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[0:00] As the Lord should enable me this morning, I would ask your attention to a part of the word of God in the 42nd chapter of the prophecy of Isaiah and the fourth verse.

[0:13] The 42nd chapter of the prophecy of Isaiah and the fourth verse. He shall not fail nor be discouraged.

[0:30] These words refer to the Lord Jesus Christ and that we have no doubt. I read to you in the 12th chapter of the Gospel by Matthew a quotation of the opening verses of this particular portion of the word of God.

[0:45] And there the writer of the Gospel declares without the slightest shadow of a doubt that these words were fulfilled in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ.

[0:56] Not only fulfilled on one occasion that is referred to in Matthew 12, but also on the many, many occasions of his life. Yea, all the way through the life of the Lord Jesus Christ, when both the tenderness, but also the strength of God in Jesus Christ was so very, very clearly revealed.

[1:19] And what a wonderful word this is, of confidence and of hope to those who wait upon the Lord. He shall not fail nor shall he be discouraged.

[1:32] These days in which we are living seem to me, my friends, to be days when many persons are weighing down in their spirit because of the prevailing of evil and of sin.

[1:44] And I have no doubt that those who are concerned with regard to the welfare of the Church of Christ and the honour and glory of God that is bound up with it, that they also are much distressed because of the prevailing of adversity, of the power of Satan within and against the Church of Christ.

[2:04] But nevertheless, this word is still the word of God. It is still the word of divine truth. He shall not fail nor be discouraged.

[2:16] What a mercy it is in the midst of everything that seems to lack anything that would approach underconfidence. There is a word that we have before our spirit this morning, this word that speaks about the absolute perfection of the work of God in the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

[2:37] My mind only today, early this morning, was turning to those words of the dear Emmanuel, when there was a heart upon the cross and the end of his sufferings grew nigh.

[2:49] And there we read that not with a weak voice, not with the voice of one that showed complete exhaustion, not with the voice of one that was unwilling to die, but with a narrow voice he proclaimed this wonderful truth, it is finished.

[3:07] And all my friends, as I realized, that there the Lord did speak to his people and to posterity throughout the ages of a great and glorious work committed to his hand, which had now been completely finished.

[3:24] He had not left a single thing undone. He had not piled. He had not been discouraged. The triumph had now been obtained. The victory over the devil had indeed been accomplished.

[3:38] And all my friends, what a comfort it is to the heart of those who are brought to cling and believe and hope in Christ alone, to read such a word as this, testify in the word of God, he will not fail, he shall not fail, neither shall he be discouraged.

[3:56] But in the first place this morning, I do want us to notice, my friends, something about this blessed one of whom this word is spoken. This word that is so different to the word that is spoken about other men.

[4:11] This word that is so different to what we have to speak about ourselves. I wonder how many, as they come into this place this morning, have to say, I have a fight.

[4:23] I have a fight. It's a good thing, my friends, to be honest before God, with regard to this man. If we have ever confessed our sin before him, if we've ever mourned over him, if we've ever really repented of our sin, what we've really said before God from our heart is this, I have failed.

[4:43] I have failed. But oh, how different this one is. Christ himself can say, I have not failed. His word on the cross give testimony of this, I have not failed.

[4:56] The work that my father gave me to do, I have finished it. And who is this one who can speak in this way? Who can declare that the work committed to him has been absolutely completed?

[5:11] It is none other, my friends, than the servant of God. Some few weeks ago, I did speak to you at all from the first verse of this chapter, Behold my servant in my uphold.

[5:23] And some of us perhaps can remember that day when there might read something of the glory, but the grace of that wonderful servant was there upon our spirit.

[5:36] As we look by faith from that one who was barely gone, and yet took to himself a work, a task, a sacrifice, an obligation, suffering, distress, and awful death, in order that he might effect the greatest of all services that a servant could ever undertake.

[5:57] Christ himself said, I lay down my life for the sheep. After I have done all these other things for them, brought in their righteousness, made a clothing for them in which they shall appear in all its glory before God, then I lay down my life for the sheep.

[6:19] Oh, blessed, blessed word of God. Friends, Christ really did do this. He really did lay down his life for his sheep. It wasn't something that man took away from him.

[6:33] He said, No man taketh it from me. I lay it down of myself, and I take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.

[6:44] As I came into the world, this was the purpose of my Father in sending me, and as I did accomplish this great service, for the people of my love from all eternity.

[6:55] Ah, friends, this one of whom it is said he shall not file, he did not file, in the service that he came to render on behalf of the love of God.

[7:08] And then I also want you to notice that he was not only the servant, but there is a wonderful dignity about the servant and his service. He was very God, and the eternal Son of God.

[7:21] I don't think, friends, all our contemplation, all that we may have comprehended, even under the teaching of the Holy Spirit, can ever fully comprise the great glory of the Son of God.

[7:33] I remember making a remark to you some time ago, with regard to that remarkable work of John Owen, entitled The Glory of Christ. But you know, friends, that, dear man, accomplished as he was, by the Spirit of God, in setting for the great glories of dear Emmanuel, he would have been the first to say that this was only the thing that he knew in part, concerning the great glory of the Son of God, the glory of Christ.

[8:03] But oh, as we think upon the position that was his, and that from whence he came, the glory of the Son, with the Father, and with the Holy Ghost, the creator of all things, of the whole universe, and of mankind, and the maintainer of all things.

[8:20] I like those words of the hymn writer when he said, his shoulders held up heaven and earth when Mary held up him. Think of it, friends.

[8:31] The extent of his power, and of his glory, and of his wonderful authority. It was the Son of God who became the servant of the Father, accomplishing the purposes of God for his people.

[8:46] And then, I would have you remember that God had set his choice upon this one to accomplish this great work. He was the one that the Father knew was pitied for it.

[8:57] He knew, friends, that by reason of what had happened in this world, yea, in anticipation of its happening, that there was no single man or woman, boy or girl, that would ever come to the end of their life.

[9:10] But if they really knew the teaching of their God, and the truth within their soul, they would have to say, I have faith. And so, it needed one from heaven, not an angel, but God himself, my friends, the chosen of the Father, my elect, says God.

[9:28] It needed that one to come into the world in order that a completely finished work of righteousness and justification might be accomplished for the people of God.

[9:40] And then, notice also, my friends, how the Lord goes on to speak about this one who would not fail or be discouraged. He says, in whom my soul delighted.

[9:54] I wonder whether there is some connection between your attitude to Christ this morning and the way in which the eternal God did speak about his own dear son.

[10:07] In whom my soul delighted. Oh, friends, I believe we have seen something of the way in which people can delight in others.

[10:18] We've seen it manifest in their kindliness and tenderness and compassion to them in the times of their couple. We've seen their loyalty and devotion to one another that has provided through many years.

[10:32] We've seen how young people have given themselves to one another before God in marriage and taken them of themselves most extensive vows that they pray to God they may have grace to be able to do and we've seen those things go on for years and years and they've gone closer and closer together and they have increased in the delight that they've had toward one another.

[10:56] But, friends, I want you to remember this, that here is one in whom the eternal God found perfect delight. those words of the Father, you know, spoke of his Son at the Mount of Transfiguration.

[11:12] What are they? Well, says the eternal God, this is my beloved Son in whom I am well-deeds. I can take the utmost delight in him.

[11:24] There is no impermanity, no imperfection. Sin has never done a place in him. There is nothing from which my spirit has to revolve because it is so contrary to what I am in holiness and truth.

[11:38] He is my dear Son, but he is also the perfect righteousness of his people. And there, friends, I might ask you the question and I'm able to ask myself the question this morning, do we really delight in Christ?

[11:54] Is there something in him that has taken possession of our heart and of our affection and bound us to him? Oh, but you say to me, Mr. Rowley, it touches such a sore spot within my spirit, this does.

[12:08] I feel that there are so many things in me that seem to have become alienated from Christ and I don't look upon him as I used to do, nor yet feel the warmth of affection in my heart toward him that I did at one time.

[12:22] Perhaps you're like the him writer who said, where is the blessedness I knew when first I knew the Lord, where is the soul refreshing you of Jesus and the word and perhaps with grief and troubled soul you go back to those early days of the Lord, communication of his love to your heart and you say, it seems to be so different with me now to die.

[12:43] Well, friends, what is it that you and I need if that is the case? Is it a complaint with us that it is so? Are we really troubled and concerned because the coldness of carnal things within our spirit does occasion to our heart as they have taken its pale effect upon our spirit to die?

[13:04] Do we have to say, I don't love him as one time I did? Oh, if I love, why am I lost? Why this cold and lightless pain?

[13:15] Hardly sure can they be worse who have never known thy name. And, friends, what you need is what David needed and what God gave to David. And you know he's the same God to die as he was in the day of David.

[13:29] He's a God great in his mercy and great in his forgiveness and great in his compassion and tenderness. Oh, don't forget that he will not break the bruised and greed neither will he quench the smoking flax.

[13:43] There is the tenderness of this blessed one that we're speaking about and all says David, he restoreth my soul. And he leadeth me in the path of righteousness for his name, saying, don't despair, my friends.

[13:57] He will not fail that which he has undertaken to do not only upon this earth in his incarnation but also in his throne glory in heaven interceding on behalf of those who fallen and are weak and are oppressed and carnality is seen to seize upon their spirit again with all its negative effect from their hearts of action toward the Lord.

[14:21] The Lord says, I will not find them. I will not find them. Who, once I love, I'll never leave them but I will love them to the end. I will not file. I will not file.

[14:32] Come just as you are, poor, distressed soul who feel this coldness of your heart towards your God. Come just as you are, my friends, and bring the whole man to lay it before the Lord and beg of him that as he dealt with his servant David and mind you friends, you may say to me that David was a wonderful man and a psalmist and a prophet and he was a king of Israel.

[14:57] The Lord, of course, would claim for such a man as that but I want you to remember friends that whatever fierce position under the hand of God he was a great sinner and it was because of the providings of great sins that he needed a great restoration and it was to a great sinner that this restoration was granted and it will have to be to a great sinner if the Lord does come and restore our soul and visit us again with his love and remind that affection within our breasts toward him.

[15:28] Don't forget, therefore, that it is God who said this is the one in whom my soul delighted, you see, the one of whom it shall be said he shall not fail, he shall not fail.

[15:42] I can take the utmost delight in everything that he has to do, he shall not fail, he shall not fail, nor be disappointed. And so, friends, I do want us just to remember these facts concerning the one of whom the word of our text does speak.

[15:59] But I see also that this word a wonderful victory, that word that I quoted to you at the beginning of the service about Christ after the Christ up and upon the cross, it is finished, you know, it speaks of a great overcoming and a great victory.

[16:17] I want to look at it perhaps just for a few moments in two different lines. In the first place, my friends, the great victory that Christ accomplished in his person whilst he was here among men, and then the great victory that he does accomplish and that by his spirit in the hearts and lives of his people and by reason of his intercession on their behalf in heaven, I don't think that we can ever value sufficiently the position of Christ in heaven interceding at the right hand of the Father for his people.

[16:50] I really don't think so. I don't know, my friends, how you value the prayers of Christ on your behalf. Mine are so poor, so imperfect, I feel to be, and so marked by my sin and sometimes, my friends, so dreadful by reason of the prevailing of unbelief in my spirit that I can't have too high a value to be set upon the prayers of the Lord Jesus Christ.

[17:17] And if some of you, my friends, may feel that you could pray very well and you have much liberty and enlargement in prayer, I would have you to remember and after your humiliation as I have to do that although, my friends, we may have much enlargement in prayer, we are still sinners who need a mediator.

[17:40] The victory, he shall not fight, see it, my dreads, at the dying of Christ's deepest humiliation. He shall not fight, he shall not fight.

[17:53] Oh, what a dreadful place was that that the dear Son of God didn't come to, but thereof offer a ministry so perfect, offer a life so obedient, when all the glory of his person was there revealed in human flesh to those who had eyes to see it, friends, and there, at the end, this dreadful humiliation of his person, all the shame that he endured, the shame of the hands of men, and then, friends, the dreadful judgment under which he suffered at the hands of the partner.

[18:29] Oh, let us not forget those two things. He was deeply humble, deeply humiliated. Oh, friends, the depths to which he went are inexplicable ones.

[18:41] I don't feel that I could ever really explain to you the great depths of suffering to which the Lord Jesus Christ was willing to go. You may say to me, well, of course, it all reflects the hatred of men.

[18:55] It's an example of the human heart in its opposition to that which is good. Christ would have never suffered like this if man hadn't been of the nature that he is. It's a testimony against mankind where all that is true, but it's something else, friends.

[19:13] There is that that was committed to the hand of Christ, and all this humiliation and this suffering, this awful distress through which he passed, and the judgment that was passed upon him, was absolutely necessary for your salvation and mine.

[19:30] Oh, he suffered, he bled, and he died that sinners might have their sins forgiven, that there might be, my friend, a standing for them in Christ.

[19:43] It was the only way in which their guilt could be put away, the only way, my friend, in which mercy could flow to the guilty. oh, it is through Christ and him crucified, and he shall not find him, he shall not find him.

[20:01] See what happens at the way. His own disciple comes to him in anticipation of the sufferings that he spoke of to his disciples, and he says, it need not be, master, need not be.

[20:14] You've only got to speak the word, and all enemies will have to flee from thee. Do you remember the time when you were preaching Nazareth, and you just passed through them and went on your way?

[20:25] Many, many times you demonstrated your great power. Wickedness of men had no effect upon thee. Thou were sovereign, it need not be to thee.

[20:37] And the Lord turns to his disciples and he says, this why of humiliation and suffering is my father's will for me. He could go further. He could say, it is thy choice for myself.

[20:51] It is that which I have chosen. Remember the words of the ancient prophet, here and I send me. Oh, friends, if that could be spoken by a man from this earth whose heart was devoted to the cause of God, how much more to the son of man and son of God incarnate, as there he is devoted to the cause of his father and of the church that was committed to him, here am I, send me.

[21:19] He shall not find nor be discouraged. He shall not fail nor be discouraged. Oh, it is a wonderful thing, friends, to see how Christ has set his face steplessly.

[21:32] The alternative rendering, I believe, to that word in the scripture is like a cliff, unchanging. You see, he set his face to go to Jerusalem.

[21:43] It's quite evident to his disciples around him that this was the course that of necessity he must take. And then, I would have you notice straight that this victory is manifested in the resurrection and the ascension of the Lord Jesus Christ.

[22:01] Remember those days, of course, when Christ's body lay in the tomb. And then, on the third morning, there were those who went to anoint his body with spice.

[22:13] Their very error goes to show them that they haven't got any apprehension, really, of the wonderful thing that Christ had done and that he was going to do. They didn't think that he was going to break the bars of death that Narnia broke before.

[22:30] They couldn't see anything else but failure and discouragement attending the death of Christ. But he shall not find nor be discouraged. Yes, the death, indeed, he did go.

[22:43] But on the third day, he rose again. Oh, friends, the amazement, the amazement of those people that Christ should there come forth from the grave.

[22:55] Although in many, many things he had clearly foretold that these things would happen, his suffering was roaring, and yet, upon the third day, someone prepared for this wonderful thing that Christ had done.

[23:10] He shall not find him. He shall not find him. Oh, listen to the word of those who return from the tomb. He's risen. He's risen. See them coming back from Emmaus to Jerusalem, and what are they going to do?

[23:24] Tell them the fact that Christ has risen and has appeared to them. They say, he has not failed. He has not failed. He has brought in righteousness for us. He's the risen Lord.

[23:35] He's our captain and our king. He hasn't failed. He's made an atonement for sin. There is mercy for the guilty through this blessed one that has died. He hasn't failed.

[23:46] He hasn't failed. And, oh, friends, it's a wonderful word to my soul this morning. I have so often failed, and there seems to be so much failure that is marked upon me, but, oh, Christ and his cause, they cannot fail.

[24:03] Then I would have another thing, another thought that I would mention to you, friends, and that is that he doesn't fail in the hearts of his people, you know. Oh, no, he doesn't fail.

[24:15] You know, I have sometimes had a similar amount of consolation in my spirit in remembrance of this fact, that he that hath begun a good work in you will perform him unto the day of Jesus Christ.

[24:31] You know, I have seen some persons who have made a good profession of religion, perhaps in their early lives, and then, friends, there have been some grateful, sinful thing that seems to have beset them and set in, and they have been turned aside into carelessness and indolence, and they seem to have departed from the ways of the Lord in a great degree.

[24:56] And you know, as I try to pray for them, and God on praying for them, there has been something in my spirit akin to this blessed word, he shall not find, he shall not find, all me, you, your friends, although they have wandered so far away, and although their affections have become so alienated on the Lord who may profess the love of whom I care, nevertheless, there is one in the hearts of his people he shall not find, oh, he'll bring them back, he'll bring them back.

[25:29] Another thought as well, friends, and that is this, that in the hearts of his people they may be so oppressed and so beset by Satan that they really feel, my friends, they'll have to give it all up, you know, give it all up.

[25:42] Such a long time since the Lord visited them with his favor and blessing as he did in the past, and they think I shall have to give it all up, I shall have to give it all up, but he will not find, he will not find, he may try your faith very slowly, you may have much temptation of the past, but he will not find, he will not find, oh, you may feel to be a failure in the manner, you think, oh, there was a day when I believed I had a strong faith in Christ, but it's been so sore in his sense, and I really wonder whether I have got any faith or not our friends, but he will not find, he'll not find, oh, it's a blessed work is this, he shall not find, nor shall he be discouraged, and then I think of another thing, you know, and that is, my friends, that there's not going to be, if I may put it very, very simply, there's not going to be an empty mansion in heaven, there's not going to be an empty seat around the throne of God, you're not find, not father, these are they that thou hast given me, these are the children that thou hast given me, listen to his own words, friends, an anticipation because he is the son of

[27:03] God, of that which shall be said to all eternity, you see, not one of them is lost, not one of them is lost, he shall not find, he shall not find, oh, blessed, blessed world of security, he shall not find, now my son, I feel a foster teacher of religion, who will tell us, friends, that you could be in Christ today, and because of certain things that may happen, you may be out of Christ tomorrow, let me say this, friends, you may be in the enjoyment of Christ today, and you may be out of the enjoyment of Christ tomorrow, but that isn't what they teach, I believe that is true in the soul's experience of many persons, no man can keep alive his own soul, this indeed is dependent from the sovereign grace of God and the fresh communications of it to the heart of his people, but oh, friends, what about the eternal destiny of these blessed wives, these blood brought redeemed souls, oh, friends, have been dependent upon the will and the efforts of a man to redeem to keep himself, well, then how many empty houses there indeed must be?

[28:19] Ah, said Christ, at my father's house, are many mansions of people, and not so I would have told you, but I go to prepare a place for you, that where I am, there you may be also.

[28:33] That is my will, that is my will. Oh, these that thou hast given me, Lord, not one of them is lost, not one of them. You perhaps may say to me, well, such teaching as this, that of course some of you who perhaps may know the doctrinal terms will say is the teaching of the final perseverance of the saints, well, such teaching as that, it will just simply tend to people living as they list, and not caring how they conduct themselves, and whether they're religious or worldly, they just simply won't worry about the matter our friends, but the same one that preserves you, you know, is the same one that works within the heart, and if his child does wander a while in carelessness and carnality as I have told you, there will be one that will bring them back again, and they'll come back with broken bones, and they'll come back with a very sad heart, and they'll come back with repentance, and with real crying and supplication from the Lord to favour them and receive them again, and they'll fight the sin that there became their captivity and brought them into bondage and loathed themselves for the evil that they've entertained within their person.

[29:47] Ah, friends, don't forget, the God who saves is the God who also gives repentance unto faith. Oh, he does, he gives repentance, you know.

[29:59] Yes, this is a blessed word, I feel, friends, he shall not fail nor be discouraged. And then, what about the providences of our God?

[30:11] He shall not fail nor be discouraged. The Lord loves the people, he's given the bodies to live in, for their souls to live in whilst they're here.

[30:22] He will take their souls to heaven and one day, friends, there'll be an identity between the perfect body that they shall have in heaven with God and the full body of humiliation that there is here below.

[30:36] This poor dust of ours, it certainly will go to the grave, generally speaking, but friends, there'll be a time when Christ has said it will be ready to gain and made life unto his glorious body and there his people, body and soul, join together shall there live forever in his presence.

[30:56] And what about the providences of life to our bodies? for me to tell me, my friends, that Christ has no concern in them. For me to tell me that there are no souls within this place who can look back perhaps over the past few days or months, particularly of the years of their life, and say, he hath done all things well, all things well.

[31:21] He hath exercised a gracious, tender, loving, wise, though mysterious providence to me. He's led me into ways of sorrow, distress, adversity, and bowed my poor spirit down and grieved, but in the end, he hath done all things well.

[31:42] He shall not find, he shall not find, nor be discouraged. And then, friends, what about the consummation and redemption? When there at last, the redeemed stand around the throne ground.

[31:58] What is it they will sing on? Now, sing of the very thing that the world outings. He will not find. Worthy is the land to receive honor and glory and power.

[32:09] Worthy, of course, he's worthy. Why? He has never filed. The son of God incarnate, in his life here below, in his dealings with his people, in his wonderful grace drawn to them, day by night, his restoring mercies.

[32:24] He has not filed. Worthy is the land to have this authority. Maybe, my friends, some of you in paths of distress have been questioning the wisdom and the love of God in Christ towards you.

[32:42] So, if I really believe what I do believe about my God, he's only just to speak a word or move a finger and the whole land could be put right.

[32:54] He hasn't done it. Our friends, we do so misapprehend our God, you know. It's like the words we've just seen.

[33:07] They came up of my spirit this morning, you know. Oh, how true they seem to be in my own case. Blind unbelief is sure to learn and scan God's work in my God is his own interpreter and he will make it fun.

[33:26] There's one thing I pray for for myself because I need it so softly and I would pray for it also for you because it would be a great blessing to you friends. Oh, I would pray for the grace of loving reconciliation to the will of Jesus Christ that you know within your heart.

[33:44] And there you may be able to have an anticipation of that brulessing anthem of praise within your own heart this day. Worthy is the man to receive all authority and all power and all dispensing of everything that is needed for his people, both of adversity and the prosperity.

[34:07] One said all shall come and last today. Is this, my friends, an expression of a sort of fatalistic or is it a gracious, loving acquiescence to his will?

[34:20] All shall come and last today as should please my heavenly grace. Ah, he shall offer you nor be discouraged.

[34:32] even my friends, in the face of all the mighty opposition of Satan, in the face of all the guilt of mankind, in the face of the abounding corruption in this world, and also in the hearts of his people, in the face of all the mighty power of the devil's instruments that are so active in the world to die, in the face of all the afflictions that his people may have to suffer, in the face of death itself.

[35:02]  That last great bone, he shall not find nor be discouraged. May the Lord add his blessing. Amen.