Sovereign Grace Chapel, located at 135 Annabel Lane in Beaver, West Virginia, invites you to listen to a gospel message concerning Jesus Christ our Lord. Welcome to today's broadcast. My text for today is from Romans chapter 10. Romans chapter 10, and as a text, I want to read just one verse. Romans chapter 10 and verse 20. But Esaias, or that is Isaiah, the Isaiah of the Old Testament. But Esaias is very bold and saith, I was found of them that sought me not. I was made manifest unto them that asked not after me. You hear those words? I was found of them that sought me not. I was made manifest unto them that asked not after me. My title for this morning, my subject is this. Who seeks who first? Who seeks who first? There is no debate. There is no debate. Men should seek the Lord. Isaiah himself was very clear on this, and we read this in Isaiah 55. Listen to what Isaiah wrote in Isaiah 55. We read these verses. Verse six of Isaiah 55. Seek ye the Lord while he may be found. Call ye upon him while he is near. Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts, and let him return unto the Lord. And he will have mercy upon him and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. You see that? Men are to seek the Lord. There is no debate about this. Matthew chapter 6, listen to what our Lord preached. He preached this himself. In Matthew chapter 6, Matthew recorded these words, a few words from our Lord Jesus Christ on what's called the Sermon on the Mount. And our Lord Jesus Christ said this. In Matthew chapter 6 verse 33, but seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness. And his righteousness is found only in Christ. That's where you better seek it if you seek it. Men are to seek the Lord. But seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness. And all these things, that is food and clothing, a house to live, all these things will be added unto you. Do you see it? Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness. So again, there is no debate. Men should seek the Lord. There also is no debate. Men should call upon the Lord and that call, that cry for mercy. has God's Christ. I said it has God's Christ as his object. Listen to what Peter said, and Luke records it for us in Acts chapter 4. And listen to what Peter said. In Acts chapter 4, Luke writes these words, what Peter said. Verse 8 of Acts 4. Then Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost, said unto them, ye rulers of the people and elders of Israel, If we this day be examined of the good deed done to this impotent man, by what means is he made whole? Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, now listen, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth. Now, had Peter just said, by the God of Israel, nobody would have argued with him. These Jews wouldn't have argued with him. But notice, he makes it particular. Be it known unto you, and all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole. This is the stone which was set at naught of you builders, which is become the head of the corner. Listen, neither is there salvation in any other. For there is none other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved. So again, I say there is no debate. Men should seek the Lord. We call upon men and women, seek the Lord. And we call upon the men that seek the Lord, see His kingdom, His righteousness in Christ first. First. So there is no debate about that. Men should call upon the Lord. Even in our text chapter, Romans 10. Paul wrote these words. Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they might be saved. For I bear them record, they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone that believeth. For Moses, even Moses, even back in the Old Testament, for Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the law, that the man that doeth those things shall live in them. You gotta do them from start to finish. and all of them, but, verse six, but the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise, say not in thine heart, remember he's quoting Moses, who shall ascend into the heaven, that is to bring Christ down from above, or who shall descend into the deep, that is to bring up Christ again from the dead, but what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth and in thy heart. That is the word of faith which we preach. And what is that? Here it is. That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, do you see it? The Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart men believeth unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture saith, whosoever believeth on him, That's a broad, whosoever believeth on him, it's a broad statement. It includes all who, what? Believe, all who believe, and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed, for there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him, for whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. So again, there is no debate. Men should seek the Lord. There is no debate. Men should cry out and call out for mercy, for mercy and grace and compassion from God in Christ Jesus alone. But something else is equally true of men. Now listen to it. Something else is equally true of men. Listen to what the psalmist wrote in the 14th Psalm. This may astound some of you. I know not everybody preaches this but listen to what God said through a psalm of David David the king of Israel Psalm 14 the fool has said in his heart No, God, do you see it? Now if you're reading along you'll see there is is in italics It's not in the original text of the Old Testament. The fool has said in his heart. No God The fool says in his heart. No to God Look, they are corrupt They have done abominable works. There is none that doeth good. Look, the Lord looked down from heaven upon the children of men to see if there were any that did understand and seek God. They are all gone aside. They are all together become filthy. There is none that doeth good. No, not one. Do you see that? No, not one. But it's even further than that. We'll read this again in the 53rd Psalm. Listen to the 53rd Psalm. Very similar language, but a little bit more detail. Psalm 53, the fool has set in his heart, again there he is in a talus, you see it? The fool has set in his heart, no God, Corrupt are they and have done abominable iniquity. There is none that doeth good. God looked down from heaven upon the children of men to see if there were any that did understand and seek God. Every one of them is gone back. They are together become filthy. There's none that doeth good. No, not one. Who seeks who first? Who must seek who first? Aren't you glad that the scripture says, I was found of them that sought me not. I was made manifest unto them that asked, not after me. Do you see that? Isn't that glorious? You see, it's glorious. As a matter of fact, none among the sons and daughters of Adam are exempt from this dilemma that is this fatal flaw in us that we don't seek after God. There's none good. There's none that calls on God in and of themselves. God must act first, and Paul was clear of that. In Romans chapter 3, verses 9 through 18, Paul is clear. None of us, we're all gone out of the way. We are together. become unprofitable, who seeks who first? Who seeks who first? Not only is this true of us all, that is this despicable state, this dilemma we're in, this fatal flaw that we have by nature. Not only is this true of us all, but we can't change this fatal flaw. Listen to what Jeremiah wrote. In Jeremiah, let me find my passage, Jeremiah chapter 13. Listen to what Jeremiah wrote. Jeremiah chapter 13 and just one verse here. Look at what he says. Jeremiah 13 verse 23. Can the Ethiopian change his skin? Can he just change it? Can he just will to change it? Can he just decide it'd be changed? Can the Ethiopian change his skin? Or the leopard his spots? Then may ye also do good that are accustomed to do evil. You see? We don't. We can't. This fatal flaw in us, it's bad. That which makes us what we are is, you know the phrase, we're plum bad. We're plum bad. According to Jeremiah, Jeremiah chapter 17, listen to this, just one verse, listen. The heart, verse nine of Jeremiah chapter 17, the heart is deceitful above all. The heart is deceitful above all and desperately wicked. Who can know it? I don't even know my heart. God has revealed to me some of it, but I really don't see how bad it is. I hope God reveals to you how bad yours is. No, you will not see it in its fullest. It would probably drive a stark raving mad if we did. But the heart is what? Deceitful above all things. Deceitful, desperately. Desperately wicked who can know it. Do you see that? Hmm. That's what made it. We're plumb bad According to the master himself listen to the words in the Word of God in Matthew chapter 15 Let me read those words to you. This is remember. This is the Word of God Matthew chapter 15 And listen to what our Lord himself said beginning in verse 18 of Matthew 15 listen but those things would proceed out of the mouth and Okay, what we say, what we say. But those things which proceed out of the mouth cometh forth from the heart. You see it, from the heart, from that, not the pumper, not the ticker, not that muscle itself, but the heart, that which makes us what we are by nature as we're born into this world. But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart, and they defile the man. For out of the heart proceed evil, just thoughts. Do you see it? Does that fit you? It fits me. It fits me. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, that's lying, blasphemy, that's lying on God. These are the things which defile a man, but to eat with unwashing hands defileth not a man. You see, our heart's desperately wicked. It doesn't seek God. It doesn't cry out truly for mercy from God until God first seeks us. Who must seek who first? Who must? Clearly the scripture is. I am grateful for the truth of free, unmerited, unearned, unsought mercy declared in our text. I mean, I'm just, I'm just tickled pink as we say. Why? Because look at it. But Esaias is very bold and saith, I was found that is God. The Lord Jesus Christ. I was found of them that sought me not. I was made manifest unto them that asked not after me. Oh, what a glory that is. Psalm 65 puts it this way. Listen to what the psalmist wrote in the 65th Psalm. This is astounding. Psalm 65. Listen to what it says. Verse four. Blessed, do you see that? Blessed is the man whom God chooses, you see it? Blessed is the man whom thou choosest and callseth, you see it? Callseth who seeks who first. Blessed is the man whom thou choosest, and calls us to approach unto thee, that he may dwell in thy courts. We shall be satisfied with the goodness of thy house, even of thy holy temple. And what did that house, that old holy temple, what did that point to? It was a picture of Jesus Christ. It typified him, it figured him. We're satisfied with who? Jesus Christ. Seek the Lord, yes, seek the Lord, but you can only seek him once he first seeks you. So Theseus was very bold. He said, I was found of them that sought me not. I was made manifest unto them that asked not after me. Oh, what a glory. As a matter of fact, The 110th Psalm puts it this way concerning Jesus Christ, the great high priest, the high priest after the order of Melchizedek, not after the old Levitical order of the law, but a high priest after the order of Melchizedek, without mother or father, without beginning of days or end of days, the Lord Jesus Christ. It is said of this, of the Lord Jesus Christ, thy people shall be willing, and willing they must be. Willing to every every person who seeks the Lord must do so willingly Every person who ever calls upon the Lord must do so willingly, but we do not do that of ourselves. We cannot Our hearts are corrupt It's shot full of hail Hmm But when God works When God works that work, thy people, Psalm 110 verse three and four, thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power. Who seeks who first? That's what I asked you. Who seeks who first? God does. And I want you to note this caveat. This caveat in God's grace and mercy is that this is up to God. Romans chapter 9 puts it this way. Look at it. 9 verse 25. As he saith also in Osea, or that is Hosea, I will call them my people which were not my people. And I will call her beloved, which was not beloved. And it shall come to pass that in the place where it was said unto them, ye are not my people, there shall they be called the children of the living God. Esaias also crieth concerning Israel, though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea. A remnant, a small scrap, just a few. A remnant shall be saved for God, for he will finish the work and cut it short in righteousness, because a short work will the Lord make upon the earth. That's what the book says. And Isaiah said before, except the Lord of Sabaoth had left us a seed, that is, Israel had left us a seed, that remnant, that small group. We had been as Sodom and been like unto Gomorrah. What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, which followed not after righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith. But Israel, which followed not, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to even the law of righteousness. Do you see it? Wherefore, because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law, for they stumbled at the stumbling stone. They stumbled at what? Christ. Christ is the answer to this all. Christ has to start the work, he has to continue the work, and he has to finish the work. Who seeks who first? As it is written, behold, I lay in Zion a stumbling stone and a rock of a fence, and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. God does as he pleases. God does as he pleases. And I'm glad because he says, even Isaiah was very bold. I was found of them that sought me not. I wasn't looking for him. I wasn't looking for him. I was found of them that sought me not. I was made manifest unto them. I wasn't asking after him. Oh, I was religious. I'd walk the aisle, prayed the prayers, been dunked in water. I've been all of that stuff. I was made manifest of them that asked not after me, after Christ, after Christ. Let me give you three things. One, God can take an old immoral Gentile wretch. You hear what I just said? God can take an old immoral Gentile wretch and call him by the gospel of Jesus Christ. And then he can leave a Pharisee, a very religious, moral, moral, Pharisaical Gentile, where he is. Where he is. Leave him right there, religious and moral. Lost. Lost. But he can take that old immoral Gentile wretch and give him a heart through grace and mercy, call him out by his mercy and grace and power, and cause him by the Spirit of God to hear the gospel of Jesus Christ, it transforms that man into a seeker, into a caller. Who seeks who first? Who seeks who first? Again, God can take an old immoral Gentile wretch and call him by the gospel of Christ, and he can leave old religious, moral, Pharisaical, Gentile, just right there where he is. Just religious but lost, but you know, take that old wretch, save him. Here's another thought. God can take a zealous, devoted, Orthodox Jew. You hear me? God can take a zealous, Devoted Orthodox Jew. Just devoted to his religion. Devoted to the law. And he'd just leave him right there. Just leave him right there. Let him have his devotion, let him have his zeal, let him have his religion, let him have his law, just leave him right there. Lost. Lost. And at the same time, take an old collaborating Jewish publican. An old Jew that was collecting taxes for the Roman government. A turncoat, as we would say, a collaborator. Huh? That's right. I said, God could take a zealous, devoted Orthodox Jew, devout to his religion, to the law, and just leave him right there, lost. And at the same time, take an old collaborating Jewish publican and break his heart over his sin where he cries out for mercy. Listen to what our Lord said in Luke chapter 18. Listen to verse nine. This is the Lord Jesus Christ words recorded by Dr. Luke. Verse nine, Luke 18, and he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous and despised others. Two men, here's the parable, two men went up into the temple to pray. The one a Pharisee, that's that very devoted, religious, legalistic man, moral man, listen to it. Two men went up into the temple to pray, the one a Pharisee. and the other a publican that collected taxes from his own people, from the Jews, to give to Rome, a collaborator. Look, the Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, you see, thus with himself, God, I thank thee that I'm not as other men are. extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even this publican. He even pointed out that old sinner, that old sinner, he said. Or this publican, even this publican. I fast twice in a week. I give tithes of all that I possess. And the publican, there's him. And the publican standing far off. Evidently, this old Pharisee just come right up to the front, as we say. And the publican standing far off. He was way back there somewhere, way off there to the side somewhere. And the publican standing afar off, look, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God, smote. Why did he smite on his breast? I just figured because that's where he felt the guilt. And that's where he felt all the sin, what he was, and the sins, what he did. And he smote upon his breast. He wouldn't even look up to heaven. He just smote on his breast, saying, God, be merciful. You see it? That word actually could be translated, propitiate me. Let the blood be in my stead. God, be merciful to me, a sinner. Now listen to the Lord's words. Listen to the last of this parable. I tell you that this man, that is that old publican, I tell you that this man went down to his house justified. You see that? Justified rather than the other. For every one that exalteth himself shall be abased and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted. What a glorious thing. What a glorious thing. Again, I tell you. God can take an old immoral Gentile wretch and call him by his grace, and leave another religious, Pharisaical, moral Gentile, good old Baptist, or Presbyterian, or Church of Christ, or Church of God, whatever he is. He's just a moral, religious individual, Bible reader. Just leave him right there lost where he is and take that old Gentile wretch and call him by his grace. And God could take a zealous, devoted Orthodox Jew, devoted to his religion, devoted to the law, and just leave him right there, lost, bragging on himself. And here's an old collaborating Jewish public, and God breaks his heart over sin, and he cries out for mercy. That different heart and that different cry came from God freely. freely why because according to Psalm or Proverbs chapter 16 verse 1 the preparations in the heart and The answer of the tongue. That's what we're talking about Remember I told you men ought to seek the Lord men ought to cry out for mercy, but Proverbs is clear Solomon knew this God's people know this Proverbs 16 1 the prefer preparations of the heart in man and the answer of the tongue is from the Lord It's from the Lord Who seeks who first? Here's a third thought. God can take and leave that Pharisee. Just mention. just like he is, and his self-righteousness is his pride. And then God can take another Pharisee named Saul of Tarsus and break his heart and bring him to submit to Jesus Christ and Jesus Christ only, where he said in Philippians chapter three, that I might be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Jesus Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith. He could take a Pharisee and leave him, or take a Pharisee and call him by a grace. Who seeks who first? Saul of Tarsus was not seeking Jesus of Nazareth. He was seeking to wipe his name from off the face of the earth. Who seeks who first? Paul called it being arrested by Jesus Christ. Go on and read it sometime. Arrested, arrested by Jesus Christ, Philippians chapter three, verses 10 through 21. Men, yes, men may seek religion. Men may seek morality, and they do, all the time, they walk. countless church aisles and pray prayers. They repeat countless catechisms over and over. They go into countless sprinklings or immersions and they go through all these. They pray prayers and they read their Bible and they sing their songs and they attend services. All of these things that are just right there, they're not truly seeking Jesus Christ and his righteousness. They're looking for their own. They're looking for their own. Men may seek religion, morality. They certainly love their self-righteousness. I did. I did. And my flesh still loves it. I have to constantly be beating it at it, and beating at it, and beating at it. Yeah. Men may seek religion. They may seek morality. They may seek self-righteousness. But they will not seek mercy from God in Jesus Christ until God Almighty intervenes. God must seek the sinner first, first. And when God does it, there's something amazing about it. Listen, Romans 8, 28, and we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to his purpose, for whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate. And remember, it wasn't he foreknew some good in us. He looked down from heaven. None were doing good. Huh? For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate, to be conformed to the image of his son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover, whom he did predestinate, them he also called, and whom he called, them he also justified, and them he also justified, he glorified. Who seeks who first? Who seeks who first? Clear, Isaiah's bold. He said, I was found of them that sought me not. I was made manifest unto them that ask not after me. Amen.