John

[0:00] As the Lord may be pleased to help me, I direct your attention to the 12th chapter of John and reading verse 20, the 12th chapter of John, verse 20.

[0:40] And there were certain Greeks among them that came up to worship at the feast.

[0:50] The same came therefore to Philip, which was of Bethsaida of Galilee, and desired him, saying, So we would see Jesus.

[1:13] The background of our subject this morning, and I say just a little, we read here that these men were Greeks.

[1:28] And oftentimes, in those days, that anyone that was not of the Jewish race, they called a Greek.

[1:40] It was equivalent to them as being called a Gentile. Often the difference was that when one that was a Gentile had become a proselyte, or had accepted the Jewish race, then they were not one of us exactly, but he called them Greeks.

[2:05] The Greeks were notorious for their study. No mark against them. I would to God that we too were like Greeks today, or like the Bereans, who searched the scriptures to see if these things were so.

[2:28] Friend, never, never point the finger at scorn at any who has a better knowledge of scriptures than ourselves.

[2:42] But I say much more so. Or should we not indeed admire and adore the grace of God, where the scriptures are not only a knowledge in the head, but are life and matter in the very soul.

[3:02] And so it would seem that these men had heard of Jesus, but they had not seen him.

[3:14] There may be some here today who say, well, yes, I have heard of Jesus, but I have never seen him. I'm sure of this, there were many that had heard of Jesus, and would not have bothered to see him, had no interest to see him.

[3:36] And so that is so today. But what a mercy, friend. If you can say this, sirs, we would see Jesus.

[3:47] We would not only know of him by the hearing of the ear, but ought to be able to say like Job, but now mine eyes seeth thee.

[4:03] And how do we know the difference? Why, as Job said, wherefore I abhor myself, and I repent in dust and ashes.

[4:18] I believe, friend, there is much knowledge of sin today, but how little conviction of sin, and how little convincing of sin, whereby the soul does need a saviour.

[4:37] And who but Jesus Christ can save a poor sinner from their sins?

[4:47] Sirs, we would see Jesus. And I say, where is it, wherein is Jesus to be seen?

[5:00] As I was reminded yesterday, that one was the life and testimony of Jesus Christ to her unbelieving husband.

[5:17] Friend, we would see Jesus then in our self. Either is in our walk, our conduct, and conversation.

[5:30] And can you say that with regards to yourself? But I say, what a mercy. If this drives you to the throne of grace, Lord, we would see Jesus.

[5:47] I would see Jesus being born out in my life, in my walk, and talk, and talk, oh my conversation.

[6:01] How often, everything seems so far off, and so remote from that. We would see Jesus, why that he might be glorified.

[6:16] I'm sure of this. What happened, the truth that we read of concerning Lazarus, must have spread abroad throughout the Jewish nation, or throughout Israel.

[6:35] Why? And so much so, that the priests and the Pharisees were very much alarmed, and they did not want to see Jesus.

[6:50] Why? My friends, because they wanted to be the chief among the people. Their style, and their suave nature, that the people might admire.

[7:09] And you know, the day in which we live, there is plenty of that abounds to die. And what is it, I say?

[7:20] Why, it's robbing God of his honour and glory, and setting up our own self with our own self-importance.

[7:32] Yes, but what do the people want to see? And how oft times you fear that such people gain and gather a great following.

[7:48] But let me warn you, let me tell you this, that will never take your poor soul to heaven, no it won't.

[8:00] We need, friends, Jesus, and he alone can take our soul to heaven. It is Jesus and Jesus alone that can do helpless sinners' good.

[8:17] And so, I say, in the sad day in which our lot is cast, when we see Zion, as it were, falling apart, men, seeking the praise and the applaud of men, and doing anything that they might gain pleasure points with them, my friend, Jesus Christ is set at naught, is completely put on the back burner, as it were.

[8:55] Oh, it there but only a simmering knowledge, an idea of the truth. I say, we would see Jesus, yea, in the foremost and forefront.

[9:12] We would see Jesus, my friend, active in our hearts and in our life. that we may see Jesus having the preeminence over everybody and everything else.

[9:29] My friends, what a mercy, oh, when that is so. I went to preach at a chapel recently, why, it was at Rochdale where there's two good men of the past preached, they wanted to see Jesus.

[9:55] Mr. Warburton, John Warburton, followed by John Kershaw, but I say, are things different there?

[10:07] What will make a difference, I say, in such a place as that? It is one thing and one thing only, and that is we would see Jesus there.

[10:21] And we're not just talking about Rochdale, we're talking about Providence Chapel, Rotherfield, and so we may look around everywhere else, friend, without Jesus, it's nothing but bare boards, is it not?

[10:42] It's deadness, it is inert. it may be filled with people, but friends, if Jesus is not saying that people, I say, are sinking, sinking down into never ended hell.

[11:03] Friend, forced religion, yes, indeed, is very popular today, yes, a vain religion, that is only imaginary, we would see Jesus, that is a real religion, we would see him, friend, as the sinner, we would see him standing in the sinner's place and stared, we would see Jesus.

[11:38] Oh, the word tells us so clearly and I believe I preach from that word somewhere but now ye must be born again.

[11:52] Born again, if we can gain grasp the idea in our minds that this present birth that we possess is not good enough, the present life that we live naturally is not good enough but is condemned already under God's most holy law.

[12:17] Therefore, we would see Jesus. It is he, I say, that can lead us and teach us into the truth.

[12:30] Yes, oh, how the day in which we live we've heard it more than once recently in print and verbally what we need today is an academic religion of preaching.

[12:51] Well, that will so suit the mind and heart of those who can grasp it but those I say who are unable to grasp it it will leave them behind.

[13:05] But you know, my friend, we would see Jesus in the preaching of the gospel but there was no preaching so simple and so basic and fundamental as that of Jesus Christ.

[13:25] Friend, there was no flattery with Jesus was there. He said unto Nathanael behold an Israelite indeed in whom was no guile for there was no guile in the Lord Jesus Christ.

[13:48] And so he was not flattering Nathanael one little bit but surely he beheld in him like he saw those certain Greeks he would see Jesus.

[14:06] Friend, he was a searcher of the scripture was Nathanael Jesus saw him under the fig tree.

[14:18] Remember this if the Lord has in thy heart a desire to see Jesus for thy soul salvation then be sure of this the Lord has put it there and the time will surely come when you shall surely sigh not only did he shed his blood but it shall say for me yes oh sirs we would see Jesus now I want to come and gather my point up here a little bit there is a band there is a people that truly cry and say sirs we would see Jesus not only the bright and brilliant but from all walks of life all walks of life yes those in home the

[15:29] Holy Ghost has quickened into divine life and I say this whoever and what you are if you are quickened into divine life this will be your desire sirs we would see Jesus and it could be said if we can't see Jesus we don't have no more dealings here if we can't see Jesus we don't want to know anything about your activities or any about your leisure and pleasure as you might call it and we would see Jesus it's a great mercy friend if you're brought here I would see Jesus that I might follow him that I might follow him but when we think of it when

[16:38] Jesus was here upon us he was not distinguished by his dress he was surely distinguished by his power and authority those men that sought him they didn't know who it was visually that they were looking for but I believe this they looked they knew who they wanted to see yea him who has power to save him who has power to give life I go a step further he who has power to forgive and pardoned my sin surely then it is the poor sinner that would see

[17:38] Jesus like the good man in the parable that Jesus set for us he smote upon his breast and said God be merciful to me a sinner but the Pharisee he had all he wanted he got everything he thought that was complete but my friend when it would come down to the judgment day he got nothing if that's all he possessed in his religion friend what religion have you got to live upon and to die upon and to face your creator in the great judgment day I say blessed be that soul who is deeply concerned and so concerned that brings them looking and searching for

[18:47] Jesus that they might join with the apostle who said that I might know him and the power of his resurrection I say sirs we would see Jesus so then let us come to this point of the convinced and convicted sinner and they will surely be found and drawn from all walks of life kings and paupers alike poor and rich beggars and the affluent my friend all alike they come to this one point because they are convicted of their sin sir we would see

[19:52] Jesus some might go to man and say tell me that I am a child of God tell me that my sins are forgiven and so those whom they go to may willingly oblige but friend there's no truth in it is there it will not be valid in the day of judgment but surely in the day of judgment it shall be said of self righteous and proud souls as that who have a form of religion but not the power of it depart from me ye cursed I never knew you I never knew you friend sirs we would see Jesus that we might be to know him and the power of his resurrection friend

[21:00] Jesus can only make a change and he can only make that alteration Jesus said of him as in the parable that this man went down to his house justified rather than the other and how could he be justified my friend only by the precious blood of Jesus by Jesus Christ himself by Jesus Christ conveying himself to them so as we would see Jesus are they that seek Jesus said shall find they shall find sinner as the Lord made you a seeker in the depth of your conviction then there is hope and good reason that the day will surely come when he will you shall see him face to face without a veil between when you shall hear him say son thy sins shall be forgiven thee sirs we would say

[22:33] Jesus are those souls that are convicted those in what are they convicted by they are convicted by the law of God for the law declares the man that sinneth shall surely die if we do not recognize the law we will not desire to recognize Jesus Christ God's law is holy God's law is good God's law my friend will ever ever stand and the soul that is convinced of his sin by the Holy Spirit will surely believe so they'll be found like the the

[23:35] Israelites when they sat in their houses dressed and ready to go and heard the wailing of the Egyptians because of the visitation of the angel of death in their house they would look to the precious blood of the Paschal Lamb sprinkled upon the door post and the lintel of their houses ah my friend so would we be found there sitting and looking and say so as we would see Jesus who suffered bled and died for poor sinners we would see Jesus of him who came into this world so to suffer and said

[24:40] I have power to lay down my life and I have power to take it again surely we would see Jesus here as our comfort because my friend through sin we are powerless but Jesus Christ through his blood and righteousness he is all powerful did he not speak unto his disciples when he arose again from the dead with those wonderful words I think the 18th verse in the 28th of Matthew all power is given unto me in heaven and in us all power ah my friend we would see

[25:47] Jesus who has all power men may seem to appear to be very powerful but when they come into certain places and conditions they find they haven't got a power that will meet those conditions and therefore they are not powerful at all and the hand of death will take them and seize them and they'll have no power to resist it but my friend we would see Jesus who is all powerful friend he raises up the sinner that is dead in trespasses and sins to believe and do remember this true believing is two fold oh yes it is believing first that we are sinners and worthy of eternal life and worthy rather of eternal destruction yes that the wages of sin is death but it is also again believing that the eternal life to be found through

[27:26] Jesus Christ our Lord now our poor nature has such a power over man he will not believe this oh no I'm not as half as sinful and as bad as that but friends we would see Jesus who is all powerful yes he convinced the sinner of his sin and lifts him up by believing and giving and giving him that good hope through his death his resurrection and ascension now into heaven friend we would see Jesus oh we would see that precious blood which has power as a power to atone for sin I say what have we got to atone for our sins what is there that atonement to that we might be reconciled again to God why this is the power of the atonement isn't it the blood of the

[28:51] Lord Jesus Christ it cleanses us from all sin it cleanses us from all sin my friend is there some poor soul here today who sees their sins like a great mountain range or full of sin and a witness against our state and condition that we are worthy of eternal destruction so as we would see Jesus Lord we are still living and are on praying ground we would see Jesus as our hope oh did not the hymn writer say if unto Jesus thou art bound a crowd about him will be found attending day and night and that crowd does create darkness doesn't it distress and lamentation but I say we would see

[30:12] Jesus it is Jesus alone my friend that is that great and glorious light that can pierce through the deepest darkness I believe that to be very so I know it to be true where no other light can reach us no other comfort and the darkness seems to grow more and more intense our state and condition seems to get worse and worse some might say you have indeed a solemn illness upon you you need to see a physician ah my friend we need a physician that is true we would see Jesus who can heal and restore us from all our sicknesses all our maladies all those things that bring condemnation are upon us those things which are objectionable in the sight of almighty

[31:33] God those things that cause the poor sinner to cry out behold I am vile yes we would say Jesus my mind turns to that dear woman who did have that disease did she not and she suffered from it those many years and sought many many positions and how did she get on she grew worse and worse do you know that feeling to grow worse and worse she may have been advised to go and try another position but that was no use because she spent all that she had and you say that's just like me

[32:41] I've come to the end of the road I've got nothing left I've come down to bedrock bottom my hope is built on nothing less than Jesus blood and righteousness so my friend we read that that dear woman she saw Jesus did she not in the crowd she identified who Jesus was oh we do need Jesus to be identified to us that we might know who he was have we not on occasions mistaken people and address them with a name that does not belong unto them and oh I say how foolish we feel to be when we have done such things as that

[33:45] I say but shall we address Jesus with a name that does not belong unto him we would see Jesus as he is in his name and that is the friend of sinners God's own dear son whom God descend into this world to save from eternal ruin we would see Jesus we would identify him as such for surely he is the one thing needful and that dear woman she saw him and she declared he was the one thing needful by saying this if I may but touch his clothes I should be made whole friend

[34:46] I believe this when we see Jesus then we are humbled under his almighty hand if pride and arrogance fills our hearts if we want indeed to parade ourselves and to make ourselves well known there's something basically wrong with our profession for the true profession lies here we want to see no one else but Jesus and talk to no one else but Jesus we want to touch none else but Jesus and I go a step further we want Jesus to touch us I say how merciful Jesus was to that dear woman for when she saw that she could not be hid then she came and told the one whom she saw as the saviour of sinners she came and told him all and in her confession friends it was this that she believed in him that could heal and cure and save her

[36:16] I say how much more so the sinner that feels the iniquitous mess within of all his sin and shame and thus who is found crying so we would see Jesus as our Lord and as our saviour it would appear that these men have been told by somebody of Jesus and it is good for us to listen to what others have to say of Jesus as they have seen him to rejoice with those that do rejoice but I say the soul that is alive and that knows his own sadness and iniquity will want to have that experience themselves that's no strange desire is it that possesses your very heart

[37:34] Lord Jesus come and speak to me thyself tell me that my sins are all forgiven and that I am born of God so we would see Jesus I want to come to another aspect of this the desire in their heart drew them away it drew them away and I believe that is a good condition when that exercise is in our heart to draw us away when we are brought to that place to cease from man from every man and that is to say sir we would say

[38:35] Jesus you know the conflict that broke out amongst the Corinthians in the house of Chloe some believe that this was the great man and that was the great preacher of the day and Paul was not at all impressed by this no he makes known that every man in the office of the ministry will have to do his own work and it's only made good as Jesus blesses it he wants to see nothing else in the ministry than this he was not interested in Peter Cephas Apollos or Paul but is determined to know nothing among you save

[39:37] Jesus Christ and him crucified sinner are you guilty of this setting up one man over against another but I'm sure it could be said that we have all been guilty of this in some way or another but will that make good conversation will that make a good friendship good company no but sirs we would see Jesus when every man is nothing indeed but Christ is all in all amen