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[0:00] Let us turn once more to the 73rd Psalm and the 17th verse. Verse 17, Psalm 73.

[0:16] Until I went into the sanctuary of God, then understood I their end.

[0:32] You know we've been speaking very much about things concerning as enabled a true religion. A little about the sanctuary of God, quite a lot about understanding the end of the wicked.

[0:53] We spoke about the temptations of a child of God in envying the foolish and prosperity of the wicked. And how this was made known by what we trust, the work of grace in the heart and the child of God, that this should not really be so.

[1:17] We spoke a little to the younger children here as enabled. And now this afternoon I want to look more for beginning at the sanctuary.

[1:28] Now until I went. It says until I went. Now I don't believe in free will, as you well know.

[1:44] But I believe that the first time that one is brought into the sanctuary, and that doesn't necessarily mean just God's house, not necessarily.

[1:58] Doesn't necessarily just mean four walls, what we call a chapel or church. But to come right into the sanctuary, is to not only be brought in, and I said brought, notice, not just come.

[2:16] Brought by the power and will of God, into where you sit, where you hear, where your ears are and heart is.

[2:28] Not only that, but to be brought in, as I would like to say, the inner sanctuary. To be brought in, went into the sanctuary of God.

[2:41] Really and truly, it is where God dwells. And as we know, he is not confined to four walls.

[2:55] What a mercy. There are some in this day in which we live, who think that they have got to come into a church, or a chapel to pray. And that this great God, being shut therein, that they might find peace.

[3:11] And be nearer to God. And that they might be received by him. This is not so.

[3:23] But, it is through God's mercy, there are places rightly prepared and given for worship. Those places that are set up, really and truly, with the right motive, to the honor and glory of God.

[3:40] And for the benefit of his people. The place where, for weary souls can turn in.

[3:50] And the place where the Lord has been so merciful as to bring them in.

[4:04] Not that they come through their own will. Oh, I know after being called by God's grace, we often come, as we might say, because of custom, and because it's the Sabbath, and sometimes in the week, because we say, well, I want to go there.

[4:24] But what about the first time? Because the first word in a text is until. Until. And where there's a word like this, until, that's a kind of a turning point.

[4:40] It's a certain time. We can say various things. You say, until so and so. Until. Until. That's where we hold up the fingers, you might say.

[4:52] We want to pause and stop and think. Until. Yes. Well, how does this word apply to us? Do we know a little what it means? Until.

[5:04] That is, in relation to God and our souls, until. Until. Look at a few things concerning this word until. Speak in a little out of context, you might say.

[5:18] Never mind. Where were you until you were called by grace?

[5:33] I'm not short of words. I'm letting you think. Where were you until you were called by grace? Where were you until you heard his voice?

[5:52] Or you say, I've always gone to chapel. Alright. I'm not going to say, there's not been signs of mercy, it is. But if you've been gone to chapel all your life, you see, where would that get you if there wasn't such a word as until?

[6:16] You might have been going to chapel for twenty years, that's just a figure. But how far would you have got, wherever would it have been any use to you, spiritually speaking, until you're brought in the inner sanctuary?

[6:40] Until the Lord met with you in your seat? Oh yes, it's a mercy to have a place of worship, a sanctuary.

[6:54] Now, when you think of the sanctuary, oh, what a wonderful word this is, a sanctuary. In the fullest sense, it is really to be shut in with God, to be shut in with the Lord Jesus Christ.

[7:13] It's a mercy to be shut in with his people. It's a mercy to be shut in a place, a mercy as far as it goes, especially if you've got a desire.

[7:26] But oh, what a great mercy when that place is a real sanctuary and the real fullest meaning of this is a sanctuary is Christ himself.

[7:41] we may be so led as to love God's house, the seats and the building and the care of the building and we do these things in love to the Lord.

[8:08] We say in love to the place, yes, because, only because it's his place. Listen, you wouldn't go and spend a lot of effort in decorating a place that where the truth was not preached and error was preached.

[8:24] Say, for example, the Catholics who say I shouldn't speak of denomination. Let's look the things right. You wouldn't go in and decorate a place with the Virgin Mary on this wall.

[8:36] You wouldn't go in and put effort into a place and love and care where there were those things that were brought in that were not to decorate the place and make it look more attractive.

[8:50] we want to see the places kept with loving care and rightly so it should be.

[9:02] but the main object is that it should be such a and the love is because it's a sanctuary because that is where the Lord meets with you.

[9:17] That's the purpose until now I've got away from the word until but a few words on this sanctuary until you're brought in as though it says I went in to the sanctuary I said perhaps not recently don't just wear we don't always know when the work of grace was begun it's a mercy to have it begun same as a new birth all the same all in one these things but you see when were we brought in for the first time now listen perhaps going for 20 years and until I went into the sanctuary now we might say until I went in the chapel I been going in chapel for 20 years one might say but when this word until is made significant remember this the heart we're on a bit of heart this morning the heart is still the sign you might have a head for the word of

[10:38] God you might have a head and ears to be able to hear and understand the preaching of the word you might have a head that is well capable of detecting the smallest error as regards the doctrines of election free and sovereign grace but what about the heart you can have those things and be as cold as ice when it comes to love oh yes you know regard this sanctuary and being brought in to the Lord in it and the Lord coming to you in it you see when the Lord pours in to a stony heart a little of his love oh what a difference this makes what is the good of you here or any other place not being personal assembling again and again and again and the time is going on and you are all older and some really getting on if there is no love in the sanctuary love to the

[12:03] Lord first love to his people love to the church of Christ and I was going to say last love to the place where you assemble where there's a love that flows from the pulpit to the pill not cold hard doctrinal preaching where there's a flowing now what would be the use it would be like a religious idol wouldn't it very solemn so let us for a moment know on this and got started on to see it through let us consider the sanctuary now you may think that it is not my place to come here and say anything about your sanctuary here you have no pastor that is yes it could well be the

[13:26] Lord's will at the present time it is the moment but what have been the order of things you may say there's nothing to do with me then what's it got to do with the next minister that comes and what's it got to do with any itinerant that comes if you start with one that's concerning the state of the sanctuary you may say that I this afternoon was speaking to play well if the Lord is leading me I'm not but if I'm in my own spirit I am and I hope that the Lord will lead you to judge now this sanctuary now just remember how sacred it is remember the things and dwell on the things that a sanctuary employs as

[14:35] I said as regard the soul try to get our priorities right the real value of things the importance the solemnity you say well what does that got to do with us here well now just a moment are you watching you watching are you watching for the health of those that assemble are you watching for the life that you hope do you hope is in the congregation are you watching for the life that you hope is in the church and turn it any other way are you watching for the life and the behavior of the deacons you see all these things

[15:51] I speak in love I want you to believe it why should I have any other motive none I speak in these because I do feel it's my duty and if it's my duty I cannot but speak it in love and care now the reason is this I am trying is enabled to see how it should really be in the sanctuary where God dwells there should be life and where there's that life there is not a sitting down in sleep and I don't mean literally I mean spiritually because you can spiritually sleep and you can sleep your years away now concerning the sanctuary until until the

[17:01] Lord awakes until the Lord brings him to exercise until the Lord comes along even as he did to his disciples do you want him to say sleep on and take your rest or do we need the Lord to say awake be with there should be not the slothfulness there should not be the carelessness there should be the loving concern that's what there should be what for the sanctuary right God would never come into a place a chapel or church that had no souls would he and even if he condescending to come into a place where all were dead remember this where there souls he can bring resurrection he can say live yes and he can come into this place where there might be those who are spiritually dead in tradition and years of coming and he can go and say live so look for the life look for the sign of

[18:41] God's work in the sanctuary this is for the deacons it is for the church and why exclude the congregation I mustn't get too close I suppose I remember one case I'm getting rather close now where there was a certain case in the seat sitting that had the exercise of baptism and that came to pass and after that there was the exercise of the ministry and the church knew and felt nothing of it the church not the congregation but one in the congregation who was not in the church was given the watchfulness and the ears that were open to the ministry that went home to another certain one and said do you know there's someone there exercise with the ministry otherwise there would not have been the preaching in the sermon that there was but the church slept on now who had the glory glory of being awake when I say glory

[20:25] I don't mean to say glory as far as it goes in man but you know in a true sanctuary a true living church there is a certain amount of glory to the church when it sends forth the Lord's servants and there is a certain amount of glory in and to the church because it is a kind of oh excuse the expression rubbing off of some of the glory of Christ in where he dwells in a church when there is the life and the watching and the coming to pass of the things that do him honour and glory so where is the glory in a dead church where is the glory to Christ who is the author of life where there is no life

[21:28] I was speaking of the sanctuary and no thought was going on like this so are you watching right you might say what do we watch for you should know you should know in the first place you watch for souls you watch for the signs of quickening you watch for the signs of the souls being fed you want to watch for the signs never mind the gossip just enough of this you want to watch for those things where it says then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another you know a it's not always these it sounds perhaps but reading truly a discerning deacon a discerning minister or pastor they should at times have a little idea what some were speaking about when they go along in twos and threes you're not going to talk about mischievous things about one another are you

[22:53] I know we do sometimes you're not going to talk about the latest gossip in the denomination that won't bring profit no you want to watch and try to have a right discernment that as they go they are speaking about the things the Lord has done for their souls that's what you want to watch for so you might think I believe there's something in those two I believe there's something that binds them together I believe they're a little bit like those as they walked and their hearts burned within them when Christ appeared did not their hearts burn within us in the way yes I believe last

[23:56] Lord those of friends who know up in Essex I was speaking about Jim Fonnell one of their friends here knows him I saw Jim Friday yes friends that one I went with knit together like this Jim and I were and preaching last Friday went home to his house at Friday evening oh I thought Jim I wonder how long it's going to be before you gone I didn't like that is physically speaking like the look of him I thought he won't be long and then he be gone and there be one less that you can converse with spiritually now where's the others that are coming along you see as their friend knows here there was one dear soul not long ago now in heaven though we didn't see all that much of really into something that knitted us together oh yes you see those who read someone here now know what

[25:06] I say is the truth but gone and we lose and I lose I believe I lose that dear woman's prayers and the poorer now where are those that are going to follow on is there going to be none now you see these are the things that a living church and a living ministry should watch for the following on what is the use otherwise your jest as it were be used to preach a few last remnant into heaven and no continuing oh I know there's a certain number don't let us rest on that say well what can we do about it this again is slow fullness and fatalism no you know the sanctuary is part of the glory of

[26:17] Christ you ever thought of it now where are you and where am I in this sanctuary oh you saw I'm just one of the congregation just one of the congregation oh I'm not a deacon I'm just a member oh I'm not a minister I'm just a deacon yes and so you come up this so called place of a minister you know I don't rely anything on any merit with this because you see the Lord sent forth labourers not just preachers not speakers you you get some people they say well Mr Santos is a speaker next Lord day and perhaps that's all he does you see the real thing is to have a labourer that's the real thing

[27:28] I can't do it in my own strength you know that and I know it better than you but a labourer that is one who labours for souls to the honour and glory of God now what about this place what am I labouring for to know well by thoughts and some of my desires as you may gather this morning are being toward the younger children young ones there be the lambs if their labours are blessed I know that the Lord couldn't quicken them wherever they are that's the point what a mercy to be quickened in God's heads what a mercy to be quickened under the ministry yes that'll be a sanctuary

[28:31] I said last last Friday in Upfield I said I'll believe if not deceived here we go again I hope yes never mind that that was the very place where I first got a little glimmer of hope from being shut up in the law work the first play a little hope who can tell after weeks and perhaps months of being shut up from any sign of mercy from God and nearly persuaded by self and the devil that you'll finish up in everlasting destruction see like the wikibees speaking about this morning now that made that a sanctuary to me that's the point now this should be your sanctuary

[29:32] I know we move around and I don't know where I to finish and I'm getting old and I want the Lord to make it plain and I know I can't move without him no so do we just move or have we been led I'm very cautious on this and some now they wonder Lord will ever be will ever come right what I think or am I wrong see I don't know yet where to be buried or there's nothing worked out for where this rigid body will be laid because I cannot move until the Lord says this is the way walk in it see so related to these things there's got to be a watching and there's got to be a praying and then there's got to be a following and then the

[30:51] Lord will say this is the way walk in it and then you will feel his blessing and his presence and his nearness well to come back is enabled a little of this text until I went into the sanctuary of God that's what makes it now then again back to this church here at the times going on now where's the fruit are you praying for fruit are you expecting any fruit have you made provisions for any fruit you say what do you mean fruit you know if you're called by grace if you're exercised if you're in the right place whether it's under here up here down there wherever you are you know you should know the fruit the following on from the preaching what's the good with no fruit do you listen from what comes from this pulpit now then have you ever had baptism preached you know

[32:30] I'm not here often I'm not here often you know what the Lord's servants bring you know where there's a following on in these things and by this you should listen to the ministry and that should cause you to not just think as a mercy it does but to consider before I was in the ministry in the church in which I was and been exercised with the ministry for many years I thought well if this is right and not of the devil and not of me it'll come up in the ministry has your case come up and it came up and it came up and it came up until I could bear it no longer

[33:34] I sat in that place seat there and I went as red as that almost carpet because I thought he's found me right out and time and time again and you didn't know how to bear it and what about you has your case come up in the sanctuary and if your case has come up and it's come up and it's come up and remember it's not just one pastor it wasn't in my case you get one man bring it another man bring it and they know anything what's in your soul so it comes up and it comes up and it comes up and does the church sleep I know this if your case comes up and up and up you won't be able to sleep even if all the rest do no you won't and I'll tell you why because you're living because you're alive that's why now what a solemn thing for a place to have the name of a sanctuary and to be called a sanctuary and to go under name or heading of a sanctuary or the place where the truth is preached and with power what a solemn thing to have a name and to find there's life in it and you never knew it because these things go on and there's no glory to the church yes so

[35:30] I've gone on to some of them I wonder why right now you might say well what can we do about this well one of two things I want you to pray about this deacons church members I want you to pray about this sermon I want you to pray that the Lord will show you the Lord will take you in hand and lead you and show you plainly the way to take and from this day forth if there's life and there's exercise in this church or congregation and that does not bring this place honor and glory the blood will not be on my head now I spoke very solemnly haven't I you might say yes and you take a lot on

[36:42] I have I know but why is it empty air is it empty words is it beating the air is there nothing here this should make you think now then what about in the sanctuary those that have life all you say we've all got life that's what I'm looking for that's what I'm looking for is there a mother in Israel in this place there's been two little children thanks be to God given carried brought forth and living there's the arms to carry and the mother and father and the grandparents see that's natural what a very spiritual you know the lady

[37:46] I spoke of I believe there's a mother in Israel who's gone to heaven yes that's the point but what's left is the mother in Israel here is the one praying for souls it need not necessarily be a woman a travel the souls is there I'm not saying there is it's very different I'm saying is there is the one I will tell you this if there's twenty people in this chapel there may be nineteen not know but if there's one that's a mother in Israel I know because there are travel for souls they won't sleep and there are travel and there's got to be bringing forth yes oh I know another one

[38:50] Mars from here now who I believe travel for a certain church and they're bringing forth and her prayers were answered see where's the travel in the sanctuary we might say well it's all of God of course it is but this is what you want to look for a sign of his working I'm not saying that it's free will that causes a mother in Israel to have this travel no that's God's work that causes that one to have this travel that's a sign of God's work this is the point you might say it doesn't seem much like the gospel ah this is how God's house should be now then when this is made straight then you can look for the signs of the gospel then you can look for the prosperity not in the money boxes the prosperity in the church this is the point this is how it should be isn't it then you can look for you say well there's health there's life the living the praying the watching the waiting the longing yes and they'll be the ones to rejoice oh yes they'll be the ones to rejoice well now what about these as we say

[40:35] I'll not leave it here soon those who are living we see they're waiting they've got life they know where they are oh yes I do you're not going to tell me they don't they've got this life they know where they are and they know this they know that they dare not go before the Lord that's the point and I don't believe they will because if so they've come back so where they're living there's a tenderness and they listen oh I can just see this and perhaps if there's two together in this two together oh it's a wonderful thing to be a togetherness in the things of

[41:36] God you may not say very much to one another but it'll be like this I wonder what we should get to die you're going to the sanctuary and you wonder what you get to die oh I say Mr.

[41:55] Stonezo's coming we know a little bit what we get oh yes I've been like this but when there's that right exercise I wonder what we should get to die and they'll wait on the Lord they don't always know quite at a pry but I'll tell you the attitude oh I'll tell you the attitude if your prayer lasts twenty minutes or a second I'll tell you the attitude speak Lord thy servant heareth that's the attitude and when the Lord speaks the servant hears and when the servant hears thou might will him are those that's dead speak Lord thy servant heareth are you waiting or are you sleeping well I'll ask you a few more minutes are you disappointed have you made a mistake do you think you have to move do you think you have to stay well I don't know what him we're finishing with today but I don't know what him we're finishing with last

[43:20]  Sunday and so does someone here amen will amen you