Let's take our Bibles and turn
with me to the book of Psalms, chapter 118. Psalms 118. Psalm 118. I'd like to look at
the first four verses of scripture. The psalmist says, oh, give thanks
unto the Lord, for he is good. Because his mercy endureth forever. The thing that amazed me about
this opening passage of scripture is the brevity of the reason. that the Holy
Spirit set forth that we ought to give thanks unto the Lord. Here's the reason. For he is
good. He's the fountain of goodness. There's none good but God. He's revealed to be good, and
here's the reason, because his mercy endureth forever. And notwithstanding the unworthiness
of his people, and though he's pleased at times to hide his
face from his elect, from his chosen, from the bride of the
Lord Jesus Christ. And he does so because of his
love for her, whom the Lord loveth. He chasteneth. But though he's
pleased to hide his face at times, the scripture reveals that his
mercy never ends. He never does anything for His
elect that's not according to His mercy and compassion and
for their good. And then the Spirit of God through
the psalmist here teaches us something of the blessed position
of God's people in Christ. Here's some reasons he's going
to give in these next few verses. He's going to give the reasons
that we're made to remember. He brings back to our memory
reasons to be thankful. I was driving over this morning
and I was thinking to myself, how pitiful, Marvin, that you've
been so unthankful. I'm not in hell this morning. I wanted to get up. I wanted to come to the house
of the Lord and be with God's people. The Lord's here. That's what
you just prayed. Two or three are gathered together.
In my name, I am in the midst of you. And I'm thankful. I'm
thankful that he's given me, number one, a heart that knows
and desires him. He's not left me to myself. I
mean, there's no end to it. Where would we ever find place
to come to an end of being thankful toward him whose mercy endureth
forever. There's just about three positions
that I want us to just consider according to these scriptures.
Here's what we know. We know what God says. That's
what we know. Here's the first position for
being thankful toward almighty God because his mercy endureth
forever. The first blessed state that
we stand in before God is that we are His elect, that we are
chosen to salvation. Now hold your place and turn
to Deuteronomy 7. Deuteronomy chapter 7. I just like to read verses 6
to 8. Now listen to these blessed verses. Deuteronomy 7, 6 to 8. The Lord says, for thou art a
holy people. unto the Lord thy God. The Lord thy God has chosen thee
to be a special people unto himself above all people that are upon
the face of the earth. The Lord did not set his love
upon you nor choose you because you were more in number than
any people, for you were the fewest of all people, but because
the Lord loved you, because he would keep the oath which he
had sworn unto your fathers, hath the Lord brought you out.
with a mighty hand redeemed you out of the house of bondman from
the hand of Pharaoh, king of Egypt. Back in our scripture,
119 verse 2, this is what that just said. Look what it said.
Let Israel now say that his mercy endureth forever. Oh, give thanks
unto the Lord because he's good, because. His mercy endureth forever. Let
Israel, now not natural, national, the country of Israel. I know we see a lot of things
on television, remember Israel, and they think if we send food
and send some medical supplies over to that people, that's over
there in that land over there across the ocean. I don't have
anything against helping somebody but let me tell you something.
Nobody's earning any merit before God sending medical supplies
and food and you know stuff like that to a nation over there of
people. This is totally spiritual Israel. The scripture declares For they
are not all Israel, Romans 9, 6, which are of Israel. God's Israel is not necessarily
all the natural people of Israel, the country, neither because
are they the seed of Abraham, are they all children. But in
Isaac shall thy seed be called, that is, they which are the children
of the flesh. These are not the children of
God, but the children of the promise are counted for the seed. Now look in Romans. Romans chapter
9. Romans 9. Romans chapter 9, verses 9 to
13. For this is the word of promise,
the children of the promise. The children of the promise,
they are the Israel of God. They are God's elect. They are
God's chosen. They are the peculiar people.
They're the special people. Romans 9, 9, this is the word
of promise. At this time will I come and
Sarah shall have a son. And not only this, but when Rebecca
also had conceived by one, even by our father Isaac, for the
children being not yet born, neither having done any good
or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might
stand, not of works, but of him that calleth. It was said unto
her, the elder shall serve the younger, as it is written, Jacob
have I loved, but Esau have I hated. So men are not children of God
because they trace their lineage back to Abraham, or because they
have confidence in their works of human merit. They're children
of God according to God's promise, according to God's purpose, according
to God's grace. So the position that God's people
hold, here's the first thing that we have much reason to be
thankful for. God Almighty has been pleased
to choose a people, choose and elect unto himself. And how are
they known? How do you know these that the
Lord has chosen? Well, when the Lord is pleased
to bring them under the sound of the gospel, he places them
under the sound of the truth. That message that gives all the
honor and glory and praise unto Almighty God God chose, God elected,
God purposed, God willed. And when he's pleased to do so,
he puts them under the sound of the gospel. And here's how
you know the believer. He believes God's record concerning
Christ. Who hath believed our report?
And to whom is the arm of the Lord, the power of the Lord revealed? Who are they? They are they that
believe God. They believe this message. They're
the recipients of God's grace when they believe the Lord. The
Lord has a people. They're a holy people. They're
chosen in Christ. They are His Israel. So let Israel
now say that His mercy endureth forever. And here's the second
position. They are the elect of God. Be
thankful. We looked at last week. If the
Lord had not left us a remnant, a seed, we'd all been like Sodom
and Gomorrah. We'd all died under the judgment
of God. God chose to redeem, to save
a people out of the mass of humanity. So here's the second point. Look
at verse 3. Let the house of Aaron now say,
that his mercy endureth forever." Now, Aaron and his house was
a family set apart to be priests in the Old Testament in the wilderness. And they were to offer the sacrifices
unto God for the people. Nobody made themselves a priest.
God chose the priest. God said, this is going to be
the priest. And Aaron and his family, they were a fit and proper
type of the Lord Jesus Christ. I mean, whenever God Almighty
chose who would be the priest, that's just like someone saying,
well, someone could choose to be the Messiah. No. God sent his only begotten son. God chose the priest. God, he
was God's elect. We're chosen elect in him. He's God's shirt. He's God's
lamb. And so let the house of Aaron
who were really the proper types and pictures of the Lord Jesus
Christ, the priest himself of God and for his bride, the one
who ever liveth to make intercession, he is our advocate. He's our mediator. No doubt. But also concerning the house
of Aaron, also this point is set forth, that there is a people
that has been chosen of God, elect, chosen, the first point,
but they are chosen to be absolute priests themselves before God. I'm amazed. I was listening to
that scripture Brother Mark just read a few minutes ago, and that's
in my message right here. I didn't talk to him, I didn't
know what he was gonna read, but the Spirit of God moved on
his heart, and here's what he said, 1 Peter 2, 5. Ye also,
as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house. Now here's
something that we'd be thankful for. We were chosen in Christ,
but chosen in Christ to be a spiritual house. Now here we are, these
individuals, a holy priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifices
that are acceptable to God. How? How do we offer spiritual
sacrifices? Here's the answer. By Jesus Christ. I told you, I'm amazed. I think about how the Spirit
of God I've mentioned this to you many times, but it bears
hearing again for me. The Holy Spirit moves upon us because we don't
know what to ask for. We don't know what to ask for.
He helps our infirmities. And these groanings that cannot
be uttered, you know, how often have we tried to pray? I don't
know a believer that's just proud of himself. I often read these
little booklets of the old prayer warriors. They talk about prayer
warriors. I think to myself, what kind
of a title is that? There was only one that ever
knew how to pray. There was only one that ever
sought God Almighty with a pure heart, a right heart. Every believer
I know says this concerning his prayer life. Oh, wretched man
that I am. Spirit of God moves upon God's
people, and they desire to pray. I do. I want to pray. I would desire to seek God and
ask Him, but I'm just going to be honest with you. I don't know
what to say. But these prayers cannot be uttered. The Lord Jesus Christ, the great
high priest, takes that which we don't even know how to say
and says it as we would desire to say it. You that believe,
would you not desire to say what you really want to in praise
and honor to Him? He does. And in His merit, in
the incense of His merit, He presents these prayers, which
are the prayers of the saints. This is in Revelation. And they're
accepted of the Father on His account. And here we are. We're said to be a holy priesthood
to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. Verse 9 of 1 Peter 2 says that
ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a
peculiar people. I'm thankful. I'm thankful that
God would say that. Because I'll be honest, in myself,
I don't see it. But Lord, you said it. And therefore it's so that you
should show forth the praises of him who has called you out
of darkness into his marvelous light. You want to see a miracle
of God's grace? You look at a believer in the
Lord Jesus Christ. That is a miracle of God's grace. That any man, any woman knows
him and loves him because he first loved them. God's people
are a spiritual temple. A holy priesthood. And heartily,
they do, they are devoted. They're devoted to the worship
and honor of the Lord. And they have a heart, they truly
do, to give of themselves. Romans 12.1, I beseech you therefore,
brethren, by the mercies of God, because of that which God Almighty
has done for us, that you present your bodies, present yourself,
a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable
service. Because of His mercies toward
us, present yourself as a sacrifice, one alive in Christ, holy, robed
in his righteousness alone, and accepted unto God in him. That's worship. What am I going
to offer to God? Here's my offering unto the Lord. Here's my offering. Lord, I don't
know how to say it as I ought, or as I desire to, or as I shall. But Lord, thank you. and accept
my pitiful attempt for thanksgiving for your salvation in Christ,
who is your sacrifice, your holiness, your righteousness, your redemption. Lord, thank you for saving a
worm like me. That's the best sacrifice I got.
That's all I got. Hebrews 13, 15 says, by him, Therefore, let us offer the sacrifice
of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips,
giving thanks to his name. And then lastly, the scripture
sets forth that we ought to give thanks unto the Lord for his
good, his mercy. The scripture says, let Israel,
let the elect of God, let them say so. Let the house of Aaron,
let those who have been made priests unto God, let them say
so. But look at this last, this last
verse that we're going to look at this morning, verse 4. Let them now that fear the Lord
say that His mercy endureth forever. I want you to turn with me to
Revelation 22, 17. Revelation 22, 17. Let them now that fear the Lord
say. Revelation 22, 17 says this,
and the spirit and the bride say come. And let him that heareth
say come. And let him that is a thirst
come. And whosoever will, let him take
the water of life freely. Someone says, I don't know if
I'm one of God's elect. I don't feel as though God's
made me a priest unto God to offer spiritual sacrifices. Well,
let me ask you this. Has the Lord given you a heart
of respect unto Him? Has the Lord given you a heart
that needs Him? I don't know, I don't know if
my name is written. Do you need Him? Then let them
now that fear the Lord say, His mercy endureth forever. Revelation
22 says this, whosoever will. I told you before, I've had people
tell me, Well, the reason I don't like what you're preaching is
you don't believe in whosoever will. Oh, I beg your pardon. I do believe in whosoever will.
But I can just tell you, but for the grace of God, nobody
will. That's the problem. The problem
is not God's part. We're the problem. God's people
are made willing in the day of His power. Now you leave a man
to himself, leave a woman to themselves, and I can tell you
what they'll do. They won't come to Christ. No
man can come, except it were given unto him of my Father.
But if Almighty God's gonna call one to Himself, let me tell you
what He does. He makes them willing, and they come. My sheep hear
my voice, They follow me, I know all that the Father giveth me
shall come to me. David exhorted God's elect in
this last verse to declare thanks from the heart for his enduring
mercy. Let them now that fear the Lord
say that his mercy endureth forever. Three times. David exhorted those
who have a great reason to be thankful for God's enduring mercy,
let Israel now say, let the house of Aaron now say, let them now
that fear the Lord say, let it be said from the heart. I may not outwardly say this
every moment in your hearing, but I can say it in my heart. Paul told 2 Timothy 1.8, Be not
thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of
me as prisoner, but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel
according to the power of God. A candlestick, an understanding
of the glorious gospel of God's grace is not something that's
put under a bushel. but it's placed on a candlestick.
This is what Matthew 5 15 says that it might give light to all
the house. But not only do believers declare
the truth of God's enduring mercy, they declare it all the time. Now, look at one more time. Verse two, let Israel now say. that his mercy endureth forever.
Let the house of Aaron now say that his mercy endureth forever.
Let them now that fear the Lord say that his mercy endureth forever. There's no time like now. When do we have, when do we have
time to say in our hearts with a thankful heart toward God Almighty
His mercy endureth forever. When can you say that? You can
say it right now. You can say it right now. That's
all we got, Don, is right now. Right now. I can't say it yesterday. I can't say it tomorrow. But
I'll tell you what I can do. We can say it right now. Let
Satan's fiery darks come. Let the world that hates us a
believer in his heart with a heart of thanksgiving. As I said, not
as he desires to or shall, but he does. Say unto the Lord right now,
his mercy endureth forever. May the Lord bless this word
to our hearts for Christ's sake. Amen.