Romans

[0:00] Depending upon the help of God, I would direct your minds this evening to the 8th chapter of Romans, the Epistle of Paul to the Romans, chapter 8, verse 28.

[0:23] And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to his purpose.

[0:41] The 28th verse of the 8th chapter of Romans. This may seem perhaps an unusual word to speak from on this occasion, as we and often our minds are upon the Lord Jesus Christ and the Calvary's cross.

[1:10] And as I've read this evening the words of the Apostle, and I believe, I trust I can go somewhat with him in some small measure, I'm determined not to know anything among you save Jesus Christ and him crucified.

[1:31] For these words, as they rest upon my mind, that as I've announced in the martial text, there's two words in our text that seems to stand out this evening.

[1:49] And one is called. And the second is purpose. Called.

[1:59] This dear man, the Apostle, writing to the Hebrews of old, he says, Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling.

[2:15] Heavenly. And as we look upon this word this evening, my mind goes in this direction. An heavenly calling.

[2:27] That is, in the first place, there was an heavenly calling. From God the Father, unto his heavenly Son, the Lord Jesus.

[2:45] And what a call that was. And what a call that was. A heavenly Father, to a heavenly Son. A call, a call to redeem a people.

[3:05] For that was the real substance of it. The Father, the Father, that was the first place. The Father had appointed from all eternity. That this one, which will be called his Son.

[3:19] A heavenly Son. We do not hesitate to say it. And a heavenly Father. But he gave him an heavenly call.

[3:31] Not in a way that we receive an heavenly call. Though I trust we have, many of us, received an heavenly call.

[3:47] But Jesus had an heavenly call to perform a work that no other man could possibly undertake.

[3:59] And the Father knew it. And therefore, he called him. Called him his dear beloved Son. We do not hesitate to say it.

[4:10] Because we have it in the Scriptures again and again. This is my beloved Son. In whom I am well pleased.

[4:22] So he gave him an heavenly call. And that call was to come to this earth. In likeness of man.

[4:36] Yet, not the nature of man. But the nature of God. Holy, pure, undefiled. In every way.

[4:49] Truly we can say of the Lord Jesus. That he was an heavenly man. A heavenly and beloved Son. But the Father gave him a call.

[5:03] And this was known, I believe, unto his dear beloved Son. Could he resist the call? Could he have turned in some other direction?

[5:15] No. It was a heavenly call. And a heavenly Son obeyed his Father. And his Father was this. To send him.

[5:27] Send him. To this earth. In that most mysterious birth. Overshadowed by the Holy Ghost. And to come for the salvation of sinners.

[5:44] Therefore he received an heavenly call. And he obeyed. There was a willingness to come.

[5:55] What caused the willingness? Because of love. The love that was in his heart. Yea, the love in the Trinity. Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

[6:09] That love was settled from all eternity. Upon a race of people. A great multitude that no man could number. That Jesus was to come.

[6:25] They need redeeming. Who could redeem them? None other than Christ. Therefore he received this heavenly call.

[6:37] To come to earth. And that work laid before him. And cannot we say, friends. It was an heavenly work to do.

[6:49] Heavenly. For all his works was of a heavenly. And a righteous way. Form. And it was performed thus.

[7:00] Heavenly. He came in his love. To that place. Where the Father had appointed him.

[7:12] And it wasn't a high place. It was a low place. And as we read this morning. In that wonderful chapter. In Isaiah.

[7:23] As I've heard it said. The chapter of chapters. Where we read. Of the Lord Jesus Christ. And did he not commence. In that very.

[7:34] Very low place. Out of a dry ground. Yea. Did he not come. As it were. And laid. In that manger. In a very. Very low place.

[7:45] No mansion. But in a stable. But that was the effect. Of the heavenly calling. That's where he commenced.

[7:56] And he finished his journey. Oh I'll speak with all evidence. In his glory. In his. In the height of glory. But he commenced.

[8:07] In a very low place. Yes. An heavenly calling. An heavenly calling. To undertake. A work.

[8:18] That was of heavenly nature. And for an heavenly purpose. I think we can say so. Because this people. Whom he was about to redeem.

[8:29] Who he has redeemed. Was. Being prepared. For an heavenly home. Called.

[8:47] Heavenly. And that wonderful work. Of salvation. I desire. As I may be helped.

[8:57] For a little while. To speak. Of that. Calling. Which he. Undertook. Would not turn.

[9:08] In any other direction. I've said at times. And I speak with reverence. He was king. He could have turned. But no.

[9:21] This was the path. And this was. Ordained. By the father. That Christ. Should walk in those paths. Heavenly paths.

[9:32] That would lead him eventually. To heaven itself. Heavenly calling. Now this call. Was to. Bring forth.

[9:43] Yea. To find. Sinners. All that the father. Had known. All that the father. Had known. From all eternity. All that was in the covenant of grace.

[9:56] Everyone whose name was written. In heaven. Holy calling. To come. And to undertake. As I said. A work.

[10:06] And the work. Of salvation. Calvary. Solemn place.

[10:18] Blessed place. A place of suffering. In his own body. Spirit. In his own soul. His suffering.

[10:31] Was. For this purpose. To find. A people. And deliver them. From the lowest hell. And eventually.

[10:42] Bring them to heaven. This holy calling. That place. Where he.

[10:53] Stood. And those. Many. Many. Viewed him. When he was about. To take. And to give.

[11:04] To give. His life. For. The ransom. Of. Many. Oh. What a calling. Dear friends. Heavenly calling. And he did not flinch.

[11:15] He did not turn. In any other direction. No cavalry. Was before him. His persecutors. The soldiers. Who persecuted him. And what he.

[11:26] Passed through. We cannot begin. To enter. Into. But all. Through. This. Heavenly calling. A call from his father. To undertake a work.

[11:37] As I said. That none other could do. All others are sin. Sinners. We've all sinned. And come short. Of the glory of God. But his son was holy.

[11:49] Pure. Undefiled. In every way. Thus. He received. An heavenly. Calling. To redeem.

[12:00] His people. And cannot we say. Dear friends. That blood. That he shed. And the fountain. He opened. Was of an heavenly nature.

[12:12] Couldn't have been anything else. For his body. Was not defiled. His blood. Was not defiled. Pure. And holy. In every way.

[12:22] Therefore. He. He shed. That holy blood. That heavenly blood. For the ransom. Of many.

[12:33] Not all. The blood. On Jewish water. Slain. Could give the guilty conscience. He's. Or wash away. One's stain.

[12:45] But as you've heard me quote before. And you've sung it many times. There is a fountain. Filled with blood. Drawn from Emmanuel's veins. And all who's plunged beneath that flood.

[12:56] Those all there. Of guilty. Stains. And heavenly. Calling. And heavenly work. A heavenly shedding of blood.

[13:08] And heavenly. To bring forth. And heavenly joy. To bring forth. A great number. Of poor sinners.

[13:19] Defiled by sin. Who would expand eternity in hell. And have the punishment of God. Forever and ever. Yet.

[13:30] This heavenly calling. This heavenly calling. From the father. To his son. And his son. Made that open way.

[13:42] From the depth of the fall. I've said it times. From Egypt. To Canaan. From the depth of the fall. To the height of eternal bliss.

[13:52] Let us praise him. Let us praise him as we should. And exhort him. He is worthy of it. We shall appreciate it. I believe some of us do.

[14:04] And we shall. As the Lord is pleased. To answer our prayers. As we heard a little this afternoon. That we might grow in grace.

[14:16] And in the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. How that prayer is answered at times. In the opposite way. Than what we pray it. We have prayed it at times.

[14:28] And thought. Well now we are going to grow in grace. If the prayer is answered. And we shall have some better days before us. But it's just been the opposite. Just the opposite.

[14:40] The Lord leads us deeper and deeper. In our own condition. Our own old nature. Reveals our sins. Shows us what's in our heart by nature.

[14:53] And dear friends. The deeper this work goes on within. And the more the Holy Spirit reveals it to us. Our sores.

[15:03] Those broken. Those broken. As they say bones within. But caused by sin. The more we realize it.

[15:14] The more we shall be thankful and praise. This wonderful God. Who received a holy calling. And in his love can I say to us.

[15:26] Willing to walk that path. Of trouble. And of trial. And of agony of body. What he endured. No tongue can tell. To save our souls.

[15:38] From death. And from hell. Will this heavenly calling. And now a few thoughts.

[15:49] Respecting the purpose of it. And the purpose is this. That God the Father. That God the Father. Should have. All whom he had chosen.

[16:01] What a mystery. Chosen. Before the foundation. Was laid of this earth. Before creation. Before the Lord Jesus came.

[16:15] Into this lower world. Before he was born at Bethlehem. Yes. For this purpose. The Lord.

[16:26] And he would have this great number. To be with him in glory. That's the purpose of it. Nothing of self. Nothing of a creature. Nothing that we deserve.

[16:37] Do we really realize. When we often close our prayers. With those words. For Christ's sake. Oh there's a great depth area for us.

[16:51] For Christ's sake. Not for us. Nothing we've done. No. It's entirely. For Christ's sake. For all the work that he has performed.

[17:02] In receiving the heavenly calling. And to perform that which the father had laid down. For him. In that wonderful purpose.

[17:13] Of saving poor sinners. And some of the vilest. Ah. Is there this question in your heart. Am I one? Is there a concern?

[17:26] Is there a prayer. Out of your heart. From time to time. Lord am I. Am I one? Have I been chosen? Am I in Christ?

[17:39] Has he redeemed me on the cross? Did he come for me? Did he die for me? Did he open the fountain. For my poor soul.

[17:51] To be washed and cleansed. Is there a concern dear Fritz? If so. Where does it cause you? In what direction to go? Why you say to the throne of grace.

[18:04] Sometimes know not how to open their lips. At the throne of grace. Because their sins are so great. Can you follow the public on? If you can follow him.

[18:15] In his prayer. If that short prayer can come forth. Out of your heart dear friends. I believe I have every reason to believe. There is something working in your heart.

[18:27] That God the Father sent his dear son. With that heavenly calling on your behalf. And to bring you eventually to himself.

[18:40] Oh this heavenly calling for a purpose. And the purpose as I have said. That this great throne. Should praise him throughout a never ending eternity.

[18:54] And some of us are bawling upon it. I believe there's times. When we've had a little of that love felt within our hearts.

[19:08] It must be in the response. Oh to be there. And the poet has said. What must it be to be there. Oh that heavenly calling. Is there something in your heart dear friends this evening.

[19:21] At least some of you. You long to see him. Long to be with him. But you say. Oh my sins are great. Yes. Yes.

[19:32] And they are great. What about his mercy. Oh let us look at the other side of the thing. Our sins are great. I've often thought of those words in the 40th of Isaiah.

[19:48] I tried to speak from them a few times. Comfort ye, comfort ye my people. Seth your God. Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem. And say unto her that her warfare is accomplished.

[20:01] That her sins are forgiven. Sins forgiven. These dear people.

[20:12] Who are troubled about the sin. Sins in every way is shaken for. Yes. But there is mercy. I believe every sound of God is sent.

[20:25] By the Lord and anointed. To preach both sides. You know there is a malady. But there is a remedy. The Lord's people are brought to know the malady.

[20:36] And some of them long to know the remedy. Well the remedy. Is in the blood of Christ. Yes. The mounting.

[20:47] The mounting of our sins. Yes. Just like a mounting sometimes. As I believe I have experienced it. When I have been very low.

[21:00] God seems to hide his face. Seems at times I am ready to perish. Because of my sins. And they seem as a mounting.

[21:11] But friends. Oh look on the other side. Oh forgive us. May the Lord give us a little faith of you. The ocean that is full of his mercy. Take that mounting of thy sins.

[21:25] And cast them into the ocean. Of his love. They will be lost. Lost in a moment. Yes. Oh this heavenly calling.

[21:36] To this heavenly beloved son of his. To redeem our souls. Oh to have a little faith. And journey to Calvary. And see him there.

[21:48] Baring his head. Saying. It is finished. Yea. Giving up the ghost. Oh friends. This will touch the heart.

[21:59] This will. Melt us. I believe it will. In his love. And to a good hope. Through grace. That we are numbered among them.

[22:11] For whom he died. Those he ransomed. On the cross. At Calvary. So. Those. For our. To exist. For those.

[22:25] Uh. Called. And the purpose is. To bring them. Safely. Through the wilderness. Through their pilgrimage.

[22:37] Through the place. There was. There was. He has appointed. That haven. Of rest. And you will remember.

[22:47] The words. That Christ spoke. Unto those disciples. Let not your heart. Be troubled. Believe in God. Believe also in me. For in my father's house.

[22:58] Are many mansions. If it were not so. I would have told you. But I go. To prepare a place. For you. And if I go. And prepare a place. For you. I will come again.

[23:09] Oh how sweet. And receive you. Unto myself. That where I am. There he may be. Also. The purposes of God.

[23:21] Are ripening fast. Unfolding every hour. The bud may have a bitter taste. But sweet. Will be. The flower. The flower. Called.

[23:33] For the purposes of God. Just the thought here. And I have said. No calling dear friends. No heavenly calling.

[23:44] If Christ came not for us. What is our lot. Through eternity. Will it be this. To call. Called to stand before the judge. Called to hear the solemn word.

[23:57] Depart. I know thee not. But I trust each. In this little sanctuary. This evening. Will. Hear that sweet call.

[24:09] When we. Come to that place. And stand before the judge. Come ye blessed of my father. Inherit the kingdom. Prepared. For thee.

[24:21] Is the call. And purpose. Now just for a. For a while. There is a spiritual.

[24:33] Heavenly calling. For every. For every. For every. Sinner. In the covenant. Of divine grace. And I don't mind. How young.

[24:43] Or how old. God is a sovereign. He can take a babe. He can drop a spark. Of divine grace. In the heart of such. He can call.

[24:55] A poor sinner. Who has. Perhaps. Despised him. And persecuted. And blessed. He just made. For many. Many years. God is a sovereign.

[25:07] But. There is no. No way. Through the gates. Of eternal glory. Unless. We have received. This. Heavenly call.

[25:21] I'll just go. To this one. Who. Was enabled. By the help. Of the spirit. To pen. Our text. As you know.

[25:33] So. He lived. In the spirit. Of the Pharisee. For. Doubtless. Many years. But.

[25:45] He eventually. Caught. Had a call. And that was. Heavenly. Heavenly call. When did he. Receive it. I believe.

[25:55] On the way. To Damascus. There was a voice. From heaven. And if it came. From heaven. There was a heavenly call. Was it not? There was a call.

[26:06] From his God. His God. Had been. Watching him. Whilst he was. Living in that spirit. Of the Pharisee.

[26:18] God's appointed time. There is an appointed time. He called. By grace. Appointed time. To receive. The heavenly calling. And he received it.

[26:29] So. So. Why. Persecuted thou me. It is hard. For thee. To kick against the prince. Dear friends. Have we had. Not actually.

[26:39] In the way. As the apostle. Or so. Oh no. But as. Have we received. In heavenly call. It may be.

[26:51] Just like Lydia. Her heart. Her heart. Was opened. I don't think. We read much about her. Not the law. Work. And so on. But our heart. Was opened.

[27:03] And if we receive. This heavenly calling. I'm sure. Our hearts. Will be opened. And there will be. A desire. In their heart.

[27:13] To listen. To God's word. And we shall know. Something is the dear. Girl. Give me a Bible. In my hand. A heart. To read. And understand.

[27:24] The sure. Unhearing word. I'll have no company. To stay. But sit alone. Day by day. And converse. With. My God.

[27:35] Oh. This heavenly calling. Have you received it? Have I? I have to put the question. Sometimes. Into my heart.

[27:46] Have I received it? We heard our dear friend. This afternoon. Saying. And preaching to us. And how easily. We might be deceived.

[27:58] Oh. How easily. We might think. We have a religion. That will take us to heaven. And prove at last. It's not so. Oh. How we need. To. Search.

[28:10] And pray. Even as a cellist. Remember me. Oh Lord. With the favor. That thou bear this. Under thy people. Oh. Visit me. With thy.

[28:21] As salvation. Have you received. An heavenly calling. If you have. You'll come here. You'll know you're a sinner.

[28:31] And you'll feel you're a sinner. And you'll know you've broken the Lord. Oh. And you'll know God is holy. And you know this. In and of yourself. You cannot please him.

[28:43] And in and of yourself. There's no way. Unto him. It's all in Christ Jesus. Jesus. Yes.

[28:53] Yes. Heavenly calling. Have I a poor troubled soul here this evening. Troubled. Yes. Severely troubled. Not in the dark.

[29:04] You say. You say. Well I can't get that light. I would like to. What about poor Job. He was a man of God. He telleth. The Lord has written.

[29:15] As it were. In his word. That he is a. That he was a just man. And so on. Good and upright man. But he came to this experience. Oh. That I knew.

[29:26] Where I might find it. That where you are tonight. You see your sins. You long for mercy. The time of love will come.

[29:37] When thou so clearly see. Not only that he shed his blood. But thou should say. For me. God. And if so dear friends.

[29:49] If you and I have had that heavenly calling. Is according to his purpose. And his purpose is this. To save us from the law of the God. And why?

[30:00] Anything of self. No. Out of his love. Love. Oh. Blessed love. From the Father. Son.

[30:11] And Holy Spirit. Just a few thoughts now. As we might. Come more. To the commencement of our text.

[30:25] And we know that all things work together for good. To them that love God. Just the thought here. Love. Oh. You say I do lack that.

[30:36] So do I. So do I. Oh. If I knew more of that love. I wish I could love him more. And on all his ways esteem.

[30:49] Where does that come from. The desire. Oh you say. I believe that comes from the bottom of my heart. If it does dear friends.

[31:00] Who is implanted in your heart. That love is after him. Love him. For I do not come to the house of God. In times.

[31:11] I love to meet among them now. And at his gracious feet to bow. Feeling me. Valerous of them all. For all it's the same. There's a little love to be found in the house of God.

[31:23] And you come because you love him. You love his name. You love to hear his gospel. You love to hear the way of deliverance. From sin. Into the sweetness of pardon and forgiveness.

[31:36] You come. And something moves in your poor heart. Which is love to him. I've often thought of Peter you know.

[31:47] Poor Peter. At a time when he denied his God. Has there been a time in your life and mine. Most decidedly in mine.

[32:00] I have denied him at times. He had at times. I have been completely cast off. And that for eternity. Did Christ cast off Peter.

[32:13] Poor Peter was left. No stones to try to. He got the old nature in him. So have you. So have I. Jesus tested his love.

[32:26] On one occasion. He says Peter. Peter. Love us. Tell me. What would your answer be tonight dear friends.

[32:39] If Jesus came. And said to you. Love us. Tell me. I don't think we could have a better reply than Peter had. Nor did he say.

[32:50] He says thou knowest. And eventually he says. Lord thou knowest. And I love thee. Are you in the text? Are you amongst this people?

[33:03] All things work together. All good. To them that love God. A little love. My friends. To him. By his grace.

[33:16] Will take you to heaven. And then entering into the fullness. Of the love. Though we cannot compare ours to his. Oh Christ came.

[33:28] In love. As I've said. He died in love. He shed his blood in love. He walked this earth in love. In his pilgrimage. He's returned to heaven in love.

[33:39] And now he's on the throne. And on the right hand is his father in love. But for. For the fulfillment of the first part of our text.

[33:51] And we know. That all things work together for God. For God. I've looked at this sometimes. And I thought.

[34:02] Oh wonderful. Yet such a man. As. The apostle. Should be enabled. To. Write. Such a word.

[34:14] And be assured. That all things work together for him. For God. That dear man you know.

[34:25] Had something to pass through. He had a rather smooth path. No wonder that he's penned. Through much. Tribulation. He must enter the kingdom.

[34:37] And then be able to look back as it were. And say that all these things. When I was persecuted. When I was so.

[34:50] Spitefully. Intrused. Those rods. Those times. Those strikes. And so on. All for good. They must have been sanctified.

[35:03] In those days. In the prison. When my feet was in the stocks. And so on. Working all together. For good. All flinch. Oh this manifest Christ.

[35:13] Inaptive man's heart. Grace. The same as Job. If I might return there for a moment. See what he passed through.

[35:25] We have a record of it. In the first chapter of Job. What was his closing words? The Lord gave. The Lord hath taken away. Blessed be.

[35:36] The name of the Lord. Could Job say. And I know. That all these things. work together. For good. For my soul.

[35:48] It's sanctifying grace. Dear words. Now some of you may be walking in paths. Very difficult. You may have. Affliction.

[36:00] You may see. Affliction before you. May you be able to say. With these words. And I know. That all things. Work together.

[36:11] For good. Can you believe it? And I quoted this evening. A line of soul to him. His purposes are ripening fast.

[36:22] Couldn't see them. An hour or two ago. But now. His purposes are ripening fast. Unfolding. Every hour.

[36:34] The bud. May have a bitter taste. It often has. But when sanctified. Then comes forth. The flower. Yes. The bud.

[36:45] And the blossom. And then we see. The beauty. Of God's work. Unto us. Maybe in providence. Maybe in grace. But we know.

[36:57] That all things. He doesn't hesitate. In this. He doesn't say. Some things will work for God. He says. All things.

[37:08] Did not one of all say. All these things are against me. But. He eventually proved. These words. Working for his good. We know.

[37:18] That all things. Work together. Dovetail together. And dear friends. That's. The way. The Lord works. With his chosen.

[37:29] Dovetail. That things. Are working together. For. Can't always see it. Far from it. Just the opportunity. We see. To be brought. Lower and lower.

[37:41] And fear. At times. And fear. At times. Well. All things are against us. And yet. You see. The secret of it is. Is. God can see the beginning.

[37:53] He can see the end. We can see the beginning. When we are brought into it. But we can't see the end of it. If we could. Perhaps we should be able to say.

[38:04] With the words of our text. And I know. Oh. We know. That all things. Are working together. For God. Oh. If we have.

[38:14] If we have. A sweet. View by faith. Of the old. Work of salvation. From the commencement. To the end. That is heaven.

[38:26] I am sure. We should be able to say. That all of these things. Are worked together for God. My dear late mother. On her deathbed.

[38:36] Said. I would not have. Anything of orchard. Nothing of orchard. I believe she knew a little of this. That all things. Had worked together for God.

[38:47] But she. Had a path of tribulation. Far from an easy path. I don't know that I ought to say.

[38:58] But when as a child. A boy. I used to lay in bed. The night time. And hear her praying downstairs. She never had an easy path. Path of tribulation.

[39:11] That. On her deathbed. All these things. Had worked together for God. And we know. That all things.

[39:22] When shall we be able to say. Dear friends. Why. I believe there's a hymn. I turned it down. Oh. For a heart. Prepared to sing.

[39:33] To go with my Saviour. And my King. World with. World with his saints. I joined to tell. My Jesus. Has done. All things.

[39:44] World. All worlds. His glorious power. Confess. His wisdom. All his works. Express. But oh. His love. What tongue can tell.

[39:58] My Jesus. Has done. All things. World. World.

[40:12] Heart. Love. Love. Pillow.