Isaiah

[0:00] there are just three words for our text friends and I hope the Lord will use them the last three verses the last three words in the 63rd chapter of Isaiah the first verse the book of Isaiah chapter 63 the last three words in the first verse mighty to save mighty to save every other word every other chapter will be useless to us unless the dear spirit of God show us the power of Christ in it in his application of the word to our souls and when a word is applied the good man says tis then it does me good it may be otherwise just as a tinkling brass or a sounding symbol because we have no spiritual power in ourselves it is the spirit of God that quickens it is the work of the Holy Spirit to reveal the things of Jesus he sheds a light on the precious scriptures of God causes at times words and sometimes a few lines to appear to us as though they were written in gold and when they're applied it is true according to this blessed book the words are like apples of gold in pictures of silver and that

[2:44] I believe what I have felt concerning a little of these three words mighty to save I would like to take you back just a few years since living in Bedfordshire when so many things were so troublous and I felt at times where will everything finish Lord and it was days of darkness I rose one Sunday morning and I said this to the Lord and I felt this is all I can say I'm finished because I feel that Jesus is not to me as much as I hoped he was and I mechanically began to get ready for the

[3:49] Sabbath having nearly 60 miles to drive that Sunday morning and I felt it's useless to go I walked to and fro the little old kitchen in the little cottage we used to live in and I didn't know what to do and while I was going to and fro the Lord drew near and three words applied mighty to save mighty to save and it broke in mighty to save is Christ the Lamb never forget it you know as I have come to you today it wasn't the same power but it was the confirmation of it mighty to save and that is suitable for poor needy sinners like us friends like us you see he is mighty to save because he has love as well as power he is mighty to save because he is determined to save because he watches over the paths of his people when we see not him when we look back and I often have to look back to you not in your unregenerate state look back to the hole of the pit from whence we have been deep oh friend that hole of the pit when we sometimes have a view of that pit that we drop down into in an unregenerate state before the

[5:41] Lord ever spoke to us do you ever consider it do you ever consider your calling brethren God called you God who called you out of darkness you consider this hath revealed unto you the person of his dear son the one and one only and the only source and the only power the only person the only God he is the Godhead you see with his father in his sonship Jesus Christ mighty to save suitable to the needs of these sinners who have come and many of them run to the very end of all things not the righteous haven't you had to bless your God for that truth friend not the righteous oh no sinners sinners bankrupt hell deserving ruined lost undone determined rebellious unregenerate and so the catalogue goes on and this came a night or two ago before we went to bed and read it and such were some of you and such were some of you but ye are washed ye washed mighty to save he's determined to save there may be some of you for your

[7:16] I never shall be saved you feel that you've had a form of religion you have never felt the power of Christ sad you know to have a form of religion I have a dear friend and he often says this to me I fear that I go to chapel so much and I never reap anything and I feel very concerned about him very concerned he's a dear friend because he is extremely kind and affectionate to us both of us you see he says I never seem to have anything applied never brought home like I wanted never obtained the blessing never to really feel Jesus is precious to my soul my transport and my trust jewels to the gaudy toys and gold is sordid dust let us be honest friend is he mighty to save and in return you and

[8:25] I desire that he should take the first place in our affections oh it's so easy I find it so easy to forget him and I wouldn't forget him a minute if I could help it the least toy and you find this Jesus who is mighty to save you put him away in some corner it's true he speaks he says in this word he speaks in righteousness he'll speak to you sinner if you're a needy one he'll tell you that you are justified freely by his righteousness why because like Paul not having mine own righteousness what's it worth justified why while I was doing little house work this morning there was such a light shone upon it justified freely standing before a holy God without spot without wrinkle without any such thing through the merits of this dear son of his

[9:59] Jesus Christ who is mighty to save friends he's not only mighty to save he's willing to save far more willing to save than you and I are willing to be saved you think of your aggravated nature and mine too against him the one that has done so much he has brought you up out of that horrible pit from whence you would slip down in an unregenerate state think of it with the ungodly think of your companions think of your deeds think of your language think of the places where you used to go and he's mighty to save because he loved a sinner and a wretch like you you consider it tonight dear man he says I look to the hole he looked there he couldn't forget it some of you may say this is not me tonight it's not me now let us mind this let us mind that spirit of self righteousness where we would set ourselves on that stool or upon that perch you know where we say well

[11:19] I've never been in that condition but you know I've said many a time whatever place state or condition we are in we're all sinners and one sinner one sin friend is enough to damn a whole world into everlasting misery let alone one sinner we are sinners this has come home to me so many times all have sinned all have sinned and come short of the glory of God then that brings us on an equal place doesn't it before God now it is the same salvation the same power the same savior that will be needed to save the one who has been sheltered and preserved as the one that has gone headlong and determined to have their own fill of ungodliness the same way the same grace wonderful mercy isn't it wonderful love blessed grace free mercy sovereign it is from beginning to end when you consider this

[12:40] Jesus God's dear son who was willing enough to come down that he might save his people what from all their sins where's your hope what are you building on who are you building on where are your affections Jesus God's dear son wrapped in humanity for deeds that I have done I believe friends we talk about application but I believe the good spirit of God he applies this he applies conviction into our souls to such a degree at times that we have to say I am the man Lord I am the man haven't you ever had a view of your own self from the very time that you could almost walk I only sat at the tea table with our friend today and not long ago the Lord took me back from when I could begin to walk and that was when

[13:49] I was about four years old I can remember back there and he took me right through my life look look look my son look all through your life until my heart was broke before him do you know that that will make you want a mighty savior mighty to save is Christ the lamb willing to save he saves willingly but lovingly and he does it tenderly but he does it effectually it is by the shedding of his precious blood that these sinners are brought nigh unto God you think that a precious atoning blood of this dear Jesus that is your sufficiency friend to bring you that peace in your heart and mind between

[14:53] God and your never dying soul do you know it peace by his cross has Jesus made we believe and hope some of us have had a few moments here and there in this life where that peace so penetrated our soul's sorrows that we have been lifted above all the sorrow of sin and iniquity and also this to realize and to be made to realize we were the person concerned in it and Jesus was the one concerned in giving his life in becoming the sacrifice for his own dear people now where do you stand what have you got for a religion friends Jesus is a mighty savior helpless souls have here a friend he has borne their misbehavior and his goodness knows no end oh ye helpless come and on his grace depend have you ever been brought there dependent wonderful thing you know to be a dependent upon

[16:30] Christ isn't it you see you were an alien so was I by nature aliens rebels made sons and made daughters and these are made dependent upon their elder brother upon the great high priest upon the blessed advocate that every need every desire every prayer must ascend up to him and therefore they prove lord jesus all my springs are in thee because it comes from him he's mighty why is he mighty because he has an equality with his father you know some people want to deny this but they can't he has taught me this an equality even so the father says of him he's mighty the same and it pleased the father that in him should all fullness dwell and it hath pleased the father that he should have the preeminence friend there is the hope your hope your only hope this is the only one upon whom your hope should be built for salvation first and eternity heaven second you don't have it run the other way you have salvation first on earth they sin of his salvation on earth when they are blessed with this power of his mighty to say because he is one with his father the prince of peace the king of grace the friend of sinners he invites the poor and the needy into his banqueting house and he says come sit at table with your lord and eat celestial food and the sinner says what me lord me a wretched sinner like me and he says there it is my my child my son my daughter however great your need give me your heart let me your sorrows bear tis not your wisdom power or art can save you from despair how can you be saved by him there is none other name in heaven by which we can be saved you know friends we have not got enough

[19:21] Jesus Christ today this is our trouble it's enough plenty too much of material and such a little of Jesus it's true you know my hope my only hopes in thee oh Jesus Christ be merciful to me the poor man on the cross he cried to him have you ever had that cry put in your heart remember me remember me go about your work or your business and you look within don't you and however much room is there for this Jesus friends when I turn my eyes within all is dark and vain and wild can I deem myself a child

[20:21] I felt sometimes in my life you know that I could run away from myself haven't you and then you know you'd only run further from him wouldn't you you can't get rid of self you can't force yourself to Christ but how do you come you come in your ranks you come in your nakedness you come in your filth you come in your shame and you hear that blessed gospel invitation of his come unto me what for what for I am says Christ your glorious end I'm the one that gives salvation may we attention give the resurrection of the dead the life of all that live takes me back some years in chapel in Surrey one afternoon and the old deacon long gone to glory and he gave out that hymn and he said you know he told me in the dinner hour I've had six months of darkness and as if

[21:34] Jesus had been hidden away from me but he said he broke in with it I am says Christ your glorious head never forget it all those years back is he yours where is our salvation to come from if it doesn't come from him all our all our thoughts you know all our doings all our deeds all our chapel going all our prayers and bible readings and any conversation we might have let us see the sum and substance of all that is it Jesus is he in it friend does your heart desire that he should save you and that without any measure because you see without him we are lost lost not only ruined we're lost terrible thing to feel it experimentally

[22:38] I'm lost I'm lost I'm lost where can a sinner fly who feels their load of sin and guilt where why sometimes I felt there can't be any hope for such a sinner as me but he says there is there is maybe some of you will have this hope raised up in your latter end you may say I've been going going going to the house of God I've made some sort of profession and I've never felt the nearness of Christ the blessedness the reality of Jesus Christ like all your others you will friend you will he came to seek and to say that which was lost and I believe there's some here tonight you would almost feel you could part with your right hand to know that that was for you that he came on this earth to seek out you what did the good man say he came to seek us out and you and me the worst not offended are you we are taught right we shan't be offended by what the

[24:09] Holy Spirit teaches us there art the man there art the woman there art the child comes right home the need for Christ oh wretched man said poor that I am who shall deliver me this is the real heart cry of the people of God who shall deliver me from this body of sin and death who can deliver you this one who is mighty to save Jesus have you ever tried him friend to see if he listened to your poor cry have you we sang this at ordinance on Sunday I had such a confirmation of it too I said to the deacon going along the hymn for ordinance 447 pity a helpless sinner lord who would believe thy gracious word he said

[25:16] I was going to open the service tonight with that one spirit but oh you know I believe the lord led us a little pity me pity me lord here I am prostrate at Jesus feet prostrated because your own of your own sinful inclinations friends if we live to be 100 years of age we shall still carry that about in this body of sin and death that's the worst part other didn't it mighty to save what can he save us from ourselves ourselves ourselves our worst enemy our worst enemy never forget the dear old man years ago in a chapel down near the east coast and he said to me one Wednesday night he was about 94 and I looked at him I thought godly old soul I felt such love to him

[26:16] I said whatever must it be you must have one foot on the verge of heaven he said my boy if you live as old as I am you will find out the conflict is as great or greater then than it is now for you I don't mind telling you friends I felt as I could weep but I had to prove this it is a continual looking unto Jesus it is a continual coming back to Jesus it is a continual confession to Jesus what am I what am I don't you have to ask that what is he what think he of Christ what do we think of him friend mighty to save powerful and full of love tender and full of pity pity yes but compassionate when you find this working together even in an ordinary person pity love and compassion you know you say well that does look wonderful it's grace

[27:31] I should say grace a person shows that to another what of him all his graces you'll have to prove without thy graces and thy love I were a wretch undone we are we are oh if only I could preach him friend mighty to save so much so that he was lifted up on that rugged cross he was nailed there for sins not his own he took upon himself the form of a servant he endured suffering sorrow grief and shame and the hidings of his father's face and still he bid the dying look unto him are you feelingly in that condition as if you were dying without hope then he says look unto me look unto me and be saved all ye ends of the earth for

[28:34] I am God and there is none else beside me if you have a view of that friends at Calvary they led him away as far as to Calvary and they crucified him there not for his sins for yours we read it ordinance Sunday night what we have never read before a part of the second chapter of Acts where Peter brought the charge home to those people of old then you who with wicked hands have crucified and slain I said that's each of us in this chapel and it's the same here tonight at

[29:36] Huffington if we ever get to heaven friends it'll be by the merits of God's dear son who is willing to save sinners like us not the best the worst not to bring this and to say well now I don't want to get to heaven such and such a person is going to be saved this is wrong it's wrong I'm sure that's wrong the very worst of sinners Jesus came for who did he come to you think of that poor woman of Samaria poor thing but you know good man he said oh I don't want anything to do with her he found her out he must needs go through Samaria oh I wonder what our reaction would be if we ever came across such a character as that would we have to say oh

[30:39] I don't want anything to do with her he did Jesus did we believe he loved her we may well ask this question do we hope he loves us do we hope we have an interest in his precious blood one penned a verse something like this or a hymn not what we sing but it's gospel and truth and can it be that I should have an interest in the saviour's blood oh if the lord brings that home that inquiry that not only the verse but the words and applies them I want it settled lord mighty to save he can save in all sorts of places and he can save out of all sorts of conditions whether it is in grace for the soul or whether it is family or whether it is business concerns don't let us forget friends everything is in his hand one has put heaven and earth at his command he waits to answer prayer have you got children who trouble you have you got business affairs that trouble you he's mighty to save you try him friend there isn't anything under the sun that what

[32:19] I have at times had to take to him and beg of him here it is Lord here it is I am oppressed but oh undertake for me will he do it he did for he did for you my fellow sinner he will he will I say again you try in this poor sinner has tried him and the result has been this having obtained help from God I continue to this day Jesus has sustained he lifts up the light of his countenance upon you he bids you look does he not you may say I have seen him you may see him friend when he's revealed from the manger to the cross to his offices in heaven this night it's true and he's mighty to say

[33:23] I will remember once seeing him as he was a babe a child and I believe he was put in my arms of faith and for a few moments of time I nursed the king of glory in the affections of my heart and I felt this is he God's dear son it's he has he ever been shown to you you may say well I don't know quite what I'm looking for if you have the longings of your heart begun and the desires by the Holy Spirit let me put it in two words to you what will you be seeking and looking for this Jesus only doesn't matter about what people will think about your religion it is to be measured by the

[34:27] Lord by him by Jesus I once put this in someone's Bible that we gave to them Jesus make thyself to me a living bright reality now I hope tonight that is what the dear spirit of God will do for each of us whether you're at business of work pleasure whatever it's so innocent pleasure or wherever it might be in worship you may feel something akin to this I love the Lord because he hath heard the voice of my supplication therefore will I call upon him as long as I live friend if he's raised a hope up in your heart that he's done something for you and that something is this he gave himself for you and died for you and hung upon that cross for you and he by the shedding of his precious blood he put away your sin you tell him how much you love him you don't want these stones to cry against you do you nothing so sweet on earth as to feel a little love to this precious

[36:05] Jesus that's mighty to save and to feel I could tell to sinners round what a savior I have found to point to his redeeming blood and say behold the way to God while I was doing the washing yesterday morning in the kitchen there was a few moments when the preaching of this gospel was made so important so precious to my poor soul I felt Lord I can spend and be spent until I die in this cause of thine why because he's mighty to save oh if I've got one here tonight you're at the end of the road end of your tether and you have to say my hope is perish from the

[37:09] Lord turn again to the stronghold friend look to Jesus kind and strong for he has mercy join with power I hope you'll tell me our next visit he's come and he bless me amen