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[0:00] I venture to draw your prayerful attention to the first epistle to the Thessalonians chapter 5 verse 10 and the last clause chapter 4 verse 17 and the middle clause first epistle to the Thessalonians chapter 5 verse 10 and the last three words together with him chapter 4 and verse 17 and these three words together with them together with him together with them when almighty God formed man out of the dust of the earth in his own image took from his side a rib and formed Eve before sin entered into this world there was a broken communion with God but how soon sin entered how soon the evil one the fallen angel appeared how soon Eve and Adam fell and they heard that solemn voice the voice of God the voice that up till then they loved to hear to walk with God but now they were afraid they had disobeyed almighty God and sought to hide themselves there is no hiding from God whose eyes whose eyes are as a flame of fire the word declares be sure your sin will find you out

[3:27] Adam where art thou Adam was afraid God God spake solemn words to Adam to Eve O thou hideous monster sin what a curse hast thou brought in because of sin they were driven out of that garden so fair communion with heaven now is broken more than that the cherubim with flaming sword stand in the way to bar the way to the tree of life the wages of sin is death the soul that sinneth it shall die

[4:53] God's justice that sword flaming that that payment must be made for that sword to be sheathed for that way to be made for sinners to enter into glory to the tree of life ever remembering the justice of God ever remembering that man is fallen and cannot pay that price ever remembering that all that shall be found in glory at last will be sinless spotless faultless holy and pure in the sight of almighty

[6:07] God whose eyes are as a flame of fire there can not be a spot of defilement one unpardoned sin in heaven without the shedding of blood there is no remission that blood must be sinless where is it to be found it could never be found in the blood of lambs and calves and goats that were slain of old not that we pass those sacrifices over they are full of sweet precious teaching and pointing forth to the blood of the lamb of

[7:07] God just one example the firstborn was of an ass that was either a lamb was to be slain that the ass's life would be preserved if no lamb was slain the neck of that ass had to be broken the firstborn of the ass as with others was to be given to God what do we see there we see ourselves stubborn in sin and oh what a wonder to behold the lamb of God oh as we think of the lamb slain on the pass overnight I love to meditate on it it's sweet to my soul it's precious to my heart we know that there with that literal blood there was preservation literal from death that night but even that blood did not wash away the sin of the

[8:20] Israelite many serpent bitten Israelites died in the wilderness not all looked at the serpent set up on high but come back to the blood of that lamb without blemish and I love to set it forth because in the record we read first it was a lamb a lamb taken from the flock according to the word of God without spot and without blemish in the prime and the next reference you have to it is the lamb the lamb the particular lamb that is appointed to be put to death and then the next reference is your lamb for you in your room and place but I say then all the sacrifices of all could not make an atonement for sin the universe could not provide payment of the debt the stars are not pure in his sight what then of vile man sinful man on earth but oh the wonder oh the glory of the plan before the world created before man fell the purpose of

[10:04] God's grace a covenant ordered in all things and sure a lamb slain from the foundation of the world Jesus Christ the eternal son of God he who came to this earth the gift of the father for God and mark that next word so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift that gift that is so full that gift that is so free that gift that is so suitable that gift my dear friends that all is bestowed upon poor sinners but how and in what way could deity die for deity can never die as such but deity in sweet union with sinless humanity but how are we to find sinless humanity when we know that all we that are born are shapen in iniquity and in sin did my mother conceive it right from conception to death lost ruined in sin under the

[11:52] Adam fall but here my friends is the word of heaven spoken to Mary that holy thing could not be spoken I use this word carefully I know that the work of grace the new birth that is holy and pure but it could not be spoken of anything on earth apart from that and here is born in Bethlehem a saviour which is Christ the Lord good tidings from heaven and yet there was no room for them in the end solemn picture of earth by nature but all the dear saviour came behold the land of God here is the one who will go forth to pay this price a life that he has a life that he will lay down blood that will be shed the sword that will smite justice that will be satisfied and all in the dear saviour for it pleased god then in him should all fullness dwell when was this price paid this sword that we were speaking of flaming and red it fell on the saviour in the fulfilment of the prophecy awake o sword that is go into action smite the shepherd the man that is my fellow saith the lord smite the shepherd and the sheep shall be scattered and

[13:52] I will turn my hand upon the little ones just an Old Testament reference here old age is no immunity from pride of the heart and from the temptations of the devil David numbered the people for the pride of his heart he was not told by God to do it neither did he do it in the way that God had ordered that it should be done and God chastened his servant and the people and you remember David saw that sight of the angel with the sword stretched out over Jerusalem to smite the city and there God spake to David and there an altar was built and there a sacrifice was offered and as that altar was built and the sacrifice was offered then the

[15:01] Lord commanded the angel to put away that sword let us now go to Calvary sweet the moments rich in blessing which before the cross I spend oh to be led there oh to view our dear Redeemer I'm sure it will break our hearts oh his wondrous love oh that amazing sign oh that he's numbered with the transgressors oh that the world scorns him oh the soldiers are gambling at the foot of the cross and yet even before those hours of darkness there's a trophy of his grace there's the manifestation of the heart of his love there's the purpose of salvation to one who would in our view be sinking fast to hell a wretch indeed a murderer a robber one of the worst of men and yet oh amazing grace how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me

[16:16] I once was lost but now am found was blind but now I see oh here this man is confessing his sin this man is turning to Jesus this man is praying this man says Lord remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom can can can there be mercy I speak after the manner of man in the midst of the agony of the cross speak any word of hope to him that before had reviled him oh beloved our text declares here together with him and to this man that did the saviour say verily sealed in his blood the saviour of sinners today shalt thou be with me in paradise but look yet was to follow the smiting of the sword when in the hours of darkness veiled over the face of the earth the powers of darkness hurled against the saviour and yet we hear the saviour cry my god my god why hast thou forsaken me deep is the mystery profound and yet faith embraces it for there we see that wrath as we have in the earlier part of this text god hath not appointed us to wrath because that wrath holy and pure from heaven fell on the saviour the sinless one who was made to be sin for us who knew no sin for it pleased the lord to bruise him and to put him to grief he hath laid on him the iniquity of us all and there the saviour paid the price there he triumphed over the powers of darkness there he suffered the just for the unjust and there my friends triumphantly gloriously tried out it is finished it's done forever ever done and none can overthrow it

[18:39] Satan cannot destroy it and oh beloved friends the triumph of the cross confirmed in the empty tomb and the ascension and resurrection of Jesus Christ oh I say here is the way open together with him he's broken down all that which came between us and holy God by his shedding of his precious blood for in that blood the blood that is the blood of deity in union with sinless humanity is the cleansing efficacious power that washes away all sin and makes a sinner whiter than snow come now and let us reason together saith the Lord though your sins be as scarlet they shall be as white as snow though they be red like crimson they shall be as wool oh the wonders of salvation oh the wonders of redemption oh the preciousness of the blood oh the fountain open for sin and for uncleanness oh that justice now demands that sinners shall saved by grace redeemed by that blood shall enter glory my friend that blessed are they that do his commandments that they may have right to the tree of life and enter in by the gates into the city redeemed by price and redeemed by divine power oh the wonder of it now I read recently a little story a little boy made himself it must have been years ago a nice little wooden boat and he put nails in it and string on it and had much pleasure as a little boy would with his boat on the water until one day sad to say the nail came out and the boat was lost he could not retrieve that which was to him something very dear he made it and it was his and it was lost after a time he'd largely forgotten about it but in a second hand shop all of a sudden with his mother what should he say in the shop was his boat boat and so he went to the shop keeper and said that it was his but the shop keeper said no he said if you pay me a pound then it will be yours well I suppose mother had compassion and gave him the pound and he paid it and gathering the boat into his hand he said something like this you're doubly mine doubly mine

[22:03] I made you and I paid for you I believe there is a very I admit very simple illustration of the great stupendous work of redemption on the cross we were made we were lost and there was a price to be paid but what a price what a price his own heart's blood but now it says together with him this great work did Christ die in vain no he shall see of the travail of his soul and be satisfied but what of man lost ruined fallen dead in trespasses and sin will never seek the saviour of his own his free will declares this we will not have this man to reign over us free will declares away with him away with him crucify him crucify him free will says no room in the end but it says together with him and the word of

[23:29] God declares the purpose of God that they shall come now how is it now in this let us turn in our thoughts to the epistle where we are told that we are dead in trespasses and in sin lost and ruined utterly and we all have our conversation in times past in the lust of our flesh fulfilling what is the desire of the flesh and of the mind and were by nature the children of wrath even as others but God friend have those two words in power come into your life into your heart into your experience are you yet without God without Christ without hope or can you say but

[24:32] God in his mercy who is rich in mercy for his great love wherewith he loved us love me in heaven love me when lost and ruined in the fall love me on that cross love me still and now he's calling me drawing me to himself even when we were dead in sins hath quickened us now listen together with Christ by grace ye are saved and hath raised us up together and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus oh the power of God's grace oh the blessed work of the spirit oh and oh that mighty grace that breathed in spiritual life quickens reveals to a sinner the sovereignty of God displayed in the depth of it but the reality yes

[25:34] I'm lost I'm a sinner not the labor of my hands can fulfill thy laws demands could my tears forever flow could my zeal no respite no all for sin could not atone thou must save and thou alone Lord nothing but thyself only Jesus and who is your soul drawn as a guilty lost ruin hell deserving sinner to the saviour of sinners even Jesus Christ together with him let us trace this one more step then again using scripture now therefore that means a difference to what you once were now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners but fellow citizens with the saints and of the household of

[26:42] God together with him together with them but most particularly for the moment together with him now at one time before called by grace the things of God were strange to us the language was strange it was a foreign tongue now by his grace this is our language these are our people and we by grace are fellow citizens with the saints and of the household of God the household of faith believers in Jesus Christ because of the work of grace brought in their soul because in that work of grace there's precious faith and precious faith goes out in gracious activity to the dear saviour of sinners to the blood of Christ to the finished work of

[27:44] Christ and so these are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone it doesn't mean to say that we're built on Peter or Isaiah but what it means is this that Christ is the foundation and the word of God through the prophets and through the apostles is that upon which the soul can rest but Christ is the foundation the word of the gospel of the grace of God is our sure foundation the finished work of Christ now we're built on Christ is the foundation and all his dear children are as stones quarried cleansed shaped prepared made ready and taken at last to glory so they are together with him united to

[28:47] Christ resting on Christ built upon Christ no other foundation no other hope whatsoever my hope is built on nothing less than Jesus blood and righteousness I dare not trust the sweetest frame but holy thee on Jesus name on Christ the solid rock I stand all other ground is sinking sand in whom all the building fitly framed together together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord in whom ye also are built together for inhabitation of God through the Spirit together with him this Jesus two more brief illustrations for we must hasten our meditation one is this that Christ has a flock he is the good shepherd of the sheep together with him because that sheep is lost now

[29:54] I quoted a word that is very precious that word that smite the shepherd and the sheep shall be scattered and this last clause I will turn mine hand upon the little ones that hand of his love that hand of his grace that hand of his mercy that hand that finds the sheep that is lost that nail pierced hand turn mine hand upon the little ones he gathers them Jesus sought me when a stranger wandering from the fold of God he to save my soul from danger interposed his precious blood I will hiss for them says the Lord and I will gather them that word hiss for them when God says hiss against that's a solemn word of judgment and wrath against sinners but this word hiss for them is very beautiful very precious it teaches us and tells us about the shepherd and you know how the sheep know their shepherd

[31:01] I remember dear Mr. Ramsbottom speaking on a Sunday school anniversary never forgotten it and he said there was a poor man he had two sheep and he owed a considerable amount of money and had even more owing to him but to meet the debt and the demand of the creditors he went to the market to sell the two sheep that he was very very fond of but during the course of the day debts were paid to him so he went back to the market seeking to get his two sheep back none of the sheep in the market were marked as they said to him oh but we don't know which your two sheep are if you know them if you can pick them up by all means of course you can have them you played but we don't know you can have any two sheep but the man said oh my two sheep and whereupon he got out a little reed or flute instrument and played a little tune and from over there and from over there two sheep came up they knew the shepherd

[32:11] I will hiss for them and this is the gospel this is the gospel trumpet that goes forth and the sheep that is here's a shepherd is attracted is drawn the lost one called by grace and here's a word like this come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest together with him and the flock you see we're told that sheep love their own company a sheep alone is either sickly or something wrong it will be very unhappy so my friend this is a mark I love to meet among them now and at thy gracious feet the power the vilest of the mob the sheep and the shepherd together with him and together with them further the illustration we referred to this afternoon of the vine and the branches the union and inseparable in this that the branch abides in the vine together with him because I live ye shall live also without me seven from me ye can do nothing no part with thee

[33:25] Lord Jesus said Peter how can I bear the thought not only my feet but my hands and my head my everything oh the Lord said he that is washed need only save washed his feet you see the blood cleanses from all sin but there is defilement in our daily walk our garments of profession are stained and we need constant cleansing together with him together with them now what about these words together with them you see we read in the word of God the two on the Emmaus road and it's very beautiful simple little words it says two what comes next of them beautiful not of the Pharisees and the scribes of them true disciples of Jesus Christ of them two of them and they themselves it's certain women of our company oh we read in the early part of the Acts being let go they went to their own company here is the family of God here is the household of faith

[34:40] I mentioned to my dear people last night and I won't give the details in close details but there was a minister and there was a deacon of a church and this deacon met this minister and was very concerned because in appearance he looked very much like this minister and he said to this minister oh he said I'm so worried because people think that I'm you and this minister without any pause gave such a sweet reply he said never mind my friend we have the same heavenly father it was the last time those two dear men met on earth that pastor was soon taken to glory do you love the people of God do you say yes they're my brethren my brethren and sisters in Christ oh how I love them together with them to bear one another's burdens to love each other oh what a word that is in the epistle of John as he speaks of the coming and love of the saviour hereby we perceive the love of God because he laid down his life for us and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren doesn't mean to say die one for the other but what it does mean to say for our life to be poured out in serving one another in the grace of humility in walking together the communion of saints the fellowship in the gospel striving together for the for the faith of the gospel each is feeling one another better than themselves brethren be kind one to another tender hearted forgiving one another even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you the devil seeks to sow the seed of discord among our brethren oh for grace to love one another to be patient to be kind to be ready to forgive and even greater still to be ready to say oh do forgive me

[36:58] I was in a wrong spirit I should never have said it do forgive me do forgive for what I've done and grace will be needed to forgive and sad to say you see some people say oh yes I forgive but they keep raking it up afterwards no friend may our forgiveness be real may it be a pattern of him who as they nailed those kind hands to the cross that did such good they nailed them to a cross of war I say father forgive them they know not what they do I say may we love us brethren and feel that love that welding together that warmth that union as the love of Christ unite and that love will be forged strengthened as there is an abiding in the truth as it is in Jesus continuing in the apostles doctrine and fellowship mark the order truth the word of God the things surely believed among us that and then fellowship today the demand in ecumenical movements is fellowship doesn't matter what you believe at all friend it's all wrong it will fail but all the union and sometimes you mean you see these words have been so precious to me since my visit with my dear wife to the United

[38:30] States there apart from the dear ministers I met complete strangers but it was together it was the unity of the spirit it was the bond and my friend we felt that love and we went into the homes and we heard them speak of Jesus then give their testimony oh how precious this is it's the same language there was a Christian that went abroad to Spain and with him was a Freemason and when this Christian was in Spain he met another Christian whom he didn't know and as soon they were just like one and you know what that is and as you met somebody may not even be a street Baptist they're not all just street Baptist they may be someone and you feel such a love and such a union such a warmth as though you've known them all your life well when they parted eventually this other Freemason said well that was remarkable you should meet a friend of yours that you've known first and he said my dear man

[39:32] I've never met him in my life never knew him and the Freemason was stagged he said that beats anything of Freemason and of course it does you see this is a bond this is a family this is a fellowship and this is the sensitiveness of love my friend and I mustn't keep you but once when this dear man of course died he's in heaven now dear deacon of mine in my earlier days had to go to the mental hospital I followed the ambulance I never had such a sad journey and if ever I knew I loved that man I did then because of his affliction and evitry the Lord brought him out and the simple words were these precious words the Lord is my shepherd but from that into the hospital arm amputated and then before he died he called the brethren around him let's sing the doxology my friend it was a spot of heaven on earth the reality of the work of God's grace in his sinner's heart and lastly and very briefly then together with him together with them and the glory yet to be friend I feel sometimes we're somewhat lacking

[40:44] I don't want to judge wrongly I would not for a moment but do we somewhat neglect the second coming of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ it should be our glorious hope not that we should speculate there's no need to speculate whatsoever that the word here is clear that the Lord himself is going to come and he's going to descend from heaven and it's going to be with a shout it's going to be with triumph and he's come for his dear children he loves them so dearly he's coming himself for them and the dead in Christ shall rise first and those of God's children that still are alive on this earth is abundantly clear together with those that are raised from the dead that they shall be changed in a moment in the twinkling of an eye and we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together all the whole election of grace the body of Christ the bride of Christ the flock of Christ together with them in the clouds the clouds as we think of the prince of the power of darkness he is the victorious king of kings and lord of lords triumphant and to meet the lord in the air so shall we ever be with the lord wherefore comfort one another with these words and so we come back in our closing thought to the prayer of the dear saviour as he said that they all may be one as thou father art in me and I in thee that they also may be one in us and he said father

[42:38]  I will that they also whom thou hast given me be with me where I am that they may behold my glory the old hymn says when by his grace I look on his face that will be glory be glory for me for me amen amen