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[0:00] Good hand that my God upon me, I will speak from the same text as this morning, the tenth verse in the third of Philippians, that I may know him, the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his suffering, being made conformable unto his death.

[0:43] This is a solemn text to have laid on your mind, and this is a solemn text to have laid on your mind.

[0:55] I will speak to you this morning, it was in my life, under the ministry of God's sermon, the first sermon that I heard.

[1:13] You know what I mean by that. And you can tell that I've never forgotten it, can't you? And also, I have not wanted to forget it.

[1:29] It has been the map of my life. But it has been a solemn map, path, that many, many times have I feared for those things which it contained, often because I failed to understand what they really meant to me.

[2:06] when it came to such things as fellowship with him in his sufferings.

[2:21] As I said, I often regarded it as pain, body. So it was.

[2:33] But, oh, how sweetly sanctified. Comes to my mind of that memorable occasion in hospital some years ago when I was forbidden any drink after operation.

[3:05] In the evenings, the sister went off duty. I did beg her for a drink. And she gave me a glass of water.

[3:28] And she said, two sips at a time and no more. I've never seen such a glass of water as that.

[3:49] Nor have I ever tasted one like it. But in the morning, when there was an improvement, those words came to me with such sweet power.

[4:11] I thirst. I understood then why it was necessary to tread that little salt pathway that I might really know the pangs of service.

[4:34] That what was so beautiful in it was that it led me to the Lord Jesus. I wasn't left to any thoughts of the self-pity.

[4:45] criticise the medical authority. It led me to the word of the Lord Jesus. I wasn't left to any thoughts of the self-pity.

[4:59] Criticise the medical authority. it led me to the word of God.

[5:15] That is just one. But a very blessed one. And I could tell you others, and so could my deacon here, of that memorable occasion when I lay upon an operating table for a hold hour under the stress, pain, anxiety in the morning those words came to me with such sweetness, suitability again who endured the cross that was all but it was the word of God.

[6:22] I had no complaints. My spirit was quiet quiet but the beauty of it was that it led me to the word of God and it led my deacon here to the pathway of public profession after some six months when I preached from him.

[6:59] the word of God. Now, this is what I mean. I fellowship with him in his sufferings.

[7:12] We cannot expect, do not expect that we shall be lacerated with thorns pierced with nails that we shall be in a word crucified.

[7:34] But if your sufferings lead you to a sweet meditation and a profitable outcome of the sufferings the sufferings of the Lord Jesus the Lord Jesus here you'll find that I have found and set my seal to it before God that I rejoice that I came out of those trials far more than I am born to pain suffering and inconvenience.

[8:30] So look for these things in a spiritual setting where the flesh is crucified where the flesh is crucified where nature shrinks at where the word of God is abundantly fulfilled so my dear young people do not fear the pathway of tribulation the pathway of the pathway of discipline it is not self-destructive it has in it the peaceable fruit of righteousness for those who are exercised thereby this is gain

[9:40] I spoke this morning of love this is gain I humbly triumph in these things now as I have been enabled to triumph in the blessings of the past few weeks here is victory and victory through one only not the stoicism of human nature and the gritting of one's teeth and the saying oh it will work out alright but rather a leading tool a fellowship fellowship with the Lord

[10:54] Jesus Christ in his sufferings now you will see and believe that I am sure that many things come under this heading reproach Saint Christ in the psalm hath broken my heart this is suffering for Christ's sake woe unto you when all men speak well of you reproach reproach has broken my heart in a lesser sense and I have had to endure hatred and preach in front of those whose faces were black black with anger and would look out of the window rather than look at me their bitter hatred and I have seen it inexpressibly solemn in the end when such have been brought to a dying bed in too unfit a state for anyone to go near them exceedingly solemn but who controls these reproaches there are so many places for reproach home is the hardest

[13:07] I reproached at home how hard it is for you a trial that some of us through mercy have never known Job was reproached at home curse God and die said his wife reproach that enters in to the very closest link of nature must indeed be bitter reproach in the family the odd sister or the odd brother laughter a finger pointed at them ostracised reproach for whose sake because they've turned awkward because suddenly they've imbibed some strange religion yes maybe but is it for Christ's sake this is gain gain gain oh you say be careful what you say aren't you because you are coming very close yes oh be careful reproach in the very bosom of the family among your own kiss and kindred but look how universal it has been in the church of God why it is the path of the long cloud of witnesses and if you have never suffered reproach reproach you cannot possibly enter into the reproach for Christ's sake when this gain comes and this strength is given and this fearlessness and this willingness is given to stand alone and be a

[16:21] Daniel then you will be brought to that place where you will only have one ear into which to pour your breath and you will not pour it there with a spirit of pride and satisfaction and saying Lord I'm bearing this for your sake rather will you put it in the form of a question Lord is it for thy sake is it for thy sake is it for thy sake is it for thy sake most gladly therefore says the apostle will thy glory in my affliction now here is hidden away the power of the resurrection look to these circumstances

[17:28] I have named another son and I have in the glory in my affliction now here is hidden away the power of the resurrection look to these circumstances I have named and others I haven't and you will see that you could never lift yourself out of them yourself alone you would sink under them sink under them they would be your master very soon they were in the cases of the disciples from that time many of his disciples went back walked no more with him and you would have been there have you been at that junk and almost going back well these went back quite

[18:59] Jesus said to them that remain that this have fed you there is the offense of the cross and this is all bound up in the power of Christ's resurrection now look to the past you who have come a crooked way like this and see how you have been revived how to your amazement seen as change you've caught an inflow the life and by what means largely those of which we read in the tents of Romans preaching of the gospel no wonder you go to chapel prayerfully prayerfully no wonder you seek

[20:32] God's gracious help as a hero look how your mind is set and your heart thick on the infallible word of God and with what assurance you seek a crumb of mercy a blessing from the word and how to look forward to that vast expanse of gospel truth truth which contains in it this great question to you who can tell how many times have you come through those doors with just this thought upon your heart who can tell that what

[21:47] God will be gracious to me this is how the resurrection is accomplished not the heart of the preacher or any oratory that he may possess not the clever phrasing of words the interesting anecdotes that he may bring to raise a smile anathema to these that the preaching of the gospel the wonderful provision that God has made for the reviving, renewing, resurrection of his dear people in their different trials wherein they have felt to be absolutely lifted out absolutely lifted out and confirmed in their pathway this is why the flock of truth do not have to be marshalled up and driven to chattel at the chapel this is why

[23:34] I do not have to knock at your door Saturday night and say be sure you are at chapel tomorrow aren't you?

[23:46] you think of the blessedness my dear people that we have you think of the freedom the willingness with which you make your way to the courts of the law ponder it ask yourself from whence it comes is it an appetite?

[24:19] is it a desire? is it that you might have some word from the Lord? this is how the resurrection comes but there is another side to this and that is contained in another word which the Lord which the Lord laid upon my mind five years before I was sent out to preach and it is in that tense of Romans Romans how shall they preach except they be sent?

[25:16] now I am able now to speak as an older man I am able now to answer the question that burnt into my spirit as a youth when I charged myself with a thousand qualities of ever considering such a thing as preaching preaching but what is the answer to this question how shall they preach except they be sent?

[26:05] sent by who? the Bible college? never sent by who? university?

[26:18] never never by whom therefore? by the Holy Spirit because they have got to be brought into place and places now where they are to minister to the living needs of living sheep and to taste the pathway themselves and handle it for the plain reason that the sheep are not foolish in the sense that they do not understand they are most discerning discriminating their hearts receive their comfort instruction it lies there with correction with instruction with instruction with instruction with instruction it lies there with warmth

[27:48] God forbid that I should go that I have been overwhelmed and that is not an exaggeration by the number of letters that I have received dating back for 30 and 40 years 40 years of blessings of blessings attending my poor labors I therefore consent my testimony to this that that they cannot preach except they be saved they have to be moulded in the gospel mould they need freshness they need that which is winnowed with a shovel and a fan to quote an Old Testament scripture that which is suitable that which is suitable for the sheep and the lambs as well and therefore this is gain to both preacher and hearer

[29:47] God's great work in the ministry of the gospel the gospel in taking the things that are not do not misunderstand my reference to the university or the Bible college but let it be well remembered that the teaching that the Holy Spirit sends is sanctified by himself as was the apostle Paul's his wonderful knowledge of the Hebrew sacrifices his forefathers teachings were used of God to such an extent that he opens up the whole of the meaning of those things which were at one time so deeply hidden he says so he makes it abundantly clear which have been he says hidden from the

[31:24] Gentiles but are now made manifest this is sanctification of education in which God is abundantly glorified the answer to the question then how shall they preach except they be sent the Lord that that that that that that that remains with us today and we have of late been most encouraged to find the Lord has sent forth young men and enabled them to preach with all that that means and the older sheep have been heard to say why he preaches as if he's been preaching for years well what is that that the absolute seal an absolute seal an approbation of God upon these servants that he has been pleased to raise her and what is more may he continue to raise them up and old sheep are moving up each year and few lambs in the fold appear but few they may be they have to be fed and God is seen to it we believe that in this day when error is so rampant and social religion is gaining such ground and being smoothed over in such a solemn way that it needs creatures with the sword of the Spirit in their hand to divide the word of truth for this purpose therefore

[34:19] God has given the resurrection the power of his resurrection and these men have to walk their own particular pathway often dead in their own feeling often totally unable and somewhat scorned if they should say they know not what they will say first in the earth nonetheless it continues to be Zion's delight they will so that this resurrection is accompanied by the blessed explanation of the Apostle in the verses that follow, wherein he says,

[35:32] Not as though I had already attained. This again has been to me a word of real comfort.

[35:47] Hear this humble servant of God, so enriched with divine ability. Having said what he does of the power of the resurrection, the casting of all his own righteousnesses away, lest he should hurt anyone's feelings.

[36:16] By giving the impression that he was a long way ahead of them. That he had so much more grace.

[36:31] That they had such a lot of leeway to make up, to catch up with him. He humbly says, in verse 12, Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect.

[36:57] The word perfect meaning, a tour. Now think of this in the ears of the Philippians, as this Master in Israel declares as he does, Don't look upon me as having reached the heights of glory upon earth, the root.

[37:33] Although I speak thus to you, do not think me perfect or mature. But what else does he do to these, the sheep of the fold?

[37:50] Can it be that we read the scripture right in verse 12, when he says, But I follow after.

[38:02] that I follow after. How many of you in this pathway of your spiritual youth cannot include yourself in this beautiful little gracious work that I follow after?

[38:43] Can you deny it? You're such a poor thing. You feel you ought to be in the chapel, perhaps.

[38:58] The enemy says to you, best keep away from it all. You know nothing. Oh.

[39:12] Then why can you truthfully say, But I follow after. this is no full spirit of the apostles, whereby he imitates a humble mind.

[39:38] This is common to the household of faith that I follow after.

[39:48] the come to your bedside tonight, someone troubled as you may be with your spiritual exercises.

[40:03] And see whether you cannot find room in this little text that I follow after.

[40:18] See who writes it. Now that I may know him.

[40:35] that I follow after. I don't know him as I want and would know that I knew him more and served him better.

[40:54] that I follow after. What? Through loss, through sacrifice, happily.

[41:17] Happily, happily, I follow after for Christ's sake. Would you endure those things some of which we have named that so perplex your mind happily, happily, that I follow after it so be that I may apprehend lay hold of that for which also I am laid hold of

[42:21] Christ or by Christ apprehend it apprehend it is this the way the Lord has laid out the mysterious path of which we spoke last Sabbath which is particular to individuals where they have to learn for themselves what it means.

[43:01] to see the gain that is set before them to be laid hold of to be apprehended by Christ Jesus I count not myself to have apprehended this one thing I do here again you can come in you know I'm sure that someone can come in here one thing I do forgetting those things which are behind reaching forth onto those things which are before I press toward the mouth of the prize the high calling of

[44:11] God in Christ Jesus and this is another extract from what I called this morning my spiritual diary and as you my people who've known me many years know well enough these are happy scriptures with me and now I still prove them true I can I can still say I'm pressing toward the mark but that mark I see more clearly now there

[45:11] I see that mark before me now I've never seen it before in my life and what a blessed mark it is and as I said at the ordinance last Sabbath and as I felt upon my bed this morning as I saw the Lord's blessing in the night and didn't get it and after I awoke I was rather worried lest I said too much I would have to see the other things that I would say I would say

[46:14]  I would say I would say I would say I would say I would