Absolutely wonderful, what a
Savior, what a Redeemer. Open your Bibles if you would
to Psalm 135. The name of the message is whatever
He is pleased to do. Have you ever woke up in the morning and turned on the news or listen to the radio and hear
the news. Sometimes even though we know
God's absolutely sovereign, you said to yourself, what is going
on? Even though we know God's sovereign.
And that's our soulless, isn't it? That's what we always come
back to when we see things happening in the world. And when we hear
things in the news, our soulless as believers, we who believe,
our soulless is always to go back to the fact that God is
absolutely sovereign. Now, unsaved people don't have
that hope we have. So they see these things happening
and they're filled with fear, anxiety, worry, stress. Not that we're not susceptible
to those things too, because we are. But again, the believer
has a hope that we continuously go back to, which is Christ. And which is the fact that God
is absolutely sovereign. And that He does whatever He
pleases. Whatever He pleases. And a believer
rests in this precious truth. We rest in the fact that our
God is sovereign. Look at Psalm 135 verses 1 to
6. Verses 1 to 6. Praise ye the
Lord. Praise ye the name of the Lord.
Praise him, O ye servants of the Lord. This is what we're
to do as God's people. We're to praise the Lord, and
we do. We praise the Lord from a redeemed, regenerated heart.
In our natural state, we couldn't praise the Lord. Not at all. But with a regenerated heart,
we praise him all the time. We praise him all the time. Ye
that stand in the house of the Lord, in the courts of the house
of our God, praise the Lord, for the Lord is good. I like what Brother Norm says
all the time. All the time. In the bad times,
of our lives and in the good times of the believers. The believer
can say in all times that the Lord is good. He's good. He's good. Sing praises unto
his name for it is pleasant and we seek to glorify and praise
our great God. For the Lord hath chosen Jacob
unto himself in Israel for his Peculiar treasure. God has chosen his people for
himself, for himself. For I know that the Lord is great,
the psalmist has been taught this, and that our Lord is above
all gods. Whatsoever the Lord pleased,
that did he in heaven and in earth. in the seas, and in all
the deep places. Now there's a verse in Scripture
right there, Psalm 135, verse 6, that is ignored by most people
who profess Christ. Wherefore, whatsoever the Lord
pleased, that did he in heaven, and in earth, in the seas, and
all deep places. That's in Providence, Right? And that's also in salvation. God does whatever he pleases. And the believers being taught
this, we didn't believe it before we were saved. No, we thought
we did whatever we pleased. But the scripture declares that
God does whatever he pleases. Whatsoever the Lord pleased,
that did he in heaven and in earth. in the seas, in all deep
places, that covers everything. It speaks of his universal sovereignty
over all things. And it ties in with Ephesians
where it talks about everything that's visible and invisible
is all under his control and his domain. Now in this world
we have trouble all around us, or so it seems. But the one thing
that is true is that our God is absolutely sovereign. He's
absolutely sovereign, overall. Again, we turn on the news, and
it seems like there's trouble over here, and we hear of a war
over here, we hear of things going on all around, and conflicts,
even in our own country, right? Differing opinions over different
things. But one thing is certain. One
thing is certain. One thing never changes. amidst
all the trials that we go through in this world, amidst all the
temptations that we go through in this world, amidst all the
conflicts that are in this world, amidst all the things we hear
about in this world, one thing is constant and one thing never
changes, that our God is God and that our God is absolutely
sovereign. Never changes. Never changes. and there are many precious truths
which are taught throughout the Word of God, but this truth is
one that seems to gleam and radiate on every page of Scripture, beloved. That of God's divine sovereignty. God rules and reigns upon a throne
of absolute and universal dominion. directing, controlling, ruling,
regulating all things after His wise and eternal counsel. You want to know what God's will
was yesterday? Look what it says today in the
news. Everything happens according
to God's sovereign will. The scripture proclaims this.
Again in verse 6. Whatever the Lord pleased, that
did He in heaven, above and in earth, and in the seas, and in
all deep places. And it also proclaims this wonderful
truth in the New Testament. Turn, if you would, to Ephesians
chapter 1. You who are the redeemed of the
Lord, may this precious truth sink deep into our souls about
our God's absolute sovereignty in providence, and in salvation,
and how He rules over all things. It will help us. It gives us
strength and joy in the midst of things that occur in our lives,
knowing this precious truth. Ephesians 1, verses 4-9, According
as He has chosen us in Him, that's being Christ, the believer is
chosen in Christ, before the foundation of the world, that
we should be holy and without blame before Him in love. Having
predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to
himself according to the good pleasure of... Man always talks
about free will, don't they? You hear a lot of that in religious
circles. You hear a lot about free will, but you don't hear
a lot about what's said in this scripture right here. And this is the truth, beloved. According to the good pleasure
of His will. To the praise and the glory of
His grace. Oh, and God's people give Him
praise and give Him all the glory, because of His grace which has
been bestowed upon us, wherein He hath made us accepted in the
Beloved, in whom we have redemption through His blood." And again,
this is written to God's people. It's not written to the whole
world. It's written to God's people. To a called-out assembly
in that glacia, the forgiveness of sins according to the riches
of His grace, wherein He hath abounded toward us in all wisdom
and prudence, having made known unto us the mystery of His will,
according to His good pleasure which He hath purposed in Himself."
You see how this ties in with our text? Whatsoever the Lord
please, that did He in heaven and in earth, in the seas and
all deep places. Our Lord is great. And our Lord,
He's great and greatly to be praised. Let us ponder this morning,
we who are the redeemed of the Lord, just who our God is. Just who our God is. We'll look at some things that
it's pleased the Lord to do, which will tie in with verse
6, Whatsoever the Lord pleased, that did He in heaven and in
earth and in the seas and in all deep places. We who are the redeemed will be given hope. Hope for our lost loved ones
and friends. We don't know who the Lord's
people are, do we? We have no idea. We don't know. He knows who his people are.
And He will save His people, just as He saved us. Just as
He saved us. Hear not, lose one. He will not
lose one of whom He died for. Not one. Let's look at our text
again. For I know that the Lord is great,
and that our Lord is above all gods. Verse 5. Verse 6. Whatsoever
the Lord pleased, that did He in heaven, and in earth, in the
seas, and all deep places. David has been taught some things,
as he says, I know that the believer in Christ who's been born again
by the Holy Spirit of God, he's been taught some things. And
we're still learning and growing while we're here upon this earth.
But the Holy Spirit has taught us some things, hasn't He? He's
taught us some things. And the psalmist brings forth
that he knows that the Lord is great. Have you been taught that
the Lord is great? Has God revealed to you that
He's great? And that He's greatly to be praised?
If He hasn't, I pray He will. I pray He will, because He is
great, and He is greatly to be praised. The psalmist has been taught
this by the Holy Spirit, and he knows that the Lord is great.
He is the Lord above all gods. All other gods are figments of
people's imaginations. And we saw that in the psalm
that Brother Tim read. The greatness of God is gives the believer much reason
for adoration for Him, because of His goodness and His mercy
and His grace, which has been shown to we who are His people.
And the psalmist speaks of personal knowledge of God. He says, I
know. Look at verse 5. For I know. This is personal. The psalmist knows this. He's
been taught this. That the Lord is great. Has God
taught you that? Oh, God has revealed himself
to the psalmist. And he knows him by observation,
by inspiration, and by realization. Because he's seen God work in
his life. He's born again of the Holy Spirit
of God. He's taught of God. He not only knows the greatness
of Jehovah as Adonai, or ruler and Lord, But He knows that He's
infinitely superior to all, again, all the imaginary deities of
the heathen. And in this time, the writing
of the psalm, there were so many different gods. Just as there
is even in our time, too. Just ask a Hindu. I don't even know how many different
gods they worship. They're all figments of their
imagination. That's what they are. We saw
that in Psalm 115. Oh, but the believer in Christ
knows the greatness of God. He's been taught of God. Let's
turn to Deuteronomy chapter 33. Who is the one who has done whatsoever
he's pleased? Who is the one who chose his
people in eternity in Christ? Who is the one who sent the Lord
Jesus Christ to die for his people? Who is the one who has done this?
Who's the one who does as He pleases? God. Jehovah. The one who is our refuge. And
there's none like Him. And His elect are safe in Christ. Moses had faithfully led Israel
in their wilderness for 40 years. And the Lord is about to remove
Moses from the scene and to raise up Joshua instead. Deuteronomy
33, to lead the people into the land of promise. But before Moses
departs, he gives us this glorious statement about the God of Israel. He boldly proclaims, there is
none like the God of Jezreel, Israel, who rideth upon the heaven
in thy help and in his excellency on the sky. What is the God of
Israel like? Our great God has not left this
up for us to guess at. but plainly declares his amazing,
mighty, and awesome character in the Holy Scriptures. Look
at Deuteronomy 33, verses 26 to 29. There is none like unto
the God of Jezreel, who rideth upon the heaven in thy help,
and is excellently on the sky. And the believer says, there
is none like unto my God. There is none like him. There
is none like him. The eternal God is thy refuge. and underneath are the everlasting
arms. So the eternal God is the refuge
of His people, and He holds us, beloved, with His eternal arms. And He shall thrust out the enemy
from before thee, and shall say, Destroy them. Israel then shall
dwell in safety alone. The fountain of Jacob shall be
upon a land of corn and wine, and His heaven shall drop down
due. Happy art thou, O Israel, who
is like unto thee, O people saved by the Lord. The redeemed are
a people saved by the Lord, saved by the eternal God. The shield
of thy help, and who is the sword of thy excellency, and thine
enemies shall be found liars unto thee, and thou shalt tread
upon their high places. Beloved of God, let we who are
the redeemed of the Lord draw great comfort from this text,
that while we are in this world, we are protected by He who is
the Eternal God, and there is none like Him. There is none
like Him in holiness. There is none like him in holiness.
The scripture declares who is like under the old Lord among
gods, who is like the glorious and holiness. Exodus 15, 11,
there is none. Holy is the Lord for there is
none beside the first Samuel two, two, none compares to him
in holiness. The love of God that we who are
the redeemed draw great comfort while we are in this world from
the fact that there is none like our God for the glory of his
power. Scripture declares in Psalm 89.8,
O Lord God of hosts, who is strong, Lord, like unto Thee. He has
absolute power, beloved. Absolute power. God has no rival,
no competitor. No one can be in opposition to
His will. None. No one can be in opposition
to His purpose. And no one can be in opposition
to His power. He's God. And He does whatever
He pleases. And this is our Savior. This
is our God. Wherefore, thou art great, O
Lord God, for there is none like Thee, neither is there any God
beside Thee. 2 Samuel 7, 22. No other God
beside Him. None. Turn, if you would, to
Micah. Loved of God, let we who are
the redeemed of God draw great comfort that while we are in
this world from the fact that there is none like our God for
the abundance of his mercy, for the abundance of his mercy. Now,
we can be merciful to people sometime, right? But our mercy
that we give people is all tainted with sin. And sometimes we do
things for our own motivations, don't we? But God, God sheds
his mercy and grace upon his people because it pleases him
to do that. And he's whole, and he's righteous,
and he's perfect. And look at this wonderful scripture
in Micah. Micah, chapter 7, verse 18. Micah, chapter 7, verse 18. Who is a god like unto thee?
Now remember, all the gods of the day, of their day, and even
the gods of our day, you always have to do something to make
them happy. You have to, right? But our God is pleased and satisfied
in our Savior, in whom we're in as believers. And look at this wonderful scripture
here. Who is a God like unto thee that pardoneth iniquity? How much iniquity? The believer
says, all my sin. He's pardoned all my sin. in
passes by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage.
How can he do that? Because his justice was poured
out on Christ, the sinner's substitute. He retaineth not his anger forever,
because why? He delighteth in mercy. There's
none who compares to our God in anything. But here it says,
he delighteth in mercy. There's none who compares to
our God in mercy. None. None. And God delights to show mercy
to those he chose. Turn, if you would, to Romans
chapter nine, nine. God delights to show mercy to
those he chose, and he chose his people in Christ in eternity.
We saw that in Ephesians chapter one, verse four. And those are
the ones whom Christ stood as substitute and surety at Calvary's
cross. And has he not shown we who are
the redeemed mercy? We've tasted it, haven't we?
We've tasted that the Lord is gracious. We've tasted of his
mercy, beloved. Oh, he's so merciful to us. Romans
9, verses 13 to 16. As it is written, Jacob have
I loved, but Esau have I hated. What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with
God? God forbid. For he sayeth to Moses, I will
have mercy on whom I'll have mercy. And I'll have compassion
on whom I'll have compassion. So then it is not of him that
willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that showeth mercy. And you know, it pleased God
to show mercy to Jacob. And the believer says, I'm just
like Jacob. My, I ask you who are the redeemed
of the Lord, why are you saved and so many others you know are
not? Because it pleased the Lord to
save you. It pleased the Lord to save you. And it is the eternal
God who saved you. And what comfort and rest the
believer draws from this. What comfort and rest the believer
draws from this. It can give the believer joy
and comfort amidst the trials of this world. Loved of God, let we who are
the redeemed of the Lord draw great comfort that while we are
in this world from the fact that there is none like our God for
the effectiveness of His work. Psalm 86.8 says this, Among the
gods there is none like unto thee, O Lord, neither are there
any works like unto thy works." There's no works like the works
of our Lord. All the believer has to do is
ponder the mighty work of redemption. There's nothing even close to
it in this world. Nothing. The Lord of glory has never tried
to do anything, beloved. He's never tried to do anything.
No, what He's decreed in eternity will come to pass. God's not
trying to save people. Christ saved the people. And
the Holy Spirit regenerates them and calls them out with an effectual
calling. And they run to Christ. They
run to Christ. What He has decreed in eternity
shall come to pass. And He has always accomplished
His purpose with great effectiveness, and no one will thwart Him. No
one. No one. The works of His hands are verity
and judgment, and all His commandments are sure. They stand fast forever
and ever, and are done in truth and righteousness. Psalm 111,
7 and 8. He has established everlasting
righteousness. Turn, if you would, to Psalm
57. He has established everlasting righteousness and complete salvation
for His covenant people. In Christ Jesus our Lord. And
we who are redeemed of the Lord cry out with the psalmist in
praise and adoration. Look at verse 2. Is this not the cry of every
believer? I will cry unto God most high, unto God that performeth
all things. all things. We couldn't save
ourselves, could we? Couldn't save ourselves. The
Lord Jesus Christ has saved His people from their sins. And a
believer can say with the psalmist, I will cry unto God most high,
unto God that performeth all things for me. Let's go back
to our text in Psalm 135 with all this in mind. And then I'd like us to consider
five things that are plainly revealed in scripture that it
pleased the Lord to do, that it pleased the Lord to do. And
I believe that we who are the redeemed of the Lord will glean
great comfort from these precious truths. So we've seen, we've
established that our God is holy and all powerful and righteous. and that He does whatever He
pleases to do. And this is not the God that's
preached from most pulpits, but this is the God, Lord willing,
that will be preached from this pulpit all the time, no matter
who stands in here and preaches and proclaims the Word of God.
We believe in a sovereign, almighty God. who does whatever he pleases,
who does whatever he pleases. Look at Psalm 135 verses 4 to
6. For the Lord hath chosen Jacob
unto himself in Israel for his peculiar treasure. For I know
that the Lord is great and that our Lord is above all gods. Whatsoever
the Lord is pleased that did he in heaven and on earth in
the seas and all deep places note in our text in verse 4 it
is the Lord who has chosen Jacob unto himself and For his peculiar
treasure, and this is the first point that I'd like us to consider
Turn if you would the first Samuel 12 22 1st Samuel 12 22 the first
point I'd like to consider is this it pleased the Lord to make
you his people It pleased the Lord to make you his people. It pleased the Lord that his
elect would be chosen in Christ. It's a wonderful truth. It's
absolutely wonderful truth. First Samuel chapter 12 verse
22 for the Lord will not forsake his people. Now there's a promise
that we can just lay hold of, isn't it? You're never, and we
know that in Hebrews, he says, I'll never leave you nor forsake
you. For the Lord will not forsake His people for His great name's
sake, because at what? It hath pleased the Lord to make
you His people. Oh, we know what we own, but
the scripture declares it pleased the Lord to make you His people. God has been gracious to His
chosen people. Israel provides us a good picture
of God's sovereign electing love. And how out of all nations of
the world He chooses His people. And it pleases Him to do so.
It pleases Him. He passed by, think of this with
Israel. He passed by all the other nations
that were around them. Turn if you would to Colossians
chapter 1. He passed by all other nations around them, right? They
had the Greeks. He passed by the Greeks. They
were left in their idolatry. He passed by the Romans, they
were left in their idolatry. He passed by the Egyptians, they
were left in their idolatry. He passed by the Hittites, left
in their idolatry. And God chooses Israel. Look at Colossians chapter 1
verses 26 and 27. It tells us of the mystery that's
been hid from ages and generations. Colossians 1, 26 and 27. Even
the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations,
but now is made manifest to his saints. To who? To those he chose. To those it pleased him to make
his people. To whom God would make known
what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles,
which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. He passed by, and it
says there, From ages and generations, He passed by nations and people. Didn't He? Passed them by. But this precious
truth has been made manifest to His saints. Because it pleased
the Lord to make you His people. Isaiah chapter 1. Turn if you
would there. Isaiah chapter 1. I ask you this
question. Did Israel merit His favor? Did
Israel merit His favor? Did they merit His mercy? We
know they most certainly did not. Look at Isaiah chapter 1. versus four to six. And we see
a picture of ourselves in our natural state. A sinful nation,
a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evildoers. Verse 4.
Children that are corruptors, they have forsaken the Lord.
They have provoked the Holy One of Israel unto anger. They are
gone away backward. Why should ye be stricken anymore?
Ye will revolt more and more. The whole head is sick and the
whole heart faints. From the sole of the foot, even
unto the head, there is no soundness in it. We're sinners by deed. We're sinners by thought. We're
sinners in our heart. We're sinners from the top of
our head to the bottom of our feet, beloved. You will revoke more and more.
The whole head is sick and the whole heart faint. From the sole
of the foot, even under the head, there's no soundness in it, but
wounds and bruises and petrifying sores. They have not been closed,
neither bound up nor mollified with ointment. Now that doesn't
sound like a people who merit anything, does it? Because they
don't. Just like we who are the redeemed
did not merit the salvation that we have in Christ. Look at verse,
look a little further down. In verse 18, come now and let
us reason together. Say it the Lord. Look to Christ. Look to Christ. Come now and let us reason together,
saith the Lord, though your sins be a scarlet, those spoken of
in verses four and six, though your sins be a scarlet, they
shall be wise. Complete forgiveness in Christ. They shall be read like, though
they be read like crimson, they shall be as. We who are the redeemed, we who
are born again, do not merit this wondrous salvation, this
wonderful mercy and grace which we have in Christ. We're just
like the Israelites, aren't we? Just like them. We're mercy beggars,
beloved. We're mercy beggars before our
great savior. And we praise his mighty name
for having mercy upon us. And God has set his love upon
us. God has set His love upon us, just as He did with Israel
of old, because of a covenant He made with Abraham. And again,
we do not merit God's love. He chose spiritual Israel unconditionally. Unconditionally, just like He
chose Israel. There's nothing in them to merit His love, and
there's nothing in us to merit His love. And the believer cries,
Amen. It's true. He said he said his love upon
us. Turn, if you would, to Hebrews
7. He said his love upon us because of an eternal covenant of grace
made with our surety. God said his love upon us because
of an eternal covenant made with our surety, the Lord Jesus Christ. And that was all an eternity.
All the look at Hebrews 7, verse 22. By so much was Jesus made
a surety of a better testimony. So what strength and comfort
the believer can glean from this precious truth that God has chosen
us in Christ. And this gives us strength as
we wake up each day to new trials and troubles and situations in
this world. The next point I'd like us to
consider is over in Isaiah 53, verse 10. It pleased the Lord. Remember our text is the Lord
does whatever He pleases. It pleased the Lord to bruise
His Son. To bruise His Son in our place.
It pleased God to do that. It pleased God to do that. Look
at Isaiah 53.10. Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise
Him, Christ. He hath put Him to grief. will
now shall make his soul an offering for sin. He shall see his seed,
he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall
prosper in his hands. Note it says, it pleased the
Lord to bruise him. It pleased the Lord to bruise
him. And the word there in Isaiah 53, for bruise, doesn't mean
like when we get a bruise on our arm. Doesn't mean that. In the Hebrew it means to crush. Crush. Be crushed, be contrite, be broken. And it pleased God to do this
for his chosen people. It pleased God. The Lord Jesus
Christ dies on Calvary's cross. And it pleased God to do that. As Christ dies on the cross for
his people. There's only one mediator between
God and man, the man Christ Jesus. And he lives forever as our mediator. And in order to redeem those
whom the Father had given him an eternity, in order to save
his people from their sins, he must pay their sin debt in full. And this is what happened at
Calvary's Cross. Turn, if you would, to Romans
chapter 3. substitution and satisfaction. The Lord Jesus Christ has made
an effectual atonement for the sin, for all the sins of his
covenant people. He is the propitiation for our
sins, and it please God for it to be so. It please God for it
to be so. Romans chapter three, verses
24 to 26. being justified freely by His grace, oh, His grace,
beloved, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, through
the shedding of His precious blood, whom God, and remember,
remember in Isaiah 53, yet it pleased the Lord to bruise Him.
whom God has set forth to be a propitiation through faith
in his blood to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that
are passed through the forbearance of God, to declare, I say at
this time, his righteousness, that he might be just and justifier
of him which believeth in Jesus. You who are redeemed marvel at
this. Marvel at this precious truth
before us. It pleased God to bruise the
Lord Jesus Christ that you and I might be redeemed. It pleased God to do that. That we might be justified before
Him. And what comfort and strength this can give the believer. And
let us consider this, the swords of God's justice was unseathed,
right? It was unseathed, it came out
of the They have a seed that they put a put a sword into. It came out. It was unseen. Taken out of its scabbard. And it was plunged into Christ.
It was plunged into Christ. But it's seed in him, beloved.
It'll never be put back in its scabbard. For God's people. Now, for the wicked, it will
be it'll fall upon them. But for God's people, it's plunged into our surety. And it'll never fall upon God's
people, the sword of God's justice. Because our Savior and our Redeemer
died in our place before. The next point I'd like us to
consider is Please God, by the preaching of the Gospel, to effectually
call out His elect. Turn, if you would, to 1 Corinthians
1. 1 Corinthians. God's ways are not our ways.
In fact, He uses the preaching of the Gospel to effectually
call out His elect. 1 Corinthians 1, verses 17-24. For Christ sent me not to baptize,
but to preach the Gospel. Not with wisdom of words. Paul's
not going to use fancy words. He preaches plainly, beloved.
Lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect. And remember
who Paul is. He's a well-educated man. But
he says, I'm not going to use words of wisdom. For the preaching
of the cross is to them that perish foolishness. Before the
Lord saved me, I thought it was foolishness, because I thought
I was good. I thought, surely God's going to take me and weigh
me in the scales of justice. And I'm not as bad as most folks,
so, you know. No. No. There's non-righteous, no, not
one. There's none that seeketh after God. There's none that
understandeth. And to the lost, the preaching
of the cross is to them that perish foolishness. But unto
us which are saved, it's the power of God. It's the power
of God. Oh, how we love to hear the preaching
of the gospel. Tell me more and more about Christ. Look at this. For it is written,
I will destroy the wisdom of the wise. People think they're
real wise. Some folks think they're real wise. But here, God says,
I'm going to destroy the wisdom of the wise. The one who's all
wise. The one who has all power. I'll destroy the wisdom of the
wise and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.
They perish in their own sins, thinking they're so wise. And
if God just leaves them there, they're going to perish and go
right to hell. Where's the wise? Where's all
these wise men from, all the Greek philosophers and all these?
They're in hell. If the Lord didn't save them,
that's where they are. Where's the wise? Where's the
scribe? Where's the spirit of this world?
Where's the one who shook his fist at Christ? He's in hell. Had not God made foolish the
wisdom of this world? For after that, in the wisdom
of God, the world by wisdom knew not God. It pleased God by the
foolishness of preaching to save them that blame. Precious words
for the blame. For the Jews require a sign,
and the Greeks seek after wisdom. But we preach Christ crucified,
unto the Jews a stumbling block. Why? Because they're so self-righteous.
They think they can merit and gain the favor of God, but God's
only pleased in Christ, beloved. He's not pleased with anyone
else. Only Christ. And the very one God is pleased
with is a stumbling stone. A stumbling block unto the Greeks'
foolishness. But unto them which are called
both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom
of God. What a Savior. What a Redeemer
is proclaimed in the Gospel. But unto them which are called,
both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom
of God. So the very thing that man calls foolishness is that
which the Lord uses to save and to effectually call out His people. The preaching of the Gospel. My, they please God by the foolishness
of preaching to save them. Turn, if you would, to 2 Corinthians,
chapter 4. And because it pleased God to
do so, our great sovereign God in His infinite and perfect wisdom
purposed to reveal the gospel through the very means this world
calls foolishness. 2 Corinthians, chapter 4, verses
five to seven. For we preach not ourselves.
The gospel preacher doesn't preach himself. I can't save anyone.
I can't even save myself. But I'll tell you one who saved
my soul. And I'll tell you the one who saves all who come to
Him. Oh my. We preach not ourselves, but
Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake.
For God who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, oh,
what darkness we were in at one time! But praise be to God, He's
commanded the light to shine out of darkness, has shined in
our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory
of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure in
earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and
not of us. See, in religion, they tell you,
look to yourself, you can do it, keep going, oh, we're right
there with you. You're going to fail and fail
and fail again. Because we cannot do anything in our own power.
We can't save ourselves, we can't keep ourselves, all but beloved. Oh, but that the power may be
of God and not of us. And this shows that our salvation
is by the power of God. This ties right into Jonah 2.9,
salvation's of the Lord. by His power, because it pleased
Him to do so. He's regenerated us. He's called
us through the Gospel. When the Gospel is preached,
it is God who has purchased our souls at Calvary, and it is God
who makes His sheep hear the voice of Christ. Through the
effectual call of the Gospel, how? Through the preaching of
the Word. Through the preaching of the Word and the revelation
of the Holy Spirit of God. Look at a little bit down in
chapter 2 there, 1 Corinthians 2, verse 10. I actually have
to turn over there. We're in 2 Corinthians there.
Look at 1 Corinthians 2, verse 10. It's a revelation, beloved. It's a revelation, isn't it?
Please God to reveal Himself to us. To us. But God hath revealed them unto
us by His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things,
yea, the deep things of God. So what a great comfort this
can bring the child of God as we travel through again this
world of woe. God himself has given us ears to hear and eyes
to see him and to hear his voice through the preaching of the
gospel. And it's all by the power of the Holy Spirit of God. We
can't claim nothing except our sin, right? That's ours. Oh my. Oh my. And the Lord has cleansed
his people from all their sin. How? By his almighty power. And
it's pleased God to do so. It's pleased God to call his
people out through the preaching of the word. Next point I'd like
to consider that's plainly revealed in scripture is it pleased God
to save his people by his grace. It pleased God to do so. if you
will, to Galatians chapter 1. We see that it pleases God to
save His people by His grace. Grace, grace, marvelous grace. Oh, the boundless grace of God,
which has been bestowed upon God's people in Christ. And let
us note, as we start in verse 13, that Paul, having shown what
he once was by nature, next proceeds to show what he is by grace. He runs up to the fountainhead
of mercy, beloved, in declaring that it was God's free grace
and nothing of His own deserving, no merit in Him. And it's the
same with everyone who believes. Look at Galatians 1, verses 13-16. For ye have heard of my conversations
in times past in Jewish religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted
the church of God and wasted it, and profited in the Jewish
religion above many mine equals in mine own nation, more exceedingly
zealous of the traditions of my fathers. So he's telling us
here how he used to be before the Lord saved him. He persecuted
the church. He was zealous of the traditions
of his fathers. But look at verse 15, beloved.
But when it pleased God. Oh my. But when it pleased God
who separated me from my mother's womb and called me by his grace. Every believer can say, it pleased
God. He called me by His grace. He
called me by His grace. To what? To reveal His Son in
me, that I might preach Him among the heathen. Immediately I conferred
not with flesh and blood. It pleased God. It pleases God
to save His people by His grace. It pleases God to do so. And
note the words, says it, please God who separated me from my
mother's womb and called me by his grace to reveal his son in
me. So let us remember that there
was a time, a set time for Zion, the church, when God will call
his lost sheep. And this gives us hope again
for our lost family members and lost friends, because we do not
know who God's sheep are. We have no idea. We didn't even
know we were one of them, did we? Before the Lord saved us,
we didn't. And if He saves them, they'll be called by His grace.
And they'll be called when it pleases Him. When it pleases
Him. Oh, my. So when will a man be
saved? When it pleases God. When it
pleases God. Look over at 2 Timothy, chapter
1. 2 Timothy. I know I got us turning around
a lot, but 2 Timothy. Chapter 1. Here's the scriptural
answer. It pleases God in sovereign grace. When will man be saved? When
it pleases God in sovereign grace to do so. 2 Timothy 1, verses
8-10. Be not thou therefore ashamed
of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me, his prisoner, but
be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the
power of God, who has saved us and called us with a holy calling,
not according to our works, but according to his own purpose
and grace, whenever it pleases him. Which was given us in Christ,
look at this, before the world began. all planned and purposed by God,
but is now made manifest by the appearing of our Savior, Jesus
Christ, who hath abolished death and hath brought life and immortality
to light through the Gospel. Salvation is always by the free
grace of God and not by the supposed free will of a depraved sinner.
And we looked at that earlier in Romans 9. In what comfort
and strength, again, the believer can glean from this precious
truth? Well, we go through this world
of sorrow, that my salvation is not dependent upon me, as
the believer in Christ is saved by God's grace and kept by God's
grace, which is only found in our great Savior, the Lord Jesus
Christ. We have received mercy, we who
believe, and not wrath. We've obtained mercy because
it pleased God. Oh my. The last point I'd like
us to consider that's plainly revealed in Scripture is it pleased
God to put all spiritual blessings in Christ. Turn, if you would,
to Colossians chapter 1. Colossians chapter 1. And then I'll have you turn over
to Colossians 2. Colossians 1, verse 1. I know we usually go to Ephesians
1 for this, but I'd like to go here today. Look at this. Colossians
1, verse 19 and 20. For it pleased the Father that
in Him should all fullness dwell. It pleased the Father. It pleased
the Father that all spiritual blessings are in Christ. It pleased
him. And heaven made peace through
the blood of his cross. He's made peace for us with God
through the blood of his cross. The sinless one dying for sinners.
By Him to reconcile all things unto Himself. By Him, I say,
whether they be things in earth or things in heaven. And so what
comfort this can bring the believer in Christ, the fullness of redemption,
righteousness, reconciliation is only found in Christ. And
the believer stands perfectly complete in Christ, in Christ. Before God, who demands absolute
absolute, perfect satisfaction of his law and of his justice. God demands perfect, absolute
satisfaction of his law and of his justice. Turn, if you would,
to Colossians chapter two, and may we just marvel. We are complete only in him.
Starting in verse 9, For in Him dwelleth all the fullness of
the Godhead bodily, and ye are complete in Him. And ye are complete in Him. Isn't that wonderful? That's
honey to my soul. And ye are complete in Him, which
is the head of all principality and power. in whom also ye are
circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, and put not
the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ."
That means you're born again by the Holy Spirit of God. "...buried
with Him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with Him through
the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised Him from
the dead. And you being dead in your sins..." That was our
natural state. "...in the uncircumcision of
your flesh hath He quickened together with Him." Born again.
heaven forgiving you, all trespasses. And look at this verse, blotting
out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us. Oh, could
you imagine all the handwriting of ordinances that was against
us for our sin? How much sin does it take to
cast a person to hell? Just one. But imagine the handwriting
of ordinances that was against us. Blotting out. In the Greek, that's
the whitewash. It's gone. Blotting out. The handwriting on the board,
it says, that was against us, which was contrary to us, and
took it out of the way, nailing it to His cross, and having spoiled
principalities and powers, He made a show of them openly triumphing
over them in it. Some people say Christ is going
to come back victorious. He's already victorious. He's seated at the right hand
of the Father right now. He's already victorious, beloved.
He spoiled princes and principalities at the cross. He destroyed the
power of Satan. Our God is King. We are complete
in Him. Complete in Him. May these precious
truths bring you who believe great comfort and strength through
this week. As we journey through this world, And may all glory
go to our great God and Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. And if
you're here and you do not know the Savior, may God be pleased to grant you
faith to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. Gracious Heavenly
Father, we thank Thee for Your mercy and grace. We who believe
are so thankful that it pleased You to save us. and that it pleased
you to send the Lord Jesus Christ to die in our place for all our
sins, and that the handwriting of ordinances that was against
us, and oh, for each one of us who are redeemed, it was such
a list, but they're gone. They're whitewashed. And we are
complete in you, Lord Jesus. We pray that you'd be glorified
and magnified through this message and through all the messages
that are preached from here. And may we glorify you now in
song as we close. And may you give travel mercies
to all who head home. In Jesus' name, amen.