In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the importance of the precious blood of Jesus shed on the cross for the redemption of rebels and sinners. The believer is reminded that the price for their salvation has been fully paid by Jesus. The preacher also highlights the story from Matthew 22 about a man who was found without a wedding garment at a wedding feast. This man was speechless when confronted by the king and was cast into outer darkness. The sermon concludes by emphasizing that when it comes to salvation, there is nothing we can do or say to earn it, as it is a free gift from God.

Some people say you can't know. We've just been listening to that tonight. The verse of scripture came to my mind. You needn't turn to it, 2 Timothy 1 and 12. The Apostle Paul said, I am not ashamed for I know him whom I have believed and I'm persuaded that he is able to keep that which I've committed unto him against that day. It's knowing the person that you've been hearing about tonight already. I have three readings at this part of the meeting and turn with me first of all please to the gospel of Luke and chapter 7. The gospel of Luke and chapter 7 and we'll commence our reading at verse 36. And one of the Pharisees desired him, that's the Lord Jesus, that he would eat with him. And he went into the Pharisee's house and sat down to meet. And behold, a woman in the city which was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at meet in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster box of ointment and stood at his feet behind him weeping, and began to wash his feet with tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment. And when the Pharisee which had bidden him saw it, he speak within himself, saying, This man, if he were a prophet, would have known who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth him, for she is a sinner. And Jesus answering said unto him, Simon, I have somewhat to say unto thee. And he saith, Master, say on. There was a certain creditor which had two debtors, the one owed five hundred pence and the other fifty. And when they had nothing to pay, nothing to pay, he frankly forgave them both. Tell me, therefore, which of them will love him most? Now look further down, please. Verse 47. Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins which are many are forgiven, for she loved much, but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little. And he said unto her, Thy sins are forgiven. And they that sat at meat with him began to say within themselves, Who is this that forgiveth sins also? And he said to the woman, Thy faith hath saved thee. Go in peace. Now the Gospel of John, please, and chapter 19. The Gospel of John and chapter 19. And verse number 30. When Jesus, therefore, had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished. And he bowed his head and gave up the ghost. Those beautiful words in the middle of verse 30. The words of the Lord Jesus on the cross before he died. It is finished. Now lastly, please, short reading in Matthew chapter 22. The Gospel of Matthew and chapter 22. And verse number 11. And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment. And he said unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless. I want you to remember those words, please. He was speechless. Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into utter darkness. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. That's our reading at this part of the meeting. When I'm going to say to you what I'm just about to say, you'll think, well, we'll get home early tonight. I want to speak to you about nothing. I want to speak to you about nothing. And yet built around this word that I want to speak to you about, there really are some volumes of lessons for us to learn. The first thing I want us to notice is from Luke's Gospel chapter 7. And we read it in verse number 42. I want to speak to you tonight about nothing to pay. Nothing to pay. We read about the words of the Lord Jesus as He hung upon the cross at Calvary. Those matchless words. It is finished. I want to speak to you about nothing to do. Nothing to do. And we read together in the Gospel of Matthew chapter 22 about a man, and the Bible says, He was speechless. The man had nothing to say. Nothing to say. First of all, when we turn to Luke's Gospel chapter 7, the Lord Jesus has gone in by invitation to the house of Simon the Pharisee. And Simon really was affronted. His religious dignity was upset deeply. When a woman came into that house, and the Bible says that she's a sinner. And you know, she stood at the Lord's feet behind Him, weeping. And she began to wash His feet with the hairs of her head, with her tears, and wipe them with the hairs of her head. And she had an alabaster box of ointment, which He then broke, and she anointed His feet. You know something about that woman? That woman's sins had all been forgiven. And I want to say to you tonight, I sometimes think if I'd had only one sin, and God forgave that one sin, I would contend that He had forgiven me much. But I had many sins, and they're all forgiven tonight. There's not one of them left. And sometimes I get down on my knees at the side of my bed, and I think of the one who died on the cross, that all my sins might be forgiven. And then sometimes my tears will flow. And I wonder what He saw in me to suffer such deep agony. Here's a woman, and everything was forgiven. And the Lord said her sins are many. Do you know something? She had nothing to pay. Nothing to pay. That's just one reason we don't take up a collection in the gospel tent. There's a man, and I'm wondering, will I meet him in heaven? I'll only give you his first name. He was very prominent in trade union circles, both in Ireland, in the north of Ireland, and even on a mainland basis. His first name was Tom. I remember going to his door in Belfast, and I rapped the door. I got no response, so I went to put a gospel tract through the door, and there was a dog on the other side making a lot of noise. And the dog decided to receive the tract. So I pulled it back, and the dog pulled it back and said, I pulled it back, and the dog pulled it back. At last, I had to let it go. I turned to walk away, and I heard a knock on the window of the house. I looked around, and I thought the man was waving at me, and I waved back, and on I went. And then the window knocked again, and it was evident he was calling me back. So I went back, and the key was in the door, and I could hear him shouting, open the door, and I called in, is the dog safe? Or maybe I should have asked, am I safe? He says, come on in. So he had the dog beside him. Well, that man was in his last weeks on earth, and here's what he asked me. He said, are you born again, Christian? I said, yes, I am. He says, I don't believe a word of it. I said, why did you call me back? That puzzled him a bit. He said, I'm a communist, an out-and-out communist, and I don't believe any of that. He says, my name's Tom. I said, well, my name's Robin. Then when he gave me a surname, I said, I think I should know you, and know of you at any rate. He says, you probably do. He told him about his role. I said, Tom, you're a very ill man. He said, that's quite evident to me. He says, I haven't long to live. Tom, what will your communism do for you as you go out into eternity? The man was shaken. Then we had a good exchange, and he said to me, I want to give you something. I said, what's that, Tom? I want to give you money. He said, I can't take it. I said, what do you want to give me money for? I want to give you money for the work you're doing. But I said, Tom, you don't believe in it. That doesn't make sense. But he was persistent. He wanted to give me money. I said, Tom, I won't take your money, because when Christ died on the cross, he provided a salvation, and you have nothing to pay. You're sitting in the gospel tent tonight, and you need to be saved, and you'll die in your sins, and go down to hell if you're not saved, in spite of the fact you have nothing to pay. It's all paid. You know, a few years ago, up in the north of Scotland, prior to the inception of the National Health Service, there was a very benevolent doctor who worked very hard, and worked very long hours, and he had patients, many of whom really were not able to pay his bills. The doctor died, and there were many, many outstanding deaths. Of course, the lawyers came on the scene, and relatives were there, and they discovered his record books. And in these record books, there was treatments of patients, and the charge. In many of these pages, in fact, on virtually every page, there would have been a number of accounts, and the doctor had written one word across the account, forgiven, and signed his name. But the relatives would have none of it. They were in for the estate, you see. And the lawyers got on the ball, and they took it through the courts, and eventually it went to a very high court in the land. And the judge ruled. Where the doctor has written the word forgiven, and put in his name to it, there's nothing to pay. My friend, I want to tell you tonight, all the prices paid. Jesus paid it all. All to Him I owe. Sennach left a crimson stain. He washed it white as snow. Put your hand back in your pocket. Keep your money where it is, because the Lord Jesus Christ shed His precious blood, that you might be seeing it. You know, the Bible's so clear about this. The apostle Peter said, for as much as you've been hearing about knowing, you know you were not redeemed with corruptible things like silver and gold. But with the precious blood of Christ, away with your money. There's nothing to pay. All the price is paid. What mighty Son paid all my debt, when charged with guilt I stood, and has my soul at freedom set. It is Jesus' precious blood. Do you know what we're going to do tonight? God willing, we're going to sing a hymn in closing about the blood of Christ. You know, I've been to Australia on a couple of lengthy visits, and New Zealand. And I was told going out there on one occasion, there are people out there don't believe in the blood of Christ. Sometimes people can be greatly misrepresented. They were professing Christians. And I was speaking to one of these men, who supposedly did not believe in the precious blood of Christ. And I was in his house one day for a meal. I'm not going to even give you his first name. I said to him, brother, I have a question for you. What does the precious blood of Christ mean to you? Oh, I loved his answer. He says, Robin, without the precious blood of Christ, I have nothing. I have nothing. My friend, put your money away. You can be saved tonight with nothing to pay. All the price is paid. Well, you may say, but could I not do something? It's a very interesting book, the Bible. I sometimes say, and I don't think I've said it maybe in these meetings, but I certainly say it quite often back in Ireland. You know what I believe about the Bible? Well, I believe it's the Word of God. I believe it's the best psychology book I've ever had in my hand. You know why? It does a complete analysis of you and me. Absolutely. And you know something about the human heart? That they want to do something to get to heaven. They don't so much think of staying out of hell, because they don't like to think there's a hell at all, but they like to think that if I could do something to get to heaven. You see, the rich young ruler came running, and he got down before the Lord Jesus, and he says, good master, what good thing shall I do that I might inherit eternal life? He wanted to do something. To do something. And people will say, but I'm doing the best I can. My friend, when you've done the best you can, it's not good enough. It's not good enough. You know what the Bible says? All our righteousnesses are as filthy rags. Keep your doing out of it. You'll only spoil something that's already done. Because I want to tell you tonight to get saved, you have nothing to do. The Lord Jesus Christ on that cross, he said, it is finished. And that means I have nothing to do. You know the apostle Paul said, for by grace are ye saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God. Listen to his emphatic negative. Not of works. Could I say that again? Not of works. Lest any man should boast. Look, there's nothing to do. So why are you not saved? There's nothing to pay. Well, why are you not saved then? There's nothing to do. Why are you not saved? You know, I know traditionally, Ireland has a reputation for donkeys and carts. We're not ashamed of that. But you know, there's a master, a master blacksmith, quite a number of years ago. And he was really a master at his particular craft. And his particular forty was making those great spruced wheels, wooden wheels with the spruce coming into the center. And then putting a rim of metal around the edge of the wheel. And if you wanted a good job, you went to this blacksmith. But this blacksmith had a neighbor who was saved. And the blacksmith, you know, he really did believe in heaven. Oh, he said he believed in heaven. And he was doing his best and working his hardest to get to heaven. So this man, his neighbor, every so often would get a little chat with him when they're having a cup of tea in the blacksmith's shop. And he'd always try to bring around the gospel. And then the blacksmith would say, well, you know, I'm doing the best I can. And the good believer would say, but do you not know when the Lord Jesus died on the cross, he did it all and he finished the work. But I'm doing my best. So this believer arrived down with him one day and there was this beautiful, beautiful wheel. You know, I'm one of four brothers and two sisters. And my wife sometimes says to me, she says, how come that of the four brothers, I marry the only one that's not handy? Well, I want to tell you something. I couldn't make one of those wheels that that blacksmith makes. But anyway, he had this perfection of a job sitting, waiting for collection, beautifully, beautifully done and nicely painted. So the believer came in one day and he says, that's a nice wheel out there. And he says, yeah, I'm waiting for the man to come and collect it. So the good believer picked up a chisel and a hammer. He made a bit of noise and he went out to the wheel and he put up the chisel and he drew back the hammer. And in the blacksmith's shop, he said, don't touch it. Don't touch it. He said, I'm going to do my best. He said, don't touch it. It's finished. And the good believer says, I've been trying to tell you that for a long time. When the Lord Jesus Christ said on the cross, it is finished. Don't you be putting your back to it. You'll only spoil it. The blacksmith says you'll spoil it. It's finished. Could you take it in tonight that the work that saves is already done? Done is the work that saves. Once and forever done. Finish the righteousness that saves the unrighteous one. Listen to what the Bible says. This man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God. Why? Because the work was done. There's nothing to do. I want to tell you something. If you die without Christ, you'll have nothing to say. What wilt thou say when he shall punish thee? Well, what will you say? You can't say I couldn't afford it because there's nothing to pay. You can't say I was so busy in my job I couldn't do enough good works and engage in charitable exercise. I just haven't. No, because there's nothing to do. What will you say? You'll have nothing to say. In Matthew 22, we have a man. In that Eastern culture, monarchs and princes and wealthy people often had wardrobes of many, maybe as many as 2,000 garments. And when a wedding took place, they issued all the guests with a garment. In other words, that was provided. There's a man who must have refused the provision. King said, bind him hand and foot. Take him away. Cast him into utter darkness. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. The man was speechless. He had nothing to say. Do you know why? Because there was a provision made and he wouldn't take it. And I want to tell you tonight, God has provided a great salvation. And if you miss this great salvation, hell will be your doom. How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation? You'll be left with nothing to say. William Blaine has put it like this. He who disregards this news and doth his day of grace abuse shall find the worm that never dies as in the burning lake he sighs. His cry forevermore will be, there was provision made for me. I might have been in heaven above, but I despise God's wondrous love. Are you going to walk out of the gospel tent tonight without Christ and without salvation? And all the while there's nothing to pay and there's nothing to do. He's done it all. You'll be left with nothing to say. You know, in Revelation chapter 20, we have the great white throne judgment. It's identified in the chart here. I think it's one of the most solemn scenes in all the Bible. When the man who died on the cross will sit on the judgment throne. You know, there was an old judge on one occasion and before him in the dock was a man charged and convicted of a capital offense. The days when the judge donned the black cap before handing down the capital punishment sentence. He asked the man in the dock, have you anything to say? He said, yes, I have. He said, well, let's hear it. He said to the judge, do you not know me? The judge said, no, I don't know you. Do you not remember me, my Lord? No, I don't remember you. You mean you don't remember me? No, I don't know you. Do you not remember the night it was in one of the London bridges? He said, I stood in the parapet of that bridge and I was about to jump to my death. You intervene. The judge said, that night I was willing to be your savior. Today, I have to be your judge. My friend, sitting in the Plattfields gospel tent, tonight he's willing to be your savior. Willing to be your savior now. He died to save you. He paid the price of redemption. He did the work of salvation. There's nothing to pay and nothing to do. And if you refuse him, you'll have nothing to say. In Revelation chapter 20, when those books are opened, a record, a detailed record of your sins, when those books are open, I tell you, you'll have nothing to say. When the book of life is open, and as a hymn writer, as an Ulster man who wrote it, in the Lamb's book of life on that day, sinner, your name will be sought for in vain. To the dread lake of fire cast away, sinner, forever you'll linger in pain. Unless, unless, in this day of his grace, sinner, you trust in the Christ who has died. Why would you, why would you not trust him now? Oh, trust him now before it's too late. Trust him now, because if you don't, the day will come when you'll have nothing to say. May God bless his word. Shall we pray? Our Father, we come to thee at the close of this meeting, and we ask thee to take thy word, all that has been of thyself tonight in the preaching of the gospel, and use it mightily for thy glory. Oh, our God, we just long that maybe even an attempt like this tonight, maybe even unknown to us, there is someone seeking salvation, and if they could only take it in that there's nothing to pay and nothing to do, and that this salvation is found in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ, is it any wonder he said, come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Father, bless thy word. Save souls tonight, we pray. We ask it in the Lord Jesus Christ's worthy name. Amen. Now, we're going to sing that hymn that I referred to. It's number 182. 182. I'm going to read a little bit of it, because I've been enjoying it in my soul. Verse 1. Precious, precious blood of Jesus shed on Calvary, shed for rebels and for sinners. Could you say it tonight? I can say it. Shed for me. Notice the first two lines of verse 2. Precious blood that hath redeemed us, all the price is paid. And then the last verse 4. So we're going to sing 1, 2, and 4. Verses 1, 2, and 4 of 182, and after the introduction, we shall stand to sing.