If you'd like to follow along
I'm going to be in Psalm 37 the 37th song And I'm going to begin
reading in verse 37 of Psalms 37 Mark the perfect man and behold
the upright For the end of that man is peace But the transgressors
shall be destroyed together. The end of the wicked shall be
cut off. But the salvation of the righteous
is of the Lord. He is their strength in the time
of trouble. And the Lord shall help them
and deliver them. He shall deliver them from the
wicked and save them because they trust in him." We have a greater salvation than
we know. That's not God's fault. That's
our fault. He's given to us in writing.
He came down in the person of his son and spoke it to us. And they still didn't get it.
You understand? Let people see Jesus in you.
They didn't see Jesus in Jesus. Well, they didn't see God in
Jesus. Is this not the carpenter son?
No, he's not the carpenter son. He was the son of Mary, but he
was God's holy son. But our feeble thoughts are just
that feeble and our limited mental capability is just that limited. because our mind is so lacking
in concentration that we cannot comprehend the totality or the
cost of the salvation that he has given to us. John Newton
said this, and I really like this. May we sit at the foot
of the cross and there learn what sin has done, what justice
has done, and what love has done. That's good. Because God has
wrought, worked, performed a perfect salvation for a fallen race by
his perfect son. And that's my title today. From
the first part of verse 37, mark the perfect man. Now I'll say this, no, it's not
a guy named Mark who's the perfect man, it's Mark the perfect man. What's that mean? Take heed to
this man. This man, singular, we're in
the singular here. Attend to this man. Behold this man, he's gonna say
in a minute, but here's the crux of it. Pay attention to this
perfect man. You wanna know why? There's only
one. There's only one. There's only
one. Folks, there's only one perfect man, and that is the
man, Christ Jesus. I still remember when Earl said
that years, years, decades ago now. I never thought of it before. There's a man sitting at the
right hand of the majesty on high. He's still got nail prints
in his palm and a hole in his side. I think one day those are
gonna be closed up, but that's just speculation. And it doesn't
matter anyway, because it doesn't seem to be bothering him. This
man, this perfect man, this is the only man because this perfect
man is the anointed one, the Christ of God, the Messiah. And in Isaiah, he's called the
Lord of hosts is his name. But our redeemer, our redeemer,
the most holy, the holy one of Israel, the redeemer from all
sin, pay attention. What do I mean by that? Heed
his words. Heed his words. You understand,
he came down and spoke to us and we have it recorded for our
nurture and our admonition. Oh yeah, yeah. For reproof and
rebuke. You know why? We need it all.
We need it all. We need to be built up and tore
down at the same time. And you understand, he can do
it. You know why? Mark the perfect man. The perfect
man. Who knows exactly what to say
and when to say it? Not me. He does. He does. And he does. As a matter
of fact, he can guide you right to the scripture you need to
see. When you need to see it. Oh, I like that, I tell ya. It's
good to believe and to try and serve a sovereign God. I like it, I like it. I was listening
on the way up here. He's prophet, he's priest, and
he's king. Now to my knowledge, nobody's
ever been all three before. Now David was a prophet and a
king, but he wasn't a priest. No, the only one that comes close
and that's throwing a little confusion into it is Melchizedek.
Because he was a priest of the Most High God. He was the king
of Salem. And you don't really say that
he was a prophet, but since he was a pre-incarnate Christ, I
believe, I don't think I'd be a problem with it. But here it
is, this, the perfect man, is our prophet, with a capital P,
the one that Moses spoke of, saying there's gonna be a prophet
who's gonna come like me. But to him, all the nations are
gonna bow. Oh, and they're gonna bow. Some
of us are bowing now. That's much better than bowing
later. Oh. He's our prophet. He's the high
priest, the high priest to God. What? He offered himself, his
sacrifice and offering to the Father. A perfect offering from
the perfect man. A perfect sacrifice of the perfect
Lamb of God, offered perfectly to perfection itself in the Holy
of Holies, the one not made with hands, not of this earth, but
above. And right now, he ever liveth
to make intercession for us. And you know how he does that?
Perfectly. He does it perfectly. But pay
attention to his words. I wanted to do these. Because
there's a statement that one of the people who actually met
our Lord Jesus Christ or heard our Lord Jesus Christ said this,
never a man spake like this man. Oh, mark the perfect man, pay
attention. Here's some of the things he
said, I wrote down a bunch of them. Matthew 5, 18, for verily,
I say unto you, I say unto you, till heaven and earth pass, one
jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law till all
be fulfilled. The law hasn't gone anywhere.
Not yet. There's gonna come a time when
there's gonna be no need for the law. And by the flesh, by
the law shall no flesh be justified. That's what the scripture says.
And I'm going to say something just a little bit different.
Okay. By the law is no flesh converted. Right. By the law, no flesh is
preserved. Right. That's all I'm going to
say about that. Matthew five and verse 20 says,
for I say unto you, these are all the words of Christ, that
except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the
scribes and the Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the
kingdom of heaven. Now I can just bet you my last
bottom dollar, that scared a lot of people when he said it. And
I'll tell you this, that might have scared a lot of scribes
and Pharisees. But here it is, this is the truth. Mark the perfect
man, pay attention to him. Matthew 5, 39, but I say unto
you that ye resist not evil, but whosoever shall smite thee
on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. Whatever happened
to an eye for an eye? Matthew 5 and verse 44, a lot
of these were from the Sermon on the Mount, as they call it.
But I say unto you, love your enemies. Love your enemies. Bless them that curse you. Do
good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully
use you. Oh. And persecute you. You understand why? You need
to pity the unbelievers. They don't know what you know. More importantly, they don't
know who you know. They really don't. And they don't
get it at all, because if they did, they wouldn't be persecuting
you. This is the whole thing. Luke 13 and 24 says, strive to
enter in at the straight gate. For many, I say unto you. Don't worry about my words, this
is Christ's words. Strive to enter into the straight gate.
Strive. For many, I say unto you, will
seek to enter in, and here it is, shall not be able. That's what he said. And you
understand this? He said what he meant, and he
meant what he said. There are people who are not
able to enter the straight gate. Now you can either deal with
it or not. Most people choose to ignore it. Most preachers
choose not to quote it, but this is what the words of Jesus Christ
marked the perfect man. Pay attention to what he said.
Uh, see, oh, Luke 15, 10. I like this one. Likewise, I
say unto you, this is one of the good ones. There is joy in
the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repented. Isn't that good? That is really good. That is
so much better than when you hear a bell ring and an angel
gets its wings. That's what Hollywood comes up with, folks, from 100
years ago or whenever it was. And I watched that movie. I can't
help it. I like that movie. I like Jimmy
Stewart. But here's the truth, there's joy in the presence of
the angels of God over one sinner, one sinner that repented. Oh
my, I like that, I do. John five and verse 19 says,
then answered Jesus and said unto them, verily, verily, he
said that a lot, truly, truly, pay attention to what I'm telling
you. I say unto you, the son can do nothing of himself but
what he seeth the father do. For whatsoever, for what thing
soever he doeth, these also doeth the son likewise. There's no discrepancy between
the father and the son. And there never has been. John
five and verse 24. Verily, verily, it says again,
I say unto you, he that heareth my word and believeth on him
that sent me hath everlasting life. Past tense. And shall not come into condemnation,
but is past, but from death unto life. That's another good one. One more. John five and verse
25. This is what I quote occasionally
and read and I really do love. John five and verse 25. Verily,
verily, I say unto you, the hour is coming and now is when the
dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God and they that
hear shall live. You want me to add something
on the end of that? And the angels are joyful in
heaven. Yeah, because the one that hears his voice lives and
the one that he makes live is gonna repent. He's gonna make
sure they repent. Mark this man, pay attention
to him and his words because this perfect man speaks only
the truth. Nothing but the truth. Then it says this, mark the perfect
man and behold, The upright, the upright. I preached on this
last month or whatever. But what that means to behold
is to see, to consider, wait a minute, to look upon with respect. Oh, respect. This is just not
a casual, oh yeah, there he is. No, no, no. Behold the upright. Behold the upright. I preach
from it. Psalms 92 and verse 15, to show
that the Lord is upright. He is my rock and there is no
unrighteousness in him. And I said that was Christ then.
And I'm here to tell you right now, that word upright, where
it says behold the upright and the Lord is upright, that's the
exact same word. The exact same Hebrew word. You know why? Because it's talking
about the same person. Mark the perfect man, behold
the upright. This is the Lord Jesus Christ
and no one else. Behold the upright because only
the Lord is upright. There's no darkness in him. Not
even a shadow of turning. I love that part. There's not
even a hint. There's not even a smidgen. No. You understand, God knows one
way. Well, God is the way, but he only knows one way, straight
ahead. You understand, mark the perfect man. You know why? He
don't have to make corrections. My way may go whichever, however
it goes. I'm not gonna go into that. But
here's the thing, his way is straight as an arrow. As Earl
used to say, gun barrel straight. Cause that's the way he goes.
He is upright, fully vertical. The perfect man is the Lord from
heaven. He is the son that was to be
given and behold, he is upright. Upright. What? There is no sin
in him. None whatsoever. None. No son in him. Now he did suffer. The just, the just, what? The upright for the unjust. Oh, yes, he did. He bore it in
his own body on the tree, but he's bearing it no more. You
understand? A Heyman told a story, I was
listening to it on the way up here. This fella he knew in Kentucky
that was another preacher, and he retired, he was getting old,
and he retired after 10 years of pastoring this one church.
And he moved to Ashland, and him and Henry were talking. He
says, you know what they gave him? He said, you know what they
gave me? I pastored these people for 10
years and tried to preach the gospel to them, and I think I
did a little bit. He said, but you know what they gave me as
a going away present? They gave him a nine pound, bronze
crucifix. And Henry said, they did not.
He said, yes, they did. Now, he didn't go into what the
guy did with it, OK? But I'm thinking maybe the recycling
center might have got something that day. I don't know. But here's
the thing. You understand. And Henry said,
I agree wholeheartedly. You'll never see a manger scene
at this chapel. And you'll never see a crucifix
on the wall. because I personally will take it down if somebody
puts one up. That's a warning and a promise
at the same time. I've been through all that Catholic
stuff. I'm not doing it no more because here it is. Yes, he was
in a manger. He was upright. Yes, he was on
the cross and still upright. Oh, he had our sin in him. God
punished him for our sin, none of his own. None of his own. He who knew no sin took our sin. Was made to be sin for us. He didn't have the problem, we
did. But here's the thing, he's not
on that crucifix now. You understand, we bow to a living,
reigning king. The Lord God Jesus Christ. He is Yahweh Elohim. And that's who we bow to. Yes,
we are thankful for the cross. And yes, it is like what John
Newton wrote. We need to ponder it. What justice
and love has done for us in the person of Jesus Christ, but he's
not there anymore. I don't need a nine-pound bronze
Jesus. I really don't. Oh my. The Lord is upright. Behold this
upright, perfect man. There's no sin in him. He took
away our sin. He suffered and he is upright. He is upright. But behold the
man. The upright, perfect man, Jesus
Christ. There is no one like unto this
perfect man. Upright. Behold the Lamb of God. Look unto Him and be ye saved,
all the ends of the earth. What does it say then? Mark the
perfect man and behold the upright. Here it is. For the end of that
man is peace. Oh, I like that. I like that.
The end of this man, knowing, marking this man, beholding the
upright, the end of this, the end of him, this man is peace. You understand, didn't say the
end of this man is glory. Although it's glorious. He's
glorious. He's seated, I did it again.
He is seated at the right hand of the majesty on high. He is
glorious. He is the one by him everything
was made and it was made by him for him. And by him it all consists,
it's held together by his power. But the end of this man is peace.
You know why? That's what we need. That's what
we need. He is peace. We need his peace. Oh, I like that, I do. In this
perfect man, mark this perfect man, is peace. Peace, and here's the thing,
peace with God. Peace with God. I don't have to fight against
God anymore. I don't want to fight against
God anymore. I did at one time, but I just dumb and didn't know
what I was doing. I was a rebel against God without
knowing it, Walter. Yeah. I fought with him, Matt. Without knowing, there wasn't
a fight. Because if God fights against you, you're dead. You
understand? It's like that old thing with
the little kid. He'd put his hand out there, and you're just
swinging away and not hitting the thing. There's no fight with God. God
will either kill you or he won't. But here it is. But this is the
thing. For the end of that man is peace.
I want to point this out. Hebrews 11 verse 13 states this,
these all died in faith. Folks, that's peace. That's peace. But here's the thing. This is
what you got to do. Before you get to the peace,
you got to mark the perfect man, and you got to behold the upright. Because before these all died
in peace, what? These all lived in faith. By
faith, the righteous live. Yes, they died in faith, but
it's because, what? They heard the voice of the Son
of God, and they that hear shall live. These all lived in faith. What does it say? I remember
when you pointed this out, Walter. It's in the book of Hebrews. It's in chapter 11. I just kind
of noted them down. By faith, they did stuff. You
understand? By faith, they offered to God
a more excellent sacrifice. By faith, the ark was built.
By faith, some got up and got out. By faith, there was sojourning,
sacrifices, blessings. Countries and places were forsaken,
and countries and places were entered. By faith, the people
of God were delivered. By faith, a Gentile woman received
some spies against her own country, against her own city, by faith. By faith, kingdoms were subdued,
lion's mouth were stopped, fire was quenched. And by faith, some
dead were raised to life. Oh, I like that, yeah. Why, how? What's it say? because they trusted
him. By faith, some were burned to
death at the stake. By faith, they pleased God. And they died in faith. What? The end of this man is peace. And what's it say? Precious in
the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints. What does it say recorded in
Acts about Stephen when he was being stoned? He said, I see
the Son of God standing, not seated at the right hand of the
Father, but standing, paying attention to one of his children
coming home. Oh, I'll tell you. I'll give you another one here.
Matthew 8 and 11 says, and I say unto you, that many shall come
from the east and from the west and shall sit down with Abraham
and Isaac and Jacob, where? In the kingdom of heaven. He
was talking about Gentiles at that time. He was talking about
Gentiles. To a bunch of Jews, he mentioned
that. They're gonna come from everywhere.
It's not just Jerusalem, it's just not Judea, and it's not
even Israel. No, they're going to come from
everywhere. Oh, East and the West. Guess what, folks? That's
peace. That's peace. Oh, the end with
this man is peace. What more can you ask for? What? We are going to see him as he
is. Oh, I like that. But now, we'll go from the singular
to the plural. Behold the perfect man, behold
the upright, for the end of that man is peace. Then he says this,
but the transgressors shall be destroyed together. Plural. The end of the wicked shall be
cut off. And you know what? That's just
as true as behold the perfect man. Mark the perfect man. Pay attention to what the perfect
man says. And, but that's not all. Verse
39, but the salvation of the righteous is of the Lord. Oh, he is their strength, their
strength, plural, right? And the Lord shall help them
and deliver them. And I like this. He shall deliver
them from the wicked. So you got to be delivered and
then you're going to be delivered from the wicked. That's pretty
good. That's pretty good. And save
them. Why? Because they trust in him. That's what it says. Now, why
do they trust in him? Why? You understand, we're surrounded
by people who will not hear a word we say. They won't pay attention to a
sovereign God. They don't want a Jesus who saves. They certainly
don't want the Lord Jesus Christ who you better bow to and worship
in fear and trembling sometimes. Oh, as we go up to worship here,
sometimes in what? Big distress, deep distress. We look to God to calm our fears
and give our souls rest. Oh, I like that song too. But
here's the thing, he's our strength. Now, it does say he's their strength
in the time of trouble. But I'm gonna tell you something,
he's your strength all the time. You just notice it when you're
in trouble. Yes, we are that dumb. Yeah, he's our strength
all the time. Because we are without strength.
And when we were without strength, Christ died for the ungodly. Oh, I like that. But he is our
strength in the time of trouble. That's when we notice it. Oh, I like that. The Lord shall
help them. The Lord shall deliver them.
The Lord shall deliver them from the wicked. The Lord shall, and
this is what it means, save them. Just in case you weren't sure
what all that other part entails. The Lord shall save them. Why?
Because, because, because of his faith that he gives to them. Oh, you understand. They believe upon the Lord Jesus
Christ. They trusted in him. They attend
to him. They behold, he is upright and His people follow Him. What does it say? If ye continue,
if ye continue, if ye continue, in my word, then are ye my disciples
indeed. I'm gonna tell you something,
the end of that is peace. With this man, this perfect man.
Oh, two more things Jesus Christ said, I'm gonna quit. John 6
verse 37 says this, all that the Father giveth me shall come
to me, and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. You understand? If you're in
Christ, you're in Christ. And you ain't getting out. You're
not pulling yourself out, you're not falling out. Trust me, you're
gonna fall, but you're not gonna be utterly cast down. It says
that in this Psalm. What was it? The steps of a good
man are ordered by the Lord. He delighteth in his way. What,
verse 24. Though he fall, he shall not
be utterly cast down. Why? Because he'll get back up
and dust himself off and start all over again. No, that's a
song. What this is is the truth. For
the Lord upholdeth him with his hand. You understand? Him that the Father comes to
me. Oh, what? I will in no way cast out. You
know where you are? You're in His hand. He's not throwing you
away. I'm left-handed, sorry. He's
not throwing you away. You're in His hand. You're gonna
stay in His hand. Oh, I like that. The end thereof
is peace. John 6, 47 says this. Verily,
verily, I say unto you, he that believeth on me everlasting life. Now if you lose it, how everlasting
was it? It wasn't his life. If you lose
it, it wasn't his life. Because that's whose life he
gives us. We have no life of ourselves. The Holy Spirit of
God comes and dwells within each believer. Oh my. What? He shall help them and
deliver them and deliver them and save them. All those that
trust in him. Ah, I like that. Mark, the perfect
man. Behold, he is upright. What? For the end of this man
is peace. Peace. The peace of God and peace
with God. Our Heavenly Father, we're thankful
again for this time and this place. Lord, help us to rejoice
in this salvation you've given us. Help us to trust in you more
and more and trust your word that you've given to us. You
did not leave us alone. We have your words written. We
have your men who preach your gospel. Be with Paul and Walter
as they come to proclaim your word, your will, and your way
in this day and help us to take it to heart. Be with those that
are sick and afflicted. You know the needs, Lord, we
don't. We know some, but we don't know much. Help us, Lord, to
pray as we ought to pray and help us to walk as we ought to
walk. In Christ's name we pray, amen.