Doctor Law & Doctor Grace

[0:00] This morning is a little bit different from normal, so it's an allegory.! People would know about Pilgrim's Progress, the allegory that it's a story that illustrates! spiritual truth. And I found this and saw it on the internet, there's a few versions and I pulled it all together and I've doctored it and amended it, but it's really someone else's work that I've kind of made my own version. Dr Law and Dr Grace. Lester Roloff wrote this message and so let me, without much ado, launch into it. I know this is going to be a long one because I've got, I don't know, you normally have like seven pages, I've got 35 or something here. No, I'm going to try to give you the condensed version. So bear with me, but I'm sure you'll be taking something in here today. So give me, pray for me that I'll just gloss over the bits you don't need to know. I introduce to you two great doctors, the greatest doctors that have ever lived. Dr Law and Dr Grace. It shows for us God's grace and man's problem.

[1:16] All have sinned and come short of the glory of God. That's law. All have sinned and come short of the glory of God. And for the wages of sin is death. Grace, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. We're going to introduce you to these two doctors today. Doctors who, as we know, doctors can specialize in all kinds of things. You've got doctors that specialize in x-rays, doctors that specialize in research or lab work, GPs, surgeons. I want to tell you about two. Two specialists, they've been specialists throughout all the years. These two doctors are most unusual. The first thing is, these two doctors, they do not charge. Wow, that's something, isn't it? You don't have to get your wallets out. They don't charge and secondly, they've never lost a case. And they never use a consult with another doctor. They never recommend external treatment. They never ask the patient for any advice or even the signs and symptoms. And they've got a 100% success rate. Yet most people just drive past their office and don't call in to their surgery. They'd rather call on any other doctor but these two, Dr. Law and Dr. Grace. They're the two greatest doctors in the whole wide world. We've come here to the very heart of the gospel and the heart of your trouble is your heart. It's not your head, it's not your hands, it's not your feet, it's your heart. If you get your heart right, the rest of you will be right. The word tells us the law entered that the offense might abound but where sin abounded, grace did much more abound. Romans 5 verse 20. It tells us we're saved by grace. We're saved by grace. The law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. Galatians 2 it says a man is not justified by the works of the law but by the faith of Jesus Christ. Justified by the faith of Christ not by the works of the law for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified. Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law. Galatians 3 13. He's taken the curse for us. It says cursed is everyone that hangeth on a tree. Galatians 3 13. And for by grace are you saved through faith that not of yourselves it is the gift of God not of works lest any man should boast. So it's either the way of man or the way of God.

[3:57] The way of works or the way of righteousness. Religion starts on the outside and never gets to the inside. We can be religious and go to hell. God starts on the inside and works towards the outside.

[4:12] Grace. It's an inside work. Something that takes on in the heart of man, in the inside of man. And the kind of grace we're talking about puts a man to work for the Lord. It gives us something that moves us to action. Old things are passed away. Behold all things are made new. Acts 15. But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved. So my message is about grace and law. The word tells us work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. I know our brother was saying he's feeling a bit like he's shaky. We should all shake, shouldn't we? In the presence of the holy God with whom we have to deal. Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. An old farmer said one day he talked about the work of salvation and he compared it to his potato patch. And he said you can't work out your potato patch out till you've got one. And you can't work out your own salvation till you have it. We're not we're not talking about trying to be religious, trying to make yourself saved. Work out your own salvation. It's a gift. The working is what happens after you're saved. But it's important really to be sure you have it. You can't work out your salvation till you have it. This is the message of the Bible.

[5:38] Salvation by grace. He paid it all. Grace does the saving. Grace does the keeping. So let's get on with the story here about these two doctors.

[5:50] The law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ that we might be justified by faith. Galatians 3 24. I stand as the sinner in this story. All have sinned. I'm telling you my story about the sickness that I had and of how I found the cure.

[6:14] I came to realise there was something wrong with me. I said to my neighbour, I'm crook. I'm not well. I need help. I wonder what can be done. Well he said, I recommend an old doctor.

[6:33] Doctor. Okay. What's his name? Dr. Law. I think you ought to go and see Dr. Law. He's unusual. He's tough and he's hard. He's hated. But he's been in practice a long time. And I recommend that you go to him. His offices won't look too good and you won't think of him as much of a modern doctor. But I recommend that you go to him. I said, where's his office? And he told me.

[7:00] Here I'll introduce you to the first doctor. He's always in his office. He's never away. And if you ever intend to get into grace, you've got to come to this doctor first. You're not going to like him. But you must first come to this doctor.

[7:16] Now I know I'm having this serious internal trouble. So I headed for Dr. Law. The door opened and I said to the receptionist, I'd like to see Dr. Law. She said, Dr. Law is always in his office and he's always ready to see the sinner.

[7:34] And the secretary told me, he's always in. He's waiting for you now. He knew you were coming today. I said, he did. I stepped inside his office. It was simple. As I walked in, I could see there's no operating equipment.

[7:47] And he was the sternest looking doctor I'd ever seen. He just told me what to do. He said, get over here. And I got over there. And he said, you lay down there. So I laid down.

[7:59] And I started to relate my signs and symptoms. And he stopped me. He said, no, I will not need your help. There was not too much formality about Dr. Law. He took a good strong look at me.

[8:10] And he said, you have serious trouble. I said, how do you know? He said, I can tell just by looking at you. I said, do you think you can find out what is wrong with me?

[8:21] He said, no, sir. I don't have to think. I know. I know what is wrong with you. I said, you mean you know? Oh, yes, I said, I sure do. I can tell you straight away where your problem is.

[8:33] He said, you have got the same trouble every patient has ever had that's ever come to me. You have heart trouble. You're just like the rest of the patients I've seen. Now, he's a great doctor. He's very firm. There's no beating around the bush with Dr. Law.

[8:49] My old flesh rebelled. It didn't make any sense to me. He hasn't checked me out. Why would I be just like everyone else that he's seen? After all, dear friend, the law doesn't make sense to the sinner.

[9:02] But the natural things, the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness unto him. Neither can he know them because they're spiritually discerned.

[9:12] This was a spiritual issue, but I wasn't clear on that. So, well, Dr. Law had ruffled my feathers the wrong way. I said, you haven't examined my heart. And like any old sinner, I got defensive.

[9:24] I said, let me tell you, Dr. Law, you've never seen me before, but you've diagnosed my case by just one brief glance. When we first come to this doctor, the flesh is going to tell the doctor what's wrong with it.

[9:36] So the flesh gets ready to have an argument. And I said, Dr. Law, you just don't understand. I'm having trouble with my hands. I spend a lot of time dealing a deck of cards.

[9:46] And I've been using them to fight with. And my hands are giving me lots of trouble. And I'm doing this with my hands that I don't want to do. I'm stealing. I'm fighting. I've got a real problem with my hands.

[9:57] And Dr. Law said, no, it's your heart. I'm having trouble with these hands. He said, it's not your hands. It's your heart. I said, I'm here to tell you I'm having trouble.

[10:10] I'm having trouble with my feet. Both my feet are taking me to places I shouldn't go. They've been carrying me to the disco. And I've been dancing. They've been carrying me to the liquor store. And he said, it's your heart.

[10:21] It's your heart. I said, Doc, I don't like to argue with you. I know you're a doctor. But look, I'm having trouble with these eyes. It means nothing for me to stay up until the late hours watching the latest Hollywood movies.

[10:35] Watching TV late into the night. I just couldn't get enough rest to go to sleep. And my wife is just as bad as I am. I need some help with these eyes. My eyes start looking at this and at that.

[10:45] And I know I'm having eye trouble. I know that my eyes are never satisfied. And they're always getting me into trouble. I've got eye trouble. The old doctor said, no, my friend. It's heart trouble.

[10:56] Just plain heart trouble. You need a heart specialist. I said, now, Doc, let's be reasonable about this thing. Look, I've been living with me for years now. I know a little something about me.

[11:08] And I'm telling you my symptoms now. I'm having trouble with my tongue. Trouble with my tongue. It says ugly things. Sharp. Off-colour words. I just blurt them out.

[11:19] Sometimes I don't intend to say what I say. I believe there's something rotten about my tongue. My old tongue spits out cursing and dirty words. And it criticises and it cuts people to pieces.

[11:30] And please examine my tongue. Dr Law said, no, it's not your tongue. It's your heart. It's heart trouble. I said to him, are you listening? You're the most stubborn doctor I've ever been to.

[11:43] I'm telling you what's bothering me. By the time, this time, my rebellion had mounted and I was telling Dr Law it was my ears now. My ears would listen to ungodly gossip.

[11:54] You have a bad case of heart trouble. Once more in desperation, I said, Dr Law, surely there's something wrong with my taste. I've cultivated this likening for the intoxicating beverages and other addictions and there must be some way you can help my taste.

[12:09] Dr Law said, that will be taken care of when your heart is fixed. At this point, I fell out with him. I said, look, I don't like your attitude. He said, no, I just know what's wrong with you.

[12:21] He said, it's your heart. You've got a heart problem. That's the thing with Dr Law. His whole job is diagnosis. He can only tell you what your problem is. So in rebellion and desperation, I said, Dr Law, I'm going to another doctor.

[12:35] To which he said, the town is full of them, but you'll never get well until your heart is made right. I said to Dr Law, would you recommend any other doctor for a consultation?

[12:46] He said, there's only one doctor I would recommend and if you won't listen to me, you'll never go to him. I'll never recommend another. I said, Dr Law, I've never met a doctor so obstinate.

[12:56] I mean, you think you know it all, don't you? He said, that's my diagnosis. You asked me to find out what is wrong with you, you're going to die. I said to myself, I'm not going to listen to this guy.

[13:08] All he had to talk about was my heart, my heart. There's nothing wrong with my heart. Well, I said, I'll tell you one thing, you're wrong about this. I'm not going to listen to you. There are other doctors in this town.

[13:19] He said, when you want to get real help, come on back. I said, I'll never be back. Yeah, isn't that just like an old sinner down the street? So where do I go next? I went, you know where, I went to Dr Religion.

[13:33] Dr Religion, that's where most people go when they get in trouble. So I headed on down the street and I knock on Dr Religion's door. Now, Dr Religion had got these plush offices and he looked just like a tremendous doctor.

[13:47] He's just, everything was laid on, the best furniture. He had these heaps of assistants and consultant doctors were there. All just, everything was laid on to help people with the man's problem, this heaviness, this sickness.

[14:00] Meantime, I was feeling worse and worse by this time and he seemed like he was really smart. Quite a charming doctor. Dr Religion. Was a doctor who specialises in convincing you that you're not really as bad as it appears.

[14:15] He said, come on in here, Andrew. I'm glad to see you. I said, yes, I'm glad to see you. I've been up to see old Dr Law, to which Dr Religion said, oh, he's ancient. He's an antique.

[14:27] Modern folks don't go to him. Dr Law, he hasn't had the proper training. He doesn't know anything about the latest modes of medicine. He's antiquated. We like to call him Dr Antique.

[14:39] I said, that sounds good to me. I don't like him either. And Dr Religion said, would you just kind of run over me? No, I said, Dr Religion, would you just kind of run over me and see what's wrong?

[14:51] He said, sure. After his examination, he said, why, there's nothing seriously wrong with you. I recommend that you start going to church. And I said, which one?

[15:02] Oh, he said, just any of them will be all right. So the next Sunday I was in church and the next, but I didn't get any better. I went back to Dr Religion and I said, Dr Religion, I don't believe I'm any better.

[15:13] He said, well, did you start going to church? I said, sure, I've been going every Sunday. Then he said, did you join and get baptised? Why? I said, no. He said, do that. That will make you feel better.

[15:24] I said, oh, I'll sure do it and I'll get my wife to do it as well. So I went down to the church and I joined it and I got baptised, but I didn't feel better for long. And I went to Dr Religion and I said, Dr Religion, there's something wrong.

[15:37] I'm not feeling any better. Well, he said, are you really working at it? Take a job in the church. Start helping others. And so I did, but I still felt no better.

[15:47] So I went back to Dr Religion and I said, Dr Religion, what else can you do? So he sent me to one of his consultant doctors. He said, I'd like for you to go to see Dr Not So Bad. Well, I said, all right, that sounds pretty good to me.

[16:01] So I went to Dr Not So Bad's office and he said, I don't really think you're so bad. I see nothing seriously wrong with you. Well, I said, I like that. I feel better already.

[16:13] He told me you're a lot better than a lot of people. You're doing pretty well for yourself. So I'm not sure why you're worried about it. Just forget it. Try to take a positive attitude. Just get some self-esteem about yourself.

[16:25] Dr Not So Bad says, I'm not so bad. I've never killed anybody. I take care of my wife and kids and I'm not so bad. But after a bit, I realised Dr Not So Bad was a quack.

[16:37] He had failed. I realised that no one will ever get well listening to him. So I went back to Dr Religion again. And he said, you know, I think the way you look and how you've told me every time you're not feeling well, I'd like for you to go to Dr Feeling Good.

[16:52] Dr Feeling Good. He's one of the newest doctors around and he's just got the latest training that there is. And I think you go there, you'll start feeling better right away. So I went down to see Dr Feeling Good.

[17:02] And he ran through some tests, but I got nowhere. I wasn't feeling any better. So I headed back to Dr Religion again. And he said, look, we've got everything here. Look at my office, this very lovely office, all my helpers here.

[17:15] And I said, yeah, look, it's all very fine, but I'm not any better. Look, there's a doctor over here. He's Dr I-Try. So I go in to Dr I-Try and he said, I don't think you're trying.

[17:29] I said, well, tell me how to try. And that didn't work either. And yet people are trying. Some people talk like this. I ask them, hold on a minute, are you a Christian? And they tell me, I'm trying to be.

[17:40] I'm working at it, working at it, but you'll never get saved like that. Well, I went back to Dr Religion again and he referred me on. And he said, look, go and see Dr Doogood.

[17:52] I visited Dr Doogood and he said, look, what I'd like for you to do is work out a few good things that you can do with your life. Be kind to people, give to charity, do some good, good things.

[18:03] Do good things in your workplace. Do good things to people. Don't be unkind or unpleasant. Give yourself a heap of good things to do every day that you can do this week. Okay, I said, I'll give it a try.

[18:15] But I went and tried it all and it didn't work. Now, this world is full of do-gooders, isn't it? They don't do good because nobody can do good without God.

[18:26] There is none that does good. No, not one. Now, things were getting worse for me and every day this sickness was getting worse. So I went back to Dr Religion. By now he was getting a bit frustrated with me.

[18:38] And he said, I've got another specialist now. His name's Dr Tryharder. Dr Tryharder says, the trouble with you is you're not trying hard enough. You can do better but you're not trying.

[18:51] This is your problem. You need to go out of my office and you need to try a whole lot harder. So I went out of his office and I tried a whole lot harder. And the harder I tried, the sicker I got.

[19:02] I was getting harder. It was getting harder. The more I tried, the harder it got. And it wasn't making me well. I was getting worse and worse. And I was getting weary in this struggle.

[19:12] So I went back to Dr Religion. And Dr Religion says, okay, I'll send you to my next specialist. Actually, it was a couple of brothers who were doctors. Dr Be Good and Dr Do Good.

[19:24] I went to them but to no avail. It was useless. Now, lost people have no certainty, no assurance of salvation. I also went to see Dr Hope So. And after that, I went to Dr Think So.

[19:36] And neither of them were able to help me because, you know, there was no assurance there for me. I was weary, tired and exhausted and in despair at the end of myself. And Dr Religion was getting a bit discouraged with me too.

[19:47] And he said, look, I've got every doctor in here, this tremendous staff. Look, I said, yeah, I noticed, but I've been to all of them. He said, look, I'd like you to go visit Dr I joined. So I went down there and there was this big sign, Dr I joined.

[20:02] I thought, well, maybe he can help me. And I go into him and he said, I don't care how many doctors you've been to. If Dr Religion sent you to me, then I must have the answer for you. He said, I want you to start going to church.

[20:14] Well, I've heard that before, but, well, I said, which one? Oh, it doesn't make a lot of difference. The church of your choice. The one that's convenient to you. The one that's got a nice young people's program.

[20:25] Or, you know, you have children and they need to pray. I said, oh, yeah, sure. That sounds good. So I go to the church and I visit a few times. I'm not any better. And I go back to Dr I joined and he said, are you feeling better?

[20:36] No. Well, he said, did you join? I said, no, I haven't joined. He said, you're supposed to join. That's my name. I joined. And he said, I want you to join. And you know what happened, don't you?

[20:47] I did what other old sinners do. I joined the church. He told me I had to work at it, take a job in the church. I took all the jobs I could, but it was hopeless. Like other sinners, I grew weary in trying to do better, be better, improve myself.

[21:03] I joined everything in that town. Every club that you could join. Every club that would have me. And the church. I went to work. But I was still in great difficulty and in despair.

[21:14] And I struggled home day after day. One day I'd been to church and I just fell down on the couch feeling totally hopeless. And my neighbour contacted me again.

[21:25] He said, I said, well, there he is again. I hope he doesn't tell me to go back to that old crazy doctor, Dr. Law. My neighbour comes in and he had a smile on his face from ear to ear and a song in his heart.

[21:37] And he seemed like he was just getting along real fine. And he said, Andrew, how are you? And I said, terrible. I said, I've run to every doctor in town. I've tried them all. He said, I did too.

[21:48] He said, when would you be willing to go back to Dr. Law? I said, never. He's going to say the same old thing. Heart trouble. He doesn't know anything about my heart. I'm not going back to him.

[21:59] My neighbour looked at me and said, straight, look, you need to go and see him. He knows exactly what's wrong with you. And he told me the same thing. And if you go back and listen to him and do what he tells you, you'll be as happy as I am.

[22:14] I said, I'm not going to do it. The flesh dies hard. How stubborn we are. We try to carry on what we do, but it just won't work.

[22:29] My neighbour said, I'll be praying for you. I realise you're a very sick man. And I moped around for a while, but I knew I was sick unto death. Now, the ways of sin is death.

[22:41] It seemed like the more of the doctors I went to see, the sicker I got. So it turned out my neighbour convinced me. Okay. I was close to death by this time, so I just forgot my pride.

[22:55] I got up off my chair and started out to Dr. Law's office. And I walked up to that office. I was feeling humiliated and discouraged, but every step I took was a step closer to victory.

[23:07] The receptionist said, you're back. I said, yes, I don't like it, but here I am. She said, there's a better day for you. I said, is Dr. Law here? I was kind of hoping he wasn't.

[23:19] Oh, yes, he's always here. He's waiting for you. Dr. Law was waiting for me again. He was that same stern, obstinate old doctor with the same diagnosis.

[23:31] It's your heart. To which I said, what do you recommend? He said, only one thing we'll do, and that's an operation. Your heart will have to come out and a new one put in.

[23:43] I said, Dr. Law, when will you operate? And I said, I don't, he said, I don't operate. To which I said, you mean I'm going to have to die, even though you know what's wrong with me?

[23:54] Dr. Law said, I didn't say that you had to die. So far as I'm concerned, you've got to die. I only make the diagnosis. But if you really want to live, I'll tell you what to do.

[24:06] I said, you don't operate and you tell me I've got to have an operation? He said, that's right. I simply diagnosed the case. I said, then I'm still condemned to die. Is that right? He said, until you get to my friend across the hall.

[24:21] I'd like to recommend you and lead you to his door. Law is the schoolmaster that leads us to Christ.

[24:33] He's the doctor who never lost a cause. He never lost a case or made a charge. And he's been performing heart transplants for ages. Now note here, you've got to get your case diagnosed right before you get the right cure.

[24:49] You have got heart trouble. And it's going to take more than a water out of a baptistry to wash your sins away. It's going to take more than joining a church or doing any good. Dr. Law was telling me, you might as well face it.

[25:04] You've made the rounds, haven't you? And I said, yes, I have. Are you feeling any better to tell the truth I'm not? Have you been able to do better or be good? No.

[25:14] I don't mean to tell you. I told you so. But I knew it would happen just like that. Are you ready? I said, all right. All right. You tell me I've got heart trouble.

[25:26] So what's the next step? He said, you're going to have to have a major heart surgery. In fact, a total heart transplant. Well, I could feel the sweat on my face.

[25:38] It was dripping down my nose and off of my chin. I was a weak and trembling sinner. I said, that's serious, doc. He said, I know it is. It really is.

[25:51] Next, he said, you're either going to get a heart transplant or you're done for. I'm not going to change my diagnosis. You've got heart trouble. Sorry to yell at you here.

[26:03] He said, you need a heart transplant. I said, there's no other choice. No. So when are you going to operate? So this trembling, perspiring sinner looked into the face of this unrelenting doctor and I said, please help me.

[26:19] And he took me by the hand and led me across the hall and knocked on an office door. And the door opened and a handsome, loving, smiling doctor came to the door. It was the brightest room and so clean.

[26:32] Dr. Law said, Dr. Grace, I present to you Andrew Craig. He's got the same trouble as all my other patients I've brought to you have had.

[26:45] He's in a horrible shape. His heart is rotten. He's come to you for an operation. He's in bad shame. He's a goner apart from an operation from you. Law leads to grace.

[26:58] Because the law shows us we're a failure. And we can't serve God outside of the grace of God. The law is our schoolmaster to bring us to Christ, the master teacher. Dr. Law always leads us to the cross.

[27:11] He teaches us that we need Calvary. We need Christ. And there's no need to make an appointment. Dr. Grace is always available. Always on duty.

[27:24] It doesn't matter when you come or how you come. He's always available. And there's no need to worry. Dr. Grace has been in business a long time. And he's never lost a case.

[27:36] He's always successful. So Dr. Grace said, did you ask him, Dr. Law, if he would turn his case completely over to me? And he said, yes, sir. He said, Andrew, come on inside.

[27:47] I held the door open. I said, Dr. Law, since you know me, you know what's wrong. Will you come in too? And he said, I never come in to Dr. Grace's office. Never. I just take people to his office and I turn them over to him.

[28:02] He's the surgeon. Now commit yourself to Dr. Grace and the operation will be successful. So Dr. Law slipped away, went back to his office. And I was left there standing alone in the presence of Dr. Grace.

[28:14] Dr. Grace looked at me and he smiled and he said, come on in. I'm ready for you now. And with fear and trembling, the questions began to come. Come on. First, Dr. Grace, will you let Dr. Law or some other doctor help you operate?

[28:27] And he said, no, I've never had any help. Well, I need to go home and talk to my wife about this and perhaps we can set a date sometime, you know, next month perhaps. And Dr. Grace said, I'm sorry.

[28:40] I never operate yesterday and I'll never operate tomorrow. I operate straight away now, right now. Now is the day of salvation.

[28:52] Today is the accepted time. I only operate now. That's my only time schedule. Dr. Grace said to me, I never operate tomorrow. I said, I wish you'd done it yesterday. He said, I don't operate yesterday.

[29:03] It's always today. Today, if you'll hear his voice. Today. And now is the time I start cutting. Are you ready? Well, I said, no.

[29:14] I said, where's Dr. Law? Well, he's gone. He's gone. Couldn't he help me? I don't need any help. Well, I said, where's your nurses? He said, I don't have any nurses. I do it all. Here I was sick unto death and getting worse by the second.

[29:28] And I said, Dr. Grace, I guess I'm ready. But will you give me some really good anaesthetic and help me get, put me into a deep sleep that lasts until you get through the operation?

[29:38] He said, no, sir. I never give anaesthetics because I want you to know what I did for you so you can tell the world about it. I want you to know exactly what's taking place.

[29:51] I want you to have an experience you can tell about. I said, Dr. Grace, will you let me call my wife? Let her come and stand by me. And Dr. Grace said, no, this is a very personal matter.

[30:02] Nobody is to be present. Just you and me. You can tell her after it's all over. I said, Dr. Grace, I'm scared. And he said as he placed his big hand on my trembling shoulder, you don't have to be afraid.

[30:16] I've never lost a case. This will be a successful operation. I said, Dr. Grace, what about the charters? This is going to be astronomical. What's this going to cost? This tremendous operation.

[30:27] He said, it's already paid for. I said, who paid for it? A friend of yours. Oh, I said, I'd like to meet him.

[30:37] He said, after the operation, I'll let you meet him. I'll introduce you to him. I said, Dr. Grace, is it true that you're going to take my old heart out and put a new one in?

[30:48] He said, yes. I said, where are you going to get the new heart? He said, you'll find out after the operation. Dr. Grace told me, I'm going to give you this heart that will last forever.

[31:02] This heart will take you through all eternity. He says, the donors got it ready for you. So I was there when it happened. I can tell people that Jesus saved me.

[31:14] He made me new. I said, okay, I'm in your hands now, doctor. Dr. Religion had failed me. Dr. Do good, be good and all the others. I said, Dr. Grace, I'm ready now.

[31:26] And so just by faith, I lay down on the operating table. And the great surgeon, Dr. Grace, took the knife and sliced open my heart section.

[31:38] And out came the blackest heart with the most terrible odour. Pfft, what's that smell? Oh, it was sickening. And for the first time, I realised Dr. Law was exactly right.

[31:53] It was heart trouble, all right. He made this incision through the heart. And all of a sudden, this foul, putrid smell came into the surgery.

[32:03] I said, where is that horrible smell coming from? He said, that's coming out of your heart. The heart is deceitful and desperately wicked. Who can know it?

[32:13] It's the smell of your heart. He said, son, you're awful rotten heart. You're rotten in your heart. I said, my heart?

[32:25] He said, wait till I bring it out. I'll show it to you. And in a minute, with his tender hands, he reached down. He pulled that old black heart out and he held it up and he said, doc. I said, doc, if you don't mind, throw that thing away.

[32:38] I don't want that one back. I never want to see it again. Well, he said, that's where the profanities have been coming from. That's where the old dirty jokes that's in your nature had to come out, all of it.

[32:50] I'm taking the whole thing out. And he reached down. He took that old dirty, cursing, lusting, fleshly heart out. All of the old me. And oh, how sick I was when that old heart came by my nose.

[33:03] And he threw it away. He said, that's what's wrong with you. And in a moment, Dr. Grace had thrown that old heart away and he brought in this new one, so pure and clean.

[33:16] And he said, son, I've got a brand new heart, a loving heart to drop inside, to drop down inside of you. This heart will never fail you, son. It's brand new. I'm giving you an eternal and everlasting operation.

[33:29] And he put it in and he closed the incision, not even leaving a scar. And I felt the flow of new life. And colour came to my spiritual cheeks. And I was breathing better.

[33:40] And my tongue began to say, now I feel better. Fact is, I feel wonderful. And I said, there's strength in my voice. And I want to say thank you. My, I've never felt like this before.

[33:51] And he said, I know it. And in a moment, with a smile on my face and tears of gratitude coursing down my cheeks, I said, Dr. Grace, when shall I come back for the check-up?

[34:05] And he said, son, no check-up will be necessary. The operation is permanent. It's a success and this is permanent. When I do the job, it's done.

[34:17] And this will last throughout eternity. I said, well, is there anything you'd recommend? What would you recommend that I do? He said, just take some good exercise each day. And I said, do you have any particular exercises?

[34:31] To which he said, yes, I believe it would be good to take some kneeling exercises like this. Get down and thank God for what he's done for you.

[34:44] That's good exercise. And praise the Lord for all that he's done, for the new heart that he's given you. And I said, amen. And he also said, there's another exercise for you.

[34:54] Tell others about Dr. Laura and Dr. Grace. Take some good walks through the community and tell somebody. Exercise your vocal cords in praise and witness.

[35:06] Tell others of what Dr. Grace has done for you. How he operated, how he took out that old heart. And I said, Dr. Grace, I'll do it now. Do you have any other suggestions about my tongue? You know, I've always had trouble with it.

[35:17] He said, just go and tell what Dr. Grace did for you. And tell it everywhere, not just at church. Tell it on the street. Tell it in your neighbourhood. Tell it everywhere.

[35:28] Let that old tongue tell now what's happened to the heart. I said, look, I'm still a little worried about my feet. Don't worry about your feet. Your new heart will tell your feet what to do.

[35:41] And take you to tell others how you met the greatest doctor and how they can meet him too. After all this, I recalled how Dr. Grace had told me before the operation how I would get to meet the friend with a capital F.

[35:57] The friend who had provided the heart for me. And I told him I'd like to meet him. So Dr. Grace said, Jesus, Lord Jesus, would you come in please?

[36:08] And the Lord Jesus came in. And stepping through the door came the loveliest friend I've ever met. And when he raised his hands, I saw the nail prints.

[36:19] And on his brow were the thorn scars. And as his robe fell aside, I saw the scar of a spear print in his side. And Dr. Grace said, Lord Jesus, I want you to meet Andrew Craig.

[36:34] And as I looked at the scar in his side, I said, Dr. Grace, I now understand where my new heart came from. He gave me his. And Jesus smiled and said, I'm glad I've got to give you my heart.

[36:46] And I fell before him and I said, it's time for me to start my exercises right now. Thank you, Jesus. I lifted up my hands and I thanked Jesus for taking my old, ugly, stinking heart away.

[37:01] My filthy heart and giving me a heart like his that made me love everybody. And Jesus said, I died for you and I rose again. I've paid for your treatment, your operation, all the cost, paid in full.

[37:15] Go, son, and sin no more. And when you get home, tell your wife and your children about Dr. Grace and that he's waiting for them if they've got heart trouble. His grace is sufficient for thee.

[37:28] Dear people, there's only one hope. Go to Dr. Grace. But first, you've got to see Dr. Law. And he's going to say, the wages of sin is death.

[37:39] He'll lead you to Dr. Grace. He'll say, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ, our Lord.

[37:52] I've introduced you today to the two great doctors. Dr. Law tells you what's wrong with you and what you've got to have. Dr. Grace comes along and he gives you a new heart and performs the operation, makes you every whit whole.

[38:05] It's the most wonderful thing that we can know in life. It's called the grace of God. The grace of God. Not religion. Grace.

[38:16] Grace. For by grace are you saved through faith. That not of yourselves. It is the gift of God, not of works. Lest any man should boast. And so after a season of praise and thanksgiving and adoring the one who died for me, I walked out joyfully and victoriously down the pathway of life.

[38:32] I thought to go back to the old doctor that I first hated, Dr. Law. And when I went inside, he met me with a smile. Dr. Law. He had a smile on his face. And he extended his hand and his big strong hand gripped mine.

[38:46] And I said, Dr. Law, I just want to shake hands and say thank you for what you've done for me. When you get saved, you're going to thank God for his word. Thank God for the law of God, the law of the Lord.

[39:00] Thank God. This shows me, this points me to my need to be saved. Thank you, Lord, for your word that convicted me of my sin and sent me with my rotten heart to grace, to operate.

[39:15] I said, thank you, Dr. Law, for telling me what was wrong with me. And I was amazed. Dr. Law looks so fresh and handsome and glowing. He seemed so different and I had some sweet fellowship with him.

[39:26] And I'll always love him for leading me to Dr. Grace. Now, sinner friend, I recommend these two great doctors to you. Dr. Law will show you where you're wrong and Dr. Grace will make you right.

[39:38] Commit your case to Dr. Law and Dr. Grace. Dismiss all other hopes. No other doctors. No other religion. No other philosophies. No other self-esteem or feel good or do good.

[39:50] None of that's going to help you. You have to take action. You have to come to know you're standing before him today. Christ died for sinners, for the ungodly.

[40:12] Come to him and cry out to him. Now, this is an allegory, a kind of a picture story, an illustration of spiritual truth in a story form.

[40:25] But there's much scriptural truth here. Law and grace and a new heart. The prophet Ezekiel says, A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you.

[40:41] And I will take away your stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh. I trust the Lord for those of us that have had that heart transplant. We can appreciate the operation today.

[40:53] And thank God for it. And for those that haven't had it, I just want to tell you that Dr. Grace's offices are open constantly. 24 by 7.

[41:04] He never stops. He never tires. He's never on holidays. He's always there. And if ever you go to his office, he's always there to help. And he'll arrange a transplant.

[41:17] Now, you can't transplant it yourself. Some people try to turn over a new leaf. It's not about turning over a new leaf. Kind of putting on, you know, having an extreme makeover.

[41:30] It's not about turning over a new leaf. It's about finding a new life. It's finding a new life. And he knows how to do that heart transplant. He's got the right heart to put within us, and it's the heart of the Lord Jesus Christ.

[41:45] Let's pray. Lord, we thank you that your word shows us we're sinners. We're lost. We're condemned. We're guilty. That sickness of sin that makes our hearts so desperate and deceitful.

[41:57] Desperately wicked. Foul and filthy. Lord, yet by grace you can extend that gift of a new heart. For those that have put their trust in your redeeming work.

[42:10] Lord, in the fact that you died on the cross for sinners and rose and ever live. And come and live in human hearts that know you as you give us a new life, a new heart, a new spirit, a brand new start, a brand new heart.

[42:24] Lord, we pray that each one may know that wonderful, wonderful experience. And truly thank you for it. And we pray if there's any yet to come to that place that now is the day.

[42:38] Today is the day of salvation. Now is the accepted time. Lord, let's not put it off. We know that life is a vapour and there's no guarantee of tomorrow.

[42:49] We pray that each one will get right with you today. That today will be the day where someone is born again and they start their new life because you grant that gift unto them.

[43:00] Lord, we pray that you would work in heart still as we continue. Lord, in Jesus' name. Amen.