Hull, Albert: What Will You Do With Jesus Matt 27_21

Matthew's gospel, chapter twenty seven. Matthew chapter twenty seven. And we'll bring in at verse number twenty one. The governor answered and said unto them, Whither of the twain will ye that I release unto you? And they said, Barabbas. Pilate saith unto them, What shall I do then with Jesus, which is called Christ? They all say unto him, Let him. They all say unto him, let him be crucified. Now turn to the book of Acts for two final readings that are well known in chapter twenty six, please. And verse number twenty seven. this is Paul's defense before King Agrippa. In verse twenty seven. King Agrippa, believest thou the prophets? I know that thou believest. Then Agrippa said unto Paul, almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian. And Paul said, I would to God that not only thou, but also all that hear me this day, were both almost and altogether such as I am. Accept these bonds. Chapter twenty four for a point of reference. Verse twenty four. and after certain days, when Felix came with his wife Drusilla, which was a Jewess, he sent for Paul and heard him concerning the faith in Christ. And as he reasoned of righteousness, temperance, judgment to come, Felix trembled and answered, go thy way for this time. When I have a convenient season, I will call for thee. That's all we'll read, and I trust God will help us to conclude the meeting with what we have heard already. I want to look at these three passages very simply. They're really a, a crisis in each one of them, and after all, what we're preaching in the gospel is really a crisis in a man's life or a woman's life, something that crosses their path when they have to come to a definite decision in their own mind what they're going to do, either with Christ or the message that is presented in the gospel. And I would like tonight to conclude the meeting as if this was your last night. Say, if you could just capture in your mind that this is your last opportunity, your last night, the last time to hear the gospel, the last time to come to a meeting where a Bible is open, the last time where two men would stand publicly and preach the, the gospel of God's grace, as you've already heard. And we would like you to just think, now, what am I going to do tonight? Say that this was the last, the meetings were closing, the last night. The Lord is about to come. No more opportunities. Tomorrow the hall slows. There's no more gospel meetings, and you're sitting in your last meeting. Friend, I trust that God will impress that upon my heart as well upon yours. Now, I want you to notice that the crisis, the three crises are these. It's sad to know that the three men that are before us will look back for the long eternity. The first one, Pilate, will look back when he rejected the man called Jesus. That will ever, ever, ever fill with remorse his soul that I rejected the man that put up sin. When I live in Agrippa, I believe we're going to look at a man who looked back for the long eternity, certainly heard that, but he's going to look back to his crisis for when he rejected the message. He wasn't pleased to hear what the man has paid for. I looked into the pierce and eyes of the Christ, literally. But my Phoenix is hearing a message about that same person. And what our, our Agrippa and Agrippa is going to look back at the rejection of the message. But when I think of a Phoenix, listening to the same man Paul preached, I believe this man Phoenix will look back, not so much to a man, not so much to a message, but to a movement. He said, go thy way for this time and I have continued. In other words, friend, I would like to impress on my audience tonight, there is a time by us unseen that crosses every time the hidden boundary between God's patience and his wrath. And my friend, tonight you could just be sitting in a seat of tonight under the beams of the glorious dynamic metric of God's wonderful, powerful gospel, and tread under the beam of a Christ that loves you, and you can make a decision in that seat that will cause you to look back from all eternity. Then when I look at a Pilate, I feel for him. Before him stands the Lord Jesus. I'm not gonna get into the background, I haven't time for that just now, but Christ is about to be crucified. He has been given a mock trial. He's before the people, they're seeking his blood and death. And Pilate's looking at him, and within Pilate's heart, I can almost hear him breathing and saying, I know he's innocent, I know he's genuine, I know he's perfect, there's something about him, I fear him. But oh friend, Pilate will never forget when he heard that whisper. It almost must have been like thunder in his soul. If you let this man Jesus go, you're not Caesar's friend, you're not his with Caesar, the power of Rome. And then he comes on and looks at him, and he says these words, this question. What shall I do then with Jesus, which is called Christ? What am I going to do with this man? You know, friend tonight, that is, as we often point out, the old preachers preaching, we look for people that said, this question plan defies neutrality. It can't be neutral. You can't sit in this meeting if you don't hear my voice, and even you haven't heard Mr. Mr. uh, Mr. Messing's friend, even your eyes, your ears were closed to it. Then you're going to do something tonight. That the Lord Jesus is no way wronged. It's not a blessing you can obtain. You're either going to refuse him or receive him. You're either going to reject him or you're going to embrace him. When I look back on the roadside when God saved my poor, perishing, dark soul friend, I tremble as I look back. You know why? I felt that night if I hadn't got God's salvation, I would never get it. Heaven's Heavens. looking down in this meeting. Saints are praying in this meeting. Preachers are feeling the weight in this meeting. And the Spirit of God is present in this meeting, and the Word of God is opened in this meeting. And friends and that, you're right to the back of the hall. Don't try to throw it over your shoulder, friend, you can't do it. And don't try to pass the buck and say someone else. Use this for that as an individual from the front to the back, and you'll come to this decision, I have to do something with that man of power. This side. This side. Many a soul, my friend, like Pilate. Do, my friend, listen to the heads of the crooks coming from the crowd, though it must be your friend that I let, that you let this man fall, my friend. It will haunt the memory in hell, dry as this forever. And in those waves of eternal judgment that will roll frequently in heaven throughout the years, but every day we'll look back to you, what did I do there that made me and caused my fear on you? Because I rejected that man, the only man that could have saved me. I rejected that man who loved me. I rejected that man who died for me. I rejected that man whose blood so freely flowed at Calvary. And now I'm in the darkness of despair forever. And don't you ever think, friend, that you're a fucking hell and you are not out of it. I heard them come up with that shit remark when I was looking at my sin. And I want to tell you, friend, if you're, if you're trying to live it up and down under the bright lights in a world of slavery and sin, of all the friends and companions you will ever live with, there's not one of them will go to hell for you. Except if you're a god tomorrow as the day in the hour. There's only one person you can depend on, and we've heard about him, is the Lord Jesus. I know the Christians rally around you, and you get saved, and even you're not saved to pray for your friends, but the only one you can fully trust. The man of counsel. I love you tonight. Lord Jesus, I love thee. I know thou art mine, thy rock, my fortress, my spirit divine, my gracious redeemer, my strong subenal. It is thou who has loved me, Lord Jesus. Where is the man Christ, friend? What are you going to do with him tonight? He's presented in the gospel. I would like to present him more graphically as the Galatian epistle puts it. Set Christ before you graphically planned that you couldn't refuse him. He's blessed. He's great. He's wonderful. He's everything. I do the bad thing in the Bible, not the way I should, but I never seek the right thing, a little dirt before over. I'm waking in the morning and try to wake while it's hot again. Oh friend, I'm going to ask you the same question I've asked many an audience. What comes quickest to your mind when you think of Christ? What, what surges into the soul? What fills the heart? What grows my heart and comes more readily to mind than anything else about us is this. Thank you. What about you tonight? Down to the back of the hall. Come on now. Boy, girl, you and your kids, like you are a little older. You are playing fast and look, looks up to the present moment. What about the man, Pilate? Pilate, what did you do with him that day? I listened to the choir. I was afraid of my face before the Caesar in Rome. You know something I've often thought of? Pilate had a trumpet club. Even if he had a diamond across the side of him, then worth it. Dear John Brown, the great Scotch preacher who saw souls run to Christ during the Covenanter days, to put a bounty upon his head of so many thousand pounds. As travel houses, wicket, draboons, or soldiers sought after the life of godly John Brown. He had to flee to the hills and to the shelters of s- of the hills of Scotland to evade the autumn army that was after him. Riding one day up on a little flat's terrace, he's in there with his wife, when suddenly the soldiers, the dragoons appear. And she come out to the, the door holding a little chain in her hand. It was Mrs. Brown. And she stood there and said, where's your husband? And as she was asked the question, I stood to honor. Lady Warrior of the Cross. I'm gonna meet him up there, John, meet you up there. But all the hosts that have gone before, wonderful to see and grand for the night. Ah, as they stood there, Zaberhouse, his voice rang out to the soldiers, shoot the kill! Where the musket was left. As those dragoon looked into the face almost of the curse, they saw a badly drawn brain, so innocent, so loved one, with a service for his master. Finally, Trevor House lifted the musket, fired, and down he went. His dear wife went over, lifting up the head that was bloody, and she says, John, you never look so lovely. Never look so lovely. And then she looked at Clabberhouse, courageous woman. She said, I would, sir, God so permit, you would lay me down to shame, for remember your day is coming. You'll have to meet him. But I want to tell you, you hate this to step into Christians' shoes. But if Christ were their savior, you'll have to meet that man and go to meet him with joy and delight and step into his presence and to grab to embrace him and to kiss his blessed feet and to tell him with joy and gladness, without a ripple, without a hindrance, Lord Jesus. I go to Galatoire. Right, what about the man? I'll tell you something, you trust this man, you never trust him. Your religion puts a new coat on a man. That's all it can do. But God sufficient puts a new man in the court. And my friend, what sinners need is the new man in the court. They need Christ. Gold in the heart. West Mar Jow. Friend, planets looking back, could I throw the curtain over? Morning night planet on in the mesophist fair, wandering endlessly in this awful place. What haunts you the most? Tell us, let me hear what haunts you the most, that these people might listen. And he said, Carol, Carol, the man haunts me the most. What man? The man called Jesus. I can still see his face as I'm in the. I can still see his face as I'm going through the surges of darkness. It haunts me, the man, you know, Gillian, that atheist, when he comes to the end of life, when the battle's raging and he doesn't want to fall in the enemy's hands, he takes his own sword to fall upon it, and he shouts. Thou hast conquered thy lowly Galilean. I tell you, friend, you're either going to meet him in Greece or meet him in Turkey. Pick one, in fact. What are you going to do with the man? I hope you'll listen back in your mind and make a wise choice. I want to think of the message. You know, it's not so much seeing Christ physical. You can't do that. He's died, he's rose, risen again, he's in heaven, he's ascended, he's glorified. But we have a message, and here's a purpose. And Paul's performance defense. I love Paul. Next to the Lord Jesus, he fills my heart. You know something about Paul the Apostle? I don't know, if I want to get some enthusiasm, I read it. If I want to get something into my soul even that, that will help me on the pathway to glory, I like to read about that man. He was a firebrand, plucked from the burning, he turned around, he gave everything to his master. Since, my friend, that man lives. You know, said of George Whitfield, Spurgeon said of George Whitfield, some people are half alive. George Whitfield was all life. Paul was all life for his mass, standing before King Agrippa. He's not trembling. He's looking into the face of a king. He presents a message to him, having told his conversion. Soon going to die a martyr's, a martyr's death is the servant of Christ. He looks into the eyes of Kenagrapha, must have been a very solemn meeting, and the message pours out of his heart from the depths of his being, as a man of death for those not saved. He covered every man for Christ. It says to the king of Israel, believe us by the prophets, I know what I believe. You know, friend, you believe the Bible. Come on now, you won't deny it. That book that you hold in your hand, that book that you read, you know it's true, it's real. You might not understand its contents, but there it is. There's something about that Bible. It's the incorruptible seed. Believest thou the p-? I know what thou believest. Remember what Paul said, you men of the case, you know the things whereof I speak. This thing concerning Christ and his death and purpose, it wasn't done in a corner. You know all about that? Can you almost hear that key as he looks into the face of that dear server of chains holding him, chains bound at her wrists? He looks into the face of that big king, Paul, his name is like the name small, little small dude. Must have been tremendous. And all the courtyard filled and all the place filled. As Paul says, the way is very nice. This thing is not going to come. So he says, almost That died he for persuades shame. me. Don't you stand this again? You've almost persuaded me to take the message for myself. Paul, I can almost accept that message that you're telling. I can almost embrace it and take God's word for it. I'm almost there, Paul. That dear servant says, good could God that not only thy, but all hear me this day, or almost, but all together. As I have said these words, gentle-minded ones. Brandon O'Sullivan, Rebecca, where are you now? Are you finished with your big position on life and all the, the applause and all the grandeur and all the luxury and all the sin and all the pleasure and all the immoral practices. They're all past now. You're gone into eternity. What haunts you the most? I can almost hear him say, tell me. That message burned in my soul at Wotenberg. Can't be different. It asters my soul. It hammers on my conscience. It troubles my spirit. And it was almost. I'll be all off. But write to someone in this meeting tonight, and you're almost to Christ. Almost to the Savior, almost to trust in him. Almost at the door. Many were once as near heaven as thou. They lingered and lost their day, the weeping, reeling, and wandering now on the coast of the castaway. Friend, tonight, the message. Don't reject it. I want to get to my final mo- word, friend. Felix, this poor museum preacher, Paul the Apostle, as he brings the weight of this message of righteousness, temperance, and judgment. I haven't time to go into what they mean. It's a solemn searching message to Felix, the uncontrollable, the unrighteous, the man that deserves the judgment. And I can hear that man, Felix, breathing it. Yeah, Paul, I know you're saying it's right, and it's real, and I feel it. It makes me tremble. Makes me tremble. Well, it might, friend. You know something? It's rare we see people tremble today, but if God come among us just for five minutes, your body would shake, friend, and your soul would tremble over the brink of eternity. You know, Felix is gone. Dear Pilate's gone, he's looking back to the face of a man that could have saved him. And God was looking back to a message that he hadn't responded. He could have been with Paul in heaven. And dear Felix is looking back, and it's going to haunt him, oh, that moment, that moment when a soul turns back. You know, friend, I believe God brings a person to a moment. I really do. A moment. Brought me to a moment on the roadside. I'll never forget it. Yes, I was crying. Crying didn't save me either. I was twenty one almost, friend. I'm not ashamed to tell you that tears ran thick and fast, and my soul trembled as I thought of meeting God and of Christ with a praying mother and father. Yonder praying for me, friend, and Christians praying, and some phoning me up and saying, but we're thinking about you. And yet, friend, and my sin plunging on to darkness and ruin the night. I tremble when I think God could have passed me by. He should have. But he didn't. Yonder in the roadside near the cross, a trembling soul, love and mercy find me. There the bright and morning star shed its beams around me. I'll never forget the moment I fell in love with a man I never saw. Pushy and he died for me. I've been telling him that for thirty eight years, feebly and very, very meagerly, friend. My heart should be more exuberant, my joy should be fuller, my heart should be thrilled, my spirit should rejoice. When I think of that moment, that moment, friend. I wonder will there be anyone here from the front seat to the back? And from this meeting, friend, you're going to look back to eternity. And you're going to curse the memory of the man that died, of the message that was proclaimed, of the moment that was struck. Dear boy Lang is back at nineteen years of age, and I'm, I'm not saying this to be emotional, but I know it could be a true fact, and I know that if the authenticity of the story, the parents wouldn't go in to see him. You know why? The parents were going to heaven, and that boy's days were numbered. In fact, his hours were numbered, and he was going down to hell, not saved. And the nurse went in to see him, and she went in on the request of the parents, and she bent down and she lifted his hand, but he hadn't got the power to raise his hand. Brethren, it's time he got real, and it's time soon you were real, and it's time you were real, friend. When it comes to the shadows of death and soon to leave, my friend, everything of frivolity leaves, and all reality grips the soul, and that boy's going to go at nineteen, And this dear nurse poured into his ear that beautiful, glorious, golden text. He shook his head. And then she poured Isaiah fifty three five and six. Then she poured all the great scriptures, she said, can you not believe it? Can you not take it in? Can you not understand he died for you? The boy kept doing this. In one breath, almost just about one breath left. He was saying something. You listening, boy? People hear what I'm saying right now, tell me to put up your hand and send a little letter from good sent, very brave, very bold. She put down her hand to listen to the last breath. What the boy said? The harvest is past. Someone's Summer's wanted, end. and I am not saved. Who am I? Did you hear me down there? Friend, don't fool with it. Don't play with it. Be honest, be real. The man, the message, the moment. This could be well your last night. Shall we pray? Our Father, we bow in thy presence humbly. What can we say, Lord? Unless thou dost take thy word in the power of the Spirit and bring it home to the hearts of those present who are not saved, we can accomplish nothing, but we're dependent upon thee and thankful that there's potency in the gospel preached, there's power in the word, there's power enough in Jesus' blood to save the sin-sick soul. We think of this audience tonight. We thank you for the attention. Lord, may no one leave this meeting careless, foolish, rejecting the greatest man, the greatest message, and the most solemn moment. Lord, grant they may be recipients of that gospel tonight. Help us to conclude with a hymn. O God, we often sing, what if the word were passed, this night should be thy last. Where would thy soul be cast? Where hide thy face? Lord, receive thanks for salvation. Save others, we pray, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. We're going to sing a verse of that hymn eighty nine, Hymn number eighty nine. One verse of this hymn in the meeting is concluded. And it's the last verse, number two. Oh, what will you do with Jesus? The call comes low and clear. The solemn words are sounding in every listening ear. Eternal life's in the question and joy through eternity. Then what will you do with Jesus? Or what will your answer be? The last verse in the meeting is concluded.