[0:00] and looking upon Jesus as he walked he said behold the Lamb of God and the two disciples heard him speak and they followed Jesus there are many today who with a natural understanding alone look on Jesus and confess that how good his teaching how gracious his example birth solemn being destitute of grace being still blind they know not themselves as sinners and feel not their need of the Saviour and see no beauty in Christ and are not attracted to the Saviour of sinners many years ago in France there was a poor couple in great poverty a man visited them and looked at what appeared to be a picture a small picture framed on the wall and he asked them what it was and they said that years ago they had cared for a wounded soldier till he died and that this soldier had given them this what they thought was a beautiful picture and in memory of him had it framed that was no picture it was a banknote of considerable worth they knew it not a picture of man fallen sees a measure of beauty and admires the teaching and the example of
[3:27] Jesus Christ and yet know not their poverty seek not the Saviour or the riches of his grace then to whom the words of this text applicable and looking upon Jesus literally of course here it was looking upon him with the natural eyes of Jesus on this earth walked by and they saw him but viewing this spiritually what does it set forth there can be no beholding the
[4:30] Lamb of God no looking upon Jesus with our first our blind eyes to be opened that is the work of the Holy Spirit of God so we ask as the question was asked of one old how was it that your eyes have been opened what is it that you see now that you did not see before first I believe this there will be a sight as you've never seen before of your sinnership I doubt not that you never denied about that you're a sinner but feel it cuts deep beyond expression the dead feel no burden a born again sinner will know something of a burden the burden of sin of guilt the transgression of that holy law of
[6:13] God and the truth of the word of God is solemnly powerfully and personally known and felt in one's own heart that we've all sin and come short of the glory of God now with this will be a sense of the holiness and justice of almighty God that God must and God will punish sin make no mistake about it his justice demands it and with this sense of sin with this increased knowledge of the justice of God then will be revealed to us that we cannot bring cure to our soul we cannot cleanse away our sin all our good works it cannot wash away our sin not the labor of my hands can fulfill thy laws demands could my tears forever flow could my zeal no respite no all for sin could not atone thou must save and thou alone an eternity in hell will not make an atonement for our sin solemn and yet true looking now this is the mercy where the eyes are being thus opened and that must be and is by the
[8:28] Holy Spirit of God to see ourselves as revealed in the Word of God to see a little of the glory majesty and justice of God and to see that we cannot bring the price we cannot make an atonement for our sins yet that same Holy Spirit will take that sinner their eyes open to the dear redeemer and looking upon Jesus looking with faith looking with hope looking with desire looking with longing knowing that this dear
[9:36] Jesus died for sinners that his blood cleanseth from all sin and yet looking and longing to know that that great transaction wrought out on Calvary's cross was for the sinner person let us for a moment go to a character in the gospel to illustrate what we have thus far set forth there was the occasion when Jesus went down to Jericho and in Jericho there was a blind beggar and as soon as that blind beggar heard a noise and asked what it meant and was told that it was
[10:45] Jesus of Nazareth passing by oh the cry from his heart oh the longing desire it was Jesus now the man literally was blind but I believe this blind as he was he must have heard about this Jesus heard how that Jesus went about doing good cleansed the lepers cast out devils healed the sick caused the lame to walk opened the eyes of blind and I feel this that the dear man may well have thought he'll never come down to Jericho if he did I should not know if I did know that he came could there be hope could there be mercy for me but as soon as he heard he began to cry and what was his prayer
[11:54] Jesus thou son of David have mercy on me a simple spiritual prayer from the heart personal Jesus mercy me Jesus the eternal son of God Jesus the savior Jesus the redeemer Jesus the friend of sinners me lost lying sinful perishing undone just as you have been singing mercy speaking of God's power love grace compassion to one miserable lost fallen unworthy undone
[13:00] I hope you're no stranger to this it's the path to glory I believe it's entering in by that straight gate it's this cry now let me tarry here for a moment as he cried they saw to silence him but he cried the more do you know something of the devil do you know something of the power of unbelief no good you crying no good you coming no good you seeking for mercy you're not one of the elect says the devil and yet under the burden of sin under the power of unbelief under the temptations of the devil you come again and again and then you may be tempted is it vain repetition but friend the need is so great
[14:14] I remember being very sorely tempted in this way oh is it vain repetition the Lord loosened the bond in this way and directed me to his word and I do not know how many times we read that the mercy of the Lord endureth forever we also read that it is from everlasting to everlasting upon all them that fear him in other words because almighty God and in him is all fullness in the saviour speak so much of mercy then there's such a fullness that I a poor vile sinner may constantly plead for it may constantly seek for it now must tarry here a little longer the power of prayer Jesus stood still he would not pass the beggar by he would not and never will break his word all that the father giveth me shall come to me and him that cometh to me
[15:38] I will in no wise cast out and so they went to the blind man and said be of good comfort rise he calleth thee beautiful that word be of good comfort be of good courage don't be cast down there's hope poor sinner there's hope rise he calleth you may say but does Jesus speak to me like that if you are the character that I have tried to set before you tonight he calls you then you may say how in his word let me explain come unto me who all ye that labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rash again when the poor and needy seek water and there is none and their tongue faileth the thirst
[16:44] I the Lord will hear them I the God of Israel will not forsake them and open rivers in high places and mountains in the midst of the valleys he calleth they and the spirit and the bride say come let him that hear say come let him that is a thirst come and whosoever will let him take of the water of life freely thirst is spiritual this thirst is the thirst of a soul born again quickened by the Holy Spirit and this is the one that Jesus calls here yet another sweet word ho everyone that thirsteth come ye to the waters and you that have no money oh the beauty of it oh the attraction of it that little word ho you may know that in eastern lands in bible days there were those water sellers they would carry water in their skin containers and would go and people would buy for a needy refreshing drink at times perhaps a person of wealth but would pay for all the water that that man could carry and then would send him up to the very poorest part of the town or the ditches or the sideways where the beggars were and bid him go and say ho if you're thirsty come you don't have to bring a penny my friend this is the gospel oh blessed be god and so the dear man rose and went to
[18:48] Jesus and what a sight casting away his garment the outer garment nothing to hinder just as I am and waiting not to rid my soul of one dark block to thee whose blood can cleanse each spot oh lamb of god I come his eyes were opened now looking upon Jesus now let me take this next as he walked looking upon Jesus as he walked first we may look with wonder that ever Jesus the holy son of God should condescend to come to this simple earth in that body holy and pure and yet be found on this earth as we just read earlier in this chapter he was in the world and the world was made by him and the world knew him not looking upon
[20:05] Jesus as he walked but as many as received or he came unto his own his own received him not and as many as received him to them gave he power to become the sons of God even to them that believe on his name which were born not of land nor the will of the flesh nor the will of man but of God looking on Jesus then as he was is there an attraction is there a beauty is there something that draws your soul to him in longing desire why you see that man full of leprosy you see Lord that's me you see how that he fell at thee before the Lord Jesus Lord if thou wilt thou canst make me clean and the dear Lord put his hand and touched the leper and cleansed them you see the woman with the issue of blood pressing through to touch the hem of his garment and that issue of blood stanched there's somebody that Jesus speaks of who touched man everybody is touching thee Lord
[21:17] Jesus said somebody oh that one word somebody a poor needy sinner who felt her need of Jesus and only Jesus none other he was Jesus only looking upon Jesus as he was looking upon Jesus as he went through to Samaria to meet a woman that was such a sinner and spake to her at the well of the water of life to gather to cast out devils of Allegiant as he went into the house of Simon the Pharisee and there was a woman that was a sinner oh how she loved Jesus because Jesus had saved her and brought her out of that life of sin and she came with repentance and tears and sorrow and humility and falling down wept over him tears on his dear feet wiping those tears anointing and oh we read and she kissed his feet and do you know what the
[22:23] Lord Jesus said to Simon since I can she's not ceased to kiss my feet oh the love of the dear woman because of the love of the Saviour I've been taught this recently and I've named it more than once we read in the gospel as I've named these characters blind beggar leper woman with the issue of blood woman that was a sinner and so forth some that were paralyzed some with unseen spirits Lord I'm not just one of them I'm all of them by nature looking upon Jesus as he walked does it not give encouragement then I want to look at it this way looking on Jesus as he walked in the example that he said oh friend as you see him take a towel and gird himself and wash the disciples feet oh to be clothed with humility oh deliver us Lord from pride giving us this example that we should follow in his steps as we hear him as they nailed him to the cross father forgive them they know not what they do be kind one to another tender hearted forgiving one another even as
[23:40] God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you you see friend it's not just looking it is to seek to follow him as we've got it here and follow Jesus to be like him over the spirit of Jesus Christ looking upon Jesus as he walked and then again this thought as he walked determined to say to go to the cross to see the dear saviour the man of sorrows to see him in the garden that is called Gethsemane the sweat as it were of great drops falling of blood falling to the ground angel appearing from heaven to strengthen him the victory in the garden the submission to the father's will the willingness to suffer to drink the cup of divine wrath to bear the punishment instead to die for sinners looking upon
[24:42] Jesus he's walked sometimes look and try to preach from the closing words in John chapter 14 it just looks like a little historical link but it's far more arise let us go hence literally they were leaving the upper room they were going forth to the garden and then the saviour to the cross oh that we might arise arise from our indifference and unconcern from our despondency and dejection from our temptations and from our fears and from our unbelief and that we by the spirit may be led even to Calvary to behold the dear Redeemer looking upon Jesus as he said behold the Lamb of God now this word behold is a strong word now what is our behold behold
[25:46] I was shapen in sin and in iniquity did my mother conceive behold I am violent but here is the gospel behold poor sinner the Lamb of God beautiful precious title of our dear Redeemer let us go back into the Old Testament for a moment let's go back to the Passover night when the Israelite was to take according to the God's word a Lamb a Lamb according to the word of a certain age without blemish and spot it was a Lamb from the flock once that Lamb had been taken from the flock it became the Lamb do you see not just a Lamb it was the Lamb the Lamb that was appointed to be put to death the Lamb whose blood was to be applied and then as you read later you'll find it says your Lamb without that blood the firstborn would perish without the blood of
[27:09] Christ we shall sink into hell oh friend dost thou behold the Lamb of God that precious blood the blood that was applied that stood between the angel and the death of the firstborn and go back even earlier when Abraham was going up the mount with his son father here's the wood here's the fire where's the burnt offering my son God will provide himself and he's done it friend the son of his love his own dear son just one more reference in the old testament the firstborn of an ass was to be devoted to God as the firstborn as we read in the levitical dispensation a lamb was to be slain if no lamb was slain the neck of that ass was to be broken friend what a sight we have the lamb for the ass
[28:20] Christ the sinners behold the lamb of God the precious blood of the dear redeemer there is a fountain filled with blood drawn from Emmanuel's veins and sinners plunge beneath that flood lose all their guilty stay behold the lamb of God oh friend good Pilate said as the saviour came forth crown with thorns behold the man behold your king dear dying lamb thy precious blood shall never lose its power till all the ransomed church of God be saved and her sin no more oh real religion holy ghost religion centres upon the blood of
[29:35] Christ faith fastens upon it my faith looks back to see the burden thou didst bear when hanging on the accursed tree and hopes her guilt was there for me in my room and place instead of me I believe somewhere in Germany at least years ago there was at the top of the steeple of the church a lamp you know in some metal and the history was this that when the steeple was being built a man fell and would have fallen to his death but a shepherd was passing by with sheep and the man fell on a sheep and it preserved his life kept him from death and that was put up as a monument we look to the dear
[30:47] Lord Jesus and to the dear Redeemer and we think surely of that wonderful record when that unit that had been up to Jerusalem for to worship was returning in his chariot he was reading the word of God I believe he must have heard at Jerusalem of this one that had been crucified he was reading in Isaiah chapter 53 of this one as a sheep before her shearers is dumb so he opened not his mouth to lamb led before the slaughter and so forth the Holy Spirit directs Philip oh what a meeting how sacred this is when God directs his servant to meet with the sinner and you longing for the
[31:47] Lord to speak through his word and Philip bid him come up and sit by him to speak to him speak Lord the desire of a spiritual hearer speak Lord for thy servant hearer beginning at the same scripture he preached unto him Jesus the Lamb of God oh friend what a sermon what a ministry what preaching how the dear man was blessed in his soul and how to he was led to follow his Lord in the path of baptism and looking upon Jesus as he walked he said behold the Lamb of God what a beautiful sight faith has the dear Redeemer as made known in the book of the
[32:51] Revelation but just before I come to that he were not redeemed with corruptible things as silver and gold you see all the universe wonderful as it is displaying the power of God as it does he could not provide redemption could not bring satisfaction to divine justice or satisfy the demand of the law not redeemed with silver and corruptible things but with the precious blood of Christ as of a lamb without blemish and without spot precious is it precious something that's precious to us we think much about it don't let it go the precious blood the precious saviour exceeding great and precious promises light precious faith all bound up together all centred in
[34:10] Christ all in that finished work of the saviour behold the lamb of God I said what glimpses we have in the book of the revelation a lamb in the mess of the throne as it had been slain here then a poor sinner may come here at the death of Christ the veil of the temple was rent in twain from top to bottom let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need a way is open in the holy of holies there was the mercy the high priest went there once a year it was a blood stained mercy see acceptance there will I meet with thee there will
[35:11] I commune with thee friends that there is one in heaven the risen Christ the dear redeemer and since my saviour stands between him garments dyed in blood tis he instead of me as saint when I approach to die this dear jesus and then we also read in the book of the revelation just turned it before I came into the pulpit they overcame how by the blood of the lamb there's the victory through jesus christ so looking upon jesus as he walked he said behold the lamb of god the song of heaven worthy is the lamb come let us join our cheerful songs with angels round the throne ten thousand thousand are their tongues but all their joys are one worthy the lamb that died they cried to be exhorted thus worthy the lamb our lips replied for he was slain for us not only the song of glory may it be here on earth may it be seen in our lives you see words can be uttered easily worthy is the lamb but what is he worthy of were the whole realm of nature mine that were an offering far too small love so amazing so divine demands my life my soul my all oh that we may walk worthy of the vocation where we are unworthy of ourselves accepted in the beloved and we read the two disciples heard him speak and they followed didn't follow
[37:21] John Baptist they followed Jesus I just said earlier in the work of God's grace there's a coming to Jesus that is avenging or nothing in my hand I bring but simply to thy cross I cling but there's a coming after him that is to follow him shall Simon bear the cross alone and all the rest go free to deny ourselves to take up the cross and to follow him as sheep and lambs of the flock they hear my voice and they follow him the footsteps of the flock following Jesus in the way and then as we sung in our opening hymn first a coming to
[38:29] Jesus then a coming after Jesus but oh for a closer walk with God a calm and heavenly frame a light to shine upon the road that leads me to the light to be with him pressing through toward the mark of the prize of the high calling of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord to follow him to keep close to him to be like him and to witness in our life of whose we are and whom we serve that the sweet spirit of Jesus Christ may be in us and that there may be a sweet odour of Christ in our life years ago in Europe there was a valley with some very beautiful strong sweet smelling roses and apparently if people passed through that valley the sin would linger upon them that people would say oh you've been in the valley of roses oh that it might be said they took knowledge of that that they had been with
[39:58] Jesus a friend we must leave the word with you that those that by his grace reach glory at last will be those that follow the land whithersoever he goeth the lord grant us grace to follow him and oh at last to be with him forever and ever amen 6 hundred and thirty one 6 3 1 to heaven 1 3 6 the lord himself be with you all and teach you his own will and guide you safe from every thrall to Zion's heavenly hill 6 3 1 road 4 5
[41:27] Oh Oh Oh
[42:57] Oh Oh Oh Oh
[43:59] Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh Take us each under Safe care Bless thy people And now brethren I commend you to God
[45:01] To the word of his grace Which is able to build you up To give you an inheritance Among all them that are sanctified To the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ Lord Jesus Christ