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[0:00] They had witnessed him in his humiliation, in his deep sufferings of body and of soul, witnesses to these things.

[0:39] They had received those infallible proofs of his resurrection.

[0:58] He had eaten with them. He had conversed with them. Speaking as it is recorded of those things pertaining to the kingdom of God, they had received those short ogres of his grace, witnessing that it was he himself.

[1:49] And now, as they stood amazed, astonished indeed, looking up to that place where he had disappeared out of their side, received up into heaven.

[2:21] They were bidden to go again unto Jerusalem. They returned, we read, according to that command, unto Jerusalem, from the Mount called Olivet, which is from Jerusalem a Sabbath day's journey.

[2:52] waiting, awaiting for the fulfillment of those words of gracious promise, concerning that outpouring of the Holy Spirit of God upon them, the promise of the Father, which saith he, ye have heard of me.

[3:25] He spake, it is recorded in John's gospel, unto his disciples, concerning that season, when he must leave them.

[3:39] Their hearts were troubled. They could not and did not understand the full import of those things that he spake unto them.

[3:58] Of necessity he must go unto his Father, that the Holy Spirit of truth, the gracious comforter of his people, the third person in the glorious Trinity, might descend.

[4:19] Yea, he it was, who had, as it were, governed the church of God, down throughout the ages. He who it was, who had controlled all those things concerning her, yet now, in abundant measure, was that work of the Holy Spirit to be revealed in those early churches.

[4:52] the promise of the Father, which saith he, ye have heard of me.

[5:08] He has spoken, revealed unto them, that the comforter must come, that they should receive from him those consolations after he himself, that is Christ, had returned unto his Father in heaven.

[5:36] John, he saith, truly baptised with water, but ye shall be baptised with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.

[5:54] not many days hence. They had this promise.

[6:05] They waited for the fulfilment of the world. These angels, in the form of men, clothed in that white raiment, signifying their purity and their holiness, spake unto them.

[6:30] Yea, spake unto them the very word of God, this same Jesus. This was to be the very substance of their ministry.

[6:52] and as we spake a little this morning, it is surely the very substance of a God-sent ministry.

[7:05] It is Jesus only. It is with those Greeks we would exclaim, Sir, we would see Jesus.

[7:18] We would see Jesus. He, this same Jesus, shall so come, shall so come.

[7:35] He spake a little concerning those instances in which he brought great miracles in the days when he sojourned upon this earth.

[7:52] This same Jesus. We would trace him a little as we may be held in his deep humiliation.

[8:15] He became obedient even unto the death of the cross. This same Jesus.

[8:25] once in glory now amidst this wicked generation humiliated before man.

[8:50] He made himself of no reputation. came obedient. He served. He took upon himself that office of a servant.

[9:04] Yet Lord of all. He who had at his control all things in earth as in heaven.

[9:25] Yet this same Jesus stooped condescending even to wash his disciples feet.

[9:43] I am amongst you he said as one that serve this same Jesus.

[10:01] It is as if these angels from heaven would have these disciples of Christ to remember that he whom they had seen even grieving over Jerusalem mourning or her sang nation was the Lord of heaven and ever that he whom they had behold even in that garden of Gethsemane bow down prostrate beneath that intolerable load of imputed sin was the

[11:16] Lord of heaven and earth this same Jesus he who bade Peter return that sword into its sheep impetuous Peter thinking that he would repulse that mortly crew that came to apprehend Christ took out that sword and smote the ear of the servant of the high priest but the hour was now gone it was the hour of darkness we read in that account of his power for they fell back even as his word as dead men this same

[12:29] Jesus permitted them to take him t'was their hour that hour of darkness not my will said he but thine be done the cup which my father hath given me shall I not drink this same Jesus he whom they had seen confound him the so called wisdom of the Pharisees and the Sadducees as they sought to entrap him in their speech they had witnessed those answers which confounded their wisdom never indeed spake man ever spake man like this man spake such was the witness even of those soldiers as they returned unto their master never man spake like this man spake yet now this same

[13:52] Jesus still full of that power verily God and verily man through that eternal love that everlasting love towards his church permitted himself to be taken captive by wicked men this same Jesus he at their hands was buffeted he was spat upon he was smitten with a reed he now to the malice of their heart he opened not his mouth but a sheep before her shears is dumb so he opened not his mouth this same

[15:12] Jesus now silent he before those false accusers he who had a fall as we said confounded them in their speech now permitted those false accusations to be roiled against him this same Jesus he bore their malice he bore their hatred he permitted them to lead him we read those words they led him unto Calvary he bearing his cross went forth unto

[16:20] Calvary this saved Jesus that holy body that perfect body that that you knows him now such a spectacle unto man his village was more marked than any man's this same Jesus this oh they had witnessed this they had seen with their own eyes well we might say equipped as being eyewitnesses to those circumstances which had taken place in his humiliation they were enabled to witness of these things in the church of

[17:51] God this same Jesus he whom they had seen having borne that deep humiliation at the hands of sinful men now they had beholden taken up into heaven this same Jesus surely these are the foundation truths of our most holy faith others Christ who suffered t'was Christ who bled t'was Christ who died t'was that same

[18:52] Christ who rose triumphant all those powers of death sin and hell this same in Jesus.

[19:09] They had witnessed those sufferings, those intense sufferings of his holy mind.

[19:27] They had seen him in the garden. His sweat was as it were great drops of blood, this same Jesus.

[19:43] They had seen him grappling with those powers of evil, this same Jesus.

[19:56] They had witnessed those evil things spoken of him around the cross.

[20:14] They witnessed that power given unto man even to nail those precious hands, those holy hands and feet to that cross of this same Jesus.

[20:37] they had heard those rail and rant upon him.

[20:50] He saved others, himself he cannot save. They had seen that recorded on the cross.

[21:03] This is the king of the Jews. These things wrought out of the malice of man's heart by nature.

[21:23] Yet these things which were indeed very truth, very truth, himself.

[21:34] Yea, according to those covenant engagements he could not save. He saved others by that very work of redemption through the shedding of his most precious blood.

[21:53] this same Jesus. He whom they prayed upon as being the so-called king of the Jews was indeed, yea, is indeed that one who reigns in Zion reigns triumphant for the church of God.

[22:20] This same Jesus. certainly they had witnessed those things wrought upon the cross.

[22:34] That sixth hour when darkness was over the face of the whole earth until the ninth hour, this same Jesus certainly said one.

[22:49] This is a righteous man, this same Jesus. The sun was darkened and the veil of the temple was rent in the midst.

[23:03] This same Jesus in his sufferings, yea, amidst that solemn sacred seas, those things were wrought, yea, even the heavens and the earth attested to the truth.

[23:25] It was indeed the Son of God who suffered there in the sinner's room, place, and this same Jesus.

[23:38] behold him in his petition unto the Father in heaven. Father, forgive them, this same Jesus.

[23:54] One who had borne all this, prayed even for those that so despitefully used him.

[24:06] Father, forgive them this same Jesus. Father, forgive them but they know not what they do, this same Jesus.

[24:28] He whose very body was torn as under by the actings, the cruel actings of sinful men.

[24:48] This same Jesus sought forgiveness for those that so used him.

[24:59] should we not think on these things, this same Jesus, this same Jesus, bearing that in his body which no tongue can tell and more so in that holy soul, bearing that condemnation which was eternally due unto every member of his mystical body, that same Jesus, with strength enough we read, and none to spare that same

[26:06] Jesus. We might with natural reasoning say it would not be possible for him with his expiring breath to cry with a loud voice.

[26:28] it is finished. But this same Jesus with a loud voice, oh divinity joined to holy humanity reveals itself in those very throes of death, this same Jesus.

[26:51] He cried it is finished, it is finished, this same Jesus who coveleted ere time to be begun to bring about that work of redemption, having accomplished that work, cried with his expiring breath, it is finished.

[27:29] Words of triumph, words of victory, it is this same Jesus.

[27:41] Now, this same dear man, this same dear man, gave up the ghost. He laid down his life willingly for his church.

[27:57] Greater love, we read, hath no man than this, than a man lay down his life for his brethren. life. Laid down his life willingly, this same Jesus.

[28:18] They took his body, they laid it, laid it, as we have read in that sepulcher.

[28:30] It was a sepulcher in which never man had been laid. hear the provision with the rich in his death. Now, it is as if the father smiled upon him, smiled upon him, the work was accomplished, justice was satisfied, laid with the rich in his death.

[29:03] There they laid it. one was struck with those words as we read, and the women also, which came with him from Galilee, followed after, and beheld the sepulcher, and how his body was laid.

[29:23] These were witnesses, witnesses to those things. This was the same Jesus, the same dear man, verily God, very man, this same dear one, whom they crucified, they now laid in that sepulcher, in which never man had before laid.

[29:48] There they covered him with those garments, and as the Sabbath grew on, drew on, they returned, prepared those spices, those ornaments, rested upon that Sabbath day, according to the commandment, there in that sepulcher.

[30:10] The very bowels of the earth, the same, the same Jesus, they were witnesses to these things, witnesses to these things.

[30:23] that women were found early, ere it was light, they followed hard after Christ.

[30:40] Oh, that such greatest energy was realized in Zion in this our day, greatest energy of the spirit, of following hard after Christ.

[30:53] seeking this same Jesus. They, those women, Mary, oh, she beheld her risen Lord.

[31:07] Woman, why weepest thou? Whom seekest thou? Had but to speak one word, her night, she responded, rabboni, which is to say, master, this same Jesus, this same dear man, who had cast out of her those many devils, she saw now risen, risen from the dead, this same Jesus.

[31:40] she was been to go and tell the disciples those things she had seen, that haste.

[31:52] Oh, and as we mentioned this morning, there were those further evidences evidences during those forty days ere he ascended into heaven, those further evidences of he being that same Jesus, that same dear man.

[32:19] They now witnessed his ascension. Soon they were to receive that commission to go forth into all the world and preach the gospel of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, that same same Jesus.

[32:47] That same dear man, by faith we verily believe is now sat down at the right hand of God. These things we trust, trust revealed unto us by the Spirit of God.

[33:07] For tis his office, Christ having now been received into glory, tis his office to reveal those things concerning this same Jesus.

[33:21] He who laid those three days in the sepulchre, arose triumphant, ascended into heaven, and is sat down at the right hand of its Father in glory, this same Jesus.

[33:42] This God man, as he went, or can we so put it, simply, so he is, wounds still gaping wide, a man there is, a real man, with wounds still gaping wide, as he was, so he is.

[34:10] Perhaps those few simple words encompass the meaning of the same, the same, which these angels from heaven witness unto the disciples, that same Jesus.

[34:30] Now, he who is possessed of that holy, human soul, feels, feels for each tempted member's pains, for our afflictions is that same Jesus.

[35:00] It is who advocates their cause, that same Jesus. He points to that one sacrifice for sin, for that victory which he accomplished over the powers of evil.

[35:17] He points to that justice satisfied by the shedding of his most precious blood, this same Jesus. He carries on that work in heaven's high courts above, that same Jesus, that same dear man.

[35:39] There, oh, there he pleads their cause. He opens his mouth for the dumb. He who himself was dumb under the weight of imputed guilt, he who himself could not open his mouth against his accusers because that laid upon him the iniquity of us all.

[36:05] Now, for the dumb, for those guilty souls, for those that feelingly are condemned under the law, he opens his mouth, this same Jesus, this same dear man, he opens now his mouth as it were in heaven's high courts above and pleads.

[36:27] You know him with that pleading. There is assuredness. it is a prevailing plea, for it is founded as one says, upon right, upon that satisfaction of the law.

[36:48] There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, this same thing, in Christ Jesus, this same Jesus, and this one who thus hath gone before, yea, gone before his brethren, yea, to prepare those mansions in the skies, those places prepared for a prepared people will surely come again.

[37:26] The word records it, and this is to be encompassed in the ministry of this same Jesus. He shall come again, he shall come again in like manner, yea, in the fullness of his glory, not as before, as a babe in Bethlehem, but descending from heaven, as they beheld him ascend into heaven, he shall come again, this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner, as ye have seen him go into heaven.

[38:15] This is the promise of God. The fulfillment of it is sure and certain. The word of the Lord it cannot file.

[38:25] it is from everlasting to everlasting. He shall come again. May we, may we be found as those wise virgins with oil in our lamps, with grace in our arms, when the bridegroom of our soul shall come, when that summon shall be heard, the bridegroom coming, may we be ready, may we be ready, for he shall come, he shall come.

[39:16] Yet like manner, the days testify, the state and condition in which the world is found, testify to the fulfilment of this truth, for the word of God reveals those things that shall abound in the latter days.

[39:44] Things which are surely been brought to pass, may our eyes be opened, to realise it. May we be found upon our watchtower, watching and praying.

[40:01] We read, these returned unto Jerusalem and they continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, they continued till that season shall go.

[40:19]  may it be ours so to continue till that season shall come, for come it surely will, and that same Jesus, that same dear man will return and gather his redeemed unto himself for ever and forever and ever and ever living life will and ever