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Source: https://www.sermonindex.net/speakers/tj-thompson/secret-of-a-saved-life-sure-likeness-steady-labour-steady-race/
Well, it's nice to be here and Thank you for Eric for introducing me and I've remembered people I remember at a conference of sitting eating him and They give you little tags over here. When was Tommy Thompson?
That was me. And a man sitting across for me. Hmm. He said are you Tommy Thompson? I said yeah. Oh, he says I thought you were a big man well He was disappointed and I hope you won't be disappointed today, but I want to speak Quickly and leave some I like in a conference to get some seed ministry.
That I can go home and develop and enjoy myself. So the first thing I'd like to look at is John 1 and verse 29. The next day John saith Jesus coming on to him and said behold the Lamb of God. Which taken away the sin of the world the 2nd Corinthians chapter 3 chapter 3 and we look in at verse 15 16 verse 17 now the Lord is that spirit and Where the Spirit of the Lord is there is Liberty?
But we all with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord are Changed into the same image from glory to glory even as by the Spirit of the Lord. Let's jump over into 2nd Timothy. 2nd Timothy we look in at chapter 2.
2nd Timothy chapter 2 and verse 8. Remember that Jesus Christ of the seed of David Was raised from the dead according to my gospel. Wherein I suffer trouble as an evildoer even unto bonds but the Word of God is not bound and lastly in Hebrews.
And I think we can go into the 12th chapter in verse 2. Looking on to Jesus the author and finisher of our faith who for the joy That was set before him endured the cross despising the shame and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Now in the Word of God and for those I would like to encourage today, there's probably some young Christians here and You would like to go on for the Lord that's a desire I believe that is begotten and our souls when God reaches saves us and then you find there may be some here and you've had concerns about your soul and You're wondering about salvation.
Well, let me look and just show you a few little things because I'm not going to be up here too long. We've got brethren here that are gifted and can minister Christ to us. But the first one there in John 1 29 is the secret of a saved life.
That's what it is the secret of a saved life. Now sometimes you find when God lets us go and we get into our 20s or so forth. We have a life behind us that in certain things and places we would go. There's a contamination that comes in it comes into the mind that you never get rid of.
And I would like to speak to some young ones today you may think that well I'm too young or something of that. But here is the secret for you. They're speaking out preserving this and preserving that but I would like to suggest to you that the Word of God shows you the secret of preserving your life for the glory and honor of God and That is found in verse 29.
It's the lovely testimony of John the Baptist it says behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world and Whether we like it or not. We are born into this world. We're born sinners shapen in iniquity and it's a very hard thing for some people religious people.
To take that place that God says we must take that the all world. Become guilty before God and that we are sinners before God Himself. And that is one of the things you find here that this is the way that God it says here that taketh away the sin of the world and we thank God that his Propitiation at the place called Calvary has led it so that the whole world can be saved.
Although the whole world don't want to be saved, but here is something for you if you're young. Here's the wonderful thing you may be planning this that and the other thing for your life ahead. But don't miss this because this is the greatest blessing that you could have in your life the day and hour when God and his grace saves you and saves and Preserves you for his glory.
Notice what it does say? Behold the Lamb of God. Now there is no salvation without the person of Christ. It may be that some people here even today it might be that you have been taught about Good works and so forth and there's nothing bad about that.
We're not preaching against good works. It's nice to have people or neighbors who live nicely and cleanly and so forth. But that will never get you to heaven. But the secret here of Your life being preserved and mine is this behold the Lamb of God Which take the way the sin of the world?
And so if you want to have a life that will be a life of and I have never Endured salvation one minute not a minute of I endured salvation Since God reached and saved me. I've enjoyed God's salvation All the time I was back in the place I was born in and Belfast and I was at a conference.
I went a little walk during the period the when they were having something to eat and I went down to a little corner near the City Hall and I looked up and You know, I started to cry. And the reason I cried was I looked up there and I thought 60 years ago I Was saved up there by God's grace.
It's a wonderful thing and every morning I Go back to that place. It's lovely to go back and find the day that and the experience that you have had When God came into your life when you beheld the Lamb of God and sin was taken away.
It's a wonderful thing to have that experience if you hadn't haven't had it. I do trust that during this conference. You'll be able to enjoy what we read here that your life will be preserved a saved life for God.
Now after God has saved you I would like to take you to 2nd Corinthians chapter 3 and there We read about something that is very very important. You'll find the context is very worth Looking at because it brings in Moses and so forth, but that's not what I'm going to mention just now.
But 2nd Corinthians 3 and verse 18. I notice what it does say but all. So there's none of us excluded here today. This verse is for all of God's dear people. But we all with open face beholding us in a mirror or glass.
The glory of the Lord are changed into the same image notice from glory to glory even by the spirit of The Lord now that is for all of us. So if you have come here today, you want to hear something? Well, we'll refer you to God's precious word and here you find something that we'll mention and just reuse at it.
And that's what brings in a sure likeness to the Lord Jesus Christ. We thank God for the Lord's people. And we thank God for the way the Lord has worked our brothers been speaking about work, but if God saved you.
You're a work in progress. So please remember it and you find that you may make mistakes. But I'll tell you the only people that don't make mistakes are people who do nothing. If you do something then you'll make a mistake, but thank God God can even use you know.
You may not agree with me. We've got theologians here. But I'm going to tell you what I believe. For we know that all things work together for good to them that love God to them that are called according to his purpose.
And you know, I honestly believe that God can use our mistakes and I included in that little verse. So it's not all that we are perfect. But you find that it's a joy and it should be a joy for us to as we see here.
We're a sure likeness to the Lord Jesus. Now. The Lord is so wonderful. And you find that I remember as just a young Christian that I was very impressed there was a man that spoke at our Baptism some of you may remember him Archie Smith of India and then there was another man Ruben Scammell from London and Just being saved.
I I was very interested in these men and I noticed that there was something. That they they were similar now not in height or anything because Archie Smith was a tall man a fine Scotch man he was I think so, but get your word in now brother.
He was a Scotch man Archie Smith Archie Naismith and then there was another little man. His name was Scammell and he was from London. I looked at the two of them and they couldn't have been different as far as their bodies were concerned but you notice I know that a young Christian and I looked and they had something on their faces that were similar and You know afterwards I found out and this is what it is.
They both were looking in. The merit they were looking in and what they were looking at for the scriptures is the Lord Jesus and it came out on Their features. So here you have in this little verse if you're going to bear a likeness to the Lord Jesus.
But then this is a verse with you open face beholding him because in chapter 4 you find is the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ and there's going to be a change but it's going to be changed as you there you Communicate and look at and enjoy the Lord Jesus Christ.
Then you find there will be Whether it's Archie Smith or Reuben Scammell, there'll be those things. That'll be Christ's leg in your face. So there's the the secret of a sure likeness to the Lord Jesus.
Now let us look at Paul's writing to Timothy for a minute. 2nd Timothy perhaps 2nd Timothy chapter 2 verse 8. Verse 7 we have a good one consider what I say and the Lord give the understanding and all things remember here.
Remember that Jesus Christ of the seed of David was raised from the dead according to my gospel. When I suffer trouble even as an evil lure even on the bones, but the Word of God is not bound. I write endure all things for the elect's sake and here you find Paul is writing to this young man that he had Seen saved and now he was guiding him and the things of God and to go on for God and one of the things you find Is that he was enjoying and thank you find Timothy Was quite different to Paul.
But the thing is they were both engaged in the same thing and that was in the work of the Lord. So God has got different ones for different works and they can have you in his work, too. And here you find that he was encouraging him and he was encouraging him to go on Steadily in the labors of the Lord.
So you find the first one is the secret of a saved life? The second one is a sure likeness to the Lord Jesus and here you at how you want it is Steady labor going on for the Lord. Now. I believe that God has a work for all of us to do.
I don't believe there's anyone who saved. You're saved. God has a work somewhere. Somewhere for you to do and you'll just be if you give yourself over to the Lord and ask the Lord. You know, I I like the heat.
I really do and when I made a choice as a young man I decided well Africa's a lovely place to go and it's nice and warm see. So I went out there. But God was working saved just before I went out and to think of it that God took me away from sunny South-africa, where did I go up into Alaska?
So you can't choose where you're going to serve God. Let me emphasize that you can't choose where you're going to serve God. And I want you to get that and sing it in and say it's a service. God has got something for you.
He saved you as an individual. He'll develop you as an individual. You'll have characteristics about you that somebody else doesn't have but God can use them and it's interesting how God can use you in His labor and you're fine in his labor.
Let me tell you this. I have never endured Salvation or I've never enjoyed Endured God's service. I have had a life in Alaska working with the Indian folk and I Could keep you entertained with some of the you know, you've heard that saying he's a green whore.
He doesn't know much. Well, but I went up there I didn't have any missionary to take me aside and we'll say Tommy do this or Tommy do that you do this. You do other things. So I had to find out things by myself and I thank God for that and I could entertain you here about the some of the experiences that I had in The work of the Lord, but you find here that God it's a wonderful thing and I speak to some young believers today you know the day that God brought me into the village of Chittina and I saw the people that God sent me to and looked at some of them and wondered.
Seeing a father and a son Absolutely saturated with liquor. Going along like that and others in an old trailer and there there the place was full of smell and Bottles and things like that and you know, I got down I cried.
I Said Lord can these men be saved? We didn't have anything, but we had the gospel and preaching the gospel. You find Satan, of course, he was very busy but the gospel just the gospel not Alcoholics anonymous or any of those things the pure clear gospel was proclaimed and you find one after another were captivated by the Lord Jesus Christ and Delivered so it's encouraging here.
You find when he was speaking to Timothy you find he encouraged Timothy to go on steadily in his labor. Now, let's just finish with one and it's Hebrews chapter 11 and We look in at verse 2 Hebrews chapter I said it's chapter 12.
Sorry chapter 12 and a read from verse 1 wherefore seeing we Also accomplished about with so great a cloud of witnesses. Let us lay aside every weight. And the sin which doth easily beset us let us run that with patience the race that is set before us.
Looking on to Jesus the author and finisher of our faith who for the joy that was set before him Endured the cross despising the shame and is set down at the right hand of the majesty and In glory and so a throne of God and here you have something that's important.
I don't believe and I want to state that quite clearly. I don't believe in verse 1. You have a pet sin. I Don't believe that I Believe the sin here is a lack of faith. Because the Word of God tells you without faith.
Without faith or nothing. But to please God Faith is necessary. And so you find the just solicit by faith. You listening? Are you just well the thing is you live by faith. And what is faith. Faith is trust and dependence upon the Lord and that goes for businessmen, too.
It's a lovely thing to read some of these stories about businessmen and You find that you can always be sure that you're bringing God into your business because what a book was written years ago God runs my business and If you have no room in your business for God, you better get out of that business.
But here we have in this lovely portion here. You have in verse 11. You have that lovely gallery people and faith itself. It's wonderful to live by faith and to realize that without faith. It's impossible to please God and whatsoever is not of faith.
Brown. What is not of faith? Bible says it. I'm not saying it quoting the Bible whatsoever is not of faith is Sin, what sort of a life are you living? You living a life of dependence. Are you living a life?
And your prayer life for your children. Whole family are now in heaven and I was the only one that saw my eldest brother as I passed through. On my way to Alaska and he lived in Portage, Indiana. And I went to see him took him out for a little meal and in talking to him about salvation.
You know Tommy says you forget about it. His dad's is religion. You've got yours and I've got mine. And I says Andy. I Says, you know in the depths of your heart. It's not religion with dad. I Says it's God's salvation.
Well, I'm not going to spend a lot of time but you know the Lord came into his life and broke up a lot of things that he had and one day I Got a call from him and he was in Ireland. Another time I was in a little cottage down the coast and he came down.
And he said to me Tommy I wept all night. I got saved. I'd asked my mother sometime before do you still pray for on? Oh, yes son. She says the Lord will save him. So you find that faith? Faith is what God honors him without faith.
It's impossible to please God and then you have this here in verse 12. And we're all in this race of faith and it says this it tells us here. Run the race with patience. Looking on to Jesus. And then it says consider him.
So, please you have one to look to and that's the Lord Jesus. And you've won for your eye of faith and you have one for your mind consider him. Now may the Lord bless these few little thoughts. John 129 the secret of a preserved and saved life.
2nd Corinthians 3 18. Likeness a sure likeness to the Lord Jesus. It's a work isn't it? And then you find 2nd Timothy 2 8 encouragement to go on. Steady in the neighbors of the Lord. And lastly Hebrews 12 to the secret of a steady race.
Lovely going go back sometimes to Ireland and I go into the places where I was in a Sunday school. And of course now at my age, I wouldn't be saying too many I saw. But it's nice to see some of them going on for the Lord.
So if you're an elderly Christian and you're in the assembly. You remember that you going on for the Lord that little steady race of faith that you can be an encouragement. To younger believers may the Lord bless his word.