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[0:00] Trusting the Lord may help us each. Let us turn to the chapter that we read together, the 26th chapter in the Gospel according to Matthew, and verse 39.

[0:16] Verse 39. And he went a little farther, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me.

[0:39] Nevertheless, not as I will, but as Thou wilt. And it is especially this one word, Nevertheless.

[0:57] Oh, how we need that the Spirit might come, and open up unto us, what is manifested in this one word, Nevertheless.

[1:16] Nevertheless. As we consider the phrase that follows, not as I will, but as Thou wilt.

[1:35] This, nevertheless, brings before our minds, the purposes of the Father.

[1:46] And we read in the Scripture concerning these purposes, the sovereign decrees of Almighty God, according to the eternal purpose that He purposed in Christ Jesus.

[2:06] Now, when you consider that word, it is as though that there is but one decree, the eternal purpose that He purposed in Christ Jesus.

[2:22] And if you consider that these purposes that were purposed in Christ Jesus, yes, they have their part, their effect, in this time state, but that isn't the limit of them.

[2:53] The decrees of the Almighty set in motion all the planets after they were created.

[3:05] and that they are subject still unto those decrees, but there will come a time when those decrees are no more in effect.

[3:16] Then the Lord causes all that He has made, even as He has declared, to be rolled up, as it were, as a curtain.

[3:31] But you see, these decrees, this sovereign purpose, which He purposed in Christ Jesus the Lord, is effective and effectual upon every one of those that are His in this time state.

[3:48] But its fullness and its glory and its blessing is not temporal and temporary, it is throughout a never-ending eternity.

[3:59] O what wondrous things the Almighty hath purposed in His eternal purposes in Christ Jesus.

[4:17] and our Lord in this hour considers the will, the eternal purpose of the Father.

[4:33] And though bowed down, exceedingly sorrowful, even unto death, nevertheless, that eternal purpose which He purposed in Christ Jesus the Lord shall be, must be, accomplished, fulfilled, and perfected.

[4:56] I believe that when we read such a word as this, we can't just pass by for the Lord first made known this will unto men when He spoke in the Garden of Eden that there should one come forth of the seed of a woman who should bruise the serpent's head and he should bruise his heel.

[5:44] And there, the sovereign purpose which He purposed in Christ Jesus the Lord is manifesting. In a time of great darkness, in the midst of sin, hope shines like a jewel, like a brilliant light in the midst of that curse and condemnation that was upon all.

[6:15] And in this nevertheless, there is a fulfillment of that which God purposed eternally and first manifest in the Garden.

[6:30] And if you consider those things that are recorded throughout the Scripture, this eternal purpose in Christ Jesus the Lord is seen when the Lord was pleased to warn Noah and command him to build an ark.

[6:51] for if all mankind had been destroyed, where should He arise who must come from the seed of a woman?

[7:04] the eternal purpose which He purposed in Christ Jesus as the pre-eminence, all other things are subject to that eternal purpose in Him.

[7:18] If you think of Abraham, the Lord says, I call him alone.

[7:33] All the eternal purpose in that call, that solitary call to Abraham, the eternal purpose which He purposed in Christ Jesus the Lord. for it was by His seed, through His line, even through Isaac, that that promise was a set forth and amplified, declaring that in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed.

[8:06] The eternal purpose which He purposed in Christ Jesus the Lord. He spoke unto the prophets and He revealed unto them this eternal purpose.

[8:24] And Isaiah is moved of the Spirit so to declare for unto us a child is born. All the eternal purpose which He purposed in Christ Jesus the Lord.

[8:39] but it was not only in that respect that the precious glories of God's grace were manifested in those things revealed unto Isaiah.

[8:55] For He says, for unto us a son is given. God is given to us now we could spend the rest of the time and much longer going through all that aspect of what this word nevertheless opens up unto us.

[9:20] and equally all of those things that spring forth from this nevertheless. consider consider that this nevertheless shows unto us the perfect oneness of the Father and the Son.

[9:49] it also shows unto us that willing obedience of the Lord Jesus Christ the offering of that perfect life where alone our salvation hangs.

[10:12] If there were no nevertheless here you'd have no hope and neither would any have any hope for there could be no disobedience to the Father's will.

[10:33] And the hymn writer beautifully sets forth the mainspring in the heart of the Lord Jesus as he says this nevertheless how willing was Jesus to die that we poor sinners might live but consider that it was love unto the Father as well as love unto the sinner for that oneness that love which they bear one to the other is something that every one of the members of that mystical body shall be brought to know for he declares that as the Father loveth me so have I loved you.

[11:30] you. I want to pass on because these things are very sweet and precious but there are many many aspects of this word that I want to try and bring that it might be a comfort and an encouragement as we see the foundation that is laid for us by this nevertheless in God's word we read nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure having this seal the Lord knoweth them that are his now this is the

[12:34] Lord's nevertheless it's the Lord's seal and if you and I are concerned for our never dying souls these things are important unto us that whereby the Lord is pleased to nourish us and strengthen us you see it isn't what you know or there may be those who like Saul of Tarsus thought they knew everything and there are those in the day in which we live who equally suppose that they know everything and they go about and they teach or encourage or draw or deceive whichever way you like to look at it men and women after them for they say lo here and lo there they declare they declare peace where there is no peace and also it isn't a matter of your works or your abilities the foundation of God standeth sure and it stands in his knowledge not in your knowledge the Lord knoweth them that are his now I'll read to you two portions of scripture where in these things are confirmed our Lord speaking unto the disciples said

[14:32] I am the good shepherd and know my sheep and am known of mine and again in the eighth of Romans for whom he did foreknow he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his son that he might be the first born among many brethren moreover whom he did predestinate them he also called and whom he called he also justified and whom he justified them he also glorified what shall we then say to these things if God be for us who can be against us dear friend we need such a foundation the foundation upon which all his children are founded is in his knowledge love in his love in his grace in his mercy in his kindness toward us through

[16:05] Jesus Christ our Lord we need to be very thankful that it is so because if it were dependent upon anything in us whether of knowledge or any other matter just think we may have a certain thought in ten minutes time we can have forgotten it it can have gone right out of our mind we are not able to retain even that which we know and then consider how little we know there could be no ground of comfort or of hope if it were dependent upon our knowledge and so

[17:09] I believe that as we consider that ground which the Lord has left us and has said before us he said I know my sheep and have known of mine now wherein is it possible that his sheep know him only in as much as he comes and he seeks them out for he came to seek and to save that which was lost now dear friend has the Lord sought you out think of where he sought Jacob out in a waste howling wilderness is that where he met with you and me there's one thing certain there was nothing fruitful in us or in our circumstance respecting eternal life when he came unto us only barrenness only fruitlessness only destitution but when he comes and these things are revealed so that we know and feel them he has made himself known we may not always recognize or know that it is he that hath wrought this in us but he says in the prophets behold and it is well for us to lay hold upon the beholds of the word as well as the neverthelesses of the word behold

[19:28] I will allure her and bring her into a wilderness place apart you see it's not in wrath that he drives her into this place in love in compassion in pity he draws he allures yes it's an unpleasant place a wilderness place and if the lord has met with you and me I'm certain of one thing he will leave us with no complacency respecting our state before him he'll discover unto us the barrenness of our heart the barrenness of our works and of our profession oh we may have a name but a name is not the foundation which God sets before us in the truth the foundation is in his knowledge the lord knoweth them that are his and he comes and he causes them in that revealing of himself to know themselves you see he said when he draws and lures into that wilderness place apart the purpose the end and the consequence is that he speaks unto a heart and

[21:04] I'm sure we are all familiar with the 40th chapter of Isaiah comfort ye comfort ye my people set your God and that's what it is when he speaks to the heart it is for comfort not comfort after the manner of men but comfort according to the knowledge of God and the eternal purposes that he purposes in Christ Jesus the Lord I want to refer you to a nevertheless that is in psalm 106 because the nevertheless which our Lord himself uttered in prayer before the father alone makes this nevertheless possible we read we have sinned with our fathers we have committed iniquity we have done wickedly our fathers understood not thy wonders in

[22:31] Egypt they remembered not the multitude of thy mercies but provoked him at the Red Sea even at the Red Sea nevertheless he saved them for his name's sake that he might make his mighty power to be known dear friend except our Lord had uttered and walked according to that nevertheless that is the will and sovereign purpose of the father in all its fullness there could never have been uttered those words wherein the living family of God have hoped and rested and pleaded throughout the generations it was only as that eternal purpose was fulfilled in him that there is mercy unto sinners in this same psalm again we read many times did he deliver them but they provoked him with their counsel and were brought low for their iniquity nevertheless he regarded their affliction when he heard their cry and he remembered for them his covenant and repented according to the multitude of his mercy oh dear friend to see and know and trust that though they by nature pursued after that which was evil yet the

[24:55] Lord's hand was outstretched to them to do them good you know we often sing of God's grace but all it's impossible for us to know the depth the extent and the fullness of that grace but I believe we are brought to understand in some measure that if it were not all of grace we should everyone perish you see when the psalmist speaks here many times did he deliver them but they provoked him oh dear friend do you know what that is to be chastised because of many provoking and the chastisement must of necessity grieve but the

[26:21] Lord's purpose in these chastisements were to bring them low and if the Lord's children are brought low by whatever means these chastisements swallow up rebellion and oh how we need them to be brought low again and again and again because there is a rebellious spirit in every one of us by nature and we bear it about with us all the days of our lives it may be in many forms but nevertheless that's what it amounts unto you know Jacob says my way is passed over from my God oh he rebelled against the circumstances in which he was found and he chastised

[27:28] God because of his forgetfulness oh what rebellion against him who gave his only begotten son that mercy might be given unto those that provoked him continually who rebelled against his love and his mercies but nevertheless he regarded their affliction when he heard their cry you see he brings them down in love that eventually they will cry and he will regard them thinking about this evening there were two lines of a hymn and at first

[28:42] I couldn't establish the words exactly but then they came thy willingness to save thy seed is as they stand in Christ their head you see it's the foreknowledge of almighty God it's his knowledge it's his purpose and I believe the apostle Paul exalted in the wonders of that grace for he said blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ Jesus according as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and without blame before him in love now that foreknowledge that eternal purpose in

[29:53] Christ Jesus could never have been affected by ought say Father Son and Holy Ghost for there was nothing else and it was there in those determinations in great mercy in boundless love that these determinations respecting a people a remnant who should be saved from their sins and that Christ by that perfect obedience should procure their salvation that these neverthelesses in

[30:57] God's word might be left to be a cordial to be refreshing to be a strength unto those that are tried when you read that 106 psalm if we by natural judgment judge Israel we'll say they were a vile lot but when the Holy Spirit comes and teaches us what's in our own heart when the Lord searches his people with his candle we know what a vile lot we are but there's a nevertheless and the glory and the blessedness in that nevertheless is in those things that Christ declared not as I will but as thou wilt you know that

[32:00] Asaph was a man who sought to follow after the Lord and he fell into a snare he says in the 73rd Psalm for I was envious at the foolish when I saw the prosperity of the wicked and you know sometimes where the Lord's people are found in trial and in affliction not only in body but in spirit came to have to have it you see

[33:22] Asaph here it says for all the day long have I been plagued and chastened every morning oh what a help a smile would have been a smile from the Lord and he sees others going about and they're content they're happy they're satisfied they lack nothing and then he says until I went into the sanctuary of God then understood I their end you see he was made to see the corruptness of his own heart as though God could be unjust oh dear friends sometimes when tribulations bear us down there is that in us that says why or is it fair is it right we can't understand the

[34:33] Lord's dealings but he leaves us in his word accordial in his neverthelesses and so Asaph was brought to understand the mercy of the Lord respecting himself and his righteousness and holiness in justice against the wicked and he said thus was my heart grieved and I was pricked in my rain so foolish was I and ignorant I was as a beast before thee as though there can be anything other than holiness and righteousness and love and mercy in the

[35:34] Lord's dealings with his people for they stand in Christ Jesus their head he delights in them as they are found in him and he has put them in him the Lord knoweth them that are his and so the nevertheless that was left respecting such as Asaph is this nevertheless I am continually with thee he's brought to see that foundation the foundation that is from before the foundation of the world the union that he has made between the church and Christ the eternal purpose wherein they shall stand holy and unblameable in love before him and he says thou hast holden me by my right hand the Lord has never let him go you see we sing a hymn and it is precious once in him in him forever thus the eternal covenant ran you see this nevertheless has procured all covenant blessings in Christ

[37:19] Jesus the Lord may he further teach us and instruct us and nourish and comfort us that irrespective of what we may come into some by our own foolishness his mercy his grace and his love is unchanging and surely this nevertheless that Christ has spoken here nevertheless not as I will but as thou wilt gives unto us a view of the ground whereupon we may draw nigh unto God and since my Saviour stands between in garments dyed in blood tis he instead of me seeing when I approach to God that's what that nevertheless means that's what it sets before us and if you and I desire sincerely spirit led and spirit drawn to draw nigh no matter how vile how ignorant how foolish how rebellious there's a way made and Job perceived his need of this days man but he declares in the view and the glory of that view though worms destroy this body yet in my flesh shall I see

[39:22]  God because of this nevertheless for I know that my Redeemer liveth may the Lord have his blessing Amen