Luke

[0:00] As the Lord may be pleased to help me, friends, I will direct your attention to Luke's Gospel, chapter 24, verse 38.

[0:15] And he said unto them, Why are ye troubled? And why do thoughts arise in your hearts?

[0:28] The 38th verse, the 24th chapter of Luke's Gospel. And he said unto them, Why are ye troubled?

[0:41] And why do thoughts arise in your hearts? It is the resurrection, friend. And we've considered, talked about the crucifixion recently.

[1:00] But what would the crucifixion mean without the resurrection? The dreadful sufferings of Christ, what would they accomplish unless he had risen again?

[1:19] Oh, what a God we have. A God of wondrous condescension. A God of eternal purpose.

[1:33] Who decreed a people to be saved with an everlasting salvation. The way according to his own determined purpose.

[1:46] Not man's will. But the decree of a triune Jehovah. The fullness of satisfaction to be given to infinite justice.

[2:03] Payment for sin. By the blood of the eternal Son of God made flesh.

[2:17] The way an eternal purpose, it was accomplished. But man must know.

[2:28] Not just hear about it. Man must be brought into full knowledge.

[2:40] There was a resurrection. Men saw him die. Men must see him alive.

[2:50] This God, my friends, has a people who shall be intimate with knowledge.

[3:02] Not hearsay. Not theory. Never to fall under it being a myth.

[3:14] But all must know Christ died. Christ rose again. And so this God, at that time, the eternal purpose, the death of Jesus, and the resurrection, he made known to men, salvation was accomplished.

[3:41] The words we have before us tonight, my friends, I believe, are words decreed, by the Spirit of God, to remain until time is no more.

[4:01] For the people of God will enter into these same experiences as those disciples did at the time of his resurrection.

[4:14] There will be troubled hearts. There will be exercised minds.

[4:25] But the very essence of it at the onset will be, have I an interest in these things?

[4:36] The same question will be put by the same God, by his Spirit. For my friends, there is a perfect unity in the Godhead.

[4:54] There is no division between God the Father, God the Son, God the Spirit.

[5:05] Three glorious persons, but one God. And this word spoken by Jesus to his disciples, as they discussed the events of their time, and turned over in their minds, that which they hoped was to come about, as they set it before Jesus, before they realized it was him, that they had believed that this man was to redeem Israel.

[5:43] These same questions will rise in the hearts and minds of his dear people, right to the end of time, and the Spirit of God will bring these questions up.

[6:04] Oh, it is good to know, my friends, that the work of salvation doesn't belong to man. That the power is entirely of the living God.

[6:20] That he has a people, and that they shall know they belong to Christ by purchase. So tonight, the Lord will help me once more.

[6:37] My desire is to open up these words to us, each of us. Why are ye troubled?

[6:49] This question will most certainly arise, if our hope is a good one. And that hope, that we have an interest, not only in the crucifixion, but in the glorious resurrection of the Son of God.

[7:12] Why are ye troubled? Lord, the character who will enter into this experience, is a sinner saved by grace.

[7:27] And at the very onset, as in all my discourses, I must say again, you must have an interest, or else hell will be your eternal portion.

[7:43] It is so seldom set forth today, the deep necessity to be right in the sight of God.

[7:54] There are so many who are satisfied with a letter of religion. To have the truth in one's head, it isn't satisfactory, friends.

[8:09] There is a need to be to have it seared in the heart, and that doesn't come from any natural ability to imbibe the truth.

[8:22] It is the writing in the heart by the very finger of God. And at the commencement, it ever will be, sinner.

[8:38] There will be a convincing of your sin. May well be, over the years prior to this, there has been a setting under the sound of truth, an understanding in the head of the need of mercy, an accepting of the only true and living way, precious Christ.

[9:11] But that way, often this character has looked aside, backwards and forwards, and seen other sinners.

[9:25] Not himself. The Lord won't have that. His dear people are made up of individuals, every one of them chosen vessels of mercy, and every one of them loved individually with an everlasting love.

[9:48] Each shall know the truth. And that truth will be applied by the Spirit of God. First then, to convince of sin.

[10:03] Why are ye troubled? My friends, I know a little of this, the opening, convincing of sin.

[10:16] I know a little of what it is to be troubled with regard to it. I remember the time I joined the church.

[10:27] This seemed to stand out so deeply in my heart. So much trouble over sin. Was I convinced sufficiently of it?

[10:42] Had I been brought under the law? Had God convinced me of that real need of Christ?

[10:53] Why are ye troubled? Have you walked this way? The Lord God, having begun a work, continues the work.

[11:11] As he convinces of sin, so he deepens that work. He opens to the sinner's understanding.

[11:25] He has a heart that is deceitful above all things, desperately wicked, and with a depth that no man shall ever tap to its fullness in understanding.

[11:41] Hence the word, who can know it? The Lord brings his dear people into that understanding according to his sovereign will.

[11:58] He gives them to know they are vile. He brought you that. Why are ye troubled?

[12:09] If the Lord has brought you into that place, he hath shown the remedy. The Lord God does not convince a people of sin and send them to hell.

[12:27] He convinces them of sin because he has an eternal appointment with them in heaven. One day they shall be with Christ in glory.

[12:45] He shows them the remedy, the precious blood of his own dear son. That fountain open for sin and uncleanness.

[12:59] And he leads them to their fountain by the power of his spirit. He gives them understanding that no natural learning will ever bring them into.

[13:17] He teaches them true humility. He brings them into a willingness to be nothing that Christ shall be in their hearts all and in all.

[13:37] He brought you there. Why are ye troubled? Tossed about about it. My friends, when the Lord brings his dear people then into this knowledge of sin and reveals the remedy, the fountain of Jesus' precious blood, he makes application of it.

[14:06] This God reveals to his dear people the power, the efficacy of the atonement for he speaks peace to them.

[14:23] Why are ye troubled? As yet, not entered into the fullness of it? Is this your case?

[14:36] As yet, do not feel so certain as to be able to say, I'm clean, just God, I'm clean.

[14:50] A sovereign God goes step by step and gives them such an exercise of heart that they walk in the experience of Jacob of old.

[15:12] I will not let thee go except thou bless me. Why are ye troubled? The question, my friends, is being spoken to you if you've come this way.

[15:34] Because without a doubt the character here here is one who shall see Jesus without a cloud between, one day shall be swallowed up in his everlasting love, shall know the fullness of eternal bliss.

[15:59] why are ye troubled? My friends, this character is assailed again and again by Satan.

[16:16] Satan knows the children of God. How does he know them? behold, he prayeth.

[16:27] This is the reason. The children of God can't live without prayer. Can you?

[16:40] Why are ye troubled? the question again and again rises up in the heart of a child of God.

[16:55] The Spirit of God sets that question there. The reason for the trouble is because again and again Satan makes accusation.

[17:09] It's an experience for the world know nothing of. The work of God is perfect. He convinces of sin.

[17:21] He leads to Jesus and his precious blood. And by his mercy he satisfies all the sinner needs.

[17:36] He manifests forgiveness. Satan attacks. This character in the time state will never be holy in his flesh.

[17:51] Still carries about with him a wicked deceitful heart. Still utterly consumed his fleshes with sin.

[18:04] Contaminated throughout through the fall and by practice. He consists of utter weakness. No ability to keep in the right way in his own strength.

[18:21] Though the Lord hath revealed unto him the condemnation that belongs to his holiness for sin.

[18:32] Yet he cannot withstand the shafts of the adversary. Again and again he's troubled.

[18:46] Am I right? Am I in the right way? Is this God my God? Do I love the Lord?

[18:58] Do I love his ways? Is my religion real? Why are ye troubled?

[19:09] Is this your pathway sinner? God because now just for a few moments I'm going to show the foundation of your hope.

[19:23] God the Father in that eternal purpose of love set aside a people before he had formed the world.

[19:37] Before he had created man in the divine purposes of love he set aside a people to be saved with an everlasting salvation.

[19:53] In his great foreknowledge he knew though Adam was to be created in a natural righteousness to be perfect coming from the hands of a perfect God yet in the foreknowledge of God to a scene man would utterly ruin himself.

[20:20] Created with a free will that free will was to turn to the ways that were an abomination in the sight of a holy God.

[20:34] yet he loved the people. He set aside a number in that divine purpose of election gave them to Christ his own dear son.

[20:55] He saw in him all that his holy soul required. Full satisfaction in the fulfillment of his holy law.

[21:08] Full satisfaction to the demands of infinite justice to obliterate sin in this people in payment by his one great sacrifice his holy death.

[21:30] death that death on Calvary's tree. This people have a foundation friends that can never be removed.

[21:48] In the fullness of time the co-equal co-eternal son of God came into this lower world born of a woman under the law made flesh and blood without sin.

[22:04] He came in the full knowledge he was to be made a scapegoat. He was to carry the sin of the whole church of God.

[22:21] Your sin my sin tis essential friends to take hold of the enemy is quite satisfied of people settling down in presumption accepting the letter of truth satisfied with head knowledge.

[22:51] knowledge you must take hold in knowledge experience having communion with this God through Christ.

[23:10] Real things these are friends. The dear redeemer buffeted by man and devil in the time state came ultimately to that dreadful place of Gethsemane.

[23:33] Dreadful though sacred their place of living communion the manhood of Christ with the living God his father.

[23:52] He sweat as it were great drops of blood in that experience of living communion real prayer the indicting of the spirit in his manhood these things are real they belong to living truth.

[24:21] He shed sweat as it were great drops of blood in that depth of petition pleading with the father that he should be helped to finish the work the manhood of Christ his sufferings who can tell that taking hold of the living God the necessity of it for the work must be completed given into the hands of wicked men as they took him in the garden taken before Pilate accused before a human judge permissive will of God not the will of Satan the eternal purpose of God that his own dear son should satisfy all his holy demands payment for sin your sin the dear redeemer was taken by wicked hands and scourged they laid great wheels on his dear back with those knotted whips it was done for you for me t'was the will of the father it pleased the

[26:12] Lord to bruise him he hath put him to grief tis the unchanging word of God the indicting of the spirit the word of the living God it pleased the Lord to bruise him Pilate would have released him Pilate found no fault in him no doubt the enemy was in Pilate's heart while Pilate no doubt a man of ability fully believed Jesus was innocent yet Satan then would have overthrown the work of God had it been possible but Jesus must die they attacked

[27:16] Pilate told him he was no friend of Caesar's for Jesus had made himself a king they said they had no king but Caesar they played on Pilate's fears he gave him to be crucified it was the permissive will of God the eternal purpose of God Christ must die for sinners for you he hung on that cursed tree at Calvary his sufferings no human tongue will ever fully be able to set forth the dreadful wounds in his hands and feet the dreadful agony of his heart for sin was laid upon his dear back your sin sin my sin

[28:32] God the father hid his face darkness prevailed my God my God why hast thou forsaken me but there came that time of deliverance it is finished here's the foundation friends sin put away forever the whole sin of the church your sin my sin there is therefore now no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus the whole church of God saved with an everlasting salvation

[29:36] Jesus finished the work his father had given him to do there was to be the resurrection without the resurrection my friends there would be no heaven he rose again ah there is that sweet account in another of the gospels when Mary went with the disciples to the sepulchre that clear account Jesus had arisen the tomb was empty but Mary waited the purposes of God Jesus must be seen of Mary a weeping Mary longing to find her Jesus the purposes of God must stand he made himself known

[30:51] Mary she would have embraced him her love was so great her love was so great her love was so great master touch me not for I have not yet ascended unto my father but go to my brethren and tell them I ascend unto my father and your father to my God and your God the resurrection then there followed in that account his appearance before the disciples Thomas unbelieving Jesus determined to make himself known Jesus appearing the second time Thomas brought to that place by revelation my Lord and my God here we have the account in our chapter the disciples on the road to Emmaus after the crucifixion after the resurrection

[32:12] Jesus appeared to the two disciples on the road to Emmaus the purpose of it to make it abundantly clear Christ must die to set before them it had been recorded by the prophets this was the purpose of God salvation through grace in that dreadful crucifixion the dear son of God but the accomplishment was to be a full salvation he appeared to them on the road to Emmaus he opened up the scriptures to them then he stayed with them a short time as he break bread they recognized him he disappeared but he came again for they made record to the other disciples of that which had taken place there was still unbelief

[33:36] Jesus appeared again his words to them why are ye troubled and why do thoughts arise in your hearts behold my hands and my feet that it is myself handle me and see for a spirit hath not flesh and bones as ye see me have oh what wonders there are in this great salvation our text tonight speaks to you my friends for the children of the living God will again and again be brought into this place why are ye troubled and why do thoughts arise in your hearts for if you write my friends you'll be found amongst that people poor and afflicted

[34:44] Lord of thine among the great unfit to shine you'll be found amongst that people recorded by God himself I have set in the midst of thee and afflicted and poor people and they shall trust in the name of the Lord you'll be troubled my friends many many times while you're in this time state as to whether you're right or not the foundation we've set forth tonight is a foundation that can never be moved it is the work of the living God it is to assure a people entering into glory in the appointed time that in that great day when he gathers together all his jewels there will be one glorious triumphant church and twill be made up of sinners saved by grace you'll be amongst them will you why are you troubled then what is there in your pathway children of the living

[36:12] God walk alone you'll walk in your own pathway sinner you won't be able to lean upon an arm of flesh you won't be able to say why he's right and I'm right too because my case is the same as his nay there will be from time to time evidence is you're traveling the same pathway but Israel shall walk alone the children of the living God will have a pathway peculiar to themselves and from time to time it will trouble you for it will be in your heart if not in your mouth how can these things be did ever man traverse such a pathway as I do did ever man a chosen vessel of mercy ever enter into the things that trouble me did ever a chosen vessel of mercy have a heart like I've got desires like I've got not toward

[37:38] God but absolutely the reverse why are ye troubled all why do thoughts arise in your hearts Jesus lives poor sinner he sits on the mercy seat tis why from time to time your poor heart cries out Lord help me it does doesn't it tis why from time to time my friends inexperience it is with you this poor man cried and the Lord heard him and delivered him out of all his troubles at the time troubles will come again tis why my friends time to time you've seen the crooked place is made straight and the rough place is plain tis why you've been able to press on when the mountains have risen so high in front of you you didn't know how to take another step but you've gone on and the mountains have come and been brought down to plains because

[39:12] Jesus lives because he has almighty power in the courts of heaven and because you poor sinner are loved with an everlasting love the eye of the Lord is upon you why are ye troubled why do thoughts arise in your heart tis the permissive will of God it's a strange way friends the Lord hath recorded through his servant Isaiah I will bring the blind by way that they knew not lead them in paths they have not known yet make darkness light before them and crooked things straight these things will I do unto them and not forsake them why do these thoughts arise in your hearts with such a

[40:24] God as this it is the permissive will of God that it should be so my friends because while you are in the time state there will be proven again and again the heart is carnal and enmity against God the Lord will turn you upside down he'll chasten you for turning out of the way if any man say he has no sin he makes God a liar you prove that friends the Lord won't let you walk in that way I'm holy I'm righteous I've nothing to fear the Lord will bring you into intimate knowledge of the cost of your salvation he'll keep your soul alive what a strange way it is though it is the reason for this question why are ye troubled why do thoughts arise in your hearts because the natural mind contaminated with sin the natural reason contaminated with sin can never understand this glorious way of salvation it can never accept the words of

[42:08] Jesus if any man will be my disciple let him take off his cross follow me my friends the way to heaven is the way of the cross the way to heaven will be a rugged way but there will be the fulfillment of his precious word the eternal God is thy refuge and underneath are the everlasting arms he will confirm again and again that word he spoke to the children of Israel as they journeyed through the wilderness to Canaan thy shoes shall be iron and brass and as thy day so shall thy strength be why are you troubled why do thoughts arise in your heart because again and again it is how can these things be why am

[43:24] I thus if the Lord loves me why is the enemy permitted to have such power over me why am I left again and again to the wretchedness of my wicked heart the human mind will never understand the mind of God but the word declares and you will experience it again and again by these things men live and in all these things is the life of your spirit it will finish that it will be to Hezekiah's experience thus will thou recover me and make me to live it's by these things by these again and again seemingly troubles that are going to destroy you it brings you to the footstool of mercy brings you to a precious

[44:38] Jesus enables you to take hold of him because you walk in the same experience as Peter did where else can we go there's nowhere else but Jesus he keeps your soul alive and in keeping your soul alive he opens again and again to your understanding none but Jesus can do me a helpless sinner good it is my friends that only way whereby he'll make you to live and that life is in Christ alone it is the eternal purpose of God to bring his dear people ultimately into full conformity with his own dear son a precious

[45:47] Christ why are you troubled having loved his own that were in the world he loved them unto the end why do thoughts arise in your heart when you feel to be bowed down with sin the purposes of God are eternal this people shall be my people and I will be their God he cannot deny himself how precious is the word of truth as faithful as he is faithful if we believe not yet he abideth faithful he cannot deny himself and he's left on record for the comfort the consolation of his dear people those experiences of

[46:57] Paul to cry out as he did oh wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death yet to open his eyes even in the midst of that to say I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord that same apostle was able to say in the full knowledge of it having therefore begun a good work in you he will perfect it until the day of Jesus Christ he won't change his love towards you sinner love for trouble so many times with your back slidings your unfaithfulness your undeserving feeling that he won't turn back he never will say depart from me

[48:01] I never knew you for he knew his dear people would be transgressors from the womb he didn't choose his people because they would be better than another he chose his people because he loved them why are ye troubled? Jesus lives why do thoughts arise in your hearts?

[48:40] he ever lives to make intercession for sinners saved by grace he waits on the mercy seat against your coming sinner and he has the authority and the power to demand mercy, forgiveness, full salvation it will be with regard to you these are they which came through much tribulation and have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb it is a glorious gospel sinner a crucified yet risen Jesus he loves with an everlasting love and he's written your name in his own heart's blood can never be erased by man or devil he waits against that day when he shall take you over that dark river safe in his sweet and precious arms lovely Jesus lovely Jesus can't you say it?

[50:16] how sweet the name of Jesus sounds in a believer's ear it soothes his sorrows heals his wounds and drives away his fear and the Lord and his blessing his name is the heaven of Christ Lord and his blessing Lord and his blessing his name is the heaven of Christ