Isaiah

[0:01] Seeking our Lord's help, I direct your attention this morning to the prophecy of Isaiah chapter 26 and reading verse 3. The 26th chapter of the prophecy of Isaiah and the third verse.

[0:18] I will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee because he trusted in thee.

[0:31] I will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee because he trusted in thee.

[0:42] There are a number of words in this text that rest upon my mind.

[0:53] The first one is the word key. The second is peace. And the third is trust.

[1:05] And they relate to the immortal souls of God's dear people.

[1:19] When we consider the first word, keep, we are brought to consider the watchful eye of God.

[1:37] I have been reading a lot lately the 121st Psalm. It has rested with a savour and sweetness, especially that verse in the centre of it.

[1:53] The Lord is thy keeper. The Lord is thy shade upon thy right hand. There is a necessity that we be cared.

[2:07] We are wanderers. We are fallen sinners. And our natural bent and propensity is to sin and evil and to this world.

[2:23] And there is also another aspect of the necessity of being kept. And that is we have an enemy.

[2:37] Satan. 20th century looks in mockery at him. But it is most remarkable that in this evil century, when we have witnessed the solemn holocaust, and we see in our own land today the solemnities of wickedness and evil on every hand.

[3:10] Sin, sin which God's holy word openly condemns and calls an abomination, is condoned by our leaders and our rulers.

[3:26] God's holy word is turned aside and ignored in all its simplicity. And we live in a most monstrous world of wickedness.

[3:40] No different, incidentally, to any other generation. But it does seem in our day that Satan is indeed going about as a roaring lion.

[3:53] Sin is no longer sin in the eyes of the godless world. Sin is no longer sin in the eyes of the godless world.

[4:27] To and fro throughout the earth. And they are. The signs of the times are all about us. And the other great sign, of course, there shall be a great falling away.

[4:39] There shall be a great falling away. And Satan is going about as a roaring lion throughout the world and throughout our land.

[4:49] I say this in the light of our text. Kept. Oh, to be kept. Beautiful word.

[5:03] They will keep him. Keep him. We need a divine arm to keep us.

[5:13] A intervention in our lives of God himself. And when we look at this beautiful word, kept.

[5:28] We see that at root it speaks of the new birth. Sinner is never kept until he is brought to have his ears opened.

[5:44] To hear the voice of God. To know the mighty divine power and influence of the call of God. The Lord spoke of this in his own day.

[5:58] In beautiful simplicity he said. To his dear disciples. Blessed are your ears for they hear. That was so simple.

[6:09] He didn't. Mean they were deaf. Naturally he meant something vastly different. The hearing ear.

[6:23] In the work. Of the new birth. Regeneration. That hearing ear divinely given. That enables a sinner.

[6:34] To hear the voice of God. And to know. What the scriptures speak of. The call of God. The divine call of God.

[6:49] Whom he did for know. He also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his son. And whom he did predestinate.

[7:00] Then he also called. The call of God. The mighty. Divine. Sovereign. Call of God.

[7:11] It is the. Initial step. In God's work. In keeping. His dear people. Have you.

[7:25] Heard. That call. Are. To the. To the.

[7:35] Voice. Of God. Can you. Mark. The place. Where he called. You. And spoke to you.

[7:46] Have you known. That. Mighty. Call. Of God. Scripture. Scripture. Speaks. Of it. Again. And again.

[7:59] It speaks. In the case. Of the young. We're told. So distinctly. I used to read it.

[8:09] To my children. When they went to bed. At night. In fact. Often. As I was reading it. To them. They. I would leave.

[8:19] A word out. And they'd put it in. The passage. I used to read. To them. Regularly. Was. The call. Of Samuel. And that.

[8:34] Word. Samuel. Did not yet. Know the Lord. And the Lord. Came again. And called. Samuel. The. Third time.

[8:46] And Eli. Perceived. That's a beautiful word. There was. Dear old Eli. His sons. In disarray. And defiance. And disobedience. About to be cast.

[8:58] Into eternity. Without hope. And Eli. Perceived. That the Lord. Was calling. The child. Oh what a. Work that was.

[9:10] As the Lord. Called Samuel. He didn't yet. Know the Lord. But the Lord. Was calling him. And he called him. The third time. And Eli. Perceived. The Lord.

[9:21] Was calling. The child. Is God calling you. Has he called you. Has he called you.

[9:31] The third time. He doesn't. Call. Necessarily. With an audible ear. That we can hear. Do not think.

[9:42] Of anything. Fanciful. The Lord's voice. Can be solemnly. Heard. In calling us. In circumstances. The Lord. The Lord.

[9:54] Called me. In solemn circumstances. When I look back. One of his. Calls. Was a motorcycle accident. When I was a pillion passenger. And the motorbike.

[10:04] Went head on into a car. And I came out. Unscathed. Alive. And did not hear. The voice of God. It was. I was deep in the world.

[10:15] At the time. Deep in the world. And he called. And I didn't see it. Not even. That I'd come. Face to face. With eternity. Thrown into the middle.

[10:26] Of a main road. With buses. And all around me. And he called again. And he called. The third time. The second time.

[10:39] Was on a hospital bed. Desperately ill. With a virus. Brought into most solemn circumstances. With a man dying beside me. And I prayed and prayed.

[10:51] The Lord called. He brought me apart. But I went back in the world again. When I got better. Didn't listen. The Lord called. This is the.

[11:02] Beauty of this word. Kept. Oh how. We see. The hand of God. Watching. Keeping.

[11:13] His dear people. He sees them. In the. Solemn paths. Of danger. And sin. And defiance. And rebellion. And he puts forth his hand.

[11:25] Around them. And watches over them. He does indeed. And then. He came again. And calls. The third time. And the third time. It was scripture.

[11:37] With great power. Come out. From among them. Be ye separate. Touch not. The unclean thing. I tell you this. Had he not called.

[11:48] As he did. In my life. In that hour. Way back now. In 1952. In 1952. I wouldn't be here to die. I'd have been gone.

[12:00] Into the world. Probably married in the world. And gone right away. From the house of God. I was heading that way. Rapidly. Having set my heart.

[12:11] On hypocrisy. To attend the house of God. On the Sabbath. And do what I liked. In the week. Go deep into the world. God. No.

[12:21] He called. To honesty. To bring me. To his feet. And to bow. Before him.

[12:33] And I never forget. When he called me. And brought me to my knees. To bow. Under a solemn realization. The voice of God. Had spoken in my life.

[12:45] That I. Turned to his holy word. And one day. And out by my bedside. When that. Word here in scripture. In the 17th chapter. Of the prophecy of Jeremiah.

[12:56] Came. So powerfully to me. Blessed. Is the man. That trusteth. In the Lord. And whose hope.

[13:06] The Lord is. The Lord laid it. As a sacred. Divine principle. In my life. I've learned it. Again and again.

[13:17] And need it. Constantly. Here. Then. In our text. Is a beautiful word.

[13:28] Can you trace. It in your own pathway. Have you been kept. God. Perhaps. There are those of you. Here this morning. Who have never been left.

[13:39] To wander in the world. Never been left. To leave the sanctuary. God. Never been left. To go out. Deep into the world.

[13:52] And yet. You do not see it. Perhaps. It is different. And yet. It is the same.

[14:03] God. That has kept you. God. God. When we see. The apostle Paul.

[14:13] And Lydia. Come face to face. We see. A remarkable work of God. They were both kept.

[14:25] The apostle. In his. Violent. Hatred of the truth. Remarkably kept. By the power of God.

[14:37] And. Lydia. In her quiet. Attendance. At the wall of prayer. Why. The Lord. Saw she needed keeping.

[14:49] And sent. This. The apostle. Who he had remarkably kept. To her. Directed him. Crossed the sea. To the very place.

[14:59] Where she was. And we read. Of the way. In which she was kept. Lydia. Whose heart. The Lord opened. How different.

[15:12] Was the keeping. Of Lydia. To the apostle Paul. The apostle needed. His sight. To be taken from him. He needed. A mighty light.

[15:22] From heaven. To bring him to his knees. He needed a. Mighty divine. Voice of God. Calling him from heaven. Lydia.

[15:36] Needed the Lord. To open her heart. To listen to the gospel. That he preached. It was the. The same. The same. The same. The same.

[15:48] Great keeper. Of his people. That kept her. Gently. Kept her. From. Wandering. Into forbidden path.

[15:58] Brought her. To Christ. So. We see. The. Nature. Of this truth. They will keep.

[16:13] How far. Were you left. To go. Before the. Lord. Put his hand forth. In your life. I laid.

[16:23] A. Dear godly man. To rest. About six years ago. He'd gone. From. His home. At the age of nineteen.

[16:34] And he died. At the age of ninety. And he wandered. Until he was seventy. Left the truth.

[16:44] And his godly parents. But. God hadn't. Left him. All through those. Many. Fifty years. Of wandering. Outside the churches.

[16:56] God. Had set. His divine. Will. On keeping him. From going. To a never ending. Eternity. Of darkness. And death. And brought him out.

[17:07] At the age of seventy. To himself. And I've seen others. Some lately. I've watched. The hand of god. Calling out. Late in life.

[17:19] After a long life. Of absence. From the house of god. In the world. And in disobedience. And to see. The hand of god. Keeping them.

[17:30] Oh. Here we see. The beauty. Of this truth. Regarding the. The thief. Upon the cross. They will keep him. Kept him. From.

[17:41] An eternity. Of darkness. And yet. He is a remarkable case. He was. With the other thief. And they both.

[17:52] Threw it in Jesus face. Thou that savest others. Save thyself. We're told. They threw it in his teeth. Yet. In the darkness.

[18:03] Upon the cross. From the third. To the ninth hour. We have the most. Remarkable sight. Of the thief. Canned. By the power of god. And all the keeping power.

[18:16] That we. See there. As. The lord. Brought him. Into that. Simple place. To ask. Promise.

[18:27] Was this. From Christ's own lips. Ask. And ye shall receive. And he asked. Lord. Remember me. When thou comest.

[18:38] Into thy kingdom. And he had such a. Sight of Christ. This man. Has done nothing amiss. We indeed justly. This man.

[18:48] Has done nothing amiss. Lord. Remember me. When thou comest. Into thy kingdom. And we see. The arms. Of Jesus. Go about him.

[18:59] In the. Shape of a. Glorious promise. Today. Thou shall be with me. In paradise. The hymn writer.

[19:11] Says this. Ransomed. Healed. Restored. Forgiven. Who like thee. His praise. Shall sing. And we see.

[19:22] The. Dying. The. Kept. I will. Keep him. What. Do you know.

[19:34] Of the arms. Of your God. About you. When Moses. Came to die. He had. A glorious. Confession. To make.

[19:46] In that. Thirty-third. Chapter. Of Deuteronomy. He says. There is none like. Under the God. Of Jeshurun. Who rideth. Upon the heaven. In thy health. And in his excellency. Upon the sky.

[19:56] The eternal God. Is thy refuge. And underneath. Are. The everlasting arms. Kept. In the ark. Of the bulrushes.

[20:08] Kept. As he was put. Into the arms. Of Pharaoh's daughter. Kept. In the court. Of Pharaoh. Esteeming. The reproach. Of Christ.

[20:19] Greater riches. Than the treasures. In Egypt. Kept. In the face. Of all his rebellion. And unbelief. The burning bush. And throughout the desert. Kept.

[20:31] To a dying hour. He had in his heart. Locked up. A beautiful promise. My. Presence. Shall go with thee.

[20:42] And I will give thee rest. It regarded a. Never ending eternity. And the dear. Servant of God. Was. Kept. To that day.

[20:53] When he could truly say. Underneath. Are the everlasting arms. It will be nothing to do with you or me. When we look at this beautiful word.

[21:05] We see this. It is divine sovereignty. Thou. Wilt. Thou wilt. Oh it's the beauty of that lovely word.

[21:18] In Christ's prayer. Which concluded the last supper. Father. I will. That those whom thou have given me. Be with me where I am.

[21:32] Huffington. Echoes. To the saints of God. That have gone to glory. You are compassed.

[21:43] With a cloud of witnesses. I sit here and look. At these plaques on the wall. And I knew them. And loved them. They left behind them.

[21:53] A precious memory. And I think of them. As I travel here. Different ones. Old Albert Jenkins. I was thinking of him. As I came here this morning. The dear ones.

[22:06] Who have worshipped here. And left a precious savor. Behind them. They are gone before. The church. Triumphant. And the church.

[22:17] Militant. Is utterly undivided. She is. One in Christ. Unbroken. Parted but.

[22:29] For a season. The day is fast coming. When all of her. The entire church. Triumphant. For gathering glory. And she will sing.

[22:39] The. Anson. That. Relates. To her keeping here below. Unto him that loved us. And. Washed us.

[22:50] From our sins. In his own blood. But to come to the. Second. Word in our text. They will keep him in. Perfect peace.

[23:02] Beautiful word. That. Lovely hymn. That has been composed. Around this. Verse. Of scripture.

[23:13] Speaks again and again. Of this peace. Peace. Perfect peace. In this. Dark. World of sin. The blood.

[23:23] Of Jesus. Speakers. Peace within. Peace. Perfect peace. Death. Shadowing us.

[23:34] And ours. Jesus. Has conquered death. With all its power. Peace. Perfect peace.

[23:45] Our future. All unknown. Jesus. We know. And he. Is on his throne. Peace.

[23:57] Perfect peace. With thronging. Duty is pressed. To do the. Will of Jesus. This is rest. And when we come to.

[24:09] Look at this. Blessed peace. My mind went. To this. Christ. As he went to Calvary.

[24:20] Said. My peace. Peace. I leave with you. My peace. I give unto you. Beautiful peace.

[24:34] The peace. Of Christ. And you know. It centers. In one thing. The peace. Speaking. Blood. That is where it centers.

[24:46] The peace. That Christ. Left. Was not. Freedom from trouble. He said. My peace. I leave with you. Not as the world. Giveth. Give I unto you. In the world.

[24:57] Ye shall have tribulation. Don't expect. Peace. Below. The peace. I leave with you. Is peace. In your heart. And the peace.

[25:08] Of heaven. But not. Freedom from trouble. In this world. Oh. This. Peace. That. Christ. Left. With his dear.

[25:19] Disciples. You know. When he was born. In Bethlehem. Judah. The days of Herod.

[25:33] And the angels came. To the shepherds. Over the hills of Bethlehem. We have the. Remarkable utterance. Of those angels. As Christ.

[25:43] Entered this world. And the utterance. Was this. On earth. Peace. Good will. Toward men. Now.

[25:56] It was. A divine utterance. Of the angels. It was a statement. Of fact. It was not.

[26:06] The expression. Of a hope. Or a wish. It was the statement. Of a fact. It said this. On earth. Peace. And what they were saying.

[26:16] Was this. On earth. Christ. The eternal son of God. That's all they were saying. The great peacemaker. The great.

[26:27] Healer of the breach. Between God and men. Was here on earth. The. Division. Was between God.

[26:39] And. Fallen mankind. Mind. And mankind. Was at war. With God. And God. Was putting forth. His hand. In the presence.

[26:49] Of his dear son. In the manger. Of Bethlehem. To work. A mighty work. On Calvary's cross. Which would bring. Peace. Between God.

[27:00] And his dear church. And end that conflict. And all here we see.

[27:11] How it was done. The solemn nature. Of that peace. On Calvary's cross. The prophet Isaiah. Says this.

[27:22] The chastisement. Of our peace. Was upon him. And the meaning is this. The chastisement. That's the punishment. Which produced.

[27:34] Our peace. Was upon him. We see it in Zechariah. Awake. O sword. Against my shepherd. And against the man. That is mine equal.

[27:44] Smite the shepherd. The chastisement. That fell upon Christ. Produced. That peace. Between God. And sinners.

[27:57] Oh the. Word here. That will keep him. In perfect peace. When we look. At this peace. Let us never.

[28:09] Lose sight. Of what. The price was. To produce it. The cost. He who went.

[28:20] To Calvary's cross. Went. To bring. To bring. His dear church. To the peace. Of heaven. And to bring them. To the place. Where the apostle Paul.

[28:31] Came to. When he said. Lord. What will thou have me to do. It was peace. No longer at war. Now.

[28:42] Brought. To the peace. Of obedience. And submission. In the street. Called straight. To wrestle. With his God. In confession. Brokenness.

[28:54] And contrition. Of heart. And to receive. Into his soul. The peace. Speaking. Blood. Of Jesus Christ. So that he could. Truly say. For me.

[29:04] To live is Christ. And to die. His gain. He knew. Peace. Between his soul. And his God. Do you want it? My peace.

[29:18] I leave with you. My peace. I give unto you. Have you ever known it?

[29:32] It's an unutterable peace. It is the peace. In which. All fear is taken away. All guilt.

[29:43] Is removed. When that precious. Fountain of Christ's blood. Is poured into our hearts. Then. There is a peace.

[29:56] Of God in our souls. Which passes all understanding. That will keep him. In perfect peace. Oh when we consider this word.

[30:07] In the light of Calvary's cross. We see the way. The eternal son of God. Had to go. And we mark. The nature of sin.

[30:18] In the magnitude. Of the remedy. Nothing short. Of the eternal son of God. Incarnate.

[30:30] Who made this world. The word. Without whom. There was not anything made. That was made. Made flesh.

[30:42] Came to Calvary. There to offer that. Vicarious sacrifice. Sacrifice. For sin. And we see this.

[30:54] Nothing but the blood. Of the eternal son of God. In its perfection. And its holiness. Could ever. Bring about.

[31:05] That peace. And. Mark this. It is a perfect peace. It is. A peace.

[31:16] Which the scriptures speak of. As reconciliation. That is. The atonement.

[31:29] Christ. And. God and. Sinners. Reconciled. Through the. Finished work of Christ. All to know.

[31:41] That. Glorious atonement. The apostle speaks of it. In the fifth of Romans. He says. Regarding Christ. By whom we have. Now received. The atonement.

[31:54] All to know. That. Reconciliation. And the other aspect. Of it is this. Propitiation. Propitiation.

[32:05] Propitiation. Is the removal. Of wrath. If we. Act. In terms. Of. Propitiation.

[32:17] We. Go. To appease. And to remove. Wrath. And conflict. And. We read.

[32:27] That Christ. Is the. Propitiation. For our sins. And. Not for us only. But for the whole world. That is in time.

[32:38] Throughout. Every generation. In the church of God. In every nation. Kindred. Tribe. And. And. We see the extent. Of that. Removal. Of the wrath of God.

[32:49] Against sin. He. Is the. Propitiation. For our sins. And it is at the center. Of this peace. Oiti.

[33:00] Lying. Beneath this peace. Is this glorious doctrine. Of the atonement. In which. Christ. Reconciled. His church.

[33:10] To his father. As he. Bore. Their sins. In his own body. On the tree. And his father. Was satisfied. What.

[33:21] Evidence. Have you got. In your soul's. Spiritual experience. That. On Calvary's cross. Your sins.

[33:32] Were laid. On Christ. I tell you this. There is only one evidence. You can possibly have. And that is this. When God. The Holy Spirit.

[33:43] As you are brought. In confession. And godly sorrow. To the mercy seat. When God. The Holy Spirit. Extends. To you. The scepter of mercy.

[33:54] In the peace speaking. Blood. Of Jesus Christ. And your soul. Is washed. Christ spoke of it. He said. He that is washed. He did not.

[34:07] Save to wash his feet. And he is clean. Every wit. And ye are clean. Through the word. That I have spoken. Under you. The peace. Of God.

[34:18] Is to be known. In the souls. Of his dear people. They will keep him. In. Perfect peace. It is perfect. It's divine.

[34:30] There is no other peace. In this world. The dear. Saints. Of God. Chained. To the stake. Dear Cranmer. And Latimer.

[34:40] And Ridley. At Oxford. Dear Tyndale. At Bilbaude. In Belgium. In their day. And many others. Of lesser fame. Who died.

[34:52] Knew that peace. Cranmer knew it. As he placed his hand. In the fire. And held it there. He knew. The unutterable peace. Of the redeeming.

[35:03] Love and blood. Of Christ. And he was about. To enter. Into the fullness. Of that peace. When his. Sufferings. Were ended. Here below. Oh.

[35:14] How. In the reformation. The glorious truth. Of the atonement. Was revealed. Not.

[35:24] In the wafer. I've watched it. Those in the hospitals. I've seen the very act. Having the priest. Put the wafer in their mouth. And dying. Resting on a piece of bread.

[35:36] No. There's no hope. There of heaven. It is to rest. In the atonement. The finished work. Of the redeemer.

[35:47] To rest in Christ. In Christ. Himself. We rest in no carnality. The reformation. Opened the eyes. And took away the blindness.

[35:57] And showed the glorious. Nature of this truth. Our Christ. Will keep him in perfect peace. Whose mind is stayed on thee. Why?

[36:08] Because he. Trusteth in thee. We come. Finally. To this beautiful third. The word trust. Trust. Do you trust.

[36:21] In Christ? Do you know what it is. To trust in him? Underlying this word. Is the.

[36:32] Blessed. Gift. Of faith. Beautifully spoken of. By the apostle Paul.

[36:42] In the opening. Chapter. The 11th chapter. Of. His epistle. Of the Hebrews. By faith. We believe. That the world. Was formed. By the word of God.

[36:53] So that the things. Which are seen. Were not made. Of the things. Which do appear. We look. At a world. Like the Himalayas. The mountains.

[37:04] Which appear. To be of great age. They have the hallmark. Of the handiwork. Of the ancient of day. But what are they?

[37:16] They're made in a day. Just as Christ. Made the. Wine. The best wine. At Cana of Galilee.

[37:27] Out of water. So he made. Those mountains. To carry. All the hallmarks. Of his great hand. As the ancient of days.

[37:37] And his dear people. By faith. We believe. That the worlds. Were made. By the word of God. They do. That is faith.

[37:49] And you see. By faith. The wars of Jericho. We don't need. We don't need. Archaeological excavations. To tell us.

[38:00] That the wars of Jericho. Fell outwards. We believe it. By faith. God's holy word. Says it. Believe. In the author. By faith.

[38:12] And you believe. In his holy word. Oh. What is faith. It is a. Blessed. Gift. Of God. God. We are told.

[38:24] In this. Epistle. To the Ephesians. Faith. Is the gift. Of God. Has God given you faith. Simple. Humble.

[38:35] Living faith. To be. In able to rest. In his truth. And rest. In your God. And trust. In his word. You are needed.

[38:46] In a dying hour. When all around. My soul. Gives way. He. Then is all my strength. And stay. Faith.

[38:56] Is a. Blessed gift. It enables the. Sinner. To rest. And find. This peace. In his most.

[39:07] Trying hours. Here below. And to. Leave. All his cares. In the hands. Of his God. And the prophet.

[39:18] Isaiah. Goes on here. To. Elaborate. On faith. Trust ye. In the Lord. Forever. He says. For in the Lord.

[39:29] Jehovah. Is everlasting strength. Have you. Proved him. What. Answers. To prayer. Have you got. Locked up. In your heart.

[39:42] That Christ. Is God. Says. That in him. Right. I can. Average. And for his people. Cares. For I have prayed. To him as such. And he has heard.

[39:53] My prayer. Simple faith. Age doesn't come into this. Dear David. The sweet.

[40:04] Psalmist of Israel. Prayed to the Lord. In his youth. About matters. Which were. Purely. Providential. And yet. He carried them.

[40:16] As a sweet. Hallmark. And divine testimony. Of his God. In his heart. The Lord. That delivered me. From the lion. And the bear. He shall deliver me. From this Philistine faith. Precious faith.

[40:29] That will keep him. In perfect peace. Whose mind. Is. Stayed on thee. Because. He. Trustes in thee. The world laughs.

[40:40] The world mocks. It ever will do. But the child of God. Carries in his heart. A. Glorious treasure. A precious home.

[40:53] Founded. On the sweet. Sacred. Simple. Gracious. Experience. Of his God. He has trusted in him.

[41:06] And can truly say. My hope. My only hope. Is in thee. I have nowhere else to flee. Oh God. Be.

[41:17] Merciful to me. They will. Keep him in. Perfect peace. Whose mind. Is. Stayed on thee. Because he. Trusted in thee.

[41:30] Oh. May you be led. To follow. The. Blessed exhortation. That follows. This verse. Trust in him.

[41:43] Trust in him. You are. Surrounded. By. Acclaimed. Witnesses. Who trusted him. Fear God.

[41:54] Fearing parents. Trust in him. Forever. For in the Lord. Jehovah. Is. Ever. Lasting strength.

[42:05] Amen.