1 00:00:00,040 --> 00:00:03,640 People, we're turning tonight in our Bibles. 2 00:00:04,040 --> 00:00:06,560 Thank you, Lawrence. Turning on our Bibles to Hosea, 3 00:00:06,560 --> 00:00:21,020 Chapter 11. Hosea Chapter 11. 4 00:00:21,020 --> 00:00:22,860 We'll take time to read the chapter. 5 00:00:24,420 --> 00:00:28,340 We'll read from verse one, the book of Hosea. 6 00:00:28,340 --> 00:00:38,110 If you find Ezekiel and then come forward, Daniel, Hosea, 7 00:00:39,750 --> 00:00:45,760 we're Chapter 11. Let's hear God's word. 8 00:00:51,440 --> 00:00:59,000 When Israel was a child, then I loved him and called my son out 9 00:00:59,000 --> 00:01:05,720 of Egypt as they called them. So they went from them. 10 00:01:06,880 --> 00:01:13,480 They sacrificed unto Balaam, and burnt incense to graven images. 11 00:01:14,480 --> 00:01:19,360 I taught Ephraim also to go, taking them by their arms, but 12 00:01:19,360 --> 00:01:21,240 they knew not that I healed them. 13 00:01:22,200 --> 00:01:27,680 I drew them with cords of a man with bands of love, and I was to 14 00:01:27,680 --> 00:01:32,560 them as they that take off the yoke of their jaws, and I laid 15 00:01:32,600 --> 00:01:37,200 meat unto them. He shall not return into the 16 00:01:37,480 --> 00:01:43,800 land of Egypt, but the Assyrian shall be his king, because they 17 00:01:43,800 --> 00:01:47,880 refuse to return. And the sword shall abide on his 18 00:01:47,880 --> 00:01:51,280 cities, and shall consume his branches and devour them, 19 00:01:51,440 --> 00:01:56,200 because of their own councils. And my people are bent to 20 00:01:56,200 --> 00:02:00,560 backsliding from me, though they called them to the Most High, 21 00:02:01,120 --> 00:02:05,080 none at all would exalt them. How shall I give thee up, 22 00:02:05,120 --> 00:02:08,039 Ephraim? How shall I deliver thee, 23 00:02:08,120 --> 00:02:12,080 Israel? How shall I make thee as Adma? 24 00:02:13,360 --> 00:02:18,960 How shall I set thee as Zeboom? Mine heart is turned within me. 25 00:02:19,480 --> 00:02:22,480 My repentance are kindled together. 26 00:02:23,040 --> 00:02:25,800 I will not execute the fierceness of mine anger. 27 00:02:26,080 --> 00:02:30,160 I will not return to destroy Ephraim, for I am God and not 28 00:02:30,160 --> 00:02:32,920 man, the Holy One in the midst of thee. 29 00:02:33,400 --> 00:02:38,720 I will not enter into the city. They shall walk after the Lord. 30 00:02:39,360 --> 00:02:42,360 He shall roar like a lion when he shall roar. 31 00:02:42,640 --> 00:02:45,640 Then the children shall tremble from the West. 32 00:02:45,960 --> 00:02:50,120 They shall tremble as a bird out of Egypt, and as a dove out of 33 00:02:50,120 --> 00:02:53,440 the land of Assyria. And I will please them in their 34 00:02:53,440 --> 00:02:58,040 houses, saith the Lord. Ephraim compasseth me about with 35 00:02:58,040 --> 00:03:00,960 lies, and the House of Israel with deceit. 36 00:03:01,600 --> 00:03:07,520 But Judah yet ruleth with God, and is faithful with the Saints. 37 00:03:07,800 --> 00:03:09,480 Amen. My Lord will stamp with his own 38 00:03:09,480 --> 00:03:14,240 approval and blessing this reading upon his precious and 39 00:03:14,240 --> 00:03:16,200 infallible word. Amen. 40 00:03:17,520 --> 00:03:23,640 Now my text tonight is taken from Hosea Chapter 11, verse 4. 41 00:03:23,640 --> 00:03:28,080 It reads, I drew them with cords of a man with bands of love, and 42 00:03:28,080 --> 00:03:31,760 I was to them as they that take off the yoke of their jaws, and 43 00:03:31,760 --> 00:03:36,240 I laid meat unto them. And I want to ask this question 44 00:03:36,240 --> 00:03:41,640 tonight. Are you drawn with the bands of 45 00:03:41,640 --> 00:03:46,680 love? The book of Hosea or Hosea's 46 00:03:46,680 --> 00:03:56,080 prophecy stretched from 770 BC to 725 BC. 47 00:03:57,320 --> 00:04:03,320 His prophecy lasted about 50 years and if you read the 14 48 00:04:03,320 --> 00:04:09,720 chapters, Hosea 123 is a message about relationship, a real 49 00:04:09,720 --> 00:04:12,560 relationship with a husband and wife. 50 00:04:12,560 --> 00:04:15,000 The husband in this case is called Hosea. 51 00:04:15,440 --> 00:04:19,880 He was a prophet of God. The wife was called Gomar, who 52 00:04:19,880 --> 00:04:25,920 sadly was a prostitute. 2 real literal historical people. 1A 53 00:04:25,920 --> 00:04:29,080 prophet of God and 1A prostitute. 54 00:04:31,760 --> 00:04:36,200 Their marriage relationship was a picture of the relationship 55 00:04:36,200 --> 00:04:39,080 that the Lord had with ancient Israel. 56 00:04:39,080 --> 00:04:42,440 Now there's many acknowledges in the Bible depicting how the Lord 57 00:04:42,600 --> 00:04:48,000 relates to us. A king to his subjects, a master 58 00:04:48,000 --> 00:04:53,120 Potter to the clay, a loving father to a child, a shepherd to 59 00:04:53,120 --> 00:04:55,280 his sheep, a merchant to his goods. 60 00:04:55,400 --> 00:05:01,160 However, all of them together fall short of fully revealing 61 00:05:01,760 --> 00:05:07,280 what the Lord is really after in a relationship with us. 62 00:05:07,840 --> 00:05:12,720 The marriage relationship unfolds what He's after. 63 00:05:13,840 --> 00:05:18,640 Hosea, chapters 4 to 10 is a message of God's judgement upon 64 00:05:18,640 --> 00:05:20,960 us. Not just a relationship with us, 65 00:05:21,120 --> 00:05:24,840 but God's judgement upon us for sin and wilful rebellion. 66 00:05:25,040 --> 00:05:29,560 You see, sadly, our relationship to the Lord is like a bad 67 00:05:29,560 --> 00:05:31,960 marriage. On our part. 68 00:05:32,280 --> 00:05:34,320 There's unfaithfulness on our part. 69 00:05:34,600 --> 00:05:38,080 There's cover up and deficiencies and wrongdoing and 70 00:05:38,080 --> 00:05:46,400 shortcoming and lies and loss. And yet Hosea remained faithful 71 00:05:46,400 --> 00:05:51,640 to his wife despite her unfaithfulness, despite her 72 00:05:51,760 --> 00:05:55,720 adulteries. And in this way, he was a faint 73 00:05:55,720 --> 00:06:01,400 picture demonstrating God's covenant faithful love to us. 74 00:06:01,760 --> 00:06:04,520 Let's remember that sin pays wages. 75 00:06:04,720 --> 00:06:09,160 Let's remember that sin always has consequences, painful 76 00:06:09,160 --> 00:06:12,760 consequences in this life, for the way of the transgressor is 77 00:06:12,760 --> 00:06:15,400 hard. And of course, painful 78 00:06:15,400 --> 00:06:19,480 consequences, everlasting consequences in the world to 79 00:06:19,480 --> 00:06:26,000 come in hell itself. And then in chapters 11 to 14, 80 00:06:26,800 --> 00:06:31,280 we have a third message. We've got a message of God's 81 00:06:31,280 --> 00:06:36,640 mercy for us in Chapter 11, verse one. 82 00:06:36,640 --> 00:06:42,320 God is represented as a wise father and Israel is God's son. 83 00:06:42,320 --> 00:06:47,560 And we're taught here how God loved his Son and called him out 84 00:06:47,560 --> 00:06:50,960 of Egypt. You see, the Lord has been kind 85 00:06:50,960 --> 00:06:56,920 and good to Israel despite Israel's past and present base 86 00:06:57,320 --> 00:07:01,760 in gratitude time and time again, despite Israel's 87 00:07:01,760 --> 00:07:06,640 unfaithfulness, despite provoking the Lord to anger and 88 00:07:06,640 --> 00:07:09,360 sinning against him. What does God say? 89 00:07:10,400 --> 00:07:15,600 When Israel was a child, then I loved him. 90 00:07:16,360 --> 00:07:21,240 He tells us. I have called him I, I have him 91 00:07:21,600 --> 00:07:27,040 in my heart and mind and, and I want to do him good. 92 00:07:27,480 --> 00:07:30,400 Look at verse 8. How shall I give thee up? 93 00:07:30,400 --> 00:07:33,160 Be free. How shall I deliver thee, 94 00:07:33,160 --> 00:07:36,600 Israel? How shall I make thee as Atma? 95 00:07:36,920 --> 00:07:40,840 How shall I set thee as Zebo? My heart is turned within me. 96 00:07:40,960 --> 00:07:44,800 My repentance are kindled all together. 97 00:07:45,400 --> 00:07:48,440 And then we come to verse 9. I will not execute the 98 00:07:48,440 --> 00:07:51,760 fierceness of mine anger. I will not return to destroy 99 00:07:51,800 --> 00:07:57,040 Ephraim, for I am God and not man, the Holy One in the midst 100 00:07:57,040 --> 00:08:03,320 of thee. You see here in this opening 101 00:08:03,320 --> 00:08:09,400 chapter of Chapter 11, the Lord is speaking, and here he's 102 00:08:09,520 --> 00:08:13,400 reminiscing. He's remembering the early years 103 00:08:13,400 --> 00:08:17,200 of Israel's history. Israel at this time was an 104 00:08:17,200 --> 00:08:21,920 Egyptian bondage. Israel lived there in a terrible 105 00:08:21,920 --> 00:08:27,720 state of slavery. Israel's in a a a dreadful 106 00:08:27,720 --> 00:08:31,640 position. The people were slaves, the 107 00:08:31,640 --> 00:08:35,200 these people were under the rule and power of Pharaoh over their 108 00:08:35,200 --> 00:08:37,760 lives. The people were not free, they 109 00:08:37,760 --> 00:08:39,600 were controlled. And what did God do? 110 00:08:40,240 --> 00:08:44,039 God raised up a deliverer. He brought them out. 111 00:08:44,400 --> 00:08:47,800 Remember the 10th plague, the death of the first born and how 112 00:08:48,040 --> 00:08:50,640 death was defeated by the power of the blood. 113 00:08:50,640 --> 00:08:53,400 He said, when I see the blood, I will pass over you. 114 00:08:53,720 --> 00:08:57,920 Exodus 12 and 13. And God called at that time and 115 00:08:57,920 --> 00:09:02,000 the Exodus, Israel to himself. He brought them across the Red 116 00:09:02,000 --> 00:09:03,640 Sea. He he brought them into the 117 00:09:03,640 --> 00:09:06,320 wilderness, and in the wilderness he was with them. 118 00:09:06,720 --> 00:09:09,440 He went before them, pillar of cloud by day, the pillar of fire 119 00:09:09,440 --> 00:09:12,640 by night. He led them, He, he, he fed 120 00:09:12,640 --> 00:09:17,920 them, and yet they repaid his loving kindness. 121 00:09:17,920 --> 00:09:23,760 By what? By sacrifices unto delim, as it 122 00:09:23,760 --> 00:09:27,240 says in verse one. They burnt incenses to graven 123 00:09:27,240 --> 00:09:31,200 images, and the more they were called and chosen, and the more 124 00:09:31,200 --> 00:09:37,320 they were comforted by God, the more they went away from Him. 125 00:09:37,640 --> 00:09:41,640 Let me illustrate. Suppose a boy meets a girl and 126 00:09:41,640 --> 00:09:46,520 they're dating and they're courting, and the boy does all 127 00:09:46,520 --> 00:09:49,920 that he can to please the girl. He dearly loves her. 128 00:09:50,200 --> 00:09:54,120 He wants to spend time with her. He wants to do things together, 129 00:09:54,240 --> 00:09:56,600 but she doesn't. She wants to do her own thing. 130 00:09:57,520 --> 00:10:00,880 She does everything she can to upset him and annoy him. 131 00:10:01,600 --> 00:10:03,960 She really doesn't want to talk to him when he talks to her on 132 00:10:03,960 --> 00:10:07,880 the phone. She doesn't want to do anything 133 00:10:08,080 --> 00:10:10,640 with him. And he's pleading with her. 134 00:10:10,640 --> 00:10:13,480 And she says, ah, thanks very much for asking, but no thanks, 135 00:10:13,480 --> 00:10:15,440 really. I don't want to do the coffee 136 00:10:15,440 --> 00:10:16,880 morning. I don't want to do the lunch. 137 00:10:16,880 --> 00:10:19,200 I don't want to go there or I don't want to go here. 138 00:10:19,640 --> 00:10:21,800 Would that young boy be confused? 139 00:10:22,480 --> 00:10:26,560 Would he be baffled? Would he wonder, Does this girl 140 00:10:26,560 --> 00:10:30,160 that I'm in love with really love me and want me? 141 00:10:31,680 --> 00:10:35,520 I believe he would. But yet that illustration peels 142 00:10:35,520 --> 00:10:40,280 into insignificance when we think about our Heavenly Father. 143 00:10:42,280 --> 00:10:50,760 He did everything to provide a Saviour for us to save us from 144 00:10:50,760 --> 00:10:58,120 sin, to save us from hell, to save us from judgement. 145 00:10:58,120 --> 00:11:02,480 He he he was married to us in the sense he brought us into 146 00:11:02,480 --> 00:11:05,720 your right relationship with himself through union with 147 00:11:05,720 --> 00:11:09,520 Christ. And yet so often we have done 148 00:11:09,520 --> 00:11:14,160 exactly the same thing that Israel has done. 149 00:11:14,720 --> 00:11:17,440 Listen to what he says in verse 2 verse three. 150 00:11:17,440 --> 00:11:21,200 I taught Ephraim also to go, taking them by their arms, but 151 00:11:21,200 --> 00:11:24,760 they knew not that I had healed them. 152 00:11:25,720 --> 00:11:27,080 He says. I taught them to walk. 153 00:11:27,720 --> 00:11:31,080 I took them by the arm, I LED them by the hand, and yet now 154 00:11:31,080 --> 00:11:34,240 they're walking away from me. I gave them everything. 155 00:11:34,520 --> 00:11:37,640 They were weak and feeble. They needed help and healing, 156 00:11:37,720 --> 00:11:39,840 and I was the one who provided it all for them. 157 00:11:39,920 --> 00:11:43,520 But they didn't lay that. The heart that brings us to 158 00:11:43,520 --> 00:11:48,040 verse 4I drew them with cords of a man with bands of love and I 159 00:11:48,040 --> 00:11:51,120 was to them as they that take off the yoke of their jaws and 160 00:11:51,120 --> 00:11:55,840 they led me to name. Here's a wonderful text and I 161 00:11:55,840 --> 00:11:59,160 asked the question tonight. Having set up the context. 162 00:11:59,920 --> 00:12:03,560 Are you drawn by the bands of love. 163 00:12:03,720 --> 00:12:05,960 Notice 4 things here very quickly. 164 00:12:06,600 --> 00:12:09,360 First of all, the principle that is presented. 165 00:12:10,720 --> 00:12:18,320 I drew them with cords of a man with bands of love and we're 166 00:12:18,320 --> 00:12:22,640 learning here of the way that God draws people. 167 00:12:23,320 --> 00:12:26,080 Remember there's some references found in the Old and New 168 00:12:26,080 --> 00:12:29,680 Testament, found in Holy Scripture, found in Christian 169 00:12:29,680 --> 00:12:32,720 experience. Song of Solomon, chapter one, 170 00:12:32,720 --> 00:12:37,000 verse 4, draw me. There was a prayer of God's 171 00:12:37,000 --> 00:12:41,640 people in John 6 and 44. The Lord Jesus said no man can 172 00:12:41,640 --> 00:12:43,840 come to me except the Father, which have sent me. 173 00:12:44,080 --> 00:12:47,840 Draw him, and I will raise him up at the last day. 174 00:12:48,320 --> 00:12:54,600 John 12 and 32 I If I be lifted up from the earth, I will draw 175 00:12:54,600 --> 00:12:59,240 all men unto me. You see the words, I drew them. 176 00:13:00,280 --> 00:13:05,680 It's a gospel term. He, he, he tells us of the way 177 00:13:05,840 --> 00:13:08,440 that he draws them. Notice the words. 178 00:13:08,640 --> 00:13:15,520 I drew them high with cords of a man, with bands of love. 179 00:13:15,840 --> 00:13:18,360 You see, there's an implication here. 180 00:13:19,760 --> 00:13:24,960 What does the picture imply? It implies a people separated 181 00:13:24,960 --> 00:13:28,000 from God. Are people living far away from 182 00:13:28,000 --> 00:13:29,360 him? Are people in idolatry? 183 00:13:29,520 --> 00:13:33,840 Are people in iniquity, living in the way of sin, living in the 184 00:13:33,840 --> 00:13:36,520 way of self? Remember Isaiah, the prophet 185 00:13:36,520 --> 00:13:39,120 said All we like sheep have gone astray, and we've turned 186 00:13:39,120 --> 00:13:42,200 everyone to his own way, and the Lord have laid in him the 187 00:13:42,200 --> 00:13:47,000 iniquity of us all. All we, like sheep have gone 188 00:13:47,000 --> 00:13:51,920 astray. We have turned each one to our 189 00:13:51,920 --> 00:13:53,560 own way. That's the picture of people 190 00:13:53,560 --> 00:13:57,040 separated from God. But also here's another 191 00:13:57,040 --> 00:13:59,600 implication. People are adverse to turning 192 00:13:59,600 --> 00:14:03,400 back to God. They hear preaching, they're 193 00:14:03,400 --> 00:14:05,400 urged to repent and believe the gospel. 194 00:14:05,680 --> 00:14:08,400 They're instructed, Come unto me, all ye that labour and are 195 00:14:08,400 --> 00:14:10,200 heavy laden, and I will give you a rest. 196 00:14:10,200 --> 00:14:12,480 But their heart and mind is full of resistance. 197 00:14:12,960 --> 00:14:16,160 They they have a stubborn mindset that they're opposed to 198 00:14:16,160 --> 00:14:17,160 God in this word. Why? 199 00:14:17,360 --> 00:14:19,040 Because I believe they're dead in sin. 200 00:14:19,200 --> 00:14:20,560 I believe they're darkened by sin. 201 00:14:20,640 --> 00:14:22,920 I believe they've been diseased by sin. 202 00:14:23,520 --> 00:14:27,000 As an Adam all die, so in Christ shall all be made alive. 203 00:14:27,000 --> 00:14:30,840 And not only that, but people are full of their own sinful 204 00:14:30,840 --> 00:14:33,800 notions. They're not responding. 205 00:14:33,800 --> 00:14:40,600 And the Lord says I drew them with cords of a man, with bands 206 00:14:40,600 --> 00:14:43,520 of love. So that's the implication. 207 00:14:45,360 --> 00:14:49,880 But there's an instruction here. I drew them with cords of a man. 208 00:14:51,160 --> 00:14:54,080 That's a reference to gentleness. 209 00:14:54,640 --> 00:15:01,160 He drew them gently, not by force, not by anger, not 210 00:15:01,200 --> 00:15:06,120 striking fear into their hearts and lives He could have done. 211 00:15:07,600 --> 00:15:12,240 But with cords of a man, you see, he's not pulling an ox, or 212 00:15:12,240 --> 00:15:15,040 he's not dealing with a stubborn heifer who doesn't want the 213 00:15:15,040 --> 00:15:19,480 move, or he's not dealing with a stubborn old donkey that doesn't 214 00:15:19,480 --> 00:15:22,680 want the move. You see, if you're an ox or a 215 00:15:22,680 --> 00:15:26,920 donkey or a heifer that didn't want the move, you, you would, 216 00:15:27,000 --> 00:15:30,160 you would have to deal with it not gently, but roughly. 217 00:15:31,200 --> 00:15:35,000 And of course, God can and does deal with people roughly. 218 00:15:35,400 --> 00:15:39,160 He can break bones if he needs to, to get you to set up and 219 00:15:39,160 --> 00:15:43,200 listen and pay attention to what he's saying, to draw you to 220 00:15:43,200 --> 00:15:45,720 himself. But when he says I drew them 221 00:15:45,720 --> 00:15:49,800 with courts of a man, this was a gentle, goodwill way. 222 00:15:50,160 --> 00:15:55,600 Men were not conforced, not coerced, not not against their 223 00:15:55,600 --> 00:15:57,880 will. He not only drew them gently, 224 00:15:57,880 --> 00:16:01,640 but he drew them graciously. In other words, it was the 225 00:16:01,640 --> 00:16:06,400 courts of a man in a in a very humane way. 226 00:16:06,400 --> 00:16:09,840 He hears how the Lord goes about things. 227 00:16:11,560 --> 00:16:15,480 He says I drew them with cords of a man, with bands of love. 228 00:16:16,440 --> 00:16:24,080 You see, his drawing power is in the power of love, the power of 229 00:16:24,080 --> 00:16:29,200 sweetness, the power of gentleness, the power of love 230 00:16:29,200 --> 00:16:35,440 that overcomes all opposition. In Galatians 2 and 20 we read of 231 00:16:35,440 --> 00:16:39,720 Christ the Son of God, who loved me, gave himself for me. 232 00:16:39,800 --> 00:16:42,800 See, Paul was always fascinated with those 3 words. 233 00:16:42,800 --> 00:16:47,640 Jesus loves me, Jesus loves me. This I know, for the Bible tells 234 00:16:47,640 --> 00:16:50,120 me so. And what does the Bible teach? 235 00:16:50,440 --> 00:16:54,720 For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, 236 00:16:54,720 --> 00:16:58,480 that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have 237 00:16:58,800 --> 00:17:02,680 everlasting life. And you see, whenever we come to 238 00:17:02,840 --> 00:17:05,760 the Christ and the cradle, if I could use that expression, 239 00:17:05,960 --> 00:17:07,960 remember, great is the mystery of God. 240 00:17:07,960 --> 00:17:10,520 And as God was manifest in the flesh, and when you look into 241 00:17:10,520 --> 00:17:13,560 the babe of Bethlehem, you're looking into the face of God 242 00:17:13,760 --> 00:17:16,760 Incarnate. And, and then, and then we come 243 00:17:16,760 --> 00:17:20,240 from the cradle to the cross and we think of the Lord Jesus dying 244 00:17:20,240 --> 00:17:23,920 there in, in agony and blood, offering himself a once and for 245 00:17:23,920 --> 00:17:27,240 all sacrifice for sin. And when we think of the Son of 246 00:17:27,240 --> 00:17:30,040 God who loved me and gave himself for me, you see, we 247 00:17:30,040 --> 00:17:34,680 cannot Plumb the depths of that. We cannot scale the heights of 248 00:17:34,680 --> 00:17:37,080 that. We can't get our arms around the 249 00:17:37,080 --> 00:17:41,920 breadth of that a once and for all sacrifice for sin. 250 00:17:42,840 --> 00:17:48,040 The Bible tells us there in the Gospel of first John, in first 251 00:17:48,040 --> 00:17:54,560 John and in chapter 4 we read there in the verse 9 he tells us 252 00:17:54,760 --> 00:17:59,360 these beautiful words. In this was manifested the love 253 00:17:59,360 --> 00:18:03,920 of God towards us because that God sent His only begotten Son 254 00:18:03,920 --> 00:18:07,280 into the world, that we might live through him here in his 255 00:18:07,280 --> 00:18:10,560 love. Not that we love God, but that 256 00:18:10,560 --> 00:18:14,880 He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation. 257 00:18:15,760 --> 00:18:19,880 The word propitiation means the covering for our sins. 258 00:18:21,040 --> 00:18:25,720 Now let me ask you this, what do you know of this? 259 00:18:26,200 --> 00:18:30,280 I have drawn you with the cords of a man with bands of love. 260 00:18:31,080 --> 00:18:35,040 Have you felt the pulling power of God on your heart and mind, 261 00:18:35,960 --> 00:18:39,840 encouraging you to seek the Lord while he may be fined, to to 262 00:18:39,840 --> 00:18:42,960 come to him now to to only trust him? 263 00:18:43,400 --> 00:18:46,760 You see, this is one of the ways that the Lord works. 264 00:18:47,320 --> 00:18:54,320 You hear a sermon, you hear somebody testify, someone sings 265 00:18:54,320 --> 00:18:59,360 a gospel song, someone comes and offers you a tract, someone 266 00:18:59,360 --> 00:19:04,280 says, I'm praying for you. Maybe you feel a desire to open 267 00:19:04,280 --> 00:19:06,720 your Bible and read a portion of the word of God. 268 00:19:07,240 --> 00:19:09,840 Maybe you've even asked a Christian, would you pray for 269 00:19:09,840 --> 00:19:11,760 me? Maybe you've asked for guidance 270 00:19:11,760 --> 00:19:14,560 or counsel about some particular area of your life. 271 00:19:14,680 --> 00:19:16,720 Maybe you've experienced a disaster. 272 00:19:16,840 --> 00:19:20,360 Let it be a fall or let it be an illness or let it be the death 273 00:19:20,360 --> 00:19:22,880 of the loved one. And, and, and all of a sudden 274 00:19:22,880 --> 00:19:25,720 you've become afraid And all of a sudden you've remembered 275 00:19:25,720 --> 00:19:28,400 there's a God in heaven with whom we have to do and, and you 276 00:19:28,400 --> 00:19:32,920 feel inclined to do that God. And, and you're listening now 277 00:19:32,960 --> 00:19:36,120 you're listening more carefully. You're paying the closest 278 00:19:36,120 --> 00:19:38,040 attention. You're you're laying at the 279 00:19:38,040 --> 00:19:40,800 heart. Maybe you've got the desire and 280 00:19:40,800 --> 00:19:41,920 the thought comes into your mind. 281 00:19:41,960 --> 00:19:43,520 Do you know I'd love to be saved. 282 00:19:44,480 --> 00:19:50,640 I'd love to be a Christian. So I asked that has that ever 283 00:19:50,640 --> 00:19:53,600 been true of you? Because that is the drawing 284 00:19:53,600 --> 00:19:58,160 power of our God. That is God saying I draw them 285 00:19:58,160 --> 00:20:01,480 or drew them with cords of a man, with bands of love. 286 00:20:02,280 --> 00:20:06,280 There's not only an implication here, and there's not only an 287 00:20:06,280 --> 00:20:08,960 instruction here, but there's an impossibility here. 288 00:20:10,280 --> 00:20:14,800 See, you can't come of your own ability because you're without 289 00:20:14,800 --> 00:20:16,760 strength. You're full of weakness. 290 00:20:17,120 --> 00:20:20,760 You can't save yourself. Even though you hear the Word of 291 00:20:20,760 --> 00:20:24,560 God and feel the power of the Spirit tugging at your heart, 292 00:20:24,880 --> 00:20:28,640 and God's at work in and off your mind, you'll not come 293 00:20:29,240 --> 00:20:33,400 unless the Lord's hand is upon you to draw you to himself. 294 00:20:33,400 --> 00:20:37,480 The Bible says it is God that worketh in you both the will and 295 00:20:37,480 --> 00:20:40,520 the do of His good pleasure. It's the Lord that enables you 296 00:20:40,520 --> 00:20:43,120 to come. It's the Lord that calls come 297 00:20:43,120 --> 00:20:48,080 and come now. That's the principle that is 298 00:20:48,080 --> 00:20:51,480 being presented. Notice secondly, the person that 299 00:20:51,480 --> 00:20:54,320 is mentioned. If you look at our text, it says 300 00:20:54,400 --> 00:20:57,520 I drew them with the cords of a man with bands of love, and I 301 00:20:57,520 --> 00:21:01,320 was to them as they that take off the yoke of their jaws, and 302 00:21:01,320 --> 00:21:05,920 I LED meet upon them. Notice the word I, the personal 303 00:21:05,920 --> 00:21:10,560 pronoun 3 times. Who draws us? 304 00:21:11,480 --> 00:21:14,920 The answer is the Lord himself, Jehovah. 305 00:21:16,120 --> 00:21:18,680 And what does he draw us from? Here's the answer. 306 00:21:18,880 --> 00:21:22,720 He draws us from a life of sin, from sin's penalty and power and 307 00:21:22,720 --> 00:21:24,800 pleasure. He draws us from a life of 308 00:21:24,800 --> 00:21:29,040 unbelief, where we no longer doubt but what we believe. 309 00:21:29,560 --> 00:21:34,160 He draws us from a life of foolish and vain pursuits. 310 00:21:34,600 --> 00:21:39,880 He draws us from living for the world's witches and wealth. 311 00:21:40,600 --> 00:21:47,600 He he draws us from a life of self will, wanting our way to 312 00:21:47,760 --> 00:21:52,520 His way. Who does he draw us to? 313 00:21:54,720 --> 00:21:57,760 He draws us to his lovely Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. 314 00:21:59,280 --> 00:22:02,280 In our handbook we ask the question, is there anyone can 315 00:22:02,280 --> 00:22:05,040 help us? One who understands our hearts 316 00:22:05,120 --> 00:22:07,560 when the thorns of life are pierced until they bleed. 317 00:22:07,720 --> 00:22:11,840 One who sympathises with us, who in wondrous love imparts just 318 00:22:11,840 --> 00:22:14,680 the very, very blessing that we need. 319 00:22:15,120 --> 00:22:17,520 And here's the answer to that particular hymn. 320 00:22:18,120 --> 00:22:23,640 Yes, there's one, the only one, the blessed, blessed Jesus. 321 00:22:23,640 --> 00:22:27,040 He's the one when afflictions press the soul, and waves of 322 00:22:27,040 --> 00:22:30,880 trouble rode, and you need a friend to help you, He's the 323 00:22:30,880 --> 00:22:34,480 one. And what does way does he draw 324 00:22:34,480 --> 00:22:37,200 us? He draws us by his Spirit. 325 00:22:37,440 --> 00:22:41,320 You see, this drawing is a spiritual movement that takes 326 00:22:41,320 --> 00:22:43,600 place. It takes place in the heart and 327 00:22:43,600 --> 00:22:47,000 the mind and in the soul. He, he induces us. 328 00:22:47,000 --> 00:22:50,080 He, he initiates all of this by the power of a spirit. 329 00:22:50,240 --> 00:22:54,360 And the Spirit who's come to introduces to Christ, draws us 330 00:22:54,360 --> 00:22:55,680 to Christ. Let me illustrate. 331 00:22:55,680 --> 00:23:00,080 Think of a powerful magnet. And I've got a magnet and I've 332 00:23:00,080 --> 00:23:02,760 got a lot of shavings sitting on a desk. 333 00:23:03,520 --> 00:23:06,640 And I put the magnet in the direction of the shavings. 334 00:23:06,920 --> 00:23:11,400 The savings begin to move. They move in the direction of 335 00:23:11,400 --> 00:23:15,640 the magnet. It's the magnet's power that's 336 00:23:15,640 --> 00:23:19,360 drawing the shavings. And you see, you ought to feel 337 00:23:19,360 --> 00:23:22,280 in your heart that you want to come to Christ. 338 00:23:22,400 --> 00:23:25,320 You ought to have a desire. I want to be saved. 339 00:23:25,600 --> 00:23:29,080 And that strange desire is the working and wooing of the Spirit 340 00:23:29,080 --> 00:23:31,560 of God to introduce you to Christ. 341 00:23:32,840 --> 00:23:35,360 I'm well aware the Lord can use the fear of death. 342 00:23:37,120 --> 00:23:40,240 I'm well aware the Lord can use the threat of judgement and hail 343 00:23:40,240 --> 00:23:44,440 to awaken sinners. But often times the Lord uses 344 00:23:45,240 --> 00:23:50,160 the power of love. Paul says the love of Christ 345 00:23:50,560 --> 00:23:53,360 constrain us. It wasn't a fear of death, it 346 00:23:53,360 --> 00:23:54,920 wasn't standing at the judgement. 347 00:23:55,000 --> 00:23:58,480 It was the love of Christ that constrained Paul to live the way 348 00:23:58,480 --> 00:24:01,840 that he lived because he was overwhelmed, because this love 349 00:24:01,840 --> 00:24:05,400 of God had been shed abroad in his heart by the Holy Spirit. 350 00:24:05,720 --> 00:24:11,080 And, and he was fascinated. He was overwhelmed by by the 351 00:24:11,080 --> 00:24:14,440 love of God. You see, the love of God is a 352 00:24:14,440 --> 00:24:19,040 special love. The love of God is a 353 00:24:19,040 --> 00:24:23,560 substitutionary love. The love of God is a sacrificing 354 00:24:23,680 --> 00:24:27,360 love, the love of God's a a saving love. 355 00:24:27,360 --> 00:24:32,400 And once that begins to get a grip on our heart, he he loves 356 00:24:34,400 --> 00:24:36,040 me. Oh, the power of love. 357 00:24:37,640 --> 00:24:40,400 The third thing I want to emphasise tonight is the power 358 00:24:40,400 --> 00:24:44,080 that is exercised. Notice what he says as we go on 359 00:24:44,080 --> 00:24:49,200 in the text and I was to them as they that take off the yoke of 360 00:24:49,200 --> 00:24:52,800 their jaws. You've got to think of oxen. 361 00:24:54,640 --> 00:24:57,840 You've got to think of an oxen forced service. 362 00:24:59,040 --> 00:25:04,440 The oxes bound by the yoke in Eastern times, in eastern days, 363 00:25:04,440 --> 00:25:08,280 a wooden harness was upon the ox with a with a bitterness mouth. 364 00:25:09,360 --> 00:25:13,320 And and this ox that had this yoke upon it was a picture of 365 00:25:13,320 --> 00:25:17,360 the children of Israel in Egyptian bondage and what an 366 00:25:17,360 --> 00:25:22,720 awful bondage it was. And the God says to them, and I 367 00:25:22,720 --> 00:25:26,240 was to them, as they that take off the yoke of their jaws. 368 00:25:26,320 --> 00:25:30,160 And the word take off in the Hebrew means to lift off. 369 00:25:30,800 --> 00:25:35,680 And when the yoke is lifted off, the oxen is set free. 370 00:25:36,680 --> 00:25:40,240 And the oxen if he could speak was probably say Hallelujah, 371 00:25:40,880 --> 00:25:45,400 that burden is lifted. You get a picture of a people 372 00:25:46,040 --> 00:25:49,440 that the yoke has been lifted off them and they've been set 373 00:25:49,440 --> 00:25:52,200 free and delivered. Here's the relevance. 374 00:25:52,320 --> 00:25:59,240 Slaves in bondage under the yoke, in bondage to sin, accused 375 00:25:59,240 --> 00:26:04,240 by a just and holy law, concerned about God's judgement, 376 00:26:05,160 --> 00:26:07,200 and yet that yoke has been lifted off. 377 00:26:08,360 --> 00:26:12,600 What a relief. See, the yoke is painful. 378 00:26:13,560 --> 00:26:16,280 The yoke is burdensome and grievous. 379 00:26:17,000 --> 00:26:22,400 But when it's lifted off, the pain and the grievousness eases. 380 00:26:22,880 --> 00:26:26,320 And of course, not only is it relevant, not only is there 381 00:26:26,320 --> 00:26:32,280 rest, there's relief and rest and rest of courses as welcome. 382 00:26:34,000 --> 00:26:35,920 And here's the result. They're set free. 383 00:26:36,040 --> 00:26:38,600 And the Lord Jesus said John 8 and 32. 384 00:26:38,680 --> 00:26:42,240 If the Son shall make you free, he shall be free. 385 00:26:42,680 --> 00:26:47,960 Indeed, sin pays wages, sin brings us into bondage. 386 00:26:48,000 --> 00:26:50,960 The wages of sin is death, the gift of God is eternal life, and 387 00:26:52,760 --> 00:26:57,960 those who sinned and do sin are under God's judgement. 388 00:26:59,640 --> 00:27:04,080 I think tonight of the alcoholic, as many Alcoholics in 389 00:27:04,240 --> 00:27:08,400 Northern Ireland, young and old alike, the first drinks, the 390 00:27:08,400 --> 00:27:11,440 worst drink. The drug addict will tell you 391 00:27:11,440 --> 00:27:15,920 that the first taste of drugs was probably the wiggest and 392 00:27:15,920 --> 00:27:18,360 worst mistake they ever made, the gambler. 393 00:27:20,680 --> 00:27:24,880 But whatever the chief sin is and whatever your chief sin is, 394 00:27:25,040 --> 00:27:30,240 and there's many of chief sins, whether it's lying or secret 395 00:27:30,240 --> 00:27:35,120 porn addiction or full of pride and greed or jealousy or beating 396 00:27:35,240 --> 00:27:39,920 one's wife, once you're convicted of that sin, I'm 397 00:27:39,960 --> 00:27:43,800 convinced that it's a heinous thing that brings you under the 398 00:27:43,800 --> 00:27:47,160 judgement of God because sin pays wages not only in this life 399 00:27:47,160 --> 00:27:50,400 but in the world to come. And you cry for salvation, and 400 00:27:50,400 --> 00:27:54,600 you cry, Lord, save me. Then here's the power that's 401 00:27:54,600 --> 00:27:58,240 implemented. The sun comes and sets you free. 402 00:27:59,240 --> 00:28:02,600 He lifts the yoke off you. That's the relevance. 403 00:28:03,120 --> 00:28:06,680 You enjoy relief and rest, and you've got this result. 404 00:28:06,680 --> 00:28:10,040 You've been set free. Sin no longer controls you. 405 00:28:10,800 --> 00:28:12,760 The law doesn't rise up to condemn you. 406 00:28:13,520 --> 00:28:15,600 The judgement of God is not going to damn you. 407 00:28:15,600 --> 00:28:18,280 Why? Because you've recognised you 408 00:28:18,280 --> 00:28:21,000 were a slave, sold under sin in bondage. 409 00:28:21,440 --> 00:28:24,280 But you wanted to be set free. You wanted to be released. 410 00:28:24,400 --> 00:28:27,520 You wanted to find rest. You receive Christ as he's 411 00:28:27,520 --> 00:28:30,880 offered to you in the gospel. And here's the result. 412 00:28:31,440 --> 00:28:34,360 To whom the sun sets. Free is free indeed. 413 00:28:34,360 --> 00:28:36,280 We were singing. He's able to deliver you. 414 00:28:37,040 --> 00:28:39,760 He's able to set you free from the yoke of bondage. 415 00:28:40,360 --> 00:28:42,840 We should pray for the alcoholic and the drug addict and the 416 00:28:42,840 --> 00:28:46,400 gambler that there's many of them in carried off many of them 417 00:28:46,600 --> 00:28:49,560 throughout our community and beyond. 418 00:28:49,720 --> 00:28:53,040 And we should pray that God would smite the state of Sinner, 419 00:28:53,200 --> 00:28:56,440 and God would visit them with great conviction and convince 420 00:28:56,440 --> 00:28:58,880 them that Christ can set them free. 421 00:28:59,920 --> 00:29:02,800 Let me ask, have you cried? Have you been set free? 422 00:29:03,040 --> 00:29:06,240 Have you cried out? Lord, save me, I perish. 423 00:29:06,680 --> 00:29:09,160 See, that's important. Here's the power that's 424 00:29:09,160 --> 00:29:14,880 exercised, but that power isn't exercised until you cry for that 425 00:29:14,880 --> 00:29:18,040 deliverance. Notice one last thing, the 426 00:29:18,040 --> 00:29:21,480 provision that is promised. If you look again at the text 427 00:29:21,480 --> 00:29:29,720 that says, And I laid meat unto thee, let me pause there. 428 00:29:30,600 --> 00:29:33,240 I believe that's a reference to the Lord's provision in the 429 00:29:33,240 --> 00:29:34,960 wilderness for the children of Israel. 430 00:29:34,960 --> 00:29:38,160 It's a reference to the manna. It's a reference to the queal 431 00:29:38,400 --> 00:29:41,640 which they got during the 40 years wandering in the 432 00:29:41,640 --> 00:29:45,400 wilderness. You can read about that in Psalm 433 00:29:45,520 --> 00:29:50,000 chapter 78. It says in Psalm 78 and had 434 00:29:50,000 --> 00:29:53,440 rained down mana upon them to eat, and had given them of the 435 00:29:53,440 --> 00:29:56,680 corn of heaven. Man that eat angels food. 436 00:29:56,840 --> 00:30:01,000 He sent the meat to the full. That's what the Lord did. 437 00:30:02,000 --> 00:30:05,760 But when you come to Christ, and here's the spiritual analogy, 438 00:30:06,600 --> 00:30:10,240 you discover a feast of good things or not just bread, 439 00:30:10,240 --> 00:30:12,880 because Christ said in the bread of life, not just the milk of 440 00:30:12,880 --> 00:30:17,800 the word, but meat. Isn't it a wonderful thing to 441 00:30:17,800 --> 00:30:21,480 have a plate of meat? If you go down there to smoke 442 00:30:21,480 --> 00:30:26,280 BBQ, you'll get a real feast of meat on your plate. 443 00:30:26,520 --> 00:30:27,960 You'll hardly be able to eat it all. 444 00:30:28,640 --> 00:30:30,800 I don't recommend you get the five selection. 445 00:30:30,840 --> 00:30:33,680 Better just get in the three because you'll need a wee bag or 446 00:30:33,680 --> 00:30:38,000 a wee box to bring it home. But you think of a feast, a 447 00:30:38,000 --> 00:30:42,440 table laden with good things. You think with me as we finish 448 00:30:42,440 --> 00:30:46,400 of the wonderful promises of God in the Gospel, every promise ye 449 00:30:46,400 --> 00:30:50,080 and Amen to us, you're in Christ Jesus. 2nd Corinthians 1 and 20, 450 00:30:50,360 --> 00:30:54,000 all 7300 of them, if Herbert Lockyer is right. 451 00:30:54,000 --> 00:30:58,800 And what does God promise you tonight when you cry and he sets 452 00:30:58,800 --> 00:31:01,600 you free, a full free and forever pardon. 453 00:31:02,480 --> 00:31:05,080 Hebrews 10 and 17 and thy sins and iniquities. 454 00:31:05,080 --> 00:31:07,960 I remember no more. All your sins of thought were 455 00:31:07,960 --> 00:31:13,080 indeed, they're all gone. Your chief sins, your worst 456 00:31:13,080 --> 00:31:16,280 sins, the most heinous things that you've ever done, things 457 00:31:16,280 --> 00:31:20,640 that you've forgotten but come back to haunt you, they're all 458 00:31:20,640 --> 00:31:23,480 under the blood. God puts them in the sea called 459 00:31:23,480 --> 00:31:26,840 forgetfulness. Over there in the book of Psalms 460 00:31:26,840 --> 00:31:29,760 and Psalm 32, He tells us, blessed is he whose 461 00:31:29,760 --> 00:31:31,800 transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. 462 00:31:32,000 --> 00:31:35,240 Blessed is the man unto whom the Lord imputed, not iniquity under 463 00:31:35,240 --> 00:31:39,480 whose spirit there is no guile. I put it to you tonight, that's 464 00:31:39,480 --> 00:31:41,120 one of life's greatest blessings. 465 00:31:42,160 --> 00:31:44,160 You have the knowledge of sins forgiven. 466 00:31:44,200 --> 00:31:46,200 You can lay your head in the pillow and say us well in the 467 00:31:46,200 --> 00:31:48,360 soul, because my sins are forgotten. 468 00:31:49,600 --> 00:31:52,560 Here's another blessing. Access to God's throne. 469 00:31:53,680 --> 00:31:57,360 We can talk to God in prayer, He tells us. 470 00:31:57,360 --> 00:32:00,160 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that 471 00:32:00,160 --> 00:32:03,360 we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. 472 00:32:03,480 --> 00:32:07,000 Hebrews 4 and 16. We've been adopted into God's 473 00:32:07,000 --> 00:32:12,440 family. God's our heavenly Father, we 474 00:32:12,440 --> 00:32:16,120 are his children. You see, if God's our heavenly 475 00:32:16,120 --> 00:32:19,080 Father and Christ is our Lord and Saviour, then we're all 476 00:32:19,080 --> 00:32:20,760 brothers and sisters. We're related. 477 00:32:21,480 --> 00:32:23,800 We're in the one family, in the family of God. 478 00:32:24,080 --> 00:32:26,280 We have peace with God. Therefore, being justified by 479 00:32:26,280 --> 00:32:28,760 faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. 480 00:32:28,840 --> 00:32:31,240 We have the peace of God. And the peace of God which 481 00:32:31,240 --> 00:32:34,080 passes all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds 482 00:32:34,080 --> 00:32:36,480 through faith, which is in Christ Jesus. 483 00:32:36,960 --> 00:32:41,560 The Holy Spirit indwells us, Holy Spirit leads and guides us 484 00:32:41,560 --> 00:32:45,240 in the journey. The Holy Spirit can enfil us, 485 00:32:45,320 --> 00:32:49,920 helping us to live a life of victory, a life of vibrancy unto 486 00:32:49,920 --> 00:32:55,080 God, a life of loving service. Can I ask this? 487 00:32:56,160 --> 00:32:58,280 Have you been drawn by the bands of love? 488 00:32:59,120 --> 00:33:01,760 I want you to think again of what we were saying there. 489 00:33:02,440 --> 00:33:05,280 Remember the principle that is presented. 490 00:33:06,240 --> 00:33:12,600 I have drawn them and then think with me very clearly of the 491 00:33:12,600 --> 00:33:15,000 person that's mentioned. I have done it. 492 00:33:15,760 --> 00:33:19,640 And the power that He exercises, it's power to set men free. 493 00:33:20,520 --> 00:33:25,080 And then here's His profession. I have led meat unto them. 494 00:33:26,240 --> 00:33:27,800 Now is that a word for you tonight? 495 00:33:29,040 --> 00:33:30,920 Have you been drawn by the bands of love? 496 00:33:31,080 --> 00:33:35,080 You've got your eye in this principle, the drawing of God, 497 00:33:35,880 --> 00:33:38,040 and you've heard this person speak to you. 498 00:33:38,280 --> 00:33:41,760 I'm I've done this for you or I will do this. 499 00:33:41,880 --> 00:33:45,800 And you've felt that power and that power has been exercised by 500 00:33:45,800 --> 00:33:49,520 his Spirit. Tonight you enjoy all his rich 501 00:33:49,520 --> 00:33:51,360 provision. And I've only scratched what 502 00:33:51,360 --> 00:33:54,160 some of that provision is. It's like a, a feast of good 503 00:33:54,160 --> 00:33:58,000 things. I have laid meat upon them so 504 00:33:58,000 --> 00:34:00,640 they're not hungry. They're fed and they're 505 00:34:00,640 --> 00:34:05,000 satisfied. They enjoy all that I have for 506 00:34:05,000 --> 00:34:08,600 them, the rich resources of Christ. 507 00:34:10,000 --> 00:34:15,199 I ask again for the final time, Have you been drawn? 508 00:34:16,080 --> 00:34:21,120 Are you drawn by the bounds of love? 509 00:34:21,800 --> 00:34:24,639 May the Lord take these few thoughts and bless them to you. 510 00:34:25,120 --> 00:34:28,520 And I trust and pray that the Lord will apply His word in a 511 00:34:28,520 --> 00:34:29,280 saving way.