John (Quality: Average)

[0:00] The word which I hope the Lord will help me to make some suitable remarks upon this afternoon will be found in the 20th chapter, the Gospel according to John, verse 29.

[0:30] The Gospel according to John, chapter 20, verse 29. Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed.

[0:53] Blessed are they that have not seen. And yet, have believed. I realize that this is a difficult portion of the word of God to speak from, and I have much need of help that I may rightly speak such things as I may be led into.

[1:25] I wish to be preserved from any harsh statements concerning this disciple who, for a little season, was left to his own spirit.

[1:43] You know we're each liable to be found there. And unless preserved, unless specially watched over, we're liable to say things very dishonoring to God, and things which afterwards we may bitterly repent of, and find that the ultimate result of these things spoken in undue haste, and without careful meditation results in our own very great humiliation.

[2:22] But an essential part of the truth which is brought before us this afternoon is again the unchanging love of Jesus.

[2:36] His pity and his compassion extended towards poor shortcomers, offenders, hasty speakers, irritated ones, frustrated people.

[2:57] Oh, how these come to prove in their journey here below what need they have of a compassionate and an unchanging favor.

[3:10] Here is exhibited this afternoon in this word just such a savior, full of tenderness and compassion.

[3:21] And what an example we have set before us of the correct method of applying a tender and gentle reproof and rebuke.

[3:36] You see, if things are done in love, they're done so differently. And Jesus spoke in love. While he reproved it was still because he loved.

[3:49] Do you realize this? And appear not often. Very few of us in these trials and difficulties and under rebukes and correction realize that this is in love.

[4:04] But when we do, how differently we feel the matter. How much lighter it seems. Especially when we confront ourselves with what we really deserve in the circumstances.

[4:20] And then note how graciously he has dealt with us. There's a temptation to go carefully into the things which Thomas said.

[4:32] And to analyze his spirit under that. And during that. But I do not believe that this would at all tend to the honor and glory of God this afternoon, that I should dwell upon such things.

[4:51] They're the production of nature. And nature is in the ascendancy and uppermost here in these declarations.

[5:03] And in particular in free work. And some of us know the futility of it.

[5:18] When the Lord shows us what a grievous mistake we have made in giving utterance to such words. I will not. I will not.

[5:30] Some of us have said this. And some of us have had to deeply repent of it. Confess their folly.

[5:42] And implore his mercy. That is the most serious part of the declaration.

[5:54] It's very serious that he could not believe without seeing. Worse that he should say he will not believe.

[6:06] Unless these things are complied with. So I want to turn the picture now. I read a little yesterday.

[6:17] concerning the love of the Lord Jesus as manifested, coupled with his condescension, in granting to Thomas the free facilities of everything he asked for.

[6:39] Most unusual. Most unusual. A most condescending act on the part of the Savior. But he says, your liberty, in so many words, to do exactly what you want to do.

[6:54] The loving kindness of the Lord Jesus is exhibited here to us.

[7:07] Hard-hearted, unbelieving disciples. And were it not for the fact that there is forgiveness with him, I feel that some of us do painfully realize that we should not be standing where we do now.

[7:28] But it is because there is forgiveness with him, and boundless mercy, and that tender love which I tried to refer to, which causes him to deal so gently with one who was in such a hardened condition at the present time.

[7:50] But you see, and how some of us have proved this, it isn't the rod that breaks the rebel's heart. Now, law and terrors, we rightly sing, do but harden, although while they work alone, but a sense of blood-bought pardon soon dissolves a heart of stone.

[8:17] this gracious, merciful invitation from the Lord Jesus broke the man's heart.

[8:31] I believe it's broken some of ours. Wonderful mercy to be kindly dealt with just when you expect the rod. May acknowledge him, may expect it, may feel a certain willingness to fall under it, and then he blesses.

[8:54] Then he comforts. Then he permits you to claim him. I see in this a hidden wealth of the beloved Jesus.

[9:07] Because you see, I'm reminded of this. No man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost. Who imparted the Holy Ghost?

[9:21] In whose gift is this great gift? In the hands of Jesus. And he further blessed this errant disciple with the Spirit permitting, enabling him to say, my Lord and my God.

[9:42] Wouldn't you like to say that? And yet you can't, you know, not rightly, except by the Spirit and under his greatest influence, and I might say with his permission.

[9:56] Yes, if he allows you to, if he gives you that inward assurance that this is so, you'll say it rightly. There won't be any presumption in what you say.

[10:11] And that is a thing to be so much avoided. Oh, presumption is a terrible thing. To lay claim to what, to that, to which we have no right is very solemn indeed.

[10:30] But, under greatest influence and with a sweet persuasion of the Spirit to be able to give declaration to this without reproof, but rather under acceptance.

[10:46] And with no reproof, my Lord and my God. It's a great mercy. And so, the children of God in so far as this is a lesson to us, do live to prove that though the way to certain blessings is extremely unexpected and trying, in the end, the blessing is the more sweet because it appears the greater being so undeserved.

[11:23] I wish to leave the matter as far as it concerns common. We now read, blessed are they that have not seen and yet have believed.

[11:48] you've seen, you've believed. But, from now on, there must be a tremendous number of my children who cannot and will not see me with the mortal eye and yet they will believe.

[12:15] And these are blessings. Well, we have hidden here, I believe, two or three wonderful truths.

[12:26] I hope I should be helped to look a little before the close at the privileges accruing to a saving belief in the Lord Jesus.

[12:43] But, the first word that appears to need consideration and meditation as it may be given is the word blessed. they are blessed with something greater than sight, more dependable than sight because it's the divine gift.

[13:14] It is called faith. An abstract thing we are told today again because it cannot be seen.

[13:26] It's so natural to us to want to see before we can believe. Yet, faith is that gift of God which enables belief without either seeing or understanding.

[13:44] faith. What would your position and mine be if the conditions for salvation were that we should understand all the work of God in all their details?

[14:04] God will be to God and some of us live to prove that in spite of long acquaintance with descriptions of truth there remains so much that is higher than our reach and so much deeper than we can explore.

[14:28] Mysterious beyond natural conception but yet we hope we believe that which we cannot understand.

[14:43] This could only rightly be described as being blessed with something which within us is not natural to us but implanted from above.

[15:03] I've unconsciously quite unintentionally mentioned the substance of the birth of a hen. Faith implanted from above will prove a fertile root.

[15:20] It is a great blessing indeed to be one who has received faith because this is the gift of God and grace flows through faith so we're told in the Ephesians we're saved by grace through faith that not of ourselves it is the gift of God then these are blessed with living faith therefore they're blessed with grace grace as we've already hinted grace which so humbles it's been put to you like that before grace humbles if you've got that within you of a religious nature which inflates I very much doubt if you could call that grace I repeat they receive grace which humbles and this is a great lesson if ever you've seen for one moment your real state in the sight of God you will realize the need of his word he bringeth down he bringeth low then lifteth up

[16:52] I believe we might more satisfactorily measure the grace we have received in this life to the extent that it has brought us humbly to the footstool of Christ and made us persons who trust or desire to trust implicitly in the wisdom love and mercy of God indeed there are further blessed with another blessing which I should have put first but the Lord knows exactly how I should proceed today because if there's a message or a word to reach any heart there's an appointed time for this they have the blessing of conviction they become conscious sinners they're aware of their condition they are blessed with a need do you know

[18:13] I believe it would be right to say that the chief problem among humanity today spiritually considered may you'll understand is that they have no need no need the psalmist said on more than one occasion and he wasn't a poor man by any means not in this world good he was king I suppose he had everything he needed with wealth almost unlimited yet he said before God and in the intensity of his feelings that I am poor and needy that was one of the biggest mercies he'd ever had for a rich man to be brought there is a great blessing indeed I do hope they understand that to be brought before God poor and needy Jesus came to save such needy one poor and helpless one brought down in their feelings humbled under his mighty hand it's a great blessing to be a convicted sinner and though you may carry this about for a long time without the satisfaction you so much wish to have gained you're on the way to receiving it presently it's a set time to favour you as well as Zion generally each member of Zion will presently receive after conviction hope raised up yes that's the next blessing

[19:55] I want to look at blessed are they who have not seen and yet have believed because given to them is that wonderful gift of a well grounded hope it's called a lively hope a living hope and it's such a cheerful virtue which sustains and supports under heavy load and keeps even a weary one still waiting and watching still holding on still supplicating and even in the depths of me the lowest position hope draws forth this yet I will look again I do not know how the

[20:55] Lord deals with you in your private pathway nor the purpose for it I do know this that not all are brought into the same depths usually they do not rise to the same height but the Lord's a sovereign in them that he will bless every one of his own children with that measure of grace with that measure of faith and that sweet virtue of hope which he knows he knows that they're pathway and the circumstances of it will they will need to receive I do believe then to put the matter in brief that the children of God are blessed with every needful possible blessing and gift that God sees they will require in a pilgrimage journey these who though having not seen do believe are blessed with another wonderful virtue now

[22:20] I am one who believes that if you need light upon the scripture the best thing you can do after prayer is to turn to the scriptures for further interpretation so now I come to the words of Peter yes Peter whom having not seen ye love blessed are they who receive this the love of God shed abroad in their heart feel its power are under its influence have their own spirit will and intention brought into subjection by this one very thing the love of

[23:23] Christ I believe there is no more powerful motive force in this world and I must speak carefully because science is wonderfully advanced today but I don't want to become entangled in science I want a further knowledge and a more gracious experience of the love of Jesus which I believe is an impelling force impossible to resist will presently gain the day in the heart of every believer and bring such and one and some are some very sorry subjects to work on we have to confess this but that precious love will presently result in their being molded in shapes into that vessel which the Lord has designed they shall be in his service whom having not seen he loved so I feel it's a great blessing to have felt this at any time in our journey here below the love of Christ how intense it is how unchanging how miraculous in that which is performed and what it will enable a poor child of

[24:52] God to endure because of that love I need take you only very briefly through the history of the apostle himself what he endured because at last the love of Christ had been granted to him and filled his heart in place of that persecuting spirit which was first found there in his nature you will see surely what I mean when I say so simply that it's an impelling force a powerful motive force will turn a man completely around and change all his outlook and a persecutor will become an apostle one says a foe received a favorite an alien made a child this is what it is that accomplishes this in the heart of a poor sinner and yet you love though you have not seen which is the clearest indication or shall I have said one of the clearest indications that you are a believer in him

[26:13] I must continue whom having not seen ye love in whom though now ye see him not yet believing ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory receiving the end of your faith even the salvation of your soul how clearly this shows to us that sight is not needful or essential to believing that had it been the case that only those who saw should be saved what a small church would the Lord Jesus Christ have had but this was never his intention the design of salvation was such the plan was such that there should be a giving out from God himself of a principle which would cause a sinner to believe a sinner to apply a sinner to receive and presently to obtain one of the greatest blessings that the apostle mentions is put in the spirit world have you ever really looked at this and sought an interest in it for yourself he says concerning his past life which he was briefly reviewing at the time and the turning point that came to him that I obtained mercy

[28:14] I obtained mercy here is the blessing which is also imparted to every repentant child of God every contrite confessing child of God knows what it is sooner or later to obtain mercy because of what Jesus himself said what did he say he gave us this exhortation I wonder how many of us take any notice of it go ye and learn what that means I will have mercy and not sacrifice I have not come to call the righteous but sinner to a repentant I didn't expect when I first embark on this subject to begin to touch the blessing which these favored people receive but as we journey on we often find that we almost accidentally drop another blessing and then are led to take it up and speak of it for a little as hell repentantly you know

[29:52] I sometimes said and I believe it's true you do not attach enough importance to this word in our ministry as well as in our experience why should I say this well look into the word of God and you will find this is recorded in two different places on two separate occasions at least John Baptist began to preach and to say repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand you'll find the Lord Jesus began his ministry just as that repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand then I say this blessing should be clearly proclaimed widely proclaimed and set down among those basic truths to which

[30:56] I referred this morning as being absolute necessity what a gift is repent and it isn't just once in the lifetime that this is thought I believe many are mistaken about this seem to feel that if they're given repentance on one occasion there'll be no further need for any more of this fallacy I believe of all the blessings which we receive in this life this is among those which are the more frequent and which have the greatest advantage I'm going to quote daily I repent of sin daily walk in

[31:57] Calvary's blood this is a very solemn truth but a very needful one sin is continuous however unwillingly committed it's continuous therefore godly sorrow on account of it which his word declares work is repentance it is daily essential to be followed by the repentance which we are also informed work is repentance unto salvation not to be repented of then how high is the privilege of receiving the gift of repentance I'm going to quote again the hymn writer says this concerning repentance nor is it such as dismal as his by some man name sinner may repent and sin rejoice and be ashamed you say they're contradictory terms nothing experienced no you'll know if true repentance be given followed by a sense of forgiveness because repentance will be attended with confession and contrition and confession and contrition will be attended according to the word of

[33:35] God by forgiveness and therefore this is something which will cause rejoicing you'll sing as well as repent may I just for a moment go one step further than this in this connection my own personal experience is that I believe if I ever truly repented it was after I had been privileged to receive the assurance of sin forgiveness yes I believe I repented then very earnestly very sincerely yet very sweetly I did repent and sing I did rejoice and feel ashamed at the same time because although conscious in measure of great unworthiness there was such a relief from the burden of it due to forgiveness so that

[34:49] I still believe that it will be possible even to the last moment of their life to enjoy and I say enjoy a spirit of repentance because it worketh from that to salvation not to be repented of blessed are they which have not seen and yet have believed what is it to believe I believe it is to have wrought within us that principle which owing to the gift of faith causes us to trust implicitly in the work person and name of the

[35:51] Lord Jesus I said causes us to trust because I don't believe it's all possible for the human nature to do this of itself I believe that this principle within so is the means of perceiving without natural sight that Jesus is one's own savior that there from that time resides deep in the heart a principle which relies upon him I put this extremely simply because I do want to be understood I believe then that belief in Jesus Christ will give confidence in him I believe you will turn to him I won't say automatically I don't like the word but nonetheless in every time of need and under every stress and every circumstance you will turn to him as a matter of course because of that principle within you which is drawn to him as though it were a magnet that's the principle

[37:14] I believe which controls belief and I believe that it is God given and I believe it resides in an unbelieving heart you may say what a contradiction but I still believe that there are a large number of people about today who use this and mean it Lord I believe help thou my unbelief which in spite of all my desires and my many prayers still rises occasionally and sometimes causes me to wonder whether I really do believe but thou know it and now I'm going to try to bring before you very simply another reason by which you may hope believe that you do believe in the final and perhaps under extreme temptation and perhaps under many fears and because of many things you may be so reduced in your awareness of being a believer that you cannot seem to lay hold of a single token of it what do you do there what do you do in this extremity when it seems as if all around your soul has given way you'll turn to him and you'll call upon him and you'll ask him to decide as the doubtful case you'll say speak

[38:59] Lord assure me of my standing grant me yet again some token that I do savingly believe on thee why then your heart's full of desire to be a believer isn't it it's exactly what you're reaching out after it forms the very essence and substance of your desires at the present time what a wonderful token for good you may hope I believe that you do believe because you are constrained to him who is the source of belief and among the things that you believe will be these which I wish to very briefly sum up before you face it true you will believe that that little baby in Bethlehem was the son of God you will believe that he was the savior of sinners small as he was and still

[40:02] God a wonderful mystery you will believe as he went about doing good and doing only acts of kindness to all who were in affliction that he was indeed the son of God fulfilling the word of God which was this I am the Lord that he let me I know that has a double signification and then when he came to that solemn testing time and when that testing time resulted in the disciples leaving him and fleeing you will still desire to believe that this humble this man who to look at had no beauty that we should desire him not naturally is still the son of God and proceeding toward the offering of that great sacrifice by which you alone could be saved if you should see him by faith not with your mortal eyes but as revealed by the spirit hanging upon the cross in your room place and stared

[41:30] I believe you will then believe with joy though filled with sympathy that he is indeed the appointed atonement for sin and you will embrace him in your heart's affection as the Lamb of God and when you reach this day and the scriptures we've sought to look a little at today you will rejoice quite properly in the fact that this well beloved Lord Jesus you so do desire to follow is triumphant at last and victorious for he is risen you will further trace him as the scripture takes you to that little spot out as far as the Bethany and while he left them there he was parted from them and taken up into heaven you'll still believe that's where he is now and you'll rejoice on this account because it means that tonight yes even this evening and perhaps before that you can call upon him by prayer and supplication and let your request be made known unto him because he is a living

[43:04] Lord blessed is I which have not seen and yet have believed I find at the end of my two remarks one scripture in my mind I wonder how many it confirm this is it and then I should sit down say unto my soul I am thy salvation amen in a God willing there is a address of thorough reason in number 249 and a still glorious date 7106

[44:06] O love divine hence we shall I find my willing power all taken up by the things I hope and dare to prove the great of the good all Thank you.

[45:20] Thank you.

[45:50] Thank you.

[46:20] Thank you. Thank you.

[47:20] Thank you. Thank you.

[47:52] Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

[48:04] Thank you. Thank you.

[48:34] Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

[48:46] Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Amen. Thank you.

[48:58] Amen. our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God the Father and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with us all.

[49:11] Amen.