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[0:00] The Lord may help this morning, I'd ask your attention to the Gospel according to Luke chapter 24 and in verse 8.

[0:17] And they remembered his words. The Gospel according to Luke chapter 24 and in verse 8.

[0:33] And they remembered his words. What a morning this was, which we read together in your hearing.

[0:56] Perhaps the greatest morning in the existence of the whole world. The morning which followed that season, that time, when the precious Jesus had risen from the dead.

[1:23] The morning which declared the fulfilment of many prophecies. For these things had been foretold.

[1:42] The morning in which we find, as John tells us, that while it was yet dark, there were some that came to the sepulcher.

[1:54] We have some of those mentioned by name. Though others in the company, their names are not recorded in the narrative itself.

[2:12] These were brought to this, to remember his words. Consider briefly, just for a moment, some of those who were there.

[2:32] Mary Magdalene was one. What a character she had been. We are told elsewhere, in the word of God.

[2:48] That the Lord at one time, had cast out of her, seven devils. It is evident that the work of grace was begun in her.

[3:07] This grew out her heart's affection toward her Jesus. So that we find from time to time, she was in a place where he was found.

[3:27] Knowing what that was, to witness such scenes as few beheld. Witnessing something of his sufferings at Calvary.

[3:45] Witnessing something of his burial. And now coming in the morning to view the tomb which was empty.

[4:03] It was Mary Magdalene. We also have amongst them one by the name of Joanna.

[4:15] a different character. The scripture tells us concerning her that she was the wife of Chusa.

[4:27] A steward of Herod the Tecra. And who evidently had some particular infirmity.

[4:41] Though that is not recorded recorded in the scripture. But it is recorded how that the Lord met with her case. Dealt with her so that she too was amongst gracious women that ministered unto him.

[5:02] also here is Mary the mother of Jesus of whom the scripture here says that Mary Magdalene Joanna Mary the mother of James.

[5:23] Mary is the mother of Joses. Both being among the children of Mary the mother of Jesus.

[5:39] Those of whom the people on one occasion said concerning the Lord Jesus himself is not this the carpenter's son?

[5:53] And they spake of knowing his mother his brethren James and Joses and his sisters. this dear handmaid too was here at the sepulcher on this moor.

[6:14] There were certain other women also that were with them. There were those here at this sacred sea whom the Lord had loved whom the Lord had chosen and the evidence of that work being begun in them was their desire to be with him.

[6:48] It is recorded in the scriptures that these dear handmaids from time to time ministered unto him did what they could for him.

[7:01] How my dearer do you in the full sense of him do what you can for him? Do you honour him in all that you do?

[7:18] As Jesus went from place to place as opportunities afforded so did they do what they could for him. we find them coming making the journey even to Calvary.

[7:38] There are those of who it is precisely recorded they stood by the cross of Jesus. it is precisely recorded of them too how they came and beheld the sepulcher and how his body was laid and they returned and prepared spices and ointments and rested upon the Sabbath day according to the commandment.

[8:19] And now early in the morning they come unto the sepulcher their hearts are heavy for as yet they remember not the words which he had spoken unto them.

[8:37] the morning is still dark dark without it was dark within.

[8:53] I might hear you do you know something of such a condition it may be I believe it will be from time to time with the Lord's dear people in a spiritual sense of it.

[9:11] It may even be with regard to providences with some at this time it may be darkness heaviness a friend see too as they would thus come to the sepulcher in this frame evidence of what the human heart is by nature their unbelief they had clearly been told that the son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men to be crucified and the third day rise again yet we find them coming with their spices to the sepulcher to anoint the body of the

[10:17] Lord Jesus friend what darkness we shall know what heaviness we shall experience while unbelief rises up within us and yet mark this the goodness of God made known unto them they were not left even to continue in this frame the Lord had done great things for them as we have just very briefly observed some of those things that were done for Mary Magdalene and for Joanne friend those things that he has done those things that he has performed these things should be to us grace as encouragement of what he will yet do but he will never forsake the work of his own hands we do well at times to see that the

[11:40] Lord give unto us a spirit of true remembrance to remember the way which he has brought us those things that he has shown unto us those things that have been made precious to us I know my here at the time of experiencing those things we may well conclude that they are things that we shall never forget but how off we do forget we are unable to call those greatest encouragements to mind at a time when we may well need them you see the great things that the Lord did for these dear handmaids but hear up has he not done great things for you has the

[12:41] Lord not appeared for you has he not delivered your feet for and for him has he not made you the subject of free and sovereign grants see where these dear women have gone to I don't say that they should be a pattern to us that we should expect to walk this way nevertheless my hearers we may see as the Lord mercifully dealt with them it would be an encouragement to us he will mercifully deal with us so we find them thus coming with their hearts heavy but still coming to Jesus at least to the place where they last knew him to be and with

[13:43] Mary Magdalene she tarried still in that garden until a precious Jesus did reveal himself unto her yes but as they thus come they see two men standing by them in shining garments they were afraid and bowed down their faces to the earth these said unto them why see ye the living among the dead he is not here but is risen remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee saying the son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be crucified and the third day rise again and they remember his words as the Lord may help I want to look a little into the word of God and see that we may each go back into our own lives and circumstances to the word that the Lord has spoken to us see as it is brought to our remembrance what a greatest encouragement it shall be to us the only word of thine this is my comfort in my affliction for thy word hath quickened me there is no more wonderful book than the word of God the scripture of truth in one sense every precious promise every command every exhortation every precept that is contained in this book belongs to the living family of God

[15:52] I know that those things cannot be taken to ourselves but we may draw comfort from them there must be the application of them but friend is it not our sin that we do not live so close to this world as we ought to live there is all in the scripture of truth to encourage us in our providences as well as in grace I thought reading last night at home through that wonderful part of God's word of the book of Ruth part of that word which the part of God's word which we are each somewhat acquainted with and I thought of Ruth as the Lord brought her into Bethlehem at the time of harvest

[16:56] Mark the compassion of our God I will not tarry in any length upon the narrative of Ruth as we have from time to time considered it before you of the way in which the Lord brought in her in the land of Moab separated her called her out and brought her to Bethlehem I know all things for the accomplishment of his divine purpose but mark the tithing of matters she was brought there at the beginning of harvest friend if the Lord had brought her at any other time she might well have remained naturally speaking in Bethlehem just as she left Moab destitute the Lord's wisdom in appointing that particular time that she should come at the beginning of harvest here was an opportunity for her to glean a wonderful provision and yet you look back

[18:10] I suppose some hundred perhaps nearer two hundred years before and the Lord had given this word concerning those who went forth to reap the harvest they were to leave the corners of the field they were to leave any that was dropped any that was overlooked this was all to be left for the stranger the widow the fatherless friend there was a word spoken those many years before which sweetly applied to dear Ruth she was a stranger in the land the word covered her for that she was a widow the word covered her for that and here she was in Bethlehem fatherless the word covered her for that but there was a wonderful provision made for her the Lord overruled time and circumstances so that Ruth should come into Bethlehem at the beginning of barley harvest what of God we shall never get beyond that closing verse in the one hundred and seventh psalm who so is wise and will observe these things even they shall understand the loving kindness of the Lord

[19:46] I don't know literally at that time whether Ruth knew that word or not I leave that there was the word written that would cover Ruth's case and my hear there is a word written in the word of God that will cover your case wherever you are today they remembered his words this is our sin my hear that we don't remember God's word we don't search the scriptures I say then even if it is a time of darkness with you a time of heaviness as it was with these dear women remember that which the Lord has done for you come back with us dear psalmist remember the word unto thy servant upon which thou hast caused me to hope that may be needful not desirable to your nature but that may be needful to be brought into a place of crime into a place of darkness to recall these ways to recall these words to recall these times

[21:06] I wouldn't speak lightly my hear about if these dear women had been full of confidence that the Lord would rise again that third day that the tomb would be empty would they have gone they may well have sawed him in some other place waiting for his appearing but the very circumstances to which they were reduced was a means wherein this blessed truth was brought home to them I'm not saying by that my hear that we seek for troubles that we seek for heaviness that we seek for trials but these so often are the ways in which the

[22:06] Lord does teach they remembered his words you remember this word is it in 48 of Isaiah and I believe I am the Lord thy God which teacheth thee to profit which leadeth thee in the way which thou shalt go seek my hearer for an application of that word in your present path in your present experience not those unbelieving reasoning thoughts why this why that but Lord what art thou teaching in this path what art thou speaking give me to hear thy voice give me to know thy will bring me into submission

[23:15] I don't know individual paths and matters that are with one another that are here this morning there may have been matters even of the past week that are trying that are perplexing you remember his words I am the Lord thy God I'll teach you to profit see friend we're such dull scholars we are so slow to learn what the Lord has to bring us into in order to teach us we don't want to see we don't want to be whole we want our own way we want to trust in our own understanding which things the word of God forbids us even as his own so the

[24:24] Lord brings us into some deep water into some triumph brings us to pass under some rod lays his hand upon us to teach us to profit I so often say that that wherein the soul is profited will read down to the honour and glory of his name now here it was not long before the angel spake unto them he is not here he is risen I hear the Lord will keep us under the rock the Lord will keep us in that path until his work is accomplished and what is that which the

[25:26] Lord is speaking to us this should be a matter of deep exercise a matter of earnest prayer at the throne of heavenly grace peace the Lord will have us submit to his will but how prone we are to turn from it we seek our own will we want our own way there will be times in the path when you'll be brought to see this the goodness and mercy of God that you never had your own way some of us here this morning can look back over our lives shorter or longer and see that if we had been left for our own way we should certainly not have been in the house of God this morning it may be that years ago now we should have been laid in the grave but the

[26:49] Lord preserved the Lord delivered from our own way preserved in Jesus when my feet made haste to hell there should I have gone thou didst all things well thy love was great thy mercy free which from the pit delivered me the goodness of God to us even when dead in trespasses and sins when filled with rebellion there may be some even amongst us here this morning who yet show no sign no evidence of the Lord's work begun my hearer the day may come when you're blessed God that those ways that you sought after and long for the Lord in his way hedged up and you'll be brought to remember his word

[27:59] I am the Lord thy God which teaches thee to profit which leadeth thee in the way that thou shalt go you may judge a path for a moment you may judge a path for a short space of time the Lord's way may be totally different you know it was with dear Jacob when his mother sent him from home he didn't expect to be away from home for the number of years that he was just go for a few days those few days gather into years there may be things with you which in a like manner for a few days but they gather into years they may be gathered into a lifetime here and you may prove in them that the days of darkness be many but what is the

[29:07] Lord teaching sometimes it may be a cross a burden that the Lord lays upon you never his will to remove it nature wants burdens removed nature wants troubles taken away my mind goes to the dear apostle when there was given him a thorn in the flesh what he learned under that was my grace is sufficient for me my strength is made perfect in weakness have you remembered that word when you have pleaded for the Lord to remove this trouble when you have pleaded with the Lord to open this door a door which he has shut a way which he has hedged up for it is our sin as we prove our rebellious nature rising up against the will of

[30:17] God they remembered his words now mark these dear women I love to observe in the scriptures some of the blessings that these dear handmaids of the Lord knew sometimes we perhaps often times we give more consideration to some of those dear saints of God the patriarchs of all the dear handmaids of the Lord had their place the Lord had mercy had compassion upon them and remember that with him there is neither male nor female bond nor free the same precious promises apply to the handmaids as they do to the patriots as they apply to the dear saints of God of old so they apply to us today the word of God is ever old it is blessedly new they remember his word

[31:43] I love that word that he's brought unto us when Jesus said come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest you remember that word these dear women knew something of that they knew what it was to be burdened Mary Magdalene knew what that was to be devil possessed they knew what it was to know the truth of that word if they didn't literally hear the Lord Jesus proclaim it come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden oh is there a laboring soul here is there a heavy laden soul here may the

[32:48] Lord grant you his Holy Spirit to be your remembrance that you may remember his word that you may know what that is to obey that divine precept and to come to come with your burden to come with your care to come with your sin to come with your guilt my here are you can't come too filthy come just as you are the consideration of your path a view of your own heart of your violence friend it may be a dark time with you time when Jesus is not to be seen they come to the tomb they come to the sepulcher he is not here might hearer the word itself may have given them much grief but it was not the only word that was spoken to them he is not here this was added but is risen what a contradiction to the evil schemes and plans of those who would say he was taken away see reason will ever attempt to overthrow the things of God my heroes let us beware of reasoning there is a right reasoning there is a gracious reasoning you've got it in these two on the road to Emmaus how they commune together and reason there was a right reasoning when reasoning is through unbelief when reasoning is of our own heart our own nature our own will are we a best believer there were those that left to themselves with reason but here the angel said he is risen and still adds more remember the word how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee not the wonder of this friend here were these angels who are an instrument a means in the hand of the Lord of speaking unto these downhearted ones a word that had been spoken unto them by the Lord himself you see friend the Lord isn't confined to means instruments that he may use

[36:12] I don't know I'm not prepared to argue as to how the angels knew the word that the Lord spoke that all creatures all angels all ministering spirits are subject to the will of God and the Lord can use them and did use them here to convey this word of gracious encouragement to them up to now their understanding had not been enlightened to recall these words but as they are reminded to remember the word the word itself was declared unto them saying that the son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be crucified and the third day rise again know what this did for them so my hearer you need to be reminded of that word come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden to come just as you are to cast your care upon me sweet line

[37:44] Jesus ready stands to save you he will save every right comer that comes unto him and who are they they are they whom the father hath given him all that the father hath given me shall come to me and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out remember his words why are they they are then afraid to come why afraid to tell thy case he will not pronounce thy doom for smiles are seated on his face do you see a soul in the scripture recorded coming to Jesus to whom Jesus said no your case is too you are not a fit character no then why not you why art thou afraid to come if you ask him to receive you will he say you nay not till earth and not till heaven pass away friend do you appreciate do you value do you realize the blessings of this day of grace they remembered his words they remembered how precious he had made himself unto them oh this is a sweet thought the lord give us to ponder it more and more the preciousness of christ to a soul dear peter learned it he learned it painfully but he learned the truth of it and he never lost it and friend that which is taught you by the spirit of god you'll never lose may for a time be hidden over may not always be present of you but I say you'll never lose it remember his words peter came to this in the closing scenes of his pilgrimage unto you therefore which believe he is precious

[40:27]  I say peter had loved this peter brought this out peter prized it you know christ to be precious to you you know him precious to your soul you know him precious in every glorious character and office that is his remember his word he said lo I am with you always even unto the end of the world isn't this a precious word we do well to remember his word our time has gone on us leave the subject where it is amen