The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord (Quality: Good)

[0:00] once again in complete dependence upon the help of the Holy Spirit I'm going to ask your attention to the Psalm 37 and verse 23 the Psalm 37 and verse 23 the steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord and he delighteth in his way the steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord and he delighteth in his way if else as we begun to say this is indeed as with all utterances of the Holy Spirit thus saith the Lord because it speaks of those whose pathways are in grace as was in providence are ordered by the Lord or established as the margin says but then we tried to speak and feebly it was indeed of the steps of that good man the Lord Jesus Christ and how it was every step from eternity past

[1:40] I was ordained for the redemption of the Lord's dear people no persecuting Herod could prevent it no deceiving Satan could in any way affect it the Lord Jesus Christ in his preaching said one day that I have a baptism to be baptized with and how am I straightened until it be accomplished and not the hatred or jealousy of unbelieving Jews or the Pharisees or the high priest and none of that could prevent his work being accomplished and though he died he finished the work as he himself said that his father gave him to do but to for the redemption and justifying of the Lord's dear people in time he rose again

[2:48] God could not die the holy humanity of Jesus died but God can't die and that power that is in a gracious God towards sinners brought about the Lord Jesus Christ from the tomb it's a wonderful work you know the work of God's grace and the work of God's mercy and so we turned our mind or our mind was turned perhaps that would be better in that way our mind was turned to the steps of regeneration and began to speak I trust as to bring before you the ordering of that step and what a mercy to be the subject of it all the hearts of men are in God's hands you know and those who are the subject of his grace are the subjects of a divine sovereignty the appointed time we quoted the appointed time holds on a pace not to propose but call by grace to change the heart renew the will and turn the feet to Zion's hill that's the steps of regeneration and somewhere along there we got to the place of conviction of sorrow over sin and we did not lose sight and may we never lose sight of not only the sovereignty of God but the mysterious sovereignty of God the blackest sinner out of hell that lives to fill his need is welcome to the throne of grace the saviour's blood to bleed and that's the

[4:59] I suppose amongst the remarkable things of divine sovereignty that those who know the depths of iniquity in their unregenerate times some of them could testify to the hymn writer's words yes the very worst of sinners who upon his grace rely shall have endless bliss be winners and shall sing beyond the skies I suppose when you think about the work of God's grace and oh may you and I never limit the power and influence of God's grace may we never as it were look on things which are in our view impossible who would have said that a persecuting Pharisee should one day preach the gospel but read the first chapter in his epistle to the

[6:02] Galatians and you will find out how the steps of a good man but I don't want to go too far because I want to speak about the steps of redemption the steps of salvation the steps of a good man of order are established by the Lord and to those blessed characters who are the subjects of his grace will are indeed the subjects of his mercy but they'll also be brought into the possession of a blessing and a favour that will take them to glory at last you see putting it in simple terms and I don't see why one can't speak simple but I trust also graciously that the one's sins and iniquity must be dealt with in the book of Psalms you'll find this word and I'm a witness to the truth of it if thou

[7:06] O Lord should dismark iniquity O Lord who shall stand now I want to just divert a slight moment here we read this all in the second chapter of Ruth and we read in those third and fourth chapters how it came to be that Ruth should be married to Boaz and if you read those words that comes into it words which we may be careful to use but the word is redeem to redeem to redeem now the third and the fourth chapters speak about another closer kinsman tarry this night and shall be in the morning that if he will perform unto thee the part of a kinsman well let him do the kinsman's part if he will not do the part of a kinsman to thee then will

[8:15] I do the part of a kinsman and so we read in chapter four how it came to pass that this near kinsman or nearer kinsman could not redeem who then will bring redemption to a sinner who will reveal the way of redemption you see the tendency of the natural mind to any blessing and comfort is obedience to God's holy law you will find plenty of Pharisees even in this day and generation who will say all these things have I kept from my youth up who is your near kinsman who's going to deal with redemption who's going to do the part of a kinsman or put it another way who cannot do the part of a kinsman you and

[9:19] I are broken little sinners if you remember it's in Luke's gospel the parable if that's what it was of the man who fell among thieves and was left half dead we learned when we were children in Sunday school that a parable was an earthly story for the heavenly meaning and it fell out didn't it not that there came down that way a priest and he passed by on the other side once a sinner near despair saw his mercy seat by prayer mercy came and set him free lord have mercy came to me not from the priest not from Moses not from the broken law no redemption there no redemption no pardon you and

[10:23] I have broken the law we cannot keep the law and practice but blessed be God there was a redeemer yet to be known and that's where the work of grace will bring you and I and that's where the Holy Spirit will bring you and I if we are the subjects of his grace he'll show you where you won't find salvation but he'll show you where you can find salvation that's a wonderful mercy what is so commonly spoken of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and it is commonly spoken and I don't know whether the fullness of the depth of that mercy is realised it is recorded and it is often said that he went to the end of the law for righteousness sake who did he go where why did he go to the end of the law well for one thing that you and I can't keep the law so it was kept for us and salvation must be it's not some eraser dear friends it's not something that shall as it were take the sins of

[11:34] God's people and erase them the holy law is the holy law and it is to be kept but not it cannot be kept what Boaz is teaching us I believe as a type of Christ Jesus is that this first person that was a near kinsman was us first but he could not redeem and so Boaz as I said this morning was a type of Christ he then redeemed he purchased as he said in our reading he took all the that's a wonderful mercy but he took all the debts and you know that's what the gospel teaches Christ Jesus of Christ Jesus that he took the debt and paid it in full for the people and children of God this near redeemer you see that that gave him and I want to be very careful because

[12:40] I don't want to sound legal but that brought a union between Ruth and Boaz an indissolvable union in their terms a union of marriage but it brings a union between Christ and his people which is indissolvable eternally once in him and him forever what did he say I give unto my sheep eternal life and they shall never perish and it's built upon that one foundation of Jesus Christ and him crucified oh the steps of redemption the steps of salvation when you and I don't feel eloquently enough but when you realise the sacrifice that was made the apostle speaks of Christ as the burden bearer in the psalm 55 we read cast thy burden upon the Lord and he shall sustain thee and many sermons are preached from it and many discourses are arranged around a word which speaks of oh the burdens of the pathway and the burdens of this and the burdens of that the burdens of the sins of the church were laid on him that's the truth and he suffered in their room place instead what did the apostle say concerning his way of redemption that the sin of

[14:10] God's people was laid on Christ Jesus now he answered for them at the bar of God's justice he was the sinner's advocate he is the sinner's advocate he was the sin bearer when Christ cried from the cross my God my God why has self-versaken me he was and I want to put it as simple as I can he was looked upon by the holiness of God as one who was a sinner because he bore the sins of his people that didn't make him a sinner God can't look on sin with any degree of allowance and so he withdrew his presence upon his only begotten son as he stood in the room place instead of his people now in the old testament there were sacrifices that were acceptable and there were sacrifices that wasn't acceptable but his sacrifice was acceptable because it was a perfect sacrifice there was nothing to mar it you read in the book of

[15:22] Malachi and it's a very short book but there's some solid things written about sacrifices those who gave their animals to sacrifice gave what they could do without broken limbs and deformed animals and so on didn't cost them a penny this sacrifice they were well rid of deformed animals and creatures but that wasn't right in the eyes of God because all sacrifices must bear in the view of them a perfect sacrifice in Christ Jesus the steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord and the redemption of the souls of his people from a deserved hell and from the burden and trouble of their sin was laid upon the Saviour he bore all that incarnate God could bear with strength enough and none to spare I don't know I don't believe we really understand at least in experience that is of the burden that the

[16:30] Christ of God did bear I don't believe we do I believe that it was indescribable no one can really exhaust or describe by any means of words what it must have been to be the saviour of his people the redeemer of his people that he bore in his own body on the tree their sins the steps of a good man now the steps of a good man are ordered or established and as sure as the church is safe so sure will that day of redemption come to the soul that is under the day of regeneration there's a hymn and I are guilty of quoting it from time to time works cannot work thee remission nor thy goodness do thee good sins within thee all about thee but the remedies without thee see it in the saviour's blood there is a word you know in numbers and it is that occasion when the sin of

[17:48] Israel was visited by a just God and many were bitten by fiery serpents Jesus Christ refers to it and as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness even so must the son of God be lifted up that whosoever believeth in him should not perish we should have eternal life and you want to know the simplicity of the gospel you go to that chapter in numbers and Moses made the serpent of brass and he held it on a pole what does it say they that look they lived they that look they lived that's where you and I must come oh it's not a glance it's a look by faith to Christ Jesus looking unto Jesus the author and finish of our faith one of the marks of the steps of regeneration is this looking unto

[18:51] Jesus and not only by precious God given faith but in the experience of a poor sinner to look nowhere else we quoted from the Acts of the Apostles this morning Acts chapter 16 and we quoted from the jailer's experience after that great earthquake we read that he called for a light and sprang in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas and cried out sirs what must I do to be saved what read in the 8th of the Acts you know of one eunuch who was a seeking soul and he was passing on the wilderness and he was reading the 53rd of Isaiah and the Lord the Holy Spirit said to Philip go join thyself to this chariot and so he hears him read it understand it's what they'll read it there was as it were a veil of ignorance upon his eyes and upon his heart and he didn't know whom speaketh the prophet this of himself or some other man and Philip began at the same scripture and preached unto him

[20:07] Jesus and it was blessed revelation wasn't it because grace and faith united in the person of Christ Jesus and that blessed soul came to be a believer and a follower of Jesus the steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord and as sure as he convinces his people of their sin so he will lead them to Jesus blood so he will show the way of redemption wonderful way of redemption did you know did you know there was a verse in the ten commandments or a line in the ten commandments I said just now and I'm not altering it we can't keep the ten commandments Moses was given the commandments of God and they reflect the holiness of

[21:08] God do you know there's a line in there do you know there's a line in there that's got hope years and years ago I answered a question the question was how was I and I said to him the spoke to me visiting the iniquity of the father upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me and he said this person said to me read on then I came to this thought I didn't hate him though I was a sinner I never hated him how could I hate such a gracious God what does it show say and showing mercy unto thousands of them that loathe me and keep my commandments did you know that was in the ten commandments showing mercy the commandments can't show mercy but the

[22:11] God of all grace shows mercy for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children upon the third and fourth generation of them that hate me and showing mercy unto thousands of them that love me and keep my commandments does that come into where you may be in your experience you see whatever you say whatever they will say and you can describe Calvary in very gracious solemn expressions but Calvary was a place of mercy behold a scene of matchless grace tis Jesus in the sinner's place the steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord the steps of salvation the steps of revelation we often have said you know people make a lot of reformation there'll be no reformation before there's regeneration and the day of blessing in regeneration is the day of revelation this day you know is to be remembered what is the day of resurrection this is the first day of the week the first day of the week was when

[23:34] Jesus arose from the tomb the powers of the grave couldn't hold him the powers of death couldn't hold him the powers of hell and the Satan and the enemies of the truth couldn't hold him the day of resurrection but a blessed day that was do you know such a day a day of resurrection a day of revelation we've seen the Lord the disciples said in the gospel of John we've seen the Lord that's the day of revelation but a mercy but a blessed mercy and that's one of the steps of a good man revelation and you know let's keep this in context of spiritual things there's obviously a very blessed need to be aware of the purposes of God in the pathway of experience and so on but the experience of the children of God isn't satisfied until the revelation of Christ is made known to them it's not believe the word it's not believe the word it's how the word the grace and the faith given to the sinner lays hold of the word believes in it trusts in it and rejoices in it this is nothing lesser there's nothing lesser about this oratory it's about living faith in the person of

[25:04] Christ Jesus and those steps are ordered and decreed I want to go on and that is the path of the experience of the people of God concerning church order concerning church order or in other words the ordinances of God's house you know it's not sufficient to be able to say well you know I've been brought up into this pathway dear friends if you're a sinner and you're brought to need a saviour what will you trace in redemption what will you trace in this great work of redemption mercy once a sinner near despair I quoted sought thy mercy seat in prayer mercy came and set me free

[26:04] Lord that mercy came to me will you not perhaps we've left out the vitals blessings and the favours I hope not but you see what is the foundation stone of all this work what's the foundation stone of regeneration God's divine sovereignty you said true is there another stone the stone of love the stone of love the foundation of all this is a foundation stone of love having loved his own which are in the world he loved them unto the end if you are the subjects of the calling of God's grace on what ground did he call any of the church of Christ if you take that extreme example and we're all extreme examples but we must just quote this if you take the example of Saul of

[27:07] Carsus on what ground did he choose him a point for him a path of redemption what brought him to the ordinance of believers baptism you see there are churches that almost would say to you this is the path you must take this is the step that you must take this is the this is the divine ordering of things but it's certainly the divine ordering of things but not by man the redeeming mercy and love of Christ to the sinner is made known you know and it has this blessing and I was going to say this effect upon the soul I know I know of those that occupy or have who go to our chapels and they said to me one day you know what's essential is the love to Jesus Christ and I'll tell you something else what's essential is the love of Jesus Christ to me otherwise there's no love to Jesus Christ you've got to put things first you know we love him because he first loved us now if the subjects of his love we're the subjects of his love and we're therefore the subjects of his mercy and we're the subjects of these steps which are decreed and ordered and established by a three-one God from all eternity and if he's brought you into grace regenerated your soul if he's convinced you of your sin and by his mercy led you to Jesus

[28:48] Christ and if he brought you into that place the bride and the bridegroom it is recorded isn't it in the second chapter of the Song of Solomon and he brought me to his banqueted house and the banner over me was love I am not advocating I'm not legal this is not free will this is not letter truth not by a million miles is it letter truth but I'm telling you the steps and God has appointed these blessed steps if ye love me keep my commandments the steps of the ordinances of God's house and are taken in love because they can't be taken in anything else and those dear characters who have walked away of the ordinances of God's house have walked in love to Christ Jesus I'll point to his redeeming blood and say behold the way to God the way of pardon is a step that is to be entered into by the blessed people of God oh it's not righteousness self-righteousness it's not some religious enthusiasm it's not some emotional moving of the feet it's a movement of love as Christ in love to his people we went to

[30:19] Calvary I'm trying to think of a word in the gospel of John that speaks about his way of love to his people greater love hath no man than this that a man lay down his life for his friends you see where that is known in the soul by sweet revelation that's the experience sweet revelation that's one of the steps that this good man or this gracious man will enter into and the effect of it is love to Jesus we know that we are passed from death into life because we love the brethren that's the fruit of that grace but followers of the weak and lonely Jesus are followers because of his love to them which draws to them his love their love to him now these steps of ordinances believe you me I'm not standing here as it were trying to express that these are automatic steps for the regenerated people of

[31:32] God the drawing influence of of the holy ghost will bring these about the steps of a good man are ordered by the lord he delighted in his way but I want to speak not only of these steps but you see the future pathway of God's dear people one of the one of the I was going to say I was going to otherwise known as the prodigal the backsliding child of God he spent his substance in riotous living what's got to do what's that got to do with a sinner called by grace he's liable to slip he's liable to fall he's liable to backslide what's this spending one's substance in riotous living you see that younger son gathered all together all the things that came to him from his father and he spent them he got he backslide backslid and the things of

[32:59] God to a sinner in a backsliding condition the value of those things are lost sight of and the effect of those graces are indeed lost sight of and it comes to this doesn't it you know if you're a backslider you come to a barren dreadful dead state of condition that the mercy about spiritual life is this that as Jesus said and I quoted I give unto my sheep eternal life and I shall never perish and the Lord in his mercy will bring a returning backslider back to himself and that is one of the ways in which he will use what ways he began to be in want you see one of the marked evidences of grace in regeneration God be merciful to me a sinner is I suppose so well expressed and often we are reminded of it but the mercy of God in the commensers of the way will never leave a child of God they can't live in a backsliding condition because it's a poverty stricken place you can't you won't expect the smile of God in disobedience in backsliding the mercy of

[34:17] God is this that it will make you feel your barren state one of the steps the unchangeable mercy and love of God towards his people in Christ Jesus and through Christ Jesus you see the way of peace and pardon is to be found only in the person of Christ Jesus I do love this psalm that we have in this book of psalms and it speaks of Christ in such a blessed way if I could get it right in my mind which it is I'm not so sure I can but the psalm in question is the hundred and twenty seconds are pray for the peace of

[35:20] Jerusalem they shall prosper and love thee peace be within thy walls and prosperity within thy palaces for my brethren and companions sake I will now say peace be within thee peace be within thee where does it come from through the blood of Jesus that's the only peace and a backslider will come in want of peace when you've got a troubled soul you know you've no peace between your soul and God none at all and sin is the cause of it but the removing of sin can only be through the blood of Jesus and I mean the applied blood of Jesus if you read the 51st psalm the psalm of confession you'll find words like this restore unto me the joy of thy salvation uphold me with thy free spirit heard it preached from last Tuesday at Rye a blessed discourse and this is the word that the good man preached from cast me not away from thy presence and take not thy holy spirit from me restore unto me the joy of thy salvation and uphold me with thy free spirit

[36:36] Jesus draws the chosen race by his sweet resistless grace and you know he draws them as they that are in want I will arise and go to my father and I will say unto him father I have sinned against heaven and in thy sight and no more worthy be called thy son make me as one of thy hired servants you know a son will never be a servant I say that very carefully a son will never be a servant will never be one of those that are used and not pressed oh servants are maintained but they're not sons and they never will inherit the blessing that sons have by being as sons of a father steps of a good man the steps of redemption but the steps of confession the steps of repentance thus the steps of a good man you know and God is the author of it are ordered by the

[37:47] Lord or established by the Lord the way of blessing sorrow on the one hand you know the wise man said this didn't he in Ecclesiastes the day the day of prosperity may not have got it in the right order the day of prosperity and the day of adversity God has set over one against the other God has set one over against the other and what a mercy thus there know the balancing of the cloud the young man Elihu said to Job thus the balancing of the cloud if sin indeed is a trouble to your soul if you fear that he's withdrawn from your precious soul if you feel that you are guilty by your sinful state and condition as a backslider you'll look back on that day and you'll say it's a part of divine mercy and divine teaching the steps of a good man now there's one more step and I want to there is more than one step but

[38:55] I want to speak the last step that step into eternity thou shalt see my glory soon when the work of grace is done partner of my throne shall be say poor sinner love us tell me you know if God has brought you from unregeneracy into regeneration and out of regeneration into the revelation and possession of eternal nurses and favours he's provided a home for you in glory I go to prepare a place for you and if I go and prepare a place for you I'll come again and receive you unto myself that where I am there you may be also and I remember in my young days hearing the old saints of God speaking about dying grace what's dying grace

[39:55] God give you and I grace when we come to die what grace is it it's one of the steps you know the hymn says one of our hymns says thus make me willing glorious lamb to suffer all things that I sake at last beware my Jesus is and rise to everlasting bliss dying grace dear friends is a willingness to leave time all the love and affection of loved ones all the benefits of life to leave it forever and to be with Christ which is far better dying grace is not to be rid of pain or not to be rid of death or something dying grace is to be rid of everything and to hold communion with a precious Christ that's the glories of heaven I've always said and that's my view and you can receive it if you like but my view is exactly what it says that where

[40:58] I am there you may be also and that's my view of glory but you see you need grace we go on as if we're going to live forever don't we the steps of a good man are ordered the day of grace is when a child of God is regenerated a day of mercy but a day of blessing is when he's taken hope to glory he leaves all that is sinful leaves it behind and it's laid in the term awaiting a glorious resurrection wonderful mercy you know to have a hope beyond this time state have a hope beyond Jordan the steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord I want to say one more thing and then I will finish a child of grace will want it this way but their steps are ordered we are reminded in the book of Deuteronomy where Moses makes mention of Joshua and Joshua was raised up to take the place of Moses but what do we read in the book of Joshua as I was with

[42:12] Moses so will I be with thee dear friends that's one of the steps there's a willingness to do what the Lord's will is in the pathway of life to be found where he'll have us to be settled and content with both the spiritual life and the providential life to indeed to be found in complete agreement with the will and purposes of God now submission to the will of God is a grace and such that are led and taught and brought along by the Holy Spirit into spiritual paths dear friends these are the souls that will lay their pathway before the Lord and say with Saul what wilt thou have me to do we must leave it the time's gone the steps of a good man are all about the

[43:13] Lord and he delighteth in his way Amen Let us close by singing hymn number 76 to the tune Saxby 409 hymn number 76 there is a period known to God when all his sheep redeemed by blood shall leave the hateful ways of sin turn to the fold and enter in at peace with hell with God at war in sin's dark maze they wander far indulge their lust and still go on as far from God as sheep can run hymn number 76 me who is so

[44:50] I uh Amen. and turn the Whoa and NICRO LE hoping can beienne with all our love He saves the great, great all the world around.

[45:59] He saves the great, great all the world around.

[46:10] Let us know, Lord, the sea and the sea.

[46:22] Let us see, Lord, the sea and the sea.

[46:40] Let us know, Lord, the sea and the sea. Let us know, Lord, the sea and the sea.

[46:55] Let us know, Lord, the sea and the sea. Let us know, Lord, the sea and the sea. Let us know, Lord, the sea and the sea.

[47:11] Let us know, Lord, the sea and the sea. Let us know, Lord, the sea and the sea.

[47:26] Let us know, Lord, the sea and the sea. Let us know, Lord, the sea and the sea.

[47:40] Let us know, Lord, the sea and the sea. Let us know, Lord, the sea and the sea.

[47:55] Let us know, Lord, the sea and the sea. Let us know, Lord, the sea and the sea.

[48:09] Let us know, Lord, the sea and the sea. Let us know, Lord, the sea and the sea. Let us know, Lord, the sea and the sea. Let us know, Lord, the sea and the sea.

[48:25] Let us know, Lord, the sea and the sea and the sea, Let us know, Lord, the sea and the sea. Let us know, Lord, the sea and the sea and the sea.

[48:48] Amen. Amen.

[49:20] Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen.

[49:32] Amen. Amen. Amen. We thank thee, Lord, for all thy mercy.

[49:46] We pray that thou would own and bless thine own word. We pardon and forgive all that has been wrong. Be with us now as we go on.

[50:00] Lord, in this I die. Grant us thy presence and thy spirit. Return us now, Lord, to our homes or places of abode in safety.

[50:12] And may the grace of the Lord Jesus. And the love of God the Father. And the fellowship, communion of the Holy Spirit, the Comforter.

[50:26] Remain with us now and always. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen.

[50:38] Amen. Amen.

[50:49] Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen.