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[0:00] As the Lord may be pleased to help me this afternoon, I'll direct you to words in the first epistle of John, the first chapter, and we read the seventh verse.

[0:18] Verse seven, the first chapter in the first epistle of John. But if we walk in the light as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.

[0:39] The first epistle of John, chapter one, and verse seven. The apostle John, writer of this epistle, was one who knew the secret of fellowship with the Lord Jesus Christ.

[1:05] He's spoken of as the apostle of love. And it is to be noted in this epistle how that theme really runs through the epistle.

[1:19] The love of God. The love of God made manifest in Christ Jesus to sinners. And that love that is to be known amongst and between those who are blessed with the same grace and mercy.

[1:39] And then over against this, you notice that he gives this gracious exhortation, or rather warning, love not the world. Those two principles cannot go together.

[1:56] If the love of the world is in our hearts, then we know not the love of God. But if the love of God is in our hearts, if we know anything of what is contained in this text before us, I feel the effect will be this surely, to ween us, and to separate us from the spirit of the world.

[2:23] In that second chapter we read, didn't we, love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

[2:34] But in this first chapter, the Apostle John has this message. He was indeed the Lord's messenger and the Lord's message.

[2:51] What a mercy, dear friends, if sometimes you may realise that the Lord is pleased to use his servants as messengers of the gospel. And as it were, bringing that message to perhaps you in your particular case and pathway.

[3:11] Well now here John has this message to deliver. And first is concerning God. He says, This then is the message which you have heard of him.

[3:25] And declare unto you that God is light. And in him is no darkness at all. Now that was the first part of the message. One of those foundation truths concerning God.

[3:40] The ever-living God. That he is light. We read elsewhere of the majesty of the Lord. He dwells in the light that no man can approach unto.

[3:54] The light of his holiness. Yet his very being. And while he, such is the brilliancy of that light.

[4:06] That no man can look upon him. No man can approach unto that light. The light of his full glory and majesty. Yet the Lord has been pleased in his mercy.

[4:19] And in his love to his dear people. To reveal himself in that milder glory. In the person and work of his beloved son. The Lord Jesus Christ.

[4:30] And surely it is in that view that we have this word before us.

[4:44] Concerning the light of God. Because you see as we come to the text. Which I would try and bring before you this afternoon for a little while. Here John speaks about walking in the light.

[4:58] And does that not mean? Walking as before God. Walking in his light as it were.

[5:08] We read of those who did walk with God. Enoch walked with God. And what a blessed life that was to live.

[5:21] And how far short we feel to come in such a walk. And yet dear friends. What a mercy if we are not in total darkness. For while the apostle speaks about light.

[5:35] He speaks about darkness. And he speaks about those who may profess. Profess some light. And yet walk in darkness.

[5:49] And how he so clearly reveals them. As being but hypocritical. Nowhere we do need to be safe from hypocrisy.

[6:00] Don't we? Or to be made honest in the sight of God. Well he speaks then. About light and darkness. And yet in the.

[6:13] Pathway of a true child of God. A true pilgrim. Really in one sense. Both. Are entered into in some measure. There is the light and there is the darkness.

[6:27] There is the night and the day as it were. Not always is it bright daylight in a spiritual sense. May sometimes be a darksome path.

[6:40] But we do need the Holy Spirit to give us the right understanding. Of what is before us. In this word. Walking the light.

[6:51] As opposed to a walk in darkness. The walk in darkness. Here is spoken of. Is that total darkness.

[7:03] That the unregenerate are in. You see. As we are born into this world. We are in total darkness spiritually. We have no spiritual light.

[7:16] And we have no spiritual life. And therefore we are in total darkness. Complete darkness. The darkness of death as it were. Spiritual death.

[7:27] The darkness of ignorance. And under the power of the enemy. Who is. Who is. Who has the power of darkness as it were.

[7:41] Don't know. Don't see. but what a great mercy when the Lord speaks that word as he did in creation let there be light and that does bring us to consider one aspect of the gracious work of the Holy Spirit in poor sinners hearts you see not all are left in total darkness but there are those who are brought into the light the light of God's truth and that living light and the God of all grace is the cause of it the first cause and as God in creation said let there be light so in a work of grace it is as though he said let there be light and it hears the effect of this and by the effect of this there are those who are no longer in total darkness but they do they do walk in the light and in this word you see it is put like this but if we walk in the light as he is in the light yes in contrast to that spiritual darkness and death that we are in by nature if we walk in the light if we walk in the light

[9:12] John the apostle John the writer of this epistle how he records in the gospel written by John of the Lord Jesus Christ who is the source of that light Jesus himself said I am the light of the world he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness but shall have the light of life so then we have read the description of an awakened sinner an enlightened sinner and yet while we try and consider this it may well be there is a thought that rises in the heart how is it then that sometimes one seems to be in so much darkness how we need the Holy Spirit to give us the right understanding of these things because how true it is that those who do walk in the light of life who have been quickened into life born again by the Spirit of God and they are and described they are described in the Word of God as the children of light yet how true it is that there are times when they feel to walk in darkness it may well be you have felt to be in the same place more than once in much darkness of mind much darkness of spirit as it were and how you long for the light how you long for the in shining of the Holy Spirit to shine into your heart but you see such a maid conscious of this there is a distinction to be drawn between total darkness and that darkness which is known and felt by the children of light these mourn over the darkness they long for the light how the psalmist expresses himself in one psalm doesn't he waiting upon the Lord and as it were watching for the morning there was a poor soul in much darkness feeling it would be a night time experience and yet longing for the light well now that is something quite different to the case of one who is in total darkness the darkness of fallen nature so that while it may perhaps provoke a thought and bring concern when we are facing such a word as this walking in the light and when you feel perhaps sometimes far from walking in the light yet while you may be tempted to fear less you act of the secret altogether these things are known by God's dear people and although they are called the children of light it does not mean that they are always walking in the light of his countenance there are dark seasons and although

[12:38] Satan may come and make suggestions he does especially when a child of grace may be in the dark he may come yes with his hellish suggestions and seek to cast a gloom over everything as it were and yet such are children of light not in total darkness well now this word is before us in this way it says but if we walk in the light as in contrast to those who say they walk in the light have fellowship and yet walk in darkness here are those who are made sincere by the grace of God they do walk in the light but if we walk in the light as he is in the light now John as directed by the spirit of God he follows this up as it were and he brings in this very important aspect of truth and that is spiritual fellowship and in this sense these pilgrims they as it were they can walk in measure they can walk together the text speaks about fellowship one with another

[14:06] I know in the spiritual or rather no that is not the right word in the religious world in these days you hear much about fellowship in various ways but what a distorted description it is really of that which they are thinking of here is true fellowship here is that which is of the fellowship of the gospel and it springs from one source and that I feel we have in the earlier part of the chapter where John declares this that which we have seen and heard declare we unto you that ye also may have fellowship with us that is this word and truly our fellowship is with the father and with his son Jesus Christ here is the source of the fellowship this bespeaks that mystical union which exists between the lord and his dear people

[15:17] Jesus Christ and his dear children yes there is that fellowship there is the source of it truly our fellowship is with the father and with his son Jesus Christ the union exists between the church and the church's head the lord Jesus Christ spoke the parable of the vine and the branches and you see there is a union and just as the branches are kept alive through the sap that flows from the root up through the main stem this signifies that union and that communion which exists between the lord Jesus Christ and his dear people here is the source of the fellowship but then you see flowing from that we have the fruit of it and here in this text it says the apostle we have fellowship one with another it is good to read in the epistles in the epistles of Paul how he brings in this great truth he speaks about the fellowship of the gospel and he indicates does he not the experience of this and that which he felt in his own soul toward those to whom he writes there was a spirit of fellowship he writes the church at Philippi and how he speaks of them and how that they were in his heart as it were there was a love that flowed from heart to heart and as the apostle wrote those epistles he wrote them in love he felt a union to those to whom he wrote or there is such a thing as this true gospel fellowship and good it is if sometimes a little of this is realized within the soul yes as it were a knitting together in the things of

[17:45] God I feel sometimes this can be known especially in the means of grace when we gather together good it is if there's something of this fellowship of spirit where desires are the same the aims are the same yes if we come a right to the house of God it is to worship it is that we might be favored by faith to see Jesus and we look in the same way you see and if there is this spiritual fellowship it will be so these look in the same way they need the same things yes they can enter into the same exercise and experiences true there are different experiences different pathways

[18:49] God leads his dear people individually one does not walk another one's path as it were and at the same time all are led in that way which is the right way the narrow way that leadeth unto life eternal and therefore there will be those things when there is fellowship as pilgrims journeying as it were to the same country we have fellowship one with another I feel it is a good theme to consider especially in these days I know the enemy of souls will ever seek to interrupt this fellowship in various ways oh what a crafty foe he is oh the wiles of the devil and yet at the same time we have to realise this that where there is this fellowship this bond and when you think of the source of the bond in the Lord

[19:58] Jesus Christ himself nothing can sever that bond not Satan with all his malicious power can sever that bond but how good it is when something of this oneness of spirit is found I believe it is one of the evidences of divine grace in the heart have you known what it is sometimes to feel a union to the people of God yes you may feel perhaps to be the most unworthy that is a good thing to feel and yet at the same time feel a drawing to the people of God and therefore this spiritual fellowship one with another and as I said especially in the means of grace the appointed means that God has provided for the benefit of his people their edification and indeed for the glory of his name fellowship one with another and flowing you see from this one source fellowship with the father and with his son

[21:21] Jesus Christ and where this is something of the secret of the gospel will be known and found in the heart yes and as Paul speaks of the fellowship of the gospel in one of his epistles we have fellowship one with another we might just dwell on this for a few minutes there is fellowship with regard to sorrows and in this way one can feel sympathy with another when there are burdens and there will be fellowship one with another in this that being taught with the same spirit they learn the same things there will be fellowship amongst these poor sinners who feel themselves to be sinners and there will be flowing together even in that sense and

[22:25] I feel it reaches out into the word of God as it were when we have the record there of those who have gone before and the experiences they were called to pass through and remembering too as we tried to consider this morning the desire expressed by the psalmist now if that desire is found in your heart you have fellowship in that sense in spirit with the psalmist you can go along with him you can understand what he desires in that express petition creating me a clean heart oh God and renew a right spirit within me same desires and where there are these same desires it does produce a spirit of oneness a fellowship but then how true it is with regard to joys and while we have to confess that we seem often to know very little of the true joy of spiritual life the path of course for the most part is through tribulation in this wilderness world there's much to contend with both without and within but there are the helps and joys to be known and therefore with respect to a hope

[23:59] I suppose most people have some sort of a hope but there are many false hopes there are many ill grounded hopes but this family contained in this text here those who have fellowship one with another they have the same hope it is built upon the same foundation upon the rock which is Christ and this is the ground of their hope and their only hope to remove this foundation where would they be there's a word in the psalm isn't there if the foundations be destroyed what can the righteous do but the mercy is this here's a foundation that can ever be moved can never be destroyed and upon that foundation a hope is built and those who are thus taught of the spirit of

[25:10] God and a hope is raised up in their hearts there is fellowship in the experience of that their hopes are the same as it were they're different degrees some may have a bright hope some may have a very dim hope some may be much tried and tempted with regard to their hope but when you come to consider the foundation that hope here we can see a fellowship of experience you know

[26:16] Jesus put that question to the disciples what think ye of Christ and we do need to ask ourselves a question don't we what think we of Christ what does he mean to us Lord have right thoughts of the Lord Jesus Christ but there will be right thoughts where there is the gracious operation of the Holy Spirit in some little measure that bring poor sinners have the same views with regard to the Lord Jesus Christ he is their hope I've spoken about hope on a right foundation well that foundation is the Lord Jesus Christ and there will be fellowship one with another in that sense and their thoughts and desires and their esteem of the Lord Jesus Christ though many might not be able to speak assuredly with regard to this their own interest and yet they're the desires desires now the same desires they issue in the same thing they point in the same direction as it were to the

[27:38] Lord Jesus Christ we read in one of Peter's epistles don't we of the Lord Jesus Christ how he's made precious to his people and there's a fellowship to be known with respect to the Lord Jesus Christ and what he is as being so precious and he's made precious you see in your felt need of him could it if we feel our need of him it is a great mercy to be delivered from a religion which is of the flesh to be self satisfied self sufficient to be delivered from all those things and to be brought right down upon the foundation truth that none but Jesus can do helpless sinners good and where there is that the Lord

[28:40] Jesus Christ will be made exceeding precious yes in your felt need of him and while perhaps you might not be able to say assuredly as yet your felt interest in him yet in your felt need of him he is precious and I feel we can say this that where that felt need is the time will come sooner or later when such a poor sinner will be led a little further into this and the Lord Jesus Christ will make himself precious yes in a realisation one's realisation of an interest in him yes as all one's salvation and all one's desire we have fellowship one with another yes these people they look the same direction have the same aim they are as it were strangers and pilgrims adjuring through this wilderness world and as we read in the hebrews epistle that they that say such things declare plainly they seek a country dear friends it is a mercy if we helped at times to look upon this world in what it is this vain world and the emptiness of the things that the worldling pursues after in that sense you have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness but fellowship one with another yes and with his son

[30:31] Jesus Christ this draws poor sinners to him and drawing to him it draws them together and it is one of those means of grace the Lord is appointed for the benefit of his dear people yes to know that spiritual fellowship to be as if it joined spiritually to the family of God in a felt sense of it and John says here in these certain terms you see we have fellowship with one another and this being so because such walk in the light they are no longer in total darkness but they do walk in the light and they have fellowship because they walk in the light and because that light is a revealing light and it does reveal the vanities of this passing world it does reveal the true state of man by nature as a sinner before

[31:44] God it does reveal too the necessity of that great salvation which has been wrought out by the Lord Jesus Christ and those who walk in the light they have some view of these things and not in total darkness with regard to these vital matters or it is a mercy if we do in some little measure know ourselves and it is a great mercy if we know a little of the Lord Jesus Christ this is vital knowledge this is saving knowledge Jesus Christ said this is life eternal they might know thee the only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent but then to pass on a little further into the text we notice that this word is concerning sinners it might be helpful as we try and consider it in that light it is a word concerning sinners and this last sentence reminds us of that doesn't it because it reminds us of the remedy for sinners and the blood of

[33:13] Jesus Christ his son cleanseth us from all sin and then the apostle goes on doesn't he about those who are so deceived that they think they are without sin they deceive themselves the truth is not in them they're different concerning those who walk in the light that knowing they are sinners and this being so they have to confess they're sinners and there's a fellowship to be known in that as I tried to say earlier and as we consider the psalmist this morning and things with regard to that sad blemish in his life but particularly when he's brought to repentance and realizing himself to be as a guilty sinner before a holy God there are those things that it brings a fellowship of experience but you see it is concerning sinners but sinners who have been taught to mourn over their sin it is concerning convinced sinners sinners who are taught to confess their sins to God to declare they have sinned to understand something what the publican felt when he had to cry to the

[34:46] Lord in prayer God be merciful to me a sinner he confessed his sin he needed mercy he implored God's mercy he realised it is before a holy and heart searching God and yet it was a way of mercy so then here is a word concerning sinners and what wonderful truth is to consider isn't it that poor sinners should thus be favoured not left to walk on and to live in their sins and to die in their sins but to be quickened into life to be brought into the light of the gospel the light of his truth and to know something that union and fellowship between one another and with the Lord Jesus Christ sinners and so there is this wonderful word at the end of the verse and the blood of

[35:58] Jesus Christ his son cleanseth us from all sin or how the apostle John could as it were for want of better words revel in this truth this precious and blessed theme the shed blood of the dear redeemer it is it is it is sacred truth to consider and I feel that when we try and speak of the blood of Jesus Christ it is as though we stand on holy ground you know when Moses stood before the bush was that word given wasn't there take off thy shoes from off thy feet for the place where on thou stand is holy ground when we come to consider the precious blood of the Lord Jesus Christ it is as though we stand on holy ground all that that precious blood may be made precious to you and me and you see here is the secret the secret of the whole matter it is because the Lord

[37:17] Jesus Christ lived and suffered and died that he died for sinners and there should be those who should not be left in darkness but to be brought into the light and the light of his mercy and his grace and his love the blood of Jesus Christ I was thinking yesterday I think it was of those words in the epistle of Peter he speaks about redemption through blood doesn't he remind him the people whom he writes that you're not redeemed with corruptible things as silver and gold but with the precious blood of Christ as of a lamb without blemish and without spot he speaks of the precious blood of Christ and here as we have this word before us a mercy if he's made precious to us for where is your hope and mine dear friends it is in this wondrous person who shed his precious blood and you see nothing short of this could bring mercy doesn't him write us sing mercy through blood

[38:38] I make my plea oh god be merciful to me and what blood does he refer to but the blood of Jesus Christ which as the text tells us cleanses us from all sin yes sin in all its heinousness in all the ruin that is brought yet here is that which cleanses us from all sin oh here is the source of the mercy and this mercy that flows as it were down to both sinners through the shed blood of the dear redeemer and all the efficacy of that blood it atones for sin and the forgiveness flows through him yes there are some beautiful expressions in the word of God

[39:38] I've thought much lately of that word about the blotting out of transgressions yes for sins to be blotted out never more to be remembered against the poor sinner blotted out never to be seen as it were and the Lord has spoken that your sins and iniquities are remember no more think of the wonder of it and the mercy of it all flows through this one channel the blood of Jesus Christ his son cleanseth us more sin and how the apostle brings before us the manner in which poor sinners do come into the experience of this and I feel it is well for us to consider this as we have it in verse nine and there the apostle writes in this way he says if we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness or it is a mercy to be brought at his footstool as it were confessing our sins in humbleness of heart in contrition in honesty of heart if we confess our sins he is faithful and just that is if we can understand it right

[41:13] I feel here that the apostle is speaking concerning the father that he is faithful to his son in that the dear Lord Jesus Christ shed his precious blood and that is sufficient and God is faithful and just yes there is justice here but it is intimate with mercy his faith and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us for all unrighteousness the blood of Jesus Christ his son cleanseth us from all sin there is no other cleansing there is no other remedy for this terrible malady of sin but here is this one remedy this efficacious remedy this remedy that never fails the blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all sin all to know it applied all to know it is that blood of sprinkling for his safety yes safety on earth and after death the planet of heaven the

[42:30] Israelites of old proved the safety of the blood which was sprinkled upon the doorposts and little of their dwellings the angel of death could not enter those places and we see in type the mercy that surrounds God's dear people have an interest in the atoning sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ the virtue of his precious blood but if we walk in the light as he is in the light we have fellowship one with another and the blood of Jesus Christ his son cleanseth us from all sin amen psychosis or psychosis or willwave his but if you include our service by singing hymn number 534

[43:41] Or the tune is Chester 879. Mercy speaks through Jesus' blood.

[43:52] Hear and sing, the sons of Christ. Justice satisfied in you. Christ has put atonement. Jesus' blood speaks, the Lamb speaks.

[44:05] Hear all deity convened. And with a journey of voice, we are from Zion to rejoice. Hymn number 534. Amen.

[44:39] Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen.

[44:50] Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Thank you.

[45:25] Thank you.

[45:55] Thank you.

[46:25] Thank you.

[46:55] Thank you.

[47:25] Thank you.

[47:55] Thank you.

[48:25] Thank you.

[48:55] Thank you.

[49:25] Thank you.