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[0:00] First Epistle General of Peter, chapter 1, and especially verse 8. 1 Peter, chapter 1, verse 8.

[0:17] Whom, having not seen, ye love, in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory.

[0:42] It seemed to follow one's thoughts from this morning's text, which was from the First Epistle to the Corinthians in the second chapter.

[1:01] But as it is written, I hath not seen nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.

[1:21] And that came to my thoughts in connection with our late friends, Mr. Quentin's Palmer's words of West Row.

[1:33] His funeral, God willing, will be a week tomorrow. And how invariably when I saw him, he would quote, Thou shalt see my glory soon.

[1:44] When the work of grace is done, partner of my throne shall be. Say, poor sinner, lovest thou me?

[1:57] And I emphasize this morning that we need to consider ourselves, whether we indeed love God, or the blessings pronounced in that verse will not be ours, either in this time state, or in eternity.

[2:25] In this time state, I did not mention this morning, but again, we have that criterion, who love him. All things, I think I spoke from it a few months ago here, all things, work together for good, not for all mankind, but for them that are called, those that love him.

[2:57] In this epistle of Peter, we have several long sentences, and remember the original Greek was not divided into chapters and verses, but I think our translators were guided by the Lord in their punctuation, which can make so much difference to a reading.

[3:27] But firstly, Peter was the apostle of the Jews, and Paul of the Gentiles.

[3:38] And though Peter is writing to the strangers scattered throughout those countries, two of which Paul was unable to go to in the 16th chapter of Acts, when the Lord intended him to go to Philippi, it would appear from this epistle, it was especially written to the Jews that were at those places.

[4:08] And he touches upon many things that the Jews would have known from the types and shadows of the law, especially concerning the precious blood of Christ.

[4:26] The sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ, he mentions in the second verse. And I do like that word, begotten unto a lively hope, not just a living hope, a lively hope, one that is active.

[4:45] We do not like our children merely to be living, we like them to be lively, active, having an appetite, full of health.

[4:56] And it is by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. And it is too an inheritance which is incorrupt and undefiled and fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation, ready to be revealed in the last time.

[5:27] I have heard of some who when they are asked how they are have replied, kept. Well, we need to be very careful. Was Peter that we referred to this morning kept from denying his law?

[5:44] Was Abraham kept from denying that Sarah was his wife? No, they were not. No, they were not. In the 22nd chapter of Deuteronomy, we read, When thou buildest a house, thou shalt build a battlement or parapet to thy house that no man fall from thence.

[6:07] The house is in the east having flat roofs. And it is significant that David was on the roof of his house when he saw Bathsheba washing herself.

[6:19] He fell on the roof but he did not fall from the roof to his destruction. Surrounded by the battlements of salvation.

[6:32] The Lord's people are kept from final form through faith unto salvation. salvation. Now, the eighth verse is part of a sentence which commences at verse 6 and continues to verse 9.

[6:53] And I feel we must therefore just touch upon the preceding verses. there is that greatly rejoicing even though now for the season if need be we are in heaviness through manifold temptations.

[7:19] Some in a religious profession claim they are always full of joy, never have any doubts or fears. Well, that is not the scripture, that is not the religion of those in the apostles, not the religion of David, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and others.

[7:45] May we be kept from boasting of our fears. Slavish fears are God dishonoring but all the Lord's people have.

[7:58] Abraham needed a fear not. Fear not, Abraham, I am thy exceeding great reward. Paul needed a fear not.

[8:09] Fear not, Paul, thou must appear before Caesar. and if Abraham and Paul had fears, so will you and I. But let us pray for our faith to be strengthened.

[8:25] Manifold temptations. Often think of it when I look at a car's engine and see the exhaust manifold or the inlet manifold.

[8:38] Many branches from one root and is not that so with temptations. The Adam fall, our indwelling sin, yet how many branches it breaks out into.

[8:56] He then speaks of the trial of faith. God-given faith will be tried. Faith in his promises so often tried by delays in their fulfillment.

[9:14] Trial of the faith in prayers that appear to go unanswered. And yet, it is much more precious than gold that perishes, though it be tried with fire.

[9:34] And it will be found unto praise and honor and glory. And here we come especially to the connection at the appearing of Jesus Christ, whom, having not seen he loved, I have said before concerning the New and the Old Testament, the New is in the Old conceived.

[10:02] revealed. The Old is in the New revealed. And so I read from Genesis. We have there in type Abraham as a type of the Heavenly Father, sending his faithful servant to bring a wife to his son Isaac.

[10:32] Rebecca as a type of that wife. And so the Lord directed him. He had made it a matter of prayer and asked for that sign concerning the woman that should be his master's wife.

[10:51] And so when the Lord wonderfully answered his prayer, he bowed down his head and worshipped the Lord. And bless the Lord God of my master Abraham, which hath led me in the right way to take to my master my master's brother's daughter unto his son.

[11:15] Rebecca was a type of the church. But just consider it. It was a considerable distance, I think 150, 200 miles.

[11:29] There was no likelihood that she would ever see her parents and brother again. And yet she was willing to leave them to be married to a man she had never seen.

[11:47] They said to Rebecca, Wilt thou go with this man, this servant as it were of the Lord? and she said, I will go. And so she went to be married to a man she had never seen.

[12:05] But she had heard him described. She had been given those tokens. Silver in Scripture so often sets forth providential blessings, gold, spiritual blessings.

[12:22] 50 or 60 times the value more valuable than silver by way. Precious stones as they set forth promises.

[12:35] She had been given these things and so was willing to leave all to be married to Isaac, the type of Christ.

[12:48] Except a man for sake father, mother, wife, children, heirs, his lands.

[12:59] For my sake and the gospel, he cannot be my disciple. Whom having not seen, ye love.

[13:12] I think also of that which we read in Hebrews concerning Moses. How by faith he forsook Egypt, he esteemed the reproach of Christ, greater riches than the treasures in Egypt.

[13:37] For he had respect unto the recompense of the reward, by faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king.

[13:49] This was of course referring to the second time when he boldly stood before Pharaoh saying, let my people go. On the first occasion he did fear the king after he had slain the Egyptian.

[14:04] not fearing the wrath of the king for he endured as seeing him who is invisible.

[14:19] That's how Moses endured, seeing him who is invisible. And it's the only way you and I will endure. The trials and their pathways providentially and spiritually.

[14:37] He that endureth to the end shall be saved. And enduring speaks of continuing despite opposition. He endureth seeing him who is invisible.

[14:55] To the natural mind this would be a puzzler but not to the people of God. The poet put it like this not with our mortal eyes that we beheld the one.

[15:13] Yet we can't get the words exactly right. We see him in his world and so we endure unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ.

[15:33] I'd like to just look at this in two ways. First of all there is that love to the Lord before his people receive a sure as their sins are forgiven.

[15:52] We have that example in Luke 7 of that dear woman who washed his feet with her tears and wiped them with the hairs of her head.

[16:05] The self righteous Pharisee said this man referring to Christ if he were a prophet would have known who and what manner of woman this is that touches him.

[16:18] She is a sinner. She is a sinner. The Lord spoke the parable of the two dentists. And notice for many are often tried they do not feel the weight of their sins as they feel they ought to.

[16:37] But he didn't say to the 50 pence debtor you won't be forgiven until you also owe 500 pence. The all important thing is when they both had nothing to pay they both were forgiven.

[16:57] The poet said while we can call one might our own we have no foolish chance. Tell me the Lord said to Simon the Pharisee which will love him most I suppose he to whom the most is forgiven thou hast rightly judged entered into thy house they gavest me no water for my feet this woman since I came in hath not ceased to wash my feet with her tears and wiped with the hairs of her head wherefore I say unto thee the Lord was not speaking to the woman he was speaking to the Pharisee her sins which are many are all forgiven the woman must have heard what he said for she was at his frame but he wasn't speaking to her would you be satisfied if someone were to say to you the

[17:59] Lord has told me your sins are forgiven no you say with the psalmist say unto my soul I am thy salvation but he then turned and said unto her thy sins are forgiven thee but the point I'm making is this she loved the Lord before she was told her sins were forgiven she loved him before he appeared to her as her soul salvation you that are waiting that assurance can you say you love the Lord well I think there are many who may not be able to say with clear certainty yes

[18:59] I love the Lord but let me come lower still do you desire to love the Lord ah yes you say I can come in there I do desire to love him where do you think that desire came from did Satan give it to you did your natural heart conceive it never if you desire to love the Lord the Lord has implanted that desire and if he has implanted that desire you will be brought to fully love him to love him as we touched upon this morning in John 14 he that loveth me keepeth my commandments he that loveth me not keepeth not my come let us not love in word only but in deed and in truth but then looking at this in another way the time will come when the

[20:16] Lord appears at his second coming we do not know if we shall live to that time but we do know the Lord will have a people upon the earth Paul wrote to the Thessalonians we which are alive and remain shall be caught up to be with them the dead that have risen in the first resurrection to be caught up with them in the air and so to be forever with them what must it be to be there and in revelations in the first chapter we read of the Lord's second coming he will come with clouds descending in the same manner that he went up and behold he cometh with clouds and every eye shall see every eye shall see but what will be the effect there will be two different effects there will be the majority who call for rocks and mountains to fall upon them to hide them from him that sitteth upon the throne and there will be those who are waiting and longing to afford his appearing watching for his coming if he came this night which category would you and

[22:00] I be in Mr. Palmer was at chapel at West Road last Lord's day afternoon less than 36 hours he was then in eternity how stands the case my soul with thee for heaven are thy credentials clear is Jesus blood thine only blood is he thy grateful runner whom having not said ye love in whom though now at this present time ye see him not yet believing believe words of the Lord to the man blind from his birth in

[23:03] John chapter 9 were dost thou believe on the son of God and you can see his longing desire who is he Lord that I might believe thou hast both seen him and he it is that talketh with thee Lord I believe and he worshipped you believing and faith are joined together if one is living so is the other if one is a dead faith so is a dead believer M 234 speaks of the different types of believing the Lord in his words to Nicodemus in John 3 spoke of the vital importance of savingly belief for

[24:07] God so loved the world his people among every nation not all mankind that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever man woman or child believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life he that believeth on him is not condemned but he that believeth not is condemned already because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten son of God dost thou know yet believing ye rejoice even though at present we see him not either with regard to his second coming or at present we mourn over sins for which we feel we have not yet been part yet there is a rejoice what a great mercy to feel our sinnership the dead know not anything the dead have no knowledge of it we spoke of that eyes that have not seen and ears that have not heard for the dead know not anything and there is a rejoicing in the knowledge that you are a sinner and a rejoicing in those that are praying for you remember in my when 14 years of age under deep conviction of sin

[26:11] I would often leave my homework and go into the kitchen and fall on my knees in the dark to beg for mercy for my sins and on one occasion my dear mother followed me in and found me on my knees she just gave me a kiss I'm sure she rejoiced to see me in sorrow and weeping to put it in a figure how the mother rejoices to hear the cry of distress of the newborn baby not because she is hard hearted and cruel but because that cry of distress proves the baby is alive and how we who pray for children and grandchildren will rejoice to see them in sorrow and distress over their sins we yet believe ye rejoice with joy unspeakable a joy that cannot be described joy over natural possessions attainments passing examinations and so on may give us temporal joy but soon it all passes away

[27:38] I usually glance at the habituaries in the daily telegraph there we read of those who attain great knowledge or in some cases great days of valour during the world and so on but all their knowledge experience and skill dies with them we brought nothing into this world it is certain we can take nothing out all continues to Timothy having food and Raymond especially spiritual food and spiritual Raymond let us therewith be content he rejoiced with joy unspeakable and full of glory full of thanksgiving giving God the glory then this sentence continues receiving the end of your faith even the salvation of your souls all writing to the

[28:58] Hebrews in the twelfth chapter speaks of us running the race that is set before us looking unto Jesus not looking as it were at other people for then we lose pace but running looking at the end as Christ as it were stands we might say at the finishing post we read of Stephen when he was being stoned to death he looked up and saw Jesus standing at the right hand of God usually we read of Jesus sitting at the right hand of God for the most part in scripture sitting was the position when a person's work was finished and complete standing represents a work not yet complete but in that case

[30:10] I feel it shows Jesus standing as it were to receive the ransom spirit of Steve but we are to run looking unto Jesus who for the joy that was set before him the joy of ransoming his people from the grave by his suffering in their room and place he endured the cross endured the forsaking by his father why hast thou forsaken me because his people deserve to be forsaken forever and ever and he bore that punishment in their room and place endured the cross despised the shame sat down the work was finished at the right hand of the throne of God well what a mercy that we have something to look forward to beyond this poor dying world that we may know by that love though oft so cold so fine yet as the poet said in that hymn oh for grace to love thee more whom having not seen ye love in whom though now ye see him not yet believing believing you will see him as your saviour believing you will see him when he comes to take your ransom soul to glory yet believing ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory well may the lord grant us that eye of faith to be fixed firmly upon him that hope of salvation through his sin atoning sacrifice but faith and hope will not be needed in heaven but love will still remain now abideth faith hope charity these three but the greatest of these is charity we who gather at the lord's table now obedient to that command laid upon us if ye love me keep my commandments this do in remembrance of me may we show forth that love to him not in word only but in deed and in truth and may others be constrained through the love of

[33:45]  Christ to follow him fully in in all his commands amen to to say to to