Gospel—W. Smith
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Highest cost he offers. Free to all love, brings a glorious fullness in into the lost, makes known salvation from the power of sin through faith in Christ alone.
Even now, by faith I claim in mind the risen Son of God.
Redemption by his death I find, and cleansing through the blood. All it was love was wondrous love. The loveth gaunt to me. It brought my savior from above to die on Calvary #7. Someone start it, please.
Would you turn with me?
To the second chapter of John's Gospel.
John's Gospel.
Second chapter.
And the 23rd verse.
Now when he was in Jerusalem at the Passover in the Peace day.
Many believed in his name when they saw the miracles, which he didn't.
But Jesus did not commit himself unto them, because he knew all men, and needed not that any should testify of man, for he knew what was in man.
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There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, the ruler of the jurors.
The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou would a teacher come from God, for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.
Jesus entered, and said unto him.
Verily, verily affirmed to thee, except a man be born again.
He cannot see the Kingdom of God.
Nicodemus says unto him, How can a man be born when he is old?
Can he enter the second time into his mother's room and be born?
Jesus answered.
Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God.
That which is born of the flesh is flesh.
And that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
More than not, that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.
The wind bloweth where it listeth, and now hearers the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth.
So is everyone that is born of the Spirit.
Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be?
Jesus answered, and said unto him.
Why thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things?
Barely, barely, I say. Under thee, we speak that we do know and testify that we have seen and you receive not our witness.
If I have told you earthly things and you believe not.
How shall you believe if I tell you of heavenly things?
And no man had ascended up to heaven.
But he that came down from heaven, even the Son of Man which is in heaven.
And as Moses.
Lifted up his serpent in the wilderness.
Even so must the Son of Man be lifted up.
That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son.
That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
For God sent not a son into the world to condemn the world.
But that the world through him might be saved.
He that believeth on him is not condemned.
But he that believeth not as condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
And this is the condemnation that light has come into the world.
And men love darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone to do with evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.
But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that a deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.
There was an incident, if we may call it that.
That occurred last night.
After the Gospel meeting.
Which I am sure is solemnized.
Many in this room.
And I'm sure that everyone here knows what I'm referring to.
Where the life of a man was snuffed out.
On a few seconds warning.
We don't know whether the man was saved or not.
In all probability, it was not saved.
But a soul was ushered into eternity.
With no warning.
And may I ask each one here in this room tonight to answer in your own soul before God?
Where would you be now?
If you had been in that car hit by the train last night.
Where would your soul be?
Oh, it's a solemn question.
But a soul was ushered into eternity.
To face God.
And my dear friend.
You are going to have to face God.
Very soon. One of these days, you and I.
Are going to stand face to face with a holy God.
But all how blessed it is to think that many in this room.
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Are going to face God.
As a savior garden.
As one who has provided a savior.
As one who has prepared a salvation.
Which is to whosoever will.
But oh, if you should leave this world without knowing the Lord Jesus as your savior.
Is to meet a holy God as a judge.
No covering for your sin.
It's a solemn thing.
Venice for that very thing, giving you a warning.
That we stand up here tonight.
To present the gospel of the grace of God to you in order that you may know.
That you have eternal life.
You know there are many in this world.
Who have read the Bible.
Recently one has been.
Up in New Brunswick.
Going door to door.
Visiting people.
Invited into the gospel.
And we reject, in many cases, this sort of an answer. I have my religion.
I know all about the Bible.
You don't need to tell me anything.
I said I had my religion.
Oh my dear friend.
Do you have Christ as your Savior you can have all over living you want?
But unless you have the Lord Jesus Christ as your savior.
Let me warn you.
That your affirmative.
Is going to be spent.
With the.
In the lake of fire.
In the verses of Iran in the second chapter.
This gospel.
We find that there are many who believed in the Lord Jesus.
They believed in His name when they saw the miracles that He did.
All they were convinced that that man that was in their midst was no ordinary man.
Here is a man that could work miracles.
Here was a man.
There was 5 loaves of bread and two little fishes could feed a vast throng.
Here was a.
That could raise the dead to life.
They believed in His name when they saw the miracles that He did.
You know these people. Let's say we have our religion.
Oh yes, they're convinced that the Lord Jesus was no ordinary man.
They're convinced that he was a man way beyond his years, beyond his times.
He was one who had more influence on the course of this world's history.
Than anyone else.
But oh, there isn't one thing in that.
That is going to save the soul.
And the Lord Jesus.
So one of whom we read here.
Who didn't commit himself to them because he knew all men.
He needed not that any should testify of man.
For he knew what was in man.
The Lord Jesus Christ.
Knows what is in your heart tonight.
He knows your very thoughts.
Sit in this room tonight.
He knows all about you.
Yes, he knows you through and through.
Better than you know yourself.
And it was because he knew what was in man that he came down here into this world as a savior.
In order that he might save poor fallen sinful man.
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In order that he might impart.
Eternal life.
Well, amongst these people.
Who has seen the Lord Jesus?
And his mighty works.
There was one man.
Who was different from the rest?
His name was Nicodemus.
Here was a man.
Who was an educated man?
He was a teacher of the law, a teacher of the Jewish religion.
He was well versed.
In the traditions of that day.
Well versed in the scriptures given by God.
And we find as we read these verses.
That he knew that in the Lord Jesus there was something.
That he didn't.
He felt a need in his own soul for something.
And so he came to the Lord Jesus.
Truly came by night.
Oh, he was a little timid about coming.
He was afraid of what his colleagues would say if they saw him coming to Jesus.
But such was his need that he would come even though he came by night.
And all my dear friend.
Do you feel?
The need in your soul for something.
That you will lack.
Do you feel what it is?
To be without a savior.
To be lost.
Do you know what it is?
Can you say I know Jesus as my Savior?
Or do you look forward?
Eternity.
Separated forever from God.
From the one who today is speaking in love, inviting you to come to him.
Or do you feel your need?
Nicodemus felt that need.
And he came to the Lord Jesus.
Oh, he didn't know what question to ask.
But he came to the Lord Jesus anyway.
And my dear friend.
If you have an unsatisfied need in your soul.
If you don't have the Lord Jesus as your savior, oh come to him.
The Lord Jesus knows what's in your heart, and He's able to meet your need.
And to satisfy that longing that you have in your soul, and he'll fill it.
From Nicodemus.
Comes to the Lord Jesus.
And he says, we know that thou were to teacher, come from God.
Oh, what a confession. That was Nicodemus.
The one who taught the people in their scriptures.
He says as much as the Lord Jesus.
You have something that I don't have.
And I want it.
Oh, what a wonderful, wonderful request that was from Nicodemus.
He comes to him with an open heart.
To receive what the Lord Jesus could give to him to satisfy.
The empty nuts of his own soul.
We know that thou would a teacher come from God, for no man can do these miracles that thou doest.
Except God be with him.
Yes, Nicodemus was willing to be instructed of the Lord Jesus.
As to what he needed for himself as much as to say Lorne, you know what's in my heart.
You know the longing of my heart.
And I present myself to you.
To give me that.
Which were pleasing to God.
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So the Lord Jesus.
Knowing Nicodemus.
He answers him, rather.
Than the implant question.
He says, Verily, verily, I say unto thee.
Except a man be born again, he cannot see the Kingdom of God.
Oh, that's a strange thing, is it?
You must be born again.
Oh, what a truth it is and how it answered.
In full.
The question of Nicodemus.
Oh, he says. Nicodemus.
Unless you're born again, unless you have a new nature.
A nature capable.
Of receiving that which God has to offer.
All you can't see the Kingdom of God.
Nicodemus, you need a new life.
There was nothing.
In man as such.
That could receive the things of God.
Old man in his natural state.
A sinful fallen nature.
Is not fit for the presence of God. Nicodemus, you must be born again.
Nicodemus says.
How can a man be born when he is old? Oh, Nicodemus doesn't understand.
No.
How many of us understood what it was to be born again?
Until by faith we laid hold of the word of God.
Old Nicodemus is looking at the natural thing. How can a man be born when he is old?
Oh, the Lord Jesus says.
Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God.
Nicodemus.
God through his Holy Spirit.
Applying the word of God to you.
Can bring.
That new birth.
Then you know Peter.
Speaks of that.
In his epistle.
He speaks of this very thing.
In the.
End of the first chapter.
Of his first a crystal.
23rd verse.
He says being born again.
Not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible.
By the Word of God, which liveth and abideth forever.
And then the last birds.
By the But the word of God endureth forever, and this is a word which by the gospel is preached unto you.
My friend the gospel.
If you by the grace of God.
And through faith.
Will lay hold.
Upon the word of God through the gospel.
God is able.
To work in you.
This new birth.
Oh, may you lay hold of it tonight.
That which is born of the flesh.
His flesh.
Perhaps you agree with that?
You look around.
You go down to what we call Skid Row.
And you see men lying in the gutter.
That which is born of the flesh is flesh.
Yes.
Flesh in all this depravity.
In his living us is filled.
That I was just born of the flesh's flesh. But you know, you can take that same flesh.
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And you can clean it up.
You can refine it. You can put beautiful clothes upon it.
And you can still say that we just born of the flesh is flesh.
And you can educate it.
You can speak of the most brilliant minded you wish.
And unless that soul is born again, you can say that we're just born of the flesh is flesh, and it's nothing else.
Whether it's done in the gutter.
Or whether it's in the top strata of society.
Or in the realms of the highest intellect.
It is still fresh.
And you can't change it.
Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard changes spots?
You can't change it.
And so God is done.
With a flesh.
Is done with it.
And he said that's worthless.
But all blessed be gone.
But that isn't the end of that verse.
He says that which was born of the spirit, his spirit.
Yes, God begins anew.
And gone.
Through his precious wood in the gospel.
Disable.
To bring.
A new life, a new creation.
Do you know what it is to be born again?
Have you believed the word of God in the gospel?
If you don't believe the word of God, if you don't believe the gospel, if it doesn't mean anything to you.
Let me assure you.
That you're not born again and all that you had to look forward to in that state.
Is simply an eternity with the damned.
Oh, Nicodemus says. Don't be surprised. Don't Marvel. Don't wonder if what I've said.
Don't wonder at it.
The wind bloweth where it listeth.
And thou hearest the sound thereof, and canst not tell winter cometh, and whither it goeth.
So is everyone that is born of the Spirit.
Let me tell you, my dear friend.
That if you have a new conscience or in your soul.
The only twinge.
If you feel.
The sting, the sharpness of the word of God.
Let me tell you.
But the Spirit of God.
Is speaking to you.
Yes, the Spirit of God is speaking.
Spirit speaks through the conscience.
How is it with you?
Do you feel before God that you're a Sinner?
God says you are.
Do you believe God? Do you believe you're a Sinner?
All don't put aside.
What the Spirit of God has to say to you.
I heard very recently a story.
Which rather shocked me.
But I'm going to tell it.
And I think I'm going to tell it as nearly as I heard it.
There was a young man.
Of Christian parents.
The young man himself was not saved.
And he went to a gospel meeting with his parents.
And at the end of the meeting, the one who was speaking.
Prayed that God would give any unsaved there in that hall to give them no rest.
Until they came to know the Lord Jesus as savior.
He prayed that there may be no sleep that night. For one, he would go out of that hall, refusing the Lord Jesus as a savior.
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This young man was much exercised.
He went home, he went to bed and he couldn't sleep.
He tossed and he turned until the small hours of the morning He couldn't go to sleep.
He got up out of bed.
He got on his knees and he prayed, he said. Oh God.
Leave me alone, I may go to sleep.
You went back to bed and you went sound asleep.
A few days after he met, an automobile accident seriously hurt.
His father visiting him in the hospital.
Oh, son, he said. How is it with your soul? Don't you want to receive the Lord Jesus as your savior?
He's a father. It's too late.
He says. I told God to leave me alone.
And he died.
Oh dear friend.
Don't resist.
The prodding of the Spirit of God.
If the Spirit of God is speaking to you tonight.
Oh, heed the warning.
Dylan put it off. You may be like this young man, or you may be like the young man.
Last night.
God speaketh once, He ate twice.
Man perceiveth not.
But oh God, is not always going to strive with your soul.
The day is coming when God will no longer speak to you. It may be when you leave this world.
It may be that, like this young man we just spoke about, that God will leave you alone.
And not speak to you anymore.
Oh, Nicodemus doesn't know how these things can be.
The Lord Jesus says to him, Aren't thou a master of Israel? And knoweth not these things?
Oh, Nicodemus.
You teach the scriptures to your people.
Don't you know what the scriptures say?
The Lord Jesus to speak to those in his day.
Our say to the people of the same class of Nicodemus, He searched the scriptures.
For them ye think, ye have eternal life.
And they are they which testify of Maine.
And you will not come to me that you might have life.
My dear friend.
Knowledge of the scriptures will never save you.
No it won't.
The knowledge of the scriptures will never say. They will only condemn you.
Unless you come to the Lord Jesus in faith.
The Lord Jesus could tell those Pharisees you will not come to me, that you might have life.
And if you leave this hall tonight?
Unsaved.
Is because you will not come to the Lord Jesus.
The responsibility is on your own head.
When your own soul, if you leave this fall tonight unsaved.
Nicodemus of Orange serves your own scriptures.
In the book of Ezekiel tells you how that God is going to put.
A new spirit.
Into his people.
He's going to take away the heart of stone and he's going to give them a heart of life.
Oh, Nicodemus.
Don't you understand?
This is what God is going to do for his people.
He said. I've been telling you about earthly things.
For all Nicodemus, I guess that means so much better than that.
Even if you can't believe what I tell you about earthly things, how are you going to believe if I tell you about heavenly things?
Oh, what we have to present tonight.
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Is a story.
Of heavenly things.
How that God is redeeming a people out of this world to take them to be in his own house in glory.
That's what God has in store for each one who believes in the Lord Jesus in this present age.
And who else?
Was qualified to tell such a story.
Than the Lord Jesus himself.
No man of the ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.
Oh, the Lord Jesus.
The one who came down from heaven in order to present the story of the love of God.
Yes, He who had been in the bosom of the Father throughout all eternity, who else could tell of the love of God like he could tell it?
And he speaks of himself here as a son of man. I don't know how precious it is that he speaks of himself that way.
In the gospel, which is particularly.
Presenting to us the Lord Jesus is the Son of God.
He speaks of himself as the Son of man. And why?
Oh, how else?
Could he tell the story? How else could the Son of God come down into this world and die?
He came down here and took upon himself human form capable of death.
In order that he might die.
And bear the sins of money.
And all, thank God, my sins were upon him. And my dear friend, let me ask you.
For your sins upon Jesus when he hung up on the cross.
Mine were, and I see many in this room tonight whose sins were laid upon Jesus.
How about yours?
Have you laid hold of him as a savior by faith?
Can you say?
He bore my sins in his own body on the tree.
Oh, you may go out of this room tonight.
Able to say that.
And you know you can close in with that right now. As you sit in the seat, you can come to the Lord Jesus and find him a savior who will meet you in your very need.
So the Lord Jesus refers Nicodemus back to that wonderful story of Moses.
When in the wilderness, the people had sinned.
And all you know, this story of Moses raising up that serpent of brass.
Oh, why did God heal the people in that day?
In that manner that God could have healed them otherwise.
But all it seems to me that God took us to light.
Thinking of the coming day.
When he was going to have his son down here in this world, going to Calvary's cross.
As a savior.
That he wanted to give a little picture.
If one may say reverently, to remind himself of what was to come.
So that he could look at that picture and said you and I could look at it.
Too, and see the heart of God.
In love to poor dying sin, sick souls.
Moses to know.
Raise that serpent of brass in the wilderness so that the people bitten the serpents.
Could look at that serpent.
And the look of faith.
Which saved the soul that had been bitten.
So the Lord Jesus points Nicodemus.
To that time.
And as Moses had lifted up a serpent in the wilderness.
Even so must the Son of Man be lifted up.
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Oh, what words those are. There was no other way that God.
Could meet the Sinner.
There is no other way that God could impart eternal life.
Except the Son of Man.
Must be lifted up.
It must be that way.
Or did God love his Son? Yes, he did.
His love for the Lord Jesus cannot be measured.
And yet, my friend.
God loved your precious soul so much that the Son of Man must be lifted up for you.
He must be lifted.
Thank you much.
Does God love you?
Does it have any effect upon your heart?
Are you touched with the love of God?
For you.
That the Son of Man must be lifted up.
Why that whosoever believeth on him.
Should not perish but have eternal life.
Gone.
Has given his blessed son as an object of faith.
He's presented to you with one lifted up.
Upon Calvary's cross.
That you?
May find him an object of faith and believing on him.
May have everlasting life.
Do you want it? Do you want that everlasting light, that eternal life which God gives?
As he gives it.
And as a brother who was present here in this room pointed out.
To one a few days ago.
That the next verse starts out four gone. So loved the world.
There is a direct connection.
For God so loved the world.
Yes.
Think of it. There was a God that loved this world last night.
We had presented to us.
Some of the creatorial grandeur, if one may speak of that way, the glory of God.
Speaking with as almighty heavens.
The billions and billions.
Of heavenly objects.
Those were created by God.
And this world a little speck of dust.
In the universe.
And you and I, What are we upon this world, upon the earth?
But God soul loved the world.
The love of God.
Found this object.
In poor little puny, simple man down here in this world.
Yes, he did.
God's soul loved the world. Think of it.
What more?
What more could God do? The soul of the world?
That he gave his only begotten son.
Think of it. God gave.
Had you ever think? Have you ever thought of God as one who delights to give?
He gave his only begotten son.
What father here in this room tonight?
Would give his son his only son.
To save an enemy.
Oh, I'm sure there's none here.
I know I wouldn't, but I'm sure there's none here that would do.
In the very least.
Anything like that?
But God gave his only begotten son.
Think of it.
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That one who had been his delight.
All eternity.
The one who had been in the bosom of the Father.
God gave him.
Why that whosoever believeth in him.
Should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Or one likes to think at this of it this way.
That the law of God.
Was so boundless, so wide as to take him the whole world.
Not one human soul in this world is left out.
But oh.
There's something else.
When it comes.
Down to a matter of faith. It comes down to you.
Whosoever will.
To whosoever believeth in him.
The love of God is extended toward all.
But it's a personal transaction.
Between a soul and God.
That brings life.
Right down to you.
The same as it was with me. I had to come to God and own myself as a Sinner before him, and lay hold of the fact.
That God gave his only begotten Son from me.
And God gave his only begotten Son that you might know what it is.
To have everlasting life.
Oh, have you put your trust in him?
Do you know what it is to have everlasting life?
Do you believe God?
Oh, can you measure such love as that?
That God would give the dueest objective his heart.
In order that you.
Have a savior.
For God sent not his Son into the world.
To condemn the world.
You know, it's a common notion that we find as we go around talking to people.
They think the Lord Jesus came down here into this world to appease an angry God.
But it's not so.
God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world to Him might be saved.
It was God that sent his Son down here in order that you might have a savior.
In order that he might have you as one of his own.
Oh, blessed fact.
That it was God himself.
That devised the plan of sending his own dear son down here not to condemn, not to send you.
To the lake of fire.
But that you might be saved.
Is the desire of God that you might be saved.
Yes, he wanted to be saved.
But all the next sentence?
Is a Solomon.
He that believeth on him is not condemned, but he that believeth not is condemned already.
Do you believe?
On the Lord Jesus Christ.
Do you have him as your savior?
If you don't.
If you do not believe on the Lord Jesus Christ.
You're condemned.
The judgment of God hangs over your soul.
And unless you close in with God's offer of salvation.
That judgment is going to fall.
It's going to fall.
And there's going to be no escape.
From that judgment.
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There's another verse or two that I want to read.
The Lord Jesus was talking with some in that day.
And he tells him he's going away.
He says. I go my way.
And you shall seek me. You shall die in your sins.
Whether I go, ye cannot come.
No solemn words.
Then a verse or two down, and this is in the 8th chapter and the 24th verse now.
I said therefore unto you, that you shall die in your sins.
For if you believe not that I am he.
Ye shall die in your sins.
Those are faithful words.
Ye shall die in your sins.
And there's a finality to that.
Leaving this world in your sins.
Sealed your doom for all eternity.
Yes it does.
It seals your doom for all eternity.
To have to do.
With a holy gun.
After the question of your sins in that day, when the judge upon the throne is going to be the one who tonight is presented to you as a savior.
And you'll have to answer to him in that day for your sins.
But all the verse in the third chapter we're reading.
Says he that believeth on him is not condemned.
How precious he that believeth is not condemned.
The one who believes, as the 16th verse tells us, is the possessor of everlasting life.
Do you have it?
This is the condemnation that light has come into the world.
And men love darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil.
The light has come into the world.
The Lord gave us when he came down here.
Came as that.
And he came into the midst of darkness.
The first chapter of this gospel tells us that darkness comprehended it not.
That light did not dispel the darkness of man's heart.
Because men.
Love darkness rather than light.
'Cause their deeds are evil.
Oh, how hard it is for man.
To own himself as a Sinner before God.
But oh, how blessed it is when a Sinner comes in all his need and comes to the feet of the Lord Jesus and finds in him.
The one, the only savior that can satisfy his need. Oh, won't you come tonight?
Shall we sing hymn #9?
From every soul by sin oppressed, there's mercy with the Lord. And He will surely give you rest by trusting in His word. For Jesus shed His precious blood rich blessings to bestow.
Plunge now into the Crimson flood that washes white as snow.
He asked Jesus. Is the truth the way that leads you into rest. Believe in him without delay, and you are fully blessed. Come then and join this holy band and on to glory gold to dwell in that celestial land where joy is immortal, Flow only. Trust him only trust him only trust him now. He will save you. He will save you. He will save you. Now #9.