1 Thessalonians Quality: Average

[0:00] The first chapter in the first epistle of Paul to the Thessalonians, the fourth and part of the fifth verse.

[0:19] The first chapter in the first epistle of Paul to the Thessalonians, the fourth and part of the fifth verse.

[0:31] Knowing the brethren, beloved, your election of God. For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power.

[0:49] And in the Holy Ghost and in much assurance. All the epistles are written to the Church of God.

[1:09] Those that know those precious truths that the apostles speak of.

[1:23] It's not everyone that is acquainted with the truth of God. It is one of the greatest mercies to know the truth.

[1:42] And the Lord has declared that these elect shall know the truth. He has said ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free.

[1:57] We know that the majority of professors reject election.

[2:13] And yet all through the word of God we see election. We see the Lord taking one and leaving another.

[2:30] And how clear the word of God is concerning this most solemn and vital matter.

[2:41] Jacob have I? Jacob have I loved? And Esau have I hated? And now in the chapter that we read.

[2:58] The Lord through the mouth of his servant makes it very clear. It's not of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man but of God.

[3:16] It's of him. And we see it as we said a moment ago very clearly set forth in his word.

[3:28] And we see the Lord calling Abraham. From there of the Chaldees. A most idolatrous nation.

[3:42] The Lord calls him. And he's obedient to his call. He called him to go out.

[3:54] And he directs him. He leaves that idolatrous place. He turns his back upon it.

[4:08] And we read that they went forth to go into the land of Canaan. And into the land of Canaan they came.

[4:21] This is one of the marks of election. For whoever is a partaker of this immutable discriminating election in the time leaves the world's deceitful shore and leaves it to return no more.

[4:51] And we see the Lord calling David. His servant Samuel verily thought that when he saw it in Diane that the Lord's anointed was before him.

[5:11] And the Lord said I have not chosen him. And so it went on. And it came to the very least in Jesse's family.

[5:21] And the Lord speaks. Arise and anoint him. And this is it. God's choice. And look at the effects of it.

[5:39] David chooses him. Look at the effects of it. The Lord watches over him amidst all his sins and wanderings from God.

[5:50] The Lord brings him safely through. And all that are elect. And God has to do with them.

[6:02] And they have to do with God. And so we see with the prophets the Lord calling them.

[6:13] From the different spheres that they were in. The Lord anoints them to be prophets. And we see that it's not the wise in this world that the Lord calls.

[6:34] Not many rich. Not many mighty. Not many noble. That God has chosen the foolish things of this world and things that are not that are set to naught things that are.

[6:52] that no flesh should glory in his presence. and so we see with the kings of Israel and Judah we see this very solemn indeed it is.

[7:11] He did that that was evil in the sight of the Lord. Or he did that that was right in the sight of the Lord.

[7:21] answerable to God. It's not what we think of ourselves. It's not what creatures think of us that will get us to heaven.

[7:36] It's what we are in the thought of God. and what we are my dear friends and it's most solemn in his sight we are from all eternity.

[7:52] the Lord doesn't change and seeing that he has an elect people these were elect from all eternity before the foundation of the world chosen in Christ made manifest in time.

[8:20] Everyone is made manifest in this time state and everyone are brought to see and know that God has an elect people as Ruth where the Moabite is Demsel was and so we see in her case she was a Moabite she belonged to a people that had the curse of God upon them and yet the Lord sees fit in his great mercy toward her to choose her.

[8:58] We see her sister come so far or come so far as many do many will go so far and then turn back.

[9:11] And so we read in the Gospels from that time many turned back and walked no more within.

[9:23] Oh what an awful thing to have a profession and for that profession to die out as it must do without the Spirit's work within.

[9:35] O my dear friends what a solemn matter then this indeed is. And so we see this going on and see the Lord choosing those that should be his disciples he says to them follow me and they follow him.

[10:05] There's no argument with them. They follow him. He speaks and it is done. He commands and he stands fast.

[10:19] The same one that spake on earth to the disciples is the same one that speaks from heaven the same one that still speaks.

[10:31] and these hear they hear they hear his voice they do because they're in it because there is people and so it was with the sort of darsus of him a persecutor of the church of God persecuting the church of God even to strange cities and enemy to him by wicked works and yet in a moment the Lord cuts him down stops him in his wild career and not one step farther does he tread in that path of persecution and we see the case of the woman to the well of

[11:40] Samaria a bad character and so all are and the Lord makes known to her his great salvation if our gospel be hid declare the apostle it is hid to them that are lost and they're ignorant we indeed are of the truth of God we're just as ignored by nature of the truth of God as the woman that Samaria's well was when the Lord speaks to her as she puts a natural interpretation upon what he declared to her when he tells her that he who so drinketh of the water that he should be in them a well of living water springing up to everlasting life and that they would never thirst she said give me this water that I thirst not neither come hither to draw she puts a natural interpretation upon it immediately and that's all the natural man ever will do our carnal nature will never rise above this world and so it was with

[13:08] Nicodemus when the Lord tells Nicodemus ye must be born again he says how can a man when he is old enter the second time into his mother's womb and be born he puts a natural interpretation upon it nature will never rise upon its own level well we can have a profession but it will never rise above this earth oh what a mercy my dear friends to be brought to solemnly know and see that God has an elect people and that's what God will show us if we're his people we shall be brought to amidst all the professors and sex in the world we shall be brought to see that God has a people and that people are separate from all people they are different from others there are people that forsake the world they are elect or can you remember when God brought you to see that

[14:37] God had an elect people and you didn't know whether you was one or not the people whose names were in his book written among the living in Jerusalem whose names are written in the Lamb's Book of Life Boy of Summer you know and there's not one name could ever be added to that number but on the other hand there's not one name that is in the Lamb's Book of Life will ever be raised from that blessed book do you know whether yours is they are not singer I'll tell you what if you are quickening to divine life you will be solemnly concerned about it you will want to know you will want that great question to be put out of question with your soul knowing the consequences you'll see it to be most vital as the poet says am I his or am

[16:06] I not oh there's not many in a profession of religion that are so concerned about their own soul salvation but these are you will be if you're one of these and you'll never be satisfied until you know you won't be satisfied until you do know and so the apostle says he had knowing brethren beloved because they are beloved beloved of God they're beloved of God and beloved of the church of God and they are separate from the world and if any man loves the world the love of the father is not in him and so this is this makes such a clear distinction with this people it does you see the time comes with every one of these when they they leave the world's deceitful shore and they're joined with the people of God

[17:48] Ruth says this people shall be my people and their God my God it is so it doesn't matter my dear friends whether we are black or white a bond or free if we belong to this elect people there will be no barrier between us because all are taught the same truths and all are taught the same truths as revealed in the word of God and that is there we come to know the truth of God and if our teaching isn't comparable with the written word of God there's something wrong with it it will be the born of God it will be you see people they they think they can alter the word of God but they never can they think that they can find an easier way to him but they never deceive

[19:19] God though they themselves are deceived there's no easy way to him only that way that's laid down in the written word of God that right way that way that the Lord leads these people in that they are led by the spirit of God they are led to know the truth of their own solemn state and standing in the sight of God are brought to know their sinnership that's where the Lord begins to show them what they are and what he is you know there's many will argue and say God is this God is the other but the sinner that's born of God he knows him to be a holy God he knows him to be the judge of all and the judge before whom he must appear and that's how a song it is to the sinner when he's awakened and brought to see that he has to do with

[20:35] God and he's brought to know that this God sees him his eyes upon him that there's no secret there's no darkness or shadow of death and where the workers of iniquity can hide themselves from God he's brought to see him as a God of judgment who weighs actions and he's brought to see himself a sinner of the deepest dark he's brought to see himself and know himself to be helpless and we don't know how helpless we indeed are until we are streven and struggled to be different to what we were and how we fail we are brought to know our own weakness and insufficiency see by our failings we are complete failures my dear friends oh and you see we are ready to conclude because we fail that the word of God is against us we are ready to conclude because we are brought to see how foolish and how ignorant we are that the word of God is against us and we tremble we are troubled we are in trouble soul trouble and all the election of grace know what it is to come into soul trouble there's a lot of troubles in the world that people come into that the world comes into this is a world of trouble it is through sin but how few there are that know what soul trouble is and we never know what soul trouble is until we are brought to solemnly know we have a never dying soul and then we become solemn creatures we may wish we had never been born but my dear friends all that wishing doesn't altering we are born and being born we stand answerable to God and so we see the curse of God and all that's sin and then we fear you see that it's us there's none like us none like we are and none so fail as we do and then we are tempted often as still as we were at the beginning that there's none like us you see that from the time that God begins a work of grace in the heart of these that work will go on it will go on it will what God begins he will continue and perfect being confident of this very thing that he that has begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus

[24:26] Christ Christ and you see this is the point the apostle declares it for our gospel came not unto you in word only but also in power in power comes in power to these that God's appointed time comes home to the sinner there art the man it discriminates what is taken this is you see it is the word of God it is it is the word of God that kills it's the word of God that's quick and powerful and sharp than any two-edged soul piercing and dividing asunder of joint and marrow and is a discerner of the thoughts and the intents of the heart and oh says the sinner what should

[25:36] I do you see it's us it's us and so God speaks with power he does thine arrows are sharp in the hearts of the king's enemies whereby the people fall under it there's a falling under it no under the searching word of God you'll find some will be offended they rise up in enmity against it they say I'm not having that but there's a falling under it with those that are born of God but it's a powerful word you see it doesn't it reaches the heart it does there's a good people many people in the world have got an egg knowledge but that will never take us to heaven that won't help us but it's the heart comes into the heart and this is where the trouble is and this is where the sinner is brought he's brought to see brought to know like

[27:01] David what a heart he has a heart that's deceitful above all things and desperately witty and who could know it he's brought to see that he has such a heart as this it's a mercy sinner to have the same experience as the people of God in his word it's a wonderful favour to know the same truths in some humble measure in our own souls do you know this well it will be a trouble to you if you know it it will sinner and so will bring you to be lost to all hope in yourself all hope all hope in self no hope in self

[28:04] I find and yet have sought it well the native treasure of my mind is sin and death and hell oh and this you see the Lord will bring you to this place where you call upon him it was said of Saul of Tarsus behold he prayeth and so we see this with every one of those characters that we mentioned at the beginning every one of them was brought to call upon God to call upon him from their heart were brought to come in secret before him with their case and these have a case and if you're one of these my beloved friend if you're one of these you have a case that only

[29:08] God can meet you have only he can meet and he can meet it because there's nothing that is too hard for him to do that is that is with those that fear and he will show them his covenant the Lord will show the sinner by his blessed spirit how he can be just and saved by grace by grace ye are saved through faith and that not of yourselves it is the gift of

[30:25] God and so the Lord gives the sinner that faith to look to him for salvation you see he is a sinner that needs a refuge that needs a hiding place from the impending storm that will soon break upon the whole world he needs one he does and there's only one and that is the Lord Jesus Christ only one he is the refuge for the lost the name of the Lord is a strong tower the righteous running into it and is safe and so this sinner comes to him he flees to him he embraces this rock the rock

[31:30] Christ Jesus for want of a shelter and he comes this sinner comes in all his poverty and bless his only precious name he himself declared I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel it's these lost sinners that need him that greatly need him it's these lost sinners that have nothing of their own to bring it's these lost sinners that are destitute when the Lord shall appear in his glory he will build up Zion and he will regard the prayer of the destitute and not despise their prayer and the

[32:35] Lord will bring you destitutes to win you'll make you a destitute of all the scot and that's how you have to come you'll see there's something one of our poets says out through pride my stubborn will to Sinai feels a cleaving still we will bring something oh but you see our pride is mad and we have to come destitute come needy come naked come loathsome and bare you can't come too filthy come just as you are and so this poor sinner he comes he comes with a covering upon his upper lip like the the leper crying unclean unclean he comes to him in this condition he does for all for salvation for pardon for wisdom he comes to him the Lord for all that pertains to life and godliness everything that pertains to life and godliness my dear friends if you are one of these elect the

[33:58] Lord will bring you to ask of him you won't see it anywhere else but in him and you ask him for it you do you come to him to teach you you come to him to guide you you come to him to reveal himself to you assure my conscience of his part in the redeemer's blood and bear the witness in my heart that I am born of God so you'll come I are you one of these you'll come and so the Lord will appear he will answer you he will but you see it's a way of affliction as the apostle declares here it's a way of affliction there's much hard labor there's much waiting there are many trials there have been many things that will consider in your pathway that will look as if they're dead against you the apostle

[35:29] Peter says the trial of your faith we spoke of faith the Lord gives the sin of that faith and where he gives it so there will be a trial of that faith be much more precious than of gold that perish it though it be tried with fire might be found unto honor and praise and glory at his appearing and it is appearing my dear friends and nothing short of his appearing will satisfy this sinner won't as he appeared can you look back to a day when you believe he did appear when you hope he appeared then I'll tell you what sinner you want him to appear again you'll be brought to see more and more of the evils the hidden evils of your own heart you will you'll be brought more and more to see that it's not of him that willeth or of him that runneth but of

[36:44] God that showeth mercy you will you'll be brought as the Lord reveals your sin and will and he'll reveal that all your journey through you'll be brought that you won't have a stone to throw at any in this world you won't the Lord will humble you oh that you'll feel daily undone and daily to feel thyself undone will make thee haste to kiss the sun and on thy knees for pardon sin to praise and bless and love him too that's in your car you will see you see it isn't a way that it is pleasing to carnal nature far from it far from it it's a way that's crucified to our flesh but it's a way that leads to him it is and

[38:10] Jeremiah declares it is of his mercy that we are not consumed because his compassions fail not they are new every morning great is his faithfulness and so the Lord has said they that seek shall find and find him and it's him you want it's him you want it's he he is the one the object that you seek after yes if you're born of God you want him and he see that must speak he see that must revere himself he see that must revere his love with power and so you come to him you talk to him you converse with him and he'll converse with you he will it's not one side you know it is there may be this waiting and you may have you'll have many temptations under the holdings of God's face that this mercy that you seek for is not for such as you but you'll still go on until he reveals himself and so he does to every one of his people sooner or later sooner or later he will manifest himself to them but all the waiting the waiting the looking how often you say within when will he appear but he will appear because the

[40:13] Lord has said they that seek shall find I know the devil will say you don't seek a light the devil will ever be finding fault with your profession the devil will ever turn round an accuser because he is the accuser of the brethren that has come down having great power knowing that his time is short he comes with his accusations against these he does the Lord said when he was here a kingdom divided against itself he's brought to desolation the devil isn't divided against himself he don't tempt his own he don't come with his accusations I mean against his own we know that they're under his power his dominion and his authority but these are not these are not the Lord has brought them out of his kingdom translated them into the kingdom of his dear son and be translated into the kingdom of his dear son they wait for him they look for him they want to be under his ladder they want him to be their glorious head they want to be this blessed people that are no more strangers and foreigners but fellow citizens with the saints and of the household of God oh you see most are in the place that you are that are is waiting for him looking for his appearing most are you see the Lord sometimes in the beginning in the early days of the experience of his people he manifests himself he reveals himself to them and they look back on those days golden days precious days and the

[42:33] Job did he said when he washed his steps with butter and the rocks poured him out rivers of oil but he had come into a far different day than that he had but the Lord was still with him he was and so the poet says where is the blessedness I knew when first I saw the Lord where is that soul refreshing view of Jesus and his word where is it those golden hours have gone there you see the son of the baptist would have heaven here we would oh but instead of hell you know this world won't be your own it won't you'll get weary of yourself you'll get weary of sin you will you see the Lord weans his people he does he knows just what to do to wean them it's in his love to ward them you receive the word with much affliction but with joy of the holy ghost with joy of the holy ghost you see my dear friends amidst this all that you come into you wouldn't change you wouldn't you wouldn't change you see there's been this joy there's been a few spots in places in your life they may not have lasted long they don't very often last long when you've had that joy of the holy ghost that joy to know you believe that you was a child of god and you rejoiced in that and they're the best days of the child of god in this world when he has some envelope in his soul that he is born of god but for the most part it's a seeking and a waiting with the child of god the poet said why so hasty to depart so tedious in return and that is the experience of the child of god amen