Jesus' promise, "I will come again," offers hope amidst the disquiet and troubles of the modern world. As God incarnate, Jesus possesses credibility, deep concern for humanity, and authoritative commands, stating, "I am the way, the truth, and the light." In times of global treachery, turmoil, and trial, Jesus provides happiness, help, and hope through his sacrificial death and promised return. Trusting Jesus as Savior prepares one for his second coming.
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It's a joy to be back here again and look around and see so many friends. I want to read tonight with the subject matter that's before us for the whole week, and if the Lord will, the next week of us again, of the coming of the Lord Jesus. I want to read those majestic words in the fourteen chapter of John. John chapter fourteen. If you have your Bibles and care to turn with me, Or maybe you have your Bible and would much rather I just read the scripture. In John chapter forty, let not your hearts be troubled. Do you believe in God's believable show in me?
In my father's house were many mansions. If it were not so, I would have told you, I go and prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you unto myself, and that where I am, there ye may be also. And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know. Thomas said unto him, Lord, Lord, whither go it thou? And how can we know the way? Jesus said unto him, I am the way.
the truth and the light. No man cometh unto the Father but by me. May the Lord just add his blessing to the reading of his own precious word. Just a word of prayer. Would you join me in prayer, please? Oh, God and Father, as we bow in thy presence this evening, this first evening of this Gospel through his name, We ask in the name of the Lord Jesus that thou, by thy spirit, will be our teacher. As we may realize that thou hast something to say to us in our generation, grant we the seat of thee that should there be amongst us some who count not the Lord Jesus.
We ask that they may find him tonight. We ask him in the Savior's name. Amen. If there is one thing I'm persuaded of tonight, it is this. So as I move from country to country and town to town, never has the temper of the nation be more disquieted than it is in the days in which we live. It was the show of my country. I am persuaded, it is true, of your country as well. that men and women are looking around and saying, Oh, God, where are we going?
What's happening? I think every one of you will agree with me that there seems to be five things that mark our modern day. It seems to be filled with trouble. Or then, and again, men and women come to me, say, Oh, Mr. Ford, I'm so troubled, I'm so worried, I'm so upset. And trouble seems to mark this whole world of ours, whether we look at it internationally or whether we look at it individually. But there's something more of a trouble. It seems to me that as I look around, treachery seems to mark the nations of the world.
There is not one of us who find ourselves tonight with anything but a heavy heart. as we think of the hostages away gander in Iran. Those of us that move from country to country, we know something of the treachery that seems to have been in the political affairs of men. You wonder whether a person's word can be trusted. You open your newspaper and you turn away saying, what is right? What can we believe? Treachery seems to mark the day in which we live. What is trouble, Marxist? Untreachery, Marxist? Humal, Marxist?
Why, it seems but yesterday I was away in the land of what sweet old Rhodesia. If I look there today, and what a stirring of the nation there is, what a beating of hearts and a wondering as to what is going to happen, and turmoil seems to mark our day. But if treachery and turmoil and trouble marks our day, would I not be right in saying also that trickery marks our day? I am utterly amazed when speaking to businessmen, when speaking to scholars as well, when they tell me of trickery that's found in the commercial world today.
But there's one other thing. And I think you will grant me the trial marked our day. All of us have to face the trials day by day of our living. But never let us forget this, that this was always us. The thing that marks the day, marks the day of the Lord Jesus. Why, when I think indeed of trouble, I remember the Lord Jesus. starts this chapter by faith, let not your heart be troubled. Paul, there was a Peter, there were disciples who wondered whatever the Lord was talking about.
They were troubled in heart. Lord Jesus says, I've come thee for the day of trouble. Let not your heart be troubled. Why, when I think indeed of treachery, I am not mindful that there was gathered with those disciples, one who was called Judas. When I think of the treachery that laid in his heart, the willingness to sell the Lord for miserable pieces of silver, then I have to say that Jesus Christ had a message for those who not only were killed with trouble, but those who had in their hearts treachery. Jewel, all what turmoil there was.
Why, those disciples dared to look at him and wonder what he was talking about. And one of them said, We can't follow thee now. One of them even looked at him and said, How can we know the way? But Jesus had a message for them. But if there was indeed trickery why it was so in the Lord's day, those disciples were gathered in the fourteenth of the ark. There were no others but those disciples. But on the outskirts, as it were, of that crowd of disciples who were found the high priests, who were seeking indeed to take the Christ of God and to pull him from the place that his disciples were giving to him, to lead him away and nail him on a cross.
Oh, what trickery. When I think of trial, oh, what trial. What trial the Lord had to make. But he looked at those disciples, will they believe? Will they follow me? Will they do that which I asked them to do? And yet, in the midst of all that, there was one who had a message to them. And as I look around this world with all its problems, and I think that with this quiet in the hearts of men and women, I thank God that I come here to a governor with a message from one who has something to say in the midst of all the problems of life.
I thank God I have a Savior who looks at you and me and says, but remember this, I will come again. Remember this, that men and women may despise and reject me, but men and women have not finished with me. When I came from the height of glory into pletrium fire, so I will come. I will come again. And I thank God that in our day and generation, we can listen to the words of the Lord Jesus, and we can ponder them, and we can go from this place saying, Even so come, Christ Jesus.
When we talk, take indeed of this tremendous statement of the Savior, there are three things we must face, and I want you to face them with me tonight. The person is most important. And if you are a thinking man or woman, you will think this. I dare suggest you will ask it. For it's the form of a question. The first thing we have to face is simply this. The credibility of the man who said, I will come again. How important it is for us to consider his credibility. Can we trust him?
Who is in this habit? There are many men and women who've made all sorts of statements during the history of this world. Men and women that we laugh when we hear what they say. And as we think of this one, we're going to face the question, how about his credibility? But then we're not only going to think of his credibility, we're going to think of his concern. How concerned is the Blessed Savior with those people who find themselves surrounded with trouble and treachery and all the other things we mention? How concerned is he? Suddenly we hear him say, if it were not so, I would have told you.
I'm so concerned that I want you to understand this, that if my credibility passes the searchlight of heaven and the searchlight of earth, then I want to tell you that no one can be more concerned than me, for what I have to tell you is truth. And then I want you to notice not only his credibility, not only his concern, but I want us to listen to his commands. I want us to hear those who didn't grasp all that he'd been saying. How can we know the way? And I want to hear his comment.
As looking at them, he says, I am the way, the truth and the life. No man cometh unto the Father but by me. First of all, his credibility. The first question I must ask, when I think of the credibility of the man who's speaking, the first question I must ask is, who is he? Who is he? Who is this peasant from Nazareth who dares to stand before men and women and say, I'm going back. I'm going back where I came from. And if I go, I will come again. Who is he?
And my Bible leaves me in no doubt as to who he is. My Bible cares, dares to tell us. that that man that walked the pebbly beaches of Galilee and the cobbled streets of Jerusalem was none other than the creator of heaven and earth, God himself, Emmanuel, God with us. Why, when I think of his stoop on heaven, and I remember that down in the Bethlehem barn he came, then my heart he stirred, I know not, friend, how much your heart is stirred. I only know this, that God could not have loved you more than he did love you.
God could not have done more than he did do for you. I have said many times, and I dare to say it tonight, that in this, the Christian faith is absolutely unique. Of all the questions I get asked, when every year I visit the University of Cambridge to hold Bible readings with the undergraduates, of all the questions I get asked, this is right at the top of the list. Mr. Ford, what's the difference between your religion and ours? Between your faith and ours? Why, I may be speaking for someone who has come to my country and naturally he is a follower of the Islamic faith.
I may be folks who find themselves engulfed with the thoughts of Buddha. I find many of them that come from the land of India and they're Hindu with a multiplicity of gods. And they look at me and say, what's the difference between your faith and our faith? Well, here tonight, let me say what I've said a little bit at times, and I don't want you to forget it. The difference between the Christian faith and every other faith is very marked. Every other faith, you name it, and I will quote from its holy writings, every other faith tells us that the sinner has to seek after God.
The Christian faith is the only faith that tells us that God came to seek after the sinner. Oh, what a difference. Down from his glory, ever-living My Lord and Savior came, and Jesus was His name. And I gave with that name a Bethlehem barn. And I say, Oh, bless God. God has come into the world. And He's coming to the world to show us that He cares. He's coming to the world to tell us there's no need for us to be afraid of God. Oh, friend, isn't that the message of Christmas?
Isn't that the message of Bethlehem Five? Men and women, when they think of their sin, and they think of the holiness and the righteousness of God, rightly they feel that their knees should not. How can I fall into the hands of a God like that? The message of Jesus Christ says, There's no need for you to be afraid of God. Have you ever met anyone who was afraid of a baby? Oh, I've met Pope and I've been one of them who's been afraid of their handling of a baby. You know, when my grandchildren were brought to me and handed to me, I wasn't sure which came to hold them up. I was a bit afraid how I handled them, but I wasn't afraid of them.
And oh, bless God, whoever you may be. Jesus Christ tells us there is a way whereby you need not be afraid of God. He came and said, Oh, he lived as a man. For I remember this, that as Jesus Christ went to pass, the Bible says he went to pass, knew he could. He satisfied Adam, for God looked down to the sea, and for any that did understand that did seek after him. God said they'd all together become healthy. There was none that did good, though not one. He looked to the word and the avenue of time into your heart and my heart, and he dared to say of us that we sinned and come short of the glory of God.
But oh, blessed be his day. There was a time when heaven looked down on this sea, and God saw a man who satisfied him, and he split the heavens right over and cried, Let me find my beloved son, in whom I find all my delight. Oh, heaven says, listen to him, hear him, know what he has to say to thee. I say, he not only satisfies heaven, but ah, he subdued death. So I see him as he wends his ways and tells his path.
And I see him as they take him. Thereupon the cross and itchemy and shame, he dies. But we cry tonight, oh, death, where is thy sting? And we find that it's locked in the bosom of the Savior. Oh, praise thy victory. And down from the heights of heaven, there comes the answer, because I live. Ye shall live also. Oh, the wonder of it all, I bury you, my friend. That is the only advantage of being a creature. You can stop in the middle and have a drink. Thank you.
But not only have I a savior, not only is this one who said I will come again, the one who sat at my heaven, the one who has subdued death, or through his death, we can have life. There's no need for us to fear the grave, but Jesus Christ was wounded. Oh, Miss, pray God, the one that shatters my heaven, the one who subdued death, is the one who has shut him. I see, John, as gazing upon the Savior, he turns aside, that we might hear the Savior's voice.
I am he that liveth, and with death, and behold, I am alive again for evermore, amen. I hold the keys of death and of hell. I hold the keys of death and of hell. And I have a Savior who sat with light heaven, a Savior who subdued death, a Savior in glory to his day and shut hell for the man and woman that will touch him. Who is he? Of the Son. How incredible are his words? My Bible tells me God can't lie. My Bible simply tells me God cannot lie.
When I stand back and I hear him say, If I go, I will come again. And I say, Oh, God, thank you. I'm waiting for thy coming from the mountains of the sky. I'm waiting for Jesus, for he's coming by and gone. Oh, what a sin. Well, not only do I see his credibility, and I realize that God is meeting, but I see also his concern. As he looked around most disciples, and the saints as they looked down the avenue of time, and saw us, he realized there were three things that men needed.
They needed happiness. They needed help. They need it, hope. Oh, this statement, I will come again. How perfectly it needs harmony. It needs man, needs happiness. I love the words of the first second song, don't you? Happy is the man, happy is the woman whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sin is covered. I think of thee, though until every squall dies, that just will be unjust, and he might bring us to God, and that he might make us those whose transgressions were given.
Oh, my sin, oh, the flesh will be glorious both. My sin on his heart, but the whole was nailed to the cross. I'll bear it no more. Pray, Lord, it's well with us all. Oh, the wonder of it. He gives happiness. Can I ask you something? Are you happy? Do you know Jesus Christ as your Savior? Or he came that we might have happiness. Tell us why my favorite verses almost in the Bible are found in the thirteen chapter of Hebrews. He has said, I will never leave thee to forsake thee, that we may hold this way.
The Lord is my helper. I will not fear what men shall do unto you. We look around this world with all its trouble and treachery, with all its trickery and trial. And we hear the Savior say, Fear not. If you'll trust me, I'll be with you. I'll give you happiness. I'll give you health. Ah, but hallelujah. Oh, praise God tonight. He says, I'll give you hope. If I go, I'll come again. And what hope is handed, Jesus Christ. Oh, I don't find myself hopeless tonight.
I find myself looking for the day when I shall see him. Looking for the day when his promise will be fulfilled. Perhaps the day. Perhaps the day. And I thank God for a hope. that burns in my breath and makes me say, Oh, Lord, I thank thee for thy promise, if I know I will come again. Oh, I think of his credibility. Who can thank the words of the one who came from heaven itself to earth, went to Calvary's cross and died for us, was raised from the dead, and the dead in glory is seated, as our great high priest, as our ascertainment of honour, as the one who one day will return.
All we cannot doubt is credibility. None of us know him, but doubt is concerned, as he saw those disciples and loved us, and said, happiness, and health, and hope can be yours. Ah, but if I think indeed of his credibility, and I think of his concern, I must this evening say a word about his comment. For the Lord Jesus, having said, If I go, I will come again, face the question of one God, face the question of none, face the questions of Peter and the other disciples that surrounded him, and there he looked at them and said, I told you, if I go, I told you I'm going back to my father's home.
If you wonder where he is and you wonder how can you know the way, then let me tell you, let me tell you this, I am the way. The truth and the light that all men come upon to the Father must I be. In coming nights we will be taking some looks of the coming of the Lord. We've been thinking of why he's coming and when he's coming and the circumstances that surround him. But for tonight, I want to ask you something. Not just is the Lord coming, I know he's coming. But are you coming?
Are you going to come to him? Are you going to trust him? For the Lord Jesus left us in no doubt in his comments. of the tremendous fact that we can know the way to come back to God. How can I get back to God, men and women, say? Here's the answer. I am the way. Paul said, men and women, how can I know about God when I come back to God? I am the truth, said Jesus. Oh, but if I know how to come back to God, and I know something of the truth of God. How can I live for God? Jesus says, I am the light.
Oh, what a comment. How can I know? How can I get back to God? I am the way. I am the way. Oh, the wonder of it all. The wonder of it all. Many years ago, I heard a story I'm a dear, dear friend. When I was first converted, I had a longing desire to serve God in the land of Angola. God never made that possible for me to serve him at Angola, at least as a visionary. Thank God I've been there since and stood almost in the very place I intended to go.
But I was hoping when first converted, that I might be able to join Mr. Fred Olford, and that was the father of Stephen Olford, who's radio programed many of you. But I was hoping to go with Fred Olford, a way younger to Angola. And of course I went down to see him. He was living then in Newport, in South Wales, and a whole month further, was unable to get back because of the war. I went to see him, and I heard him tell a story that his son used it so frequently that I heard it from the real source of the Lord. When Tredor first went to Angola, things were extremely primitive.
They are now. But he wanted to go from the place where he was found, a mission station called Bula, away into the very heart of the bush that he might wave some chokery friends for the Lord Jesus. but there were no mats and there were no roads and the bush was extremely thick. He said to one of his African brethren, he said, do you know the way to get to the village where these choked me a hand? And the man said, I know, would you take me? I'd love to take you. And on he went on his journey, following this dear African brother.
As they went along, Fred Alford was sure they were lost. They got him to the middle of the bush. There was no track. There seemed indeed to be no way through. And he turned to the man, and he said to him, Are you sure you know the way? The man, as we looked, threw off the rope that was across his shoulders and shoved in his arms scarred. Know the way, said he. Do you see these scars? These were the scars I made when first. I cut the track that leads to this village.
And you don't know it, but Miss Crawford, let me tell you this. It isn't just any way. Find the way, for I made it. I look at Calvert. I see here who pairs the nails with his hand. I see he who bore the nails of his teeth. And I say, Lord, thou art in the way. Thou art in the way. Oh, I want to trust. And that's what you're saying. If you want salvation, you'll find it in Jesus Christ. The way to God, Jesus says, I am the way. The way to know God, I am the truth. Why, the master has just said, He that has seen me have seen the Father.
Either have seen me have seen the Father. Is it wonderful to know that the more we know Jesus Christ, the more we know about the whole Godhead, for in him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead following in Christ? Not only does he give us the answer to how can I come to God, how can I know God? how can I live for God? He does not stand in front of us and say, gaze upon me, I am the example to show you the way to live for God. He says, I'll come in your life, and I'll live my life through you, if you'll let me.
I'm the light. Oh, if the fullness of the Godhead dwells in Christ, what about the third chapter of Ephesians? that Christ may dwell in our hearts like me, that we might be filled with all the fullness of God. Oh, to know Jesus Christ is light, and that eternal, on Calvary's cross, never forget. He gave himself for us, and by his glorious presence, and to try and more of Christ, again.
I thank God the night for the credibility of the one that stands. I, I will come again. I thank God for the concern of the one who says I will come again. For if it don't trust his judgment he's coming, he will come in judgment as you will see him in the coming night. When he wants to come for us, to take out the living riches as his blood-worn children. Long is the day of the rapture when he will catch those that sluggishly with him, vividly with that man of our night.
Oh, my friend, my friend, may I give home this tremendous man of only his credibility and his concern, but all his omens. I am the way. I am the truth. I am the light. And through Jesus Christ, you and I, that enter into a life that death will never touch, will perceive a person who has promised never to leave us or a place whose time is the truth. All friends, won't you trust that, ladies?
Now I don't know, I look around and there are so many of you here. And I see you coming for service tonight with your Bible, God bless you. I wonder tonight if there are some here who only hold their Bible in their hands. You've never taken its truth and the one of whom it speaks into their hearts. If you haven't, will you do it enough? Will you see, receive Christ tonight, and you may be ready to be received of him in that day to come? I finish with one simple comment.
It is this. The older I live, the longer I find myself sharing with men and women the truth of the Bible, the more persuaded I am that this is the truth of the Bible, the place I give to Jesus Christ in time is the place that Jesus Christ will give to me in eternity. Oh, friend, will you receive him tonight? Will you trust that, Savior? He said, I will come again.
Will you receive him tonight by saying to him, Lord, come now, come into my heart, come into my life, be my Savior, be my Lord. And God's grant that you will, for his name's name. Amen. We're going to sing together a lovely hymn. I've got to find the number first. I put it in the pocket somewhere. Anyway, here we are. Give number one hundred and forty-two.
Give number one hundred and forty-two. I hear my welcome voice that calls me, Lord, to be for cleansing in the precious blood. Load on Calvary. I am coming, Lord. I am sure that every one of you here tonight will accept this from an Englishman. You will not misunderstand me. That all my friend, whoever you may be, don't sing aloud. Don't sing, I am coming, Lord.
that you're going to come but if having come you want to come closer all singing and leading and if tonight you're willing to come to Christ and take him as your Savior singing as you've never sung it before Lord you are coming one day but I'm coming tonight I'm coming to thee I'm going to take thee as my name in number one hundred and forty two I am coming. But as we seek this last verse, if I could ask, it is not my custom to make a few.
I don't usually make more. I feel that the Word of God and the Word of God alone does not touch your heart. But I cannot help but feel in a gathering night that there are some here who are willing to come to Jesus Christ. As we sing together this last verse, could I ask, please, could I ask, that those of you that are going to trust the Lord Jesus, you are willing to take Christ as rose, and I'm not going to stand leading. Oh, no, I wouldn't do that. But I do want to say this.
I hold in my hand a few copies of a very wonderful little gospel book. God's way of salvation. Not my way, I haven't got away. God's way. Live tonight. There is someone who can stand as you should have. If you want to trust the Savior, I'll be here in the front. Coming up for one of these gospel books, I will introduce you to a trained counselor and lead you to Jesus Christ. All friends, come to him. Son, shall we pray?
God and Father, we hear again ringing in our ears the words of the Savior. If I go, I will come again. For us we pray that each one of us may realize his credibility. is utter concern for men who are facing the troubles and trials and trickery of the sea, grant that we may be willing to come to him, and in that day when he comes, we shall be ready. Speak then to all here assembled, as we part one from another, and not from thee.
May the love of God the Father the grace of God the Son, the fellowship and communion of God the Holy Spirit, lead in joy, dividing portion of all who love the Lord, in sincerity and interest, now that stand for Jesus' sake. Amen.