John

[0:00] In number 754, June 490, Holy Comforter to send, testify of Christ the Lamb, from the fall our hearts depend, and the zeal our hearts inflame.

[0:30] 754, June 490.

[0:42] CHOIR SINGS CHOIR SINGS CHOIR SINGS CHOIR SINGS CHOIR SINGS CHOIR SINGS CHOIR SINGS CHOIR SINGS CHOIR SINGS CHOIR SINGS walls take a Saviour, strack deeply cry with flesh risen false They shall defend

[1:45] Thank you.

[2:15] Thank you.

[2:45] Thank you.

[3:15] Thank you.

[3:45] Thank you. Greater love hath no man than this, than a man lay down his life for his friends.

[3:58] And you may remember, I mentioned this verse once or twice during the service.

[4:47] And it came forcibly to me in the car park after the service. Greater love hath no man than this, than a man lay down his life for his friends.

[5:05] The verse has been watched with me today. And I feel, and I know in and of myself, I should be utterly unable to deal with such language. Utterly. How dependent we are upon the Comforter, the Holy Spirit, he of whom you have just said, will lead you into all truth. There is a knowledge and that knowledge may understand much of the scriptures. But it's not a saving knowledge.

[6:04] Not a saving knowledge. Many may speak well of the scriptures. Many may speak of the scriptures. And what they speak in prophecy and various things is absolute truth.

[6:23] But they know nothing of a saving knowledge. And I believe if you and me, we are seeking souls, we are longing souls, then we should be satisfied with nothing less than reality.

[6:46] Saving knowledge. Not a religion we can take up and put down. But a real religion. Something new. Something felt. For how can we apply the word of God to ourselves if we are dead in sins and trespasses? It's utterly impossible. But those whom the Lord has quickened, then there's that longing desire. There's a touch here and a touch there. There's an echo. Echo in the gospel. Echo while the poor minister is preaching.

[7:44] There's an echo. There's an echo. There's an echo. There's a light spot. There's a reality. And therefore in our text this evening, I do hope and pray there might be an echo. A light spot. Something felt. Something realised.

[8:08] I hope. I hope. I hope. I hope. We are not contented. To go in and out of the house of God. And just read the word. And sometimes thank when the amen is said. Go away and forget these things.

[8:27] The child of God.

[8:57] May the Lord help us then. May the Lord help us then and touch us this evening with his love. His love. Greater love hath no man than this. The Lord Jesus Christ is speaking of himself.

[9:19] The immensity of love. The immensity of love. The height of love. The depth of love. The depth of love. The length of love. The breadth of love.

[9:36] The gentrim. The depth of love. The fact of love. The depth of love. The depth of love. The height of the length of the life. The depth of love. The depth of love. And as in our light of love.

[9:56] The depth of love. The depth of love. The depth of the love. I think tremolo in the past. Yeah. It was a plan. within a few days the world the country will be saying eat drink and be merry they do many of them Christmas time to be the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ just because they've read it just because they've heard it but it means nothing to them how awful and what hypocritical language there is used but truly to the believer to the child of God this Jesus this precious Jesus which we sang last evening friend of sinners he came down here upon this earth that he might truly be a sacrifice he lived he reigned in heaven and the bells of eternal love were moved moved with compassion and moved with love moved for the church moved for the bride therefore we read in this same gospel

[11:50] God so loved the world his church that word is oftentimes misinterpreted God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son and he came down here truly out of vain these things are mysterious they are wondrous but they are true they are real and don't you want to know something real not something faked up not something which has been brought about by man but you want to know the reality of this God man the Lord

[12:51] Jesus Christ and as we view this great love of God the Father toward the church this people lying saying yet a chosen people a people which must needs be redeemed and nothing less than the blood of this dear Lamb of God would redeem it this church and cleanse it greater love hath no we cannot conceal or enter in to the love of God the Father and God the Son God the Holy Spirit that triumph that one eternal love and this dear

[13:57] Redeemer the eternal Son of God in heaven with his Father and rapt and rapture with one another love nothing between no bother no dear no snare just one absolute eternal love yet this precious Jesus that his father has come up that his own world he came down here upon this earth to mix and to mingle with the people of this earth in dead in sins and trespasses yet he knew no sin but he knew the weight of sin he knew the awfulness of sin that he came down here to redeem his church we read and we often refer to it there was no room in the inn no room in the inn and friends your heart and my heart by nature is like that inn an inn where there are thieves robbers and barns there is no room except the

[15:50] Holy Spirit lead us and convince us of our sin and our Lord Jesus Christ as he left that radiant throne on high great love great love and you know his life here below he was rejected he was despised yet a God of love a God of love despised and rejected can you claim anything better we the prophet said esteemed him not it's true of you friends it's true of me by nature we it comes close it comes closer than close it comes right inside esteemed him not yet it was great love eternal love what did he see in us what could he see in us nothing but sin yet

[17:17] I hope he saw as he left that radiant throne on high he saw his church he saw the work for which he came upon this earth to do he must need suffer yes need suffer there must needs be a sacrifice and that sacrifice no less than God's dear self great love I came not to do mine own will but whose will the father's he was the obedient son of God yes dear friend Jesus learned obedience he learned obedience great love and as we think of him and view him through his sojourning and journeying here upon this earth what he did what he accomplished was all in love all in love you can't quarrel with me here all in love love for his church if needs be his people had to be reproached it was in love if they had to be taught something very straight it was in love if he showed them just what they were it was all in love mark this you may feel sometimes the

[19:24] Lord is dealing hard with you but it's in love it's hard to believe sometimes in the case of adversity in the case of affliction unless the Lord sanctifies it hardens doesn't it it does but when he sanctifies then you can see love in it ah there may be someone here this evening crying out for months for evidences of this love upon your soul you cannot be satisfied feeling without it I tell you something friends and I believe it love has taught you what love is love has taught you what love is and in that position where you are this evening you will not be satisfied without it you cannot because you'll cry out give me the

[20:41] God of love give me Christ or else I die greater love eternal love hath no man done this and this sinless perfect Lamb of God John saw him and what a precious title he gave to Jesus behold the Lamb of God didn't say there did he which taketh away the sin of the world taketh it away the sin of the church the sin of his chosen the sins of his land taketh away what

[21:46] John saw no one can tell what John understood no one can tell but I believe he was directed from heaven to utter those words greater love hath no bond on this and as we see this love prevailing it prevailed through his life I'm not going to say it grew in him because he was absolute love eternal but it prevailed again and again I was only thinking walking up the yard this morning to this love and when Jesus he stood by the grave of Lazarus what did the people say behold how he loved him we may be saying that may be not her boy unbelievers but how true of him of it friends how he loved him and he loves you dear here no less if you know a little of the touchings of his love in your own soul no less no less

[23:21] Jesus wept what caused those tears sin and I believe he sowed his own sovereigns he sowed his own death he wept and as he wept the people sow love in it thus all he came to do and all he did what what more could love do than redeem his people his sons and daughters love laid down his life yielded his life love gave his life love and we see it as he speaks of his death in his life we see love shining right through it and we see the hatred to love yes the hatred to love from the cradle to the grave love was hated hated the very world was up in arms full of hatred how they sought to destroy the child how hated he was and dear friend

[25:04] I believe if the Lord has shed abroad a little of that love in our souls for love separates you know it does separate we speak of him his sufferings we should know a little of that to be hated he was hated before you the God of love that perfect holy God the Lord Jesus Christ he was hated and a man laid down his life for his friends oh that precious life I wish I could speak better of it I know I feel just so blessed so so so immense the life of this dear son of God he laid it down those cruel hands that seized him they thought they had taken him but he yielded friends yes he yielded when they inflicted those heavy strokes upon him he yielded

[26:34] God my did I mention yesterday or did just mean recently we read of him as a great rock in a weary land and how truly he is that man that real man all accomplished in love as it touched you as it touched you then what has touched you around this love nothing less than love there may be one saying I wish I could feel love of God this love touches touches the heart touches the inward part it's a touch of love when you are brought to see and led by the

[27:48] Holy Spirit this dear son of God lay laying his light what he could have done being God no he must need suffering and suffering did and those sufferings for they were intense he sweat as it were great drops of blood and water what intense suffering not only bodily but his soul sin was laid upon him this dear God of love said and now my soul is exceeding sorrowful some speak of his bodily suffering and leave it there but it was his soul suffering yes that sinless soul was suffering for sin laying down his life it was it was then a painful pass a painful pass body and soul and as he went forth to

[29:31] Calvary they led him they led him out didn't they the judgment hall led him to God of love he healed it and I believe I mentioned last evening as a love to the slaughter he opened not his mouth he was laid oh my father if it be possible here friend is the afflictions here is the root here is the awfulness here is the very fire guilt and sin laid upon him it seems as a this heavy weight tremendous weight the weight of the sin of the whole church was crushing him down a

[30:39] God of love who knew no sin who was laying his life down I know it was so intense it was so great he came to that place when he said he he would be possible he would be possible to his precious sinless lovely lips was now placed the cup of wrath of sin bitterness openness he drank he drank nevertheless not my will but thine be done precious Jesus friend of sinners we are sought to thee as have you been led drawn to him right in those sufferings laid down when we think of him as they laid him on the cross those cruel hound yes those sneers and those dears yet there was that pearl that preciousness that wonder the

[32:21] God of love being laid down the prophet spoke of it and he tasted he endured it only God could endure the God of love but how necessary was this laying down and as he was lifted up and he was dying do you remember whilst he was in this place right it seemed right to the end of his life here below love shod love was made manifest there was one who was dying with him and who admitted he was justly receiving for the awful deeds he does yet there was one who called

[33:29] Lord Lord what was his call his call was mercy remember me remember me that's not a hypocritical cry friends it's a cry of a child of God remember me and what my love was shown me as his blood was fast ebbing as that fountain was being filled love love love was being made manifest laying down his life and when he finished the work his father gave him to do when the final victory was accomplished over sin over death and over hell when he cried those last words to

[34:41] God love to God love and that sacrifice went up to God his father in heaven as a sweet smelling sacrifice received his father's well accomplished salvation finished laid down for whom for his friends for his friends he's not ashamed to call them brethren not ashamed to call them friends how he spoke to his disciples and spoke to them as his friends no more servants no more servants but friends how we sometimes sing a friend there is above all others do you know him friend as a friend you know naturally we have friends and we can fight all times in those friends we can talk with those friends but there may be a time when there's something we cannot speak to another about but this friend the friend of whom

[36:31] I just try to exalt is above all others friends we are bereft of friends yes friends leave us friends may turn their backs upon us we may have perhaps people who may make a fuss of us for a time and then drop us this friend doesn't this friend is ever near when most we need where are you this evening is it that time with you when most we need a helping hand do you need a helping hand which the world cannot provide that friend he's always near yes as I said he sticketh closer than a brother lay down his life for his friends and in the accomplishment then of that salvation you've heard many many times of that fountain open for sin and uncleanness but let me ask you a question friends have you felt a little of its living virtue living virtue as the

[38:12] Lord the Holy Spirit he led as he led you into that truth revealed to you the preciousness of the sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ and have you had to repair to the blood of Jesus the precious blood of Jesus I believe it's been your only plague your only plague Lord Jesus oh God have mercy upon me remember me your only plague your only hope for heaven that fountain friends was filled with blood there's love in it it's the very essence and the power of love greater love yes those whom he loves he draws we read in the book of

[39:31] Deuteronomy I believe yea he loved the people I love those words precious words yea he loved the people what love did yes all his saints were in thy hands love dear soul he plucked out not out of death and destruction plucked them out of these things and put them in his hands fashioning shatening hands but what a mercy what a mercy whatever betides us we know not the Lord knows but if by sovereign grace and tender mercy we are in the fashioning shatening hands of love it'll be all in love all in love if there is one troubled here this evening and wonders where the scene will end what is before you you'll prove it to be in love because there are times when the child of

[41:02] God the loved one does cry out all these things are against me haven't you cried out the heart and haven't you proved haven't you lived to prove to be all in love all in love you bless God for it been hard at the time very hard at the time you bless God for it oh and love will not leave love cannot leave no love will guide graciously direct and bring his people through every storm and what a mercy this love the love of God is stronger than us did you know stronger than us love will not leave in the swellings of

[42:10] Jordan no love has made a passage in Jordan because love must have his bride that bride prepared for eternal glory and eternal joy therefore take encouragement friend if a little love has been shed abroad in your soul if love has softened you if love has reduced you to nothing in and of yourself that love will see you through see you through I said earlier the world hates it and the God of this world hates love hates it if he could tear it away from your soul he would no he cannot for

[43:15] Lord the God of love has claimed you claimed you as his portion claimed you as his son and his daughter claimed you as his bride for one day you'll be amongst those who are clothed to rest in white amen let us close with hymn number 249 hymn 724 O love divine as sweet thou art when shall I find my willing heart all taken up by thee I first became to die to prove the greatness of redeeming love the love of

[44:17] Christ to me 249 fumes 724 will forever let ourselves see and Him kiss Whit the much when shall my night my feeling cry after CHOIR SINGS

[45:31] CHOIR SINGS CHOIR SINGS CHOIR SINGS

[46:33] CHOIR SINGS CHOIR SINGS CHOIR SINGS CHOIR SINGS CHOIR SINGS CHOIR SINGS CHOIR SINGS CHOIR SINGS CHOIR SINGS CHOIR SINGS CHOIR SINGS CHOIR SINGS CHOIR SINGS CHOIR SINGS CHOIR SINGS CHOIR SINGS CHOIR SINGS CHOIR SINGS reigns of graciously, O God of God, who has seen the glory, He is considered the world who has conquered world.

[47:44] O there's my sight, O there's my cry.

[47:56] Theen's soaring, and O there's my feet in my face growing.

[48:26] now may the love of God the grace of his dear son and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit rest on the body Amen