Charity (ii) Quality: very good)

[0:00] As the Lord may be pleased to help me, I'd again direct your attention to the first epistle to the Corinthians chapter 13 and reading verse 4 and we'll be making reference to the following four verses. Charity suffereth long and is kind. Charity envieth not. Charity vaunteth not itself is not puffed up. Charity suffereth long and is kind. Charity envieth not. Charity vaunteth not itself is not puffed up. Oh, what about you is charity?

[1:25] Because it does not rest and rely upon natural resources. Though natural resources might be the excuse for misplaced charity, for some indeed will vaunt themselves because they consider themselves to be full of charity. In other words, taking all the praise to themselves. You know, we cannot really love ourselves. Love, my friend, is that twofold virtue. And I say, what a virtue that is, that love which cometh down from heaven to poor and needy sinners. Yes, even the love of God. We love him because he first loved us. Therefore, we look at our resources our resources here below. It has nothing to do with that whatsoever. Because salvation is a free and sovereign grace and it cannot be bought. Salvation cannot be obtained on merit as the like of good behaviour and a keeping of the commandments in and of our own strength and effort. No. But oh, charity does not want to do with that. It comes like the psalmist when he says, all my springs are in thee. I say, what an endless word that is. In that you cannot explore it as long as you live here below. It's so vast, it's so great. Oh, we have nothing to to do with that. But it's so great. In that you cannot do with that. And you cannot do with that. And if it is more becoming and is more controlled and regulated by the gospel than others, remember, it is all of that wondrous charity of his is supplying and giving us according to our need.

[4:27] Therefore all the honour and all the glory is unto the Lord and to him alone.

[4:39] Yes it must be surely said charity vaunteth not itself. Sinner if thou art vaunteth thyself in charity at this time do not be pleased with thyself do not congratulate yourself over it because it is a forced charity a charity that is unacceptable as almighty God.

[5:12] Friend it's a charity that will not give you pleasure or any satisfaction to know and to do his will.

[5:26] Charity vaunteth not itself. I often think of that dear woman whom Jesus observed why he saw her put her two mites into the treasury.

[5:44] Some might say well what good is that going to do? But my friend Jesus puts in the right light he said why that woman has more charity in her than the rest of the people.

[6:02] why she's given her all. Her all. I say charity doesn't vaunt itself.

[6:14] I shall once remember a man saying to me see that man over there he goes he goes past a collection every week and he doesn't put a penny in.

[6:27] he said but I oh and he went forth on about what he put in and I said yes but there's one thing I know that the Lord sees what we put in and he sees what we hold back oh charity oh it cannot vaunt itself can it in any way whatsoever it's not puffed up not puffed up oh may God give us all that grace just charity that we might ever seek to so live and behave as not even letting our left hand know what our right hand doeth or our right hand know what the left hand doeth and so on that is true charity my friend to say what we have done and what we have given it's just full of pride isn't it and I wouldn't put any more adjectives to that but I'm sure almighty God can reveal such things unto us the right way to live oh be under the influence of charity oh

[8:07] I say that more excellent way now he goes on to say that charity does not behave itself unseemly unseemly behaviour in a matter is not charity and oh that we might ever see God's face that we may not act ourselves unseemly and you know that is so easy to do to so manipulate so called a type of love and affection to gain further ends friend but charity does not behave like this at all unseemly see it is not own is not easily provoked thinketh no evil surely we have a portion here today if nothing else to take home each one of us than to look at it to look at it and seek the Lord's grace that it might search us out and find us through and through yes it thinketh no evil have you any evil thoughts this day the Lord

[9:55] Jesus Christ speaks much about evil thoughts I remember being asked not to use that phrase anymore within this place evil thoughts but my friend the Lord Jesus Christ in speaking with regards to the fruits of wickedness he begins by evil thoughts and who can get away from that my friend evil thoughts oh we sometimes can't let's confess we've gone to bed or fallen asleep and our thoughts at least have not been good and there's no great areas here have they not been evil and when we awake what have our thoughts been what will our thoughts this morning what will our thoughts be tomorrow you may not look upon them as evil what I want to do such thoughts as that on a

[11:16] Monday morning surely portrays what our thoughts were on the Sabbath morning finding the Sabbath and the keeping of the Sabbath an irritant finding it to be a matter that we do not approve of but tolerate it oh friends evil thoughts oh how many evil thoughts we have evil thoughts in watching other people did not the apostles say does not behave itself unseemly my friend charity that highest grade of love it never wishes evil even upon our enemy I say how solemn that is it may be you have thought in your heart well it may be that this illness that comes upon them or perhaps this tragedy that comes upon them will be the end of them then they'll be removed from the scenes of life and

[12:41] I'll be troubled no more friends surely that is not charity at all why it's only desires wishing and looking to furnish our own ends surely it can be summed up like this that is downright murder in our hearts of charity would never seek to take another man's life or another one's life to be removed from the scenes of this life but surely charity will be this in the heart that even our enemies may be brought to a saving knowledge of the truth and that Jesus Christ would give them life give them life I say where do our prayers take us in secret do we pray that for individuals and seek

[13:51] God that they may be born again friends if born again then we know this they'll have charity there'll be a change of life there'll be a change of personality a change of outlook I tell you something else there'll be a change of relationship between you and them great mercy isn't it but we can really really say we know that we have passed from death unto life because we love the brethren this comes forth from charity charity charity also rejoices not in iniquity but rejoices in the truth this searches us out does it not to rejoice in iniquity first of all we might say what is iniquity iniquity is that which

[15:12] God does not approve of let us put all our actions all our thoughts in the scales does God approve of this does God approve of that we've been to the house of God does God approve of that but what has been our thoughts what has been our behaviour in the house of God my friend it is not that iniquity when it's that which militates goes against the mind and will of God iniquity how we need delivering rejoices not in iniquity hast thou known the time when the word of preached has been the word of life spoken to your soul therefore you haven't rejoiced when the word has ceased but may have desired this

[16:21] Lord oh may it go on and may I take a little home with me may that I take home be kept and preserved from the birds of the air stealing it charity friends desires for heavenly things desires for those best gifts desires that Jesus might smile upon you desires that you might hear again Jesus say thou art all fear my love there's no spot in thee oh I say that wondrous charity oh that love to God and love for God that burns with a heavenly seal in our heart that it might ever be kept that it might ever be preserved it might shine as a clear a pure light oh within our hearts and within our lives rejoices not in iniquity but rejoices in the truth now I come to this point oh charity this is how it treats the truth it rejoices and oh the gospel is truth a precious truth

[17:58] I came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance oh that his free and sovereign grace is such and you can truly sing that hymn water from salvation's wells thirsty sinners come and draw oh that line in the same hymn bring no money price or ought it is free grace it can't be bought why my friends charity it rejoices in this why it is an open door and there is a name written upon it come and welcome says a good bung come and welcome ah we do not use that in the

[19:08] Arminian way but there is a welcome in the gospel and I believe that charity rejoices to see it come whoso ever will friend what a wonderful word that is that the god does not cut off poor sinners but my friend his word remains forever the same but you know the iniquity that is within us don't we not finger it turn it over yes it's yours providing it is given to you providing you can prove these things friends some men set up the truth and then like little images and then knock them all down and say how's that my friend that there's no life there's no salvation there there's no softening of heart and spirit there's no crying unto the

[20:18] Lord charity rejoices in the truth oh that Christ Jesus has said he'd come to seek and to save that which was lost where charity abounds in the heart that perfect love my friend it's thus brought to believe and to trust in the Lord Jesus Christ and in him and in him alone oh I say what a mercy if if today that we can truly say we rejoice in the truth because you see it holds out a hope for such sinners as we will come there again and again a charity will watch this hope will it not it will look to it oh will as the

[21:19] Lord come and will he come today charity beareth all things believeth all things hopeth all things endureth all things Paul draws up a summary here of what charity will do in us and for us beareth all things believeth all things not what men might say and think but what is found in the word of God that is forever and ever and will never and never be moved charity never faileth what a wonderful truth that is look around us and see all the things that fail perhaps not at first but eventually they fail we sometimes see dead oak trees in the field and eventually you say oh look that old tree has fallen down before it died it stood for centuries since it died it may have stood for a century but friends the time to come when it must go it's finished friend but charity is not like that oh the perfect love of god was founded in him before the foundations of the world and when this world is no more my friend charity the perfect love of god will ever abound and ever exist and those that are found in him in that great day it will be that which they shall feed upon live upon through a never ending eternity it never failes we have heard people comment on various occasions what will they be doing in heaven what will be what will heaven be like what will they be enjoying and how will they be entertained friend that is not known to us but the word here tells us charity never failes

[24:05] I believe this there's such an all sufficiency such fathoms of depths untold of the love of god that it will occupy eternity yea again and again it will be the sum and substance of rejoicing in heaven charity never failes but he goes on to say those things that do fail he says but whether there be prophecies they shall fail whether there be tongues they shall cease where there be knowledge it shall vanish away yes although we may be very satisfied with what we have in store but they will one day cease but charity it never fails and

[25:15] Paul makes this very strong point here and it's for our instruction we sometimes mourn our lack of understanding and our lack of knowledge but that will take nothing away from charity that's a sweet comfort isn't it charity will always abound for in verse 9 he reads for we know in part and we prophesy in part there is only that limitation oh we must remember that but oh charity is to all the Lord's people their everlasting love but when thou which is part it is come then thou which is in part shall be done away in other words then it shall be known and he likens it in verse 11 to himself growing up when I was a child

[26:33] I spake as a child I understood as a child I thought as a child but when I became a man I put away childish things and that is a very clear illustration isn't it how charity works and how charity abounds yes Paul says I gradually developed into a man and went from one stage in life to another and when I became a man well those early things I put away I forgot I didn't make anything more of them he said I became and I put away childish things for now we see through a glass darkly but then face to face now I know in part but then shall I know even as also

[27:47] I am known what does this bring to our hearts and minds well it shows us this we will not be found in the fullness of glory here below that is what awaits the Lord's people but they are blessed and they are given from time to time with tokens of good and of his mercy he gives to them that wondrous love and comforts them and assures them that he will never leave them or for sight them he says why I only see in part I look at the whole matter as seeing through a darkened glass or a glass darkly we know what it is if we take away a filter or a coloured glass from before our eyes we see things differently we see things as they are they may appear ambiguous they may appear distorted so sometimes in the things of God

[29:10] Satan would like to get us down and say how much do you know how much do you understand how much do you compare to other people people friend this is not good ground for us to travel in it does not encourage us in the things of God why because we are what we are by the grace of God oh that charity to us I say how watchful is the loving Lord he watches over all his people yes have we not read of those who have been limited in intelligence and some might call them unintelligent people or silly people my friends but how bright some of them have been with regards to the things of

[30:20] God I'm sure you've all read of that young Scotchman who wanted to sit down at the table and oh how when he came to table he saw by face the Lord Jesus Christ he said he said yon lovely man my friend he had a view which others hadn't a view of not the same clearness oh charity oh the wondrous love of Christ is a virtue oh that shines every other oh but the greatest of these is charity he closes this chapter with yes there's nothing greater than having this charity within oh let me come to my final comments then upon this wonderful chapter and it's this how much charity have I how much charity have you what charity do I know of or how much do I know of it friend searching questions is it not the apostle

[31:46] Paul said this I am what I am by the grace of God ah my friends he saw the charity of almighty God yes and oh that love to him oh that out reached and out stretched everything else because after all Paul could have been found boasting and self satisfied in many things because he was a very able scholar I've no doubt about that and God used his scholarly manner for his own ends but friends Paul saw it in this light the one thing that was needful was the love of Christ to him I say can we say that friend if we are gloating over ourself if we are satisfied with everything else except charity or there is something unbalanced in our religion is there not but perhaps

[33:10] I should put it this way round if we have all these things but do not possess charity we are of all men most miserable we'll be like poor Belshazzar who was put into the balances and found wanting but friend if the Lord puts thee night and thou hast charity there charity indeed will supply charity will meet all thy needs there is such a fullness in the Lord Jesus Christ that will cover everything else though we may mourn over so many thoughts and failings we've had though we may rule the things that we've done said and sought but charity covers all these things the great emblem of charity surely is this the precious blood of

[34:20] Jesus Christ the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ it cleanses us from all sin Amen Amen