Seven Men

I'd like to bring before you today a gospel message. I know that included in the many who hear these messages are dear children of God, who know the Lord Jesus, who know their sins are forgiven, and who by the grace of God know they're on the way home to eternal glory, to be caught up at any moment should our Lord Jesus Christ come. We often say, perhaps today and before this tape is ever sent out of the mail, the Lord may have come and snatched away all his redeemed people.

Will you be among that number who will rise to meet the Lord in the air? If not, this message is for you. We often think and pray for some of you who are ill. Some in nursing homes, others in wheelchairs, and we know that some are in prison.

Oh, dear sinner, whether you're in prison or whether you're out of prison, without Christ you are lost. As I wrote to a penitentiary in the West, to a young man who has received Christ, I said by the grace of God these words, better to be behind prison walls knowing the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior, knowing your sins are all forgiven, than to be a free man outside in the world without Christ on the way to hell. I would like to speak today about seven men who had to do with Jesus.

The first man brings before us profession. His name was Judas Iscariot. We read about this man many times in the Gospels.

He was one of the twelve apostles of the Lord Jesus Christ. Judas Iscariot heard Jesus preach. Was anybody more favored than Judas Iscariot? He heard the Lord Jesus pray.

He saw the Lord Jesus perform his miracles. He heard the words of grace that came forth out of that holy, blessed mouth of the Son of God, and none of these things, beloved, changed Judas Iscariot. What a lesson this is for every child of Adam's race.

Men love to think they are religious. They like to think that they attend places of so-called worship. They boast about their religious attendance and how they look after the things of religion.

Judas did that. He carried the bag. He had the bag in which the money was placed, but Judas never knew the Lord Jesus Christ.

He never called him Lord. He always referred to him as Master. The last time we read about him in the first chapter of Acts, verse 25, we read, in connection with Judas, that he may take part of this ministry and apostleship from which Judas, by transgression fell, he might go to his own place.

What a solemn lesson we can learn from meditating on the life of Judas Iscariot. I believe when the Lord sent out his apostles in pairs, that perhaps Judas went with Judas, the other Judas mentioned among the twelve apostles, and he no doubt was able to perform miracles. He was able to do all these things, and yet he was not saved.

He was not a believer, and the Bible solemnly tells us that he went to his own place. Maybe I am speaking today to a man or woman who, in each case, are religious, their trust in religion, whether it be that of being a Protestant or a Roman Catholic. I say nothing can save you, my friends, but the Lord Jesus Christ himself, faith in Christ alone, can bring you into blessing.

Judas never received Christ. He was religious, but he was lost, and he leaves behind a solemn message to each one of us today. We may know all about Jesus, but that doesn't save us.

We have to know him personally. We may come to a bridge as we go on a journey. We may stop the car and say, that looks like a very good bridge.

I really believe it costs millions of dollars to build it, but we'll never get across it unless we go forward. We may know all about Jesus. We may believe he's the Son of God.

We may believe about his virgin birth. We may believe about his words of grace, his miracles, but if we don't see him as our personal Savior, that on the cross he died for me, or he died for you, as if you and I were the only men that ever lived in the world, and that Jesus came to die for us, I say, if you never see him as your substitute, as the one who took your place on the cross, and you distrust him, and him alone, and believe that he died for you, I say, if you do not do this, you may know all about him, but you'll never be saved until you receive him. He that believeth in me, said the Lord Jesus, hath everlasting life.

Our second man brings before us decision, and that man is Barabbas in the 27th chapter of the Gospel by Matthew. Pilate was trying with all his power to get Jesus off his hands. The Lord was before him.

Pilate said three times, I find no fault in this man, and then he offered to the Jews a choice, Barabbas the robber, the murderer, and the rebellion leader, or Jesus. And in the 22nd verse of Matthew 27, we have decision brought before us. And my friend, today, if you are not saved, then you have to face this decision.

What shall I do then with Jesus, which is called Christ? They all say unto him, let him be crucified. Looking back at the 17th verse, therefore when they were gathered together, Pilate said unto them, Whom will ye that I release unto you, Barabbas or Jesus, which is called Christ? They had to make a decision, and they chose the wrong man. The world has chosen the wrong man.

They chose Barabbas. This brings before us the thought of decision. My friend, have you decided for or against Christ? Are you going to go on following the devil and end in the lake of fire, or are you going to decide today to receive Jesus as your personal Savior and Lord? And then we have, in the same chapter, the third man of the seven.

His name was Pilate. And we have, in his case, the subject of fear. Pilate knew that Jesus was not guilty.

He was a smart man. He had a good job in the Roman government. And we read in the 19th chapter of John that when he heard that Jesus was the Son of God, then he feared a great deal more.

He was afraid. I believe that Pilate quickly thought, What will I do? Will I let this man go free? Will I step down off this throne and say he's free? I will not go along any further with this case. This man is free.

He is not guilty. And as a result, lose my job, lose my salary, lose the respect of the people, or will I release him to be crucified, keep my job, keep my salary, stay in favor with the Roman government and be a popular man? And Pilate made the wrong decision. How different it would have been if Pilate had stepped down and stood beside the Lord Jesus and said, All right, if you're going to crucify him, then crucify me.

He is not guilty. And I will die with him rather than release an innocent man into your wicked hands. Oh, how different.

But fear governed Pilate. And so many souls are lost, beloved friends, because they are afraid. They're afraid to confess Christ.

They're afraid they'll lose their popularity. They're afraid that that girlfriend will throw them over, or that young man will take back his engagement ring, and they'll lose out on life. They're afraid.

And in the 21st chapter of Revelation, in verse 8, those that land in hell, leading the list, are the fearful, those who are afraid. Are you afraid to be a Christian? Are you afraid to speak well of Jesus? Are you afraid of the horse laugh of this ungodly world? Are you afraid of men who will mock you and scoff you? Are you afraid? Fear governed the life of cautious Pilate. And we believe that Pilate lost his soul.

Do not follow that poor man who was afraid to take a stand for the Lord Jesus. And now we turn to the 23rd chapter of Luke, and we bring before you, beloved, our fourth man today, his name, King Herod. And it's very solemn to read about King Herod.

Verse 6, Luke 23, when Pilate heard of Galilee, he asked whether the man were a Galilean. And as soon as he knew that he belonged under Herod's jurisdiction, he sent him to Herod, who himself also was at Jerusalem at that time. And when Herod saw Jesus, he was exceedingly glad, for he was desirous to see him a long season, because he had heard many things of him, and he hoped to have seen some miracle done by him.

Then he questioned with him in many words, but he, Jesus, answered him nothing. And the chief priests and scribes stood, and vehemently accused him. And Herod, with his men of war, sent him with knock, and mocked him, and arrayed him in a gorgeous robe, and sent him again to Pilate.

Our fourth man brings before us the mocker. And beloved friends, Canada and the United States and all the world are just filled with men and women, young and old, who dare to mock the Lord Jesus Christ. Maybe you're a mocker.

How many of them we see in the city of Montreal, as the gospel goes forth on the street corner, and as they go by, they cry out, trying to insult the preachers, mockers. They will have their part in hell, beloved, unless they repent and turn to God and receive Christ. Maybe you are a mocker.

Maybe you have mocked your poor wife, who was trusting the Savior. Maybe you have mocked your husband, who may love the Lord Jesus, or mocked your children, who you know belong to Christ. And you are a mocker, and you are following in the line of King Herod.

And please note, beloved, that in the presence of that ungodly man, Jesus did not speak. How solemn it is to be in the presence of God, and God having nothing to say to you. Maybe you are like Herod.

Maybe the Lord never speaks to you. Maybe you say, my sins don't bother me. I never think of death.

I never think of judgment. I never even think of hell. I just go on merrily through life.

Then I say to you, beware, my friend. You are in a dangerous place, for nothing is more terrible while we live in this world than to be in the presence of a silent God. Far better for God to speak than for God to be silent.

Is God silent in your life? Has God never spoken to you about eternity? Are you, my friend, one like Pontius Pilate, who was afraid? Or are you like King Herod, who was a mocker? And in the presence of this ungodly king, Jesus had nothing to say. Oh, the silence of God might well make man afraid. How good when the voice of God is heard saying, in those solemn words, today, if ye hear my voice, harden not your heart.

Maybe you have hardened your heart against God. May this day you hear the voice of God speaking to your soul. Our fifth man is the thief on the cross, found in the 23rd chapter of Luke, a well-known portion from God's Word.

I will not read it to you, but refer you to the 39th verse of the 23rd chapter of Luke, down to the 44th verse of that wonderful chapter, which brings before us the death of the man of Luke's gospel, the man Christ Jesus. And we find that this thief brings before us the subject of salvation. Here is the only man in the Bible whose deathbed is recorded.

And he, at the eleventh hour, turned to Jesus and said, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. And immediately the Lord said to him, Verily I say unto thee, today thou shalt be with me in paradise. This criminal, this robber who is brought before us, and his friend, who in verse 40 was rebuked by this man who received Christ, who said to him, Dost not thou fear God? See, now we are in the same condemnation.

And I believe there are some who hear some of these weekly tape meditations who have absolutely no fear of God before their eyes. They know they're lost, they know they're guilty, they know that sudden death would land them in hell, and yet they linger in their sins. And so, in the 41st verse, this robber takes his place as guilty, and we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds.

He took his place before God as a sinner, guilty. Have you ever done that? Have you taken your place before God as guilty? And then next, this man spoke well of Christ. He said, But this man hath done nothing amiss.

Remember, down below that cross was that hungry mob of murderers, with murder and hatred in their heart. The chief priests, the men of religion, the Pharisees, and the scribes, and a few of the Lord's friends who loved him, stood there as Jesus died, and they no doubt heard the thief say, This man hath done nothing amiss. In all the enmity of man's heart, there was one on the cross who spoke well of Christ.

Have you ever spoken well of Christ? Have you ever said a good word for Jesus in your life? Oh, this man said to Jesus, Remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. But the kingdom hasn't come yet. Nearly 2,000 years have passed by, but the Lord gave the thief something better, for God always gives man something better than he asks for.

And he said, Thou shalt be with me today. Today shalt thou be with me in paradise. And that man was saved on the spot.

And in the 44th verse, the Lord Jesus went into the darkness to be alone with God, to die for the robber's sins, to bear the robber's sins, and the punishment they deserve, and thank God my sins too. How about yours? Thank God the robber's Savior is my Savior too. Is the robber's Savior your Savior? If he's not, you're lost.

You're guilty. You're on the way to eternal darkness. Our sixth man brings before us Nicodemus in the third chapter of John's gospel, A ruler of the Jews, a man of religion, who came into the presence of Christ and said, We know that thou art a teacher come from God, for no man can do these miracles that thou doest except God be with him.

Oh, how well he spoke of the Lord Jesus compared to his fellow Pharisees and scribes who said, This man cast out demons by bells above the prince of demons. But the Lord Jesus brushed aside that lovely statement and said, Nicodemus, you've got to be born again. And thank God in the seventh chapter, Nicodemus took a stand for Christ.

And in the 19th chapter, when the Lord Jesus died, Nicodemus came out in the broad daylight and he went with Joseph of Arimathea and he begged from Pilate the body of Jesus. This man, our sixth man, brings before us light. Are you in the light today? Nicodemus came out of the darkness of religion into the light of Christ.

Will you come today out of the darkness of the devil and the damned, out of the darkness of empty religion and come into the light with Christ? That, my friends, is the question that you must face today. Your soul is at stake and your soul is worth more in the eyes of God than the whole world put together. May you today come into the light and receive Christ.

You may say I'm a terrible sinner, but Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. Christ died for the ungodly. Jesus didn't die for good people, for there are none good.

No, not one. He died for sinners. Are you a sinner? Then you have a right to come to the Savior, for he is the Savior of sinners.

And lastly, in the 20th chapter of John's gospel, we have Mary Magdalene who brings before us the subject of love. Mary Magdalene was a sinner, just like you and me, and the Lord Jesus saved her soul. And he was real to her.

He was precious to her heart. She loved him. And he, at that time in John 20, she thought was dead and lying in that sepulcher.

But when she got there, the tomb was empty. Jesus had risen from the dead. The angels came and asked her, Woman, why weepest thou? But she passed the angels by.

And Jesus came and said to her, Woman, why weepest thou whom seekest thou? She thought he was the gardener. And she said, If you have taken him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away. What devotion! A woman would carry away that dead man.

Such was her love for Christ. And the Lord said, Mary. And she said, Rabboni, beloved master.

Oh, she had found the one whom her soul loved. She had found the man of her choice. She had found the man who had won her heart.

Oh, what love we have displayed in Mary Magdalene in the 20th chapter of John. And he says to her, Go to my brethren and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father and your Father, to my God and your God. Now the risen Christ brings his people into relationship with his Father.

All through the gospel of John, the Lord Jesus spoke of my Father and the Father. But now the risen Christ, having finished the work of redemption, to the believer says, not only is he my Father, but he's your Father. Not only is he my God, but he's your God.

You and I, who are believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, can now look up into heaven and say, have a Father. God is our Father, and we are his children for all eternity. Dear unsaved one, wouldn't you like to have the joy and the peace of the Christian life in this poor, lost, hell-going world? Then I say to you, it's so simple.

All has been done at the cross. All you have to do is to come and say before God, I'm guilty. I'm a sinner.

I believe Jesus died for me. And that if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and believe in my heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. Today, receive Christ.

And you, my friend, will receive that pardon from the pierced hand of the Son of God, the Lord Jesus Christ. Receive him today. Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved.

And thy husband. May God bless his word. Amen.