My Lord and my God. (Quality: Good)

[0:00] As the Lord may be pleased to help me, friends, I will direct your attention to John's Gospel, chapter 20, the last part of the 28th verse.

[0:14] My Lord and my God. The 20th chapter of John's Gospel, the last part of the 28th verse.

[0:28] My Lord and my God. It is all we need, my friends, to get to heaven, to be able to speak such language as this from the heart.

[0:49] Are you found in this place? Are you able to say this? My Lord and my God.

[1:03] How few in the midst of life consider death, do you? It'll come, my friends.

[1:14] The God with whom you have to do gives no account of his matters. He won't tell you when you're going to die.

[1:25] The word may well go forth, set thine house in order. It may well be this night thy soul is required of thee.

[1:44] Men don't want to hear these things. Natural man doesn't want to die. You're not holy, are you? God, God, a body, a flesh and blood.

[2:00] All men, contaminated with sin. Don't want to die, do you? It's natural, friends.

[2:12] But the time will come. And when it comes, there's a need to be right. My friends, I am very conscious that the word of God is true.

[2:29] And the wicked shall be turned into hell. There is seldom a time when I preach, but I feel I am required to set forth these solemn things.

[2:50] And they are solemn in that every time each one of us comes into the house of God, we make profession.

[3:06] It is extremely solemn that the Lord God makes it abundantly clear in his word.

[3:16] The wicked do not consist only of those who run down the high road to hell with their eyes open, deliberately running in the lusts of their flesh, living on time things.

[3:39] The Lord hath said two parts shall be cut off. One, my friends, belongs to a professing people without possession.

[3:57] The other, the openly profane, is the two parts. You and I, then, need to have a right foundation to our profession.

[4:14] And that foundation must be Christ. What a mercy it is, then, to have a desire to be right.

[4:26] Have we got it? There's a poor man who tries to speak to you tonight, friends, who knows what it is. Not always to be found in such a condition.

[4:41] But to prove that he has within him still the old man. That old man is the old man of sin.

[4:55] What a mercy if there is a company of two armies. That there is a battle going on, which creates an exercise.

[5:13] Not settle down in, I can't help it, it isn't my fault. But rather, oh, that I had not a myself.

[5:26] Oh, wretched man that I am, grieving over one's wretched condition. My friends, the language of our text, my Lord, and my God, springs only from the work of the blessed Spirit of God in a sinner's heart.

[5:57] Tonight, if the Lord will help me, I want again to trace the way and to find you. There's too much general religion.

[6:13] We speak about a personal one. It is sweet, my friends, to feel that personal interest. It is sweet to be able to say the language of our text to him who loves us.

[6:31] And we do prove it is we love him because he first loved us. The character then is a chosen vessel of mercy, a sinner saved by grace.

[6:50] So I thought as I was coming along, friends, how wonderful it is that these living things spring from death.

[7:00] Here in the chapter we read together there was that word set forth which speaks the same language in a different way of our text.

[7:17] As Martha said to Jesus, he was the Christ, the Son of God. He came from death.

[7:28] In that account, Lazarus had to die. The glory of God must be revealed openly in the raising of Lazarus from the dead.

[7:44] But in his death was to come forth that wonderful language as Martha spoke when in referring to Lazarus rising again.

[8:01] For Jesus said, thy brother shall rise again. Martha said, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection of the last day.

[8:13] Then out of death came this manifestation. Jesus said, I am the resurrection and the life.

[8:24] He that believeth in me though he were dead, yet shall he live. And then what life was manifested in Martha when Jesus said to her, whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die.

[8:41] I believe us thou this. she said unto him, Yea, Lord, I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world.

[8:55] Life out of death. It is the way the Lord works in his dear people. Right down to the end of time it will be the same.

[9:11] Have you been in death? spiritual death, friends. It is the old, old story.

[9:23] No new gospel here. The sinner must die and Christ must live in him.

[9:35] It is the work of God. All men have sinned. All men are born in sin, shapen in iniquity.

[9:48] All are born blind. All have a day of unregeneracy. Yea, even you brought up under the sound of truth.

[10:00] Whoever you be in this place, whatever family you've come out of, whatever good family I mean by that, those where grace has been manifested, you who belong to a dear mother, father, perhaps passed on now with certainty in heaven, a day of unregeneracy, you'll know or have known.

[10:31] Born in sin, shapen in iniquity, born in darkness with regard to one's own sin, bringing them under condemnation to be consigned to eternal death unless mercy be shown.

[10:57] This character, you must be brought out of that darkness, will be brought out of that darkness if the Lord loves you, and brought within the fullness of our text.

[11:19] A sweet assurance, I stand by it, friends, there are men who still dispute it, rather settle in doubts and fears, give way to the adversary, look at their own sins, yet making profession loved of Christ.

[11:45] They don't go together, friends. If one is loved of Christ, they are complete in him.

[12:00] They have an assurance which belonged to them ere they were born, an assurance which is opened up in the time state.

[12:15] Though men dispute it, I know they do, a sovereign God, when he speaks to his dear children, and manifests in their hearts his love, tis an assurance they shall enter into glory, glory, that Christ died for them, that Christ lives for them, that Christ waits against that day when he shall gather them home to glory.

[12:57] So we want to find your character. The Lord convinces of sin. Has he done it to you? what is the evidence of it?

[13:10] Not hearsay, friends. Not something, why it did happen, it happened to a friend, a loved one. The Lord convinced them of sin, and I feel the same.

[13:26] Oh, do, my friends, a name to live and to be dead. Convince, of sin will be the quickening finger of God in your heart, telling you you're a sinner, you have need of mercy, and he'll sear it in your heart, he'll make your heart bleed for mercy.

[14:00] Real things, friends, for there is need of a real religion, for there are but two places where the soul must spend eternity, one of them, heaven or hell.

[14:17] Need of real things then, if one is to go home to glory, the Lord will cut you down, he'll make you pray.

[14:29] you, oh, how often we hear about it, how many times have you been in your closet alone, God be merciful to me, a sinner, sinner?

[14:45] What do you know of the exhortation of the word of God? And when ye pray, enter into your closet, and when thou shut thy door, pray to thy father, which is in secret.

[15:03] How many times have you been there, sinner? this God, when he brings his dear people under conviction, he leads them to a mercy seat.

[15:19] It isn't just to open their mouths or their hearts to pray in repentance. It is to show mercy.

[15:34] He manifests there is a way, and that way is through the precious blood of his own dear son.

[15:47] He opens up to this character a need of mercy, and he shows them that infallible way of mercy, the precious blood of his own dear son that cleanses from all sin.

[16:09] The children of God have a divine interpreter. how many of you here dare say you who know something of this quickening work of the Spirit of God, can you say you understood the meaning of the precious blood of Jesus Christ before the Lord unfolded the truth to you?

[16:47] Only the Spirit of God can reveal by divine power and application what the precious blood of his own dear son accomplishes.

[17:03] putting away of sin the bringing in of peace perfect peace justification before a holy God the accomplishment of a full satisfaction to a holy God the shed blood of Jesus.

[17:30] Where do you stand sinner? you know anything of the way? For as the Lord convinces his people and of sin leads them to the mercy seat with heartfelt prayer opens to their understanding according to his sovereignty the efficacy and the power of the atonement through blood the blood of Jesus.

[18:00] He breathes peace into the soul. You know anything of it. That peace that passeth all understanding.

[18:12] Oh how many times these things are quoted friends. How many times have you been satisfied just with the letter of truth? Has there been a change?

[18:24] been an exercise again and again Lord open it up to me make it a reality in my heart how many times have you said sinner say unto my soul I am thy salvation.

[18:50] all this character when the Lord brings him out of nature's darkness enters into an experience he's never known before he's in a battle he's in a warfare he's got enemies they're not all outward ones are some of the people of God are able to move about in the world finding favour with men in very great measure don't know much of oppression outwardly but oh they know it inwardly a wicked deceitful heart a great adversary who goes about like a roaring lion a disposition in oneself that cannot be quelled an evil disposition known to self if not known to anyone else an experience now of need a continuing need

[20:11] Jesus is made precious to this character do you know this Jesus Thomas knew him Thomas one of his disciples in the chapter where our text is found he was full of unbelief do you do you know what that is because this precious man the God man King Jesus to the dear people of God as he opens himself to them unfolds his love reveals in their hearts that wondrous salvation that flows through his finished work this people know what it is unbelief do you this was recorded my friends to meet the experience of the dear people of God isn't something left here by chance it's something that is extremely essential it's to meet your case wretched hell deserving unbelief that belongs to a sinner his flesh for the child of

[21:55] God passes through a variety of circumstances his pathway is in the hands of a sovereign God no two walk alike they have need of this God he's called them by his grace brought them out of nature's darkness according to eternal purpose chosen by a triune Jehovah her time began the decree has eternally gone forth a brand plucked from the burning in the time state his pathway an ordained pathway is a peculiar pathway to himself unbelief plays a great part in it the child of God comes to places deep places and the poor man who speaks to you knows what it is to be found in a deep place like this to believe in his flesh to believe my friends that there is no power in God to deliver from sin that's unbelief in the finished work of God

[23:35] Lord God has left on record the blood of Jesus Christ his son cleanseth us from all sin oh what a mercy it's not very long ago my friends I had not a remarkable experience but a merciful experience it was on a Sunday morning I had the services of his house to attend to three services that day I'd had a bad night and as I was preparing to get ready I was in the belly of hell feelingly unbelief had taken hold

[24:41] I could see no deliverance I must go there were three engagements I've never yet missed one over the years deliberately I couldn't do it now not in self I was in that dreadful place sin had taken hold of me I couldn't pray the enemy was on my back and I felt the power of sin within my heart seemingly having dominion over me I look back over the years under the power of God for these words came in though thy sins be a scarlet they shall be whiter than snow in a moment friends everything was right the

[26:01] Lord took me back thirty years when he gave that word to me with power all alone in a house in London an empty house I had a job of work to do and as I was working the Lord put that word in my heart with such power that I cried Lord hold me up else I perish I pleaded with him to remove from me the power I couldn't go on seemed as though I was transfixed to the floor the power of that word though thy sins be scarlet they shall be whiter than snow confirmed it that

[27:03] Sunday morning again this God my friends is the living God in Christ and he deals with his people's unbelief for he loves them with an everlasting love where are you tonight do you know the pathway sinner can't take hold of his mercy looking at self and seeing everything dark hearkening to the adversary as he accuses thee of truths oh how often that is friends truths when he accuses thee of sins of a past day you can't say

[28:04] I'm not guilty he knows where you were for oft times he was the tempter though it isn't always so there are times when this character falls in sin talking now of a day of unregeneracy he falls in sin because it suits his flesh it springs out of a desire in his ruined inherent nature the enemy knows about him takes hold of the child of God now the Lord has blessed you made known to you he loves you caused your heart to groan again and again God be merciful to me a sinner save me for thy mercy sake

[29:11] Lord don't leave me to myself watch over me protect me from self and from the adversary and there come times when the enemy comes in like a flood and he attacks brings forth these past days and you look at self forget your God look at your sins fall under the power of the adversary believe there is no mercy for you what shall I do what shall I do you been there sinner oh what a wonderful mercy it is

[30:15] Jesus Christ the same yesterday today and forever now the account that in our chapter where our text is found is that account of the resurrection which the eternal God decreed should be left on record there was a poor woman Mary Magdalene of whom Jesus had cast out seven devils she loved her Jesus for he loved her Jesus had been crucified she knew where he lay she wanted to find his body she went to the sepulcher with the disciples Jesus had risen the disciples went again to their own homes

[31:22] Mary remained weeping she wanted to know where her Jesus was Jesus was near she thought him to be the gardener when he spoke to her until he called her Mary the whole object of the chapter the account that men should know that Christ is risen he told Mary to go and tell the brethren that he had gone to his father and their father to his God and their God she was to pass the news on Thomas wouldn't believe it brings in you poor sinner this account has been left purposely for the dear people of God who come into these places what a blessed place it really is sin it is indeed cursed unbelief in a wicked heart yet what mercy there is in it my friends

[32:57] I believe it is found among the old things that work together for good there may even be a dispute in this but I am convinced in my own heart that God in his sovereign love and mercy turns the sins of his dear people to their good and to his own glory sin shall not have dominion over you to sink you into hell sin brings you into darkness but the Lord will turn his people's sins to his glory in that he will bring them to their place of real need I must see Jesus Thomas said unless he saw the print of the nails he wouldn't believe

[34:02] Lord God had purposed that Thomas should see the print of the nails there was an appointed time for Thomas to see Jesus when Jesus came that second time he said Thomas reach hither thy finger and behold my hands and reach hither thy hand and thrust it into my side and be not faithless but believing Thomas answered and said unto him my Lord and my God oh my friends the Lord Jesus loves his dear people with a love that passeth all human understanding the poet says on such love my soul still ponder love so rich so full so free that love that brought

[35:19] Jesus to the place to see Thomas unbelieving Thomas to make himself known unto him in such a way as to force out of his heart with the reality of God given love and assurance my Lord and my God you've got a case tonight is there someone here in this place longing to see Jesus what a blessed character tossed about by the adversary goes about like a roaring lion just the same today seeking whom he may devour he touches the people of God I know he's on a long chain remember friends the word of

[36:24] God is unchangeable the Lord says thus far shalt thou come and no farther he won't be able to do any more to you than the Lord permits him to do though thou be in darkness now though it be with someone here they've fallen by the way turned into bypass meadow heart sins and there are many of those aren't there maybe outwardly everything all right your friends look at you and see you to be oh such a good character oh wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death as one looks at their heart I've said at times to the Lord you don't have to say it to man mine is a cesspool of iniquity when the

[37:29] Lord says who can know it it is to set forth man can't tap the depth of depravity that is in the human heart and at times it rises up doesn't it then you can't believe then can you it isn't a myth then is it it isn't something that you hear very often can ever God dwell here it is is my religion real has the God the Lord God called me by his grace am I among the people of God with such a heart as mine oh tis a mercy friends to know a little of the ruin of the fall but it would be a dreadful place to be found there and left there wouldn't it

[38:32] I can tell you this that if the Lord has indeed brought you into that place of self examination and caused you to grieve over those dreadful things that belong to your ruined nature and made you cry Lord help me Lord help me he will appear there is no doubt at all when Jesus comes though he reprove thee for he did Thomas be not faithless but believing he won't cut you off and it is absolutely certain that when Jesus comes it will be my Lord and my God or he'll bring forth that which is his own work that love to

[39:39] Jesus is there anyone comparable to him lovely Jesus my Jesus my Redeemer my King precious precious Jesus friends these are not just words I believe some of you have been in this place in heart and haven't you said to him thou knowest I love thee Lord aren't there some of you here who have said just the same as Peter did where else can I go Lord I know what it is my friends to have been in that place many many many times come to the end of everything in self and had to say

[40:43] Lord undertake or I perish there's nowhere else to go Lord thou knowest it and if thou leavest me what can I do I know what it is to hear his voice not of necessity in actual words but to feel the sweetness and the effect of it I love thee well my child and felt his appearance putting the crooked thing straight and making the rough places plain my Lord and my God my friends if the Lord has brought you ever into this place to acknowledge him as your Lord your King your Jesus your God he's gone to prepare a place for you there'll be an end one day to these wretched things here below there'll be an end to sin temptation sorrow darkness death fear affliction body mind so he's gone to prepare a place for you and having gone away he'll come again and receive you unto himself that where he is there you will be also swallowed up in a precious

[42:28] Jesus forever he sings real to you is he precious to you now sinner where else can you go who else can compare with this dear man who ever lives to make intercession for sinners however would you obtain the ear of the living God were it not for his blessed intercession that lovely Jesus who stands between in garments dyed with blood his own heart's blood precious precious Jesus can you say my Lord and my

[43:31] God well let me finish with assurance friends for I believe in it if ever he has brought you into that place clearly to say in your heart Lord thou art my God I'll bring you into the practical experience of it the child of God from time to time at the uttermost ends of the earth and the Lord has permitted him to come there because he will have glory to his great name brings the poor sinner then to that place to say Lord thou art my God I can't go on unless thou make a way he's made a way for you and he's caused your poor heart to cry out bless the

[44:36] Lord oh my soul and all that is within me bless his holy name he ever will be your Lord and your God and throughout the rolling ages of eternity around the throne to obey hallelujah to the lamb that was slain my Lord and my God the Lord add his blessing his name shall have the praise amen God bow amen out them out in in I I I

[45:37] I I I I I I I I I