Last night I spoke on the challenge of
small things.
Tonight I want to speak on the challenge
of a big thing.
And accompany the challenge with a clear cause.
Moses stood in the gate of the camp
and said, Who is on the Lord's side?
A big challenge.
Who is on the Lord's side?
Then the clear cause.
Let him, whoever he is, on the Lord's
side come unto me.
And the children of Levi gathered themselves together.
It's a graphic story.
It's one of those entrancing stories of the
Bible.
Try and picture that grand cross coming down
from heaven.
And he's holding those tapes in his aged
hands.
And the writing of Christ is upon the
table.
And Joshua with his military ear said, Is
the noise of war?
And Moses said, No.
It's not the noise of war.
It's the sound of sinners.
And they glanced across and saw the children
of Israel.
God's redeemed people dancing in abominable idolatry around
the golden cross.
And Moses, the meekest of men, hard to
rouse him up.
A paragon of meekness and humility.
The ashes scattered upon the drinking water.
And thoughts that usually
also reach 3
,000 feet.
Never doubt, God.
I want to show you three camps tonight.
Before I do that, I want to tell
you, we used to play a game called
French and English.
And being what I was, I liked to
eat ground to get on me.
And when I grew up a little, about
12 years of age, I joined them.
And I always ate ground to get on
me.
And I grew up a little into my
early teens.
And I became interested in politics.
Couldn't understand.
And I said, They've got money.
But I was on Father's side in politics.
And the world split
into two sides.
The Allies and the aliens.
And instantly, as a young lad, I said
to my father, I must fight for my
country.
Put it out of your head.
You're not going.
And the very farm wouldn't support me.
But during that time, in
the world, there were two sides.
In the sphere of the spirit, there are
two sides.
In the realm of religion, there are two
sides.
By the grace of God, I was enabled
to come.
Before I fight for my country, I want
to introduce you to three camps.
And the first is the camp of a
wide and a large.
And in the world, there are two sides.
Be clear about that.
There's the Lord's side in the world.
Saved sinners.
In the life of the tithes, who've been
lifted.
And the devil's side, who will not come
to Christ.
On the Lord's side, born again, men and
women.
On the world's side, sometimes religious, sometimes not
religious, but certainly not born again.
And they are on the devil's side.
And Moses saves them.
And Jesus Christ, the greater than Moses, comes
into the gateway of the camp.
And he issues a challenge concerning sin.
Who is on the Lord's side in the
world, he says.
Let him come unto me for cleansing from
sin.
For cleansing from sin.
Let him come.
Come.
For cleansing from sin.
Oh, what a blessed call it is.
None of us, not one man or woman,
young man or young woman, but have sinned.
There is a fountain filled with blood, born
from Emmanuel's blood.
All their guilty stains.
I walked down Princeton Street, Edinburgh.
Such an honour to Edinburgh.
Yes.
And didn't he give a grand reply when
he was asked, Sir James, what was your
greatest discovery?
Oh, my greatest discovery.
Oh, his face.
Mussolini was a sinner.
Toto was a sinner.
That fellow, that committed murder over there in
Victoria, he'll be a sinner alright.
And even those youngsters that brought a man
somewhere near here some time ago to death,
they're sinners.
But oh, I'm fairly decent.
Though I haven't come to Christ.
Ah, my friend, let the word of God
answer you.
In the first chapter of Isaiah, God is
speaking.
Hear, O heaven, give ear, O earth, for
the Lord hath spoken.
Now when the Lord speaks, man should be
silent.
I have nourished and brought up children and
they have rebelled against me.
And whatever still is, is rebellion against God
who made us, who created us, and who
brought us up by the sun.
And yet we're rebelling against him.
One of Spurgeon's great preachers, Dr. Bullock.
Sin is ingratitude.
Sin is meanness.
Sin is mockery.
Sin is contempt.
Sin is as if a young man clenched
his fist and smacked his father in the
face.
That's sin, it says.
You test yourself on those five points.
Have you been deeply grateful to the infinite
wonder of your creator?
Have you been deeply grateful to sin is
ingratitude?
Listen.
Have you received God's bounty, life, breath, and
all things that help us and keep them
gladly to yourself and yet you won't give
him back the life you owe?
Sin is meanness.
Sin is mockery.
Listen.
Have you heard God's word read to you?
Have you read God's word to yourself?
Have you heard the great when men
have joked about sin is contempt?
Did you listen to that grand solo lifting
up Jesus?
And if you pass by that cross with
and turns your back from it, sin is
contempt.
Listen.
Sin is as if a man clenched his
fist and packed your own will, your own
will, W-I-L-L, and looking up
to the great heart said, I won't come
to Christ.
Save that for your life.
That sin, and sin at last, brings forth
death.
And death brings forth the second death.
But said to James, young Simpson, I discovered,
I have a friend.
And he said, come unto me for cleansing.
Come unto me for cleansing.
Unto me, you got that.
Oh, it's good to come to church at
times.
Come as often as you can.
Oh, it's good, I know, to come to
the minister, but you must get for your...
It's good to come to the Bible through
as it is, from cover to cover.
You first, the scriptures.
You might have lost.
You might be claimed.
We must get right past everything.
The things that might create the Savior Come
and welcome.
Come and dine.
Come and rest.
Come and live.
Yet I hesitated to come.
Or even preach the faith.
Because I need cleansing.
Oh, come, Jesus said, I'll cleanse that evil
mouth of its filthy speaking and its swearing.
I'll cleanse that evil heart.
Come!
I'll cleanse that evil mind of its impure
thinking, of its world-centered thinking.
I'll give you a new mind that's stayed
on God.
Come!
I'll cleanse those evil hands that have sinned
against me.
I'll wash them clean in the blood that
I've shed upon that cruel cross.
For without the...
there would be no remission of sin.
And its blood, so red for thee, was
shed for Christ.
It was not small.
Come!
See, the blood is the life given for
us through His dear Son.
And it has power!
Power!
Wonder-working power!
The precious blood of the Lamb.
Satan never did a more quenched and silent.
Oh, how grandly!
Oh!
Oh, let him come!
A woman had a knock at the door
and she hopped in because he was in
the midst of cooking and then she thought,
well, you never know.
Curiosity killed the cat, but...
You see that dirty bit of rag there?
Most of it's dirty in the center, but
you see the real color of the rag
round the outside?
This solution I've got can take out any
kind of stain.
And he sprinkled a little over the dirt
on that rag and now he said, a
little bit of elbow grease and you'll see
a wonderful miracle soon.
Well, she said, that's good solution, all right.
Yet, he said, only five shillings a bottle.
She said, I know a better one than
that.
Go on, he said.
Has some other dirt killer been round before
me?
He said, no.
She said, no.
The blood of Jesus Christ, God's Son, cleanses
us from all sin.
What a grand answer.
Oh, what can wash away my stains?
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.
What can make me whole again?
That washes away.
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.
Let him come, Jesus said.
Come unto me for cleansing.
Sometimes you've got to come and come.
A Christian brother here, a Christian sister there,
who has strayed away and not been to
the fountain for days.
You know what, Andrew Bonner?
And there are backsliders all through the Christian
church.
They've lost their estimation over their souls.
So we live the world for the moment.
The church, which is the home.
People who say, well, we're Christian.
I'm not saying you're a Baptist.
You're in the church.
You're in the called-out bunch.
You claim to be Christian.
And there are two signs in the church.
There's the Lord's sign.
Consecrated whole heart of Christians.
There's the world's sign.
Unconsecrated heart.
There's the Lord's sign.
Spiritual men and women devoted to their Savior.
There's the world's sign.
Carnal, self-centered men and women.
Jesus Christ stands at the gate of the
great church.
And he issues another challenge.
He says, Who is on the Lord's side?
Let him come unto me for consecration.
It's a challenge concerning your service and your
life.
Why?
Here is Moses and Joshua.
Here they are coming down from that mount.
And they hear the sound of the singing
and the noise and the excitement.
And they look across.
Surely, thinks Joshua.
Why that golden calf?
It must be in the camp of the
Americans.
It's in the camp of God's people.
It's in the camp of the Israelites.
The people brought out of Egypt by blood
and power.
And there they are dancing in the soccer
round that golden calf.
That wicked idol going deeper and deeper into
the rock.
That's the faith of many of the best
Christians.
Many of the best Christians.
Dancing round an idol and going deeper and
deeper into the rock.
Never going forward.
Never growing in grace.
Never developing in desire.
Never getting a heavenly light from the faith.
And a longing in the heart for Christ's
glory.
Because you see dear friend, you've got an
idol in the heart.
And it's a well-known idol.
Self-pleasing.
I do what I like.
I'm not a hurry show and I don't
intend to be.
I just live a life that's suitable.
I'm saved.
I'm alright.
I'm round myself.
Well did old Samuel Rutherford set himself.
Possible.
It's the house there in every man.
I please myself.
I'm a going deeper in the things of
God.
Two young people came out for Christ one
night at one of our missions.
Long, long ago when I was a young
evangelist.
And everybody was so happy in the lonely
little centre because they were keeping company.
And now they've made a stand for Christ.
And they'll go on and live a Christian
life.
And we hope so.
And we were so glad they started in
at the union prayer meeting.
And there I heard things that made me
feel sad.
And at last I found out.
This is what happened.
After some weeks or a month or two
the young lady said to the boy she
said I'm fed up with the prayer meeting.
Let's go walking.
On a Wednesday night.
And he said Oh no, no.
We're going to stick to the prayer meeting.
That's the thing that's going on.
Oh, but check.
You can't.
She's a very pretty girl.
Very fascinating girl.
Oh he said alright.
I'll go with you then.
Because he wanted to win her.
To please her.
Incidentally to please himself.
And after some weeks I was told and
I believe it because I heard it from
the boys that she said Well I'm going
up to play for the dancers on the
Thursday night at the hall.
No, don't get worried.
I'm not a good pianist.
I want you to come and bring your
violin.
Well I'm not doing that he said.
She said Oh, he said no.
She said I want you to.
And he did want to please her.
And he did want to please himself and
win that girl.
He turned and said alright.
And he went up to the dance hall
on the Thursday night with his violin.
And shortly after that they were married.
There was only a mount of confetti.
Oh yes, that was alright.
I came back about 12 months afterwards.
I'll never forget the warm heart of Christian
man rushing across the village screen seizing my
hand by the side of the road.
Go up and see him Mr. Ridley.
He's up at his mother's house across the
bridge.
And I went and saw him.
And the dear fellow as I can see
him.
And he scrapes his foot in the sand
to please himself too.
To win her.
Oh, are you on the Lord's side in
the church?
Mr. Drummond said a person to the great
Henry Drummond once.
Isn't the great need of the Christian church
more men?
No, said Henry Drummond.
The great need of the Christian church.
Men who come away because they've heard the
Saviour with all their willpower and determination to
make them fruitful Christians.
And they've become.
But it takes a great insurrender or dedication
to be consecrated.
We talk about consecration so lightly.
You can't consecrate yourself dear friend.
It's God who consecrates.
Who sets apart for himself.
Who gives power.
Come again.
Come in.
Welcome that surrender to that great Saviour.
Oh, how well I remember that upset in
Ireland dear.
In our mission a fine young girl of
sixteen named Joan came right.
And the mother and the father rose in
anger.
And immediately sent word to the minister ran
through to the minister of the church that
they were desperately upset about it all.
Joan's a good girl and had no need
to do that.
The minister had to plead with them to
be calm and so on and they were
very annoyed with the evangelist.
I needn't tell you what they said of
him.
They were fed up with the evangelist but
nevertheless Joan got through.
Joan got through.
They saw it.
They knew it.
And about three nights after that father and
mother came out for consecration.
And in the little vestry there they went
down on their knees and said Mr Ridley
it's Joan.
And they prayed.
And the woman prayed and burst into tears
praying.
But they were long standing Christians.
Oh, it was such a shame to think
that a brilliant scholar for years
had built her up as much as possible
far away in distant Ireland.
Oh, be out and out for Jesus.
Give Him your heart first love.
Have one great aim and purpose and never
from His moon let everybody see it.
For Christ has set you free.
That night was perfect.
Press on, press on.
Serve Him with all your might and mind.
Slip by, slip by.
And they may not come again.
And it's true.
Oh, I look back over the life in
which I've been.
When it was coming to an end.
I am back.
They've given back the life.
In the Lord's side in the church full
glass surrender.
There's a third camp and we're finished.
It's the biggest camp of all.
It's the most wonderful camp of all.
It's called Eternity.
Two sides in Eternity.
The Lord's side.
The lost side.
The victors.
The vanquished.
The glorified.
And the guilty.
Two sides.
Jesus stands in the gate of the Eternal
Camp.
Who is on the Lord's side?
Let Him come unto me.
The crowning.
Yes.
Joshua and Moses came.
And when they saw the awful state of
bastard and the awful power of idolatry Moses
gave the challenge.
He don't bite people.
Anyone might have fallen by the sword that
day.
God in His mercy saved.
The execution of judgment.
The three thousand went down.
I want to tell you unless you're on
the Lord's side it's a terrible issue.
It's a dreadful alternative.
It's almost a frightful thing to think of.
To have trifled with Jesus Christ.
To have trifled with God.
To have pilfered away time until you've lost
eternity.
Eternity.
What a name.
How it sweeps the horizon.
All beloveds don't trifle with the call of
Jesus.
It comes.
Comes.
But it will only be to them.
For when the Son of Man cometh He
can set the sheep from the
goats and the oxen to side.
Then shall the King say to those in
His right hand Come ye blessed of my
Father.
Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the
foundation.
All the righteous in their regiments in their
midst saying didn't we hear that come for
cleansing?
Yes.
And didn't I hear that call come for
consecration?
Royal.
Wonderful.
To the goats on the left side depart
from into everlasting fire prepared for the devil
and his angels.
I don't shout that out.
It's too dreadful.
I don't want to just rant at people.
I'm only asking you honestly think of it.
If Jesus Christ said the King will say
depart from me ye cursed.
To everlasting fire prepared for the devil and
his angels.
Well you say that's an awful thing Mr.
Ridley.
It is awful.
But if you will have the devil's side
You must count on the devil's side.
Oh well do I remember that wonderful morning
and night when I went up in full
uniform with the host of us.
We were welcomed strange to say.
Poor wanderers people from out here.
We were welcomed by the Lord Chamberlain if
you please.
He welcomed us into the palace.
An hour long we're marching along a grand
passage sinking into cushioned carpets We're going along
in cushioned carpets.
And we're glancing up at great paintings by
master artists with all their sorrow.
But we're looking now at great paintings music
somewhere and I have last discovered where it
was.
And we were before the King and he
spoke to us.
Thanked us for our service and so on.
And then we came round and I thought
since then there was seemed a big thing
to us in those days.
When the fight of life is over.
When the good fight has been finished.
When the brave battle has been fought.
Ten thousand.
In sparkling rain and bright.
The armies of God.
All is finished.
Their fight was three open wide.
And let the victors in.
No one to halt them.
No one to challenge them.
No one to blockade them.
The King has come.
What a welcome to heaven.
What a welcome to Greece.
You blessed of my father.
And I never did anything for it.
Except come.
That's all.
I did come for friendship.
I did come to be conscious.
But I never earned it.
I never merited it.
It was all free sovereign.
But he said come.
And I came.
All my dear friends.
If I might finish with this.
It has often impressed me.
It was told by one of the great
evangelists.
Of a dear devoted Christian man.
Named Daniel Curry in America.
And he was dying.
And in his dying.
He dropped into what my father dropped into
in dying.
A coma.
A state of unconsciousness.
And then in that unconscious state.
He had a vision.
And he was at the very gate of
heaven.
He told them this afterwards.
When he awoke for a very brief session.
And they said what is your name?
And I said Daniel Curry.
And it was a long wait.
And then the voice said well Daniel Curry.
Your name is not down here.
And I said what?
And he said I knew.
I was a believer.
I come to Christ.
And then I heard the voice say behind
the gate.
I said Daniel Curry.
You can appear at the judgement seat.
And answer for yourself.
And he said I was caught.
My head went down.
And I heard a solemn voice saying Daniel
Curry.
No not always you say.
Have you always been fair.
And just and honest.
With your friends and neighbours.
Not always you say.
Have you always been charitable.
Daniel Curry.
Too bad.
He was always in charity.
Always thought the best of another.
Always shown love.
Never shown anything but perfect charity.
He said I dropped my head further.
And all
this mans sin.
Daniel Curry stood for me on earth.
Father I am standing for him here.
Oh my dear friends.
He said I am with Jesus.
I knew it was Jesus.
Of course it was only a vision.
It might have only been a flashing.
But there is a truth in it.
There is one in the excellence.
One in the light.
And he has got immortality.
He is the risen Lord.
And he is saying come.
Come.
And if you come by me you have
got an advocate there.
Lord will you come tonight.
Will you come for cleansing brother.
Christophe will you come for.
Backsliding in heart.
No you have never gone far.
But the feet of that be a saviour.
Will you hear him saying let him come.
I will never stop him.
I will never hinder him.
I will never put a blockade in his
way.
Come.
To the saviour now.
He suffered all for thee.
And in his merits.
Thou hast an unfailing plea.
No vain excuses cry.
The feelings do not die.
None who see Jesus come.
Whatever.
Turned away.
Some of us need to come.
We need to come.
God will give us grace to come.