages of eternity you shall join this vast assembly and see him who has proclaimed this truth behold

[45:54] I make all things new and it will be then oh dear friends such a wonderful thing will it not oh I do hope then the Lord may bless these few remarks to your souls and that he may satisfy your soul with that sweet persuasion by the application of the Spirit of God that he has made all things new even for you the Lord be pleased to add his blessing for his namesake amen on him to die right