Wonderful time of worship. Wonderful
time. Open up your Bibles, if you would,
to 1 Timothy. 1 Timothy. The name of the message is, Without
Controversy. Without Controversy. Now in this
world of sinners, which we are, and we who are redeemed by the
Lord are but safe sinners. There's a lot of controversy
in this world, isn't there? There's a lot of controversy
in this world. Let's read verses 14 to 16 of 1 Timothy chapter
3. 1 Timothy chapter 3. 1 Timothy chapter 3. And note the
words here. Starting in verse 14, Paul is
writing to Timothy, a young gospel preacher. And he's dealing with
certain things in this book that are happening. He's dealing with controversy,
things that have popped up. Look what he writes here in verses
14 to 16. These things write I unto you,
or unto thee, hoping to come unto thee shortly. Paul desired
to be in the presence of Timothy to see him. He was a dearly beloved
brother. But if I tarry long, that thou
mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house
of God, which is the church of the living God. And we know the
church of God is not the building, it's the people. It's a called
out assembly, which is an ecclesia in the Greek. It means called
out, which is the church of the living God. We are God's blood
bought people. He's the head and we're the body.
God's people, his elect, are the church of the living God.
The one true God. The one true God. The pillar
and ground of the truth. Now look at this in verse 16.
And without controversy. There's no disputing this. There's no controversy. And without controversy. Great
is the mystery of godliness. God was manifest in the flesh
without controversy, justified in the spirit without controversy,
seen of the angels without controversy, preached unto the Gentiles without
controversy, believed on in the world and received up into glory. And you know where there's no
controversy? Amongst God's people. There's no controversy amongst
God's people. We believe these words, don't we? We trust our
great God. Webster's dictionary definition
of controversy is a discussion marked especially by the expression
of opposing views. Opposing views. It means to quarrel
or strife. Cambridge Dictionary defines
the word controversy as a disagreement, often a public one, that involves
different ideas or opinions about something. Also, controversy is defined
as a state of prolonged public dispute or debate, usually concerning
a matter of conflicting opinions or points of view. Here's some
examples of the word being used. There was a big controversy surrounding
or over the use of drugs in athletics. The policy has caused fierce
heated controversy ever since it was introduced. Just a couple
examples. Now as long as there are sinners,
there'll be controversy. As long as there are sinners,
there'll be controversy. And again, The believer is but
a saved sinner, aren't we? And we're born into this world,
sinners, dead to the spiritual things, dead to the things of
God. And we who are born again, we're once dead to the knowledge
of the one true God, weren't we? And man, I always want to give
their opinion on things. I always find when I'm talking
to people about Christ, they always want to give me their
opinion on what they think the scripture says. But it never is based upon scripture.
It's always based upon their opinion. Give me the word of
God, I always tell them. Show me in the word of God. Show
me what the scriptures say, and I'll bow to that, and I'll believe
it. But always, it's one's opinion about what they think the scriptures
say. Now, what does the scripture
say? Charlie and Denise said oftentimes, we like it because
you just preach what the word of God says. That's what gospel preachers
do. We just preach what the word says. And we believe it. We believe
it. And there's no controversy to
us. None. Every sent gospel preacher has
the same message. Now, our personalities may be
different when we preach, and that comes through. But the message
is always the same, beloved. Salvation is of the Lord. Period. Period. No controversy. So man always wants to give their
opinion on things. And this was true in the days
of Paul when he's writing this epistle to Timothy. And it's
true in our day as we know there's nothing new under the sun, don't
we? Nothing's changed. We're dealing with the same things
that Paul dealt with and that Timothy dealt with. Same things,
nothing new under the sun. Let's turn to chapter one of
this book here. Look at this in verse three to 11. Now Paul's
dealing with lawmongers. Paul's dealing with lawmongers. And he's writing to Timothy,
he's gonna tell them, tell Timothy. Again, this is a controversy
that has popped up. People are saying you have to
do this and that to be saved along with Christ. And that's
what always works. Works-based salvation always
adds something to the finished work of Christ. And it's always
something that you gotta do. Always. Well, beloved, I preach
a complete, finished atoning work by Christ in him alone.
And there's nothing we add to it. Nothing. It's all done by him. I was talking
to someone last night on the phone. They called me and asked
me some questions about the scriptures. The fellow doesn't go to church
here, but he called and asked me some questions. He starts
talking about, well, believers are going to be judged at this
time. I said, you know what Romans 8.1 says? There is therefore
now no condemnation. And I said, you look in the Greek.
I knew he had a straw. I said, take a look in the Greek.
And he goes, well, what's it say? I said, no judgment. And
he says, well, what are you talking about? We're going to be judged
for what we do after the Lord. I said, I'm never going to be
judged, never. My sins were bought and paid
for in full at Calvary's cross. And if you're a believer, so
were yours. And I told him, I said, what do I say? Hallelujah. Glory
to his name. Salvation's not dependent upon
anything I've done. It's all dependent upon him.
Praise be to God. And what mercy, as Paul wrote,
I have obtained. And you too, if you're a believer,
we have obtained mercy. It's the goodness of God that
leads us to repentance, beloved. Oh my gosh, what mercy. And all
who come to Christ receive that mercy, don't they? Oh my. It's wonderful. All who, as Brother
John said, has been showing their desperate need for Christ. And
that's what happened to us. That's what happened to we who
believe. Oh, it's marvelous. And so Paul's dealing here with
people who would add works to the finished work of Christ.
Look at verses 3 to 11. And I besought thee to abide
still at Ephesus, when I went into Macedonia, that thou mayest
charge some that they teach no other doctrine. Neither give
heed to fables and endless genealogies, which minister questions, rather
than godly edifying, which is in faith, so do. Now the end
of the commandment is chariot. out of a pure heart, and out
of a good conscience, and out of faith unframed, from which
some, having swerved, have turned aside into vain jangling, desiring
to be teachers of the law, understanding neither what they say nor whereof
they affirm. But we know that the law is good
if a man use it lawfully. It brings the sinner to Christ.
It shows our desperate need for Christ. It brings us to an end
of ourselves, beloved, because we see that we could never fulfill
God's law, not one of them. And we've seen that we've broken
them billions of times in our times. My. Knowing this, that the law is
not made for righteous men, look at that, but for the lawless
and disobedient. for the ungodly and for sinners,
for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers,
for manslayers, for whoremongers, for them that defile themselves
with mankind, for man-stealers, for liars, for perjured persons,
and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine,
according to the glorious gospel of the blessed God which was
committed to my trust." Now look at that, knowing that this law
is not made for a righteous man, Christ came to fulfill the law.
He's a righteous man, isn't he? And what are we? We're made righteous
in Christ. And Christ is the end of the
law for righteousness for us. Hallelujah! What a blessing! So work mongers here had entered
into the church, and they were not teaching sound doctrine.
And sound doctrine centers all around Christ. Centers all around
Christ. Don't ever be afraid of doctrine.
Nothing wrong with doctrine. True doctrine centers around
Christ. It's all about Him. It's all about Him. And we see
in verse 10 again that false teachers were teaching things
contrary to sound doctrine. It was causing controversy in
the church. And then look in chapter, look
at 1st Timothy chapter 4 verse 2. Or actually 2nd, I think it's
2nd Timothy. I'm sorry, I put 1st Timothy
there. It's 2nd Timothy. 2nd Timothy chapter 4 verse 2. Look at the charge here that
Paul brings Timothy. Remember, Timothy's very, he's
a beloved brother to Paul. Look at this exhortation. Preach
the word. Preach the word. Just preach
the gospel. Preach the gospel. It's without
controversy. And you know what it does, too? I'm gonna get into
this later. It settles controversies. It does. Preach the word. That's
his charge to Timothy. Preach the word. Be instant in
season and out of season. Like Brother Donny Bell says,
when you're ready to preach, well, you're never really ready
to preach because you're always nervous as a preacher. But when
you feel like you've studied well and when you feel like you
haven't. When you feel like preaching
the gospel and when your body is, you're tired and wore out,
in season and out of season. all the time. Always be ready
to give an answer for the hope that is within you. And that's
for every believer. But here's a charge to young
Timothy as a preacher. Preach the word, be instant,
in season out of season, reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long-suffering
and doctrine. For the time will come when they
will not endure sound doctrine. They're not endure it. But what
are they? But after their own lust, they shall heap to themselves.
Teachers have an itch in ears, and they shall turn away their
ears from the truth, and shall be turned into fables. They're
not endure sound doctrines. Now that was going on during
Paul's time, and that's even going on now, isn't it? Nothing new under the sun, beloved.
Nothing new under the sun. We seem to have a huge rise,
though, in works-based religion in our day, don't we? A huge
rise. Now, we saw in chapter 1 there,
Paul asserted that the proper sound doctrine is paramount in
the church of God. Now, that in itself, the true
gospel, is a source of controversy. Not for God's people, though. Not for God's people, but for
religious folks and for folks who do not know Christ. It's
a point of controversy, but not for God's born-again blood-washed
people. The gospel is not controversy to us. It's the power of God
unto salvation. It's the power of God unto salvation.
Now all through the ages, the truth of salvation in and through
Christ alone has been a source of controversy both to natural
man and to the religious man. Natural man and religion man,
why? Because it offends their pride. I know. I was there. It offends their pride. It offends
their pride. It exposes the refuge of lies
that they're trusting in. That's what it does. True preaching
of the gospel exposes the refuge of lies that the natural man
or the religious man who's still dead in their sins, both of them,
it exposes the refuge of lies that they're trusting in. Either
their own self-righteousness, or that's what it boils down
for both. But either they're trusting in
themselves or they're trusting in something they do. Now when you mention doctrine
a lot, people think of what is called high theology and These
things become a source of debate or a thing that espouses a lot
of questions. Usually it ends in controversy.
One side going into one corner and the other side going into
the other corner and nothing ever gets solved. I used to watch
a Facebook group where they called it a debate group. I just don't
even look at it anymore. Just a waste of time. People
debating over the stupidest things. You talk about controversy. Just
tearing each other to shreds. It's crazy. What does Paul preach
the gospel? I concern myself with preaching
Christ rather than all that other stuff. Oh my. And you know what happens when
they're all doing that, when they're feeding on each other like that? No one has their eyes on Christ. Oh, not one of them is looking
at Christ. They're trying to prove out that they're right.
Oh my. Oh my. Preach the word, in season
and out of season. My. Some even question the hypostatic
union, which simply, a hypostatic union is Christ the Godman. It's a theological term, meaning
Christ is both God and man. Brother Matt and I read a book,
real good book on that. Jesus is both God and man. Really
good. Spoke about that. There was no
controversy when we were reading that. It's wonderful. You're
rejoicing. He's the God-man. But some people even make that
a controversy. Oh my. And look at this in verse 16.
In 1 Timothy 3, verse 16. Look at this. And without controversy.
Great is the mystery of godliness. This is without controversy.
God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the spirit, seen
of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the
world, and received up the glory. So the fact that Christ was God
in the flesh is plainly and clearly brought forth here in our text.
Plainly and clearly brought forth. It's a great mystery for us.
We who are finite cannot understand the infinite, can we? No. We can't even wrap our mind around
who God really is. And a little bit we know, we're
just in awe. You saved me? It's incredible. So the fact
that God was incarnated in the flesh is very clearly bought
forth here. And again, there's no controversy
over this precious truth, is there? There's none. Is there any controversy to the
true church of God that Christ is the sinless lamb of God, spotless? That in his life and in his death
he was absolutely sinless? No, there's no controversy. No,
we believe it. We believe it. We just trust
it. We just trust it. My, it's wonderful. It's absolutely wonderful. Turn,
if you would, to Luke chapter 1. Luke chapter 1. Luke chapter 1. Luke chapter 1, verses 1 to 4. Look what Luke
writes. For as much as many have taken
in hand to set forth in order a declaration of those things
which are most surely believed among us, even as they delivered
them unto us from the beginning, were eyewitnesses and ministers
of the word. It seemed good to me also having
had perfect understanding of all things from the very first
to write unto thee in order most excellent Theopolis, that thou
mayest know the certainty of these things wherein thou hast
been instructed. The certainty. There's no controversy. There's no controversy about
these things. None at all. Let's go back to
our text there. There's no controversy. None. God was manifest in the flesh.
justified in the spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the
Gentiles, believed on in the world, and received up into glory. Let's go back to 2 Timothy again. Keep your finger there on chapter
three, though, we'll be going back. I'll try to not have us
turn so much. But look at this, 2 Timothy,
chapter four. Let's read that again, verses
2 to 4. Preach the word. Again, that's
Timothy's charge. Preach the word. That's a charge
to every gospel preacher. Preach the word. Preach the word. Be instant in season, out of
season, reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.
For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine.
But after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers,
having itching ears. And they shall turn away from
their ears from the truth and shall be turned into fables.
Now the scripture here declares, they shall heap to themselves
teachers having itching ears. Like the Athenians of old, always desirous of new things. always desirous of new things,
having their ears tickled, scratched with smooth things that are pleasing to the flesh
or to the power of man's supposed free will, being tickled. or the supposed
excellence of their righteousness, their own righteousness, which
is really filthy rags in the eyes of the Lord. But they don't
want to hear that. They want to hear they're good
people. No, they're not. There's none good, no, not one.
There's none righteous, there's none that understands. They like
to be told by these false teachers that they can gain merit before
God by their works. Now this should cause God's preachers,
and it does, and God's people to desire that the gospel be
trumpeted, right? Be trumpeted and go forth in
power by God's, the Holy Spirit. Because there's no controversy
amongst God's people about the truths that are set forth in
our text. None at all. No controversy in the truths
that are set forth in the proclamation of the gospel. No. No controversy. We boldly proclaim that there
is no merit in man. Not one. Not one drop. Not one
drop of merit in man before God by any of our works. Not one.
There is absolutely nothing we can do. Nothing. that we can do that will gain
us merit and favor with God by our own works. And we proclaim
that a man or a woman are unable to save themselves, unable to
pay for even one sin. And we proclaim that there is
none good, no not one, none who understand the things of God,
none who seek God in their natural state. And we proclaim boldly
salvation in and through Christ alone, nowhere else. But in Christ,
by His sacrifice, beloved, He has obtained for His people eternal
salvation. Praise be to God. Praise be to
God. And again, they are clothed in
His perfect, spotless righteousness. Enabling us to stand in the presence
of the King. Sinners saved by the grace of
God in Christ. And we proclaim that salvation
is of the Lord, period. There's nothing else. And we see in Timothy the prophecy
fulfilled by Isaiah. Therefore the Lord himself
shall give you a sign. Behold, a virgin shall conceive
and bear a son and shall call his name Immanuel. Which means
God with us. And our text says, that God was
manifest in the flesh. Wonder of wonders, beloved. God incarnate in the flesh. Turn, if you would, to Matthew
chapter 1. Matthew chapter 1. Matthew chapter 1. verses 20
to 23. Well, he thought on these things,
behold the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream,
saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not. What wonderful words,
those two little words, fear not. Fear not to take unto thee
Mary thy wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the
Holy Ghost, and she shall bring forth a son, And thou shalt call
His name Jesus, for He shall save His people from their sins. Now all this was done, that it
might be fulfilled, which was spoken to the Lord by the prophet,
saying, Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring
forth a son, and they shall call His name Emmanuel, which being
interpreted as God with us, God with us. Now Paul, as I said before, has been dealing with
some issues in which people will cause controversy, as he warned
Timothy that those who would add to the gospel in chapter
1, he's warning them about law mongers. In chapter 2, he's dealing with
more sources of controversy. As Paul exhorts believers that
we should pray for those who rule over us. We should pray
for those who rule over us, those who would be given authority
over us. We're to lift them up in prayer, beloved. Whether we
agree with them or not, we're to lift them up in prayer. We're
to lift them up in prayer. Also in chapter 2, we find another
source of contrary to the place and behavior of a woman in the
church. And then Paul has been dealing
with some of the controversies which have come Timothy's way
in chapter 3. And he deals with the character
and rule of preachers and deacons. Sometimes Baptist churches have
given deacons authority that the Bible does not give them,
as they were in biblical times appointed to serve in the church.
Some may think that this is meager servitude, but it's not. It's
not at all. It's not at all, but the qualifications
for it assure us that before God it's no small matter at all. Look at verses 8 to 13 in 1 Timothy
chapter 3. It's no small matter to God. It's an honor. 1 Timothy 3 verses 8 to 13. Likewise
must the deacons be grave, not double-tongued, not given to
much wine, not greedy of filthy liquor, having the mystery of
the faith in a pure conscience. And let these also first be proved. Then let them use the office
of a deacon, being found blameless. Even so must their wives be grave,
not slanderous, sober, faithful in all things. Let the deacons
be the husband of one wife, ruling their children in their own house
as well. For they that have used the office
of deacon well purchased to themselves a good degree and a great boldness
in the faith which is in Christ Jesus. Beloved, I'm thankful
for the men who serve as deacons here. They're faithful men. They
serve the Lord. They serve the Lord. They serve
the Lord in the giftings that he's given them. And it's wonderful. And they're a great help to me.
Every deacon is a great help to the pastor. I was talking
to Brother Bill Pennington down there in 13th Street, and he
does all the handiwork in the church. And I was telling him
how Brother Chet does our handiwork, and some of the other men do
things around the church, too. And I said, what a blessing it
is. What a blessing it is. I get
to focus on studying. And it's wonderful. And I told
him, I said, you know, Jim is probably very thankful for you.
And it's true. And remember, we're all one body. We're all together for the gospel
going forth, beloved. And it's absolutely wonderful.
Absolutely wonderful. So Paul brings forth that amidst
this controversy that can arise in the church, which he's been
speaking of in the first chapter, the second chapter, and now the
third. That amidst all this controversy that can arise even in a church,
there's unity about Christ. There's unity about Christ. There's
unity about who he is. There's unity about what he came
to do. And there's unity about where
he is right now. Right now. And there's no controversy.
No controversy at all, is there? Amongst God's people. When it
comes to this. Look at verse 16 again, and without
controversy, great is the mystery of godliness. God was manifest
in the flesh, justified in the spirit, seen of angels, preached
unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world. So Paul again is
bringing forth in verse 16 that this is the only thing that is
not controversial among God's people. No controversy when it comes
to the gospel. None at all. But we know it's a source of
controversy to the world, isn't it? Oh, we know. Now, why are the things mentioned
in verse 16 without controversy among God's people? Well, because
they come from God. They come from God. They are
God's Word. His words. Paul penned these
words by inspiration of the Holy Spirit of God. He's the true
author. He's the true author of these words. And what are they to the believer?
They're truth and life, aren't they? This scripture's truth
and life to us, beloved. Tells us all about our Savior.
And you know who the author of this book is? The Holy Spirit
of God. Oh, it's wonderful. It's wonderful. So Paul is bringing
before Timothy who will bring it before the
saints he's called to preach Christ to, the one singular thing
that will meet and answer every possible controversy that might
arise concerning things within the church, and it's look to
Christ and Christ alone. Look to him. These things will
not cause controversy among God's people. Look at verse 15. But if I tarry
long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself
in the house of God, which is the church of the living God,
the pillar and ground of the truth. Our beloved brother Paul,
he's writing to Timothy, he sings to Timothy, that he might know
how to behave himself in the church of the living God, the
pillar and ground of the truth. Timothy as a pastor has a singular
duty. He has a singular duty. When
faced with any and every controversial thing, He's to behave in a certain
manner, and manifest in a certain way, and He's to do what He's
been called to do. He's to do what He's been called
to do. Settle the controversy with that which is without controversy. Christ in Him crucified. Christ and Him crucified. Most
controversies that occur in a church usually are never about the gospel.
Usually it's never about the gospel. Look at this in verse 16 again.
And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness.
God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the spirit, seen
of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the
world, and received up the glory. Again, Paul points young Timothy
to that which is without controversy. Again, the answer to every issue
that might arise, indeed the answer to life, is the declaration
of Christ. Who he is, why he came, and where
he is right now. He's in glory, ruling and reigning
right now. There's so much truth packed
into this verse here, which we're looking at. So much truth that
a man or a woman could spend all their days in diligent study
of this verse, in consideration and meditation on this verse,
and there be but touching the hem of the garment, beloved.
There's so much in this verse, look at this. And without controversy,
great is the mystery of godliness. God was manifest in the flesh. That's enough right there to
spend a lifetime studying. God was manifest in the flesh,
justified in the spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the
Gentiles, believed on in the world, and then received up the
glory. And think of this, Paul, he suffered
the loss of all things, didn't he? He had a high position, beloved. He was the Pharisee of Pharisees. Some commentators even think
he may have been in line to be the next high priest. We don't
know that. But he was definitely a high-ranking Pharisee. And
he had fame. He had wealth. Notoriety. People knew Paul. Well, there goes Saul. They knew
who he was. He's one of the who's who in
Israel at that time. And he says, yea, doubtless I
count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge
of Christ Jesus my Lord for whom I have suffered the loss of all
things and do but count them but done that I may win Christ
and be found in him and be found in him. Not having mine own righteousness,
no, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith
of Christ the righteous, which is of God by faith, that I may
know Him, and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship
of His sufferings, being made conformable unto His death, if
by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.
Philippians chapter 3 verses 8 to 11. See Paul's desire. even after he saved us to know
Christ more. Not that he could boast in anything
of himself, because he said, everything I counted precious,
I count but none for Christ. Worthless. My. And look what Paul pens in our
verse here. Without controversy, great is the mystery of godliness.
God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the spirit, seen
of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the
world, and received of the glory. Now we're going to quickly look
at five precious truths that are proclaimed right here. Five
precious truths. The first truth that we see proclaimed
is God was manifest in the flesh. You could spend countless numbers
of years and not even be scratching the surface on this. God, the
incarnation beloved, is a great mystery. It's a great mystery. It's higher than the heavens
and deeper than the seas. It's wider than the universe.
And its depth can never be fully plumbed. Its depth can never
be fully plumbed. Look at our text. Look at this
text in awe and wonder. God was manifest in the flesh. God. was manifest in the flesh. Wonder of wonders. God, the Word
of God, the second person of the Trinity, has united with
flesh. And He was made flesh, and the Scripture says, and dwelt
among us. And remember, John was an eyewitness
and an eyewitness of Christ. Be in wonder at the humiliation
and the condescension here of deity, beloved. Deity is united with humanity.
Wonder, wonder of wonders, what a wondrous mystery this is. Christ
is fully God and fully man. Some may ask, how? How and why? Great is the mystery of Godliness. God was manifest in the flesh. God's people must be redeemed.
God cannot suffer. God cannot die. But man cannot
satisfy his laws. But the God-man can. The God-man can. The God-man can do and has done
both. He is the sinless, spotless sacrifice. God incarnate in the flesh. And
it is He who has died in the place of His people. The sinless,
spotless sacrifice. Why? To satisfy the law and justice
of God in our place. And He cried the words of a victorious
one. It is finished. And he gave up the ghost. So look with the eye of faith.
Look with the eye of faith. See our great king dying upon
the cross. And it's he who has suffered
in our place, beloved. The just one dying for the unjust. Why? To bring us unto God. What a Savior. What a Redeemer. Wonder of wonders, the King,
immortal, eternal, invisible, the only wise God to whom be
glory and honor forever and ever, the one mediator between God
and man, the man Christ Jesus. He has accomplished salvation.
He's accomplished salvation for his people. and He is God manifest
in the flesh and the believer says glory to His name. Glory to His name. Next we see
in our text that He was justified by the Spirit. And we have seen
in our studies in the past week that it was Christ and Christ
alone as a man who received the Spirit, the Holy Spirit of God
without measure. Without measure. Brother Tim
James brings forth about this portion as a man He did what
He did by the Spirit of God, by the Holy Spirit of God. Every
claim of the Old Testament and every claim that He made of Himself
was justified and ratified by the Holy Spirit of God." What
a Savior. We see next in our text that
He was seen of angels. He was seen of angels. Now imagine,
imagine the awe of the angels to see Him in the flesh. In Isaiah
we see, in Isaiah chapter 6, they're covering their faces,
crying, holy, holy, holy. Imagine, they're all in wonder. The Word of God is manifest in
flesh. Scene of angels. Imagine how they see Him in the flesh, they
see Him living a life A perfect life. They see His work. They
attend to Him in the wilderness and in the garden of Gethsemane.
And they announce that His birth, that His coming, and that His
resurrection. They announce, He's risen. He's not here. He's risen. He's
risen. Tomb's empty. He's gone. And then the next in our text,
we see that He was preached to the Gentiles. preached to the
Gentiles. Now for the Jew, this was a great
mystery for the Jew. Because they looked at the Gentiles
as worthless dogs, and that's what we are. We're Gentiles. They looked at the Gentiles as
worthless dogs. They thought that salvation was
only for the nation of Israel. Not knowing that the true Israel
of God, spiritual Israel, is made up of both Jews and Gentiles,
isn't it? They're one in the body of Christ. And those who are spiritual Israel
all have faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. All trust the Lord Jesus
Christ. All rest in him for all their
salvation. Beloved, the gospel's for sinners.
The gospel's for sinners. The question is, are you a sinner?
Has God shown you that you're a sinner? The gospel's for sinners.
It's for sinners. It's for saved sinners and it's
for sinners who do not know Christ. And for sinners who do not know
Christ, pagan and idolaters and all. It's for sinners. And God has a people scattered
all through. We don't know who they are, but we preach the gospel
to all. He saved me out of idolatry.
And he saved me out of religion, too. My. My oh my. The gospel's for sinners. When the brethren says this,
I love this. I love this statement. If you
graduate from being a sinner, the gospel will mean nothing
to you. Even after we're saved, we say,
I'm the chief of sinners. We don't graduate from being
a sinner, do we? Never. I like that. If you graduate
from being a sinner, the gospel will mean nothing to you. Why do we wonder and awe as we
hear the gospel preached and proclaimed, we who are saved?
Because we're sinners. Save sinners. And we're reminded
of the great things that the Lord has done for us. Next, we
see. Next, we see in our text that Christ is believed on in
the world, believed on in the world. Now, what makes this this
wondrous truth here before us marvelous is that we know we
come into this world as rebels at enmity with God. We know that
because that's what the scripture says. And I want to clarify something. We come. we come into this world
at enmity with the God of the Bible. The God of the Bible. You see, no one hates the God
of religion, the God who supposedly loves everyone. No. No. No. But confronted with the God of
the Bible, Natural man hates him. Confronted with the God who chooses
the people by his will and his decree, natural man recoils. I'll never forget when I was
in religion and I had someone told me, I've told you this again,
I'm going to tell you again. I had someone tell me, they said,
you know, God chooses the people. Well, I had, at that time, I
believed it was my decision, my, and I got mad. And I stormed out of his office.
You know why? Because I was confronted with
the God of the Bible. Now, the God who I thought and
the Jesus who I thought was not the God of the Bible and was
not the Jesus of the Bible. But when confronted with who
God really was in the scriptures, I was at enmity with him. That's
what it means. That's what it means. Now the
God we love now is not the same God if we were in religion that
we had then. He's not. He's not. And now we love him. Now the one who, when we were
faced with who he really is, we recoiled. Oh my. Now we love him. That's a miracle of God, beloved.
That's a miracle of God that he could take a rebel, someone
who shakes their fist at him, the true God of the Bible, and
save us. And we go from one minute hating
them to the next minute loving them. That's a miracle of God. That's a miracle of God. And this is what makes it so
wondrous when we see here this truth believed on in the world.
This is what makes it so wondrous. Because we know that faith is
a gift from God. We know that, don't we? And we
know that we're born again by the Holy Spirit of God. And we
know that we now love the true God of the Bible. Now we love
the true God of the Bible. And so this is amazing grace
to us. It's amazing grace. We know the source of our faith.
We know it's a gift from God. And we know this wondrous gift
is given to us by the grace and mercy of God. And we know it's not given to
all men. We know that. So, this is incredible. Believed on in the world. Believed
on by those who wanted nothing to do with them. Born again by
the power of God. Granted faith and repentance.
Made will it in the day of God's power. And we say glory to his
name. Glory to His name. And the believer
in Christ has ceased from his labors, from their labors. And
we rest in the merit of the Lord Jesus Christ and His work. Now
the last part of this verse, it says here, the fifth and final
truth we see contained in this verse is that Jesus Christ was
received up into glory. Our brother John mentioned we
were waiting for His return. Oh, we wait eagerly, don't we?
Just as Paul and the saints back then did. Oh, we eagerly await.
So, we await for the day He's going to take us home, whether
it be when He comes back, or whether it be the day we breathe
our last breath. We eagerly await. We eagerly
await. Now Christ, after suffering for
the sins of His people, after being stricken and smitten of
God and afflicted, after being forsaken by the Father, after
dying in our place as our great substitute before God's law and
justice, after satisfying God's law and justice, after appeasing
the wrath of God. Brother John, in that last verse
it said, save from the wrath to come. Oh, praise God. The wrath due us fell upon Christ. My, so marvel at this truth that's
here proclaimed. He's received up into glory,
beloved. He's risen and ascended to the
right hand of the Father and he reigns and rules right now,
beloved. until his enemies are made his
footstool. And then one day, every knee
shall bow and every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is
Lord to the glory of God the Father. And through the proclamation
of the gospel, this great mystery here is spoken of. It's proclaimed. Great. is the mystery of godliness. God was manifest in the flesh,
justified in the spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the
Gentiles, believed on in the world, and received up into glory. My, and the preaching of the
gospel answers all controversy that religious men want to bring
up. There's no controversy among
true believers when it comes to the God and the gospel, when
it comes to who Christ is. And we rejoice in these precious
truths, don't we? Oh, we rejoice in them. Thank
you, Lord, for allowing us to gather together and look into
thy word, and oh, what comfort we as believers can glean in
thy word. There is no controversy amongst
your people. You've given us a knowledge of
who you are. We're born again by thy Holy
Spirit, and you've given us a knowledge of who you are and what you've
done, that you were manifest in the flesh to take away our
sins, oh my. Now you've been, you're the risen,
exalted Savior seated at the right hand of the Father. And
oh Lord, one day we will see you face to face. And it's all
because of what you've done. Glory to your name, Lord. We
love you again because you first loved us. In Jesus' name, amen.