Good evening. Let's all stand
together. We'll sing hymn number 283. 283. Oh, how sweet the glorious message
simple faith may claim. Yesterday, today, forever, Jesus
is the same. Still he loves to save the sinful,
heal the sick and lame. Cheer the mourner, calm the tempest,
glory to his name. Yesterday, today, forever, Jesus
is the same. All may change but Jesus never
Glory to His name Glory to His name Glory to His name All may
change, but Jesus never Glory to His name He who pardoned erring
Peter Never needs thou fear He who came to faithless Thomas
All thy doubt will clear He who let the love disciple on his
bosom rest, Bids thee still with love as tender lean upon his
breast. Yesterday, today, forever, Jesus
is the same. All may change but Jesus never
Glory to His name Glory to His name Glory to His name All may
change, but Jesus never, Glory to His name. He who amid the raging billows,
Walked upon the sea, Still can hush our wildest tempest, As
on Galilee. in Gethsemane. Drinks with us, each cup of trembling
in our agony. Yesterday, today, forever, Jesus
is the same. All may change but Jesus never
Glory to His name Glory to His name Glory to His name All may change, but Jesus never,
glory to His name. As of old He walked to may us
with Him to abide. So through all life's way, He
walketh ever near our side. Soon again. ? And pace in Lord the day ? But
we'll still be this same Jesus ? As he went away ? Yesterday,
today, forever ? Jesus is the same All may change but Jesus
never Glory to His name Glory to His name Glory to His name All may change, but Jesus never. Glory to his name. Be seated. We'll sing hymn number
357. 357. We'll omit the third verse. Nearer, my God, to Thee, Nearer
to Thee, Even though it be a cross that raiseth me, Nearer, my God, to Thee, nearer
to Thee. Though like the wanderer the
sun gone down, Darkness be over me My rest a
stone Yet in my dreams I'd be Verse four. Out of thy stony creeks, Perethul
I reach, Nearer, my God, to Thee, nearer
to Thee. Pour it on joyful wings, please. the sky sun moon and stars for
god upward i fly still Nearer, my God, to Thee, Nearer
to Thee. Good evening. If you will, let's
turn to John chapter 10. John chapter 10. It's our Lord speaking. He's telling
these Pharisees how to be saved. Telling us how to be saved. John chapter 10. Verily, verily, I say unto you,
he that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth
up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. But he
that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.
To him the porter openeth, and the sheep hear his voice. And
he calleth his sheep by name, and leadeth them out. And when
he put forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep
follow him, for they know his voice. And a stranger will they
not follow, but will flee from him, for they know not the voice
of strangers. This parable spake Jesus unto
them, but they understood not what things they were which he
spake unto them. Then said Jesus unto them again,
Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep. All that ever came before me
are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them.
I am the door. By me, if any man enter in, he
shall be saved and shall go in and out and find pasture. The
faith cometh not but for to steal and to kill and to destroy. I am come that they might have
life and that they might have it more abundantly. I am the
good shepherd. The good shepherd giveth his
life for the sheep. But he that is a hireling, and
not the shepherd, whose own sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming,
and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth, and the wolf scattereth them,
and catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep. The hireling fleeth,
because he is a hireling, and careth not for the sheep. I am
the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.
As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father. And I lay
down my life for the sheep. And other sheep I have which
are not of this foal, them also I must bring. And they shall
hear my voice, and there shall be one foal and one shepherd. Therefore doth my Father love
me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. No
man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have the
power to lay it down, and I have the power to take it again. This commandment have I received
of my father. There was a division, therefore,
again among the Jews for these sayings, and many of them said,
He hath a devil, and is mad. Why, hear ye him? Others said,
These are not the words of him that hath a devil. Can a devil
open the eyes of the blind? And it was Jerusalem, the feast
of the dedication, and it was winter. And Jesus walked in the
temple in Solomon's porch. Then came the Jews round about
him and said unto him, How long dost thou make us to doubt? If
thou be the Christ, tell us plainly. And Jesus answered them, I told
you, and you believe not. The works that I do in my Father's
name, they bear witness of me. But you believe not, because
you are not of my sheep, as I said unto you. My sheep hear my voice,
and I know them, and they follow me. and I give unto them eternal
life, and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them
out of my hand. My Father which gave them me
is greater than all, and no man is able to pluck them out of
my Father's hand. I and my Father are one." Let's
pray. Dear Heavenly Father, in the
name of the Lord Jesus Christ, our Savior, we come to you, seeking
to worship, seeking to praise your holy name, seeking to bless
you, seeking to be drawn closer to our Savior. We pray that you
send the Holy Spirit tonight, Lord, to this body of believers.
Cause us to believe, cause us to hear, cause us to see. Cause
Brother Larry to tell us about Christ this evening like he did
this morning. Forgive us, Lord, of everything,
a son like you. Help my unbelief. Forgive me,
Lord, of my sins. Pray for your mercy for my family,
Lord, for my wife, my children, my grandchildren. Pray that you
give them a need, cause them to come hear the gospel. In Christ's
name I pray, amen. Page 31 on our course books.
Oh, how merciful. When I was lost in sin and shame,
How Thou let me take the blame! Blessed Lord, how merciful Thou
was to me! ? When I could look down deep within
? And see the sinfulness of sin ? Blessed Lord, how merciful
thou was to me ? Oh, how merciful, how merciful how merciful blessed lord how
merciful thou art to me oh how merciful how merciful blessed
lord ? Thou art to me ? A sinner lost and so helping
? Yet Thou say'st I must repent ? Blessed Lord how merciful Thou
was to me ? I wondered should I rebel ? And
with a soul deserving hell ? Blessed Lord how merciful thou was to
me ? Oh how merciful ? How merciful ? ? Blessed Lord
? ? How merciful Thou art to me ? ? Oh, how merciful ? ? How
merciful ? How merciful Thou art to me I'm not ashamed of all Thy grace
When Thou came and took my place Blessed Lord, how merciful Thou
art to me And when this world ceases to
be Eternal blood to speak for me Blessed Lord, how merciful
Thou art to me Oh, how merciful ? How merciful, blessed Lord ?
How merciful, thou art to me ? Oh, how merciful We're pleased
to have Brother Larry Criss back with us again this evening. You come on whenever you're ready.
Hit the red button when you're ready to start. Thank you. Good evening. I mentioned this this morning,
but it'll bear repetition. On behalf of my wife and myself,
it's a delight to be with you. I've always enjoyed here talking
with Dirk before service, and we were trying to remember Approximately
when I first came down here, the first trip I made, we think
it was probably 91 or 92. So figured, what, 32 years or
so? Been coming every so often. And it's always a delight to
preach to you folks. You always seem hungry. I always
seem anxious to hear the gospel, even from such an obviously earthen
vessel as the one that stands before you now. So pray for me
that God will be pleased to make His word effectual, allow us
to continue to worship. It's been sweet thus far. Turn,
if you will, back to Hebrews. This time we want to look at
a few verses in Hebrews chapter 11. This morning we spoke from
chapter 2, but tonight Hebrews chapter 11. Here in verse 1 of Hebrews 11,
We're given a definition of what genuine faith is. You won't find
a better definition than this throughout the scripture. This
is faith in a nutshell. We're told, now faith is the
substance of things hoped for. The evidence of things not seen. Someone said, faith demonstrates
to the eye of the mind the reality of those things that cannot be
discerned by the eye of the body. I think that's pretty good. Faith
alone, we know this. Faith alone without works saves. He's saved by grace through faith,
not of works, lest any man should boast. But faith, the faith that
does save, always has works as the evidence of it, that it's
genuine. James speaks of that very plainly,
doesn't he? He said, you show me. You say
you have faith. Show me faith. Show me your faith
without your works. Works are the evidence of faith.
And I'll show you my faith, James says, by my works. And here in Hebrews chapter 11,
the writer of this epistle, after he gives us the definition of
faith, he gives us example after example. The rest of the chapter
is examples of the very way he describes faith. Examples of
it. It demonstrates what he said
in verse 1. For example, look at verse 13.
Verse 13, and then we're going to look at one example, one demonstration
of genuine faith in the life of a believer. But here in verse
13, these all died in faith, those he mentioned prior to this.
These all died in faith, not having received the promises.
They didn't receive them. Oh, but did that stop them from
believing them, looking forward to them? Oh, no, no, no. But
having seen them afar off and were persuaded of them, why should
we not be persuaded? Is not what God promised He not
able to perform? And were persuaded of them and
embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims
on the earth. Now, how the writer describes
a believer there is true of believers no matter when they lived. Is
that not so? We're strangers and pilgrims
on this earth. There's an old hymn, remember
that hymn? I don't recall the name of it, but it went, this
world is not my home. This world's not my home. I'm
just passing through. Folks say, they ever accuse you
of saying, well, you're kind of odd. I just can't figure you
out. I don't know what makes you tick. You just don't fit
in. Brad, we don't want to fit in. That's on purpose. Thank God
that we don't feel comfortable here. We're looking beyond to
something better. So what he says in verse 13 concerning
those believers is true of believers no matter when they live. Remember,
for example, what our Lord said to Thomas. Thomas, because you've
seen me, because I stand before you, and you see me, you've touched
me, you've seen me, you believe. Oh, Thomas, blessed, blessed
are those who shall not see me, but yet they'll believe. They'll believe. Oh, blessed
art thou, Simon Bar-Jonah. Remember what our Lord said to
Peter? When Peter confessed that I know that you're the Christ,
you're the Son of the living God. How did Peter know that?
Was he smarter than everybody else? Did he somehow figure that
out on his own? No, no. It doesn't come that
way. Faith in Christ doesn't come
that way. It's a gift of God. It's an operation of God the
Spirit. And our Lord said to Peter upon
that confession of who he was, that is Christ himself, Peter,
you're a blessed man. Oh Peter, you are a blessed man. Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-Jonah. Flesh and blood hasn't taught
you this. You've not come to this on your
own. My Heavenly Father has done something
for you that He's not done for everybody else. He's done something
for you. He's revealed to you who I am. You're blessed. Child of God,
we're blessed. Another old hymn right now comes
to my mind. Dave Coleman used to sing it.
You know it. Oh Lord, draw back the curtain. of my memory now
and then. Remind me what you brought me
from and where I could have been. Can you say with Peter, this
night, can you say from your heart, As a result of the operation
of God's grace in your heart, I know that Jesus of Nazareth
is the Son of God. If you can't, let me tell you,
you're blessed. You've got something that money
can't buy. You've got something worth all
the gold in all the world, and that's what we want to talk about
tonight. Look down if you will, we want to use one example. One
example, here in Hebrews chapter 11, verse 24, Moses. Let's look at Moses as one of
those to whom God granted this precious gift of faith. Verses
24 through 27. By faith Moses, when he was come
to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter.
He was taken into Pharaoh's palace and raised as his grandson, choosing
rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy
the pleasures of sin for a season. And oh, what a short season.
Esteeming the reproach of Christ's greater riches, greater riches
than the treasures in Egypt, then because for he had respect
unto the recompense of the reward. By faith he forsook Egypt, not
for fearing the wrath of the king, for he endured it, seeing
him who is invisible." Moses made a deliberate choice to leave
Egypt, didn't he? To leave Pharaoh's palace. to
leave all the treasures of Egypt. Moses turned his back on all
of it and instead chose what? He chose rather to suffer with
the people of God, esteeming the reproach of Christ's greater
riches than all the treasures that Egypt had to offer. Moses
looked at it all and made this determination, I'd rather have
Christ. I'd rather have Christ. I can't
have both. I can't have the world and Christ
too. I'd rather have Christ. The title of the message is this,
The Riches of God's Children. Do you know how rich you are,
child of God? Oh, what an inheritance we have
before us. And I don't mean the riches like
the church of Laodicea had. The Lord Jesus Christ rebuked
them for their riches, didn't he? Revelation 2, 8, and unto
the angel of the church of Laodicea, he wrote, he said rather, because
thou sayest I am rich, and increase with goods, and have need of
nothing." Have need of nothing. James, you just prayed, Lord,
show my children, my grandchildren, their need. These were religious
folks our Lord spoke to and said, we have need of nothing. And
Christ said, here's the truth of the matter. You don't know
it. You don't know it. That's the sad thing. You don't
know it. But in reality, though you might be increased with goods
and worldly wealth and riches, in reality you're wretched and
you're miserable and you're poor and you're blind and you're naked.
And then he turned around and said to the church of Smyrna
this, these things saith the first and the last, which was
dead and is alive again. I know thy works, thy tribulation,
your poverty, but you are rich. You are rich. There are both
poor rich men and rich poor men in God's sight. Remember what
our Lord said concerning that rich fool. He spoke this parable. in Luke chapter 12 about that
rich fool. He laid in bed one night and
he said, well, this is my plan. This is what I'm going to do.
I'm about ready to retire. I've got more than I need. I've
got more than will supply me all the days of my life. I've
got so much, really, that my barns can't hold it all anymore.
So this is what I'm going to do. I'll just build me bigger
barns, and I'm going to kick back. I'm going to kick back
and recline in my lazy boy and say, eat, drink, and be merry.
You've got much goods laid up for many years. But God spoke
to him that night. You remember what he said. Oh,
he never gave this a thought, did he? That poor man had never
given God a serious thought in his life. But God said, tonight. Oh, my soul, tonight. This will
happen. This will happen. God will say
in multitudes this night over this world, tonight I require
your soul of you. Tonight you're going to be ushered
into my presence. And what are all those things
going to be worth then? How will you value them then?
What will they look like then? Well, where will those things
be? God said thou fool, this night. Oh my soul, what a solemn
thought. This night, tonight, tonight,
God might call one of us, perhaps more than one, before him. Then
whose will all those things be? We sometimes, from time to time,
some celebrity. Celebrity. I've not seen one
yet that impresses me. I wouldn't give a flip for it.
But anyone or some movie star, some celebrity, some wealthy
person, they'll die. They'll die. And there's always
the conversation, like when Howard Hughes died. The fellows I worked
with, they sat around on their lunch break and all they were
talking about, how much you reckon he left behind? Man, you know
he had so much. He was filthy rich. That man
had so much money, he probably didn't even know himself how
much money he had. How much do you reckon he left
behind? I said, I'll tell you what, he left it all behind.
He left it all. He didn't take one thin dime. Again, Luke 12, our Lord, so
is he that layeth up treasure for himself and is not rich toward
God. Moses, like every believer, chose
to leave the riches of Egypt for the riches of Jesus Christ. There's no comparison. There's
no comparison. Another hymn puts it this way,
I'd rather have Jesus than silver and gold. I'd rather be his than
have riches untold. I'd rather have Jesus than houses
or lands. I'd rather be led by his nail-pierced hand. I'd rather have Jesus than men's
applause. I'd rather be faithful to his
dear cause. I'd rather have Jesus than worldwide
fame. I'd rather be true to his holy
name than to be a king of a vast domain, or to be held in sin's
dread sway. Oh, I'd rather have Jesus than
anything this old world affords today. First consider, consider
this, two or three things. concerning the riches of God's
children. Would you rather be a son of
Abraham or a son of God? Would you rather be the son of
a king or a son of the king of kings and Lord of lords? John says, Behold. Oh, this can't
be said of any earthly king. Oh, no. Behold, behold what manner
of love Oh my soul, my soul, think about it. What manner of
love the Father should bestowed upon us that we should be called
sons of God. Sons of God. Therefore the world
knoweth us not because it knew him not beloved. Now. Now. Every child of God. Now are we
the sons of God. And yes, it does not yet appear
what we shall be. That time hasn't arrived yet,
but we know when he shall appear. Not if he shall appear, when
he shall appear. People talk about the second
coming. They talk about when. They talk about where. They talk
about how. They never talk about who. Who's
coming? Jesus Christ himself shall come
for his people. He promised that he would. It
doth not yet appear what we shall be, but we know when he shall
appear. Oh, sometimes I try to imagine
what that'll be like, but my imagination just won't quite
reach that high. Oh, when Jesus Christ, if he
should come, if he should come now. Oh my soul. Look, look, He's coming. He's
coming for His people. He's coming for His church. He's
coming in great power and glory. He's coming to take us home to
be with Him forever. Or if He should come privately
and take us to be with Him this night before another sun arises. The mind of John seems to be
overwhelmed in the contemplation, in calling into view the love
of God the Father. He says, Behold. Behold what? What sort of love is this? He
seems to be astonished at such mercy, both in the love of God
as it is in God Himself, and in God bestowing upon sinful
creatures. From everlasting, from everlasting,
God chose His people to salvation. He chose us in Christ, His dear
Son. He gave us to His Son. In that
everlasting covenant of God's amazing grace, He put us in the
hands of His Son. And His Son became a surety for
us. He became responsible for us. He said, Father, I will do everything
you require, everything your justice demands. I'll pay every
debt, every penalty. I'll do everything you require
of them to bring them the glory. When the fullness of the time
has come, I'll go. Be made of a woman, be made under
the law. I'll live for them. I'll die
for them. I'll arise for them. I'll intercede
for them. And when time shall be no more,
I'm going to bring them around the throne of you, my Father
and my God, and say, here they are. I didn't lose one. Hallelujah. What a Savior. What a Savior.
That's rich. That's rich, isn't it? Look what
Paul wrote in Ephesians 1. Oh, what a blessed chapter. Blessed
be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who had blessed
us with all spiritual blessings and heavenly places in Christ. Verse 4, according as He had
chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world. that we should
be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestinated
us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to Himself according
to the good pleasure of His will. Isn't that something? Oh, it
is not that I did choose thee, Lord, that could not be. This
heart would still refuse thee had you not chosen me. You from
the sin that stained me has cleansed and set me free. Of old you have
ordained me that I should live with thee. For sovereign mercy
called me and taught my opening mind. The world had else enthralled
me, the heavenly glories blind. My heart owns none before thee,
for thy rich grace I thirst. This knowing if I love thee,
thou must have loved me first. My, my, my. There's never been
a time before there was ever a star in the heavens. or a planet
before there was the earth, the sun, the moon. God loved his people. There never
was a beginning. He's always loved us. Everlasting. I can't I can hardly get a grip
on that, but I know that it's so. And our elder brother, that
one in whom we were chosen, made this promise to his own. Remember,
oh, how much comfort, how much comfort has this been to God's
people ever since the day it was recorded. Let not your heart
be troubled. You remember when he spoke those
words? He had just told the disciples, I'm going away. And where I'm
going, you can't come. The world's going to rejoice.
You're going to mourn. You're going to be in travail.
The world's going to have a party. And you can't come. Where I'm
going now, you can't come. Oh, Lord Peter said, why can't
I come? Peter, you can't follow me now, but you're gonna follow
me afterwards. Oh, thank God for those blessed
afterwards. In my Father's house are many
mansions. If it were not so, I would have
told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and
receive you unto myself that where I am, that's what heaven
is, where Christ is, there ye may be also. Children of God,
The riches of God's children, the riches of God's family. One
is this, we've got the best house. Don't we? We have the best house. We have a home in heaven. A mansion. What earthly mansion can compare
to that? This is the Father's house. God
the Father. This is where Jesus Christ is,
and this is where all His elect, His redeemed, His call will be,
they must be. If He has prepared the place
for us, He will prepare us for that place and in due time put
us in possession of it. Won't He? I read today, in today's
bulletin from Moose Parks, he spoke about Dee, his son. And
what a joy it was now to know that he's in glory. He's with
his Redeemer, and Moose said he'll soon be there with him.
He'll join him there at the Father's house, where Christ is Father,
in that glorious high priestly prayer, where he intercedes on
the behalf of his people. He said, Father, in addition
to everything he'd already prayed, already asked for, Father, I
will that they also whom thou hast given me, is that not enough
to be his? Oh yes, yes, but there's more,
that those whom thou hast given me be with me where I am. Wow, that they may behold my
glory. which thou hast given me, for
thou lovest me before the foundation of the world." Oh, there's the
heaven of heaven, isn't it? The glory of glory, to be with
Jesus Christ where he is. Someday the silver cord will
break, and I no more as now shall sing, but all the joy when I
shall wake within the palace of the king. Someday my earthly
house will fall. I cannot tell how soon it'll
be. But this I know my all in all has a place in heaven for
me. And I shall sing. Oh, my soul, Joe, I can't preach
on that. That's best just to get alone
and pray that God would bless it to our hearts. And I shall see Him face to face. And tell the story, saved by
grace. Face to face with Christ my Savior. Face to face with, shall it be,
when in rapture I behold Him, Jesus Christ who died for me. Not only do the children of God
have the best home they're going to, they're the best dressed.
They're the best dressed, not dressed by the standards of religion,
all but dressed in the robe of perfect righteousness. Revelation
chapter 7, John saw that multitude before the throne, and he said,
I beheld and lo, a great multitude which no man can number, of all
nations and kindreds, and people in tongues, stood before the
throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and
palms in their hands. That white robe is a picture
of the perfect righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ. That's
why they stand before God accepted. They stand there without a spot
or a blemish, without any trace of sin, without fault, before
the throne of God. How can that be? How can that
possibly be? There's only one way. There's
only one way, and Paul told us what it was in Philippians 3
and 9. Oh, I long to be found in him. not having my own righteousness,
what I used to have, not weaving my own robe, oh no, that's done,
that's done, oh now that I will be found in him, not having my
own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through
the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith. Man, that's the best dress. Oh, my soul, this spotless robe
the same appears when ruined nature sinks in years. No age
can change its glorious hue. The robe of Christ is ever new,
ever fresh, ever. Jesus, thy blood and righteousness,
my beauty are, my glorious dress. Misflaming worlds in these arrayed,
with joy shall I lift up my head. The righteousness which is of
God, from God, and provided by God in His Son, and accepted
by God. Believers are dressed in the
very best that God could give. Couldn't be better. It's perfect. They're dressed in the perfect
righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ. This is the best robe
that God the Father commands all his returning prodigal sons
and daughters to be dressed in. Remember that? Remember that
prodigal son come down the road, just crawled out of that pig
pen, then wasted his inheritance and had the nerve to come back
home. He done rehearsed his well-thought-out Confession to the Father, and
he's got it memorized before he could even get the words out.
What did his father say? Oh, God's been merciful to me,
hasn't he? I'm not thinking of that prodigal
now. I'm thinking of Larry Criss. I crawled out of a pig pen. I
was a stinking mess. And when God brought me to himself,
he said, bring out the best robe. Where you gonna put it? Put it
on him. Oh, no, not him, yeah. Put it on, cover it up, cover
up that stink, cover up that stench. And then he said, ooh,
oh, that's a sweet-smelling savor. That's the righteousness of my
son, the Lord Jesus Christ. Isaiah 61, verse 10. I will greatly rejoice in the
Lord. My soul shall be joyful in my God, for he hath clothed
me with the garments of salvation. He hath covered me with the robe
of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments,
and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels. Oh, when he
shall come with trumpet sound, oh, may I then in him be found,
dressed in his righteousness alone, faultless. Faultless to
stand before the throne. Oh, with his spotless garments,
ooh, that's so comfortable. That feels so good. With his
spotless garments on, as holy as God's own son. When my granddaughters, two of
them, were I think ages five and eight. Now they're 15 and
18. But when they were about five
and eight years old, I was visiting one day. And the youngest one
had her a phone, a smartphone. She had it figured out like that.
I had to get her to show me how the thing works. But she kept
doing this. And I looked over, and I said,
Allie. Allison, we called her Allie. I said, what are you doing?
She said, I'm taking a picture. I'm taking your picture, Pawpaw.
I said, let me see that. She brought it. I said, ooh,
Allie. Man, I said, mm. Pawpaw needs to go on a diet,
don't you think? And she said, what's a diet,
Pawpaw? I said, I need to lose weight. She said, oh no, Pawpaw,
you're perfect. I love that one. She's my favorite. You're perfect. Listen to this.
Listen to this. In the sight of God, his children,
robed in the righteousness of Christ, God looks at them and
says, you're perfect. That's exactly right. Ezekiel
16, verse 14. And thy renown went forth among
the heathen for thy beauty, for it was perfect. It was perfect,
how? Through my comeliness which I
put upon you, saith the Lord God. Oh, the best clothes. White
robes, oh, that's the hope of a child of God, because God had
made Christ to be sin for us who knew no sin, that we might
be made the very righteousness of God Almighty in Him. I would rather be a child of
God than the child of any earthly king, wouldn't you? The second
thing Moses would rather have, the riches of God's grace than
all the treasures in Egypt. Child of God. Oh, rich in grace. How rich is God's grace? Paul said in Ephesians 1, blessed
be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who has blessed
us. We read it already. With all spiritual blessings
and heavenly places in Christ. Verse 7 he says, in whom we have
redemption through his, the forgiveness of sins. Oh, that's priceless. According to the riches of his
grace. What priceless treasures Paul
speaks of here. And all according to the riches
of God's grace. Nothing based upon my merit,
my earning, my reward. Oh, no, no. His reward. What he merited. What he earned. That makes these things certain.
Must be things. Because God's grace is so much
better than my work. As we just read there, chosen
in Christ, not based on foreseen faith. What a bunch of nonsense.
I hear people say, oh yeah, we believe election. You do? Well,
what is it? Well, God saw who would believe. They at least
grant that God has foreknowledge. And he looked down and saw who
would believe, so he chose them to believe. That represents God
to be involved in a bunch of useless nonsense, doesn't it?
Oh, no. God chose us and He granted us
faith in His Son at the appointed time. God's election isn't an
election of grace, or there would be no election. Adoption, likewise,
into the family of God is according to His grace, to the praise of
the glory of His grace. God chose us, and grace adopted
us, and grace came down in the person of God's Son, the Lord
Jesus Christ, and redeemed us with His own precious blood.
He purged our sins, and now because He did, God in perfect justice
declares, deliver His soul from going down to the pit. I found
the ransom. I've found the ransom, that's
one my son has redeemed, and from redemption there flows from
the ocean of God's grace this blessed jewel, the forgiveness
of sins. Oh, how rich is that, how valuable
is that, how priceless is that to lay down the night and before
you doze off to think, my sins are gone. Oh my sins, oh my sin,
the bliss of this glorious thought. My sin, not in part but the whole,
is nailed to his cross and I bear them no more. Praise the Lord,
praise the Lord, oh my soul. The riches of God's grace. To him, to the believing sinner,
there's no curse because Christ was made a curse for him. To
him, there is no wrath of God to fear because God is at peace
with him. To him, there's no future punishment
because he's justified from every charge and has everlasting life. God says, not guilty, not guilty. He deserves hell for his sins,
but he's saved from them by God's sovereign grace through the Redeemer's
precious blood. Oh, the riches of God's sovereign
grace. It was grace that wrote my name
in life's eternal book. It's grace that gave me to the
Lamb who all my sorrows took. Grace taught my heart to pray.
Grace made my eyes o'erflow. It's grace that's kept me to
this day and it will not let me go. Will not let me go. Grace all the works your crown
through everlasting days. It lays in heaven the topmost
stone and well deserves the praise. Yes, with Moses I say, I'd rather
have Christ. Take the world, give me Christ. I would rather suffer a little
while here below and then to be in heaven forever, wouldn't
you? Let me close this with the prayer of the Apostle Paul that
he prayed, offered up for the church at Ephesus. He said in
chapter 3 of that epistle, verse 14, for this cause I bow my knees
unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, of whom the whole family
in heaven and earth is named. Oh, what a family. That he would
grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened
with might by his Spirit in the inner man. that Christ may dwell
in your hearts by faith, that ye, being rooted and grounded
in love, may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth
and the length and the depth and the heighth, and to know
the love of God which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled
with all the fullness of God, Now unto him that is able to
do exceeding abundantly of all that we ask or think, according
to the power that worketh in us, unto him be glory in the
church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Let me close by quoting a few
stanzas of another hymn by old Fanny Crosby. Oh, she wrote so
many, didn't she? She wrote, Take the world, but
give me Jesus. All His joys are but a name,
but His love abides forever through eternal years the same. Take
the world, but give me Jesus, sweetest comfort of my soul.
With this Savior watching over me, I can sing though thunders
roll. Take the world, but give me Jesus.
In his cross my trust shall be. Till with clearer, brighter vision,
face to face my Lord I see. Oh, the height and depth of mercy. Oh, the length and breadth of
love. Oh, the fullness of redemption. Pledge of endless life above. God bless you. God bless each
of you. It's been a joy. Been a delight, as always, to
be with you today. God bless you. Let's have a quick word of prayer. Lord God Almighty, our high and
heavenly Father, thank you again for this day. Thank you for the
gathering of saints here. We thank you for the gospel message
that's been proclaimed here again today. We ask that you would
nourish our souls with it. Keep us till another week. till
we can meet again. Lord, we ask for traveling mercies
for Larry and Robin as they continue their travels. We ask the same
for our pastor and his wife as they're on vacation. Lord, that
you'd bless their time and see them safely where they're going. Lord, we ask that you'd keep
us through this week. Keep us each and every moment. Lord, we ask that you would have
mercy on our lost loved ones. Cause us to do thy will. Lord, we ask that that will be
done for Christ's sake. Amen. My sins are all taken away. We'll
sing the first verse and chorus. It's on page 33 if you need the
words in our course book. Did you hear what Jesus said
to me? They're all taken away, away. Your sins are pardoned and you
are free. They're all taken away, away. away they're all taken away Mr. Reminder, there's no Wednesday
service again this week. We'll meet again next Sunday
morning, Lord willing. You're dismissed.