Connection between this portion and the portion that Mr. Leckie has dealt with. Luke is the priestly gospel. Luke begins his gospel in chapter one with a priest coming out who couldn't bless. In chapter one, Zacharias, the priest comes out and he's dumb, he couldn't bless the people. He ends his gospel in chapter twenty four with a priest going in who could bless. The Lord blessed the disciples, and in the act of blessing them, he was taken up to Jerusalem. So he starts with a priest coming out who couldn't bless, and he ends with a priest going in who could bless. Luke prepares us for the Lord's priestly work, for in chapter twenty two he says to Peter, Satan hath desired to have you, that he might sift you as wheat, but I have prayed for thee that thy faith fail not. Here's a foreshadowing of his intercessory prayer. It's Luke who tells us about the priest and the Levite that passed by the half-dead man on the Jericho road, and the bankruptcy of the Jewish priesthood prepares our way for the entering of the priesthood of our blessed Lord. So that Luke, in a sense, is the priestly gospel. Uh, Luke tells us what the Lord is officially, uh, he's our high priest. John tells what he is personally, he's God the Son. When I say that Luke tells us what he is officially, I mean Luke prepares us for it. Actually, of course, the Lord didn't take on the priestly work until resurrection, but Luke prepares the way for it. So I think then there's a connection between this passage and that which Mr. Leckie has been so, so preciously re- uh, telling us about in Ch- Hebrews chapter four. I want you to look then at these words with me. Thus it is written, here's the record, the record of his sufferings, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, here's the royalty expressed in his sufferings, and to rise from the dead, here's the resurrection that is the sequel to his sufferings, and that repentance, here's the response to his sufferings, and remission of sins, the result of his sufferings, should be preached in his name, the recognition of his sufferings, among all nations, the reach of his sufferings, beginning at Jerusalem, the reversal of his sufferings. Let me say that again. And he said unto them, thus it is written, the record of his sufferings, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, the royalty expressed in his sufferings, and to rise from the dead, the resurrection that was the sequel to his sufferings, and that repentance, the response to his sufferings, and remission of sins, the result of his sufferings, should be preached in his name, the recognition of his sufferings, among all nations, the reach of his sufferings, beginning at Jerusalem, the reversal of his sufferings. And he said unto them, Thus it is written. Thus it is written. It's so beautiful in Luke's gospel that our Lord's manhood life, his life as a man, begins and ends with it is written. Back in chapter four, is it, he says three times to Satan, it is written. That was the beginning of his manhood. And now in chapter twenty four, at the end, he's saying, thus it is written. Luke presents that morally perfect man who started and finished with it is written, who began his course and and finalized his course in obedience to the word of God, who traveled with the word of God all the way. Thus it is written. In Luke's Gospel, chapter twenty four, there's a fivefold witness to the suffering and resurrection of Christ. First, we got get the angel- the angelic witness. The angel said in the tomb, he is not here but is risen. Remember how he said unto you, the Son of Man must suffer and rise from the dead. The angelic witness. Then we get the personal witness. They said to the stranger on the road to Emmaus, concerning Jesus of Na- Nazareth, a prophet mighty in word and in deed. And he said, the priests and our rulers condemned him to death and delivered him to be crucified. Here's the personal record of those two on the road to Emmaus. Then there's the scriptural record. He expounded up unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself and said, ought not Christ to have suffered these things and to have entered into his glory? Then we have the witness of the incarnate Christ, and he said, verse forty four, eh, these are the words which I spoke unto you when I was yet with you. Here's the witness of the incarnate Christ, and then here in verse forty six, there's the witness of the risen Christ. Thus it is written. Beloved, we have in Luke twenty four then a fivefold witness to the death and resurrection of Christ. The witness of the angel, the the personal witness of the two on the road to Emmaus, the witness of the scripture, the witness of the incarnate Christ, the witness of the risen Christ, the fivefold witness to his suffering, death, burial, and resurrection. Well, now coming back to our verse. Thus it is written, it is written in all the word of God that Christ should suffer, be buried, and rise again. A verse or two earlier, we read that the Lord expounded unto them in the law, the Psalms, and the prophets, the things concerning himself. He takes the Old Testament and sets it forth in the recognized division. The Jews recognize the Old Testament as containing the law, the Psalms, and the prophets. Well, he quotes from the law, the Psalms, and the prophets to tell of his death, burial, and his resurrection. The law would tell us of the reason of his sufferings, the reason of his sufferings. The Psalms would tell us of the reality of his sufferings, and the prophets would tell of the result of his sufferings. The Law would tell us of the reason of his sufferings. The Psalms would tell of the, of the reality of his sufferings. The prophets would tell of the result of his sufferings. Let me see what I mean. We take the books of the law, Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. Why did Christ suffer? Genesis tells about the source of sin, the source of sin, that sin entered in this world by way of Adam and Eve, and sin affected the whole human race. So it was necessary for Christ to suffer. Exodus would tell us of the slavery of sin. Sin came into the scene in Genesis, and it mastered and dominated man in Exodus, and there were the Israelites slaves in Egypt. Leviticus would tell us of the separation of sin. There was a Holy of Holies, but it was sealed, as it were, and they couldn't approach God. The separation of sin. Numbers would tell us of the strife of sin. There they are going through the wilderness forty years in Numbers, and all the way along they have war with this one and war with that one. It's the strife of sin. And Deuteronomy would tell us of the sentence of sin. In, in Deuteronomy, God tells Moses, pronounce the blessing on Mount Gerizim and the curse upon Mount Ebal, and tell the people if they don't obey my law, they'll be cursed. Genesis tells of the source of sin, Exodus of the slavery of sin, Leviticus of the separation of sin, Numbers of the strife of sin, Deuteronomy of the sentence of sin, and it was because of that sin presented to us in Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy, it was because of that sin that Christ needed to suffer and to rise from the dead. Or the law would tell us of the reason of his sin. But the Psalms would tell us of the reality of his sin. Sorry, I beg your pardon. The law would tell us of the reason of his suffering, I mean, the reason of his suffering. The Psalms would tell us of the reality of his suffering. Listen, beloved. Have you any conception of how Christ suffered, or have I? Oh yes, you say feebly and dimly, I know somewhat of what he suffered. Where do we know it from? Where do we get it from? Only from the Psalms. Only from the Psalms. In the Gospels, we have the outward record of his suffering. The thing is described externally, but it's only in the Psalms that we get the inward picture. There we find him saying, reproach hath broken my. There we find him saying, I'm become an alien unto my mother's children. There we find him saying, mine own familiar friend which was with me, which did eat of my bread, hath ripped up his heel against me. There we find him saying, deep call- calleth unto deep at the noise of thy waterspouts. There we find him saying, all thy waves and thy billows are gone over me. There we find him saying, I'm counted with them that go down into the pit. There we find him saying, why art thou so far from helping me and from the noise of my roarings? Oh, beloved, it's the Psalms that tell us of the beauty, the wonder, the reality of the sufferings of Christ. I read the book of Psalms, and I learn to love the Lord. Oh, the love that sought me. Oh, the blood that bought me. Oh, the grace that brought me to the fold, wondrous grace that brought me to the fold. The Lord tells me the reason of his sufferings. The Psalms tell me, uh, tell me the re- the the reality of his sufferings, and then the prophets tell me of the result of his sufferings. If we take the four great prophets of the Old Testament, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel. Isaiah is the prophet of reconciliation. Jeremiah is the prophet of justification. Ezekiel is the pro- prophet of regeneration, and Daniel is the prophet of sanctification. What I mean is this, Isaiah's message is peace. His name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace. Isaiah says, the chastisement of our peace was upon him. Isaiah says twice, there is no peace, saith my Lord, to the wicked. Oh, Isaiah is the prophet of peace. He tells of reconciliation by the death of Christ. Jeremiah speaks of justification. Jeremiah says, is it Jeremiah twenty three, His name shall be called the Lord their righteousness. Uh, Jehovah said, can you? And Jeremiah tells us that although we've broken the covenant, uh, chapter thirty one, uh, in principle, I mean, with the prince covenant was never given to the Gentiles, but in principle we've broken it. Although Jeremiah tells us, chapter six, that the heart of the sons of man is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked. Although Jeremiah tells us, chapter seventeen, that the sins of the wicked are graven with an iron pen, yet says Jeremiah, his name shall be called the Lord their righteousness. Jeremiah is the prophet of justification. Ezekiel is the prophet of regeneration. Ezekiel says, eh, chapter nine, he said, I'll take away their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh. Ezekiel says, chapter thirty six and thirty seven, I will sprinkle clean water upon them, and they shall be clean. And he speaks of new life and a new heart coming into us. Oh, Ezekiel tells us that although we are ruined sinners, we can be born again, made anew through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. And then Daniel tells us, Daniel chapter nine, the seventy weeks are determined by people. What to do? To bring in righteousness, to seal of vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most holy. All he is sinners delivered from defilement, delivered, delivered from corruption, and brought into fellowship with God in his sanctuary. That's Daniel's message. Beloved, Isaiah speaks of the sufferings of Christ and reconciliation. Jeremiah speaks of the sufferings of Christ and justification. Ezekiel speaks of the sufferings of Christ and regeneration. Daniel speaks of the sufferings of Christ and sanctification. And then, if we had time to go on through the so-called minor prophets, Hosea tells us, come and let us return unto the Lord, for he hath smitten and he will heal. After two days he will revive us, and the third day he will raise us up and we shall live. Telling of resurrection, the third day, uh, the third day of Christ's resurrection. Joel tells us of God pouring out his spirit upon us in view of the atoning death of Christ. Eh, Amos tells of God's pity and God's plumb line. The plumb line, God's righteousness. The pity of God is wonderful pardon, and Amos says, prepare to meet thy God. Obadiah tells us there should be del- deliverance on Mount Zion, the place where Christ died, Mount Zion, Jerusalem. Jonah presents Christ. Eh, as Jonah was three days and three nights in the whale's belly, said our Lord, so must the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. Micah tells us that he's cast our sins into the depths of the sea. Uh, Nahum tells us, uh, how beautiful are the feet of him that publisheth glad tidings. Habakkuk tells us, uh, the just shall live by faith. Zephaniah tells of glorious victory. Zechariah tells us why Zacharias, Zachariah in some senses is the most wonderful prophet. He prophesies of the birth, the life, the death, the burial, the resurrection, and the coming again of the Lord. They're all in Zachariah. And then Malachi tells us, the Son of righteousness shall rise with healing in his wings. Oh, beloved, eh, the law, the law set forth the reason of Christ's sufferings. The Psalms set forth the reality of his sufferings, and the prophets set forth the result of his sufferings. And here's our blessed Lord. Thus it is written, ay, written in all the thirty nine books of the Old Testament. Thus it is written that Christ should suffer and rise again, and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. Well, now let's go on. Eh, and he said unto them, thus it is written the record, and thus did behold Christ to suffer. Oh, here's the loyalty expressed in his sufferings. Thus it behoved Christ to suffer. You know, in Luke twenty four we get four expressions concerning the sufferings of Christ. First, he must suffer. The angel said in the tomb, this is that which he spake, that the Son of Man must suffer. He must be delivered at the hands of the Gentiles and be despitefully entreated and rise again. He must suffer. Then the men on the road to Emmaus told that he did suffer. The priests and the rulers desired that he should be slain. He did suffer. Then the stranger spoke them on the o- o- on the way to Emmaus. It was the Lord himself, but they didn't know, and the stranger said, ought not Christ to have suffered and to enter into his glory? And now we read it beholds him to suffer. He must suffer, he did suffer, he ought to suffer, it behold him to s- it it behoved him to suffer. He must suffer, because if he hadn't suffered, you and I should have perished. He did suffer, blessed be God, he did. He ought to suffer. That was, it was laid down in the Old Testament. It was what we could expect from the Old Testament scriptures. But now, finally, it behoved him to suffer. Oh, I like that. I think it brings out all the royal dignity of Christ in his sufferings. It it behoved him to suffer. You know, in John twenty one, when they got the miraculous draft of fishes, John the Apostle said, it's the Lord. John, how do you know it's the Lord? Well, you see, it's just like him. That's the kind of thing the Lord does. One hundred and fifty three big fishes. Ah, John says that's the Lord. It was like the Lord, you know, he couldn't fail to recognize it. Well, beloved, it behoved him to suffer. It means it was just like the Lord. It was just what he could expect from the Lord. It was just like him to make me, to take my sins away, to make me glad and free, to keep me day by day. It was just like him to give his life for me, that I might go to heaven and ever with him be. You know, this expression here, eh, it behoved him. It, it's a word in the Greek language which means thus. Eh, thus it was written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer. It means that word thus, it means it was just characteristic of him. Let me illustrate what I mean. In John chapter four, it says, the Lord, being wearied with his journey, sat thus on the well. Thus. As a weary, tired savior, weary with bringing salvation to others, he sat thus on the well. In Luke fourteen, is it, eh, when they're on the Sea of Galilee, it says he sat, it says they took him thus in the boat, thus, just as he was, and there he is, a loving Savior, tossing in the boat with his disciples. Well, Luke twenty four says, thus it was written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, meaning it was just characteristic, it was just what we could expect of our blessed Lord. Oh, saint of God, there's a man on the cross. He's crowned with thorns, and he's pierced with nails, and he's foully murdered on the tree, and he's forsaken of God, and he's visited with almighty wrath, and it's just like him, and it behoves him to do it. It's in keeping with the royal splendor, his matchless dignity. It's the, it's the glory of Christ coming out in his suffering. You know, they see in earthly seeings that, eh, the greatness of a man is tested in a crisis. A man's greatness always comes out in a crisis. Eh, if he has any greatness, well, it's manifested when the crisis comes. Well, we look at the Lord Jesus and that crisis at Calvary, and there shines out all the greatness, all the nobility of God's beloved Son. Thus it was written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer. Thus it was written, the record of his sufferings, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer the royalty expressed in his sufferings. Thus it behoved Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead, the resurrection that was the sequel to his sufferings, and to rise from the dead. Beloved, Christ suffered, and he rose from the dead. Why did he rise from the dead? Well, first of all, because of his own perfection. You know, God said to Adam when he sinned, of dust thou wast, and unto dust shalt thou return. Adam went into dust because he was sinful, but the Lord was perfect. Therefore, he couldn't go to dust. So the resurrection of Christ was a necessity because of his own perfection. Declared to be the Son of God with power according to the spirit of holiness by the resurrection, or resurrections, if you like, from the dead. The resurrection was the outcome of his own personal holiness. Ah, but beloved, listen, it was something more. Hebrews thirteen says God brought, brought him again from the dead by the blood of the everlasting covenant. He finished the work, he completed the task, and therefore he rose from the dead, and his resurrection is the proof that the work is done. You know, in the old days in England, it used to be the custom that when a man owed, owed, owed, owed a debt, they put him in prison till the debt was paid. And if one day, if you knew, knew old Jones, we'll say, and old Jones fell into debt and he was sent for pri- sent, sent to prison for it. One day you're walking down the street of, street of Trim, Trim Saren, and you see old Jones. You say, old Jones's debt's paid. How do you know? Because he's out of prison, and the fact that he's out of prison is the proof that his debt is paid. Beloved, Christ died, and I say it with all reverence, if the debt hadn't been paid, he couldn't have risen. But because the debt has been paid, he's come out of death, and his resurrection is the testimony that the debt is paid forever. Oh, beloved, here he- he is the, he is the resurrection that is the sequel to his suffering. He exhausted himself the wrath of God. He paid the full penalty. He met every claim of Jehovah's throne. He's done the work, and he's risen, never brought it down. Beloved, Christ's resurrection is the witness of his own inherent merit. It's the witness of his own perfection, and it's the witness, it's the witness that our debt is paid and sin is cancelled forever. I might go further and say this, that as man, his resurrection is the path of his glory. Eh. Romans says, to this end, Christ both died and rose again and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and the living. Our Lord died, and he went down to Hades, and then he rose and went up to heaven, that he might be Lord of the dead and the living. And because he's gone down t- down to Hades, he's Lord of the dead, and because he's gone up to heaven, he's Lord of the living. And the resurrection of Christ has been the path to his dominion over the dead and the living. And so, beloved, we've got that resurrection that is the, that is the outcome. It's the sequel to his sufferings. But now let us go further. And to rise from the dead, eh, and that repentance. Eh, oh, by the way, before we go upon that, eh, to rise from the dead the third day, I ought to pause here. Why did Christ rise from the dead the third day? Well, you know, it was the fulfillment of the scripture. Genesis three, God brought the earth out of the waters on the third day. Genesis twenty two, Isaac was raised up from the altar on the third day. Exodus chapter five, let my people go a three days journey into the wilderness. Eh, Numbers chapter ten, they went a three days journey, eh, beyond Mount Sinai. Eh, the book of Esther, it was on the third day that Esther uttered a request to Mordecai. Hosea, as we've quoted, the third, three days and three nights in the whale's belly. Beloved, the whole Old Testament suggests that Christ should die and rise again on the third day. And in conformity to all the Old Testament pattern, Christ has risen. The Savior lives no more to die. He lives, our head enthroned on high. He lives triumphant o'er the grave. He lives eternally to save. But now he goes on to speak about that repentance, which is the response to his sufferings. Thus it was written, and thus it behoved Ch- Christ to suffer and to rise in the third day, and to rise on on the third day, and that repentance and remission of sin should be preached among all nations. Repentance. Repentance is the is the response to the gospel. Beloved, when the gospel goes forth, God demands in that gospel repentance towards God and faith towards the Lord Jesus Christ. Repentance is the acknowledgement of what we are. Faith is the acknowledgement of what Christ is. In repentance, we acknowledge that we are unworthy and worthy only of judgment. In faith, we acknowledge that Christ has died and met the requirements of God for us. Repentance is the acknowledgement of what we are. Faith is the acknowledgement of what Christ is. Again, repentance is the acknowledgement that we deserve judgment. Faith is the act of claiming salvation. In repentance, we acknowledge that we deserve God's judgment. In faith, we claim God's salvation. Repentance is subjective. Faith is objective. Repentance has to do with ourselves. It's subjective. Faith is objective. It has to do with Christ. So that when we hear the gospel, it has a subjective and an objective effect. Subjectively, we repent. Objectively, our faith goes out to Christ, and we rest upon Christ as Savior. Repentance is a change, is a change. Faith rests upon an unchanging one. The word repentance, you know, it comes from a word which means the mind and a word which means to change. Metanoia. Meta, which suggests a change, uh, no, which suggests the mind, a change of mind. You know, when I was a little boy going to school, we used to learn a little bit of French. I don't remember much about it now, but one thing I do remember is this, that the French word penser meant to think, and repent is is re-ponsi, to think again. Oh, beloved, repentance is a change of mind concerning the Lord Jesus Christ, and that's the message of the gospel. Beloved, I wonder if there's anybody here who's not saved tonight. Concerning yourself, God wants repentance. Concerning Christ, he wants faith. Subjectively, he wants repent- repentance. Objectively, he wants faith. In repentance, he wants you to acknowledge that you deserve judgment. In faith, he wants you to claim the blessing. In repentance, he wants you to change. In faith, he wants you to rest upon the unchanging one. Repentance towards God and faith towards the Lord Jesus Christ. Says Acts seventeen, God now commandeth all men everywhere to repent, because he hath appointed a day in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained, whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead. Beloved, if there's a person here in this hall tonight, outside of Christ, you've come along to the conference for curiosity, or to oblige friends, or because you'd like to see what was going on, or something like that. Friends, we want you to be saved today if you're not saved. And the only way to be saved is to confess to God that you're a sinner worthy of hell, and take Jesus as your savior, believing that he died for you and rose again. So near to the kingdom, yet what dost thou lack? So near to the kingdom, what keepeth thee back? Renounce every idol, though dear it may be, and come to the Savior, now pleading with thee. So we have the res- we have the repentance that is the response to his suffering. But then, remission. Remission that is the result of his sufferings, that repentance and remission of sins might be preached among all nations. Remission of. Beloved, what does remission of sins mean? There are in the, in, in the New Testament two words for forgiveness. There's one that we get in Ephesians four, as Christ forgave you. There, there it has to do with the attitude of forgiveness. As Christ forgave you, as Christ was gracious unto you, as Christ's tender mercy and gracious love went out to you. It's the divine side of forgiveness, the attitude of Christ towards us. Oh, beloved, I rejoice to think that though I was a sinner, Christ forgave me in the sense of Ephesians four and Colossians three. He was tender and gracious and loving and merciful. He was tender and gracious and kind unto me as he cleansed all my soul from its dross, and there's no condemnation. I know I am free, for my sins have been nailed to the cross. Oh, beloved, as Christ forgave you. Now, that's the divine side, but then here it use another word, and this is the personal side. The word of Ephesians four and Colossians three expresses the Lord's side. He was tender, compassionate in forgiving me. The word here and in Ephesians one expresses my side. Remission of sins. That word remission, it means dismissal, cancellation, banishment forever and ever. You know, eh, when I was a boy, I, I heard of a story. You'll pardon me telling this story, I don't mean to be frivolous in any way, but I often think, although the light of the story didn't know, I often think how, how wonderful it all was. A man drew a picture once of the Exodus out of Egypt, and he showed it to an art critic, and there was a blank paper, a blank paper, nothing. And the art critic looked at it, and he said, where are the Israelites? Oh, he said, they've passed over. Well, he said, where's the Red Sea? Oh, he said, it's, it's all been rolled aside. Well, he said, where are the Egyptians? Oh, he said, they haven't come up yet. So there was nothing on the paper. Well, you know, beloved, eh, when I, when I read about that, I just thought, well, that, that writer, perhaps he didn't know, perhaps he didn't understand, but it just expresses our salvation. Where's the sin? It's gone. Where's the cross? It's gone, he's risen. Where's death? It's vanished. Where's Satan? He's defeated. Where's darkness? It's rolled away. There's nothing left. The Lord has banished my sin and my judgment and my condemnation, stump and rump, totality and finality, holus, holus. He's banished the whole lot and it's blotted out forever. My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought. My sin, not his part, but the whole, is nailed to his cross, and I bear it no more. Bless the Lord, bless the Lord, oh my soul. I'm sure, friends, when you think of this, that every one of us, uh, Welsh or English, wants to cry out bendigeri. The Lord has banished that sin, and he's banished it forevermore. Oh, beloved, that's what we've got here, and that's what this word means, that repentance and remission of sins, it's the banishing of it. Hezekiah said, thou hast cast all my sins behind thy back. Isaiah said, I've blotted out as a thick cloud thy transgressions. Micah said, you've cast my sins into the depths of the sea. Hebrews eight says, their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more. Oh, beloved, isn't it grand? Hosea, it's behind God's back, and he, and he'll never turn round again. There's no turning with God. Micah, it's in the depths of the sea. Uh, Hebrews, God will never remember it again. Isaiah, I've blocked it out as a, as a thick cloud. Have I ever told you, probably you know it as well as I. Billy Bay, you know that famous, uh, Cornish Christian away back of 2 centuries ago. He was always shouting out hallelujah and praise the Lord. Well, he went, we went to see the minister one day, some business, and the minister was busy. So he said, must why show Billy into the parlor there and tell him to wait for me. Well, you know, she got Billy into the parlor, but there was one dread thought. She said, if I put him in the parlor, he'll be shouting out hallelujah and praise the Lord. And whatever can I do? Oh, she thought, I know. She says there's an old book there, an old frosty, musty, rusty, dry as dusty old book, eh, all about eh wearisome facts and figures, you know. She says, I'll give Billy that and tell him to read it, and he'll not find anything to praise God about in there. She gave Billy the book, you know, and she hadn't been gone five minutes when Billy was jumping to the ceiling. Praise the Lord, hallelujah! She came flying in, she said, Billy, whatever can you find to praise God about in that dry old book? He says, look here, just look here. It says there that the sea in some place is 7 miles deep, and Micah says he buried, he cast my sins at the depths of the sea. Praise the Lord, Seven miles deep. Oh, beloved, that's something worthwhile praising God about, isn't it? Well, that repentance and remission of sins. Oh, beloved, Christ took our place. He bore our sins, and God turned his face from him. God turned his face from him, and there in the darkness he suffered and battled alone, and he died, and he cried, it is finished. And he put away our sins forever. And you say, where have they gone? I don't know, and I don't care. They're just gone forever. Christ has banished them by his precious blood, the blood of Jesus Christ, his son, cleanseth us from all sin. I wonder, beloved, tonight, if there's anybody that's doubting his or her salvation. Oh, friends, don't doubt. Don't have any doubts. You know, some years ago I was in Swindon, Swindon, and an old brother came to me, a very, very old, old brother. He said, Mr. Bell, I want to talk to you. He said, you know, if the people at this meeting knew that I was talking to you, they'd be shocked. He said, I'm nailed in this meeting, and I've been nailed there for years and years and years. And now, he said, I'm beginning to wonder whether I'm saved or not. He said, you see, eh, uh, forty years ago at a gospel meeting, I professed faith in Christ. But he said, I'm wondering now whether, whether on that occasion forty years ago, I really trusted the Lord or not. Well, I said, brother, you don't need to wonder about that. There's nothing to worry about in that. He said, why not? Well, I said, the point is this. Satan comes to me sometimes, and he says, you didn't trust the Lord when you, when you're a lad of nine. I say, all right, Mr. Satan, if I didn't, I'll trust him now, and that'll settle it. Beloved, this dear old man, if you didn't trust the Lord forty years ago, well, trust him now, and that's the end of it. Oh, beloved, how, how secure, how blessedly secure is God's salvation, saved, saved forever. I once heard a brother, you know, who was a, who was a kind of a station master. He was talking about this, and he said, you know, sometimes when the strikes were on, eh, I had to go and act as a guard on the train, emergency guard. And he said, sometimes when I got to the front of the train, I would say to myself, eh, I wonder if I coupled those carriages, th- th- th- those wagons at the back. I wonder if I coupled them up. Well, he said, I didn't sit down and thought, start and think and think, now, did I couple them or did I not couple them? He said, I just walked down the tree to see if I'd coupled them. Well, beloved, that's it. If I didn't trust the Lord fifty years ago, trust him now, and that settles the matter once and forever. Thus it was written, the record, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer the royalty, and to rise from the dead, the resurrection that resulted, that was the outcome of his sufferings, and that repentance, the response of his sufferings, and remission of sins, the result of his sufferings, eh, might be preached in his name. Oh, he has the recognition of his suffering, might be preached in his name. Have you ever thought what that means, friends? Listen, it means that the name of Christ holds good in heaven. The name of Christ holds good in heaven. You know, when the Lord died, they wrote that name above him. This is Jesus, the king of the Jews. They said, hi there, everybody, come and see. That's what we think of him. That's Jesus of Nazareth. Ah, but God says, I'll show you what I think of him. And when they crucified the Son of God, they buried him in the grave, God raised him from the dead, and God took him to the highest pinnacle of heaven, as Mr. Leki's been telling us, eh, through the atmospheric heavens and the astral heavens, eh, and the spiritual heavens. He took them right through them all, and God said, that's what I think of him. Beloved, that repentance and remission of sins might be preached in his name. Oh, eh. Here's the, here's the recognition of the name of Christ. God has recognized him, and God is so delighted with the personal work of his, of his son that he's given him the highest name in heaven. Now, the word preached used here, it's a word which means to preach as a herald. Oh, it's the royal message that God in- God invests the, invests the gospel with dignity. He invests it with majesty. He invests it with sublimity. And when we go forth preaching the gospel, it's a royal message. It- it's concerning a name that's exalted at God's right hand. There is a name I love to hear. I love to sing its worth. It fills my heart with joy and cheer, the sweetest name on earth. It tells me of a savior's love who died to set me free. It tells me of his precious blood, the si- the sinner's only plea. Beloved, he has heaven's recognition of the death of Christ. God is so supremely delighted with it, so absolutely satisfied with it, that he's given him a name which is above every name, and he's gone in far above the heavens. The scripture says he's entered into the heavens. The scripture says he's passed through the heavens. The scripture says he's far above all heaven. Dear old Mr. Faraday, before he died, he used to love to to hear us sing. Every time we went to see him, we used to gather together and sing, far above all, far above all. God have exalted him far above all. Thrones and dominions before him shall fall. God hath exalted him far above all. That repentance and remission of sins might be preached in his name. But now listen, I want to tell you of the reach of his sufferings, the reach of his sufferings. That repentance and remission of sins might be preached in in his name among all nations, among all nations. Now listen, beloved, you know, when I go away from here and you think of me, you'll be saying, oh yes, Harry Bell, that's the fellow that tries to put everybody right. Well, I'm going to try and put some of you right tonight, and you- you- you'll bear it sympathetically with me, won't you? I'm not trying to be critical or unkind, oh God forbid, and above all things, I don't want to be superior, but there are some young fellows and young women in the audience that I'd like to put right tonight. Dear friends, some people in Wales are talking about a limited atonement, a limited atonement, and I say with all that in me is there's no such thing in God's word as a limited atonement. None. Listen, here's the proof of it. That repentance and remission of sins might be preached in his name among all nations. Here's the word of the gospel. It's going forth, says Luke, to all nations, he is the... That's as Calvinistic as ever you like. But the last thing he says in the Bible, the very last thing in Revelation twenty two is, whosoever will, let him take of the water of life freely, and that's as Arminian as ever you like. You know, Whitfield was a Calvinist, John Wesley was an Arminian, and one night they were having a campaign together, and they went home to sleep in the house where they were staying, and they were both sharing the same room. So Whitfield got into bed, and Wesley was going to spend the night in prayer. And Wesley looked at Whitfield, hmm, he says, you Calvinist getting into bed. So through the night, Whitfield fell asleep, and he woke up, and Wesley was on his knees, sound asleep and snoring. And Whit- and Whitfield said, hmm, you are minion. Friends, they are both writing God's word. Listen, you remember the story of, um, uh, Jairus's daughter, the woman with the issue of blood? Jairus's daughter, it was all of God, everything. She had nothing to do with it whatever. The Lord went and took her by the hand and raised her of a sovereign work. You and I were saved by Jairus's daughter. It was all of God entirely, every bit of it. Ah, but then, always connected with that story and never separated from it in Matthew, Mark, and Luke is the story of the woman with the issue of blood. Now there we see the other. The power was in him. Ah, but she's got to touch. There's the responsibility. She's got to touch. Beloved, there's the responsibility of man, and you cannot, cannot separate these things. On the one hand, it's all sovereign. On the other hand, you and I are responsible either to accept or reject Christ. Well now, here's the lie to the theory of a limited atonement, that repentance and remission of sins might be preached among all nations. Oh, you see, it was preached among them, but they couldn't accept it. It was preached among them, but they couldn't accept it. Beloved, would you lower God like that? Would you suggest that God preaches to a man, believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and he knows all the time that they cannot? God doesn't do things like that. If God says, believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, he means that they can do so. Listen, beloved, the atoning work of Christ, it's sufficient for everybody. It's efficient for the believer. It's provided for all. It's applied to the believer. But listen, friends, there's someone here tonight who says, yes, but Mr. Bell, God doesn't love everybody. He only, he only loves the believer. Friends, will you bear with me? I say it kindly. I don't mind to be abusive, but that's a dark, dreadful delusion. That isn't true. Thank God, God loves everybody. Do you mean to say that the God of love allows people to go to hell? Friends, I mean this, that God has done his utmost to stop them from going to hell. And if they go to hell, it's because they've rejected the loving provision of God. But never make a mistake. God loves everybody. Read Matthew five. Love your enemies. Why? That you may be sons of your Father. That's God's character. God loves his enemies, and he said, I want you to be like your Father, loving your enemies. He said, God makes his sun to shine on the just and on the unjust. He makes his rain to descend upon the just and the unjust. Oh, beloved, God loves everybody everywhere. Listen, eh, thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead, and that repentance and remission of sins might be preached among all nations. He is the grace of God. He is the reach of the, of the sufferings of Christ. The sufferings of Christ reach out to the needs of all men everywhere. I remember once preaching the gospel in Blackpool, and at the end of the meeting here, a woman came, dirty, disheveled, unkempt, in a filthy, woeful state. And I knew what she was. I'd been told about her. She was a woman of ill fear in the town. She stood before me, said, Mr. Bell, that Jesus of whom you've been speaking, that wonderful Savior, can he do anything with a woman like me? Yeah. Oh, brother. I said, dear woman, the Lord can. He died for you. Whatever you might be, he died for you, and his precious blood can cleanse you, and he can save you and take you in. Oh, beloved, I plead with you with all my heart and soul tonight. Don't believe in this doctrine of a limited atonement. It is, it isn't true. That repentance and remission of sins might be preached among all nations. You can't put any limits to that. It's blessedly true. But finally, we get the reversal of his sufferings, that repentance and remission of sins might be preached among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem, beginning at Jerusalem. Why beginning at Jerusalem? Well, it's the reversal of God. In this gospel, the Lord had said, it cannot be that the prophet perish out of Jerusalem. Jerusalem was the place where the prophets perished. He said, O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets and stonest them that were sent unto thee, how oft would I have gathered thee together as a hen gathereth her brood and her wings, and he would not. The Lord says, go back and take that gospel to Jerusalem. Jerusalem, where they slew the prophets. Jerusalem, where they rejected me. Go and take that message back to Jerusalem. In Revelation chapter eleven, Jerusalem is called Jerusalem, where also our Lord was crucified. It's called Jerusalem, which is spirit- spiritually saten in Egypt. Says the blessed Lord, go back and take that message to Jerusalem. Tell those people that crowned me with thorns that I'm willing to crown them with glory. Tell that high priest that condemned me and sent me to the cross that I'm willing to take him to my heart forever. Tell those wicked Roman soldiers, if they're still there, that they made sport of me, but I can delight their hearts with the merriment of my love. Tell those people that were indifferent and spurned me and said he saved others himself he couldn't save, tell them I can save them if they'll only trust me. Beginning at Jerusalem, it's the grand reversal. Jerusalem despised him. Jerusalem cast him out. Go back there, says the Lord, and tell them the glorious message, the message of God's salvation. You say God doesn't love everybody. Friends, it isn't true. It denies the whole warp and woof of scripture. God loves the vilest sinner out of hell. And you say, what about the sinners in hell? Does God love them? Yes, he loves them still. They're in hell. They're lost forever. And the person who rejects Christ, he's lost forever, and he can never, never be saved. But I believe that God loves them still, for God is love. It's God's very nature, it's God's very being, and he must love them, even though they're lost in hell forever. And remember that when the rich man's, that when Abraham speaks to the rich man in hell, he speaks to him tenderly. Son, remember that thou hadst in thy lifetime thy good things. It- it's the sorrow of the heart of God. And remember Revelation twenty, when the dead, small and great, stand before God and they are judged and they are condemned, God tries one last resource. When the books are opened and they are condemned, God opens the book of life just to see if their names are in there. And if their names were in there, those sins wouldn't stand against them. But alas, their names are not in there. Their names are not in there. It's the last lingering waiting of God. Oh, that I could save them. He says to Israel, O Ephraim, how shall I give them up? The tender compassion of God. Well, now, beloved, let's come back to our verse. Thus it was written, the record, we've seen the record of his sufferings, and thus we behold Christ to suffer the royalty expressed in his sufferings, eh, and to rise from the dead, the resurrection that was the outcome of his sufferings, and that repentance, the response to his sufferings, and remission of sins, the result of his sufferings, might be preached among all, eh, eh, might be preached in his name. Might be preached in his name. It's the recognition of his sufferings among all nations. It's the reach of his sufferings reaching out to all nations. Beginning at Jerusalem, it's the reversal of his sufferings. He sends his message of love back to the very place where he was crucified. Oh, beloved, shall we not say, praise God for what he's done for me. Once I was blind, but now I see. He plucked me as a band from hell. My savior has done all things well.