Who died for us. (Quality: very good)

[0:00] In dependence upon the Lord for all needed help, I venture to draw your prayerful attention to the first epistle to the Thessalonians chapter 5 and the last part of verse 10, chapter 4 and the middle clause of verse 17. First epistle to the Thessalonians chapter 5 verse 10 and the last clause, together with him. Verse 17 in chapter 4, middle clause, together with them. Together with him. Together with them. In Eden's garden, before sin entered, man walked with God and God walked with man. Together. Sin soon entered. And separated the sinner from God. Marred that communion. And God drave out Adam and Eve from that garden so fair. Man is lost. Man is ruined. Man is dead in trespasses and in sin. Oh the solemnity of the totality of the fall. All that solemn separation between God and the sinner because of sin. And the wages of sin is death. And the soul that sinneth, it shall die. And man is as far from God as sheep that can run. Far, so far, so far, so far away. Heaven is that holy place where sin can never enter. How then can it be that God and sinners can be reconciled? Can be brought together? How can it be that God and sinners? How can it be that the justice of God is satisfied? How can it be that man dead in trespasses and in sin can be made alive? How can it be that sin can be washed away? How can it be that there should be a robe of righteousness for the filthy rags of self-righteousness of lost, poor sinners on earth?

[4:30] Remember the sword that barred the way to the tree of life was a flaming sword denoting the justice of almighty God.

[4:45] That there is no way back to that tree of life, no way into the gate of the city of glory, no way of entering into heaven.

[4:58] If that sword bars the way, and that sword will and must ever bar the way where there is the least sin, blemish, spot, or defilement.

[5:16] So then, how can it be? There is a way.

[5:49] There is no coming back because the law demanded perfection. The law could speak of blessing if it was kept without any transgression.

[6:05] But it could bring in no redemption, no salvation, no healing of the breach. All the law could do, a broken law meant condemnation.

[6:18] Condemnation in harmony with the justice of almighty God of heaven. But a way is made.

[6:30] Glimpses of this are seen in the Old Testament. For example, the blood-stained mercy seat in the Holy of Holies, in the tabernacle of old.

[6:44] There will I meet with thee. There will I commune with thee, said almighty God. So then, how is this sword to be put away?

[6:59] How can it be that God's children, chosen in Christ before the world began, love with an everlasting love, can be redeemed from the fall, from their sin?

[7:13] How can it be that they shall be presented thoughtless, in glory at last? How can it be that they may be brought back to almighty God, to these words that we have in our text, together with him?

[7:31] Where is this redemption to be found? Where is this blood? Where is this so great salvation? Not all that earth can yield can make an atonement for sin.

[7:49] All the silver and all the gold, all the rams and lambs and bulls and goats and calves, and oceans of blood of beasts, can never make that atonement for sin, never bring a sinner back to God.

[8:05] We know that they were types and shadows. We know that those sacrifices of old point forward to the great sacrifice, but in and of themselves, they could never, never, never wash away sin, or make the comer perfect before almighty God.

[8:28] Together with him. Then this sword must smite. This sword must strike.

[8:43] A substitute must be found. A redemption. Behold the Lamb of God. Behold the glorious plan of salvation.

[8:56] The Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. In the eternal purposes of heaven. And so, whilst the stars are not pure in his sight, whilst there is nothing on this earth can make an atonement for sin, it must come from heaven.

[9:17] It must come from the very holy place of glory. It must be God himself. It must be God's gift in his eternal Son.

[9:29] The eternal Son of God. From everlasting to everlasting, there art God. And that he, the eternal one, the holy one, the spotless one, equal with his Father, should come to this earth to seek and to save that which was lost.

[9:49] But as it has been rightly said, a deity cannot die. A deity cannot bleed. A deity cannot suffer.

[10:02] But then how can this be? How can blood be shed? Or perceive this glorious plan, plan the eternal purposes of almighty God in heaven.

[10:14] For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him, should not perish, but have everlasting life.

[10:26] That his dear Son should come, and come in a body, prepared for him, that sinless and holy, undefiled, not tainted with human generation.

[10:40] That holy thing, spoken of by the Holy Ghost of Mary. That holy thing. All wonder of wonders, astonished I gaze to see in a manger the Ancient of Days.

[10:54] And without controversy, great is the mystery of godliness, God was manifest in the flesh. And so, here is the unspeakable gift of God.

[11:10] Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift. No greater gift could he give. And my friend, the Lord Jesus came into this world to seek and to save that which was lost, to pay the price, to suffer in their room and place, for the transgression of all his people, for their sin, for their iniquity, to be charged unto the dear Redeemer, laid upon him, put to his account, he, the Holy One, the All-Glorious One, the Sinless One, who thought it not robbery to be equal with God, is made, made to be sin, made in the likeness of sinful flesh.

[12:04] And it pleased the Father to bruise him, and to put him to grief. All we like sheep have gone astray, we turn everyone to his own way, and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.

[12:26] Great, intense, unspeakable, the sufferings of Jesus Christ. Remember, a real man, one who wept, one who hungered, who knew what thirst was, weariness, oh, the profound wonder, comfort, and mystery of it all, oh, the death of the cross, oh, the sufferings at the hand of sinners as he was betrayed, oh, the desertion of his friends, oh, the derision of the religious leaders of the land, oh, the spitting in his face, oh, the crown of thorns, oh, the reed in his hand as a scepter, oh, the mockery, oh, the buffeting, oh, the smiting, and never lose sight of this, the scourging.

[13:35] It was a most terrible infliction of punishment, the scourging, the furrows of his back, led out to the place that is called Calvary, and there they crucified him, one on either side, and Jesus in the midst.

[14:00] Father, forgive them, they know not what they do. Numbered with the transgressors, the death of the cross, the most, perhaps, fearful invention of man, of the most agonizing at death, to be hung up and crucified.

[14:21] I shall not go into details, we can barely comprehend them, but, friend, and I say this with the deepest of reverence, that was not all, far from all, much more was involved, much more, and that was the hidings of his father's face.

[14:54] That was the fulfillment of that scripture that said, Awake, O sword, against the shepherd, the man that is my fellow, saith the Lord of hosts, smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered, and I will turn mine hand upon thee a little.

[15:19] There, it was fulfilled. There, that sword, flaming and red, smote the sinless one, the holy one, the Lamb of God, the Savior of sinners.

[15:36] There, as he cried out, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?

[15:47] For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us.

[16:02] There, the cup of wrath, there, the eternity in hell, that would be the due reward of all our sins.

[16:15] The Savior drank that cup, satisfied justice, met the demand of the law, and that sword now is put away for all his dear people.

[16:30] Just as we sometimes see payment, God cannot twice demand, first at my bleeding shortage, and then again at mine, so with reverence would we say, that sword cannot smite where it has already smitten, and justice is satisfied.

[16:54] I have used from time to time this illustration, some of you may have heard it, or heard it from other dear ministers, but there was a great fire, I presume, somewhere in the prairies, and the great inferno was fast approaching these people in the prairie, there was no estate, they could not flee for their life, there was no shelter from the great flames as they were fast hastening toward them, borne along by the strength of the wind.

[17:33] When one of the party with a match set fire to part of the prairie on the other side of them, and it went up immediately in flame, and then he said to those with him, come and stand with me, standing where the fire had been, standing on the burnt earth, the ashes, and so when that in time the great inferno approached them, it passed them by.

[18:07] Why? Because there was nothing the fire could do. It was all burned up under their feet, and there was nothing more the fire could do.

[18:22] My friend, do we stand on that one sure foundation, Christ Jesus the Lord, as safety only, where the fire of God's wrath has been poured forth, and where that payment has been made.

[18:45] And so, here is the way, here is that way back. You see, the dear Savior, in his prayer to the Father, as we have read, prayed that they may be one, even as we are one.

[19:06] He prayed, neither pray I for these alone, but for them also, that shall believe on me through their word. I pray for them, I pray not for the world.

[19:17] He prayed for those he loved, he prayed for those he died, for he prayed, Father, I will that these also whom thou hast given me be with me where I am, that they may behold my glory together with him.

[19:38] Because here, as I said, was deity cannot bleed, deity in sacred, inseparable union with sinless humanity.

[19:51] There is blood, precious, invaluable blood, and it's the blood that cleanses from all sin. And there is a fountain filled with blood, drawn from Emmanuel's veins, and sinners plunge beneath that flood, lose all their guilty slaves.

[20:14] Here, then, is a way open. Here, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom. Here is a throne of grace.

[20:25] Here is a door of mercy. Here is almighty God that receives sinners. Here is an approach in a name, and that name is the name of Jesus, and neither is there salvation in any other.

[20:40] There is none other name under heaven, given among men, whereby we must be saved. And ye who were sometime afar off, are made nigh by the blood of Christ, for he is our peace, made nigh together with him.

[21:03] The dear Lord Jesus then has accomplished this great work on the cross, and the finished work of the Saviour is confirmed by the empty tomb that gives the assurance of the full satisfaction of that death on the cross, and the place that the sting of death is removed, and the grave is robbed of its victory, and that the door and the gate of heaven is open wide to receive blood-washed sinners, blood-washed sinners, and that they, sinners vile on earth, redeemed with that precious blood, shall be presented faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, together with him.

[21:54] But now, let us look at this favored people, let us look at this great multitude that shall be found in glory, which no man can number, but their names are in the Lamb's book of life.

[22:09] These are they numbered among that people of whom the Saviour prayed, that those whom thou hast given me. Now, but they're lost, they're ruined, they're dead, they're far off, they're enmity to God, they do not seek Jesus, they will not come of their own free will, their choice is the world, their choice is those things of their life.

[22:39] But here is the eternal purpose of heaven, here is an appointment of work of grace, here is the power of the Holy Spirit, and here is a set time, when every vessel of mercy, aforeprepared unto glory, shall come together with him.

[22:59] And this great work of heaven, this mighty work of the Holy Spirit in a sinner's heart, is that which brings life for death, and light for darkness, and draws a sinner to Jesus Christ, together with him.

[23:21] And so, beloved, we see the wonders of God's grace, we see that purpose of his love, we see that determination to save, we behold that there is no disappointed Christ, we do not preach a Christ that will only save if you let him, I preach a Christ that is mighty to save, determined to save, and will save, all his dear children, for he shall see the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied, and they shall come, and they shall come with weeping and supplication, they shall come and sing in the height of Zion, and flow together to the goodness of the Lord, and they will be brought to the Saviour, by the blessed power of the Spirit, by the work of grace, by spiritual life, by God given precious faith, with him, they are drawn to the Saviour, they come just as they are to the Redeemer, they are attracted to

[24:30] Christ, they are numbered among those, all that the Father giveth me shall come to me, and him that cometh to me, I will in no wise cast out, and their desire is in coming to him, is one day to be with him, yea, to be with him here on this earth, in communion, in a closer walk, you see, as I often tell my dear people at home, there is by the Spirit's operation of the work of his grace, in a sinner's heart, there is first a coming to Christ, it's coming as the leper, full of leprosy, the woman with the issue of blood, with nothing but the issue of blood, she hadn't got a penny left, she had no other hope, it was Christ, and Christ only, it is like the publican, God be merciful to me a sinner, like blind

[25:32] Bartimaeus, Jesus thou son of David, have mercy on me, and so beloved is to Jesus, like the dying thief, Lord remember me, when thou comest into thy kingdom, but there is also a coming after Christ, there is a self-denial, there is a taking up of the cross, there is a following the Lord Jesus in the way, a following the Lamb whithersoever he goeth, and what a path this is, sometimes is a painful part of the flesh, but oh how profitable, to follow the Lord, as sheep and lambs, following the good shepherd, then there is not only a coming to, not only a coming after, but a walking with, we sung that hymn this afternoon, of that beloved disciple John, on the bosom of

[26:36] Christ, all larger communion, let me prove with thee blessed object of my love, together with him, with him, and him with us, union, a sweet sense of his nearness, oh that I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death, with him, sometimes, when you're in the path of trial, when you're in the midst of the fire, when you're in the valley of the shadow of death, when, I say, maybe in the den of lions, with him, offering a sacred experience, fellowship with Christ, in his suffering, together with him, and the desire of this people so favoured and blessed, is give me Christ, or else I die, or how can I live, how can I walk, how can I die, without my

[27:38] Jesus, or engrave it on my heart, that thou the one thing needful art, I could from all things apart it be, but never, never, Lord, from thee, together with him, with my Jesus, and to possess Christ, means the possession of all, all things are yours, ye are Christ, and Christ is God's, whom have I in heaven but thee, and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee, together with him.

[28:24] I now would pass on to the second part of our meditation, together with them.

[28:36] We were before conversion, in our unregeneracy, we were in the world, together we might say, with the world.

[28:48] Yes, we may have been, as I said this afternoon from childhood, attending chapel, but until that work of grace was begun, we're dead in trespasses and sin.

[29:00] But now, grace makes a great change, together with them, the unity of the Spirit, and the bond of peace, the family of God, the brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ.

[29:26] Let me just link these thoughts together a little, as we may be held, and we are reminded that in the word of God and you hath he quickened who were dead in trespasses and in sin.

[29:44] That is the work of grace, that is the new birth, but God who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead in sin, hath quickened us together with Christ.

[30:06] Begotten us again, says Peter, unto a life in hope, by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. By grace ye are saved, and hath raised us up together, and made us sit together, in heavenly places, in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come, he might show the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.

[30:36] For by grace ye are saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God. so here, the Spirit's work, the new birth, spiritual life, inseparable union with Jesus Christ, that interest in the precious blood of the dear Savior, and that union with the dear Redeemer.

[31:03] And as I have already quoted, but now, one time you were not, but now, in Christ Jesus, ye who were sometime afar off, are made nigh by the blood of Christ, for he is our peace.

[31:21] But now, the Apostle goes on to say this, now therefore, ye are no more foreigners, or no more strangers and foreigners, where before, the language of Zion was a strange language, it was a foreign tongue, when you heard people mourning over their sin, crying for mercy, or the plague of their own heart, it meant nothing, it's a strange language, but now, with the work of grace in your heart, there is a union, there's a flowing together, there's a walking, there's love, there's a bond, there's a family, union, and you are fellow citizens with the saints, you won't say you're a saint, you'll say I'm of the chiefest sinners, I'm the vilest of the vile, but I love the Lord Jesus, I hang on him, I hope in his mercy,

[32:23] I trust in his grace, and of the household of God, the family of God, and as I just think of this, I can't forbear but just saying this, a little side track perhaps, but there was a deacon at West Street, Groydon, and he was in appearance, considered by some, very much like my pastor, and it used to rather worry this deacon that people would take him for my pastor, and one day this deacon met my pastor, who used to preach at West Street, and he said to him, he said, you know, I get so worried that people mistake me and think that I'm you, and my pastor just smiled, and he said, never mind my friend, we have the same heavenly father, and that was the last time they met on this earth, friend, there's something very sacred in the family of

[33:29] God, you know, where there's a family on earth, a Christian family in love, it's a wonderful blessing, a wonderful family, where there's a church in love and union, wonderful favour, wonderful favour, wonderful blessing, one heavenly father, that loves us, and cares for us, yea, will even chasten us, but is all in his love, together, now you're built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, now Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornister, all together with him, together with them, are built on the one foundation, which is Jesus Christ the Lord, the picture is likened to a building, and there the whole building rests on that one foundation, that's

[34:34] Jesus Christ in his finished work, and on this rock will I build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it, now on that rock, on that one sure cornerstone, foundation stone, there is the building, and every stone of that building is resting on that one foundation, so they are together with him, and they are also together with one another, united in the bond of peace, in the love of the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ, in whom all the building fitly framed, here it is again, together, together, groweth unto an holy temple, in the

[35:35] Lord, in whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit, together with them, now, being let go, they come to their own company, two are on the Mayish road, two of them, and they say, certain women of our company, you who fear God, both small and great, sheep and lambs in the fold, together, love, union, the family of God, together, and heirs together, of the grace of life, their hearts knit together in love, dear old Mr. George Rose, the minister, used to say, you can't really tear knitting, you can't pull it apart, stitch by stitch, believers are knit together in love, together with them, now, what do you know of it?

[36:44] He's an heir of heaven, that finds his bosom glow with love, do you say, I love to meet among them now, and at thy gracious feet to bow, though vilest of them, oh I do love this dear people, and you feel such a love and union, and even perhaps in the family of God, you may find one or two a little bit difficult to get on with, but you do pray, Lord help me to love them, help me to bear patiently their oddities, and perhaps Lord I need to pray, and more perhaps, that others should have to be patient with me, and do help me to love, do help me to be kind, do fill me with thy spirit, leave me not to be one that shall be a peace breaker, and a family of God, but all that flowing together, all that unity of the spirit, all that bond of peace, all that embrace spiritually of love, where my friend, there's a walking together, a praying together, a sweet union, and you can meet sometimes a person, a complete stranger, in the flesh, and within a moment or two, you can feel such a love, because it's the same language, it's the same family, it's the same grace, it's the same power of salvation, it's the same dear

[38:12] Lord Jesus. There was a Christian that went to Spain, and he had with him a Freemason, and this Christian met in Spain another Christian, and they enjoyed quite a little time together, while this other man, this Freemason, just stood by, and when eventually the two Christians partied, the Freemason said to the Christian with him, said, well now that was a strange coincidence that right over here, miles away from your home, you should meet one of your real friends, and he could turn and say he never met him before in his life, well that dumbfounded the Freemason, you see friend, it's one language, it's the spirit, and that's welding, it's union, it's love, it's communion, it's fellowship, it's just like the body, Christ is the head, and all are members of that body, all in their appointed place, and together with them, and so if one is in pain, if one is tempted, if one is cast down, there's a feeling because there's a sensitiveness of love and union to those in this family of God, together with them, all that brotherly love may continue, all that it may increase, that we may bear one another's burdens, that we may lay down our lives with the brethren, that doesn't mean to say we've got to die for them, but it means to say as

[39:50] Christ laid down his life and gave himself, may we be helped to give ourselves in love and service, one to the other, strengthening one another's hand, encouraging one another in the way, and if need be, with loving correction for one another, in love and tender humility, together, together with them, the two little boys, years ago, one had shoes, the other hadn't, it was days of poverty, and the older boy was running ahead, and there was a little path through the path that had been resurfaced, it was very sharp, and the older boy ran happily along, and turned around and saw across that his younger friend had stopped, because he had no shoes, well, the older boy turned around, and picked his younger brother or friend up, and carried him, but the man watching him observed this, the older boy didn't expect a word of thanks, didn't expect any praise for what he did, he did it because he loved, and so friend, the love of

[40:57] Christ, constraineth us together with them, I must come to a close, want to yink these two words finally in the blessed, glorious, assured prospect, as a coming of the Lord Jesus Christ, he shall descend himself, not the angels, come with the angels, but himself, he himself loves his people so dearly, himself shall descend from heaven, with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, with the trump of God, the voice of triumph, and the dead in Christ shall rise first, and we which are alive and remain, that is, still in the body of this flesh, some of God's children will not see death, they will see his coming, and in the moment, in the twinkling of the eye, together with the dead in Christ, gathered up, caught up, and it says, together with them, the church, the whole of the flock of

[41:58] Christ, the bride of Christ, the redeemed, what a glorious sight, no infirmity, no sin, no division, no defilement, no devil, no pain, no suffering, all friends, presented thoughtless, the bride, he's got a garment of her dear bridegroom's face, not on the crown he gives, but on that nail-pierced hand, all things, he loved the church, he gave himself for it, he's come for his bride, and together with Christ, and together one with the other, now death, and you've proved it here since we met last year, and many of us have proved it, haven't we, death severs earthly ties, but never the spiritual bond, indeed it's as one has said, some on earth, in glory, some severed only until he come to meet the Lord in the air, and so shall we ever be with the

[43:08] Lord, together with him. Amen.