♪ Glory, the trumpet blows ♪ ♪ The gladly song sounds ♪ ♪ Let all the nations know ♪ ♪ U.S. Revolt is found ♪ ♪ The year of juvenile has come ♪ ♪ The year of juvenile has come ♪ The year of June, the year of June The year of June, the year of June The year of June, the year of June The year of June, the year of June and senders home. Praise of the Lamb of God, the sin-atoning Lamb, redemption by His blood, through all the lands proclaim. The year of Jubilee has come. The year of Jubilee has come. The year of Jubilee has come. The year of Jubilee has come. What a wonderful blessing. I tell you, it's just a privilege to have each and every one of our visitors with us tonight. We've had a wonderful meeting. It's been a glorious time. Lord's not only blessed Brother Bradley to preach, but the visiting preachers we had with us this afternoon as well. It's just been a great day and a great time in the Lord. It's good to have Elder Ken still with us tonight, and I'm going to ask him to lead us in a word of prayer, after which Elder Bradley will come, and we want him again to just feel at home and just preach what the Lord has on his heart. If you will, Brother Ken. Let us pray. Heavenly Father, Lord, we want to call upon your name as humbly as we know how. We want to confess that we are undone without you this night. Yes. Lord, we need your very presence. Oh, Father. We pray as we ought. Yes. Lord, we want to acknowledge that you're all-powerful and all-knowing, that all honor and glory is due to your name. And Lord, we pray that we've all come here tonight No other motive than to hear your name lifted up high. Yes, Father. Lord, our condition without you perhaps brought low, but I see you high lifted up. Lord, we're so thankful for Brother Bradley and his ministry. Yes, Father. In this land, this world over, Lord, we know that he is a man, that he just as we all stand in constant need of your assistance, that we would continue to serve you as we should. We pray this night that you would deliver him away, Lord, that even he could be surprised. Lord, we desire to hear from you this night. Lord, we hunger, we trust, Lord, for righteousness. We pray that we thirst, Lord, after the truth. Lord, thank you so much for So the Greek Church, thankful for the witness that she has in this community. Lord, we're thankful for her pastor and her love and dedication to those that he watches over. We pray, Lord, your blessings upon this place, that it will continue to be a place of refuge for your people. And Lord, that there might continue to be an in-gathering Lord, we understand and realize that we live in a land that has obviously in so many ways walked and turned a blind eye and walked away from your ways. And Lord, we are in the midst of that and we trust that you would turn us again and begin that great mysterious work right here tonight in this place in the hearts of those that are here. Help us all to lead with a renewed desire. to serve you with both our heart and mind and hands and feet, Lord, so that in the end, all will be lifted to you in honor and praise. Lord, forgive us for what we failed you. We know our sins were great before you, and we confess those this night. We pray that you would cleanse us from those things and help us to tune our minds upward. Lord, we, from our perspective, these are great, great requests that we're unable to obtain, Lord, but we know that you're a great God. We ask these things in the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. Amen. It's certainly been good to be with you here once again, and thank you for your kindness and hospitality and your words of encouragement. I want to read from the Gospel of John, chapter 16. John, chapter 16, and the 16th verse. A little while, and ye shall not see me. and again, a little while, and ye shall see me, because I go to the Father." Then said some of his disciples among themselves, what is that he saith unto us? A little while, and ye shall not see me, and again, a little while, and ye shall see me, and because I go to the Father. They said therefore, what is this that he saith, a little while? we cannot tell what he saith. Now Jesus knew that they were desirous to ask him, and said unto them, Do ye inquire among yourselves of what I said? A little while, and ye shall not see me, and again a little while, and ye shall see me. Verily, verily, I say unto you that ye shall weep and lament, but the world shall rejoice And ye shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy. A woman, when she is in travail, hath sorrow, because her hour is come. But as soon as she is delivered of the child, she remembereth no more the anguish for the joy that a man is born into the world. And ye now therefore have sorrow. But I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you." From sorrow to joy. Jesus is ready to go away. He's looking to the cross. He's anticipating his sacrificial death. And he speaks of sorrow. The disciples would experience tremendous sorrow during these dark days and hours. They had enjoyed the years of his ministry. They had had close and intimate fellowship with him. And now the thought that he would depart is bringing them a tremendous amount of sadness. We must remember that even these disciples who heard the Master's teachings, who observed his miracles, who were walking with him as they saw not only the miracles that he performed but heard the powerful words that he spoke and observed his conduct for those three years. Now the thought of Him being gone, them being left here, is something that seems more than they can bear. In the 13th chapter of the Gospel of John, verse 31, Therefore, when He was gone out, Jesus said, Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in Him. Verse 33, Little children, yet a little while I am with you. He shall seek me, and as I said unto the Jews, whether I go ye cannot come, so now I say to you." So he's preparing them for the thought that there's coming a dramatic change. The one who has been their teacher, the one who has been their friend, is going away. They would be in great sorrow as they would think back over the pleasant and happy experiences they had enjoyed with the Savior. I suppose all of us are a little sentimental at times, maybe some more so than others. But I can see that I enjoy thinking back over the years, recalling some wonderful, fruitful seasons in God's house. I can think of some seasons in the early days of my ministry when it seemed there was a different atmosphere that prevailed across the land. There was a greater desire, it seemed, on the part of many to hear the Word of God preached. I could go into cities, sometimes with a tent, sometimes in a city auditorium where our broadcast had been heard, have people come out from various backgrounds and walks of life that I'd never met before. Usually when I would go for a 30-day meeting, I would be on radio, sometimes television during that period. And frequently in those small towns, when I would come out of a radio station studio after doing a daily broadcast, I'd sometimes have 20, 25 people waiting outside the station door because they wanted to ask questions about the Bible. wanted to know more about the things that we were preaching. It seems that those days are behind us and that often today we're disappointed to see the lack of interest as the world has attracted so many. But only think of fruitful seasons, and all of you here tonight, I'm sure, can think of special meetings, special days, when you've been in God's house and felt that the Lord was there, and anointed His servant to preach in power, and the name of Jesus Christ was lifted up, and there was a warmth of fellowship, and the singing lifted your spirits. And you say, I love to recall those days and think of those happy times. But what must it have been for these disciples who had been with Jesus, He was their constant companion. He had been their teacher. What a teacher he was. Matthew chapter 5 verse 1 says that when he was sent, he taught his disciples to say, and then followed the Sermon on the Mount. The Lord has given pastor-teachers in the church today. And yet all of us who have attempted to fill that office would concede that there are many questions unresolved in our own minds. we find it to be a challenge to effectively teach God's people. But you can rest assured that every lesson taught by Jesus Christ was taught to perfection. Every word that he selected was the appropriate word. The tone of his voice, the examples that he used, the emotion of the hour, was all exactly as it should have been. What a privilege to sit at the feet of Jesus and learn from Him. We're blessed that His words are on record. But by an inspiration, we have that message that the disciples heard on the Mount. Should we not take great heed to it? Should we not have tremendous appreciation for it? Should we not pray that the Lord give us in-depth understanding of it and be able to appropriately apply it in our lives? But what must it have been to have sat at the feet of Jesus and heard Him teach. The miracles must have been a delightful experience to see the unique ways in which Jesus manifests His power. Think of one in the book of Mark, chapter 6. This has always been a favorite of mine. There's just something delightful about this scene that is painted. Mark chapter 6, verse 31. And He said unto them, Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while. For there were many coming and going, and they had no leisure so much as to eat. And they departed into a desert place by ship privately. And the people saw them departing, and many knew him, and ran afoot to fither out of all the cities, and out went them, and came together unto him. And Jesus, when he came out, saw much people and was moved with compassion toward them, because they were a sheep not having a shepherd. And he began to teach them many things. And when the day was now far spent, his disciples came unto him and said, This is a desert place, and now the time is far past. Send them away, that they may go into the country round about, and into the villages, and buy themselves bread, for they have nothing to eat. As an aside here, we would note the fact that the solution the disciples saw to the problem was to get rid of the people. When evening time was coming and there was a great multitude and they saw no reasonable way by which they could be fed, they said, send them away. Sad to say that sometimes is the approach taken by churches. When they have people that are in great need, the best solution is to get rid of them. Turn their back and forget them. But you see, with Jesus there was something more in view. Yes, He answers in verse 37, and said unto them, Give ye them to eat. And they say unto Him, Shall we go and buy two hundred penny worth of bread, and give them to eat? He saith unto them, How many loaves have ye? Go and see. And when they knew, they saved five and two fishes, and he commanded them to make all sit down by companies upon the green grass. And they sat down in ranks by hundreds and fifties, all done in a very orderly way. group of fifty, group of a hundred, group of fifty, group of a hundred, and here they are sitting down on the green grass. And when he had taken the five loaves of the two fishes, and looked up to heaven, and blessed, and break the loaves, and gave them to his disciples, and sat before them, the two fishes divided he among them all, and they did all eat and were filled. and they took up twelve baskets full of the fragments and of the fishes, and they did eat of the loaves were about five thousand men." Here's a situation impossible for the disciples to solve themselves. They have only small provisions. There's no way out in this desert place to be able to immediately get the food that's needed. But Jesus says, as he blesses the loaves and the fishes, you begin to pass them out. And think how exciting it must have been as they They passed out the fish and the bread, and they fed this group of 100, and they fed this group of 50, and they look over here, and the disciples are continuing to go, and as they go, they're just amazed by what's taking place. We've still got some. I thought we were going to run out. We gave out all that we had to those, but we've still got more. And they finally have fed 5,000, and they have more when they're finished than they did when they started. I can't help but believe that they talked about that event for many days to come. when they would sit around the fire in the evening or just have opportunity for conversation, say, you know, I still just have cold chills going down my spine when I think about it. Well, wasn't that exciting? Wasn't that a tremendous day? You know, it looked like such a problem day, and it turned out to be a day of great blessing. When Jesus is there, problems are solved. He did what we never could have done. His name was glorified in it. It was a marvelous day. And so as the disciples would anticipate, that Jesus was going away. No doubt there would be a deep emotion felt when they recall such incidents as the feeding of the 5,000. Or the one that follows. Straightway, verse 45, straightway He constrained His disciples to get into the ship and to go on to the other side unto Bethsaida, while He sent away the people. And when He had sent them away, He departed into a mountain to pray. And when even was come, the ship was in the midst of the sea, and he alone on the land. And he saw them toiling and rowing, for the wind was contrary unto them." Now some people have the idea that if you're facing a storm, it's because you're in the wrong place at the wrong time. You must be disobedient or you would never face a storm. These disciples were where Jesus told them to be. Do you think he was unaware of the fact there was a storm coming? Obviously not. Our Lord, who knows all things, knew full well there was a storm coming on the sea. But it was His design to put them on board the ship and for them to face the storm. He saw them rowing. He's back on shore. And only because He's the God-man could He see through the darkness of the night and through the storm itself and see them rowing. They're toiling, for the wind was contrary unto them, and about the fourth watch of the night he cometh unto them, and walking upon the sea, and would have passed by them. And when they saw him walking upon the sea, they supposed it to have been a spirit, and cried out, for they all saw him and were troubled." You can imagine, it's already difficult enough. They've been rowing and toiling, and by this time they should have reached their destination, but no, they're making no progress at all. Have you ever felt like that in life? It looks like at the time you're putting forth the greatest effort. You're trying to do everything right. You're trying to obey the Lord and do what He said to do, but you're going nowhere. And the storm continues to rage, and it tosses you about, and the problems of life seem to be overwhelming. And then to make matters worse, they see this unidentified figure coming across the water, and the human reaction is to be afraid. If you're out on the sea at night, and in a great storm, there was an unidentified figure moving toward you, no doubt you too would have cried out. They saw him, they were troubled. But he said, be of good cheer, it is I, be not afraid. And he went up unto them into the ship, And the wind ceased and they were sore amazed in themselves beyond measure and wondered. Jesus gets on board the ship and immediately the wind ceases to blow. The storm subsides. No wonder they were amazed. No wonder they looked on in wonder. What a remarkable thing. a storm that seemed to put them in jeopardy, a storm that made it difficult for them to get to their destination, impossible to this point, a time when they are filled with apprehension and fear, and then Jesus speaks the word, it is I, be not afraid. You and I have never experienced his presence literally as did these disciples. But I feel confident that many of you here tonight have been on the stormy sea, full of fear and anxiety, when the Lord has spoken to you through His precious promises and said, fear not, it is I. Maybe in the darkest time of your night, when the burdens were so difficult to bear, And you came across that promise where he says, I will never leave thee nor forsake thee. So how precious is my Savior. Without him, I couldn't go on. But with him in the ship, all is well. It's not always his pleasure when he speaks comforting words to us to bring the storm to an immediate end. But you know, with Jesus on board, there is no real danger. We have hope and courage in Him to sustain us in our most difficult times. No doubt, as they would recall their experiences with the Savior, they would think about that experience on the sea in the darkness of the night. And then Peter, James, and John could recall being with Him on the Mount of Transfiguration So we'd seen a lot of things, we'd witnessed His miracles, we'd heard His teaching, but nothing to compare with what took place on the mountain. As He transfigured Himself, and we saw something of His glory, and heard that voice from heaven saying, this is my beloved Son in whom I'm well pleased. Oh, what a time, what an experience it was, something that I'm sure they could never have adequately expressed, described or explained other than to recount the fact that the event occurred. And what will it be someday? When we in our glorified bodies will see Him in His glory. We couldn't look upon his glory as we are now in this frame that we presently occupy, but in our resurrected bodies conformed to his perfect image, we'll be able to see him as he is and rejoice in his presence forever. They had the memory of that great event to recall. Not only the words that he is currently speaking to them about his departure, but as he first was looking toward the end, he spoke these words in the 14th chapter of the Gospel of John. Let not your heart be troubled, ye believe in God, believe also in Me." Sometimes when people will say to you in your day of trouble, now cheer up, things are going to be better. You realize they mean well, but they don't understand the situation. As a matter of fact, I'm always amazed that people will be so bold as to say things are going to be better, because they might not. They may get worse. Unless you're a prophet and are able to clearly see what God's going to do in the future, you don't know that they're going to get better, as far as the circumstances are concerned. Even though our circumstances don't change, they can be better from the standpoint of enjoying the Lord's presence and realizing that by His grace we're sustained. But when Jesus says, let not your heart be troubled, you have reason to cast away your fear and anxiety, because He not only knows the future, He controls it. Let not your heart be troubled. In my Father's house are many mansions. If it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive unto myself that where I am, there ye may be also. And whither I go, ye know, and the way ye know." Sure do these words would have come back to their minds even after Jesus was gone. He said that He'd come back. He said that it's His purpose to take us to be where He is. Oh, the comfort of Jesus' words. And then the memory of sitting together at the Lord's table as He took the bread and gave thanks and broke it and said, this is my body which is broken for you, this do in remembrance of me. And He took the cup and blessed it and says, this is my blood of the new covenant. What a special time it must have been as they sat together at his table. I'm sometimes amazed today what a church will assemble to observe the Lord's Supper, and there are some who will not be present. I think what could possibly be so important on anyone's schedule that it superseded the privilege to sit at the Lord's table? As often as you do this, you do this in remembrance of me. Why would we not want to be present when that ordinance is observed? To depict our faith in His shed blood for our salvation. To show forth His death till He comes. So there was great sorrow. Sorrow from the standpoint of even being able to recall pleasant things, but now knowing that this time has come to an end. But then there's particular sorrow because Jesus says that while you are rejoicing, While you are in sorrow, rather, the world is rejoicing. The world is going to delight in the fact that Jesus Christ, that they have hated, has now been taken prisoner and that He is going to the cross. Why was Jesus so much hated? It was not a surprise because by way of prophecy we learned that He was despised and rejected of man, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And Jesus Christ is still hated today when his claims are pressed. Oh, I know it's sometimes said we live in a Christian country and many people will identify themselves as being Christians, but when you begin to press what Jesus taught, I am the way, the truth, and the life, you find people ready to say you're bigoted, you're narrow-minded. You surely don't embrace the concept that there is but one Savior, one true and living God. If Jesus Christ were here today... He would be as much despised as He was when He was here the first time, because in man's depraved, fallen nature, He does not embrace the Son of God. It's only by divine grace that one is made to appreciate His beauty, and by faith lay hold of Him, and delight in Him as being the Son of God and the Savior of sinners. There are those even who will say that they believe in Him, and believe He is a good man, and yet deny His claims that He is the Son of God. I've talked to a man who holds such a view on several occasions. He says, oh, we believe that Jesus was a prophet, all right. We believe that he was sent from God. But he believes that anybody who holds that Jesus Christ was God is an infidel. How contrary, how foreign to the message of Jesus Christ himself. If Jesus Christ was not God, then he really wasn't a good man and you couldn't claim he was a prophet coming from God because he declared that he had come down from the Father above and that he and the Father are one. But the world at the time that Jesus went to the cross was rejoicing while the disciples were in great sorrow. And when the time came that he went to Calvary, these who had been his close and intimate friends and followers saw what he endured. John chapter 19, verse 25, Now there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother, and his mother's sister Mary, the wife of Cleopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus therefore saw his mother and the disciples standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son. Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother, and from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home. The point is, these who were his followers, even his own mother, stood at the cross. And they saw his suffering. It was a time of sorrow. It was a time of disappointment. In the 24th chapter of the book of Luke, we find that the disciples, after the crucifixion, are on the road to Emmaus and they're sad. They're in conversation, their hearts are heavy, and one that they could not identify comes and walks with them. asked why they are of such a sad countenance and they said, have you not heard? And they talk about this terrible thing that the Lord that they had confidence in and rejoiced in for these days had been crucified. And of course you know the story. that their eyes were then opened and they saw that the one to whom they were speaking was Jesus in his resurrected form. And as they discussed it, they said, did not our hearts burn within us as we walked in the way? Was there not something special about this stranger from the moment he appeared and from the words that he spoke, they touched our heart and Jesus opened up the scriptures and revealed to them that what had transpired was the fulfillment of all of the Old Testament prophecies concerning his death, his burial and his resurrection. But they were in a period of disappointment. Now, seeing something of the sorrow, as he speaks of it in our text, what about the joy? Your sorrow, he says, will be turned into joy. And he uses as an example, a woman whose time for delivery has come, and she gives birth to a child. It's her moment of travail, it's her moment of pain, it's a stressful moment, it's a time of anguish. And yet, when the child is born, all of that is quickly forgotten, and she delights in the Son that now is here. So the same child that brought about the pain, the difficulty in the delivery, bringing him into the world, now is the very object of her joy. And that's the point Jesus is making. The very thing that caused the pain, the sorrow for these disciples, that is, His crucifixion, became the source of joy. That which would appear to have been the most terrible tragedy of all times was in fact the greatest triumph. And therefore, we can rejoice as we consider what was accomplished by our Savior Jesus Christ. We turn to the book of Matthew, chapter 28. And we can say indeed that there was joy because of the resurrection, that death did not conquer Him, did not swallow Him up. Chapter 28 and verse 1 says, in the end of the Sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulcher. Verse 5, And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye, for I know that ye seek Jesus which was crucified. He is not here, for He is risen. What a powerful statement. All the other religious leaders of the world have their tombs and their bodies remain in them. But we look to an empty tomb, because Jesus Christ is risen. As He said, Come, see the place where the Lord lay. And go quickly and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead. And behold, He goeth forth before you into Galilee. There shall ye see Him, lo, I have told you. And they departed quickly from the sepulcher with fear and great joy, and did run to bring His disciples' word. They departed with great joy. Jesus had said to them, you're going to have sorrow, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy. They were sorrowful when He said He was going away. They were filled with great sorrow when they saw Judas betray Him with a kiss. They were filled with great sorrow as He stood in the hall, and in the time of His trial, a man standing nearby struck Him with the palm of his hand. Don't you know it must have been hurtful to those that loved Him with all their hearts to see Him so terribly mistreated? to see Him nailed to the cross, to see the crown of thorns pressed down upon His brow. He stood afar off, and as you know, even Peter denied Him. What a dark time. What a time of sorrow. But oh, how quickly that sorrow was turned to joy. as these women come on that morning, looking, wanting to give their respect to the place where Jesus lay. And the angel said, He's not here, He's risen. And they, for joy, go to bring the news. It was a joyful then, a joyful time, a joyful, happy occasion because of His resurrection. Sorrow was turned into joy if we understand what was accomplished by His death. He put sin away. Sin, oh sin, is a dreadful, dreadful thing. Sin was that which brought about banishment from the Garden of Eden. Sin is that which has brought all of us the greatest sorrows of our lives. Living in a world that's under the curse of sin. Living in a world where sin is rampant. Contending with the sinfulness of our own fallen nature. brings about a conflict that often is difficult to bear. A guilty conscience. What a dreadful thing. Many have been driven to complete despair when they could find no solution for a guilty conscience. In fact, some will say that the problem with many preachers is that they tend to give people a guilty complex. But the problem is not the complex. The fact is, you're really guilty. You have sinned. You have come short. But the good news of the gospel is, there's hope for the guilty. By the blood of Jesus Christ, guilt and sin can be put away. And that's exactly what happened by our Savior Jesus Christ. Isaiah chapter 53 verse 8, He was taken from prison and from judgment, and who shall declare his generation? For he was cut off out of the land of the living, for the transgression of my people was he stricken. To know then that there is a solution for sin, that the dreadful curse that came upon the human race and that which would ultimately condemn us and for which our souls would be separated from God forever and suffer eternal hell, to know that by His sacrifice, but of others, for then must he have often suffered since the foundation of the world. But now, once in the end of the world, he hath appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself." He appeared to put away sin. So the sacrifice was made, the price was paid, the redemptive work was finished. We can indeed rejoice in the words that Jesus spoke on the cross. It is finished. The redemptive work was finished. Now, I've had some people respond to that and say, and that, I believe, is all of it, nothing else. Friends, there's still more to come as far as the working of God's grace to apply the benefits of that to the individual. Somebody went around with me on that one day and said, I just believe it all happened at the cross, and if you believe there's anything else to follow that, you don't believe in salvation by grace. I said, I believe in salvation by grace. I believe the price was fully paid at the cross, but I believe there's something else going to happen. Finally, they gave up in the tit-for-tat and said, well, what on earth are you talking about? I said, I believe that that individual who was redeemed at the cross has got to be regenerated. He's got to be born again. And the same grace of God by which Jesus Christ went to the cross to pay the sin debt is that which applies it to the individual as that person who was dead and trespasses in sin is now born of the Spirit. And as you're born of the Spirit of God, it's then you become a vital partaker of that which was accomplished. But indeed, we rejoice to know that the work was finished at Calvary. Salvation of the elect was secured, not made possible. Some will say, oh, I believe that Jesus went to the cross to make salvation a possibility for everybody. I believe He went there to make it a reality for those that were given to Him by the Father in the covenant of grace. 1 Peter chapter 3. Verse 18, For Christ also hath once suffered four sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God. What's he going to do by this suffering? Bring us to God. Not attempt to, hope to, try to. He will bring us to God. Being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit. And so by his sacrificial death, he secured the salvation of those that were given to him. He prayed this in John chapter 17. Surely we can rest assured that as Jesus spoke to his father, he spoke the truth, and that we can rely upon the things that are here recorded. John 17. Verse 1, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent. This is his purpose, this is what he prayed for, and we believe his prayer is answered. I have glorified thee on the earth, I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do. And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self, with the glory which I had with thee before the world was. I have finished the work thou gavest me to do." So he secured the salvation of those that were given to him. Jesus Christ was no failure. He did not attempt a work that he could not finish. He did not attempt to save sinners that he could not save. There is no heart so hard but what he can break it. There is no rebel so tough but what he can humble him. No proud Pharisee so high but what he can lay him in the dust. Friends, I'm glad to tell you about a Savior who saves. One who accomplishes his purpose. One who moves according to his sovereign grace and brings redemption to that individual by his own effectual work. The glory of God was indeed displayed by what the Son of God had accomplished. And so, there's joy to know of His glorified name. In the Gospel of John chapter 6, we read in the 38th verse, John chapter 6 verse 38, For I came down from heaven not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. Not a will that is separate and apart from that of the Father, not something that I have undertaken to do on my own, but that for which he sent me. And this is the Father's will, which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. And this is the will of him that sent me, that everyone which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life, and I will raise him up, at the last day. How wonderful to know then that God's name is glorified because Jesus Christ fulfilled and accomplished that which was given him of the Father to do. He said, I delight to do thy will, O God. It was His pleasure. Not that He had a will separate and apart from the Father, that He had to subject to the Father's will. It was His delight, it was His whole purpose to do the Father's will. He delighted to do it. And therefore, there is joy knowing that God is glorified. There is joy in knowing there was victory. Sorrow is turned into joy because there was victory. What a tragedy to think that Jesus Christ would have come to do a work that he could not finish, that death would have swallowed him up. We would have had no salvation. We would have no hope. There'd be no purpose for this assembly here tonight. The Apostle tells us in the 15th chapter of the book of 1 Corinthians that if the dead rise not, if Christ is not raised, all of our hope is vain and empty. I've heard some people say, well, you know, even if there was no resurrection, and even if there was no eternity, the Christian life is worth it anyway. That's not the doctrine Paul preached. Paul said we're of all men most miserable. If what we're believing about the resurrection of Jesus Christ and the resurrection of His saints ultimately is not so, we're in deep trouble. We go through a lot of struggle and pain and there's no worth to it at all. But we're confident of that resurrection. In the 15th chapter of 1 Corinthians, he says in the 55th verse, O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin. The strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Now, because we have victory, victory over sin, victory over Satan, victory over death, he says, Thanks be unto God which giveth us the victory. Therefore, in view of this, therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, for as much as you know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord. Oh, what a source of encouragement. You can begin to wonder sometimes, is this labor in the Lord going anywhere? Is there ever going to be any success to it? Ever going to be any response on the part of those to whom we've preached? I mentioned at the beginning of this discourse about some of those meetings I conducted years ago. I remember having a meeting under a big tent back in the hills of Virginia. A lady that came out to hear me every night for thirty nights in succession, all while I was there, seemed to weep in every service, but never brought to a confession of faith in Christ. Forty years later, my telephone rang one Sunday morning and somebody said, I want to tell you That lady that you knew back in Big Stone Gap, Virginia, is going to be baptized this afternoon." And I said, thank you, Lord, it takes a long time for some seed to come up, but I'm glad it finally comes. You see, God is at work, and we may think sometimes all of our efforts are vain, but He says, be ye steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord. For as much as you know your labor is not in vain in the Lord. We look at Acts chapter 2. How wonderful to know that Jesus Christ was indeed victorious. Acts chapter 2, reading verse 32. Peter had already said in this discourse that Jesus Christ was delivered by the determinate counsel and full knowledge of God. That's back in the 23rd verse. Ye have taken and by wicked hands have crucified and slain. I don't suppose there's a place in the Bible where God's absolute divine sovereignty and man's complete accountability is brought together in a clearer fashion than it is in that verse. Theologians have fought the battle for years, some putting all the emphasis upon God's sovereignty and some upon man's accountability, and the divine writer teaches them both, and you and I ought to embrace it. It was according to the determinate counsel and full knowledge of God that Jesus Christ was slain. It was that which He had purposed from all eternity past. He was the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. And what did He say concerning these who crucified Him? Ye by wicked hands have crucified and slain Him. You did it out of your own wicked heart. God didn't force you to do it. You did it because you wanted to. You're accountable for it and you're going to be judged as a result of your action. Somebody says that's too hard for me. I can't put that all together. Neither can anybody else. You can't fully fathom the greatness and glory and magnificence of a sovereign God who is working his will and accomplishing his purposes and holding man accountable for his actions all at the same time. The problem with a lot of people is they want to get God into a neat little systemized category where you can just pull out the drawer and say here's this and here's that and here's the other. God's too big. You can't put him in a straight jacket. You can't outline God. You can't get everything in your nice little scenario that's going to make it easy for human wisdom to grasp. So he just embraced what he says. But then he says in verse 32, This Jesus hath God raised up whereof we are all witnesses, therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath now shed forth this which he see and hear. For David is not ascended into the heavens, but he saith himself, The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand until I make thy foes thy footstool. Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God hath made that same Jesus whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ. He speaks of victory. Yes, you crucified Him. Yes, you hated Him. Yes, you rejected His message, but He hath raised Him up and made Him both Lord and Christ. Here is victory, you see, not defeat, but victory, complete victory. And now, where is He? Our Savior that ascended back to heaven? He is there today interceding on behalf of those for whom He died. Romans chapter 8 tells us. Verse 34, "...who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea, rather than is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us." The apostle gives four arguments as to why it's impossible for these under consideration to be condemned. What is it? He says Christ died, He is risen, He is at the right hand of God, He makes intercession for us. If one single soul can perish, One single soul for whom Christ died, one single soul for whom He intercedes can perish. Paul had no argument, and we have no hope. But I'm confident, my friends, that this doctrine, which was once the clearest in all the Bible, of teaching a special and particular redemption, confirms the fact Jesus Christ got what He paid for. And He now intercedes for us. That's encouraging, isn't it? When Satan attacks you and temptations come and doubt and fears make it difficult for you, you look at yourself and you question, could somebody as wretched as I am actually be a recipient of the grace of God? Could it be that I've been deceived? Am I truly one of His? And then you come to the point to know, I have no other hope but in Jesus Christ. He is my Savior. He's the friend of sinners. I'm trusting him. And I believe he's living to plead my case in heaven. Even as Satan is the accuser of the brethren and will stir us up at times with terrible doubts with our Lord interceding, Oh, we have great courage because there is victory in Him. Yes, your sorrow shall be turned into joy. Now, this is a principle that's oft repeated in Scripture. We see it concerning Jesus Himself. Isaiah 53, 3 says he's a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. We hear him as he prays in the Garden of Gethsemane. He agonizes and his sweat becomes as great drops of blood and prays, Father, let this cup pass from me, nevertheless not my will but Thine be done. He was a man of sorrows. He was despised and rejected of men. But it said, he shall see of the travail of his soul and shall be satisfied. So even as he endured the sorrow of those last hours, as he endured the anguish of the cross, he had great joy to know that he paid the price, but he got what he paid for, that his work was successful, and he himself rejoiced. Hebrews tells us, chapter 2 and verse 12, that He endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down. He saw that which he would have to endure, but for joy, for the joy that was ahead, for that which was to be accomplished, for the victory in the end, he endured the sufferings of the time. And the Scriptures abound with other examples. Sometimes in our days of sorrow, we wonder if there will ever come a day of joy. You remember when Jacob looked at that bloody coat His sons presented to him. They didn't say Joseph is dead, but Jacob made the assumption that since it was Joseph's coat and it was full of blood, Joseph is dead. And Jacob was full of great sorrow. And even after he had sent his sons down to Egypt to buy corn in the time of famine, and they came back and said, that man has accused us of being a spy. And Simeon is being held as security that we come back and bring Benjamin. And Jacob said, all things are against me. My life's falling apart, nothing is right. Joseph is not, Simeon is not. Everything's going bad. That was sorrowful. But oh, what joy. What joy, when at a later time the old patriarch looked out the window and there were wagons laden with all the delicacies and delicious fruits of the land. Jacob's spirit fainted within him. It was more than he could handle. But when he was revived, he got on board and rode down to Egypt and was given Goshen, the best of the land. His sorrow was turned into joy. How many times in the moment of our heartache and our sorrow, we felt like there'll never be another day of joy. We can have moments of sadness when it seems to be overwhelming. But oh, when the days of joy come, how great they are. Joseph himself, what a time of sorrow it must have been for him as his brothers plotted possibly putting him to death and ultimately sold him into slavery. And everything was going wrong. He had a very respectable place in Potiphar's house, but he's falsely accused and he goes to prison. He reveals the meaning of the dream to the butler and the baker and they forget about him and he's there two more years. Everything's going wrong. Sorrow, one sorrow after another. But finally he interprets the dream of Pharaoh and goes from the prison to the palace. And there Joseph is used by divine providence to gather up the grain during the years of plenty and when the famine came to open up the storehouses and feed the very men that had contemplated putting him to death. Oh, they were full of fear, but Joseph embraced them and said, you made it for evil, but God made it for good. He saw God's hand in it all. God's providence. Isn't it wonderful that even at a moment when we can't figure it out and our question is, what is God doing? And sometimes the question is, is God doing anything? That was Habakkuk the prophet's question. I don't think God's doing anything, and God was doing a lot. Of course, when Rebekah found out what God was doing, He didn't care for that either. And sometimes we have the same problem. We wonder if God's doing something, and then when the Lord shows us what He's doing, we're not so sure we want Him to do it that way. But friends, let me tell you something. God's gonna run His own business, and what God does is right, and it's for the good and benefit of His people. And even though we can't understand it, we have to bow, even so, Father, for so it seemed good in thy sight. Aren't you glad the Lord's in charge? Oh, friends, His great wisdom is marvelous. Just as it was so for Joseph and for Jacob and for the Apostle Paul in the times of his great sufferings. My, you read about the physical abuse that he took. Read about the hardships and the sufferings, the shipwreck, all the things that came his way, and yet he perpetually talked about rejoicing. He not only told others to rejoice, he said, rejoice in the Lord, and again I say rejoice, but he was rejoicing in the darkest of times because he believed God was at work. God wasn't out of business because Paul was chained to a soldier. God's work was going on. God was doing it His way. God was going to do it in a way that His name would be glorified. And so this man had great joy. And what a way to live. He said, for me to live is prize to die is gain. So either way, I'm going to win. Because if I stay here, I'll be able to glorify Him. If I go to be with Him, that's gain. That's better than staying. So either way, I find joy. Joy in Him in the midst of all of my adversities. Joy for us today, even as we consider the resurrection. Someone has said, a dead Christ was the church's despair, but a risen Christ is the church's triumph. And how wonderful His promises to us, just as we read from John 14, and He said to His disciples, I will see you again. I'm going away for now, going to depart, and you can't come at the moment, but I'm going to prepare a place for you. And where I am, there you will be also. There are days here on this earth when life seems to be without meaning. When our plans have been disrupted, our hearts have been broken. And at a time when our loved ones have departed, we say, oh Lord, how much can I bear? But then the thought comes to us. Jesus himself said, where I am, there you may be also. Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning. It may be a night season for you at the moment. You may be passing through some deep trials. But while it may appear there's no immediate light down the road, there is an eternal day that will dawn after a while. And the day will come. as His child, you'll be with Him where He is, like Him forever. No more separation, no more struggle, no more conflict, no more difficulties because of sin. That's the most marvelous thing, to think about the fact that then you will not have a sinful nature, that you will delight in the presence of the Son of God forever and ever. Jesus said, you're going to have sorrow The world's going to be rejoicing, and that will add to your pain, because they rejoice at my suffering, and you're going to be in great sorrow, but your sorrow will be turned into joy. Have you looked upon Jesus Christ, and been made to grieve because of your sin? Zechariah 12.10 says, They shall look upon him whom they have pierced, and mourn for him in bitterness. Has that been your experience? That's an evidence of God's work in a man's heart. If you've been convicted to see, I'm a sinner, I'm bankrupt, I'm guilty, the Lord doesn't owe me anything. I see that my sins are against Him, against my Savior. I grieve over it. Is your heart broken and your spirit contrite? Have you looked to Jesus? in his triumphant victory over death, to know that your salvation, the only hope for ruined sinners, is in him. Jesus spoke these words in John chapter 3, verse 14. And as Moses lifted up the 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. Just as that serpent was lifted up, and those that looked found healing. So when we have looked upon Him whom we have pierced, when we have mourned over our sin, when we've come to the end of ourselves, and when we by faith have been able to embrace and look unto Jesus Christ as the only hope, the Savior of sinners, ruined as we are, we see that He came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance, and that's good news, and we rejoice and delight in Him as the Son of God. We rejoice that He says in Galatians 1, verses 3 and 4, that He came, He gave Himself to redeem us. and therefore we rest our case in his hands. Some struggle for a long period of time with a great sense of unworthiness and a deep sense of their own guilt as they have looked upon Jesus and seen him as the one against whom they have sinned. But that deep sorrow is turned into joy. when you see Him as the only Savior of sinners. What other hope could you possibly have? Where else could you look? No one. No one but Jesus Christ. He's all of it. May you look to Him tonight, and in the time of your great anguish and struggle and sorrow, your sorrow will be turned into joy. As you can then say with a hymn writer, how sweet the name of Jesus sounds in a believer's ear. It soothes his sorrows, heals his wounds, and drives away his fear. Do you believe on Him? Confess Him, follow Him in baptism, and serve Him to the glory of His name. Well, that was just a taste of glory. I can't say how much that God has just blessed my soul, you know. Appraising for his gospel. Appraising for his glorious sovereign grace. Appraising that he's so good to sinners like we are. The greatest sinner being myself. I thank God for the wonderful message. Not only tonight, but the whole time that he's been here, I praise the Lord for what he sent us. And if you do have a desire to come and confess Jesus Christ and be baptized, we're going to give you that opportunity. As we stand and sing in hymn number 212, we give to Brother Bradley the right hand of fellowship to tell him how much we love and appreciate his coming this way. I'm kind of homesick for a country to which I have No sad goodbyes will ever be spoken. You know that I'm longing for you. And someday on the outskirts where my ♪ Shall be eternal ♪ ♪ U of M ♪ ♪ With U of M ♪ ♪ I'm looking now ♪ ♪ Looking now across the river ♪ There's just a few, just a few more days to labor. Then I will take, I will take my handy fly. You know that I'm longing for you. And someday on the other side, there's shall be eternal. U of M, sweet U of M, I see the light, I hear the singing of every song of joy. my soul rejoices just in knowing that soon I'll swear You are there, I'm longing for you. O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave? Do the rest. We do the rest. Amen.