As I said earlier, I know I keep
repeating myself like that, but it is a great blessing to gather
together. It really is. Open your Bibles if you would
to 2 Corinthians chapter 8. 2 Corinthians chapter 8. The name of the message is Rich
Through Christ's Poverty. Rich Through Christ's Poverty. 2 Corinthians chapter 8. starting in verse 1. Moreover,
brethren, we do you to wit of the grace of God bestowed on
the churches of Macedonia, how that in great trial of affliction,
the abundance of their joy, their deep poverty, abounded unto the
riches of their liberality. For to the power I bear record,
yea, and beyond their power, they were willing of themselves,
praying us with much entreaty that we would receive the gift
and take upon us the fellowship, the ministering to the saints.
And they did this, not as we hoped, but first gave their own
selves to the Lord and unto us by the will of God." Now, Paul
is writing to the Corinthians here and talking about the Macedonians
and how they gave even more than what Paul even expected. In their
poverty, they gave. They gave to the work of the
furtherance of the gospel. And this, again, they did not
as we hope, but first gave their own selves to the Lord and unto
us by the will of God, insomuch that we desire Titus that, as
he had begun, so he would also finish in the same grace also.
Therefore, as ye abound in everything, in faith, in utterance, in knowledge,
and in all diligence, and in your love to us, see that ye
abound in this grace also. I speak not by commandment, but
by occasion of the forwardness of others, and to prove the sincerity
of your love. Now the next verse is our text.
So I read all that to set the context of what Paul is going
to bring forth here. This next verse is just beautiful.
For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though
he was rich, yet for your sakes, and remember, Paul is writing
to believers here. He's writing to the Corinthian
church. Yet for your sakes, he became poor. that ye through
his poverty might be rich. That ye through his poverty might
be rich. Now take note again of verse
9, again the context, Paul is writing about the saints of God
at Macedonia, and they're giving to support the gospel, the proclamation
of the gospel. But tucked within this passage
is a proclamation a wonderful verse about the substitutionary
atonement of the Lord Jesus Christ, about what he's done for his
people. It's placed here like a gem and it shines forth like
a diamond, one commentator said, in the midst of other gems because
we know the whole Bible is full of gems. But it shines forth
like a diamond, outshining all the other jewels around it. And
this verse is wondrous and vast, wondrous and vast, because it
magnifies the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. It magnifies who
He is, His grace and mercy, and it's in very simple words, very
simple words. For you know the grace of our
Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes
He became poor. that ye through his poverty might
be rich." Very, very common words. But oh, what truth! How profound
is the truth that is here proclaimed. It embraces eternity, time, and
then eternity again. Eternity, though he was rich,
it embraces eternity, he was rich when? In glory. Yet for your sakes, he became
poor, this speaks of his incarnation. Then eternity again, he is risen.
He's risen and is in glory, that ye through his poverty might
be rich, will be in eternity with him forever because of what
he's done. All because of the substitutionary work of the Lord
Jesus Christ. So this verse embraces eternity,
time and eternity again. We are rich. We who are God's
people are rich in spiritual blessings in Christ. In Christ. You hear these false teachers
on TV, they're talking about drop your seed money in and you
become rich. Our Lord lived in poverty. Our Lord lived in poverty. We'll
see that tonight. He had nowhere to lay his head. My, but yet through his poverty,
We're made rich, beloved. We're made rich. And again, these
words here are not difficult words. Even a child could read
these and understand the principle of the words, yet what they bring
forth is incomprehensible to the natural man. Christ must be revealed to us. He must be revealed to us by
the Holy Spirit of God. You must be born again. And let
us never forget that God never punishes men more than their
iniquities deserve, and those who perish in their sins, they
get what they deserve, don't they? But He saves men who are
totally and utterly undeserving, men and women, He saves us who
are totally and utterly undeserving of salvation, and we who are
the redeemed of the Lord do not get what we deserve. Because
if we got what we deserve, we perish in our sins just like
everyone else. But, oh, we receive mercy. Mercy from God. And ponder this, that the great
plan of our redemption had its origin in the unmerited favor
of God towards His people. Oh my! Our great God is and never
has been under no obligation to anyone. We looked at that today in Sunday
school, didn't we? He does whatever He places. He is not under obligation to
anyone. And the fact that He spares we
who are guilty by nature, by practice, is a result, beloved,
of His boundless mercy and grace. This is why the Lord Jesus Christ
left the glory and splendor of heaven. We can't even imagine
what it was like. We get little glimpses of it
in Scripture. Isaiah 6 is a wonderful place
to look at. The angels have to cover themselves
in His presence. He's so holy. And they cry, holy, holy, holy. He left the glory and splendor
of heaven that we might be rich, beloved. We who are poor by nature,
bankrupt. He left all that in glory that
we might be rich. Paul proclaims in Ephesians chapter
1, we know this, that we have all spiritual blessings in Christ.
We are rich in Christ. We are rich beyond the richest
man in this world, in Christ. We may not have a lot in this
world, but we're rich in Christ. Oh, we're so rich in Him. And
He left heaven and earth that we might obtain, or He left heaven
and came to earth, that we might obtain, receive these spiritual
riches through His poverty. That we might receive happiness
through His sorrows. And that we might receive life,
eternal life, through His death. And He did this willingly. Willingly. Let's first consider the pre-existent
wealth of our Lord. It says here in our text, it
says, for you know, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that
though he was rich. Though he was rich. Consider,
consider he who was rich. If Christ had been poor, always
poor, how could he have become poor? No, he was rich. He was rich. His descent from heaven involves
the fact of his pre-existent glory. But how did he exist and in what
nature? Not in the nature of man, because
this is what he took upon him in his incarnation. He became a man as At His birth,
He was made of a woman. Nor did He exist in the nature
of angels, because we know that He was before all things, and
by Him were all things created. No, beloved, He was rich in all
the perfections of the Godhead. He is the Word of God, the second
person of the Trinity. What we looked at this morning
in Sunday school, the self-existent One in need of nothing and no
one. And the only reason He created this world is to manifest His
glory and that redemption's plan could be worked out. But it was
just to manifest His glory. And why? Because it pleased Him
to do so. My! Turn if you would to John
chapter 1. He was rich in all the perfections
of the Godhead, beloved. He's the Word of God, the second
person of the Trinity. And we know in this chapter,
in John 1, verse 14, it says, "...the Word became flesh and
dwelt among us." But let's look at what it says in verses 1 to
4. "...in the beginning was the
Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." The same was in the beginning
with God. All things were made by Him, and without Him was not
anything made that was made. In Him was life, and the life
was the light of man. Now, divine names and titles
are applied to Christ all through the Scriptures. Turn, if you
would, to Isaiah chapter 7. He is called God in the scriptures,
the mighty God, the great God, God over all Jehovah, the Lord
of lords and the king of kings. Look at this in Isaiah 714. And
then we'll go to Isaiah 9. Isaiah 714, therefore, the Lord
himself shall give you a sign. Behold, a virgin shall conceive
and bear a son and shall call his name Emmanuel. Emmanuel. Then go over to Isaiah chapter
9. Look at this spoken of this child. And then we're going to Matthew
chapter 1. Look at this in Isaiah 9 for unto us a child is born.
Unto us a son is given and the government government shall be
upon his shoulder and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor. Look at this. The mighty God.
the everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace. Now go over to Matthew
chapter 1. Matthew chapter 1. Oh, He was rich before He came
to this earth, because He's the Word of God, the second person
of the Trinity. He's over all and owns all, everything. Look at this in Matthew 1, verse
23. Behold, a virgin shall be with
child, and she shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his
name Immanuel. Remember we saw that over in Isaiah 7. But look
at this. Which is interpreted? God with
us. This is no other than God incarnate
in the flesh. The Word of God. And even in
John 1, verse 14 again, it says the Word was made flesh and dwelt
among us. This is who our Lord, the word. Now, divine attributes are ascribed
to the Lord Jesus Christ. He's he's declared to be omnipresent,
all knowing, almighty, immutable. The same yesterday, today and
forever. He set forth as the creator and
the upholder and the ruler of all the universe. Turn, if you would, the revelation
chapter 1 and then put your finger in Matthew chapter 28, Revelation
chapter 1 and put your finger in Matthew chapter 28. Our Lord
proclaims who He is many times throughout the New Testament.
We'll look at a few of these portions. We know the Almighty
has all power, don't we? We know that He owns all things,
visible and invisible. He created all things. He's the
ruler over all. And look what it says here in
Revelation 1.8. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning
and the ending, saith the Lord, which is and which was and which
is to come, the Almighty. That's who Christ is. Right there. He is the Almighty. He is the
Almighty. Now, omnipresence is an attribute
of God too. Turn, if you would, to Matthew
28. Omnipresence, where God is everywhere, is an attribute of
God. And our Lord Jesus Christ, when
He was comforting His disciples with these words we'll look at,
He proclaims His omnipresence, beloved. He tells the disciples,
I am with you always. Always. Always. Look at this in Matthew 28, verses
18 to 20. And Jesus came and spake unto
them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
Who has all power? Only God. Only God. Go ye therefore and teach all
nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son
and of the Holy Spirit, Holy Ghost, teaching them to observe
all things whatsoever I have commanded you. And lo, and remember
the omnipresence of God, and lo, I am with you always. Always. He's always with His people.
Always. Even unto the end of the world.
Amen. Even when it doesn't seem like He's with us, He's with
us. Always. Always. And what a comfort this
brings God's people. What a comfort this brings us.
To know that Christ is ever with us. No matter what we go through,
He is ever with us. Always. He said, I'll never leave
thee nor forsake thee. Never. And He never will. Immutability belongs to God.
It's one of His attributes. And the Scriptures declare of
Christ that He is the same today, yesterday, and forever. He doesn't change. He doesn't
change. All the perfections of God belong
to Christ Jesus, our Lord. He is infinite in wisdom, perfect
in holiness, gracious and merciful. The Scriptures declare that in
Him dwell all the fullness of the Godhead bodily. And it pleased
the Father that in Him should all fullness dwell. And all the
treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hid only in Christ. Only
in Christ. So He was God before His incarnation. He was God in His incarnation.
And He's still God. Right now. In glory. He assumed
our flesh though. And now He's the God-man mediator.
Mediating for His people in glory. Turn, if you would, to Colossians
1, verse 16. He was rich in the works of God,
as creation is the work of God. It was He who said, let there
be lights. And what? There was lights. And all of
creation is ascribed to the Incarnate Word, the Lord Jesus Christ. All things were made by Him,
and without Him was not anything made that was made. Listen, Colossians
1, verses 16 and 17. where all things created, speaking
of Christ, he is the creator, that are in heaven and that are
on earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones or dominions
or principalities or powers, all things were created by him
and for him. And look at this, and he is before
all things, and by him all things consist. There it is, right there. Oh, he's so rich. Now let's consider
our second point, which is Christ's voluntary poverty. So we've seen
that he is rich in glory. He had angels falling down before
him in all the glory and splendor of heaven. And we saw all the
attributes that are ascribed to our great God and King, the
Lord Jesus Christ. Now let's consider this second
point again, Christ's voluntary poverty. Look in our text again.
For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus, that though He was
rich, yet for your sakes He became poor. Oh my! Our Lord and Savior left the
glories of heaven to come to this sin-cursed earth, to be
clothed in the garb of mortal flesh. Why? That He might die for His chosen
bride, on Calvary's cross. And He assumed the flesh, He
assumed flesh, the God-man, that He might die for His elect, His
bride, given to Him of the Father in eternity. Those who are born into poverty,
in wretchedness, who scriptures declare are dead in trespasses
and sins and have fallen in our father Adam. Yet for your sakes,
he became poor. What a humbling verse. What a humbling verse. Beloved,
he came in the form of a servant and he endured a great deal of
reproach. A great deal of reproach. He
died on Calvary's cross. For the sins of His people. The
sinless one. Dying as their substitute. The substitute of His people.
Of His bride. Who He's loved for eternity. Dying in their place. dying for those who are guilty. And He is the God-man mediator,
and He never ceased to be God. Even while He was here on this
earth, He did not lose His divine perfections. These were hid and
covered from the view of man. Now, some got a view on the Mount
of Transfiguration, didn't they? Just a little glimpse of who
he was. But he was a man. He was fully
God and fully man. As a man, he was hungry. As a man, he was thirsty. As a man, he grew weary and tired. As a man, he was exposed to the
cruelty of other men. And he lived in outward poverty.
He had nowhere to lay his head. Turn, if you would, to Psalm
41. And then put your finger in Zechariah
9. He had nowhere to lay his head,
beloved. Now think of this. Think of where He was before
He came, before His incarnation. He had angels falling down before
Him, worshipping Him and praising Him. And He came down to this world
where man despised Him and rejected Him. Oh, my. Yet, for your sakes, he became
poor. Psalm 41, one says, Blessed is
he that consider it the poor, the Lord will deliver him in
the time of trouble. John Gill says this speaks of
Christ. This speaks of Christ. Now go over the Zachariah chapter
9. Zachariah chapter 9. Rejoice greatly. Verse 9 Rejoice
greatly, O daughter of Zion. Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem.
Behold, thy king cometh unto thee. He is just in heaven's
salvation, lowly and riding upon an ass and upon the fall of an
ass. Lowly. Lowly. The Word of God became flesh
and dwelt among us. And Christ voluntarily did this. He became poor for our sakes,
that we might be enriched by His poverty. The Lord Jesus Christ
In his state of humiliation when he was here on earth, he was
emptied of his riches, and though Lord of all, he had nowhere to
lay his head. Nowhere to lay his head. Consider this, he who is the
Word of God incarnate, he came into this lowest state for us. For us. Oh, what wondrous love is this,
oh my soul. Oh my soul. What wondrous love. That the Lord Jesus Christ would
leave heaven and come to this world. Now leave
a place where He's beloved and loved and worshipped and praised. To come to this world to be despised
and rejected by man. What drove him to do this? The
love that he has for his bride. Love that he has for those who
the Father gave him in eternity. And the believer says, I'm in
that number. Oh, what love this is. Oh, what love this is. the eternal
Son of God, the creator of all things, the governor of the universe,
came to this earth to redeem His people. How? With His own precious blood. Oh, what condensation, what humility
is set forth here before us in the fact that He became poor
and weak for our sakes. For our sakes. Why? That we might
be rich. Rich with all spiritual blessings. Rich in grace and mercy. Is it any wonder then that the
saints consider Him to be the fairest among ten thousand? Is
it any wonder? Is it any wonder then that the
saints of God worship and adore Him for what He's done for us?
Is it any wonder? that we cry out in praise? Is it any wonder then that the
saints of God consider Him to be the pearl of great price?
Like no other? A treasure in a field? Is it
any wonder that we feel this way? When we contemplate what
He left to redeem us? What He came to? to redeem us. What a Savior. What a Savior
is Jesus Christ, my Lord. That's what our souls cry out. And the persons for whom He became
poor were not the angels, but elect men and women, sinners,
ungodly people. Born in absolute poverty spiritually. Dead in trespasses and sins. Bankrupt spiritually. And it
was for them. And again the believer says,
He came here to redeem me who was bankrupt. Oh my. Though he was rich, yet
for your sakes he became poor. He did that for me. And if you're one of his blood-bought
saints, he did that for you. Christ again had nowhere to lay
his head. The apostle John had a home,
and when Jesus died, he took Mary into his home. after she
had witnessed the death of her son. Peter had a home, for it
was Peter's house that Jesus raised the mother of Peter's
wife from a dangerous fever. One commentator brings forth
that the fisherman's home on the shore of the Lake of Galilee
could not be very eloquent, but it was still a home. It was still a home. Lazarus had a home, and our Lord
Jesus Christ sat down and rested Himself in that home. The poverty of our Lord's life
was most unmistakably described by Himself. Turn, if you would,
to Matthew 8. Matthew 8. And here we will see
Him proclaim this. Matthew 8, verse 20. The foxes have holes, and the
birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man hath not where
to lay his head." My, what condescension, beloved. When he was hungry, he plucked
a few figs from a tree that grew by the roadside. When he was
thirsty, he said to the woman at the well, give me the drink.
Truly, he who was rich became poor. He became poor. Contrast his life here with where
he was before his incarnation and learn the depth of his poverty,
his humiliation. It's called by the old timers,
the old commentators call his incarnation his humiliation. Contrast his life here with when he was in glory. Oh, what condescension when our
Lord clothed himself in flesh. He who was the creator of all
the worlds, He who possessed all the wealth
of the infinite and self-existent Jehovah, and yet on earth in this incarnation
he had nowhere to lay his head. He whom cherubim and seraphim
adored in heaven, who cried holy, holy, holy, was despised and
rejected by men on this earth. He exchanged the throne of the
universe for a crown of thorns. The splendors and joy of heaven
to die as a substitute of His people on Calvary's cross. To bear the wrath of God in their
place. To purchase them on Calvary's
cross with His own precious blood. And He did this willingly. voluntarily. We can't measure the love that
Christ has for his bride. We can't measure it. Truly he who was rich became
poor for our sakes, for the sake of his bride. Now let us lastly
consider the receivers of the riches of Christ. Let's look
at our verse again in 2 Corinthians 8, verse 9. For ye know the grace of our
Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes
He became poor, that ye through His poverty might be rich. Now we know that Paul's writing
to God's born-again, blood-washed people. at Corinth, and he identifies
the receivers of the riches spoken of in our text. He says, yet
for your sakes he became poor. For believers, that ye through
his poverty might be rich. He impoverished himself that
he might enrich us. Christ stooped to the earth that
we might rise to heaven. all by His power. He wore a crown
of thorns that we might wear crowns of glory, and He died
that we might live eternally. Now earthly riches are good in
their place when used rightly, but when we die, all we have
goes to someone else. They hold no eternal value, no
eternal value at all, but spiritual wealth Spiritual wealth is far,
far better, beloved. And the believer in Christ has
all spiritual blessings. All spiritual blessings in Christ. Earthly riches are for a time.
Spiritual blessings and riches are eternal. Are eternal. Turn, if you would, to Proverbs
chapter 3. We know that wisdom in the Proverbs speaks of Christ,
and note the contrast here spoken of between earthly riches and
wisdom, which is Christ. Look at this, Proverbs 3, starting
in verse 13, and we'll read all the way to verse 26. Happy is
the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding.
For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of
silver. and the gain thereof than fine
gold." So to have Christ is worth more than all the gold and silver
in this world. She is more precious than rubies
and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared
unto her. Length of days is in her right
hand and in her left hand riches and honor. Her ways are the ways
of pleasantness and all Her paths are peace. She is a tree of life
to them that lay hold upon her, and happy is every one that retaineth
her. This is all about Christ. The
Lord, by wisdom, hath founded the earth by understanding, hath
he established the heavens. By his knowledge, the depths
are broken up, and the clouds drop down to dew. My son, let
them not depart from thine eyes. Keep sound wisdom and discretion.
So shall thy life be unto thy soul, and grace to thy neck. Then shall thou walk in thy way
safely, and thy foot shall not stumble. When thou lies down,
thou shall not be afraid. Yea, thou shall lie down and
I sleep shall be sweet. Why? Because we know who's in
control. We know who's in control. Be not afraid of sudden fear,
neither of the desolation of the wicked when it cometh. For
the Lord shall be thy confidence and shall keep thy foot from
being taken. But look at the contrast in verse 14 again. For
the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver
and the gain thereof, than fine gold. She is more precious, verse
15, than rubies. And all the things thou canst
desire are not to be compared unto her. Nothing compares to
the Lord Jesus Christ. Nothing. And think of all the
spiritual riches that we have in Christ. Think of that. Yet for your sakes He became
poor that ye through His poverty might be rich. Think of all the spiritual blessings
that we have in Christ. Think of all the riches that
we have in Christ. Pardon of all our sins. All of them. Adoption by God in Christ. Regeneration by the power of
the Holy Spirit of God. Justification before God. We looked at that a little bit
this morning. We can approach the throne of God due to the
fact that we are justified in Christ. Clothed in His perfect
spotless righteousness. That's another one. The righteousness
of Christ. Holiness. We're made holy by
Christ, right? Peace, all the peace that passes
all understanding, keeps our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
And oh, the hope we have. Oh, the hope we have that when
we depart this world, we go to be in the presence of our King.
And there's far more riches in Christ. That's just a few of
them. Oh, my. And these blessings are infinitely
greater in value to a man than all the wealth of any world. As I like to say, we're more
rich, we who are in Christ are more rich than the richest man
in this world, in Christ. Oh, we're rich. And those made rich in Christ
have riches which are enduring. They're enduring. Now we can
receive an inheritance and spend it while we're here on this earth,
but our inheritance that we have in Christ will never fade away. Never. We looked at that this
morning too. It'll never fade away. Never. It'll never be squandered. It's
reserved for us in heaven, in Christ Jesus, our Lord. It's
wonderful. And the man or woman who is rich
in grace in Christ possesses a treasure of which nothing can
rob him of it. Or her. Nothing. Moths cannot corrupt it. Thieves
cannot steal it. Fire cannot burn it. Time cannot
damage it. And death cannot destroy it.
It's in Christ. It's in Christ. An aged Christian
man in days past was one day bearing a heavy load and he had
stopped to rest when a gentleman in a splendid carriage happened
to pass by. An acquaintance who was with
the man carrying the burden asked him, what do you think of providence
of which you speak now? He said, that wicked man has
more than your heart could ever wish to have. Well, you believing that all
the silver and gold is the Lord's, it's all His, isn't it? It's
all His. After all your toil, you get
little more than bread and water. And his acquaintance asked him,
how is this? And the old man looked amazed
for a moment and said with a smile, couple Christ with it, and heaven
with it, being His bread and water. Yes, that addition sweetens
many a bitter grief. sweetens many a bitter cup, lightens
many a heavy burden, and enriches many a poor lot." And the believer
says, he's enriched this poor lot. Oh my! He's enriched this poor bankrupt
sinner. So that man saw that he was far
richer in Christ than the wicked man who went by him. He was far
richer That rich man will die and go to hell, and he'll lose
not only all his own wealth, but he'll lose his own soul. Better is little with the fear
of the Lord than great treasure and trouble therewith. Better
is a dinner of herbs where love is than a stalled ox and hatred
therewith. Proverbs 15, verses 16 and 17. Now in closing, let us ponder
this. that each one of us has an eternal
soul. Each one of us here and each
one of us who will listen to the message has an eternal soul.
If a man or woman dies as a lost soul, they will be forever lost.
Forever lost. And all the accumulated wealth
of the world cannot save you. Ponder what our Lord Jesus Christ
said. Turn if you would to Mark chapter
8. Ponder what our Lord Jesus Christ said. The words of who
He is, God incarnate in the flesh, the great I AM. Now ponder these
words. He asked these questions and
ponder these questions. Ponder them. Look at this. For what, in verse 36, Mark chapter
8, for what shall it profit a man if he shall gain the whole world
and lose his own soul? What will it profit a man if
he has all the riches in this world? And that could make a person
happy, fleshly wise, worldly wise, couldn't it? But what... For what shall it profit a man
if he shall gain the whole world? and lose his own soul. Now think of this next one. Or what shall a man give in exchange
for his soul? Oh my. Nothing can redeem your soul
or mine from sin and hell except the precious blood of the Lord
Jesus Christ that was shed on Calvary's cross.
No man, no woman can save themselves. And this is the great I am who's
asking these questions right here. This is the one who men and women
will face at the great white judgment throne. as he's seated upon the throne.
For what shall profit a man if he shall gain the whole world
and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange
for his soul? It is the blood of Christ and
Christ alone, in which the redeemed in heaven proclaim, has saved
them and has washed them, made them white as snow, And this
picture is the forgiveness of all their sins. And it is Christ
Jesus, the Lamb. The Lamb of God. And the fact
that He was slain. The fact that He shed His blood
on Calvary's cross for His people. Which is the theme of the redeemed
in glory. That's why we say flee to Christ.
There is no other hope for you or for me. For anyone but Christ. Did God make you willing to flee
to Him? We sang that song, look to the
Lord, look to the Lord. Look to Him, He's the only one
who can save our souls. Turn, if you would, to Revelation
5. And we're close with this. We see that the theme of the
redeemed in glory, the object of their unceasing praise is
the Lamb of God. The Lamb of God. Look at this
in Revelation 5, verses 11-14. And I beheld and I heard the
voice of many angels round about the throne, and the beasts and
the elders. And the number of them was 10,000
times 10,000 and thousands of thousands. As I was putting this
together, I wept when I read that verse because I'm in that
number. I don't deserve to be. None of us... What's their unceasing
praise? saying with a loud voice, worthy
is the lamb that was slain. He died in the place of his people.
Worthy is he to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength
and honor and glory and blessing in every creature which is in
heaven. and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as
are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying,
blessing, and honor, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth
upon the throne, and unto the Lamb forever and ever. And the four beasts said, Amen. And the twenty-four and twenty
elders fell down and worshipped him that liveth forever and ever. And what do we say in light of
breathing this? Amen and amen. Praise His mighty
name. That's our God. That's our Savior.
Worthy is the Lamb. Worthy is the Lamb. Heavenly
Father, we thank Thee for Thy Word. O Lord Jesus, as we looked
and saw that through Thy poverty, we who are Your blood-bought
people are rich. Oh, rich. Far richer than any
man in this world. And it fills our lips with praise. Praise of thanksgiving. Praise
of adoration. It fills our hearts with joy
to know that we are of that number. That number that no man can number.
Redeemed by thy precious blood. And we will one day join that
throng. We who are your people. We will
one day join and sing out in praise. Worthy is the Lamb. Worthy is the Lamb. We love Thee
and we thank Thee for allowing us to gather together tonight.
In Jesus' name, Amen.