Acts

[0:00] May 28th, 1984, Fadeon Chapel, Peterborough, Anniversary Services, Mr. Wood.

[0:30] Amen and amen.

[0:47] May God fulfill thy petition. In dependence upon thee, Lord, for all needed help, I venture to draw your prayerful attention to Acts, chapter 26, verse 29.

[1:17] Acts, chapter 26, verse 29. And Paul said, I would to God that not only thou, but also thou that hear me this day were both almost and altogether such as I am, except these thoughts.

[2:06] The hymn that you have just sung is a prayer for the Lord's blessing to rest upon the preaching of the glorious gospel of the grace of God.

[2:37] A prayer always is suitable whenever we are gathered together in the house of God to hear the preaching of the Lord.

[2:58] May it please God to fulfill those plans that Christ may be first and Christ in us and Christ be all in all.

[3:21] Our text is the prayer of the Apostle Lord. is the prayer of every true servant of Jesus Christ.

[3:45] Praying that those that hear us may receive from heaven that work of grace in their hearts sinners whole with an eventual calling saved with an ever lasting salvation.

[4:20] The eternal purposes of God will ever be performed in God. We are assured that all for whom Christ died, chosen in heaven before the world began, loved with an everlasting love, though with all mankind born, dead, in trespasses and in sin, that in God's time and God's way, and according to his eternal purpose, they shall come, a time not to propose, but to call by grace.

[5:08] There will be assurance that the purposes of God will be fulfilled. Does not leave the minister of the gospel in a fatalistic spirit for unconcern, but forever stirs up within the heart and body and earnest desire that those who hear the gospel might be saved with an everlasting sight.

[5:48] There is a traveling for souls. There is a sense of a value of a never-dying soul, the eternity of a never-ending eternity and the greatness of the salvation and the vital need of the heart of the Holy Spirit.

[6:19] but oh how there will be the best longing to see God's work appear, the work of His grace and His Spirit in those who hear the preaching of the turn of God.

[6:43] God. These words are quoted at the close of the ministry yesterday the God's day.

[6:54] They were not my subject, but as I quoted them, they wasted on my night and day as it takes that leaves for this afternoon.

[7:07] and the words particularly are these altogether such as I am. I commence the spiritual reading this afternoon in the previous chapter because we have there said before us how the apostle four of Christ's sake is brought there before a drinker before and before the chief captains and the principal man of the city and this presents a very vinic picture before her eyes of the lovely sternum of Jesus Christ in bones not for any calling that he had to visit but to stand before these men these leading men of the city before pastors and their river to speak of what the

[8:26] Lord had done for him when the apostle had concluded his testimony we observed the effect that he had of pastors who spake to Paul and said Paul for there are fish on thyself much learning that may be mad pastors had no time way pastors turned away from it pastors would see nothing but madness in it and that's where you and I would be made no mistake of that but for the grace of God Paul of all looks on the Christian as fools as man but turn upon the things of

[9:28] God Paul here in the five states I am not mad I am just reminded here of a radical legion possessed the devils in the graves the tools cutting himself and no change of him no love control him no mercy and bad touch him until Jesus went and then what a transformation when the devils were cast out when the man was sitting at the feet of Jesus clothed and this was it in his right mind the car of mine his energy against God the total mind thinks of these things as madness but the spiritual mind the work of

[10:29] God's grace in the heart the evidence heart this has provided and peace and Paul could speak what in this way he speaks both the words of truth and so that fear of God makes a man truthful honest in what he says and here the apostle is sending both as he paints his testimony speaks words of truth in the spirit of openness his words had an impact in the mind and feelings of Agrippa so much so that Agrippa hearing these words said Paul almost that thou must play this need to be a

[11:32] Christian almost like a half a turn and I speak about in a natural way because when the spirit of God works it is a full time it is complete my friend it is clear a fear under the pressure of truth under natural conviction of his own and which he doubt that there was something here about he did not know and he confessed foremost that the greatest thing to be a Christian we have then pastors who turn from it for the madness we have a gripper that he moved emotionally in the mind and yet as well as well as well receive it we have the apostle Paul the servant of Jesus Christ whose testimony to the

[12:35] Philip didn't shut his kids for to me the big is Christ and I is gave where do you stand where do you stand I know not I hope not I trust not I pray not that there are any here tonight the afternoon that look on these things and God's children as magnets and mad and so despise it neglect it ignore it have no time for it have no understanding of it however there may be some that may be under the preaching of the word moved in their mind and in their hearts in a natural way under some sense of the conviction of the truth of God's word and yet still remain dead in trespasses and in sin now look at the heart of this minister of the gospel

[14:04] I pray that we may know more of it today and hold Lord upon this assembly before whom he saw Festus a gripper the leading leading man of the city his prayer here was this his earnest desire was this for the greatest blessing but to be known by a sinner upon her I want to God that not only that that is the river but those of all that we have really saved were of all those and altogether such as I am except these bonds of the apostle lifting up his manual fists and saying yes

[15:05] I wish you all though you are leaders of this city though you are a king of great though you are a ruler though you have much power and you are me as a prisoner a lonely man but no standing behind me yet I have joy that you know not of my respects in my soul the word of grace this Jesus is mine and no greater blessing till I seek the you all though you cannot understand it though you would not in natural ways exchange lots did it not as all would say to this fact that I have what you have not I have happiness in my soul I have the peace of God in my heart I have this Jesus as my savior I am a holy name sinner I am redeemed your precious blood that this Jesus is mine that heaven is mine that he will be with me right the end of the journey that he did well with my soul and

[16:15] I would God but not only that thou but also all that hear me this thing where thou all must go together such as I except that nobody is wrong to this expression of travail the souls love the sinners is seen again and heard in the apostle writing in the official of Romans and it is very significant to observe when he writes things well it follows a chapter that very solemn concerning God's eternal purposes the election speaking of the vessels of mercy and the vessels of Lord that prepare unto glory and before save around this service of

[17:19] God as he would save and did save that God hath thirst not not only well therefore that I need not be concerned I need not be burdened I need not be anxious over the stalls of others to pray pray hear the words of the apostle pray my heart's desire and pray to God that Israel is that they might be saved it and so this is the earnest prayer and desire that every true members of the gospel in spiritual health in one just sense of Christ his son in all our congregations whether it may be the one as we have on one occasion whether it may be two or three whether it may be a hundred whether it may be more whether it be young whether it be old whether it be rich whether it be poor whether it be in a village whether it be in a town wherever it may be the one desire is a salvation of souls for whatever age whatever we may preach to who's of enemy of the world each whatever rank they have in life whatever age they are are the possessor of a dead dying soul and one day must appear before the great white throne and what's it proper the man he became the whole world and lose his own soul what's the man give his name for his soul all together says there are such as coming out and sad that these moms and this is their friend we dare not to see because they're friends they come from the

[19:32] Sunday by Sunday service by service to the sanctuary and signal the truth makes the God's people that their soul is saved with greater evidence of it and what greater concern can be in life what a heavier labor and responsibility in that sense charge to the servants of God now when I say that it is not Paul it is not Peter it is not with the Italians or John or any minister that can converse sinners but my friend and responsibility in the sight of God is very very great and I pray and all that grace to preach in both the sinners in love to God to hold back nothing all about truth and to say that by the grace of

[20:33] God I fear that the better be more I cannot come to be fair unto you or the counsel of God and if you are spiritually healthy and spiritually healthy will be your desire your great dear minister don't hold back don't stare speak all that truth those words are true and so that and do not water down the word but speak that word show us and sing in the declaration of that spirit can be to us and speak to us for sinners of that precious Jesus and that wonderful God and that precious love shed on the cross and that thousand that is over for sin and love and mean that now and come back again to the question about where do you stand how stands the case my soul with thee that heaven are thy credentials clear in

[21:46] Jesus love thy holy feet in thy grave or run of end such as I am you see friends there's such a danger of resting on something that falls short of Jesus Christ that falls short of Jesus Christ and not just fall short of Jesus Christ well we may sit under the truth we may have a denominational name we may fear to be a Christian but there's you of that one of graves in our song of that precious oil that white of

[22:46] Jesus just thank you to you say I wish you wouldn't see like that friend Jesus Jesus set forth so clear so strong so separating me be saved my dear people of home have heard you lately referred to words of Jesus that have brought great exercise and concern my soul the circumstance was saved Jesus came into Jerusalem and they cried Hosanna Hosanna that night calling see that our

[23:46] Savior return into that quiet and doubtless communion witness upon her the next morning he returned Jerusalem we read his sinless humanity that he was hungry that's a mystery and yet a revealed mystery he came to a victory expecting to find truth another mystery that word speaking of Jesus as a man we know that as God is dear to the Lord but speaking as I feel that word does as a man he came his divine fruit what did he hide friend if he came to you what did he find what did he find in a hatred nothing but many things nothing but many things there could be many many things much in the way of the name of religion much of man's tradition much of international praise upon it and yet all lives and all lives and just as we have in the teaching and Jesus minds in that paragraph and things and the food and the farms they were full and mingled together and it wasn't it but crying telling people the bridegroom time going out and eating but the dispensary was just time but it is time wouldn't it be so the young neighbor can stretch and that will come to that day dancing in his dreams and say

[26:18] Lord that I've been with it I've been in the streets I spoke in my neck I broke his time and that you have been proud from me I never knew how close this time and friend you'll decide to do so those who are exercised and saying they have a dying son it won't hurt you it won't harm you if your religion is a real one is understanding that the greatest test that can be made of real religion will ever abide the fire will abide searching and shipping and wheeling and shaking and temptations on everything that is from the dead but that which is man made my friend it shrinks it dead it is artificial and it will never stand there's no good to it there's no money there's no work of grace there do you see all the life these things are so soft another year has passed away and I think of those words how so we have paid everything back so great that salvation talking to the minister recently and he was preaching somewhere in the country and a lot of scientists was sheltered by the chapel in the ring and that was his text and how he must take forth and go through marriage his forms and observe that one minute we have a love of the saint but we must be both scientists we must be mothers for the many we must come to you is it well with your soul

[28:26] I said last night I didn't read through these words they formed I think frankly by closing the bar the text was then that the disciples were called Christians pastor Antioch many take that name that have no right but so literate a Christian is a born of a sinner a believer one that by the grace of God has catered in for a straight day in that manner of being that these are undetermined that heaven is sound called and I made a real Christian washed in the beginning of love and my union to the church's living hand I do not see as one goes through self examination because what you hear is made not always realized that the preacher preaches it himself but the world searches his own heart and so this is why

[29:44] I stand down and have problems it is and as I say it is not probable and I do not fear that it is productive of increased dams and gears rather it is to pray Lord make the letter pray able to Lord put me wrong show me that I deceive thy son and when I even make it deceiving I will never deceive me show me that Lord and as the apostle exhort the Corinthians examine yourself whether you hear the faith now whether is this true faith and this self exoneration there is a struggling on it there is struggling on it and that was hell in terms of trial in the thought of your faith when

[30:47] Satan changed you and they are not a believer when you are going to go through some dark trail and some of publicity and you have this clear potential you take it into the land you take it to God's word and you have the feeling that the Holy Spirit promised the even witness of the reality of your religion and you are not offended and you have made faithful preaching of the world of God and when I say faithful preaching of the world of God I mean it not in the spirit of access not the spirit of unconcern but the spirit of deep love travel and burn massage friend a human day to I'll just use a similar approach my dear friend in the ministry and I and another dear minister shared a funeral service and I was praying and my dear friend here was anxious that I could find anything trouble then what did he do he gave the deep nose of the heart yes and then he never found all because he thought that something he you may be quite sure that

[32:13] I shouldn't be so safe because he loved me and he said so that I should have any day before he as long as he could and started the journey but if we do that and rightly so in those things simple things of life then what is amazing when you fast before him never done he sold heaven and hell those two parts one broad and many words live in on one down where few let on and you may say that he is not the minister that saves his families scream and praise God for that he would be a poor affair if we had the versions of ours but he has he gone through foolishness of reason to save that that believe and

[33:14] I pray in the ministry we may be helped to preach ever with his heavenly voice the cross before our hearts the sufferings of Christ the precious of the blood the weight of everlasting souls the judgment seed the hour of death and more than we may become to preach in that furbency of a spirit not in its rest of excitement but with the power of the Holy Spirit standing from hand that's a wonderful word in the conclusion of the gospel according to Mark and they went forth and preached everywhere the Lord working with them to fill the word with strange time the minister is the trumpet if you know him and the gospel is the sound of the country the minister is the vessel of poor thing earthen thing frail thing worthless thing weak thing but he's

[34:25] Satan in the hand of the potter is Satan is first he's got to be empty empty friend and soon this gospel thing is in this painful experience to be empty of all their ability and all their that they come of of sound in coming upon them to be friends and then to be filled and to be used to be held in the hands of that the Lord himself and vessel used and what an eye that God should use sinners men vessels to pour forth the gospel and the refreshments and the blessings of the plants in that garden and whilst I've spoken there of the ministry I speak down of the hearing what is it that you design do you want things glossed do you want things made as you were smooth or do you pray

[35:37] Lord though I shrink on it though I tremble at it may my word come with his power with his conviction with his wounds with his trippings with his humblings with his close cruciferians that I may give the power and may ready for this wonderful gospel for this Jesus that forgets for this blood that cleanses for the world of righteousness that clothes me is that God is I help his soul bless his soul pray on man wait on but now may see that I as well may God I was not sure how my mind will be directed with this world though I have I hope a sweet persuasion that the Lord has given to me therefore and I trust now receive me and I may his help tonight and stand we have to stand out we have to stand out there's a step between me and

[36:47] God and one day I preach to my God I said one day you'll hear of us where we stand up but I was just able to say this evening may help the times of the years was all together start and we're trying to trace out the beginnings and first and the walk of the Christian the life of the Christian and the end heaven which in the meantime may the Lord dance each give course and pardon all the next for his great name say Amen verse upcoming sooneron

[38:11] Call 6. 836, man.

[38:35] We sing Lord Christ exalted down. Who sits upon the cross. Ten thousand blessings on the night. So worthy of the love.

[38:47] The item is 168, feels 172. The name is 168, feels 172. The name is 169, feels 172. The name is 169, feels 172.

[38:59] So worthy of God. Thank you.

[39:35] Thank you.

[40:05] Thank you.

[40:35] Thank you.

[41:05] Thank you.

[41:35] Thank you. Thank you.

[42:35] Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

[43:13] Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

[43:25] Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

[43:37] Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Amen.

[43:49] The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the communion of the Holy Church be with you.

[44:05] Amen. Amen.

[44:49] Amen.