got to do so. Was it green? It's green. It is, I'm not. Still playing with my new toy,
so we'll get through it, though, I hope. My daughter would like that better.
My bald head won't blind her that way, right, Liddy? That's
her favorite, her favorite jokes in the world, daddy ball jokes.
And she tells them often. All right, if y'all don't mind
me making your way to Psalm chapter 3. Psalm 3. And the Sunday school class will
recognize that. That's where we were last Sunday
morning. I give them warning that we'd
be there again today. Keep your fingers limber. I'm
going to go to a few passages today, and I invite you to turn
if you want to. Nothing new, so if you don't,
you've heard it all before. First of all, what I'd like to
do this morning is bow our heads in prayer. Dear Lord, once again, we cry
out to you to come and visit us in this place today. All the effort and the time spent
to come here will be in vain if you don't decide to visit
us. We must have your blessing for anything that we say or do
to be worth anything. So we beg you once more, come
visit us. For a few minutes, take this
world, our troubles, Our wants, our desires, take that all away,
except for that want and desire to learn more of your son. If
it be thy will, help us as we endeavor to do that this morning.
Now we're going to be looking at what is sometimes nicknamed
the morning psalm, and that probably comes from verse five here. And
this is an appropriate psalm for any child of God to sing
upon waking and facing another day. But I'm not going to waste
any time. I can get long-winded, so we're
going to jump right into it. I don't want to take too many
minutes of Rupert's time he's been saving away. I'll leave
them for him. Try to, anyway. Verse 1. A psalm of David, when he fled
from Absalom his son, Lord, how are they increased that trouble
me? Many are they that rise up against me. Many there be which
say of my soul, there is no help for him in God. Selah. But thou, O Lord, art a shield
for me, my glory, and the lifter up of mine head. I cried unto
the Lord with my voice, and he heard me out of his holy hill.
Selah. I lay me down and slept, I awaked,
for the Lord sustained me. I will not be afraid of ten thousands
of people that have set themselves against me round about. Arise,
O Lord, save me, O my God, for thou hast bitten all mine enemies
upon the cheekbone. Thou hast broken the teeth of
the ungodly. Salvation belongeth unto the
Lord. Thy blessing is upon thy people. Selah. Now, like I said,
this passage is familiar to the Sunday school class because I
came from here when I was Craig's substitute teacher last week.
And what I did last week was I attempted to go through this
psalm a couple of times. I first of all looked at how
this psalm related to an event that occurred into the penman's
life. And that's told to us right here
at the beginning of the psalm. This is a psalm of David. King
David wrote it. When did he write it? He wrote
it when he fled from Absalom, his son. The second thing I tried
to do, and I did it way too briefly, I know, to do it any justice
at all, but I tried, I made an attempt anyway, to relate these
verses to the church of God, the church of God and her enemies,
her enemies throughout both history and in this present hour, this
present day, for they have not changed. They are still the same. But most importantly, and I don't
know that it come across, but I tried to put forward the truth
of where David and the church's hope lies. It lies in their God. So today, I've got two goals
once again. My first goal is to see how this
passage relates to an event in the life of another, and then
My second goal is to show that both the hope David had and the
hope that the Church of God has, it's not in vain because of this
event that occurred some 2,000 years ago now. If memory serves,
and I'm pretty sure I made the statement last week. If not,
I've said it before and you've heard it many times before. David
is a type of Christ. He is a picture of the one who
was to follow him some 1,000 years after he died. But of course
now, David's not a perfect picture of Jesus. As we reviewed last
week that David was in this predicament that brought about the words
to this psalm, when he was fleeing from his son, fleeing for his
life, fleeing for his country, it was because of sin. And not
only sin, it was his sin. Jesus never committed a sin. But as I was outlining this thing
and writing it up, I got to thinking about it, and I don't know that
that statement is true that the person we're going to look at
it, he's in this predicament also because of sin. Because
of sin. But it's not his sin. It's the
sins of his bride. The sins of his bride. The one of course I'm talking
about is our Lord Jesus Christ. This event, this psalm goes around
as I've studied it and looked at it and thought about it for
going on weeks now to tell you the truth. It goes along with
something that occurred in his life. And that's what we're going
to be looking at this morning. But the first thing I want to
do is prove to you, instead of me just saying that David is
a type of Christ, I want to bring about a couple scriptures to
let you know that I'm just not up here saying these things.
I think I have scriptural evidence to show it. If you would, turn
back to 2 Samuel, chapter 15, if you would like. I'm just going
to read two verses. I invite you. I did it last week.
I'll do it again this week. Take some time. If you want to
read a good story, an interesting story, and learn a little bit,
read 2 Samuel 12 through 16 and read about this period of David's
life. It tells you a lot of things
about man. Not such good things, of course,
but a lot of things about grace and mercy also. 23 of 2 Samuel 15. And all the country
wept with a loud voice. And all the people passed over.
The king also himself passed over the brook Kidron. And all
the people passed over toward the way of the wilderness. Now
as David began his flight from Absalom, his son, he did not
go alone. He had a rather large contingent
of what I'll term bodyguards or a small army. He had some
family that went with him. He had some priests. He had a
few friends. And he still had a few advisors,
not many, but he still had a few advisors which had not abandoned
him to go over to his son's camp. They all left with him, save
10 concubines that he left back in Jerusalem. The king's son, Absalom, he had
garnered the hearts and minds of the people of Israel. Yet
there was still a remnant, and I use that word intentionally,
there was still a remnant left which still loved King David
and followed him. There's always a remnant. So
David and his band, they fled Jerusalem. They fled it toward
the east. That took them through the Kidron
Valley And as it said here, he went across to Kidron Brook in
the process. Now you skip down to verse 30,
and it's written, And David went up by the ascent of Mount Olivet,
and wept as he went up, and had his head covered, and he went
barefoot. And all the people that was with him covered every
man his head, and they went up weeping as they went up. This
Mount Olivet is more commonly known to us as the Mount of Olives.
And it's here that Dr. Gill said that David most probably
sat down to write this psalm. I said it last week, we have
no proof, but he gave as good evidence as anyone that this
may have very well been the case. Keep your place at Psalm 3. I
didn't tell you to do that, but if you would like, go ahead and
turn over to the New Testament. I'm going to John 18 to start
with. We're going to look at the events.
We're going to begin looking at the events of this one we
want to look at today. We're going to look at the events
surrounding the last hours of this man. This man that was made
of the seed of David according to his flesh. John 18 verses 1 and 2. Now remember,
I'm trying to get you the picture that David He's given us the
picture of what happens some thousand years later. When Jesus
had spoken these words, he went forth with his disciples over
the brook Cedron, where was a garden, into the which he entered and
his disciples, and Judas also, which betrayed him, knew the
place, for Jesus oft times resorted there with his disciples. Now
remember that the Old Testament was written in Hebrew and the
New in Greek. On the night before Jesus died,
like David, he crossed this same brook. Cedron and Kidron, they
reference the same stream, the same little river. Now we actually
move back just a short time. I'm going to go back and forth
a couple of times from John to Matthew, so you may want to keep
your little marker there. But we're gonna go back just
a short time and we pick up where Matthew records the events of
what we refer to as the Last Supper. Matthew chapter 26. I hurriedly went back over my
references this morning. I hope I had them all right.
This is one that I caught where I was wrong. I had typed in 25
instead of 26, but I'm pretty sure. If y'all go to coffin or
something, I'll see if I can find the right one if I do tell
you incorrectly. Matthew 26 and beginning at verse
26. And as they were eating, Jesus
took bread and blessed it. and break it, and gave it to
the disciples, and said, Take, eat, this is my body. And he
took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying,
Drink ye all of it, for this is my blood of the New Testament,
which is shed for many for the remission of sins. But I say
unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine until
that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom.
And when they had sung in hymn, they went out into the Mount
of Olives. As David had done years before,
Jesus and his followers, his disciples, they crossed the Kidron
Brook and went to the Mount of Olives to pray unto the Lord.
All scripture speaks of Jesus Christ, and Psalm 3 is no exception. This is a psalm about the Lord
Jesus Christ, period. So as we return, let's take a
look at these eight verses. Turn back to Psalm 3 now. We're
going to take a look at these eight verses, not as they speak
of David, but David's Lord. David's Lord. I'm familiar with
a Sunday school format, so that's how I like to keep it. It keeps
me on track. We're just going to go verse
by verse. Verse one, Lord, how are they
increased that trouble me? Many are they that rise up against
me. Now as we measure time, it was
just a short time that Jesus was in his public ministry, somewhere
around three years. And in that short time, he went
from everybody's best buddy, his best buddy when he changed
that water into wine at the wedding feast, which was done in John
chapter 2, the first miracle that was recorded in John. He
goes from that to public enemy number one, as we'll get ready
to read in just that short span of time. But when you really
look close at it, his fall of favor from the sight of the majority
of the public was even faster than that. It really occurred
in just about a week. in just about a week. Turn to
John 12 if you've still got there close to John. That's why I ask
you to save a little marker there in Matthew and John. Next day,
you don't have to turn. You all know these verses. We're going to move to six days
before the final Passover, and we're going to find Jesus and
Bethany. He's there visiting and taking a meal. and also in
attendance was the one there that he raised from the dead,
this man Lazarus. John 12 in verse 9 says, we're
looking at Jesus' fall from favor in the eyes of the public at
large. Much people of the Jews therefore
knew that he was there, and they came not for Jesus' sake only,
but that they might see Lazarus also, whom he had raised from
the dead. But the chief priest consulted
that they might put Lazarus also to death, because that by reason
of him, many of the Jews went away and believed on Jesus."
Now if you ever want a biblical example of a man raising his
fist in the face of God and saying, we will not have this man rule
over us, this is as good as any. Notice this does not say that
the priest didn't believe that Jesus raised Lazarus from the
dead. They just didn't like the attention that He was gathering
from that. Verse 12, On the next day much
people that were come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus
was coming to Jerusalem, took branches of palm trees and went
forth to meet Him, and cried, Hosanna! Blessed is the King
of Israel that cometh in the name of the Lord. What a triumphant
entry He had. And Jesus, when he had found
a young ass, sat there on as it is written, fear not, daughter
of Zion, behold, thy king cometh, sitting on an ass's coat. And
this prophecy, that verse, it comes out of Zechariah 9, 9.
These things understood not his disciples at the first, but when
Jesus was glorified, then remembered they that these things were written
of him and that they had done these things unto him. Jesus
journeys this last time into Jerusalem to celebrate this Passover. He has a King's welcome. Move forward just a few days,
just a few days away, and let's witness the actions of this same
people. Turn back to Matthew 27. I have a lot of scripture reading
today, but I'd rather y'all hear it than listen to me ramble on
up here. Matthew 27. We're going to read
quite a few here. Verse 11. Read a lot of this too. As we
go through this song, some of this stuff I may not have. I
won't have time to mention it, but some of these same events.
Is what's being talked about? I think you understand that as
you go back and maybe think on this passage. Verse 11, And Jesus
stood before the governor, and this is Pontius Pilate, and the
governor asked him, saying, Art thou the king of the Jews? And
Jesus saith unto him, Thou sayest. And when he was accused of the
chief priests and elders, he answered nothing. Then said Pilate
unto him, Hearest thou not how many things they witness against
thee? And he answered him to never a word, insomuch that the
governor marveled greatly. Now at that feast, the governor
was wont to release unto the people a prisoner whom they would. And they had then a notable prisoner
called Barabbas. Therefore, when they were gathered
together, Pilate said unto them, Whom will ye that I release unto
you? Barabbas, or Jesus, which is
called Christ. For he knew that for envy they
had delivered him. And he's talking about the priest
and the elders there. When he was sat down on the judgment
seat, his wife sent unto him saying, have thou nothing to
do with that just man? For I have suffered many things
this day in a dream because of him. But the chief priest and
elders persuaded the multitude that they should ask for rabbits
and destroy Jesus. The governor answered and said
unto them, Whether of the two will you that I release unto
you, they said Barabbas. Pilate said unto them, what shall
I do then with Jesus which is called Christ? They all say unto
him, let him be crucified. And the governor said, why, what
evil hath he done? But they cried out the more saying,
let him be crucified. When Pilate saw that he could
prevail nothing, but that rather a tumult was made, he took water
and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, I am innocent
of the blood of this just person. See ye to it. Then answered all
the people and said, His blood be on us and on our children. Then released Heber Rabbeson
to them, and when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered him to be
crucified. The filthiness of man is a sight
to behold. Jesus had enemies of the religious
authority of his day. And then, don't take this the
wrong way, but in some respects, that's almost understandable.
Jesus was a direct threat to their authority and to their
power. We see in this passage that he
now had an enemy in the Roman Empire, represented by the person
Pontius Pilate. No matter how much he washed
his hands, the stain of Jesus' blood still remains on his hands
to this day. But just as an appeasement to
the Jewish leaders and really a political calculation that
he made on his own behalf, He turned this innocent one over
to this bloodthirsty lot. And now, the people are Jesus'
enemies. These same people that were throwing
palm leaves in front of him just a few days before, they're the
ones now, instead of calling him king, they're calling for
his head. And they got it. They got it. we move to the crucifixion of
Jesus Christ. Many there be which say of my
soul, there is no helpful hymn in God. If you're still in Matthew
27, you've still got a place there, just a few verses there.
I really don't want time to get away. I'm going to limit my commenting.
Matthew 27, 37. and set up over his head his
accusation written, This is Jesus, the King of the Jews. Then were
there two thieves crucified with him, one on the right hand and
another on the left. And they that passed by reviled
him, wagging their heads, and saying, Thou that destroyest
the temple and build it in three days, save thyself. If thou be
the Son of God, come down from the cross. Likewise, all the
chief priests mocking him with the scribes and elders said,
he saved others, himself he cannot save. If he be the king of Israel,
let him now come down from the cross and we will believe him. Now listen closely to this verse. He trusted in God, let him deliver
him now. If he will have him, for he said,
I am the son of God. There is no help for him in God. That's the familiar refrain of
the godless when observing the child of God suffering trials
and tribulations. Even more so on this day, as
we just read, as the Son of God hung upon this tree. But if I'm permitted to say such
a thing, God always has the last laugh, doesn't he? Little do
the godless, and within this godless, I'm including all who
do not worship the true God of this Bible. I'm including the
ones who make a pretense of it. Little do they know that the
trials that come to God's children, they're by His will. They're
for their spiritual welfare, and they're also for His glory. And as these Jews looked up at
the horrendous sight that it must have been of this beaten
and dying man, as he was up there dying on that cross, little did
they know that at that very moment, God was being both just and the
justifier in satisfying his justice and saving his people from their
sins. at that very moment. Verse 3,
But thou, O Lord, art a shield for me, my glory and the lifter
up of mine head. I cried unto the Lord with my
voice, and he heard me out of his holy hill. Now from my studies,
I learned that this word shield here is much more than what we
think of a shield. We've all seen the movies, you
know, the knight has that piece of armor in front of him, the
little thing to protect him a little bit. If what I read is correct,
this is a complete shield. It protects you 360 degrees,
top and bottom, almost like you're in a protective bubble. God the Father had always been
a protective shield for his son. While completely helpless as
an infant, God cared for his son. You don't have to turn,
you know it Matthew 2, and being warned of God in a dream that
they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own
country another way. And when they were departed,
behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream,
saying, arise and take the young child and his mother and flee
into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word, for
Herod will seek the young child to destroy him. When he arose,
he took the young child and his mother by night and departed
into Egypt. and was there until the death
of Herod that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord
by the prophet saying, out of Egypt have I called my son. Then
Herod when he saw that he was mocked of the wise man was exceeding
wrath and sent forth and slew all the children that were in
Bethlehem and all the coast thereof from two years old and under
according to the time which he had diligently inquired of the
wise man. Even as an infant, completely
helpless, God was caring for His Son. I didn't even bother
to look it up. You don't have to turn many pages
in your Bibles. Think of all the great escapes
that Christ had. So many times they were getting
ready to throw Him over the cliff, He went through Him. Ready to
string Him up, He just vanished. It was not His time. It was not
His time. He escaped so many times from
harm. God was his shield. But there
was not to be a great escape on this day, this day that we're
looking at and studying this morning. On this day, the shield
was removed. On this day, the words of the
man hanging on the tree that he said to his disciples, they
were being fulfilled. You know that after two days,
is the feast of the Passover, and the Son of Man is betrayed
to be crucified. The appointed time has arrived
for the Son of Man to die. These two verses speaks to me
of the confidence that this man, Jesus, had. It's hard for me
to do, but if you'll just for a few seconds, if you can just
view these words that we're reading here in this verse and a couple
more, as Jesus speaking only as a man. Remove his divinity
if you can. This man is about to die. He's
about to die within hours, if not just minutes. But all the
way back in John 2, the first thing that Jesus did after the
miracle at the wedding feast, he went to Capernaum, and it
was there that he spoke these words. destroy this temple, and
in three days will I raise it up." That should sound familiar
to you. I've already read those words
to you this morning. Though he said these words almost
three years before, they had not been forgotten. They were
widely known. His detractors were teasing him
with these very words as he hung on the tree that day. It's time for the rubber to meet
the road. This man, he cries out, my God,
my God. Why has thou forsaken me? Now,
these are the first words of another Psalm, Psalm 22. Many
believe, and me included, that though only this short phrase
is recorded in the scriptures, it's believed that Jesus most
probably spoke out this entire song while hanging on the tree.
If you would, I would like for you to turn to that. Psalm chapter
22. Psalm 22. I'm doing okay on time. I'm going to read quite a few
verses again. Verse 4. Our fathers trusted
in thee. They trusted, and thou didst
deliver them. They cried unto thee, and were
delivered. They trusted in thee, and were not confounded. But
I am a worm, and no man, a reproach of man, and despised of the people. All they that see me laugh me
to scorn. They shoot out the lip. They
shake the head, saying, he trusted on the Lord that he would deliver
him. Let him deliver him, seeing he delighteth in him." Once again,
this Psalm of David, written so many years before, this prophecy
being fulfilled in these words we're reading in Matthew and
John. This shield, I told you, God
had been a shield for Christ from infancy. Look at these words,
verse 9. But thou art he that took me
out of the womb, Thou didst make me hope when I was upon my mother's
breast. I was cast upon thee from the
womb. Thou art my God from my mother's belly. Be not far from
me, for trouble is near, for there is none to help. Skip down
to verse 16. This crowd that has turned against
him, they are now described. For dogs have confessed me. The
assembly of the wicked have enclosed me. They pierce my hands and
my feet. I may tell all my bones, they
look and stare upon me. They part my garments among them
and cast lots upon my vesture. But be thou not far from me,
O Lord, O my strength. Haste thee to help me. Deliver
my soul from the sword, my darling, from the power of the dog. Save
me from the lion's mouth, for thou hast heard me from the horns
of unicorns. I will deliver thy name unto
my brethren. In the midst of the congregation
will I praise thee. Ye that fear the Lord, praise
him. All ye the seed of Jacob, glorify him and fear him, all
ye the seed of Israel. For he hath not despised nor
abhorred the affliction of the afflicted, neither hath he hid
his face from him, but when he cried unto him, he heard. Praise shall be of thee in the
great congregation. I will pay my vows before them
that fear him. The meek shall eat and be satisfied.
They shall praise the Lord that seek him. Your heart shall live
forever. All the ends of the world shall
remember and turn unto the Lord, and all the kindreds of the nations
shall worship before thee. For the kingdom is the Lord's,
and he is the governor among the nations. And when I sat down
to do this outline, I only wanted about four or five verses, but
I just had to read all of these. I decided to let God tell you
why, or Jesus tell you why, God is His glory and the lifter up
of His head. Take some time if you would.
Read Psalm 22. Study it in the light of these
other scriptures we're looking at this morning. Verse 5, I laid
me down back in Psalm 3. I laid me down and slept. I awake,
for the Lord sustained me. I laid me down. The Savior died
on the cross. But take the nature of this voluntary
deed. He said, I laid me down. He had prophesied his demise
just two days earlier. I read it to you a while ago.
He could have done so many things. He could have took off to Egypt,
just like he did with the child, as a child, being safe. He could
have went into Syria. Anywhere, he could have took
off. No, no. He went to Jerusalem. Why? What purpose did He have? He
had to fulfill the law of God. He had to provide a substitute.
He had to fulfill His covenant, His covenant requirement. He
had to save His people from their sins. What His very name means. And notice that it says here
that Jesus slept. Simply slept. What a beautiful
picture of the grave. For a believer, just like for Christ, the grave,
it's only a temporary holding place. While we were awaiting
the dawn of a new day. While we were awaiting the start
of another, and in this case, another perfect morning. Another perfect morning. Jesus slept he slept for three
days and in three short days that temple was rebuilt Jesus
said I awake I Awake he was resurrected Died laid in the grave Resurrection
Verse six, Jesus says, I will not be afraid of ten thousands
of people. They have set themselves against
me round about arise. Oh, Lord, save me. Oh, my God,
for thou has smitten all mine enemies upon the cheekbone. Thou
has broken the teeth of the ungodly. To paraphrase some to four. God sits in the heavens and laughs. That's exactly what's going on
here. God's enemies, David's enemies,
the church's enemies, Christ's enemies, they all now stand defeated
with that death, burial, and resurrection. They hurl insults at Christ while
he was nailed to that cross. Now their cheeks are fractured.
Their jaws can't even move. Their teeth are broken. These
enemies no longer have any bite. The Lord Jesus Christ has defeated
all his enemies. Jesus had defeated Satan for
himself during his temptation in the wilderness years before. Satan's always been held by a
chain, but now he cowers in the corner. God's people are saved
with this event we're looking at this morning. They are saved. The great shepherd
has not lost a one. Satan doesn't stand a chance.
He's done for. Jesus is victorious over death.
Nearly every funeral you go to, They'll quote 1st Corinthians
1555. Old death, where is thy sting?
Old grave, where is thy victory? We've just read why Paul was
able to write those words. They have had no hold on this
Christ. He arose from the grave. Anne. Anne. His people shall
do likewise on his return. Jesus had faith in God that he
would arise in three days. That was those few verses we
looked back at. This is evidence that this believer's
hope that it's well-founded. It's well-founded that the Savior
will return and take them home. And home, of course, folks, is
not nothing here on this earth. Home is with God. Home is with
Christ. Home is heaven. I just quoted 1 Corinthians 15,
55. Verse 56 begins with this statement. The sting of death is sin. But
the good news is sin is also now defeated. I made the statement
that Christ had never committed a sin earlier in area one, yet
he died on that tree on account of sin, the sin of his people. Justice demands that the penalty
of sin is death. Jesus died. The penalty is paid,
and now that sin is gone. That sin is gone. Now his children,
his sheep, his bride, they can sing along with Top Lady. Payment
God cannot twice demand. First at my bleeding surety's
hand and then again at mine. The sin dead is paid for. You
don't pay twice. I don't even usually in Sunday
school reach my conclusion, but I've made it here today with
a few minutes left. That's pretty good for me, folks. As we reflect on these words
in these first seven verses, these words we've just read,
and then all these places in the scriptures where I've taken
us, and that's just a few examples of where you can learn of Christ's
death. Can this psalm have any other ending than verse 8? Salvation
belongeth unto the Lord. Thy blessing is upon thy people. What a simple statement. Yet
in this world it's so either widely unknown or misunderstood
or really out and out just not believed on. So many will tell
you they agree with these words. But then they'll argue with you
night and day when you tell them what it really means. The statement
says, salvation belongeth unto the Lord, period. The result
is, thy blessing is upon thy people. Nothing's added. Nothing is added to it. It's God's work. from start to
finish. Nothing you can do, there's no
room between those statements for anything you can do to help
God save yourself. I'm going to read a few words.
Spurgeon, I read his commentary, I did a lot of reading this time.
This is how he describes this verse, and I think it'll help
us as we go along and we run into people every once in a while
and we try to explain the truth of the gospel to them. Listen
to how he explained this statement. This verse contains the sum and
substance of Calvinistic doctrine. Search Scripture through and
through, and you must, if you read it with a candid mind, be
persuaded that the doctrine of salvation by grace alone is the
great doctrine of the Word of God. Salvation belongeth unto
the Lord. This is a point concerning which
we are daily fighting. Our opponents say salvation belongeth
to this free will of man, if not to man's merit, yes, at least
to man's will. But we would hold and teach that
salvation from first to last and every iota of it belongs
to the Most High God. It is God that chooses His people. He calls them by His grace. He
quickens them by His Spirit, and keeps them by His power.
It is not of man, neither by man, nor of him that willeth,
nor of him that runneth, but of God that showeth mercy." Now,
if I ain't said anything all morning that deserved an amen,
what Mr. Spurgeon wrote, that deserved
an amen. As we're here this morning, My
son and wife are on their way back to New Jersey for Caleb
to go back up to school in. I can't tell you how worried
I am for him. For many reasons, not only they're traveling, the
fact he's so far away, and some other concerns that we're having,
but for those of you who've got kids
and looking forward to being empty nesters, I ain't even quite
all the way there, but it just ain't all it's cracked up to
be, you know what I mean? I just can't help but think how
much more just me, a sinful man, and how I care for my child,
just how much more troublesome and hurtful it was for God the
Father, the God of love, the God that loved His Son, to look
down from heaven above and see Christ suffering this humiliation
and this agony and this pain and finally to die. I have no
way of comprehending even a thimble full of what that must have been
like. Yet to man's eyes, to man's eyes,
God slumbered. He was asleep. They said, why
don't God come and help you? He was asleep to our eyes as
those nails were driven and he hung upon them. He was asleep, but he awoke when
this man cried out, Arise, O Lord, save me. God did arise. He resurrected this man from
the dead, and so doing, an untold multitude, they were saved from
their sins and their transgressions. Salvation is accomplished. It's
done, finished, over with. and it belongeth unto the Lord. Therein lies a sinner's complete
hope in God. If God the Father put His Son
on the cross and watched Him suffer, bleed, die, and if God
the Son put Himself through that, We won't even barely prick our
finger on purpose. He knew exactly what was coming
to him. He went to Jerusalem anyway. If he so willingly went
and died on that cross, it's as certain as certain can
be that God the Holy Spirit, he's going to pierce the hearts
of all the sheep of this shepherd. And every one of them is going
to bow at his feet. the feet of this King, the King
that as we speak is in glory. Thank you.